Swordsman exam

Kit could hear the clanging of swords as they approached the training grounds. He saw Cadbury and Dove sparring with their opponent, Instructor Twix, who easily countered their attacks. Kit suddenly realized that when Jax was chasing him yesterday, he may have just been playing around. This made Kit worry about his chances of passing the exam without getting hurt.

"Was Jax even trying to catch me yesterday?" Kit's voice trembled as he asked Mars.

Mars looked at Kit and sighed. "Probably not. He likely figured out your identity and knew you would lead him to me." He held Kit's gaze. "But don't worry, Jax scales his attacks based on the level of the exam you are taking."

Kit blinked slowly, processing this information. "There are more exams after this?"

Mars chuckled, and it was Twix who answered his question. "Yes, every hundred levels there is another exam to ensure your body can handle the changes that come with leveling up. And after this exam, you will have a significant increase in stats, just in time for our adventure!"

A loud cheer caught Kit's attention, and he finally noticed a small stand where spectators were watching the sparring match. He was surprised to see his employees engrossed in the spectacle; even Mud was cheering on Jax.

Before Kit could think of a way to get rid of them, Mars strode off towards the training grounds. As he got closer, he blew a whistle loudly, causing all three opponents to pause.

"That's enough," Mars announced. "It's time for Kit's exam."

Dove and Cadbury started to leave, but Jax blocked their path with his sword. "Where are you two going? We haven't finished yet," he said calmly but firmly.

Jax then turned to Mars and said, "My little apprentice, you know it takes more than this to get me to hold an exam."

Mars seemed unfazed by Jax's words. "Well, just so you know, you won't be joining us for a meal until after the exam is over." He turned and began walking towards Kit.

"Wait," Jax called after them. Mars stopped and turned back around. "Why can't I join you for a meal today? You didn't even feed me when I arrived yesterday, and I came as soon as I got your letter!"

Mars gestured with his palms up. "We can't change it, Kit is the chef. So if his mood affects him, he won't cook and right now he's too nervous to even hold a pan."

Kit raised his eyebrows - when has his mood ever stopped him from cooking? But he wisely kept his mouth shut.

Jax glanced over at Kit, a glimmer of recognition in his eyes. It suddenly made sense why Mars invited Jax for the exam - he was a food lover! "Oh, I see. Will we have a meal right after the exam?" Jax licked his lips eagerly.

"Jax, Kit had planned to throw a big feast if he passed. He already has all the ingredients ready," Mars lied smoothly.

"A feast!" Grandpa's voice boomed from the crowd. The old man jumped up from his seat and hurried over to Instructor Jax. He pulled out his staff and whacked Jax on the head with a dull thud. "Hurry up!"

Kit thought a fight might break out between them, but to his surprise Jax simply nodded and turned to Kit. "Get ready! 3...2...1..." Kit stood there in shock as the middle-aged man charged towards him.

Ding!

[Swordsman exam in progress]

09.59 seconds

"Kit! RUN!" Mars and Twix yelled in unison.

Without fully comprehending the situation, Kit immediately sprang into action. Oh stars, this must be his test! He quickly stuffed some cookies into his mouth and activated his bouncing steps.

With adrenaline pumping through his veins, he reached for the pouch that Mars had given him and started hurling the round bombs behind him.

Each explosion caused Kit's heart to skip a beat as he continued to bounce and move without looking back. The intense aura of danger following him around only added to his panic.

"Keep it up Kit!" Mars shouted encouragingly.

"Throw another firebomb!" Mud screeched.

"Throw three! Get him Kit!"

"Throw the whole bag at him!"

"Go Kit Go!"

The cheers from the spectators spurred Kit on even more. He zig-zagged, ran in circles, and played dead while continuously throwing bombs.

When a loud cheer erupted, Kit couldn't resist glancing back for just a moment.

To his relief, Jax was frozen in place. One of the stun bombs must have hit its mark. But before Kit could take a break, he noticed that Jax was already breaking free from the effects of the potion.

