Chapter 19: Determination
The test was indeed very simple, so much more simple that all the participants were left confused and surprised with Adam's words, people were expecting something along the lines of the other two exams, something to test their abilities.
But this exam is not for that.
"Lucas Medici, you first," Adam said.
Lucas then stepped ahead of the rest and stopped right in front of the five teachers, then Adam asked, "Why should we accept you in our academy?"
He started speaking confidently, "I want to see more of the world, I was labeled in my family as 'talented' and 'strong' but I want to see that for myself, that's why I want to enter the World Academy, the place where the best are gathered"
A silence came and the atmosphere became a bit tense, before Selina said, "You pass"
Lucas thanked them and bowed his head slightly, then he returned to the rest of the participants as Adam called out the next.
"Ella Murray!"
She went there and without Adam asking, she started speaking, "I came here because my parents forcing me to marry, and I don't want to, I'll only marry someone stronger than me"
Silence came just like before, but this time it was not a tense silence, it was a 'I'm too stunned to say anything' type of silence, everyone was dumbfounded to say anything.
The silence was broke when Chloes started laughing, and said, "You passed"
Ella smiled happily and returned, then one by one other participants started going through that test. This exam is different from the others, the other two exams are to see if you have enough ability to be in the World Academy, but this one is to see if you have enough ego to be in here.
Ego, arrogance, confidence, is something that every Ascender must have, it was explained later in the novel, if you want to be the best Ascender, you must believe you are the best, to endure the function of being an Ascender, you must have 100% confidence in yourself, arrogance to tell people you will protect them, even knowing you can't save everyone.
This exam is to test if you have what it needs to be an Ascender.
Good thing that Ian passed with the red flag, he would without a doubt fail this exam, he's only confident when he's doing alchemy.
I kept silent as I waited for my turn, just watching the other participants' answers. I already know of the main cast's answers, but it's cool to watch, imagination can only take you so far, seeing in real life is much greater.
Then it came Julie's time, and she simply said, "I have someone I need to kill"
The teacher Douglas said in the same instant, "You pass"
She returned and glanced at me, then I heard Adam's voice announcing, "Iske Grace, your turn"
I passed through the other participants and made my way towards the teachers, reaching there I stopped and thought about my answer for a while, then I remembered what Iske said in the novel.
Then I said in a playful tone, "Someone wants to kill me, so I need to get stronger so to protect myself"
Although I said as a joke no one laughed, the teachers weren't impressed, and I knew it, because it was not Iske's only answer, he did say something after this, something about he wanting to be the best or something like that. I don't remember clearly.
But would be the best answer now? Iske was a villain in the story, if I keep pretending to be him I'll end up dead just like him, I need to change just a bit, keep imitating his personality, but slightly different decisions and actions, so that I can change my future, and not change the plot too much.
Thinking like that my eyes moved to the only teacher who was not paying attention to the exam at all, he's sitting facing to his right, where he's poking Selina and making fun of her. Watching Vincent I thought of an answer, of a way to impress the teachers.
I walked towards the teacher's table, more specifically towards Vincent, even when I approached him he turned around to pay attention to the participants. But my next actions forced him to look at us.
I caught him by the collar and made him look at my face, then said, "Do you think you are so important that you can ignore us?"
Vincent was shocked, his eyes were widened, but then I felt a cold chill run through me as his mouth curled up.
"You caught my attention" I felt relieved as he said those words.
But then suddenly something strange happened, the whole world around me froze, objects, people, the entire scenario simply went static, everything was paused, hanging eternally in that second.
I looked up and saw Vincent smiling at me,"Now, let's start over, what's your name?"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone