Apart from the 17 people that he sensed inside of the Royal academy, the strange Vampire within the crowd and a few noticeable others, Quinn was the least interested in anything less. "Now, these guys are worth fighting!" he grinned, ignorant of his surroundings and the people amassing at the sight of the commotion that he had just caused.
"Who is this peasant?! You're blocking the way!"
"Whaddya think yer doin' attackin' us right on the doorstep of the academy, oi!"
"Arr! We oughta keelhaul this punk, lads!"
'What's with their characters getting more and more goofy...? Aren't they quite laid back, eh?' Quinn laughed just before disappearing into thin air right in front of the other peoples' eyes. He used his [Shadow Mist] Skill to enter the avenue, in front of the Royal academy. Most of the students that were at the place were either people of high standing in society or had a unique or strong power; none of them carrying any weapons.
Before leaving he had made sure that no Vampires could distinguish him from a regular Huma via scent or his aura: which is normally nonexistent. Appearing right in front of the giant staircase leading to the Royal academy, he scared a few people that were near the area. 'What a pain in the ass... guess I gotta wait,' Quinn grumbled.
After a few minutes had passed, it felt like things were finally about to commence as the door to the academy opened. The Vampires, numbering up to 17, emerged from within the academy, each of different ages and auras; however, one thing was certain: all of them were strong beyond belief. Much stronger than any of the strongest Humans back on Earth.
One of the Vampire Elders stepped forth; she was recognised as the headmaster of the Royal academy, and furthermore: one of the Vampire Elders belonging to the Table. "Hmm... you all may proceed into the grand hall," the old woman declared. No sooner did she say that than a blinding white light covered all of the participants, and a few moments later, even the Vampire Elders and Lords.
When the participants next opened their eyes, they were inside of the grand hall of the Royal academy: filled with a soft glow of ambient lighting, casting shadows over the architecture and stonework. At the centre of the stage, standing behind an ornately carved podium, was the headmaster of the academy: Valeria. The mere sight of her commanded respect and admiration from all of the present participants, her gaze sweeping across the audience before she began her speech.
Known to most of the students, the examination was being streamed to the whole city of Vastoria; after all, it was the hardest examination for the best of the best academy where the weak were not needed and are weeded out right from the beginning. The headmaster cleared her throat to silence the rowdy crowd; shortly after, without any warning, she released some of her Vampiric Energy to begin the weeding process.
For two of the strongest participant present there—Quinn and Second—this magnitude of Energy was but a slight breeze. However, for the rest, it was a completely different story; at least 30% of the participant were either knocked off their feet or passed out. The rest: barely hanging on—apart from a few dozen. In a flash, the participants who could not handle the pressure were enveloped in a white light and were teleported out of the grand hall by the same ability that was used to bring them in.
The headmaster then continued on with her speech: "Esteemed guests, honored families, and most importantly, our exceptional candidates, welcome to the Royal Academy, a bastion of knowledge, power, and legacy. Today marks a pivotal moment in your lives—a moment where your dedication, hard work, and extraordinary abilities have brought you to the doorstep of greatness.
For centuries, this academy has stood as a symbol of excellence, forging the finest minds and the strongest warriors among both Humans and Vampires. It is a place where tradition and innovation coexist, where the wisdom of the past guides the ambitions of the future. As you stand here today, you join a lineage of distinguished individuals who have shaped the very fabric of our world..."
She continued on and on for quite a while, but Quinn was the least interested in her speech, and decided to assess the Vampire Lords and Elders:
'Let's see... oh, these guys have abilities I've not heard of! How curious. Too bad most of them are weak as~' Quinn deduced, using his [Scrutinize] Skill:
———
'This guy's by far the strongest Vampire Lord here... his Ability, aura and other stuff: all of them are top-tier.'
[Empyrean Draconis]
[Race: Vampire Lord]
[Ability: Dragon's Wrath
The User can undergo either Partial or Complete Draconification, transforming into a breed of Imperial-Divine Vampiric Dragon. All Magic relating to the Dragon's powers, elements and Energies can be manipulated with a much greater mastery.]
'These 3 are also pretty strong, I suppose.'
