"I can't control it anymore… what's going on?"

Jinn looked at the professor for guidance. Unlike the rest, she seemed to have an idea of what was going on.

And indeed she did.

"Look up ahead."

Instead of explaining, she pointed at the projection where the ball kept going on without any intention of stopping even though Jinn had taken his hand away.

When it reached the end of the path, everyone, including Jinn, thought that it would collide against the wall.

Yet…

"...it turned."

Someone whispered in disbelief.

"That it did." Dean replied with a delighted grin.

'ohhh..' Jinn watched as the ball twisted and turned on its own and crossed both the small turns like he had been controlling them without touching the wall. 'I guess it's done.'

Seeing the ball moving towards the final star, Jinn felt both relieved and confused at the same time.

Zhinnn!

Relieved that his efforts had not been in vain.

Inevitably the final star shone proudly, announcing Jinn's record-breaking results.

Confused at the weird actions of the device.

'Why did the ball suddenly lose control and move on its own?'

Did it malfunction?

Or was it all part of the test?

Jinn could not tell which was which.

"He did it!"

Before he could think too much about it, some of the students exploded in loud cheers.

"I told you he could do it!"

Jinn finally looked at them and showed a warm smile in response to their comments.

'Will you fools just shut up?'

Woosh!

Suddenly, his thoughts were attracted by the sudden surge of light coming from the projection.

"Congratulations! You have cleared the 1st stage."

First stage?

"Such incredible fear deserves an award. Please collect one from your teacher."

Reward?

Jinn glanced at Professor Skinner, but the woman looked away smoothly, like she had not been staring at him for the past ten minutes.

Seeing her reaction made his lips twitch.

"Forget the reward for now." As if feeling his unwavering gaze, the woman finally replied. "You can leave now if you want."

Jinn paused; he never expected someone to be so shameless.

"Serves him right."

"Leaving the class is all the gift you need."

"You should not be so greedy."

Some students were happy to see Jinn suffer some grievances.

They all felt their pride and confidence shatter watching the boy succeed so effortlessly.

After a second Jinn forgot about the reward.

His mind seemed to be preoccupied with something.

After a second he looked at the teacher and asked, "Does that mean I can stay if I choose to stay? And can I go again?"

"You want to retake the test?" Olivia turned back with wide eyes. "You should know that even though you passed this stage, you are not qualified for the next level."

"I understand that." Jinn replied with a chuckle, "I just want to give this test another go."

"Oh. First time seeing a student trying to refuse a break." With a shrug she said, "You can retake the test, but only when your turn comes. You are free to leave whenever you want, but for now, return to your seat."

The whole class listened to their interaction in silence.

"What a fool." Lloyd felt that Jinn was only wasting his time staying back even though he could leave.

Jinn could do anything he wanted in his free time; instead, he chose to keep climbing the mountain he had already cleared.

He was not the only one who doubted Jinn's decisions.

Even Evelyn found his actions to be baseless.

'What benefit could repeating this thing give him?'

When everyone started to gossip about Jinn's action, Professor Skinner's cold voice brought them back on track.

While she called for the next student, Jinn was already back in his seat.

"How did you do that?"

"How hard was the final level compared to the fifth one?"

"Can you give me some tips?"

The moment he sat down, he was bombarded by one question after another.

All the students from nearby seats leaned in his direction in an attempt to listen in on their conversation.

"No Tips, all skills. As for the difference… about four times as difficult."

Soon everyone had taken the test at least once.

Among them all, ten had managed to reach the fifth level.

"What?!"

A young woman with delicate features but sharp eyes managed to reach the ninth floor but failed to clear it.

Many sighed, saying they hoped she would be the second one clearing this level, while some countered, saying she was already a genius.

Not everyone was a monster like Jinn.

But despite how much praise she got, the young woman did not seem happy about her results.

She stomped back to her seat with heavy steps.

After sitting down, she stared at Jinn, who was sitting on the middle section of the benches to her left, with an icy cold glare.

After glaring for a few seconds, she turned around and faced forward.

Dean happened to be eyeing this beauty, and seeing her chilling gaze, he suddenly turned to the boy sitting beside him.

With a trading smile he asked, "I never knew you were such a player, roommate."

"What did you do to her? Did you leave her standing all alone under the scorching sun after calling her out on a date?"

"Or was it a rainy day?"

"Don't tell me you had fun with her and never approached her again?"

"Boy, you are more of a playboy than I am. At least the woman I date knows upfront that we might not see each other all the time and nothing with me is exclusive."

"But I have to say, you really caught yourself a big fish this time. You must be an idiot to let it go like this."

…

"Are you dumb, or did the brain just slip out of your head?" Baffled by his words, Jinn voiced his thoughts without even realizing. But then he coughed and added, "Why would your mind go in that direction? I don't even know this woman."

'Did I step on her or something?' Jinn was confused himself; he had no idea what she was showing such a reaction for. But honestly… he did not care. 'Well, even if I did, she is sitting on the corner with her feet sticking out, so no, I am not to blame for this. This devil is innocent.'

"You don't know her?" As if he had not even heard his insult, Dean gasped before leaning closer to him. "She is the only daughter of duke Valentine, Sasha."

"She is one of the Four, the well-known talented youths of the Mars Kingdom who joined this academy. The emperor personally acknowledged their talents in a banquet last month, shortly after their awakening."

Nightshade Academy may be a well-known institution, but it was not the only academy in the Mars Kingdom.

There were two more such places.

"The emperor?" He thought out loud. "Then they must have some decent talent."

"More than decent." Dean contemplated Jinn's lack of information before asking, "So you really don't know her?"

"Nope."

"Oh, then I know what happened!"

Jinn looked back quizzically, but the boy had looked away.

"No way I am telling you."

His expression said it all; Jinn did not even have to hear him say it.

'whatever… as long as she does not trouble me, it's fine.'

Time passed before another person who managed to clear the seventh level appeared.

Michael Douglas.

The younger brother of Otis Douglas.

Another soul who seemed to have made Jinn his enemy without even talking to him.

Michael may have cleared the seventh level, but his expression was haggard, like he had been running for several hours.

After Michael Douglas left the room upon clearing the required level, two more exceptional students appeared who achieved something no one thought anyone but Jinn could do.

They managed to clear the tenth level as well.

That, too, on their first try.

They were…

Evelyn Little!

and

Lloyd Pelagaios!

After clearing the levels, the two of them did not stay as well. Unlike Jinn, they left the room as soon as possible.

Before leaving, Lloyd glanced at Jinn briefly before leaving.

After that, the whole cycle repeated again.

Everyone was made to take the test over and over again.

"You have got to be kidding me."

"This is a scam!"

"Do you know who I am? My father will hear about this."

Hours upon hours, the despair finally started to kick in. Constant failure made the rage suppressed in their hearts surface.

Once it came out, it was instantly directed at the person who kept them there.

Professor Olivia Skinner.

To stop their action, all she needed to do was make a simple hand seal.

Shh…

And the student who had been shouting the loudest found himself unable to speak or breathe.

"…"

He started choking; without oxygen, strength left his body, and he collapsed on his knees.

Thud!

"Hha!!"

Finally, he could breathe once more. But the horror from before was still fresh in his eyes.

With tears forming in the corner of his eyes, the boy sat back down without saying anything.

"This might have slipped your mind, but inside this academy… inside my class,"

The whole class could only shiver in silence when Olivia turned in their direction. "You have to do what I say, and your families have no power over the academy."

No rejections or objections were raised, and the class finally processed as normal.

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