"Alright, everyone. Please gather up as the Grandmaster will personally welcome you all!" said that brown curly long-haired girl.
Rain and the others found themselves standing from the same spot at the beginning, where they were tricked and fell—the spacious area at the left of the academy, in front of the dilapidated mansion.
Everyone was shocked to know that upon exiting the scary hunted interior, they discovered that it was the interior of the dilapidated mansion.
So they were just under the mansion all the time!
"T-the grandmaster?"
*gulp
Complicated emotions were on the first-year students' faces. They hadn't forgotten that event when they made the Grandmaster angry and suffered internal injuries. And that the grandmaster device this wicked, life and death rite of passage to every newcomer.
While the students were busy thinking, a white-robed elder appeared in front of everyone, and the place immediately went dead silent.
The man had wrinkly ghost pale skin coupled with his long white hair, beard, and brows and his somewhat scary but at the same time opaque pearly eyes –– he looked divine with his white robes. His aura was majestic and out of this world. He seems entirely not human at all!
"Ohohoho! No need to be so tense! I don't physically attack my students!
Ohohoho!"
". . ."
". . ."
This ma . . .
Is a LIAR!
The white-robed elder cleared his throat. "I have good news and bad news to all of you."
The Grandmaster swept everyone with his opaque eyes, and some students couldn't help but shake and cower in fear, especially Ethan, who was now behind Rain.
Ethan developed a phobia towards the Grandmaster's voice. He couldn't forget what happened when the Grandmaster attacked them with just his arcane force.
"For the good news. All of you are alive! That's worth celebrating!"
All the students didn't know whether to laugh or cry. No one died, but all of them were close to dying in that underground.
"The bad news is," the Grandmaster continued.
He then swept them with his gaze and this time with a pressure that all the students felt a tendril of cold sweat run through their back.
"YOU FAILED!
. . .
. . .
Eh? What?
The first-year students were shocked and couldn't utter a word.
"All of you failed the rite of passage! Although it's a form of welcoming the new students, it's also a test! And you all failed! Miserably if I may add."
The Grandmaster breathed a mouthful of air as he closed his eyes. Then he opened his gaze and came out a terrifying force.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK MY ARCANE ACADEMY IS?!"
Kuk!
Urk!
Argh!
All the first-year students went on their knees while the bone-crushing force was continually being pressed down on them.
"Why did you decide to form groups and travel different paths when you can all unite and choose one, knowing that all routes led to the exit?"
"Is it Pride?!"
Alfonse's brow twitched as he resisted the invincible force.
"Is it Arrogance?!"
Percival couldn't help but gritted his teeth and tightened his fist to resist the force.
"Is it Confidence?!"
Felysa closed her eyes tight, droplets of sweat fell on his face.
"Is it unwillingness to bend yourself to others?! In the face of death. All these things are nothing! By choosing these over strength, you were put on the brink of death!"
The Grandmaster paused for a second. "Remember this, my students!"
The first years felt light all of a sudden as the crashing force dissipated.
"Here in the academy. You will compete. You will strive for excellence. You will be molded into warriors. But at the end of the day, you are but one person. One family. Together you will support each other. Confide and teach one another. Help each other grow. And only then that you will understand the true meaning of strength! Strength is not by one person; it is those around you!"
All the students looked at each other, a bit confused and at the same time not. It's like they grasped something, but then it quickly eludes them.
"With this! I WELCOME YOU ALL TO ARCANE ACADEMY!"