I had already spent a minute staring at the first question. I wiped away the sweat beading on my temples with the back of my hand as I read the blue letters floating before me once more. I glanced to my left, where a shirtless, muscular teen with a deep tan stared into the air in front of him, his eyes wide, his mouth twisted into a grimace. A large tattoo of a tiger's head covered his entire chest, with two glowing qi implants, the kind that stored qi reserves, taking the place of the tiger's eyes.

Somehow, I didn't think the implants would help him with this test. I faced forward again. Not that I would necessarily fare any better than him.

1. Which of the following are ranks of a sword artist?

A) Novice, Demigod, Blade Divinity.

B) A-rank, Sword Seraph, Fairy Queen.

C) Expert, Silver, First Sword.

D) Grandmaster, Drunken Monkey, Ninth Sword.

The question was unfair, really. I, along with every other sword artist here, had been taught the same sequence of ranks, with Grandmaster at the peak. Novice was reserved for beginners. Opening each qi channel meant progressing from H-rank to A-rank. Experts had opened all of their channels and formed proto-cores. Masters had fully formed their qi cores, and Grandmasters had matured their condensed cores. But that was all in the Mortal Realm, based on what the system, my name for all of this, had said before.

Who knew what was beyond the Mortal Realm? No one here would. I scanned the choices again. I doubted Drunken Monkey was a rank. Who came up with that choice? Fairy Queen? I snorted. Despite what some women would have you believe, there were in fact no fairy queens in the world of sword artists.

That left the first and third choice. The system had mentioned Blade Divinities, and that made me lean towards the first choice initially. But the use of First Sword and Ninth sword in the possible answers made it sound like that was a logical progression. Silver? Was silver a rank beyond Grandmaster. Some clans had used such designations before, although it wasn't common.

Unfair, absolutely unfair. How were we supposed to know this? I realized with a start that numbers had appeared in the upper right corner of my vision. The numbers counted down.

57:52

57:51

57:50

I had spent far too long on the first question. This was not going as well as I had hoped, but I had to move on. I held my breath. Final answer, C.

I wasn't sure what to expect. The words vanished, and for what seemed like an eternity, I waited with a quiet dread, not unlike the fleeting moment of a duel when victory and defeat balanced on the point of a needle.

+1 xp. Total: 1 xp.

I read the short line over and over again. I had guessed correctly. I quickly examined the new question that appeared in my sight.

2. During a basic one-handed sword cut, a shortened reach would result from:

I. Contraction of the bicep.

II. A hammer grip.

III. A stationary stance.

A) I.

B) I and II.

C) I and III.

D) I, II, and III.

I let out a small sigh of relief. This one was easy, or rather fair. A solid question. An underextended arm would shorten the reach, as would too upright of a grip. Stance was even more important. Part of me hoped that whoever was reading my mind could read my critique as well. Or maybe too many people had gotten the first question wrong already and the exam questions had changed. Final answer, D.

+1 xp. Total: 2 xp.

3. In the hands of a Master sword artist, which of the following would be the least effective tool for cutting through a 1-inch thick bar of aluminum.

A) A steel hunting knife.

B) A dull tungsten machete.

C) A ceramic katana.

D) A wooden stick.

Another easy question. Qi-sharpened steel and tungsten would easily slice through soft aluminum. The stick would be more difficult, since the once-living tissue would carry a residual imprint interfering with any new qi manipulation. Still, it was doable.

On the other hand, ceramics tended to reject qi, not to mention that the brittle material was more suitable for cutting flesh, not metal. Final answer, C.

+1 xp. Total: 3 xp.

I glanced up at the time ticking away in the corner of my vision.

56:14

That was more like it. The rest of the questions were more straightforward, and by the time the buzzing noise sounded again an hour later, I was able to smile with satisfaction at the final message that had appeared.

+1 xp. Total: 150 xp.

A perfect score. I quickly wiped my damp palms on my legs in case anyone was watching. I had been too lost in the test-taking process, letting my nerves unravel without discipline like some unruly novice.

