Finishing up with their food, the hour lunch break was almost over. Vander got up and put three trays away. While going back to his seat, he spotted a clock showing that it was a couple minutes till the designated time. Seeing this, Vander rushed back to his table.
Bella and Alice mainly whispered to each other the whole time, looking like best friends, engrossed in their conversation. Interrupting them, "Hey Alice, Bella. Lunch is almost over, we need to meet at the bus. We can't be late."
"Alright. Let's get going shall we Bella" Alice ended her chat with Bella temporarily, getting up to follow Vander.
With a nod, Bella got up, walking side by side with Alice. With the two girls getting up to follow Vander, everyone else did the same. Like servants, they immediately put their trays away and followed right after them.
Inside the bus, Vander saw Sarah already there waiting for them. With only three other students waiting as well.
"In four minutes you guys would have all failed." Looking at her watch, Sarah gave all the students that just arrived a warning.
Bowing to her while apologising, everyone then got seated. Alice and Vander sat down in their usual spot in the middle of the bus. Everyone sat down where they were previously at as well, not wanting to disturb Alice and Vander. Only Bella didn't care. She sat right next to Alice, almost falling out of the side of the seat trying to continue their conversation.
"What are you guys talking about? Is it more important than you falling out of your seat?" Vander questioned the girls that were still whispering to each other.
"Yeah, just girl talk." Bella answered.
"It's just girl talk, you'll be confused about our conversation anyways." Alice replied right after, going back to her whispering.
"Ok, listen up. Since everyone's here, we'll be going to the main arena now. " The bus started and drove off while Sarah continued to talk. "Once we're in the arena, you guys will follow me to your designated seats in the stadium stands. If you have any questions, you'll have to wait for the announcement while we're seated in the arena. I have limited knowledge on the next part of the test, so I won't be able to provide accurate information."
The main arena was located in the center of the university. With the bus, the drive was only a couple minutes long.
Seeing the main arena in the distance made it look menacing. Even from a mile away, the arena looked gigantic, taking up loads of space. Getting closer to the building made it seem like the sun was disappearing, turning the area around it into night.
Arriving at the parking lot of the main arena, only a few buses had already arrived. A four minute headstart made a big difference. Sarah led her group out the bus towards the main arena.
Sarah led the group onto the stands overlooking the arena stage. Unlike the bonus arena's with only five platforms in the center, Vander believed the main arena could fit at least twenty.
'And I thought the bonus arenas were huge.' Remembering his first impression of the bonus arenas.
Sarah reached their assigned seats and sat down.The group seats weren't located too far from the middle of the stands, just a couple rows above it.
With only a couple groups already sitting down at the corresponding seats, the stadium stands looked almost deserted. But that only lasted a couple minutes. With all the other groups finishing up their lunch, the stands were getting filled. But even with all the students seated at one side of the stands, not even a quarter of the seats were filled.
"Looks like all the groups are here." A thunderous voice that Vander wouldn't be able to forget, boomed throughout the arena. A giant flaming bird soared down from the opening of the stadium and floated above the center of the arena. Turning back into its human form, Headmaster Perry bowed.
"Because of how talented our batch of first years are, we will be implementing a new test. So let's get this party started." Principal Perry snapped his fingers and a couple professors left their seats and jumped into the arena. These instructors were all able to manipulate earth.
With sixteen professors waving their hands or transforming to special beasts, the arena ground changed dramatically. Twenty-five platforms, twice as big as the previous ones, were raised from the ground. While rising they were hardened, smoothed, and polished. Almost looking like a new material was used to make the platform. As the finishing touch, each platform had a giant number engraved at the center of it. From one to twenty-five, numbering the platforms in order.
"We'll be starting group battles to test combat power. And to make this a little more fair, the Alpha group won't be participating until the championship round." Taking out a small device from his pocket, Perry activated it with mana. The little device produced a giant image made completely of mana.
The giant image displayed to the students showed a tournament bracket containing all the groups. With Group Alpha already waiting in the top next to the championship round. All the groups already had their matchups decided.
Vander looked at the image trying to find their group matchup. Finding it all the way on the right side of the bracket.
Group Sarah Hart vs. Group Bradley Milton
"Remember to try your best. You will be graded by your group performance as well as your individual performance. With the latter being valued more in determining your combat grade." On cue, twenty-five new professors with tablets entered the arena, each going to their own platform.
"Alright, if you see your group name glowing, go to the designated stage." Upon saying this, Perry pushed more mana into the little device. The image changed, showing the first twenty-five of the matchups glowing, with a glowing number above them as well.
Being on the far right of the bracket, Vander's group matchup wasn't picked.
Half of the groups then stood up and orderly exited the stadium seats following their group professors. Leading them to the arena stairs, they each made their way to their designated platforms.
When all the groups made it to their platform, Principal Perry gave them five minutes to make a plan for their battle.
"Professor Hart, can you give us any tips to succeed as a group?" Vander asked Sarah.
"That's for you guys to decide. I'm not getting graded, you guys are." Sarah responded coldly.
'I guess we can start planning when we see our opponents.'
Bang.
Fire erupted into the air and the thunderous voice was once again released.
"Begin!"