Considering the academy was the apex of a kingdom, it's not that abnormal. When it got close to 5 minutes, some participants started to float in the air and the narrator appeared again.
"Those who do not reach step 20 within 5 minutes are considered incapable of continuing the selection process." The man was pointing at a blackboard as if explaining a lesson. "About 95% fall at that point."
The test lasted another 20 minutes, and had participants on all levels, with the highest occupied by a boy holding a violin. Strangely, he was not introduced and was on the 80th step.
The vast majority remained on floors below 50. Innate talent and rank didn't help much in this test. Again, the narrator appeared.
"Now that you understand how this test works, let's just go through the main competitors of each wave." The man showed a bored face.
Then several participants were shown. The surprising thing was that most were above apprentice rank 7, and a few even reached the ninth and final rank. That was impressive.
Kayden got a reality check with this performance. His worldview was broadened to varying degrees. He already expected something insane, but not to the point where there were so many eighth and ninth ranks.
The video lasted another two hours and presented several details of the participants and curiosities about the selection process. The number of participants reached 1 million. It was ridiculously loud.
After those two hours, another man was introduced on stage. He was mounted on a dragon and dressed in formal golden clothing. The moment he appeared, Han whispered:
"The king's brother." It was low enough that only those close to him could hear it. With a dragon roar, the golden-haired man spoke:
"Hello everyone, My name is Leonardo Sol and I am the director of this academy. Right now and for the next 2 days, we are going to begin the true test of our institution." The man clapped his hands and the dragon began to fly. His face was that of someone in middle age and represented a sense of power to viewers.
"This test has only one goal: to find geniuses. We don't want mere resource-produced mages. Any vermin reach the ninth rank with money. We want the true geniuses among geniuses."
The emotion in his speech was visible, and he managed to convey it to others in a 100% authentic way.
"We want you to show why you are the elite in our society. Only the top 10,000 will be accepted. Good luck." His speech was short, but it accurately represented the wishes of the academy.
Then some battles began to be presented on the stage, and the narrator gave an idea of \ what was going on.
"The academy, through a test, selects those who can go on stage. To do this, they must have had an exceptional result in one of the first tests. Only the best will be seen on national television; the rest will have a normal test."
At that moment, the boy with the violin came on stage. He was dressed in an orchestra conductor's outfit and had a determined look on his face. When he reached the middle of the arena, a voice asked:
"What are you going to demonstrate to us?" the judge asked. Many were curious; mages who used non-standard things were rare.
The screen demonstrated its characteristics. His name was Beethoven and he was in the 8th rank of apprentice magician. His path was marked as a conventional image.
"Before I order my test, I have one request." The green-haired boy knelt. "My king, I know you are watching. Insolently, I ask that you hear my request."
The boy's speech seemed to have been trained several times. There was no hesitation or fear. Against everyone's expectations, the boy received his reply:
"Go ahead." An imposing voice resounded. Seeing that he got an answer, the boy continued. I could see his emotion.
"My king, my mother lost her hearing when I gave birth. She was a music lover like me. We tried different methods, but nothing was able to cure her." The boy's voice shook with emotion. "I won't be humble right now. I know I'm a genius and I want to trade my life for her cure."
Decision shone in the boy's eyes, a passion that came from the deepest part of his heart.
"I ask that if I surprise Your Majesty with my presentation, your Highness may consider having me as a slave to the kingdom in exchange for my mother's healing." The boy's head touched the ground.
His sentence moved viewers. The love and determination to do anything for her mother moved the audience. You could see tears falling to the ground. There was a deafening silence for a few seconds.
"Very well, as long as you surprise me, a man who has seen many things in this world, I will help your mother heal and I will not charge you anything for it." The imposing voice emerged and relieved everyone who was moved by the boy.
"I want a battle against a peak ninth rank." This phrase surprised many. Normally, a peak ninth-rank mage apprentice was able to fight against 10 starting ninth ranks.
It was a completely different level, and considering Beethoven was ranked 8th, it was a difference of at least 15 times. Some people who had already bet on the boy, trying to get a quick return, were disappointed.
plow. A genius was about to commit the only sin capable of making them lose everything: vanity.
Upon his request, a person covered in black robes and a mask was seen appearing in the arena. He carried a huge axe, making it clear that he was a knight. Perhaps the worst thing a novice could fight, as their spells were time-consuming and mana-consuming.
"Okay, we'll start in 1 minute," the judge proclaimed.
The boy brought the violin to his chin and closed his eyes. Music began to come out of his fingers, conveying a strong emotion of sadness, like that of a sailor lost at sea.
Seeing this, Han muttered, "That boy is a little monster." That sentence made Kayden pay more attention to the video, but he couldn't notice anything. The minute passed quickly. The only sound during that time was Beethoven's violin.
"Begin," the judge ordered. The ninth-rank mage was just a normal person. He wasn't a genius and gambled on his best chance. He removed the ax from his back and stepped forward to begin his run.
The boy continued playing with his eyes closed as if reality couldn't affect his music. The melody had its rhythm increased; she was frantic as if the boy's pent-up emotions were being heard by everyone.
Every step the knight took made people wonder why the boy wasn't reacting. He quickly approached the boy, but he sensed that something was wrong and tried to sense the mana around him. Anything. It was as if the boy had given up.
The knight kept trying to figure something out. The only difference was that the music was speeding up. This caused anxiety for him.
After a few seconds, he finally decided to charge in, leaping in close and bringing his ax down in a decisive blow. Viewers closed their eyes; surely the boy would be split in two.
"Beethoven wins," the judge's voice resounded as the knight was suspended in mid-air.
'What the hell was that?' That was the phrase that at least half of the people thought of in their minds.