บท 24: Focus
After the crowd regained their senses people started leaving the venue as they headed outside to find their respective alumni who would guide them through today's tests. The words of Prof. Boulton had different effects on everyone. Some felt challenged and were aggressively making their way out - confident that they'll make it. Some felt a little lost due to the intense end of the speech and were slowly making their way out.
The statistics were clear, one out of twenty-five would succeed today. For those who lost, they would have to pack up and sort out a different path towards the forefront of this generation. It was the cruel truth - it is all or nothing on this day.
Theodore himself tried to make himself as inauspicious as possible as Prof. Boulton just called him out on stage. He didn't want to attract any attention as he made his way out of the theatre.
As he passed the exit he quickly found the alumni rounding up their assigned cadets. They were neatly lined up on the field next to the theatre, each alumni standing next to a big sign with a number.
Theodore was part of the 22nd examination group. Theodore quickly found his group and to his annoyance, he had to state his name - to which the people around him smirked at him. They would be taking the tests at the same time as THE Theodore. The alumni only nodded in response - his AI was keeping tabs on the student list.
He was joined with several notable people in his group who immediately became spotlights themselves and therefore lightened the attention on Theodore. Theodore recognised Dwight Hightower, Anthony Hollow and - unfortunately - Louis Carson.
The heir to duke Hightower was a famed person and therefore was quickly recognised. As for Anthony, as a son to a Marquees, he attracted notably less attention. Louis Carson apparently was somewhat well-known as people immediately started to gossip as he joined their group.
The only person that overshadowed Dwight was a young female who reported herself as Lily-Anne Prescott. Theodore didn't recognise her name, but he could hear audible gasps around him so he knew she was a notable person. He listened in on a group of gossiping girls next to him and quickly found out the reason why people were so hyped over her.
Miss Lily-Anne was a pop-idol! Theodore hadn't bothered too much with the cultural and musical scene of the present-age. He was furiously investing every free second into learning and improving himself. He couldn't care less about who was top of the music stars in the star-sector!
He, however, had to admit that the girl was incredibly beautiful. Her bodily proportions were off the charts and her face was unique and seemed to be perfect from every angle. He was surprised a pop-idol would try and test into a famous academy.
Theodore quickly faded from the minds of the people around him as there were much more interesting people around them who occupied the spotlights!
He decided to send a text to Evanna, wishing her luck on the exams and let his grandfather know that he was sorted in group 22 and would be off all day due to tests. He also send his test-number to his grandfather so he could check the results as they came in. The University updated the scores of all their entrants during the day. This way, the examinees their family could check the results and would not have to wait all day to hear any news.
The top one hundred general scores were also published at 16.00 on the university's website. The ranking at that time would still change a lot, but the news would already attract a lot of attention. Depending on whether you had your best subjects first or last, you could still go up or down on the charts. Even then, a place in the elite-class could be gained by acing a subject and attracting the attention of the university.
Theodore checked his comm for the schedule as the alumni reported they still missed eight more examinees. Theodore estimated that, with the eight missing examinees including, he would directly compete with fifty examinees. The hundreds of alumni would have a tough time herding their 'sheep' from examination to examination.
His comm read the following time-table:
Physical examination :
- 10 Km Run
- Obstacle Course
- Simulation test - hand to hand combat
Aptitude test & Mech piloting :
- Aptitude test
- Simulation test
- Field test - Only for those who score is over 120 points in the simulation.
General knowledge & Languages:
- Languages are optional - bonus points awarded when 2 or more languages selected
Science (Please choose three subjects beforehand):
- Material Science
- Engineering Physics
- Engineering Mathematics
- System Engineering
- Power engineering
- AI and Computer Sciences
Theodore quickly browsed to his roster and was rather happy with it. He quickly selected Engineering Physics and Mathematics as well as power engineering. With Prof. Boulton tutoring him in his speciality of power-related sciences, he was confident in this field.
Knowing they had landed early on KMU grounds, the exams were cramped in one day. Theodore did not look forward to his science examinations. He knew that by then, he would be worn out from all the activities during the day. There were also breaks scheduled and both lunch and dinner would be served aswell throughout the day. The university was really accommodating the examinees rather well. Theodore also felt that the cramped schedule would test their endurance and psychological prowess aswell. As the day continued, many people would start to become frustrated with the schedule.
