Chapter 8: Examination

Finally, the day have come.

Alex standing in the long queue, look in the distance school, before looking down again.

He is reading a book he brought. The queue is said to be long, so he brought a book in case this happen. He felt happy he did so.

Many children around his age is queuing too, but he was among the last that would get tested.

The nobles of course come first, followed by those with little background, to those without a background. Finally, his group of children. Those without even a family.

Muzz wanted to help him, but Alex felt he have helped enough. He didn't want to burden him with his own personal things.

So, near 7pm. It was finally his turn.

He walked inside the building, it was big. But he have seen bigger.

The floor is smooth with stone flooring. The inside is peach in colour, along with a few design on the wall.

There is a few big and wide stairs that lead further up, and many more rooms.

After signing his name, he was guided into the main testing room, is a small room. He turn to see a old man seating on a chair, with a table and book on it.

"Magic type?" The old man have a long white bread, as his eyes seem to speak wisdom as he glance at Alex.

"Fire and earth." Alex said.

"Open your mana world to me."

'...' Alex froze for a moment, "Er. How?"

The old man sighed, as he explained, "Enter your world normally, but include me too."

"I will try.." Alex tried, as he sense the old man, and spread his world around him.

The old man looked a little surprised, "You have no background, right?"

"Nope." Alex nodded.

His world is now glowing water, with the two of the standing above it.

"I see." The old man said, as he snapped and exited the world.

'You can do that?..' Alex thought, feeling rather surprised.

"Now. Proceed onto the next room." He said, as Alex exited. Bring guided by the signs this time, as a sign powered by magic is pointing towards his left.

He followed and another sign pointed at the door. The door said, "Start when ready."

He open it and find an outdoor space, there is a large weapon stand at the left side. As a figure seated facing the pond.

The figure pointed at the weapon stand, as Alex went over to see.

< Don't you have a knife with you? > Terry asked.

'That shall be something I use to defend myself.' Alex thought to him, as he took a sword the Japanese call, a Odachi. Along with a Wakizashi.

He place the Odachi on his left shoulder, with the Wakziashu held in his right, walking over to the figure.

Without even speaking, he dashed forward. Hiding all his killing intent, and strike with the Odachi, towards the figure hooded head.

Only to use his right feet and step forward, turning his body and swinging the Odachi. As a metal sound echoed, he felt the vibration across his left arm.

He force his arm to push it further to the right, as he throw it away, making the person arm that was expecting more strength to raise higher.

His final blow, as he swing the Wakziashi towards the figure who has an opening.

"Heh." An earth wall rose up before his sword could strike, but left a mark on it.

The voice sounded like a female, as the earth wall crumbled to reveal one.

Her hood fell to reveal an excited face, her grin was big like her eyes. She have a dark brown almond eyes, which reflected the sun light. Her nose is medium size, along with her pink lips.

Her almost black hair fell on her shoulder, as she took a few steps back.

Her right arm robe seelve got cut off to reveal an arm with a deep cut.

"Yo. Not bad." She complemented Alex, while ignoring her very obvious wound arm.

"Ur.. Your arm is bleeding." Alex pointed it out, as she still swing the arm around.

"I live." She said, "You Sir, seem pretty interesting." She chuckled, "Now, get outta here. "

Alex nodded, and left the room. Kinda spook out by that weird woman.

The woman than look at the weapons on the ground. Before looking at the door Alex left by.

"Silent and deadly." She muttered, as the door open.

"Hey are you done." Another man came in, as he look at the woman injuries and sighed, "Your lack of seriousness can be the death-."

An iron spike shot before the man neck, as the woman grinned wider.

"Yours too." She said, as the iron spike went back to the soil. The man wiped off the sweat formed on his forehead. She than went to the side and took out a bag. Before taking out what looks like bandages, wrapping around her arm.

"Why don't you go get it healed? Instead doing this?" He sighed.

As she shrugged, "I'm not." She tied it tightly, "I will go see Muzz to get it sewed. Its been a while since I saw him."

"That weird beast?"

"Yes!" She gave a thumbs up, as she carried her bag, "That was the last student right?"

"Yeah. I am here to keep the stand." He said, as she nodded and left.

Alex already reached back to his room, as he took a deep breath.

He seat on his bed and remembered that woman. That woman was scary.

'She didn't even look to be in pain, despite that injury.' He weakly smiled, "Crazy.." He muttered, as went into his mana world.

'The woman didn't even take me seriously too.' He felt a little angry, but sighed and focus on improving his mana.

'An earth wall that tough, she might be a higher stage.' He thought, as he asked Bon, 'Bon, how do I know the result?'

< In about a week, they will put up a sign outside the school. You can see if you got in. You can than straight away enter the school if you want, or wait for another week to move it. They will tell you if you are going to magic or battle classes. >

'Battle classes in the morning, while magic class afternoon. Right?'

< Yup. >

'Alright.' He nodded, as he focus on making the water into a solid.

At Muzz store.

"Yo! That boy you spoke name Alex?" The same woman entered Muzz store.

"How's he?" Muzz asked, he is in his human form. His brown hair have a buzz cut, as he have a mature look. He's eyes black, and he having a cigarette in his mouth.

"Makes me wonder what he did before." She laughed, "Can help me sew my arm?" She unwrapped the bloody bandages, as Muzz went to get his medical tools.

He can't use the same needle he use to sew clothes to sew a wound.

After sewing the wound, he wrap it with a clean bandages.

"Thanks." She said, as he simply nodded. "I am heading back home."

"Don't you live at the teachers dorm?" Muzz asked.

"I left something back there."

"That's surprising. You never left anything behind."

"You can't say never. I do. You do too. Everyone will leave something behind, intentionally or not." She smiles, and left the store.

Muzz than started pondering around her last sentence.

"Intentionally or not." He repeated, as he look at the dark sky outside the door, before it is closed.