Chapter 3- Let the exam begin

As the moon set and the sun rose, the long and tiring night was finally over, everyone in both the women's and man's dorms could feel the pressure in the air, those teens had been through enough, many tests, nights and they all arrived to this moment together a day that will determine who will become a mage.

The three boys woke up after a night full of questioning Reans actions as they went outside they regroup with their other friends and waited for the girls, so they could go to the forest in which the exam will take place, in the way there the group walked as they brought up the memories from the time they first got to know each other, as time went by they reached to the forest.

In the forest, a large audience had gathered around as the academy set magic magical cameras across the area for the guests that showed up to support their children and some others who were interested in the bet between Rean and Peter, but the important ones were the ones that sat on top of a hill which had the best view to the forest, between those people you could find the head of the Ris family, Victor Ris who came here to watch how his son will handle such task, to put a commoner in his place.

After everyone gathered around, Leon stood up and turned to his students

"Good morning all, it has been a long journey but now everything you've all learned will come in handy, I can't express how proud I am of each one of you." Leon went and explained how the test will be taken.

At first 5 teams from 5 different classes will enter the forest and begin their test the moment that they will finish the test another 5 teams will enter and begin their turn. While the students will be fighting the monsters natural judges will be giving the students their grades based on their performance and the test will have bonuses that for now will remain in secret. Leon now had finished his explanation.

"Now let us begin the final exam"

cheers were heard from the crowds of students the day had finally come when they'll become mages. All the students finished preparing and the first teams were already at the entrance to the forest, the four teams from the other classes and the team from Rean's class which included Asuna, Tess, and Rose will begin the exam first.

The teams entered the forest and inside they had gone in different directions, as Asuna and her team ran through the forest they went past many E, D, and C-ranked monsters like slimes, two-headed bears, and wolves with horns, while they defeated them with ease Asuna suddenly stopped as she realized something about the monsters.

"What wrong Asuna?", Tess asked, Asuna looked at her and Rose.

"Those monsters aren't real", she said, "they are a replica of those monsters like puppets", she dropped the bomb, "that will explain how there are so many monsters in the forest".

Rose and Tess looked at her and both said in sync, "but that means that she's here". they said with excitement when they were not aware that at the same time the VIPs were watching them with amused looks.

"Well look at that John looks like young Asuna inherited her brains from her mother" Leon started to laugh at his best friend.

"Shut up Leon act like an adult!. but it is impressive that they know exactly how my magic works," the mysterious woman at the back said as she looked at John who stood there proudly as his daughter slain monster after monster with her friends without a problem.

The other spectators were also amazed by the teamwork that the trio displayed, Rean and his friends were also watching as they also realized that those monsters aren't the real deal, and they were puzzled by the fact that a B and A- ranked monsters were yet to show up.

Mike walked over to Rean, "so when do you think they will show up? there's no way that the school will just let us have an easy test because as for now field trips were harder than that".

Shon also agreed with Mike's opinion as the three watched how the girls continued to kick ass.

As the exam went on, out of nowhere the girls and the other examines felt a tremor in the forest and everyone realized that the true exam had just begun, the three quickly ran towards the source of the tremor, Asuna who was an expert at ice magic used the ice to create an slidey road to help her friends to get to there quicker while she draws her sword and froze the monsters in the way as she finished them off with the help of Tess's fire magic and Rose support magic and skills with a bow, the three arrived to there quickly and saw the monster that waited there an A ranked monster nicknamed the guardian of the forest, the king of wolves.

His appearance made the citizens shocked they never saw that monster in their life while the other spectators didn't flinch as they already meet that monster many times.

Tess didn't waste any time as she ran to flank the monster while shooting a fireball at him as she pulled out her axe and aimed at his legs that were frozen when Asuna joined the fight with her magic in the time that Rose shot at his eyes while keeping a safe distance, the three continued to that way until Asuna found an opening while she wasn't the fastest in her class this time she broke her record, as she used ice magic to slow the monster down she simultaneously used ice spears to stab the monster up to his neck and then she landed a critical hit with her sword.

That earned her many cheers from almost everyone from the crowd and the teachers, some students that hated her and her friends, and other teachers that never showed any affection towards commoners weren't about to change their habits even after such a display.