Theodore, however, felt confident that he could keep his calm. After the last three and a half gruelling months, he could keep his calm even under the most stressful and most exhausting circumstances. You could say that budgeting his energy-levels was somewhat of a speciality of his.
As the eight missing examinees one by one reported themselves at the alumni, Theodore tried to focus on his upcoming exams. Being in the right state of mind would help him gain the best possible results. As he focused his mind and exercised calming techniques, he once again attracted the attention of bystanders. Even though his aura was very weak and not at all oppressive, people were nevertheless unconsciously affected by his seamless pressure.
Seeing Theodore become serious, many others also started to prepare themselves for the upcoming tests. They did not want to lose out to anyone around them. One in twenty-five would make it. Statistically, that would mean only two in this group would make it. With so many notable figures in this group, the pressure was even higher for the remaining examinees.
The alumni in charge of their group then led them through the campus as they were expected at the West Sport Centre. As its name suggests, it was a sports centre - in the west of campus.
The first test was a simple ten kilometre run on a track field. They would run twenty-five laps on the four-hundred-metre course and be done with the first subject.
A tall man greeted them at the entry of the track and told them to get dressed in standard university attire. The building next to the track had a spacious dressing room that easily accommodated the fifty examinees. Male and female were obviously separated for this occasion.
They then reported to the sports instructor at the field and awaited further orders. As all fifty examinees were gathered the instructor told them what was expected of them.
"This is your first exam of the day. The ten-kilometre race is more or less self-explanatory. You run ten kilometres and gain a score based on your times. There are points to be earned based on several factors. One, your total time. Two, your fastest lap time and three, the decline in speed per lap."
"The AI monitoring this test will award those who run the test within fifty minutes with eighty points. For those who run a lap under one minute will be awarded another twenty points. Another twenty points can be earned by having less than twenty seconds decline total over fifteen consecutive laps. You can gain the last thirty points by running the ten kilometres in less than thirty-five minutes."
"Please all start at the start line, every thirty seconds a group of ten runners will start their exam. The AI will keep tabs on your progress. You can now at any time check your progress on your personal comms."
Faith had it that Theodore was grouped in the third group with both Dwight Hightower and Louis Carson. With Dwight being known for his skill in piloting offensive knights his condition should be through the roof.
Theodore had quickly analysed the rules and already saw some pitfalls. If you wanted all the points, you were going to have a hard time. For none of the contestants should it be a problem to run the ten kilometres in fifty minutes? Thirty-five, however, would be a challenge. But most would normally be capable of this as they trained extensively for it. The problem was that you had to run a very fast lap and keep your decay in check. This combination was going to be troublesome! Not to mention... This was only the start of the day! They had to ration their energy!
His plan was simple, two laps to settle in the right pace and state of running. One round within a minute and then catch a breath for two laps. He could then start his mission to run his next fifteen laps as flat as possible. He would then look to his finish his twenty-five laps within thirty-five minutes in the most energy-conserving way possible.
As the signal for the start was given, he could literally feel Dwight sprint away. He was confident enough to run ahead of the pack and settle his goals on his own. Carson also made haste as he ran in front of the nine others in the starting group. Theodore comfortably ran in the middle, trying to stay out of the wind and conserve his energy. Showing off here didn't help him out.
Theodore comfortably settled in a pace that kept him straight in the middle of the group for the first two laps and as he saw the line for the start of the third lap he accelerated quickly and left the rest behind. People had been slowly adding to the track so the inner line was rather populated. In order to run his lap, Theodore tried to stay as close to the inner track as he could, however he had to move out several times in order to overtake other examinees.
He clocked a precise fifty-nine seconds, fulfilling his objective in the most energy-conserving manner. His comm immediately lighted up with his new gained score.
After thirty-four minutes and fifty-eight seconds, he finished his plan and gained a perfect score! Pleased with himself he read his evaluation.
"You have successfully completed the ten-kilometre race. You have scored the maximum of one-hundred and fifty points. Based on the performance, you are evaluated as second in your group. Dwight Hightower is the number one in your group."
The evaluation was strange and interesting to Theodore. He knew some had been quicker to finish and had also completed the extra tasks. He wondered how the AI had made his judgement? Perhaps conserving your energy was considered a positive point?
Theodore was not surprised to see Dwight being first in their group when it came down to fitness. He would probably also rank first in the obstacle course and the test regarding mech piloting. The heir of the Hightowers was a guaranteed seed for House Horus as he was everything they could possibly wish for.
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