Finally, the fifth day of the week. The preliminary examination has commence. This chapter will start off the day of the exam. All Class-1 students of different ranking is in the arena to conduct this OBE.
"Class 1-A , Class 1-B, Class 1-C, Class 1-D, each class will form in line by Surname starting from A-Z" said by professor Richard
Students started to form in line while mumbling noises are heard as they form in line, as if everyone is speaking at the same time.
.....
"Okay, I will be your advisor for this examination. Before we start i will be reading first the rules and guidelines in taking this exam." Professor Earl said that as he was about to say the contents of the paper he was holding to Class 1-C.
Rule 1, Examinees shall not hit and wounded other examinees or faculty members with any form of magic.
Rule 2, Each examinee shall perform the exam with the limited amount of time.
Rule 3, Assistance from other Examinee is not allowed
Rule 4, There are two scoring criteria for this exam. One, Examinee Performance. And two, Examinee's execution.
Rule 5, Failing one of this criteria will result to overall failure of the objective-based examination
Everyone is being handed a instruction paper one by one. those that are given started getting a dissatisfied reaction. When it was given to Reymund he instantly looed at the objectives.
Perform and execute one of the magic circle on your preference. The following choices are;
1. Elemental Magic Circle (Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind)
2. Exceptional Magic Circle, AKA Bloodline Magic
3. Materialize Magic Circle, (Creating matter from nothing)
Note: Avoid performing slavish magic circle. The criteria grading falls under creativity, functionality, and Intricacy. Underperformance could lead to low evaluation which would affect the grading.
Grading Evaluation of Criteria:
Intricacy...20 %
functionality...30 %
Creativity...50 %
Scoring Evaluation (1-10)
1-4 - Unsatisfactory
5-6 - Satisfactory
7-9 - Appreciable
10 - Magnificent
Remarks:
0 to 4.9 - Failed
5.0 to 10 - Passed
....
While everyone is worrying about the exam, Professor Earl whispers at one of the faculty evaluator. and after his approval that professor hold his staff that is leaning on the table and cast a commend,
"By roots and leaf, by sun and rain. Let Barren soil be green again. From soil and seed, let life reclaim. This ground anew,"
"A grassy plain" The evaluator chanted and by slamming his green light emitting staff on the sanded ground, it changes the area from sand to grassy plain as it engulf all the remaining sand in the arena.
Everyone was surprise and flinch a little bit because of a sudden change of the ground from sand to greenery scene.
"Wow, look at that! in an instant everything turn into grass" Some student said as he was astonished by it.
After that Reymund then looks at the paper with a worry in his eyes and thought, my presentation greatly depends on how thorough my modification is. If i can't show the evaluator my result, i will be at risk in this exam.
Reymund then picks up the paper from his pocket and folded it open. And see an intricate magic circle his mom taught him. He's been studying how to draw this in his mind.
After 30 minutes of sitting, coming up a better presentation idea, professor Richard gave an order to all class 1 examinee to line up again, since the exam was about to start.
...
In the distance the first performer from Class 1-C is about to start. he lay down flat his white towel size cloth to the grassy surface, and it shows that it is engraved with Elemental Magic Circle. After he finish laying out his magic circle, he started casting a chant.
"Spirit of mist and sky so high, Weave your clouds where still winds lie. Draw down dew from silver thread, Let gentle rains be softly shed. - Miniature Shower"
Right when he said that, the magic circle engraved to the cloth suddenly shines a neon blue light and white clouds started to emit inside the circle, going to a certain height and started raining down a smooth rain.
The clouds that we see on the top is reforming into a different shape as it gradually releases all the raindrops stored inside, until its no more.
that's the end of his presentation.
The three evaluator wrote down their scores on the students paper. After some time, they finished the grading and quickly follows up with the next examinee leaving the first one feeling insignificant.
everyone at the back of the line is feeling even more pressured now that they knew the evaluator are not gonna say anything to a normal performance. Those that are planning to do the same miniature rain performance are now shaking beyond extent.
Some student then complains that the school is very demanding even for a 9-10 year old child. Reymund who hears their complain can't help but silently agreed to their complain. only because, he is accustomed to the other world's academic system.