Around me, others cried out in frustration or triumph. Assuming everyone had taken the same test, I expected that a perfect score wouldn't be too rare, even if it wasn't too common, either.

A loud sigh came from my left. I glanced over to find the tiger-tattooed teen frowning, his face flushed. He lifted his head towards me.

"Hey," he called out. "What was the answer to--"

His voice was cut off by another buzzing sound. I shrugged.

This concludes the theoretical portion of the SAT. The practical portion will soon begin.

Several seconds later, new words appeared.

Instructions: The general melee will last for 60 minutes. Each strike you land on an opponent will earn you one exam point. Each strike landed on you by an opponent will subtract one exam point. You may earn a maximum of 150 additional exam points during the practical portion. Your cumulative exam points may not be negative. Death, disfiguration, or dismemberment of an opponent will lead to immediate disqualification from the SAT. Anyone who becomes unconscious or reaches zero exam points will no longer be an active participant in the SAT, as indicated by a red aura. Candidates with the highest total exam points will be offered enrollment within the Sword System Academy.

That was more like what I had been expecting. I reached for Terminus, then froze with my hand on the hilt. Hadn't they said we weren't allowed to use our swords? How were we supposed to fight? With our fists?

I could fight both with and without my sword, but skill in unarmed brawling didn't necessarily translate into skill with a sword. I frowned if this was going to be the selection criteria. That would have been entirely unsatisfactory, to test for something called the Sword System Academy without ever using a sword.

I didn't have to wait long before the rest of the instructions appeared.

All examinees will be provided with a single short sword. You may upgrade your sword from the menu below using bonus points. A score of 150 in the theoretical portion qualifies for 2 total bonus points. A score of 50-149 qualifies for 1 bonus point. A score below 50 does not qualify for any bonus points. You have five minutes to make your choice before the melee commences.

Available rewards:

A) Additional short sword, 1 bonus point.

B) Substitute a greatsword, 1 bonus point.

C) Substitute a rapier, 1 bonus point.

D) Additional shock gem, 2 bonus points.

I looked about to see if someone would be bringing us the equipment, but I didn't see anyone other than the candidates within their individual circles arranged neatly in rows and columns. I returned to ponder the question. It was another exam question, of a sort, wasn't it?

The shock gem, of course, had been tempting. I had seen a few before, small jewels set in iron casing that you attached to the base of a sword just above the guard. They would briefly stun anyone who crossed swords with you. While the ones crafted by human alchemists weren't powerful enough to kill someone outright or even knock them unconscious, a moment's delay in recovery would be a lopsided advantage between otherwise equally skilled opponents.

The problem was that shock gems were obvious. The blade would crackle with bright, blue arcs of current. Anyone with a shock gem would be signaling his perfect theoretical score to the surrounding exam takers. Not a good idea.

Murmurs from the far right drew my gaze. Someone must have chosen a shock gem already, as I spotted a flickering blue light in the distance. Other spots of blue light appeared throughout the large field, indicating that I wasn't the only one with a perfect score, as I had suspected. I tried to see where the swords had come from, but I still saw no signs of a delivery man, wagon, or other way to distribute them.

I shook my head. The rules for the general melee had been rather sparse, which meant it was a true free-for-all. Announcing that you were leading the pack was like painting a target on your back. A bright blue one, in this case. Nothing would prevent a group from ganging up on a single candidate.

Speaking of groups, an increasing number of candidates were whispering with their neighbors. Alliances and groupings, no doubt. Some of the nobles, in particular, seemed to have arrived at the examination with subordinates. I didn't know how they managed to pull that off, but it was obvious from the clusters of scrappy-looking fellows surrounding a single well-dressed noble, all of them exchanging coded hand signs of some sort. A group of candidates in front of me were doing just that.

I frowned. I would be at a disadvantage without companions, although I expected most to be taking the exam by themselves. For me, two swords would be the best setup, granting an improved measure of offense and defense. The greatsword and rapier did lend advantages in certain situations. A striker and a needler, ringed by a group of dual-wielding guardsman, would be a formidable formation. But finding and coordinating such a team on the fly would be difficult.

