Back to the exam test.
After a while, nothing much happened, and no one managed to beat Hikari's score.
Soon, it was time for Participant Number 257 — Azure Tsukoyomi.
He wore blue traditional kimono clothing, with a white shirt underneath. On his ear hung a special purple earring with a Japanese word engraved on it. His eyes were blue, deep like the sea.
"Looks like it's my turn now then," Azure said calmly.
He stepped forward and asked Specter if he could start right away. Specter gave his permission.
Azure immediately took a breathing stance, his katana already in his hand.
"Calm, flowing water… strike."
His movement flowed like waves. As his katana swung, water surged alongside the blade, slicing straight through the dummy. In an instant, the dummy exploded as a massive amount of water burst from inside it, as if it had appeared from nowhere.
The damage counter rapidly increased.
8999 damage.
It was slightly higher than Hikari's score.
The crowd was stunned. A calm water technique causing such massive damage was completely unexpected.
Right after Azure finished, a commotion erupted from the crowd.
Two unknown boys were causing trouble, while a girl stood behind a pink-haired girl.
When Raven heard the disturbance, his eyes narrowed.
He recognized the pink-haired girl.
Vibra.
One of the boys sneered.
"Get out of our business, lady."
The other added, "Yeah, it's not your problem, girl."
Vibra snapped back angrily,
"You're the ones who should get out of here! Bullying other people—what kind of humans are you?!"
The girl behind Vibra tugged on her sleeve.
"It's okay… you can leave me. It's my problem."
Vibra shook her head firmly.
"No. I can't let you do this alone."
One of the boys laughed confidently.
"Heh. You? Want to fight us? Don't make me laugh."
Vibra's voice rose sharply, fury burning inside her.
"Come on then. Try me!"
"All right," the boy replied. "If that's what you wish for."
He charged at Vibra at high speed, activating his power.
"Shattering Cutter!"
With a barrage of blunt sword swings, he rushed straight toward her.
Specter was about to step in—
—but Raven was faster.
In a flash, Raven moved at the speed of light. It looked as if he had teleported.
A yellow divine sword formed instantly in his hand as he intercepted the attack, overpowering the boy's strike and sending him flying backward—crashing straight into the other boy.
Raven's voice was cold and menacing.
"If you're a man, then fight a man. You cowards."
The boy who had been knocked over scrambled up, his voice shaking.
"Y-you! Don't say that! You sneak-attacked us and still call yourself a man?!"
Raven stared at him.
"Why? Am I not allowed to attack troublemakers when people are in danger?"
He continued coldly,
"And what does this have to do with being 'manly'? I'll do whatever I want to protect people. What shallow thinking."
The boy snapped and charged blindly, summoning his power.
"Revolver Gust Arrow!"
A barrage of wind arrows shot toward Raven, striking him and kicking up a cloud of dust.
The boy laughed loudly.
"Hahahaha! That's what you get for sticking your nose into our business!"
As the dust slowly settled—
Raven stood there, completely unharmed.
"Oh?" Raven said calmly. "Are you done talking, little bastard?"
The boy froze in shock.
"What?! How?! That was one of my strongest moves!"
Raven replied coldly,
"It's not because I'm strong. It's because you're weak and pathetic."
The other boy yelled,
"What a masked idiot! Like you know how strong we really are!"
"Oh?" Raven said.
He raised his hand. An arrow began to form—identical in shape to the previous one—but this time, it was made of light and divine energy.
"Divine Reflection: Unharmed Dignity."
Raven absorbed the earlier attack and released it back, enhanced by Light Divine Enchantment.
The arrow flew more than twenty times faster than the original.
It struck both boys instantly.
Terrified, they fled for their lives, running out of the exam grounds.
Vibra finally realized who had helped them.
She approached Raven.
"Raven? Is that you? Thanks again for saving us."
"Oh, Vibra," Raven replied calmly. "It is what it is. They needed to learn their lesson."
Vibra smiled, then asked,
"So… you're taking the exam too?"
"Of course," Raven answered. "That's why I'm here."
His voice lowered slightly.
"But what did those guys want from her?"
"Oh, it was nothing serious," Vibra said. "They just made it big."
"What happened?" Raven asked.
"She accidentally bumped into them and fell. She already apologized, but they kept causing trouble."
"I see," Raven said with understanding.
Specter walked over to the girl.
"Are you okay, kid?"
"Yes, I'm fine," she replied.
"Well, that's good," Specter said. "Let's continue."
By coincidence, it was now Vibra's turn.
"Next up, Participant Number 332 — Vibra Ariel."
"Alrighty," Vibra said as she stepped forward. "It's my turn now."
She stood in front of the dummy and took a deep breath.
Quietly, so only she could hear, she whispered,
"Watch me, Raven…"
Activating her vibration power, she floated into the air. Rising slightly above the ground, she used her special ability.
"Vibration Obedience."
She lifted her right leg and rested it over her left, forming a regal posture. Her hands posed as if she were sitting on a throne.
A powerful vibration pressure spread outward.
Everything within its range was forced to kneel, as if greeting a queen.
Even the dummy knelt.
The vibrations became violent and unpredictable, shredding the dummy piece by piece. Vibra controlled the flow perfectly, ensuring none of the fragments harmed the other students.
The damage counter rose.
9269 damage.
The highest score so far.
And achieved by a girl.
The crowd was left speechless, astonished by her beauty, harmony, and overwhelming power.
Vibra immediately returned to Raven.
"How did I do, Raven?"
Raven smiled.
"You did absolutely great. You didn't even need my help earlier."
Vibra beamed.
"I think it's your turn next. Do your best, okay?"
"I'm the last one," Raven replied. "Guess I'll go now."
Specter called out Raven's name.
Raven stepped in front of the dummy, ready to begin.
Whispers spread through the audience.
"Why is he wearing a mask?"
"Does he have something wrong with his face?"
"He's really strange…"
Vibra overheard them. Her chest tightened with sadness for Raven.
Raven raised his hand.
Purple mist spread across the field.
"Lunar Cleave."
Within the fog, something strange happened.
The audience couldn't see clearly, but it looked as if invisible blades were slicing the dummy repeatedly. Each cut erased parts of it entirely, as though they were sent to another dimension.
After a moment, the fog vanished.
Raven stood exactly where he had been, unmoving.
The damage counter appeared.
14001 damage.
The crowd froze.
Some thought it was a visual bug.
But it wasn't.
It was almost the same score as Specter himself.
Specter smirked slightly.
"…Looks like he's here."
Raven returned to Vibra.
"That was amazing," Vibra said. "You matched the examiner's score."
Raven shook his head.
"Specter is far stronger. What he showed earlier was just one of his weakest abilities."
Specter stepped up to the podium.
"Alright, everyone!" he announced. "Your first test is complete. You may rest now. Tomorrow, we'll announce who passes."
"You're free to go to the cafeteria or head home."
After eating, Raven and the other participants returned home.