Score Control

Tianqi Academy’s entrance exam was renowned as the continent’s toughest.

Every year, it drew true prodigies or the most gifted from every village, making competition fiercely intense.

With her identity token, Selina passed inspection and entered the exam venue. Tianqi’s departments split into two main branches: Magic and Warrior. Every student had to choose one.

The key difference lay in mana usage.

Magic Department students wielded mana through mental control, manifesting spells, incantations, or miracles.

Warrior Department students fused mana with their blood vitality to create battle aura, which tempered their bodies and powered martial techniques via specific methods.

Selina had chosen the Warrior Department, so her exam venue was filled with youths brimming with battle aura. The Warrior exam comprised four categories: Strength, Speed, Mana, and Vitality.

Strength and Speed were straightforward physical metrics. Mana and Vitality were essential for cultivating battle aura—the higher these scores, the stronger the aura.

Testing aura directly wasn’t done, as it could be temporarily boosted by external means, making precise assessment tricky. Tianqi’s exams prioritized one thing: fairness.

Of course, fairness was relative. No one was born equal—some were naturally gifted.

Take the boy in front of Selina. Among the examinees, he stood out. His strength score was above average, but his martial techniques and aura-enhanced physical prowess were remarkable.

His speed and reactions reached 2.5 times that of an average person.

If a normal person’s speed was 1, this boy’s was 2.5. Kant, in his prime, had hit 3, honed by his mentor’s rigorous training despite his physical limitations. Three times normal speed was rare on this magical continent.

The boy, Reese, moved with unrefined simplicity, suggesting no formal training—just raw talent.

His scores in the remaining tests—Mana and Vitality—were equally impressive. Barring surprises, he’d likely rank among the top in the Warrior Department’s freshman assessments.

After watching Reese’s standout performance, Selina heard her name called over the magical broadcast. She stepped to the designated area, handing over her token.

The examiner took it, glancing up habitually.

But this time, he froze. A delicate girl in the Warrior exam venue? After confirming he was in the right place, he adjusted his glasses, his tone stern. “Are you sure you’re in the right exam, child?”

“Yes,” Selina replied.

“Your name’s Selina?”

“Mhm.”

“Alright, begin your test,” he sighed, shaking his head.

He thought this frail-looking girl was here to make a scene. The Warrior venue was filled with robust, imposing candidates—none as delicate as her. She looked like a pampered noble playing at adventure.

But this was Tianqi. They’d seen all sorts, even petite girls with monstrous strength, often descendants of divine bloodlines.

Those were usually admitted via recommendations, not ordinary exams.

Before the examiner could finish his thoughts, the alchemy dummy for strength testing beeped. “Beep. Detecting force impact. Analyzing score… Result: 60 points.”

Selina withdrew her fist, shaking her delicate hand casually, her expression calm.

The examiner, startled, hurried to inspect the dummy.

Seeing the result, he adjusted his glasses again, now with a hint of surprise. “Sixty points—just passing. I thought she was weak, but she’s got some skill.”

The surprises didn’t end there. Selina’s scores were oddly consistent:

• Speed: 98 points

• Mana: 60 points

• Vitality: 60 points

The examiner stared at the bizarre scorecard, his brows furrowed enough to crush a fly. “Selina, are you deliberately controlling your scores?”

His attitude had shifted. No longer seeing her as a frivolous noble, he now viewed her as a latent genius who didn’t value her potential, hence the balanced scores. Scoring exactly at the passing line in three categories, with no trace of aura training, and excelling in speed—she had to be a prodigy.

“No, sir. Look, I’ve got one standout score, don’t I?” Selina blinked her clear, bright eyes, her face radiating innocent charm.

Inwardly, she smirked. Control scores? Of course! On the Seraris Continent, precise score control is the mark of a true master.

Her speed score was unavoidable—her body’s natural agility was too high. She wasn’t here to play a suffering hero, hiding her strength to look mediocre. Still, a speed score six times the norm was excessive for a freshman. Had she not slowed down at the end, she might’ve hit 100.

As an expert in her field, faking low scores was tough.

With no evidence of intentional score control—and no rule against it—the exasperated examiner waved her off.

Her scores were more than enough to pass into the Warrior Department.

Selina dusted her hands, walking to the exit under envious gazes, already dreaming of a nap and finding her name mid-list tomorrow.

But unbeknownst to her, the day’s tests weren’t over.

Something unexpected was on its way…