At his age on the earth, they were just learning basic math like adding, subtracting, multiply and dividing. Most of the time, he is just messing around at 9 years old, scoring 75 marks on all subjects.
....
After a few performance from the students, now is time for Elinoise Aston to show her performance. She handed over her paper to the evaluators and found out that she is also going to do another Elemental Magic Circle. She can see in their eyes that they instantly felt deceive that the top scorer from the entrance exam is just another uncreative student.
The evaluator whisper to each other how Elinoise did not even bring a medium for her magic circle. Elsy who didn't care about their opinion slowly walk away from the evaluator. After a good distance she she grip tightly to her mini skirt and suddenly stomp her right foot in elegance creating a magic circle as large as the entire arena.
The aura of the magic circle oozing through, creating an slight unbalance thrust of wind. The evaluator then instantly zips their mouth, and don't want to talk.
She started chanting the spell, "By fury pent in storm-bound cage," She raise her right hand up trying to hold of something. "I call the sky to wake in rage !" suddenly the weather starting to shift into a dark cloudy atmosphere, but the clouds are only forming on top of the schools arena. Elsy then started spinning elegantly while saying, "Winds that howl and clouds that seethe," while she spins the clouds in the sky suddenly rotates like a hurricane, wind starting to blow spinning. After that she stops spinning and shouted, "Lightning strike where shadows breathe ! -
Dark Cumulonimbus !"
Quickly 6 seconds after saying that, rainstorm started to fall covering the entire arena into an aggressive rain drops. lightning and thunder can be seen and affecting the performance of the other ranks. other examinee that is also performing their magic circles gets distracted by the thunder roaring and is complaining from their evaluator. "Hey isn't this unfair, she is messing my performance, this exam should be canceled" said by the examinee from Class D.
"What's wrong with showcasing your capability, she is not targeting you directly anyways. So i see nothing wrong with that. If i were you, show something more exciting that would outperform the other examinee, other than just playing with cotton and gardening tools." The evaluator told the examinee with dissatisfaction."
"She is perfectly in sync with the storm and spinning away all her worries, and letting out her frustration and making it a sight to be seen", commented by one of the evaluator.
"This is just magnificent" Said by Professor Earl
And then Elsy concluded her showcase by kneeling down taking hold of the grassy ground making the magic circle shrink down quickly and the same with the dark Cumulonimbus getting compressed until it is nowhere to be seen, leaving behind moisten grass in the whole arena.
The evaluators clapped at her performance shortly and then tells her to leave quickly.
A male delinquent suddenly bumps into Elinoise and told her, "Move Lower-class, was that even called magic. now let me show you how real magic is for the righteous."
Elinoise move aside.
He went and give his paper to the evaluator, he even brag about what magic circle he will be using, "Elemental magic, so week. Nothings gonna beat a magic that's only special to you. And that is what i am going to do." He said
For more context who is speaking right now! that is Harley Brown, a 10 year old student, the firstborn son of the Brown noble. He is very good academically and physically but because of his foul personality and narcissistic view he was put into Class 1-C.
The evaluator looks at each other and said to Harley, "What are you waiting for?"
Harley then cross his arm, x-shaped and both arm suddenly shows a blue magic circle immediately appeared on both of Harley's hand.
He then said, "Incantations are just for losers, i have the ability create variation of my lightning bloodline using my very own special magic circle"
He then stop making the pose and shows the evaluator what comes out of his right hand. out of nowhere huge lightning sparks on his right hand and quickly spawning a futuristic pistol gun powered by lightning which is shown as neon blue at each part of the gun
"Let me show you what it can do, weakling." Harley declares as he aims the gun on a natural white cloud, kilometers away from them.
Harley pulls the trigger and in just a 1 second delay he was struck by lightning and disappear leaving behind burn marks on where he is standing and the other examinee and evaluator was shocked with how fast that hit was.
"What just happened" one of the evaluator was worried as to why he was struck by his own magic and disappear.
After a short period of time another lightning come striking down on a vacant area of the field. They once again jumped from the shock and quickly looks at the area hit, upon checking, it was Harley holding a paper bag with a logo of a fast-food restaurant. And on his left hand he is drinking a soft drink, unscathed.
