Supreme Hunter

As Alex walked to the back of the other line he could still hear the professors talking. He could not make out their words because they were talking quietly. By the time he got to the end of the line he turned to see professor Elwin walk away from professor Keller.

Keller did not seem to be in a good mood now. From time to time Alex could swear that he saw Keller glaring at him, but each time it only lasted for a second. Alex just chalked it up to his imagination.

The line for the practical skills test took much longer. He wasn't sure what he would have to do for this test. Alex was sure, that whatever it was would take longer than a simple mana reading.

It was nearly lunch time when Alex once again got to the head of the line. This time, he was paying attention and greeted the professor properly.

"H...Hello, professor Sendra" Alex said with a parched throat. He had heard her name from the other students in line earlier.

"Hello." She replied with an even tone. He couldn't read her reaction. She held his gaze with her steely gray eye. The copper eye patch that covered her left eye would glint every so often. She had long blond hair and seemed older than the other professors he had seen up to this point, but not by too much.

Just as she was about to open her mouth to say something to Alex he gaze lost focus and she scowled slightly. "Constitution evaluation area, student number 3, fail. Please leave the grounds."

"What do you mean I failed? I was clearly still inside the zone!" A tall boy wearing fancy clothes came walking out of a dome filled with purple smoke. The smoke seemed to stay within a circle of runes that was engraved into the field.

"You stuck your head out of the other side of the dome before your time had elapsed. Thus you have failed." Professor calmly replied, not seeming to notice the tone of this prospective student.

"What proof do you have that I did? You were all the way over here, how could you possibly see me in that cloud. Even if I wasn't there is no way you could watch all fifteen students that are taking their tests right now!" The boy continued to argue. Seemingly spurred on by his own words, his tone became more and more disrespectful.

"If I say you cheated, you cheated. Who do you think you are to question my decision?" Professor Sendra finally seemed to be irritated by this young man. She turned in his direction with an eerie sneer on her face.

Her expression immediately triggered Alex to unconsciously draw in mana, even though he had not done it in years.

Professor Sendra stopped turning, her sneer disappearing into thin air. She slowly looked back toward Alex. Her piercing gaze scowered his body. After a moment she returned back to how she was when Alex had greeted her.

This entire time the young man had continued his verbal barrage and even began to make his way toward the professor.

Suddenly, a pillar of searing golden light surrounded this c.o.c.ksure boy. It was so bright none of the students near by could even see within it. An ear piercing scream erupted from the pillar.

Alex was stunned for a moment by the pillar, but he quickly looked back at professor Sendra. By the time he turned his head back to her the sneer was back on her face. His heart raced and his breath caught in his c.h.e.s.t. Cold sweat crept down his back. He had never been this scared in his life. Not even when Eluril had taught him to use mana.

This time he felt his energy react to her directly. It coursed through his legs and lower back. It was as though the energy was telling him to run.

As this happened Sendra's face fell. Her sneer became a tight lipped frown as a cold glint filled her eye. "I don't know what you are doing, or what your plan is, but if you move so much as a hair you will die." The statement was said with such cold finality that even Alex could tell she was serious.

"I... I... I am sorry professor... I meant no disrespect." As he said this he calmed the energy inside him.

Sendra did not blink, she did not look away. Not even for a moment. After a moment she simply nodded to Alex.

It was then that Alex realized that he no longer heard the screaming. He had no idea when it had stopped. He turned to see if the boy had lived, really he was just glad to look away from Sendra.

A circle had been scorched into the ground where the boy had stood. Smoke was still lazily wafting from the soil. But there were no charred remains, or even ash. He didn't know when but someone must have taken the boy away. Alex hoped it was before any permanent damage was done.

"So, which test will you be taking today young man?" Sendra asked, drawing Alex's attention back to her.

"I don't understand professor, I thought this line was for the practical skills test?" Alex asked sheepishly.

With a chuckle Sendra asked, "yes, that it is. But which of the five tests will you be taking?"

"I am sorry to say that I came unprepared today professor." As he said this Alex was looking around at the five different areas that currently held students. All of these students were still reacting to what just happened a moment ago. Some screamed, some cried, others puked.

Even though no one was actively using the testing zones for the intended purposes at this time, Alex could still understand some of their purpose. His guesses were soon validated by the steel eyed professor.

"There are five separate tests, you must pass one to gain entry. You may only choose one area to be tested in. Choose wisely." Sendra warned. "From left to right we have strength, speed, constitution, reflexes, and defense."

From her description, that boy had come from the constitution test. "Professor what does the constitution test entail?" Alex said this as politely as he could. He did not want to risk angering this professor.

"Why that is very simple. You must stay within the enchanted circle for at least 30 minutes without making a sound." Alex looked at the roiling purple smoke and couldn't help but wonder if it was poisonous.

As if she could read his mind she answered his unspoken question. "The smoke is not deadly. But, if your constitution is not high enough to resist its effects you will suffer greatly. At best you will be reduced to a coughing and puking mess."

After thinking for a moment Alex couldn't help but ask a question. "But teacher, what if I just held my breath the entire time?"

"Simple, you pass. If you can either resist the effects of the smoke, or hold your breath long enough to not need to resist it, then your constitution is high enough and you pass." Her tone had made it seem like this was the most obvious thing in the world.

This simple logic really comforted Alex. He was not stupid, not even close. But Alex had always preferred things to progress in a straight forward manner. 'So, as long as I do as I am asked, no matter how, I pass.' A small smile crept its way onto his face for the first time since meeting professor Sendra.

"Thank you for your guidance professor. I would like to take the strength test please."

"Very well." She said it in a way that made it seem that she had known all along. "Simply proceed to the testing area and lift one of the stones above your head. You have three attempts." She said this in a perfunctory manner and turned back to the other students in the line.

Alex made his way to the stones in the strength testing area. Each stone had the same number chiseled into the side of it, 600. Judging from the size of the stones Alex assumed it was the weight in pounds.

The stone was roughly a foot in diameter. Alex had never tried lifting stones before, he was not sure how hard it would be to lift. He planted his feet and squatted over the stone, gripping the side of it in one large hand.

Slowly, he roused his energy and pushed it into his arm, shoulder, neck, and back. He wanted to make a good impression and get this over with.

In one smooth and fluid motion he lifted the stone above his head with a single hand. 'Wow, that was much easier than I thought it would be' he thought absentmindedly. 'I shouldn't have wasted my energy. I might have been able to lift it without using any.'

Alex didn't notice the other students in the strength test staring at him.

One unfortunate student had been struggling to get the stone over his head. He had slowly worked it up to his c.h.e.s.t and was gather some energy for the final push to get it over his head. That was the plan anyway, until he looked at Alex. He looked just in time to see Alex easily lift the stone with a single hand as if it was weightless. In that moment he lost focus and dropped his stone onto his own foot.

"Strength test, student 3, pass." Professor Sendra's clear voice rang out over the field almost immediately after Alex lifted his stone.

An innocent smile creased Alex's face as he dropped his stone. "Thank you professor." Alex yelled as he hurried off of the field to get his housing arrangements.

The entire time Alex was in the testing field Sendra had kept her back to him. As such, Alex was unable to see the stunned look on Sendra's face as she called out her judgement.