Awakening: I Became a Legendary Spirit Summoner-Chapter 25 - : Starlight City, Start of the Entrance Examination

[Celeste Frost, Level 16.]

[Karl Bloodborne, Level 16.]

Both prodigies had arrived, and they had reached level 16.

Victor, standing on the stage, grinned at the sight.

"Good," he said, his voice filled with pride. "Almost everyone is here, so we'll start in fifteen minutes!"

Excited murmurs filled the playground.

Students who had returned from the trials talked amongst themselves, sharing stories of their experiences inside the tower.

Karl and Celeste stepped into the crowd, scanning the faces around them.

It was obvious that everyone had changed, not in appearance but in presence.

A single week of fighting monsters had hardened them.

Their auras were sharper. Their gazes more determined.

Even those who had been timid before now carried themselves with confidence.

Battle had a way of forcing people to grow.

But there was no time to dwell on that now.

The [Entrance Examination] was about to begin.

Fifteen minutes passed.

By then, Victor had come to a decision.

It was clear that no one else would be arriving.

Either they had chosen not to participate... Or they had died.

Victor sighed but quickly shook off his thoughts.

He stepped onto the stage, his voice booming over the gathered students.

"You all did well!" he declared. "You survived the [Novice Trial] and cleared the First Floor of the tower!"

Cheers erupted from the crowd.

"But now..." Victor continued, his smile widening. "Now, the real challenge begins."

He raised his hands, clapping them together.

A bright light burst forth.

Then a massive portal formed behind him.

Its swirling vortex gleamed with blue and white energy.

The pressure it emitted was overwhelming.

A system message appeared before them all.

[Portal leading directly to the Capital of the Serathia Empire: Starlight City.]

A hushed silence fell over the students.

They all knew what this meant.

Starlight City, the largest and strongest city in the empire.

The heart of the nation.

And more importantly, the home of [Starlight Academy].

Every top-tier academy was based there, and this was their chance to join one.

All they had to do was step through that portal.

"All rules will be explained once you arrive!" Victor called out, "I will also be one of the observers, so don't stress too much!"

Some students chuckled nervously.

It was easier said than done.

"Now, go!"

No one moved at first.

Then, one by one, they began stepping forward.

Some ran straight into the portal.

Others hesitated before gathering their courage.

Every few seconds, another student would vanish in a flash of light.

Ten minutes passed.

By then, only two people remained.

Karl and Celeste.

Victor turned to them, his expression softening.

"I probably shouldn't be saying this..." he scratched the back of his head. "But I believe in you two more than anyone else. Go. Protect humanity. Get into the academy of your choice."

"Thanks," Karl nodded.

"We're both getting into Starlight Academy for sure!" Celeste grinned.

Victor chuckled, "Hah! Young couples these days..."

Celeste's face turned red.

Karl just sighed.

Neither of them bothered correcting him.

"See you!" Celeste waved before leaping into the portal.

Karl gave one final bow.

"See you later, Principal."

Then he, too, stepped forward and disappeared.

[Teleporting to Starlight City...]

The sensation was disorienting.

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Karl felt his body being pulled through a swirling vortex.

Then, his feet hit solid ground.

He blinked.

He was now standing on a wide platform made of white marble.

All around him, students appeared out of thin air.

A massive crowd of new awakeners had gathered in what seemed to be an enormous stadium.

The sky above was dark since it was night.

Karl exhaled, glancing around.

He couldn't see Celeste anywhere.

Actually, he didn't recognize anyone nearby.

'Randomized teleportation spots, huh?' Karl thought.

Made sense.

With tens of thousands of people arriving at once, organizing them properly would be a nightmare.

According to estimates, about 100,000 people had awakened last week in this specific empire.

But not all had survived.

Some had perished in the [Novice Trial].

Others had fallen on the First Floor.

And then, there were those who had simply given up.

That left around 70,000 students who had made it this far.

A system message appeared.

[Please wait while all participants are transferred.]

Karl crossed his arms.

The stadium was massive, clearly built for an event of this scale.

The air buzzed with tension.

Whispers spread through the crowd as people discussed their expectations.

Some boasted about their levels.

Others wondered what kind of trials they would face.

Karl wasn't interested in the chatter.

He made sure to dismiss all of his spirits for the occasion, though, even the [Frenzied Rabbit].

Bringing them out now would only cause unnecessary attention.

Especially since his summons could easily eliminate most of the weaker students here.

He decided to keep a low profile for now.

After fifteen minutes, the portals closed.

Ding!

Another system message.

[The Entrance Examination consists of three trials.]

[Your performance in each trial will determine your rank.]

[Academies will use this rank to offer you invitations.]

[Additionally, Credits will be awarded based on performance. These Credits are valuable in the academies.]

This was common knowledge.

The trials were never revealed in advance.

But everyone knew they would determine their futures.

And the [Rank System] would play a crucial role.

[The examination will begin shortly.]

[Each participant will be teleported to their designated trial space.]

Karl exhaled, closing his eyes.

'Alright,' he thought. 'Time to get started.'

His [Sovereign Wolf] summon would give him a major advantage.

If he played his cards right, he would secure a top ranking.

His goal was clear: get into [Starlight Academy].

There, he would grow stronger.

He would learn new skills.

He would master different techniques.

And above all, he would ensure his survival in this world.

The powerhouses around him, other SS-Rank and SSS-Rank professions, were dangerous.

He had to be careful.

He had no idea if the trials involved direct combat between participants...

But he wouldn't be surprised if they did.

After all, the people in charge of these tests were often ruthless.

Five minutes passed.

Excitement and anxiety filled the air.

Then...

Ding!

[The First Trial will start soon.]

[Prepare to be teleported.]

A wave of blue light swept over the crowd.

One by one, students vanished.

Karl felt his vision flash.

And a moment later, he was somewhere new.

He was inside of a circular arena.

Completely empty, aside from the stone platform beneath his feet.

There was nothing beyond the edges.

No walls. No sky. No ground.

Just an endless void.

Ding!

A message appeared.

[First Trial: Timed Monster Slayer]

[Three monsters will appear before you.]

[Defeat them as fast as possible.]

Karl smirked.

"Alright," he muttered.