The choice for me was clear. Final answer, A.

I flinched as two silver-colored short swords appeared floating in the air before me. How...? The alchemists were always inventing a new device these days. I had heard that they had managed to craft spatial bags that made items seem to disappear into and out of small spaces, although they were few in number and inordinately expensive. I had never heard of summoning items out of invisible pockets.

I cautiously poked at one of the swords with a finger and met solid resistance. The two swords fell to the ground in a clatter. I quickly picked them up, one for each hand.

They were well-balanced and light. Their edges were a bit blunt, although that would make little difference in the hands of a sword artist.

+5 xp. Total: 155 xp.

Five points? There hadn't been any indication that I would receive points for my choice. Would the other choices have offered points as well? No matter. This was the right answer, particularly for a solo candidate like myself.

I crossed the two blades in front of me and sent my qi flowing through them from left to right and back into my body to complete the circuit. They were marked as mine, as much a part of me as an arm or leg now.

The only question left was who to attack first. To my left was the tattooed teen from before. He swung his greatsword in large, swooping arcs with an eager grin.

In front was a thin, wiry boy in a dark tunic holding a single short sword. He had been one of those twitching his fingers in communication. His green eyes darted back and forth as he communicated with the rest of his group, mostly focusing on a nearby noble in silver robes. The thin boy's own robes were worn and drab. A hired hand, then, bought and brought here somehow to ensure the noble's victory.

To my right was a fair-skinned young boy with two short swords wearing an ill-fitting, lumpy gray tunic. His black hair was in a bowl cut that had long since been out of fashion, even among traditionalists. I raised an eyebrow. A girl, posing as a boy. Right or wrong, girls would attract extra attention during the melee.

I turned my head to examine the opponent to my rear. To my surprise, the boy with long black hair was sitting cross-legged on the ground, no sword in sight. Had he given up? Or failed already? I didn't know what to make of him.

It was yet another exam question, one with four choices as well. Forward, backward, left, right.

The hired hand would be a quick and easy point if I moved quickly, with minor risk of anyone outside his group interfering. I had the sense that most of the hired hands were weak and unpracticed, from the way they stood and carried themselves.

The swordless one was an unknown anomaly, and rushing towards the unknown was a recipe for disaster. The tattooed greatsword user was more straightforward. His implants would provide a reservoir of qi, which meant he wouldn't use just brute force, but brute force that didn't tire out. I wasn't interested in such an encounter, even if I could win eventually.

Avoiding the girl disguised as a boy wasn't a purely strategic decision, or some false notion of chivalry. It was the honorable route, though, in a different way. It didn't sit right with me to go after someone who had been so poorly treated that she felt the need for a disguise. Later, once the exam was well underway, I wouldn't hesitate to take any advantage I could. For now, though, I would take more satisfaction in going after the hired hand. The idea of buying one's way through the exam was distasteful.

I half-crouched into a ready position, ready to spring toward my target. An eerie silence spread throughout the field as the others waited, too, poised on the cusp of violence. This was the exam that most had expected, had looked forward to, even.

At last, the buzzing noise sounded again. A single blue word appeared in my sight.

Begin.

Qi rushed through my limbs as I sprang towards the hired hand. I slashed high with one sword while stabbing low with the other, quickly redirecting my qi from my body to my blades. I had been meaning to sharpen my attacks, but in that fraction of a second while I flew across the ground, the thin boy had barely moved.

Oh, this was hardly fair. For him.

I shifted my qi, using it to broaden the edges and points of my weapons to prevent an unnecessarily grave injury. The boy finally reacted, too clumsy and too slow to be even an Expert. Both my attacks slipped past the awkward defense of his flailing sword.

+2 xp. Total: 157 xp.

He screamed at the blows to his thigh and shoulder. I hadn't struck with all my strength, but that didn't mean I was going to go easy on him. It was an exam, after all.

I could have worked him, taking all of his exam points, but that risked attracting the wrath of the spoiled noble who had hired him. A swift third slash to his temple dropped him unconscious to the ground. His body immediately lit up with a red glow.

