Ti passed by extrely quickly as it neared Examination ti, everyone scrambling to study and train as much as possible before the end of sester exams.
The final week before examinations was dedicated to "review and consolidation." It was a week dedicated to making sure everyone was as ready as possible before the exams.
Professor Kayle increased the difficulty of her practice problems to test the students, and all of the other Professors also did similar things.
Graves continued his immaculate lectures on bounded field protocols, never once deviating from his composed façade. If anything, Graves seed even more controlled, but Albedo knew he was eagerly planning his and Lucian’s downfall.
Through his Investigation, Albedo had confird two signatures through archive cross-reference.
Alexander Graves and Professor Halvern. The third was partially obscured by sigil encryption. That ant the conspiracy was already expanding.
Finally, after a long ti, the written examinations began.
Students assembled in the Grand Hall, rows of desks arranged in perfect geotric symtry beneath a vaulted ceiling painted with ancient constellations.
Mana barriers shimred faintly between each row to prevent cheating. Anti-communication arrays pulsed gently overhead.
A senior proctor stepped forward.
"Written Examinations, Phase One," she announced. "Beast Taming. Mana Theory. Monster Ecology. You will have four hours. Any attempt to manipulate the testing field will result in imdiate disqualification."
Silence fell as the students took their seats, and scrolls materialized on each desk. Albedo calmly glanced at the parchnt before him.
Beast Taming – Foundational Principles and Advanced Harmonization.
He allowed himself the smallest exhale, knowing he had studied more than enough to pass this exam.
The first section covered theoretical bonding contracts, limitations of Soul Link Resonance between Beast Tars and their Beasts. The second section was about emotional stabilization techniques for Higher Rank Beasts.
Albedo answered each question relatively easily.
When presented with a scenario involving a Silver-ranked Emberclaw exhibiting unstable aggression cycles, he not only provided the standard calming technique but also included an alternative mana-thread diffusion thod rarely taught outside advanced seminars.
He didn’t care about it being too much, if anything, he wanted to toy with Professor Graves and his associates’ emotions even more.
Four hours later, scrolls vanished simultaneously.
"Remain seated," the proctor instructed. "Results will be processed automatically."
Students exhaled collectively.
Murmurs broke out.
"That last question—"
"The Emberclaw scenario was easy—"
"I blanked on the resonance inversion formula—"
Albedo stood slowly, stretching his fingers.He had scored perfectly.He did not need confirmation to know it.
***
The second written examination focused on Mana Theory.
If Beast Taming tested empathy and control, Mana Theory tested understanding of the universe itself.
The hall felt heavier that morning.
Mana Theory separated prodigies from pretenders.
Questions appeared in rotating sigil arrays this ti rather than on parchnt, requiring students to put their answers directly into structured mana patterns.
Albedo welcod the format. With how much knowledge he had from the Novel and from the System and his adventures, this kind of exam was basically his domain.
The first section dealt with Basic Mana Theory, such as spells and formations, how to cast and break them effectively.
The second: the long-term physiological implications of forced breakthroughs.
He nearly smiled at that.
He described vascular mana strain. Core destabilization. Latent fracture risks.
And then he added a final note:
"When breakthrough is achieved under extre external pressure yet stabilized through internalized control rather than artificial reinforcent, long-term destabilization risk decreases significantly."
The test similar to the last one eventually ended without any incidents, leading them to the Third Exam which was Monster Theory and Ecology
By now, the hall had settled into disciplined quiet. Fatigue was visible on so faces. Confidence on others.
Albedo remained relaxed, but alert.
The exam included a case study involving a High Gold-ranked Abyssal Thornbeast exhibiting uncharacteristic regeneration.
He dissected the scenario calmly, outlining probable cross-plane contamination and suggesting containnt protocol revisions.
Halfway through, the air shifted.
This ti it was not subtle.
A brief fluctuation in the barrier grid.
Several students glanced up.
The proctor frowned.
The grid stabilized imdiately.
"Minor problem with the formation," she said smoothly. "Continue."
Albedo did not move, but internally, his perception expanded outward. He knew that couldn’t be a coincidence, so he noted down what happened and traced the fluctuation silently.
It had originated from the west wing which was responsible for logistics, not actually the examination array itself.
Soone had triggered a minor instability in the network, but Albedo couldn’t tell exactly why.
Still, the final written exams ended over the day, and that evening, the results were posted for everyone to see.
A luminous ranking board materialized midair.Students gathered beneath it. Nas flared into existence.
Beast Taming – Highest Score: Albedo Neverwinter.
Mana Theory – Highest Score: Albedo Neverwinter.
Monster Theory – Highest Score: Albedo Neverwinter.
A murmur surged through the crowd.
Miranda placed second in Mana Theory and Monster Theory, but Morgana was 2nd in Beast Taming.
Still, alot of eyes locked on Albedo, alot admiring but also so resentful. From the balcony above, Alexander Graves watched alongside so of his associates.
Their gazes t across the distance. Graves inclined his head slightly in a polite way, and Albedo returned the gesture, but made sure to rember the faces of those associates he was sitting with.
Still, there was three days between the written and practical exams for the students to get so extra preparation in.
Practical examinations would be conducted individually in controlled arena environnts, with rank-scaled monster deploynt to test their combat skills and adaptation.
Albedo spent those three days preparing in his own way.
He revisited the requisition chamber one final ti.
The two High Athyst crystals had been relocated.
Designated for "Adaptive Assessnt – Sector Three."
Sector Three was reserved for top-performing students in his class.
Still Albedo remained ready, knowing he would take down anything that ca his way. He sent a ssage to Seraphyne to check the identities of the Professors he was suspicious of, and she got to work there as well.
Now, all he had to do was ace his practical exams.
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