Celestial Bloodline Chapter 3: Royal Academy Entrance test II

Vice Principal George stressed how individuals possessing strength must defend the vulnerable. Words like these would surely earn hearty approval from the crowd, yet Kyle preferred catching some shut-eye over sitting through this tedious monologue.

"As everyone knows, the entrance exam varies each year. This time around, clearing the initial stage is pretty straightforward."

From his pocket, Vice Principal George retrieved an item.

"Take a look at this. Every one of you will receive one of these tiny flags, and shortly, all entrants will get transported into a custom-made dungeon crafted by the Royal Academy. Your task is to dash to the dungeon's conclusion while holding onto your flag."

"Ultimately, the leading 1000 contenders will advance past the opening phase. Expect some beasts lurking within the dungeon, obstructing your route. Whether you slay them or dodge them is your call, but keep your main aim on sprinting to the endpoint ahead of the pack."

"Pretty straightforward, huh?"

George declared, flashing a broad grin.

Kyle eyed the expansive grin stretching across the Vice Principal's features and swore under his breath.

'How long has it been since I last ran that hard? My endurance is basically zilch. How on earth will I make it to the dungeon's far side?'

George clarified that inside the dungeon, entrants could plunder one another. They had the option to team up against beasts too. In essence, anything went so long as they arrived at the dungeon's close without dropping their flag.

Upon hearing George's statement, numerous entrants raised their worries aloud.

George clapped sharply, reassuring them that severe harm inside the dungeon would trigger an immediate teleportation out, though those ejected would automatically flunk the exam.

As George's briefing wrapped up, thick unease rippled among the entrants. Each one scanned the rest with eyes brimming with caution. Fights among them seemed all but inevitable within the dungeon.

Still, not all felt anxious. Entrants boasting superior speed viewed the opening trial as a breeze.

George scanned the young crowd and began levitating above the Arena platform.

"Grab the tiny flags scattered on the ground and prepare yourselves. Soon, you'll all be whisked into the dungeon."

Awe and admiration shone in the eyes of every entrant as they watched him. All dreamed of soaring to George's legendary stature one day.

Kyle glanced down at the Arena floor and spotted thousands of flags dotted across it.

'I must have overlooked them earlier.'

He stooped over and snatched one of the flags.

In an instant, with no prior notice, a powerful suction from the Teleportation Array on the ground yanked all the entrants away.

WHOOSH!

Kyle blinked his eyes open to behold a scene utterly unlike what he'd left behind. The dungeon's interior resembled a dense woodland, but before he could savor its stunning vista, his gut twisted, and he heaved up every bite he'd taken recently.

He'd activated the Teleportation Array twice in one day alone. He'd managed to suppress it the initial time, but now it seemed his insides might spill out next.

Witnessing Kyle's plight, several other entrants felt nausea rising but managed to hold it back.

Once he'd steadied himself, Kyle noticed a direct, slim path stretching ahead. Towering trees of all heights flanked it.

Letting out a sigh, he observed fellow entrants hurrying past. Face drained of color, he shuffled to a nearby shadowy tree to recuperate briefly, his body feeling utterly drained.

Time ticked by, and nearly every entrant had departed from the starting point. A few spotted Kyle lounging beneath the tree but assumed he'd been looted and quit the race, so they paid him no mind.

After ten minutes of respite, Kyle rose at last, somewhat revived. He stared at the deserted path, now littered solely with drifting tree foliage, his face grim.

'They're heartless—nobody even bothered to offer aid.'

A sour look twisted Kyle's features as the thought crossed his mind. Surrounded by nothing but foliage and grit, he realized he trailed dead last. Catching up to the finish seemed hopeless. Lady Luck had forsaken him this day.

No more delays—Kyle bolted down the straight path. Though bringing up the rear, he resolved to hit the end line no matter what.

'What kind of nerve would I have left to face my father if I can't finish a basic sprint? Neon would tease me forever!'

Abruptly, a vision of Neon jeering at him flashed in Kyle's mind, spurring his pace quicker. The dungeon's landscape dazzled with massive trees and distant majestic peaks.

Along his route, not a lone beast crossed his path. Apparently, those ahead had already dispatched them. Disappointment washed over him, for he'd never laid eyes on a monster. He yearned to glimpse one in this trial, suspecting it might be his final shot.

