Once everyone was gathered in the courtyard once more, Xinbei cleared his throat before snapping his fingers.
Behind him, several ink banners manifested as names could be seen on the surface.
"If you see your name on the list, you have passed the initial exams. Those who can''t find their names, I must ask you to leave the Academy as we prepare for the next stage of the exams."
After this announcement, he waited as everyone looked for their names.
Naturally, Alice and Ria found their name pretty quickly as it''ll be more confusing if they didn''t pass.
Next to their name, it also showed them their scores for different tests. For Alice, she received full marks on thebat, 80% on the Theory and a fat 0 for the handicrafts.
Ria on the other hand had full marks on Combat, a fat 0 for Theory and 0 for Handicrafts.
Little by little, people started to filter out from the courtyard as they had failed. Countless angry res were shot towards Alice and Ria who simply smiled it off. It wasn''t like it was their fault to begin with.
Though that was debatable considering it was their appearance that caused the spike in difficulty.
There were a few who tried to sneak past but they were promptly escorted out.
Once there were only those that passed remaining, Xinbei stepped up once more.
"We now move onto the Student Exams. As you may know, our students are split into several ssifications. From the bottom, we have Basic Students, Normal Students, Advanced Students and at the very top, Special ss Students.
"For those that have sessfully enrolled just now, you will be given all of the tests with the exception of Special ss to see where you will be ced. For Students, you will be given a task belonging to the next grade up.
"Due to certain circumstances of this year''s exam, we will be making further adjustments. Everyone will be split into groups of our choosing and explore a different part of the Inverted World.
"Each group will be given a main task toplete as a team for more points towards your evaluation and personal tasks that determine whether you rank up or not." Xinbei exined as a diagram appeared on the ink behind him.
The rules of the second exam were simple. Each group had to raid a certain location in the Inverted World. Within the Inverted World, there were certain ''relics'' and treasures you can obtain. Whether they be replicas of weapons in the past or certain Abyss Bloods that were extremely hard to obtain now, each treasure you recover will give you extra points.
Thinking to herself, Alice remembered what Xinbei said when they first met. That the Inverted World was like another pathway into the Abyss. Not only that, certain knowledge that only Abyss Lords should be privy too were potentially open to them.
After exining the rules, he began to distribute the groups.
Alice and Ria were split up into different groups since they both were going to take the Special ss Exams.
Looking up at the Inverted World, Alice couldn''t help but feel a wave of excitement and anticipation in her heart. She had been interested in this ever since she stepped foot into this city and now, it was time for her to enter.
Her group consisted of 5 people including her.
They looked at Alice with worry and wariness as she simply held up her hands.
"We''re working as a group right? Don''t worry I''m not going to drag the beasts your way." She reassured with a smile.
"Right… I suppose we need self introductions since we''ll be working with one another. I''m Matheo and I''m primarily a front liner. I have 3 Sigils, Anti Beast resonance and I focus on locking down beasts in a one vs one." Matheo introduced himself.
He was tall and bulky with rugged features and a stubble. He had chestnut coloured hair and wore a set of ted armour along with a greatsword.
"Selena, controller. Three Sigils, Anti Beast resonance. I focus on making beasts fight one another."
Selena has short purple hair, a ck and white dress along with arge umbre. She was using the umbre as a cover of sorts, hiding her face from the others, especially Alice.
"Luna. Handicrafts student. Three Sigils but they''re not great forbat. Instead, I''ll be supporting you with my tools that I''ve made."
Luna has blonde hair, blue eyes and wore a pair of goggles on her head. She wore a Handicraft uniform adorned with several pouches and belts that held her gadgets. On her back was arge backpack that was filled to the brim.
"Frode. Theory student. I can be the alchemist of the group. Four Sigils, Anti Hunter Resonance."
Simr to ra, Frode had stiches across his body, but he kept it covered using arge cloak and a face mask. It was hard to tell what was beneath his cloak and Alice wasn''t that interesting in prying it open.
After they introduced one another, it was Alice''s turn.
"Alice. Frontliner and controller. Three Sigils, Anti Hunter Resonance. I focus on using blood, metal and mes. Of course, I can also be ranged support if you wish." Alice chuckled.
"So we have two frontliners, a controller, ranged support and an alchemist. Would you be okay with being flexible? Swapping between frontline and ranged support when needed?" Matheo asked curiously as Alice made an okay sign with her fingers.