Brown banana's! How did he break out so fast? Kit needed to come up with a new plan. He headed towards the familiar obstacle course, having memorized every trick and turn by now. He hoped his knowledge and experience would give him an advantage over Instructor Jax.

Kit's plan paid off as he managed to avoid Jax until a whistle blew, signalling the end of the test. Not a single hair was missing from Kit's head, but his muscles were screaming in pain. He was sure he had broken at least three records during his frantic run through the obstacle course.

As he collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air and covered in sweat, Kit couldn't help but feel proud of himself. He may have been lightheaded and exhausted, but he had passed the test with flying colours.

Ding!

[Level 100 swordsman exam complete!]

Congratulations player Kit on passing the swordsman exam!

A tingling sensation swept over Kit's entire body, and a soft glow seemed to emanate from his skin. He could feel a strange energy pulsing through his veins, like every blood vessel was coming alive and dancing.

The sensation grew more intense before abruptly fading away. Curious about what had just happened, Kit recalled Twix's words about his body going through changes after the exam. He wondered if these changes would be reflected in his stats screen.

With a wave of his finger, he opened his menu.

Kit (Lord of Spartan Fire)

Level: 100

Health: 15,000/15,000

Attack 1,000 (30)

Class: Swordsman

Stamina: 1,000/1,000

Speed 2,221 (105)

Sub class: Chef (Platinum) Lvl 62

Tier: Advanced Novice Chef

Magica: 500/500

Intelligence 1,839

Money: 351 bronze crowns

Experience: 1,910,000/10,000,000

Agility 2,864 (5)

Culinary Points: 52,542.

Clothing: White apron

Defence: 1,000 (10)

Free Points: 500

Weapon: Beginner Sword

Armour: Basic wrist guard, Swift Feet boots

Kit's eyes widened as he looked at his stats: health, attack, and defence. Finally, they were decent enough to keep up with his friends in combat!

He couldn't help but feel a surge of joy as he scanned the rest of the information on his screen. He was tempted to ask Mars to share his screen, but he was afraid his own stats wouldn't measure up to his battle maniac friend's.

Instead, Kit stood up from his seat and immediately noticed a difference in his balance and dexterity. It took him a moment to adjust to the jump in stats. He decided to go for a jog around the field, just to test out his improved abilities. After one lap, he felt like he belonged in his own body again.

When he returned to his friends, they all smiled at him. Kit blushed a bit, feeling self-conscious about his newfound strength. "Don't worry, Kit. It happens to all of us," Mars reassured him.

Feeling confident and proud of himself, Kit agreed that it was time for the feast. Instructor Jax seemed uninterested at first, but perked up when food was mentioned.

Despite leaving them again soon, Kit wanted to show his appreciation to Jax and his employees by cooking them a meal. With Cupcake and Crackers' help, the buffet table was soon filled with delicious food.

As everyone enjoyed their dinner and chatted happily, Dove eventually stood up to announce the winner of the competition.

"The time has come to announce the winner of the competition!" Dove's voice echoed through the room, and Kit could feel the tension in the air. Anticipation filled everyone as they waited for the name to be revealed.

"Cupcake is our champion!" Dove declared, and Mud immediately jumped up in protest.

"Wait, are you sure you counted correctly? How can Cupcake be the winner?"

"Sit down and be gracious," Snickers scolded her cousin as she playfully hit him on the head.

Mud reluctantly sat back down, while Cupcake smiled confidently amidst all the commotion. the other employees surrounded him, congratulating him on his victory. Kit couldn't help but smile as well, knowing that tomorrow he would embark on an exciting adventure with his in game family.

But before he could fully embrace this thought, Kit was bombarded by his employees with questions and requests. They all wanted to know when they would have another chance to win a competition and join Kit on one of his quests. Kit promised them that when he returned, they would definitely get the opportunity to accompany him in search of new ingredients.

After speaking to everyone, Kit's voice was hoarse and he was ready to call it a night. He managed to sneak out unnoticed and when he finally reached his room, he felt butterflies in his stomach.

Tomorrow marked the beginning of a new chapter in his life. This journey would determine his future in CAL, Kit felt his heart tremble at the prospect.