A week passed swiftly, and the entrance exam for Hero Academy was set to begin in the Luminous Forest.
This forest separated the cities from another forest, known as the Forbidden Forest.
The Luminous Forest enveloped nearly every part of the seven great cities, effectively concealing the Forbidden Forest from anyone's reach.
The Forbidden Forest earned its name due to its perilous nature, being home to a multitude of the most dangerous wild beasts and monsters of all shapes and sizes.
Additionally, numerous strange and unsettling occurrences were rumored to have taken place there, instilling fear in the hearts of the people.
Many who ventured into the Forbidden Forest for unknown reasons never returned, and those who did were irrevocably broken, their wills shattered.
They spoke of witnessing indescribably horrific things.
Some even claimed to have seen ghosts, though such claims were never substantiated.
However, the mental and emotional wreckage of those who returned was undeniably real.
If ghosts weren't the cause, something else certainly was.
Thugs who attempted to exploit the isolation of the Forbidden Forest met grisly fates, often found dead with their throats inexplicably slashed.
These and many other tales contributed to the forest's infamous and forbidden reputation.
Ironically, Hero Academy was situated somewhere between the Luminous Forest and the Forbidden Forest.
However, the entrance exam was to be held in the heart of the Luminous Forest, several kilometers away from the Forbidden Forest.
"The academy sure chose a hell of a place for the entrance exam, didn't they?" Sasha remarked as they reached the area designated for the exam.
"Isn't this unusual?" Tasha asked, glancing at her grandfather, Jin Tatsuya.
"It is unusual," Jin replied. "If I know them well, they probably made this year's exam particularly challenging."
"Why?" Sam inquired.
"Why? Because of you and those kids who managed to conjure Apex level phenomena. You conjured a transcendent level one, and they must be curious. This is an excellent opportunity to assess your talents," Jin explained.
When they arrived at the exam site, they saw a building structure reserved for the Academy officials and five noble leaders.
The presence of the clans ensured that the Academy wouldn't engage in any misconduct, such as rigging the exam or judging unfairly or with discrimination.
Most of the Awakeners were already present, and Sam was the last of the noble Awakeners to arrive, though he was on time.
The other noble Awakeners, such as Yuki Asuna, Isabella Lancaster, and Yami Kusanagi, stood with their respective clan members.
Sam's eyes caught sight of Cedric Wardrad standing with Yami's group.
Cedric noticed Sam's gaze and looked back with an unreadable expression.
As Sam entered, everyone from the Academy officials to the noble clan leaders turned their gazes towards him, as if he were the Eiffel Tower of the mortal world.
"You are getting a lot of attention, my dear brother," Sasha chuckled, patting her brother's back.
"I know, I can see them," Sam replied with a sigh.
"Ignore them and just do your best, alright?" Jin said before he and his elder sisters moved towards their designated area.
This was a private event, so there was no audience.
The space was essentially empty except for the Academy officials, the five great clan leaders, and the Awakeners.
Sam joined the group of Awakeners, who were all looking at him as if he were an alien.
Some even cast negative glances his way, with Yami Kusanagi being one of them.
Sam remembered something.
When he first arrived, he noticed Yami talking with the younger brother of the Kusanagi clan leader.
He had learned from his grandfather Jin that this was Yoru Kusanagi.
In his grandfather's words, Yoru was a narcissistic, superstitious bastard with a superiority complex.
That was all Sam needed to know that Yoru was someone to be cautious around.
Ignoring Yami, Sam noticed Yuki Asuna, who, oddly enough, kept her eyes fixed entirely on him.
This made him even more uncomfortable as there was no discernible expression on her icy face.
Just then, a notification appeared in his mind:
[Incoming communication from the user titled 'The Hero King']
[Do you accept?]
'The Hero King wants to communicate with me now?' Sam thought, instinctively looking towards where the Hero King was seated before accepting the communication.
Their eyes met.
[The Hero King: How was my gift? Did you like it?]
"It was great, Your Majesty," Sam replied through the system's communication interface.
[The Hero King: Don't be too formal, just speak naturally. I know that you wield magic.]
"You... you do?"
[The Hero King: Don't be surprised. And don't worry, your secret is safe with me. I actually contacted you to discuss something else.]
"What would that be, Your Majesty?"
[The Hero King: I have concerns regarding the safety of my daughter at the academy. It would ease my mind greatly if you could keep an eye on her.]
"This..." Sam hesitated. He wanted to decline, but it was the Hero King asking.
The Asuna clan and the Tatsuya clan had always had a good relationship, and he didn't want to jeopardize that by refusing.
After much thought, he replied, "I will do it, but I want to know why she needs someone to watch over her. Isn't the academy one of the safest places?"
[The Hero King: You are correct. I'm not worried about external threats. It's the internal ones that concern me. Many want her dead, and they might have people inside the academy as students. The academy does not interfere in student matters unless it leads to death. You understand what I'm getting at, don't you?]
"Yes..." Sam understood that the academy would not intervene in conflicts between students unless it resulted in death, meaning anything short of absolute death could occur.
[The Hero King: From this moment on, you are to be my daughter's protector.]
"I don't understand why you're choosing me. Why not someone else?"
[The Hero King: It's because of our clans. We are relatives and have a long history together. While other clans seem loyal, I cannot be certain of their true intentions.]
Sam closed his eyes and thought for a moment. "I will protect your daughter, Your Majesty."
[The Hero King: Good. And don't worry, you will have help.]