The monster was hit with a barrage of attacks that knocked him out of balance and it was the perfect time to finish him off as they looked at each other eyes they all agreed to do it together in sync, the three combined their attack and they moved so fast that even some of the teachers who were trained mages couldn't keep up, the monster was defeated and the full credit went to Asuna, Tess, and Rose as they hugged each other after that they went to the break room, outside of the forest the same students that didn't acknowledge the three kept saying.

"I guess that the test isn't that hard", "Yes that monster may have looked strong but I guess look can deceive" another one added, "I could've ended the fight faster than her', a girl from Asuna's class said.

Rean who had enough walked to them, "You know all of you keep saying that, and yet not one teat any of you finish above her or Tess or Rose you know there's nothing wrong with being human you should try sometimes"

The teens that looked at him started to boil, "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE SAKAMOTO!?", they were beyond mad, "JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE THE ACADEMY TOP SCORES DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE A COMMONER". They kept going until Rean started to laugh.

"Do you think I give a damn about what you think about me or my friends", he said, and then he turned around to see Peter who walked in his direction.

"Sakamoto, I hope you are ready. I'm going in now, you better enjoy your last moments here" Peter said as he walked into the forest with his lackeys behind him, Shon and Mike came to Rean.

"You know I hate this guy", Shon said as Mike put his hand on Shon's shoulder "welcome to the club man", the three boys laughed at the time that on top of the hill the VIPs had a conversation of themselves.

"Lord victor, it seems that young Peter is up next", a man who wore a tuxedo had said while standing behind a well-dressed man that was sitting on a fancy chair as he drank wine, "I sure hope that he won't bring shame to my household," he said as he ordered his butler to pour him another cup of wine.

This time everyone was ready for the final boss, they know he will show at least an hour after the start of the test and they waited as they have slain different monsters while not using too much energy and wasting mana against small fries, Peter and his lackeys were the MVPs of that test even Rean hated to admit that but Peter skills and talent were fitting to a noble too bad that is personality was the way it was, Peter was a water mage and the bow that he used was worth more than half of the houses in the capital, they defeated the boss monster that this time was tripled head dog that was A-ranked monster.

That battle was a little bit faster than the battle of Asuna and the rest but the fact that they already know what was about to go down helped them to pass the exam faster, Peter who use water bullets magic, and mana-enhanced arrows single-handedly tore down the monster's defense.

"YES", a yell was shouted from the top of the hill, "this is my boy" Victor's scream was deafening.

"What a supporting dad," everyone thought, Peter made his way to the break room on his own and suddenly heard clapping from behind him.

"Congratulations sir, after that kind of display, are you sure you want to continue with your plan?", he was caught off guard, he didn't even sensed the mage but he quickly restored his composure.

"Of course, we are going with it this bastard is going to pay for shaming me in the town, you just do your part and summon that monster, and I'll make sure you'd get paid"

The mysterious mage was amused by the dishonor in Peter, "I get it but to summon that kind of monster against a mere teen, I should get a better look at that massacre", he started to laugh as he vanished into the forest.

The other exams went by fast Rean and the others were getting restless as Asuna and the other girls joined them, more time passed and the time arrived as Rean, Mike, and Shon were called by the teacher, and the three said goodbye to their friends and walked into the forest with the rest examines without noticing the sinister smile on Peters face.

As Rean made his way into the forest on the hill, Victor made sure his opinion on the dark blue-haired teen was heard. on the other side, Leon and John were talking about if they should get involved in that conversation, "you know what John, I would have opened my mouth and given him a piece of my mind, but I don't have time for his brain-damaging voice", they both laughed as everyone set their sight at the screens to see what will the number one in the academy will do as the stacks are high.

A voice heard from the sky inside of the forest "Hello, all the examines the exam will begin in a couple of minutes, we magical academy hoping you all have fun."

"Hmm, saying have while making us fighting monsters, I bet you that it's one of that old man's sick jokes," Rean said to his two best friends as they countdown the minutes.

Only one thought ran through Rean's mind as the seconds passed, what will Peter do and if he will make him use that here to win, Here we go the exam starts now.