Sytan's entrance exam was divided into two stages.
The first was a practical exam, similar to the one held at the Imperial Academy.
However, there was no written exam.
This was because Sytan's students were to be deployed to the battlefield immediately.
Sytan only conducted exams that tested mental strength and talent.
The first stage of the exam was the mental strength exam.
No matter how prestigious their family or exceptional their talent, those with weak mental fortitude could not enter Sytan.
The reason for this was simple.
If one were to be captured by humans, one could not risk leaking confidential information about the Demon Realm under torture.
That was why most demons who were captured by humans either resisted to the end or chose to commit suicide.
"The mental fortitude test is harder than the talent verification test."
Sytan's instructor, Ares, muttered as he watched the situation from the stands.
The candidates were trembling under the pressure exuded by a young girl.
Several candidates collapsed, and in the end, less than half of the candidates remained standing.
Half of the candidates had been eliminated in less than a minute.
"It's quite cruel, isn't it?"
"Well... It's better than being tortured and killed by humans."
"That's true."
Ares replied indifferently as another instructor, Idea, spoke from the side.
As Ares had said, it might be better to be eliminated here.
The cruelty of humans was enough to make even the demons who had fought on the battlefield for decades tremble.
...Even so, it was a bit too harsh.
"I think it's about time."
Ares muttered as he looked at the girl standing in the center of the candidates.
The girl's identity was Sytan's headmaster and the highest-ranking demon, Luzian.
She was a monster in the truest sense of the word, whose strength could not be easily measured, even by Sytan's instructors.
If Luzian were to release her aura with all her heart, even the instructors would not be able to stand still.
However, Luzian was being as lenient as possible with the students.
In a word, this was just a basic test.
If they couldn't even pass this, they were not qualified to enter Sytan.
However, for the candidates who were like chicks that had just hatched from their eggs, even this seemed burdensome.
Ten minutes passed like that.
"They're all wiped out."
Instructor Idea muttered with a sigh.
As Idea had said, there were only eight candidates left standing.
"Still, about 40% of them lasted more than 5 minutes. That's a lot compared to the last batch."
"That's a relief."
The candidates who had endured the headmaster's aura for more than 5 minutes had passed.
The children who remained until now had endured for more than 5 minutes and up to 10 minutes.
"I heard that there are many descendants of the Seven Deadly Sins in this batch, and it seems to be true."
"Now that I look at it, it's definitely true."
Seven of the eight candidates had taken on the form of a hybrid.
It was clear evidence of the bloodline of the Seven Deadly Sins.
However...
"That child doesn't seem to be a descendant of the Seven Deadly Sins, but he's still maintaining his sanity."
"Oh, that's true."
Both instructors' gazes turned to a male applicant.
He had red hair and narrow eyes, and he didn't seem particularly strong.
As proof, the disciples of the Seven Deadly Sins were maintaining their postures despite their staggering, but the man was kneeling on one knee as if he was about to collapse at any moment.
"He's about to pass out."
Idea said, looking at the applicant with a stern gaze.
At those words, Ares shook his head from side to side.
"No... He's getting up."
"Yes?"
The applicant, who seemed about to collapse at any moment, suddenly raised his body.
Was it a last-ditch effort, or was he trying to show something?
The two instructors did not know.
Thud.
The applicant raised his body.
That moment.
Whoosh.
The applicant's atmosphere changed.
And.
"......!!"
The two instructors' eyes widened at the tremendous killing intent released from the applicant's body.
Ares was surprised that his body had instinctively taken a defensive stance.
Idea and Ares were reaching for the swords hanging from their waists with their hands on the killing intent emitted by the applicant.
"What..."
Ares felt an incomprehensible emotion choking his throat.
It was different from the primitive murderous intent possessed by beasts or demons.
It was also different from the murderous intent possessed by knights or soldiers who had fought on the battlefield.
Like picking a flower in a garden.
Like stepping on a small bug and killing it.
'Killing intent without emotion.'
It was the kind that only the worst murderers could emit.
The instructors' gazes were all directed at the applicant.
This kind of momentum was so unfamiliar that the applicants did not shift their gazes to the staggering child.
However, the instructors, who had experienced numerous battles, had the same thought.
'That child is dangerous.'
It would be a great blessing for Sytan if a strong applicant were to enter, but would they be able to control that child who seemed to have been born with the qualities of a murderer?
"If necessary, we must kill him."
Ares muttered as he rose from his seat.
Perhaps because an internal enemy was more dangerous than an external one.
Amidst the mixed reactions of the applicants and instructors, the boy smiled.
A smile that did not suit the situation, which was giving him goosebumps.
Ares, who had seen it in passing, only then noticed that his hands were wet with sweat.
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