--Gremory Point of View--
'With my four years of intense training I was only able to reach rank D, so I can understand why this kid is rank E, yet I still was hoping to see others like me here'
"You didn't reach rank E yet? Don't worry, some people here didn't reach it too" The boy with blue hair spoke.
'Should I lie to him? He will discover soon, but if I speak the truth then I can risk my time here trying to explain how I did it and even if I speak the truth I wouldn't be able to explain'
"I didn't reach rank E yet, do you know what the tests are going to be? I need to prepare myself."
"Don't worry about that, as long you don't mess up with any person from a family you will probably be fine, I think... The tests are nothing but a demonstration of magical aptitude against golens, separated into different levels, increasing the difficulty even more until the participant is defeated"
"You seem to be pretty sure about the test, but you're still here alone..."
"It would be unusual for me not to know about it, people from all around the Empire come to watch the Derlvit, and also a good part of Zimirt since the event is public"
"I see... do you already have an idea of which house to join?"
"It is not that easy, they decide between them, not us!"
"But which house did you want to be chosen for?"
"My element is water, so I don't have a chance with Viridian, Malior is controlled by the noblemen of the empire so with them I would gain a lot of money but I would just be a tool for them, Valzor focuses on training the best mages for individual combat, and they are constantly sent out of the Empire on "suicide missions", so if I had a choice I would join Plynty, for the most part, their job is to protect the formation of the army and when they are sent to fight directly they go in much larger groups"
"But let's say the best in the matter of training for direct combat, would it be Valzor then?"
"There are no better or worse, they are just different focuses of combat but yes, I suppose so"
"And what is the role of this Viridian house then?"
"It's not like them need one, the houses have the autonomy to do whatever they want. But the magic arts of the Viridian house are a secret, so I wouldn't be able to say, since it's the oldest one probably still has ancient knowledge"
"The houses are just training grounds for mages then?"
"Something like that, but still all the magicians respond directly to them in the end. By the way, you should know this already"
"Yeah, I lived my life in a small village, recently I was tested and then they brought me here by force"
"That's tough"
At that moment a voice started to be heard from the Coliseum, that voice announced that all the participants had arrived and that the Derlvit would begin.
Everyone started to move towards another gate to the big arena, we just stood there in line, and we were called in alphabetical order.
Name by name, everyone went there and fought against golens in front of the enormous crowd, nothing special but even that gave a great show to the people in the audience.
The first phase was only a small golem made of earth, in the second phase there were three golens, in the third 6 and in the fourth 12, there was only one person arriving in the fourth phase, and it was a girl with wind ability. I suppose that in the other phases that number is only doubling until the person is defeated.
Despite being called golens, these earth golens were not much bigger than a normal person and any basic attack already defeated them.
Then, the name Edward was called, and the boy with blue hair moves in the direction of the arena.
There was no distinction between the participants, but from everyone's eyes, it was clear that their attention was redoubled to the boy ahead.
In the first phase, he just used a water ball and launched ahead defeating the earth golem. In the second he defeated quickly the first enemy and then another until the third reached him and started beating him, during this test, there would be no external intervention, or the participant wins or gives up by choice, and there he was beaten until he managed to create another water ball and defeat the third golem.
In the third phase, he was already bleeding but still, there was him standing against 6 earth golens, he managed to defeat another two until the other four golens reached him and started beating him. He raised his hand signaling defeat and was applauded by everyone present.
"Impressive, the new blood in fact it is very good"
"He held on for a long time"
"It even took him a lot to give up the third stage"
The other children around us started commenting on him and as soon as he arrived he already had two healers ready to take care of him.
The performance was not so impressive considering that the majority reached the third stage, but this boy has not received any training at all.
Another four names were called and then, my time came.
"Gremory Gardwald, please enter the arena"
I walk towards the arena and the first phase began.
With my bare arms, I use shadow impulse in the earth golem smashing him.
"What was that?"
"What kind of element was it?"
I hear the other participants commenting, but just when I get distracted, another 3 golens appear, starting the second phase.
I decide to use shadow impulse again, but this time I prolong the movement before activating it, decreasing its total strength but increasing its dispersion to defeat the 3 golens with one single attack.
Again I start listening to people around discussing, the arena was big, but the other participants were not far away.
'Focus Gremory, distraction can mean your death during a battle'
Ignoring everyone around, I look close to the arena and to the 6 earth golens that appeared to start the third phase.
Again I use the same tactic but with two consecutive attacks, finishing the third phase.
"Look at him, he didn't move an inch from the beginning until now"
"What spell is he using?"
As the phases continued it became hard to hear anything with the even louder noise coming from the stadium above.
The fourth phase, fifth phase, sixth phase, seventh phase, no matter how many golens came, I just needed to increase the dispersion of the attack and they would die for anything.
Until a voice made everyone silent.
"Stop this test already!"
A woman with white hair came down from the grandstand that was floating in the sky with some magicians around her.
"This test is not just to measure the strength of the promising candidates, it is also a way of measuring the determination and to know the capabilities of each one, for this reason, everyone must face defeat at one time or another in this arena. So, in your case, we will increase the difficulty a little"
While she said that, the mages around her summoned 3 stone golens with at least 5 meters high and a full round body.
"Let the eighth phase begin!"