Rebirth-Transcending All Beings

Chapter 86: Practical [1]

"Everybody, put your pens down," the instructor at the front of the room declared, her voice cutting through the remaining scuffle of paper and scratches of pen.

’The exam has ended. Now, no talking until all the papers have been collected."

A ripple of reluctant nods of compliance spread across the room as pens clicked against the desk. Vergil sighed, leaning back against wood.

The two hours of the examination had been a mixture of pain and suffering.

I can’t even remember what I wrote for half the questions. Will I even get in?

There was only one thing Vergil could do now.

Prove himself in the practical exam.

He watched the instructors gather all the papers, the lead instructor — a tall woman with braided silver hair speak.

"The theory exam has been completed. Now we move on to where you will show us your potential." Her words turned serious.

"The practical exam."

She turned towards the door, her coat swaying as she opened it.

"But before that," another teacher interjected. It was the man who spoke the rules of the theory exam.

"If you are a servant or attendant affiliated with a recommended student, step forward now. You will be taking a separate evaluation."

There was a moment hesitation, before a few students quickly moved towards him.

Of all the applicants there were around only five-hundred recommended, and most of them brought a servant.

Why?

An obvious answer. To train more individuals to serve their nation.

Among the group that flowed, Elena stood next to Vergil. "Well, I guess, this is where we split."

"Oh yeah, you’re Eleanor’s servant now."

Elena twitched, but smiled. "Yes I am, but don’t call me that. Anyways, see you later."

Eleanor moved to Vergil, whispering in his ear. "Call me Elle."

Vergil looked at her, nodding as they watched Elena gather near the second instructor. With a brief nod and name check off a piece of parchment, they watched the group moved out of the room.

Vergil watched her go. ’Good luck Elena, you’ll need it."

The main teacher clapped sharply, regaining attention. "The rest of you, follow along. Training Ground Seven awaits."

The class shuffled after the lead instructor, following her down a winding series of corridors. The air grew colder as they moved outside.

And after several turns, it opened to the widest expanse Vergil had ever seen. This was Training Ground Seven.

It was no ordinary training field, almost the size of a football pitch, racks layed along the edges. Stacked with polished weapons.

Stepping into the wide open space. Vergil was both exasperated and bewildered.

This is what a training ground should be like.

One of the instructor’s in the center, stood still. Arms crossed as he measures the group of students. Part way through, their group had split in two, Eleanor had moved somewhere else.

Now it was him alone.

Vergil looked at the man standing in the middle. Tall, broad-shouldered, bronze skin and a scar running from the edge of his jaw to the base of his neck his dark hair was tied back in a short ponytail.

The clothes he wore weren’t the sleek green-gold uniforms of the academy but a well-worn set of sleeveless ash-gray shirt.

He took a few steps forward, clearing his deep voice.. "Alright, eyes up."

The group of students straightened almost at once.

"Instructor Rael Varnoss. I’ll be your examiner and also an aura instructor, so those of you who have aura foundation many find me guiding you."

He paused to let the information sink, then continued. "Due to the size of the applicants this year, we’ve split you across all nine training fields. This is Training Ground Seven."

"There were five-thousand applicants this year and... we only accept two thousand five hundred.

A few students chuckled nervously. Vergil narrowed his eyes. Thinking of the best course of action.

Rael gestured to the open space in front of their feet. "You’ll be sparring with me. Two or three minutes give or take."

"I’ll cap my strength to your level for fairness, so don’t expect a free pass."

Then his tone shifted.

"If you’re holding back or waste time, you will fail. Its not about your strength but your potential. If you think the exam is about winning... you’re wrong. It’s about awareness, adaptability, and whether you can stand without falling."

He gave the class a long look, before preparing himself. "Alright, we haven’t got all day. Who’s up first."

The applicants whispered, not wanting to go first before a tall, well-built boy stepped forward. He had short red hair, a confident smitk and two short blade strapped to his back.

