Just as Adam had read in the brochure, the registration desk for the second-class type had the fewest numbers. Even lower than that was the number of students who went to register for the same class Adam wanted.
They only numbered twelve, including Adam himself. There were five boys and seven girls. From his observations, he realised he was the least impressively dressed, which suggested that the others were all from elite backgrounds, their impeccable bearing on full display.
The looks he received from them were very telling of what they thought of him. But none of that mattered. He knew none of them, so he’d reserve his judgement. And there was no guarantee that they would all pass.
Only the results would tell.
Once he completed his registration, he got separated from his father, who was led to another section of the admission block. The written exams would commence in half an hour. And before he was directed to the exam hall, he was asked to submit his personal items before a blue tag was given to him to wear around his neck.
There were different colour tags for each class type and subtype. These tags digitally contained their registration ID and credentials. And all those taking the same class as Adam wore the blue tags around their necks.
Entering the exam hall was another shock for Adam. Like everything else, the hall was massive, with neatly spaced desks spanning the entire size of the hall. The high windows let in controlled light from the sun, bathing the hall in its radiance.
Adam and the other eleven teenagers were led to a section dedicated to just them. He picked one of the digital desks and sat down, looking around as other teenagers filled the hall.
On the desk were all the materials he would need for the exams. At some point, students stopped trickling in, indicating that every candidate was inside. At a glance, Adam counted hundreds of students, quietly impressed at the turnout.
The hall was extremely quiet, everyone keenly aware that any form of misconduct could lead to their dismissal. That warning had been included in the brochure.
Several officials quietly entered, and without so much as an instruction, they distributed black, tiny rod-like gadgets Adam knew were holographic mini computers known as Exam Units, EU for short. They were designed for the sole purpose of taking written exams.
When the distributions finally came to an end, a three-hour timer appeared above the hall in bold text, visible to everyone.
"Begin."
As soon as the instruction landed, the timer ticked down. Simultaneously, everyone’s EUs came online, scanned their tags and displayed their questions.
Layered over his table were two options for answering — writing or typing. Adam chose writing without hesitation and began. And as he read through his questions, he let out a silent breath.
’The old me would have never passed this part!’ Adam realised solemnly, glad he had been reading everything that came to mind. ’What monstrous questions...’
The questions were highly advanced for sixteen-year-olds, and although challenging, the questions weren’t beyond the current him. The questions had pieces of almost all fields of exploration, science, math and information.
’No wonder this place is known for training the best of the best.’ Adam looked around him and noticed the bitter expressions around him. ’As expected, being the best doesn’t come easy.’
Thoughts about cheating never crossed his mind either. Nothing had been said about using abilities to cheat, but Adam was willing to bet that the people behind the evaluation would most likely consider that when grading.
Pushing all distracting thoughts out, Adam got to writing, his speed shocking those who glanced in his direction. He looked like a possessed man jotting down a curse, his hand blurring across his desk.
Feeling challenged and unwilling to be outdone, the others, particularly those vying for the same class as him, increased their writing and typing speed. The hours flew by as the exams came to a close.
"Stop."
Everyone quickly stopped the moment the announcement came. Adam, on the other hand, had finished his questions an hour before the time came to a stop. Even then, he spent that time reading over everything just to be sure.
If he had to comment, he would say the written exam was easy, or at least for his current self. Adam had never felt so smart and intelligent in his life. The feeling was something else.
’No wonder people become more self-absorbed the more they evolve.’ Adam deduced grimly. ’I need to be careful from now on...’
"You are to remain seated." An official’s voice resounded from the front, drawing everyone’s attention. "The second part of your assessment will begin shortly."
There was barely any rest for them. Many bore complaints on their faces but wisely remained silent. They were here to be accepted into the best academy in the region, not argue about what was fair and proper.
Adam quietly absorbed everything around him. Every moment was a learning moment for him as his eyes studied the various biologies around. There were those who were slightly different biologically in order to utilise their affinities without dying from them.
And the more he observed, the deeper his understanding of biology grew. His Biological Knowledge Index was his fastest, since he could study his own body.
As he observed, he noticed that some of the other teenagers were silently circulating their Spark with precise movement and control, a testament to their dedication to getting stronger.
This was one of the advantages of the system. Everyone awakened with a basic method for circulating Spark. But they were not limited to what the system offered. Some had created far more efficient ways to circulate Spark, and it was one of the hallmarks of the elite class and powerful families.
But regardless of whatever techniques they used in concealing their circulation methods, Adam systematically broke down their underlying principles with his unique ability, exposing everything. Even the Spark circulation method his father used was known to him.
Adam was in no rush. The thought had come to him when he first discovered this open secret. And instead of blindly taking one of the good ones he saw and optimising the technique, he intended to study as many as possible before designing one for himself.
Many of the techniques he read had flaws in them, and that was one of the reasons he held back. Even so, for those people, it worked for them. And an unintended surprise came to him when he realised he could determine a person’s realm using his unique skill.
Half an hour quickly went by when someone new appeared on the podium. Every teenager’s attention swiftly turned over, quietly observing. Unlike the officials who had officiated the written exams, this person looked different.
’He must be an instructor.’ Adam deduced at a glance, his guess almost spot on.
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