Chapter 187
The students were piqued by the appearance of a kid on the podium.
Noah also watched the doll-like young girl with intrigue.
Anyone who read the student pamphlet already knows who she is, she is listed in the directorâs section of Kouryou Academy.
Thatâs right, that teenage girl is Kouryou Academyâs chairman.
Sheâs a genetic engineer affiliated with the Dawn Organization, Tsukumo Sakuya.
If the students here are white mice waiting to be experimented on then she is the researcher planning to use the students for her own arcane experiments.
The chairman addressed everyone with her cute but devious smile.
"Welcome to Kouryou Academy, I am the chairman of this school, Tsukumo Sakuya."
Everyone assumed sheâs going to give a standard welcoming speech when she threw a curveball.
"Though I want to make a remark on how far everyone came to reach this stage, nowâs not the time. That will have to wait until you guys experience the traditional activity of this school, the Qualification ritual."
Noah flinched.
A qualification ritual?
Whatâs that?
Imari and the other students were just as puzzled as he was.
The chairman didnât care that the students were confused, she started explaining herself.
"Everyone, please look at the person sitting next to you."
"Next to me?"
Noah and Imari exchanged a look.
Noah and Imari sat together.
The chairman grinned. Her cold voice chilled the auditorium.
"Now then, duel with the one sitting close to you."
"Huh?!"
The students uttered gasps of shock.
"Duel each other?!"
Noahâs and Imariâs eyes shrunk in an instant. They couldnât believe their ears.
Noah gazed in Sakuyaâs direction, his black eyes flashed brilliantly.
The chairman continued explaining like she couldnât hear the disturbance.
"In the next duel, the victor will be recognized as students of this school while the loser will have their Astar Marks expunged. That about sums it up. Blaze usage is permitted. If the duel lasts more than 10 minutes then both duelists will be kicked out of this academy!"
The petite chairman chuckled as if sheâs amused by her own joke.
"Of course, you guys can choose not to use your Blaze. I feel like I should tell you that Blaze is a manifestation of oneâs soul with the help of Astar Marks. Dealing damage to your opponents through Blaze will only result in mental fatigue, it will not result in physical harm. If you donât use your Blaze then I am afraid youâre left with no choice but to inflict bodily harm on your opponents."
The students were still incensed by her words.
"What do you mean a duel wonât harm us?!"
"I thought you guys said we only had to be compatible to enroll?!"
"Are you scamming us?!"
The chairman floated a nonchalant grin.
"Donât forget, this place was built to nurture combat talent. We only want the best of the best. If you students cannot understand this basic rule then give up your Astar Marks and leave Kouryou Academy!"
The air froze.
Then, silence enveloped the auditorium.
Imari clenched her fists, she couldnât accept the cruel rules laid down by the chairman. She wanted to say something when she heard the sound of a chair being pushed back.
Including Sakuya, the other students and faculty members looked at the youth who stood up.
Noah gave Sakuya one last glance and he made his way over to the exit.
Noah chose to leave much to Sakuyaâs exasperation.
"Wait!"
Imari is the first one to call out. She grabbed Noahâs sleeve.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
"Imari?"
Noah turned around and he answered with visible confusion.
"I think I should be the one asking that, what are you doing?"
"Y-you are planning to leave just like this?"
Imari clenched harder. Her steely gaze fell on NOah.
"Are you sure you want to leave?"
"Isnât that obvious?"
Noah sighed.
"The chairman said we are all free to leave, whatâs so strange about leaving?"
"You will have your Astar Mark removed."
Imari couldnât understand his motives.
"Is that okay?"
"Imari."
Noah patted Imari on her head with a bright smile.
"I donât know why you must stay but if you want to become strong, itâs okay if you donât rely on Astar Marks, I thought you should know that."
The other studentsâ eyes almost popped out.
You donât have to rely on Astar Marks?
The very same supernatural enhancement that can grant a human recipient supernatural abilities?
The chairman stared at Noah and she opened her mouth.
"You mean youâre going to use your own power to become an Exceed?"
Noah raised his head to stare straight down Sakuyaâs barrel.
"Is that so strange?"
"An Astar Mark gives you superhuman physical and mental abilities, it can also manifest your soul in the form of a Blaze. An Exceed is someone who exceeds the abilities of an average human."
Sakuya mocked Noahâs innocence while shaking her head.
"Humans will never obtain a power like this!"
"Oh?"
Noah raised an eyebrow. He looked at Sakuya before turning his attention towards the students around him.
"Alright, letâs try a different type of Qualification Ritual."
Even Sakuya herself is taken aback by this sudden challenge.
"A different type of Qualification Ritual?"
Noah removed Imariâs hands from himself. He went past Imari as he stared at the faculty members standing near Sakuya.
"I am guessing the teachers here are also Exceeds? They graduated from this school and are proven to be stronger than the Exceed students here, right?"
The teachers had no clues as to why Noah raised this point.
Noahâs next line petrified the teachers.
"I will limit myself to human-level powers."
Noah grinned.
"Why donât you pick one Exceed teacher to fight the âhumanâ me?"
"â!"
The students gasped in astonishment. They too, were turned into statues by the rapid turn of events.
"Noah?!"
Imari shrieked.
The teachers didnât expect this from the new student. They were stunned that they got turned into the focus all of a sudden.
Only Sakuya had a thoughtful look although her eyes still had hints of shock.
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