As I scanned the arena, I saw a variety of different species—vampires, humans, and even zombies. For a second, I freaked out, thinking the zombies were going to go after my brain, but it turns out they've got control over themselves. Among the crowd, I noticed all kinds of spirit animals—dragons, wolves, and even the ancient queens and kings of past eras. And then, there were Phoenixes. Like mine. Everyone was lining up with their respective groups, so I joined Sora and the humans as we prepared for the entrance exams.
I grabbed a flier to see what the exams entailed. They were split into different sections:
Spirit ControlAnimal ControlPractical SurvivalA Simple Exam
After waving goodbye to Sora as we headed to our separate exams, I entered the first room labeled "Spirit Control." This section was divided into three categories: Aim Control, Elemental Capacity, and Elemental Output. Aim Control seemed the most straightforward, so I chose that.
The room was filled with an assortment of weapons—bows, katanas, and swords. A bow looked like the simplest option, so I grabbed one. Four targets stood before me, and I had to hit all of them to pass. This was my first time using a bow, so I was a bit nervous. I nocked an arrow and fired at the first target but missed completely.
Confused as to why the arrow went astray, I realized that the chaotic swirl of elemental energies around the room was throwing off my aim. Concentrating hard, I used my flame element to create a small barrier, blocking out the disruptive elemental forces. With that, I lined up my shot again. This time, I loaded three arrows onto the bowstring. I released them, hitting two targets dead-on, while the third arrow landed just shy of the bullseye. Fortunately, it was enough to pass.
Next up was Elemental Capacity. Fifteen targets awaited me. I was surprised by the number of targets, but elemental control was my strong suit, so I felt confident. Summoning fifteen fireballs, I noticed the targets moved in erratic patterns. This wouldn't be easy. I quickly realized that to succeed, I'd have to anticipate where the targets were headed. Pre-firing isn't something I'd rely on in a real battle, but for this challenge, it was the key. With careful timing, I hit all fifteen targets, though it wasn't without some difficulty. I left the Aim Control area in fifth place.
Next was Animal Control. I figured it would be another straightforward test, so I entered the door labeled "Animal Control." As I stepped through, a thought crossed my mind—how do these doors work? How do we just walk in and get teleported to another dimension?
Inside, I was surprised to find that the task was simple: defeat two spirit beasts using my spirit animal. A classic hunter vs. prey scenario. Interesting.
The beasts were simulations, so I didn't have much trouble. I summoned my spirit animal and took them down with ease, walking out of the room untouched. After breezing through the other exams, I knew the final test would be the hardest. If I didn't succeed, I might not make it out alive.