Limitless Summoner: Rise of the Soul God-Chapter 162: First Test

Ethan had expected some sort of elaborate speech that talked about the laurels of the academy or at least something that was inspirational to the students, but the man lazily waved his hand away after the few words. "The teleportation circles for the tests are already set up. Go and stand over a circle, and you will be taken to the respective test." With that, the man disappeared from the platform.

The other instructors also did not bother to add any more information and the students also did not look like they were expecting it. Maybe this was the norm here. Ethan shrugged and walked over to one of the teleportation circles. All around him, the others were doing the same.

Ethan stepped onto a purple colored circle just as a faint hum started beneath his feet. He glanced once at Shadow, who gave him a lazy blink before curling up by the edge, clearly not planning to follow.

That was fine. He didn't know what kind of test this would be, and having her around might actually make things harder if there were too many people watching closely. He also did not plan to use his summoner skills.

The moment his legs settled into the circle's pattern, light flared. His vision blurred for a second, and then everything snapped back into place. He found himself standing in a huge hall. At the front of the hall, there was a line of equipment.

Ethan's eyes widened in surprise as these were very similar to some things back on Earth. The first one looked like a big punching bag. He watched a student punch the thing, and a number appeared above it. The students were lining up to take turns striking it. Each hit made the bag glow briefly before a loud chime rang out, signaling the result.

Next was a wall climb but the footholds on the wall climb were constantly moving around. Right off the bat, many students struggled. Some made it a few feet off the ground before slipping.

Others didn't even get a proper grip. Each time they reached for a foothold, it would shift, slide, or vanish entirely. A few more athletic types managed to get halfway before the wall pulsed with mana and shook them off. No one had reached the top yet.

The next one was pretty much a treadmil of sorts. A long, flat strip of glowing stone hovered a few inches above the ground, gently rotating forward. As students stepped onto it, the speed would gradually increase on its own, and the platform would tilt unpredictably from side to side.

It was clearly designed to test both stamina and reaction time. A few students ran with confidence at first, but as the platform tilted and sped up, they started losing balance. One slipped and hit the floor hard. Another managed to stay on for a while but stumbled when the treadmill jerked suddenly.

As for the last equipment, this one was also straightforward. It was a pair of dumbbells, plain-looking but obviously enchanted. There was no weight label, no instructions—just two silver grips resting on a stone pedestal. One by one, students stepped up, picked them up, and held them at shoulder height. The goal was simple: hold them as long as you could.

Except, the moment a student lifted them, the enchantments kicked in. The dumbbells grew heavier with every passing second, their weight scaling with the user's own strength. Some students barely lasted five seconds before their arms gave out. Others managed to hold on for a while, their faces turning red with effort, legs shaking until they finally dropped them with a loud clang.

"So they are just testing raw stats here." Ethan rubbed his chin as he observed everything for a few minutes. He did not rush in immediately and watched other people's test results first.

Not because he was nervous. When it came to raw stats, he was confident about his numbers, considering his dual class. But at the same time, he did not want to overdo things and put himself in the spotlight.

He wanted to do just well enough so that he could pass with some comfort and stay under the radar. Flashy performances attracted attention, and attention led to questions, questions he wasn't ready to answer. Let the nobles have their dramatic moments. He was here to slide through the cracks.

After gauging the general performance levels, Ethan finally stepped forward. He went to the punching bag first. His strike was clean and firm, not too fast, not too soft—just enough to match the average of the stronger students. A mid-range chime echoed in response, and he moved on without hesitation.

This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.

"Hey, who's that guy? Is he a commoner?"

"Ya, look at his clothes. What else could he be?"

"Why are commoners taking our academy exams? Doesn't he know that this is an academy strictly for the nobility?"

"Ughhh… what a waste of time. If these idiots did not apply and waste everyone's time, at least the line would move sooner."

"Bah! Let it be. Don't you think school life would be boring without a commoner or two?"

The four students at the front exchanged glances as they laughed at each other's jokes.

Ethan heard the whispers but didn't react. He kept his eyes forward and walked toward the next station, tuning the voices out like background noise. It wasn't the first time someone tried to throw shade, and it wouldn't be the last.

He stepped up to the wall climb, waiting for his turn as the murmurs continued behind him. Some students snickered when another slipped down for the third time. Ethan ignored it, took his spot, and began his climb.

He moved smoothly, careful not to make it look too easy. A few slides here, a short pause there, just enough to blend in while still clearing higher than most before letting the wall nudge him off. Just like that, he passed this one too.

Coincidentally, the chubby student who was mouthing off about him went on the test next, and he barely lasted a moment before falling down.

The thud as the chubby noble hit the mat echoed louder than expected, drawing a few stifled chuckles from nearby students. The boy scrambled to his feet, cheeks flushed red, muttering something about the footholds being rigged. His friends looked away, clearly trying not to laugh too openly.

Ethan did not react at all, but the boy glared at him angrily, and when he saw Ethan's indifferent face, it only made him angrier.

"For your sake, you better hope that you fail in this entrance exam." He growled and walked to the exit teleportation circle.

Ethan didn't bother replying. He simply turned his attention to the treadmill test, stepping up as if the threat hadn't even happened. Empty words from someone who couldn't even hang onto a wall for five seconds didn't matter.

The platform began to move beneath his feet, and he matched its pace easily. It tilted, sped up, wobbled, but Ethan kept his center steady, letting his body flow with the changes rather than fight them. A slight stumble near the end—intentional—just enough to make it seem like he'd been pushed. He hopped off the treadmill as it slowed, breathing evenly, expression unreadable.

One more station left.