He thought to himself as he walks to the class 1-C line, This exam doesn't even fascinate me. While he was about to get close the line, when from the distance a sudden wave of energy was felt and out of nowhere all students from Class 1-A started flying around the arena. As in turns out Bryant from that class, place a magic circle on their class and activated it making everyone fly with designed limitation.
Bryant explain to the evaluators that he apparently modified his magic circle so that the user can fly how they pleased as long as he allows it to or if they get past a certain distance limit, the magic circle takes control and land them to a safest ground.
They praise his demonstration saying, "As expected of the hero from the rampage incident."
Harley who saw that was even more furious at Bryant for always getting all the credit. Harley squeeze his fist so hard that the soft drink plastic bottle squashed. he whisper, "That asshole."
His friend, Carl tap his shoulder and said to Harley, "Don't worry, that Sham will not stay at the top for too long, when that happen, we have the last laugh."
"Carl it's your turn" said professor Earl.
Carl promise his friend Harley, "Don't worry I'll aced this exam." with a smile on his face, as he walk to the front.
...
Carl brought out his table cloth with Materialize Magic Circle engraved in it. The class was surprise by the sudden bold choice, saying, "Hey can he really pull that up?"
"Isn't that the hardest magic circle to pull out"
"Has he lost his mind"
The person they are making fun of Carl Edison a 9 Year old student from an unknown background, he is friends with Harley brown and together they are known as the delinquent of Class 1-C.
Carl took a deep breathe and chant the spell to activate the magic circle.
"By copper wound and iron core, By volt and spark and humming roar, Dancing fire from skyward plane, Arc forth, awaken! bind the chain."
After saying that the magic circle creates a hologram of an unknown blueprint on top of it. In Carl mind, This weapon is designed for Harley's lightning output, as my token of gratitude, i will dedicate this craft for him.
"Let Saturn's rings be circuitry, Let Mercury guide frequency, From aether deep to Electric kiss, Coil of lightning, shall exist !" Carl chanted this and instantly a white beam come out of the circle and towering the height of the arena, about 60 foot.
After some time the beam slowly shrinks and found out the object which should be summoned on the center of the circle was never found. after he noticed no object was summoned he started panicking looking around to see that the magic circle has already exhausted but the object was never summoned.
Without second thoughts the evaluator told him to step aside as the exam is still in motion. "Next !" Carl was devastated that the magic did not work. he fold the table cloth and walks away slowly to the sideline.
Now its Elnier's turn to perform the exam, he walks into the evaluators, after getting Reymund exam paper they noticed that Reymund will also perform materialize magic circle. They look at him in the eye and told him, "you're the kid who fought Lukas from Class 2-A, you barely survive the incident. Now, show us what you can do"
Reymund starting to get trembling from all the pressure when Elinoise cheer him up, "You'll be fine. show them what you got Rey !"
Reymund forgot for a second that his childhood friend is there. he thought to himself, Come on me, you have to get over your fear. you have a childhood friend to impress too.
He hit his cheeks with both of his palm and started pulling out his white handkerchief and placing it on the ground, he started drawing the last remaining hieroglyphic for his magic circle. After Class 1-C realize his circle, they also laugh at him trying to pull up the hardest circle, they said, "Look! another try hard is doing the materialize magic circle."
Meanwhile, professor Earl was stunned to see the magic circle Reymund draw. In the professor's mind, That circle ? i never taught the class about that variation. There's no doubt about it, the symbols, the hieroglyphic, this is the Katniss Leonhardt variation.
If i remember correctly, Ms. Leonhardt is married to Mr. Elnier, so he is their son !
...
Reymund finished the magic circle, he bend his knee and touch the magic circle. he whisper, "structure modification" suddenly the magic circle lights up and multiple hieroglyphic started floating on top of the circle.
The class C was shocked to see a holographic image coming up the circle and the evaluator do not understand how a 9 year old student knows how to open the Admin Control.
