What's with the entrance? Master Popo 'spoke' telepathically to one of the Headmasters seated on the floating platform.
A middle-aged man with long black hair that reached his shoulders and a black goatee that touched his neck turned to face the headmaster of the Fire Shrine. His black eyes stared straight ahead, revealing little emotion. He wore a black and white hanfu with intricate designs of fierceness, and a serpent insignia in the middle of his chest.
His black pants were simple but clearly made of high-quality material.
But what stood out most was the sword placed in front of him, leaning between his legs and resting on his shoulder. It was a very thin sword covered in a black scabbard. The handle was wrapped in a white cloth bandage, with a piece of it dangling at the end.
Continue with the examination. I want to see the state of my Great Serpent Students, the man 'said,' communicating directly to the Fire Shrine Headmaster's mind.
Hey, you can't just order me around like that. Why did you guys use those dragons and make such a grand entrance? We don't have to give them that kind of respect, Master Popo replied, narrowing his eyes at the Great Serpent Headmaster. Tell me, Axton, what's your plan?
It's Master Axton, Axton's voice echoed in Master Popo's mind. There's been a change of plan. An improvement.
Oh? Tell me, Master Popo raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by the change of plan.
Just continue the exam and pull out those problematic students, Master Axton said, his 'voice' firm. You'll see soon enough.
Suspense? I like it, Master Popo said, smiling before turning to look at the martial students below. He was about to squat down and continue speaking when the Headmaster of the Great Serpent stopped him.
I would advise against that, Master Axton 'said' to him.
Why? the Fire Shrine Headmaster asked, though he immediately 'found' the answer. Is it because of the plan?
Just give the rules while standing, a different voice chimed in.
Master Popo turned to the person sitting next to the Headmaster of the Great Serpent Cultivation School. A man with muscles that seemed ready to burst out of his dark blue hanfu robe stared coldly at Master Popo. He had a round bald head with small eyes, making it hard for others to tell if they were open or closed.
You guys are the planners, Master Popo conceded. Although they each managed different Martial Schools, when they shared a common interest, they actually listened to one another, and rarely antagonized each other unless one of them did something unreasonable.
As Master Popo began his speech, Elmo, the Headmaster of the Sword and Shield Martial School, turned to Axton. Popo still doesn't realize?
Axton closed his eyes, leaning more comfortably in his chair. No, but let him be. He cultivates such weird techniques that he's become so full of himself he doesn't realize his own actions.
He's gotten dumber with time, Elmo commented, before making small talk with the visitors beside him. Although their constant flattery irritated him, he had to endure it for the sake of their plan. His eyes glanced at the obese man sitting at the far end of the platform. The mayor happened to look in his direction and offered a kind smile that made Elmo feel disgusted.
"Let's start your second test," Master Popo said, standing upright this time. The martial students looked at him, though they remained vigilant, wary of a sudden gust of wind or the possibility that he might unexpectedly squat down again. "This test will assess your comprehension.
Unlike the previous Advancement, where you only needed to solve sets of problems in a few hours, this time, you'll have to learn a Battle Technique."
The martial students gasped in shock.
"Learning a Battle Technique? In just a few hours?" Filly muttered, wide-eyed.
"He didn't mention the time yet," Bel pointed out, narrowing her eyes at the instructor on the platform. As if on cue, Master Popo continued.
"Don't worry, we'll give you three days to learn a Battle Technique. You'll pass the second test if you reach the Beginner stage within that time," Master Popo smiled, clapping his hands. The platform suddenly began to shake, and stone slabs emerged from it, scattered across the two football field-sized platforms.
There were at least a hundred slabs, each with carved inscriptions.
"As you can see, these stone slabs have Battle Techniques inscribed on them. Find one you like and study it. There's no limit to the number of people per slab, and it's advisable to memorize it as soon as possible," Master Popo instructed, his eyes scanning the martial students who were astonished to see such a vast array of Battle Techniques spread across the platform.
They could hardly believe it. Why were the Martial Schools being so extravagant this time? Each Battle Technique was precious, even the low-quality ones, though most students wouldn't bother with those. Those with sharp eyesight could see that the techniques etched into the stone slabs were far from simple. They knew that mastering one could lead to exponential growth.
However, this was a test, and they had only three days to reach the Beginner stage to pass.
"Three days to reach the Beginner Stage?" Filly muttered, worry evident in her voice. "Can I do it? Even with a low-quality Battle Technique, I'd need at least a week to reach the Beginner stage."
"Miss Filly, that's because you've been focused on other matters," Gail said from the side. "With your talent, three days should be enough to reach the Beginner stage for low- to mid-quality Battle Techniques. The real challenge is reaching the Mastery Stage. Some techniques aren't suitable for our bodies, and that's what takes more time."
Filly blushed at the compliment.
"Let's choose Battle Techniques that suit us. That way, our chances of passing will increase," Bel suggested.
Apollo, who had been listening all this time, was excited by the number of Battle Techniques on the platform. He had already mastered the Simple Sword Technique, and although he wasn't sure if it was considered a Battle Technique, he had been thinking about acquiring another one to enhance his fighting capabilities. This second test gave him an opportunity to learn without spending any Alm points.
He was also eager to find a flashy technique this time, and he decided to search for one among the hundred stone slabs.