Some time passed since then.
“I failed? That's ridiculous!”
“What kind of test is this!”
“Don't touch me! Do you know who my father is?”
Immediately after the first test ended.
Sytan's auditorium descended into chaos.
Candidates who could not accept the results of the exam were rioting.
However, Sytan's instructors silently began to throw the dropouts out of the auditorium despite their threats.
Bang-!
As all the dropouts were pushed outside, the instructors closed the door to the auditorium.
I glanced outside the door and saw a train prepared to take the dropouts outside Sytan.
As expected, they are merciless…….
'Did I pass?'
It was a natural thought as I watched the dropouts being kicked out.
I wasn't kicked out like them, so that must mean I passed.
I endured the girl's killing intent until the end, so it would be strange if I failed.
'I knew I had seen her somewhere. She was the headmaster of Sytan.'
The identity of the woman who had unleashed her killing intent on us was Lucian, the headmaster of Sytan.
Lucian was one of the most powerful beings in the Demon Realm.
So, it must have been possible for her to subdue the formidable candidates with just her aura.
Swish.
I took my eyes off Lucian and looked around.
Before I knew it, less than half of the candidates who had filled the auditorium remained.
As expected, it seemed that those who endured for a while passed.
More people will be filtered out through the second test here.
I was lucky this time, but I need to be careful as I could be eliminated at any time.
'The area around Rene is quite noisy.'
I stopped in my tracks as I was about to approach Rene.
Rene's surroundings were filled with murmuring candidates.
Not only her, but the descendants of the other Seven Deadly Sins as well.
All of them had endured the headmaster's killing intent until the end.
The candidates were showing them emotions such as envy, jealousy, admiration, and resentment.
But why is no one looking at me like that?
I also stood until the end like them, but they didn't pay much attention to me.
Many of them glanced at me before turning their attention back to the Seven Deadly Sins' disciples.
Apparently, I was the only one among them who had managed to endure the ordeal.
'As if enduring that was easy…'
I grimaced and hobbled towards Rene.
Rene seemed uncomfortable with the reactions of those around him, and she gave me a faint smile when she saw me.
"You passed too."
"Yes, I managed to get through."
After a brief exchange with Rene, I looked around.
'Still, it seems like I've managed to make an impression on the applicants and the descendants of the Seven Deadly Sins.'
From the beginning, it was impossible to pass the mental strength test overwhelmingly, and I had no intention of doing so.
I just needed to 'make an impression'.
That I, Adel, was different from the other ordinary applicants.
And that plan had worked out splendidly.
'The descendants of the Seven Deadly Sins are giving me sidelong glances.'
None of them were openly showing interest, but they were showing a little curiosity towards me.
Diana's gaze was among them.
...I felt a little uncomfortable knowing her true identity, but I decided to let it go.
I wondered why she was here at this point, but there was nothing I could do about it.
I hadn't properly established the setting of the Demon Realm, so it was inevitable that there would be things I didn't know.
And so, in the midst of the chaotic atmosphere.
"Now, focus."
The instructor who had walked out from the stands said as he stood on the stage.
At the instructor's voice, the applicants stopped chattering and stared at the instructor.
His wild, purple hair and the huge tattoo etched near his neck.
He had the appearance of a gangster.
'I wouldn't be surprised if he had a switchblade in his pocket... I need to be careful.'
I listened to the instructor's explanation, inwardly terrified.
"Congratulations. With this, you have passed the mental strength test. In effect, you are now students of Sytan."
"If you passed the first test, most of you will pass the second test, so I will simply refer to you as students."
At the instructor's words that they were now effectively students of Sytan, some of the applicants could not hide their joy.
The instructor waited for the atmosphere to settle down before continuing.
"The mental strength test was, as the name suggests, a test of mental strength. It was a test to determine whether you could maintain your sanity when you are tortured or subjected to horrible things by humans in the future."
Several children sighed after hearing the instructor's explanation.
It must have been difficult for them to understand such a strange test that required them to endure the desire to live.
However, that question was resolved by the instructor's explanation, and all that remained was the eight of us, including me, who had endured to the end.
"The eight of you who made it to the end will receive additional points. If you also perform well in the second test, I will allow you to enter the armory."
Only then did the students who had not paid me any attention before give me a piercing look.
It was a look that said, 'How dare you receive extra points?' and it made me feel very uncomfortable.
Of course, I couldn't talk about it outside...
'More importantly, the armory.'
As the largest academy in the Demon Realm, it must have some pretty good weapons.
'I don't know if they'll lend it to me or give it to me, but either way, it's not bad.'
While I was getting excited, the instructor introduced himself.
"First, let me introduce myself. I am Ares, the instructor who will be teaching you new students from now on."
Clap, clap.
A few students clapped their hands softly.
"I will explain the second test, so please be quiet for a moment."
Ares raised his hand and stopped them.
A brief silence passed, and Ares spoke slowly.
"The second test is a test of your abilities. You will show the instructors here what talents and weapons you have to fight 'humans' with. Depending on this, the classes and groups you will be assigned to may vary, so be aware."
To paraphrase Ares, he meant to show them how they would fight.
For example, a student who uses a sword will take swordsmanship classes, and a student who uses magic will take magic classes.
This seemed no different from the Imperial Academy.
However, the fact that they had to fight humans was a problem.
As a demon, it was natural for humans to be their enemies, but it was important to know what kind of humans they were fighting.
And this question of mine was soon answered.
"The human you will be fighting, and the subject of the second test, is this."
Clack.
As Ares snapped his fingers, a mass of mana began to take shape.
The mana, which was gradually transforming into a human form, soon took the form of a 'human knight'.
White armor.
A pattern modeled after the white tiger on the armor, and a sharp sword blade like a tiger's claw.
Upon laying eyes on that human, I froze in place.
Why is that human here of all places...?
No, it's not impossible for him to be here.
But isn't this too sudden?
The Demon King participating as a candidate was already surprising enough, but it was nothing compared to the appearance of that human.
"Do you know who that is?"
Seeing me break out in a cold sweat, Rene asked, her head peeking out in concern.
I couldn't easily answer that question.
'Of course I do.'
However, it didn't matter whether I knew or not.
What mattered was that the figure who had appeared before my eyes was a character who frequently appeared in the original work.
And not just any character, but one who was extremely close to the protagonist who would destroy the Demon Realm.
Close didn't just refer to their level of intimacy.
It referred to something that was determined at the moment of birth: blood relations.
That figure was none other than...
'The protagonist's father.'
The head of one of the Six Great Houses and the strongest of the Six Heroes, that man.
Nina Sel.
Facing him was Sytan's second trial.
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