"I still don't understand what he is trying to do?" Albert looked at the screen blatantly confused as he sat down in the room specially designed for them, to talk freely away from the other bootlickers in the V.I.P hall.
Letting all the children of nobles and high standing people cheat, this would obviously be noticed by magi associations eyes. The would obviously invalidate this exam and therefore ruin John's image, by saying he is incapable of running the exam.
"Maybe our guess of him was wrong, he simply wouldn't have been capable of managing something of a large scale like this at a short notice. What do you say, little bro?" Jack replied as he relaxed on his couch while observing the screen.
"Don't call me little you piece of shit. There is nothing to say. He obviously failed since the moment he couldn't control or stop the leaks that happened. Maybe he thought the magi association won't notice if it was such a massive hall, but he was wrong right Merlin?" James replied as he caressed the beautiful women by his side, on the couch next to Jack.
Merlin hated being in-crowd, he had thought maybe he could leave right after the opening ceremony. However, his assistant had forced him to be here by saying the HQ got some information that there might be possible misconduct during the exam. He had thought his assistant made it up to make him stay here but now he realised that it was true. 'Why do I have to deal with him? I really don't like messing with him. '
"You may be right your highness. He could have quite possibly thought the nobles or other figures will vouch for him since he allowed their kids to cheat. But he is unfortunately wrong the Magi Association take these kinds of things ver...." Suddenly Merlin became quiet as he looked at the screen. Seeing him suddenly go silent everyone stared at him and looked where he was looking, the screen.
The screen showed many of the students in the hall, looking at their invigilators.
'Did he notice her? Not possible, even he should find it extremely hard to notice her with both our combined efforts. But since it's this freak he might notice something.' Albert thought as he started to slowly sweat and realise they may have to enforce plan B.
Abruptly the glass Merlin was holding dropped towards the floor as he started to sweat. "My gods, he truly is one of a kind."
Seeing Merlin's sudden change of demeanour, they patiently waited for him to explain. "Uhhh... Sorry, but I think it's better for you to wait and see. If my guess is true, then I am pretty we are screwed."
Both Jack and James' face turned ugly as they realised John wasn't possibly making a mistake, while Albert secretly released the breath he was holding.
---------------------------------
"Now since everything is set, let me announce the name of Phase 1 of this exam." Archer was silent for a while as everyone wondered why bother announcing the name of the phase when they all knew it was going to be theoretical written test?
"This exam is called Counter-Strike! Remember that name. Most of you will find it helpful if you do." Suddenly everyone looked at Archer confusingly. Why would someone name a theoretical test as 'Counter-Strike?
"As you all know his highness prince John is the director of the exam this year. Do you know what the first thing he did when he was informed he was to be the host?" Archer questioned them.
Seeing them silent Archer smiled as he carried on "He had collected all the data of reported suppression and bullying percentage, collected from all the participating academies throughout the empire. And to say the least, he was not impressed by the numbers. People of high-status bullying those of great talent just because they were of a lesser family." Those in the exam half who had experienced this clenched their fist tightly as they remembered their time being in suppression.
"You see his highness had decided to punish these people today by humiliating them in public." Suddenly the blood of all those students who longed for revenge boiled as they finally saw someone taking action against the mistreats they had faced.
"The security we had here to protect the Question paper and its answers were top levels, making it impossible for anyone to infiltrate. However, over the past few days, however, we have had leaks for this phase of the exam and the people who did it made sure to taunt us in the process and humiliate our efforts also humiliating our attempt to punish the wrongdoers.
Due to this, his highness decided not to punish those people who have been suppressing the majority of you."
Archer smiled as he suddenly saw more than half the students in the hall turning red from rage and having their hopes crushed at revenge. 'Noble scum.', 'Bootlicker', and much thoughts were going through their minds against Archer and John.
But they dared not say it out loud in fear of being charged for treason.
'What's happening? How is all this related to the exam? If they don't do something things will go out of control.' Thought Law as he started panicking while looking at the enraged students across the hall.
"You see what the sneaky thieves never realised when infiltrating our defence was that it was all a trap." Suddenly the expression of all the people in the V.I.P hall turned ugly as they realised they have might have been tricked.
"Each thief who came in was followed. We tracked down who they were working for, who they shared the leaked papers with etc. We observed these cheaters until they entered this exam hall and sat down. Through this, we became aware of the students who are in here right now that came here prepared to cheat." Although the students were still infuriated and angry towards John hearing this was like dousing the flames in their heart, as they knew these people were screwed.
"However, fortunately for them, his highness decided not to disqualify them but instead give them another chance and let them write the exam inconsideration to their family and masters."
'What is he doing? There will be riot soon at this rate.' Law looked for his friends who nodded in reply in case things go wrong.
"His highness, however, had decided that it won't be fair for them to write the same paper as you innocent lot since they already know the answers. So, with this in mind, he prepared separate questions that are way more difficult than the original paper." At the news of this many of the high standing students' face turned grim.
"However, his highness decided to leave a bit of hope for them. By having a messenger deliver the answer for those people during the exam."
"That's it! I am done with this shit. How is this fair towards us when those guys get to cheat, and we don't?" One boy stood up in anger.
"That's right. Just because we are poor and not wealthy doesn't mean you have to treat us all unjustly." Another girl stood up supporting the boy. Soon more students started joining them in protest, while the invigilators slowly closed in on their masters or allies suddenly on guard fearing that it might soon get physical.
'Get ready guys' Law though as he started to gather his magi particles.
"Sit down." Archer calmly replied to them in a subtle voice that was somehow heard till the back of the hall. Suddenly a terrifying feeling passed through all the students. The feeling couldn't be explained. All the students had goosebumps and felt that something was about to go wrong. They felt blood flowing through their head very quickly as if someone had a sword on the neck.
'What the hell is that terrifying feeling?' Law thought as he felt cold all over his body.
[Stable mind has levelled up]
[Host was barely able to resist the killing intent]
Slowly each student that was standing up, slumped down onto their chairs, while the other looked at this event incredulously.
"As I was saying before, his highness John has decided not to punish them before. The reason for that is simple."
'What simple? We know he is not punishing them because we are not nobles and they are.' Many collectively thought as tears slowly welled up in their eyes at this unfair life.
"The reason is he decided that instead of punishing them himself, he will hand them over to you for you to control their fate as they did with yours inside the academy."
"Huh!?" Many of them were shocked while the invigilators got anxious and started preparing their defensive spells, fearing that Archer might send them the wrong message, and attack their young masters.