"Of course."
Once they sorted out their formation, they could see Xinbei and ra approaching them.
"Here is your main task. After entering the Inverted World, there will be someone there to give you a map of the location. Your goal is to go south bound and venture into the heart of the Shadow Gorge. There will be a relic held within the deepest crevices of the gorge. A scythe made from the fang of Dragon.
"That will be your main task. Here is a checklist of your personal tasks. You don''t have to do all of them as we will be taking your performance into consideration while you''re in the Inverted World." Xinbei exined while handing out a slip of paper to each of them.
Receiving her sheet, Alice raised an eyebrow after seeing the objectives.
[Special ss Personal Tasks – Alice Agnelia]
Kill [Blood Song Lich]
Kill [Void Witch]
Kill [Umbral Chain Siren]
Prove your might against the Church of the Moon and retrieve [Starfall Scepter]
Four tasks for the title of Special ss Student. The fourth being one to go against the Church of the Moon within the Inverted World.
"How strong are these beasts?" Alice asked curiously while Xinbei simply smiled.
"You will find out when you gather data about them during your stay in the Inverted World. Everything you do whilepleting your task will be observed."
Nodding her head, Alice nced to ra who had been staring at her non-stop.
"Don''t… Don''t mind her. She''s here to distribute the blood you will be needing for this exam." Xinbei coughed before nudging ra with his elbow. Even though the others couldn''t see it, he noticed her appendages being busy beneath herb coat.
"Okay…" Furrowing her brows, Alice shrugged.
Once they were done with familiarizing themselves with their tasks, ra handed them each a vial of blood while Xinbei gave them a small ck orb.
When ra had given Alice the vial of blood, she didn''t do anything strange which surprised Xinbei considering her previous actions.
"The blood will protect you while the orb while record everything that happens. Good luck in the Inverted World."
Leaving the group to themselves, the two made their way to the next group.
Giving ra a nce, Xinbei noticed that she would asionally look back.
"I know what you''re thinking Xinbei, you don''t have to make it obvious by keep staring at me. I''ll get shy." ra shrugged.
"Have you ever met a celebrity by your standards? Seeing her up close made my head go pew. I didn''t want to scare her."
Hearing this, Xinbei nodded his head in understanding.
"So basically, you got cold feet." Heughed as she jabbed him in the ribs with an appendage.
"Please tell me that wasn''t used." He frowned.
". . . I''m not that shameless."
"But you''re shameless enough to touch yourself while on the job." Xinbei raised an eyebrow while ra simply grinned with a blush.
"The threat of being discovered is half the fun."
"Perv."
After distributing all of the tasks along with the protective measures of the blood and orbs, Xinbei lead everyone to the Combat Department that was located directly beneath the Inverted World.
In the main hall, there was a tform that was simr to what Alice and Ria saw in the special sparring rooms. Ritualistic carvings surrounded the walls as Xinbei stood in the centre with ra.
While he was doing his speech, Alice felt as though something was off.
She wasn''t sure if it was something wrong with her or the room itself. It felt as though she was underwater, the sounds around her were dampened while energy pulsed around the crystalline orb above them that represented the Inverted World.
A soft rhythm thumped in her ear.
*Ba-dum… Ba-dum… Ba-dum…
''A heartbeat?'' Alice thought to herself.
She wondered if it was her own as she had heard the same thing when getting hit across the head.
The blood that rushed to impact zone while her heartbeat rang against her ear.
But this was something different.
Almost eerie.
As Xinbei concluded his final speech and wished the Examinees a sessful exam, the carvings around the room lit up with an ethereal glow.
Energy converged towards her as she noticed something strange.
The ink orb and blood that Xinbei had given him started to bubble and crack before breakingpletely.
Before she could react and ask about this abnormality, her body was teleported away.
###
Sitting on her chair with a pale face, the principal was recovering from losing so much blood and power for the students when she felt something pulse out from the Inverted World.
A pulse that resonated with her on a far deeper level than anything she had ever expected.
Sitting up, her face paled as she remembered this sensation.
"Sh*t!"
For the first time, her calm and mysterious aura broke apartpletely as there was pure panic in her face.
###
Sitting up, Kaden widened his eyes before snapping his fingers.
The raven he had left in Alice''s shadow was killed.
"Sh*t…"