"Names Luwin, sir!" The boy shouted.

Rael raised a brow, but didnt smile. "Good. Step into the circle."

A faint shimmer of light lit up, outlining the dueling ground. Luwin rilled his shoulders, both blades sliding out from their sheaths with a metallic clink..

Rael didn’t draw his sword. Taking a single breath. Then his feet shifted. He lowered his centre of gravity, arms raised — grounding his stance.

"Begin."

Luwin launched forward, blades crossing in a whirl of steel. The first strike came low, the second from above.

Rael’s hand moved once.

Just once.

The flat side of his blade was caught and redirected, throwing his rhythm into disarray.

In less than ten seconds, Luwin had been spun, locked and thrown onto the floor with a heavy thud.

The circle flashed red.

Rael stepped back.

"Your overcommited to your first exchange, you move like someone who’s never lost a fight. That’s going to get you killed.’

"But I will admire your confidence for going first."

Luwin groaned, rising from the ground before moving out of the ring.

"Next," Rael said without skipping a beat.

Vergil stood near, arms folded with a half-bored look on his face. But inside, his heart thundered.

The applicants began stepping in one by one. And he watched each one be dismantled.

The first was a mage, a girl with short silver hair and brilliant cyan robes. She conjured a rotating sphere of water and ice, launching lances with precision.

Rael didn’t need to dodge, just moving through them. Shoulder first, closing the gap in seconds before sweeping her off the floor.

"Predictable," he said. "You don’t test what your opponent can do and your reaction time isn’t enough. Anticipate."

Then came a cultivator from the north, his fingers wrapped in bands of golden light, his footwork carried the weight of a practised path.

But Rael. He was different. Parried every strike with the edge of his palms, his aura intercepting thr cultivator with practised precision.

The cultivator lasted the longest of the ones he observed. Twenty blows were exchanged before he went flying.

Rael tilted his head. "You follow your form well, but thats a problem. You’re predictable, you need to vary your moves."

Next came a divine practitioner, one of Aurelia’s. She wielded a staff glowing with pure radiance that emitted a feeling of warmth.

She opened with a burst of speed and swing the staff in a wide arc, releasing a brilliant flash of light.

Rael closed his eyes, stepping through the light.

Vergil couldn’t see what happened but when the light faded, she was on the ground.

"An interesting skill, but if it blinds your vision, whats the point? He smiled, then helped her to her feet

It continued like that for over an hour. Spar after spar.

Some students were too arrogant, rushing with everything they had. They didn’t learn from Luwin only to bre treated the same way.

Rael never humiliated them, he treated them all the same and corrected their mistakes. And even if they didn’t pass, all of them were taught something.

But the ones who approached humbly, they lasted three minutes and they received something else.

A nod. A word of praise. And sometimes eveb a recommendation to visit a specific instructor after they join.

Afteral Rael respect effort not ego.

Vergil watched it all, with a budding excitement. Rael was strong, oth physically and in combat sense. He could easily dissect the opponents fighting style and win. He had real experience in the battlefield.

’I want to fight,’ Vergil thought, clenching and unclenching his fingers. ’It’s been too damn long.’

Around him, more applicants whispered some compared losses, others celebrating, and a few sat quietly with nervous glances.

But Vergil’s focus never broke.

His eyes tracked Rael’s fighting style. How he shifted his weight, when he exhaled and when he chose to strike.

And then, what felt like dozens of more matches, Rael took a slow breath and stepped back into position.

"Next."

Without hesitation, Vergil stepped forward.

He didn’t say a word.

The moment his foot entering the dueling circle, several students focused their attention on him.

Rael looked at him, eyes narrowing.

"Name?"

"...Vergil."

Rael nodded once.

"Step in. Let’s see what you’ve got."

And as the shimmering mana circle lit once more, Vergil readied himself lowly, casually, like someone returning home.