Reymund started touching the holographic hieroglyphs and it is going through his hand, then he started changing the structure from real to imaginary. He starts dragging the shapes, pinching it to zoom. Reymund started rearranging the shapes and hieroglyphs, adding different hieroglyphs, and removing ones that is not important. This goes on for 6-8 minutes, the evaluator started checking the time. there are 2 minutes left.
After 20 seconds, Reymund close the Admin Control and run to Elinoise, he said, "Elsy come with me." at first Elsy was shy and don't want to go. but Reymund insist because he will not be able to study without Elinoise tutoring him.
"1 minute and 10 seconds was left" said the evaluator. Elsy has no choice but to go because Reymund will keep insisting until he has no time left. Reymund holds Elinoise hand with his left hand and he used his right hand to make a flaming weapon. This time a flaming shuriken, but before he throw is, Reymund looks at Elsy and said, "you gonna love this" with an excitement to his eyes. That's when Elinoise realize that his childhood friend did not think of this as an exam, instead, he thought of this as a present to show me. that way he was never frantic, and that he can be happy of what he did. she thought in her mind, that's the reason why i always have a crush on you.
Reymund throw the shuriken to the magic circle while gripping tightly on Elsy's hand. After the shuriken collided with the magic circle, with no delay, Elsy, Reymund the evaluator was instantly pulled out of the arena, leaving behind a hemisphere dome 15 feet high. everyone from outside don't see what's inside.
everyone started complaining what Reymund just summon while in the inside, Reymund told Elinoise to open her eyes.
when she opens her eyes she saw a city lies in serene stillness, its towers glowing with warm golden lights that shimmer against a deep, starry sky. Neon signs cast soft hues of blue and red onto sleek building façades. The atmosphere remains cool, clean, and faintly scented with rain. Its damp surface reflecting the gentle glow of streetlights like a quiet mirror. Everything was empty, from road stretches to sidewalks everything is deserted —no footsteps, no voices. just rustling of trees and feint hum of the sleeping city. It truly is a rare moment of peace.
just by being here Elinoise felt at ease, she asked, "What is this place?" Reymund responded, "it is a place i never get to see in person, not even once, only from pictures, or newspapers."
"This is far different from reality, it will never be accomplished. Even so, i wanted to show you the place i will never get to dream of walking. This is my Manila" Reymund said
"Manilla ?" Elinoise asks
"Never mind, it was all just a dream." Reymund told Elinoise with an emotional tone
"Then I'll build one" She declares to Reymund. Reymund was smiled by that sudden statement.
Then she said, "Don't underestimate my photographic memory, in the near future when we both are old i will make a project dedicated to make this dream of yours into reality, I promise."
Because of the assurance of Elinoise he was filled with joy and hugged Elinoise out of respect. "Thank you Elsy." he said.
Suddenly the imaginary city started to crumble, places starting to disappear leaving behind total darkness and the starry night.
*Glass breaking*
The hemisphere started to collapse falling through the magic circle. Reymund and Elsy is seen hugging each other, and the Evaluator was even more confused that ever.
"What the hell just happened ?" The Evaluator replied.
Just hearing the evaluator asks in confusion, that's when Reymund and Elsy realize this is reality now and quickly stopped hugging to avoid embarrassment.
Reymund gets close to the evaluator and asks, "Wait, did you not get transported on the space i created?" after saying that professor Earl approach them and said with awed, "WAIT! YOU CAN CREATE SPACE!!!"
Everyone from Class 1-A started talking to themselves, curious as to who exactly this Reymund guy is."
One of the evaluator said, "Oh, so that's space, well if that's the case, your space is poorly made. All we see are starry sky and a pitch black"
The other evaluator then said, "But well, we did see a tiny resemblance of a city landscape from afar. but other than that its totally void."
"Your presentation is great, with all the modification you did. but as for the result, its bland so expect a not so amazing grade from us, okay... next..." they commented and then follow up with the next one.
Reymund panic started to kicked in, in his mind, I forgot to add the evaluators to my location. both me and Elsy are holding hands, that's why we got transported to a correct place. but the teachers, who are grading my performance was casted aside in the edge.
ARRGGG!!! I'm so dumb !!.., he angrily thought to himself.