[Valeria Chronovoid]
[Race: Vampire Elder]
[Ability: Temporal Dominion
The User can steal time from things within a localised area. One can slow down or speed up time and bind their target via a temporal confinement—a sealing spell: Chronostasis. The User can enhance their own prowess with the Ability as well, propelling themselves at ludicrous speeds.]
'But... Manbane, huh...? That's a familiar name...' Quinn thought, remembering his fight with the Cursed Anima of Rodrick Manbane.
[Thorne Manbane]
[Race: Vampire Lord]
[Ability: Blood Siphon
The User can drain the life force and Abilities of other beings through a direct touch, slightly weakening the victim. The amount of Abilities that can be stored depends on the User: Thorne Manbane can store up to 4 different Abilities, each powering the one that follows and enhancing the amount of total Mana one possesses temporarily.]
[Mico Alaric]
[Race: Vampire Lord]
[Ability: Arcane Requiem
The User can absorb and nullify attacks of magical or arcane nature directed at one. One can then convert this absorbed energy into a powerful counterattack, releasing it as a devastating force double that of the attack received. The User gains a great understanding of Arcane Energy and traps relating to the same.]
———
'The rest are pretty mediocre at best. But, this Manbane guy... is it actually the same family as that Demon's?' Quinn wondered, waiting for Void to answer his question. 'Hmm. Yes, it may be. There are no other beings except the members of the Vampire families that have the same last name. Further, only Vampires can become Demons due to unnatural reasons or emotions—perhaps even curses. However, there are those that even after becoming a Demon, have their sanity and reason intact: Demonoids. Scion, during her time, had built a paradise for the Demonoids and powerless Vampires... it was her Demonic Haven.'
'Vampires and Demons, huh? Maybe Vampires are actually Demons? They're a bit more special as compared to the others after all...' Quinn wondered. 'Yes, indeed, but not quite. They are indeed a form of Demons; however, unless their True Name is tainted, they will retain their fake form: that of a Vampire.'
"Interesting..." Quinn mumbled. He soon realised that Valeria, the headmaster was explaining the examinations:
In the written test, the participants' knowledge in various subjects, including history, science, magic, and strategy will be assessed. The test would be of 3 hours. "The written test is designed to challenge your intellect and critical thinking. Approach each question with careful thought and precision. Your answers will reflect your readiness to join our esteemed institution," she stated.
In the fighting prowess examination, combat trials will take place in the academy's high-tech combat arena where the participants are to do battle with the intructors at the Royal academy after an assessment of their Abilities and weapon of choice. "In the arena, your true strength and skill will be revealed. Fight with honor, respect your opponent, and demonstrate the prowess that has brought you here. Remember, this is not just a test of might but of character," Thorne stated, "The arena is equipped with the latest technology to ensure a fair and rigorous examination. Trust in your training, remain focused, and show us the warrior within!"
Due to the encouraging words of the most respected Vampire Lords and Elders, the participants were quite riled up, and in unision, they stomped their foot on the ground and swung their hand to the side. The ground shook due to the strength of the people present there. It seemed like only Quinn was the one that did not perform the rite.
"What's your deal, pretty boy!"
"Is this considered treason...?"
Hearing the voices around him, from the other participants, pointing fingers at him, Quinn tried and mimicked the salute of sorts. Stomping his foot on the ground, it broke and shattered, causing some debris to fly upwards and to the sides, knocking back a few students close to him. Swinging his hand, a strong gust of wind followed, pushing some students back.
To the destruction that he had caused, Quinn's simple comment on the situation was: "Fuck," trully emphasising the manner of disrespect and the magnitude of trouble that he had called upon himself.
As he was about to take responsibility and fix the grand hall and catch the debris falling from the sky, he was interupted by the headmaster's voice and the sight of her Ability: "Hohohoh, aren't you excited? How about you hold yourself back while going up against out instructors, hahaha."
The debris that was supposed to fall down due to the planets gravity, was stopped in the air. Lines of some runic language surrounded the body of debris and the damaged area where Quinn stomped his foot. Soon, the debris began to slowly fall back down, and the ground was starting to mend itself. In a few seconds, it was as though there had never been any damage on the ground. 'She can reverse time on an object...? Makes sense due to the explaination of the Ability, I guess.'