After the second round, out of the 244 candidates who succeeded, over 60 chose to withdraw, leaving only 180 candidates willing to continue the examination. Although they opted out, their ability to pass the second round of the grand exam already proved their competence, ensuring them entry into average higher education institutions. Those who chose to stay aim for the top-ranked institutions.
"Next, we will announce the rankings after the second round."
Lin, total score: 1605 points.
Zuo Mei, total score: 470 points.
Xia Xue, total score: 270 points.
Wang Zihao, total score: 265 points. ...
Wang Zihao was incredulous, exclaiming, "This can't be possible. How could he score so high?" Calculating the score for 30 minutes at a rate of one monster every 5 seconds yields a maximum of 12 monsters per minute. At the hell difficulty, each monster is worth 5 points, so the maximum score per minute is 60 points, summing up to an absolute limit of 1800 points over 30 minutes, excluding time taken to kill the monsters. A score of 200-400 points would be typical, so Zuo Mei's 400 points for slaying 80 monsters was exceptional. Lin's 1505 points, meaning he killed 301 monsters, suggested he was killing nearly 10 monsters per minute, just shy of the 12-monster limit, making everyone wonder if he was supernatural.
Wang Zihao even suspected Lin of cheating but dared not voice such an accusation against the authorities of the Shenxia Empire. Cheating in the grand exam was unthinkable, equivalent to seeking death. The entire exam was under surveillance, making cheating impossible.
Outside the examination venue, Principal Lu was ecstatic, his excitement palpable. "Your student is quite the anomaly," others commented. Lu wished to retort their accusations of abnormality, deeply curious about how Lin achieved such a feat. Lin's score was unprecedented, surpassing even the previous extraordinary scores in the exam's history.
The trial tower then cast a restoring light on the remaining candidates, rejuvenating their exhausted bodies and spirits, preparing them for the third round, which involved combating a boss-level monster across three difficulty levels. Lin was the first to choose, opting for the hell difficulty without hesitation. The examiners, already familiar with his choice, anticipated his continued success. They acknowledged his powerful skills and summons but remained cautious about declaring him the provincial champion, considering the potential for upsets in the remaining rounds.
Wang Zihao, still determined to claim the top spot, and others like Xia Xue and Zuo Mei, also chose the hell difficulty, prepared to face a single boss monster. When the third round commenced, each candidate confronted a massive monster from the Wolf Orc tribe, wielding dual swords. Lin, finding the challenge underwhelming, effortlessly commanded his skeleton warriors to strike, instantly defeating the boss monster with their skillful attacks. The examiners were once again astounded by Lin's overwhelming performance, sparking a mix of admiration and frustration at his dominance.