Thirty minutes in,

Kyle gasped for air, his chest heaving as he fought to steady his pounding heart.

"Damn this willpower! At this pace, I won't even hit the dungeon's midpoint."

He bellowed the curse and slammed his fist into a nearby trunk.

Grimacing in agony, Kyle quickly soothed his throbbing knuckles.

"Ouch, damn it! Is this bark forged from iron or what?"

A shower of leaves cascaded onto his head as he glowered at the sturdy tree. Armed with a blade, he'd hack the cheeky thing to bits!

Trouble was, he lacked one—his sword sat trapped in Neon's storage ring. The abrupt launch of the first round had left no chance to reclaim it.

"Huuu..."

Drawing in a steadying breath, Kyle gently stroked the tree bark.

"Count yourself fortunate today."

Gazing at the endless stretch before him, Kyle's face went slack with bewilderment. Determination had fled his eyes, replaced by doubt.

"No way that's happening."

Kyle eyed the verdant woods and plunged in without a second thought.

"Let's veer into the woods and spot a monster."

No fear gripped him over the beasts' threat, for the Vice Principal had promised instant teleportation out upon grave injury.

He'd wandered some distance when suddenly no beast appeared—not even a bug stirred!

Aimlessly meandering, the earth shuddered underfoot, and a pit yawned open below.

Panic surged through Kyle. He tried to leap aside, but it was far too late.

"Ahhh..."

At that moment, deep within the dungeon's heart, a brutal race unfolded among the remaining entrants. They surged forward at breakneck speeds, each vying to surge past the leaders. Affluent ones even unleashed abilities to boost their velocity.

["Fast movement"]

["Soft steps"]

["Haste"]

["Large stride"]

Since abilities were rare and costly treasures, just a handful possessed them.

As the end loomed closer, trailing entrants grew frantic. Assaults began flying at rivals.

One initial strike sparked a chain, unleashing a barrage of strikes upon one another.

A sudden blow wounded one entrant. He shot a furious glare at his neighbor.

"You scum, how dare you strike at me."

The neighbor glanced over, baffled.

"That wasn't me."

His plea fell on deaf ears as the first lunged with fury.

"Feel the wrath of my 'Crushing sword strike', you scum."

Chaos erupted all around with identical clashes. Injuries mounted, forcing many entrants out via teleportation from the dungeon.

Far removed from the frenzy, a cluster of six or seven youths barreled toward the goal. The quartet leading stood out with their striking looks.

The frontrunner halted abruptly—a youth with midnight-blue locks and profound dark orbs.

He peered upward. A colossal bear loomed nearby.

Moments later, another joined him at the spot.

This second arrival sported golden tresses and ebony eyes. He gaped at the immense beast blocking their way.

"What in the world... "

The blue-haired youth regarded his golden counterpart gravely.

"That's an (E-)-Rank beast."

As they assessed the bear, two maidens arrived beside them.

The first bore fiery orange hair and piercing black eyes. Her allure was undeniable, yet her stare could chill the boldest soul.

"How exactly do we take it down?"

All had unlocked their gifts merely a year prior, barely scraping (F)-Rank. Solo combat against an (E-)-Rank fiend was out of reach.

The companion to the orange-haired beauty advanced, brow furrowed. Her flowing azure mane framed ocean-blue eyes, outshining even her friend's radiance.

"Looks like we'll need to pool our powers to bring it down. By the way, I'm Mia, and this is my pal Lara."

The blue-haired youth nodded at the pair and shared his name.

"I'm Alec."

The golden-haired one eyed Alec briefly.

"Carcel."

He drew a gleaming spear from his storage. Alec unsheathed a blade. Lara readied a bow, whereas Mia wielded mage arts.

Upon the blue planet, talent awakening granted one the choice of vocation.

Vocations split primarily into two branches: Warriors and Mages.

Warriors engaged in close-quarters brawls or wielded favored arms. They channeled inner mana solely via weapons or mastered techniques. Arms ranged from swords and spears to bows and clubs, and more.

Mages, by contrast, differed sharply—they studied incantations to shape their inner mana. Thus, beyond fixed techniques, mages conjured spells and harnessed ambient elements freely.

Be they warriors or mages, breakthroughs drew atmospheric mana into their forms, forging greater might.