+1 xp. Total: 158 xp.

How had he even qualified for the exam in the first place, or were the qualifications broad and generous? I didn't spare the crumpled from another look as I hunted for a new target.

Twenty yards ahead, a large circle of about fifteen exam candidates had formed a defensive perimeter around a taller youth dressed in silver robes with purple embroidery. While the perimeter guards kept opponents at bay, the silver-robed boy in the middle lightly whacked these same guardians from behind, laughing the whole time as he accumulated exam points with ease.

It was a travesty. I could only imagine the ludicrous amount of money the noble must have paid to get the others to behave like this. While I had been begging for scraps on the streets, I had at least kept my sword true and honorable. This noble made a mockery of everything the sword stood for.

I was sorely tempted to barge in and put an end to that farce, but I grit my teeth and retreated instead, turning to make quick work of another single-sword user, a red-haired boy who attacked first.

+1 xp. Total: 159 xp.

+1 xp. Total: 160 xp.

The new boy had been a Greater Expert, at most. More skilled than the first, but still too far below my own rank.

A rush of air warned me of danger with barely an instant's notice. I whirled, qi infusing my body with speed to meet the onslaught. I raised both swords and parried a barrage of slashes from the right.

A new girl, this one with long dark hair flowing freely, stabbed at my face and crotch with two swords. I blocked the strikes, but thin spikes of golden qi protruded a full inch past the tips of her metal blades. I jumped back to avoid the attack within the attack.

This was a Master, a real opponent.

The girl delivered three more swift strikes, killing blows with the power to cut bone or steel. I blocked, reinforcing my swords with my own qi. While our qi flowed into our weapons, our bodies moved on their own strength. But her natural speed was fast, faster than even me. I was unable to create an opening to counterattack.

She suddenly leaped backwards. The untucked edges of her black tunic fluttered from the speed of the motion, the bottom portion splaying apart to give a peek of the bare skin underneath. Well, this girl wasn't afraid to declare who she was.

She tilted her head, her deep brown eyes narrowing slightly. "Wait, I know you."

Her face reminded me of a cat, or maybe a wolf with her large eyes and pointed chin. I was fairly certain that I had never seen her before.

"I rather doubt that." I readied myself for another round.

"It's you, the traditionalist." Her lips curled into a smile. "How'd things go with old Vox?"

I caught my jaw before it fell. The thief's head had been wrapped in a black mask, but the height fit. So did the speed. And I had caught a glimpse of yellow lines peeking out along her collar bones when she had attacked just now. Qi etchings.

This thief had fooled me yesterday, in more ways than one. I replied with my swords, a two-pronged lunging stab, similar to what she had tried on me last night with her long daggers.

She laughed as she danced away. "A gentleman always returns a favor, eh?"

I pulled back after the attack, frowning at her. This would not be an easy fight. I readied my two swords, a burst of unchecked qi surging through me, my aura blazing. It was a warcry, or a challenge. I would not be an easy target.

The thief seemed to reach the same conclusion. She gave a slight grin, then tilted her head ever so slightly as if bidding me farewell before dashing away in the opposite direction.

I let her go. Sixty minutes of all-out fighting was extremely long, even for a Master. If I wanted to maximize my points, I would be better off finding easier targets, even if I owed the thief something for last night's debacle. Once I had gathered enough points, I could conserve energy by focusing on defense and discouraging new attackers, as I had done just now.

I was here to win, not play.

The sounds of scattered fighting continued all about me. I scanned the grassy field for an opportunity until my gaze rested on a nearby group of sword artists. Three candidates had surrounded the girl I had found earlier, the one disguised as a boy but without the thief's skill in deception. The three in the group all wore the silver robes of nobles.

Two of them attacked at once, disarming the girl. They dropped their own weapons and wrestled her to the ground, pinning her there. The third, a tall boy with shoulder-length blond hair, approached with his rapier. He stabbed downward.

She didn't cry out, but from the way the third attacker's muscles tensed with power, it didn't look like he was scoring light points on her. Every point he took was going to leave behind torn soft tissue, maybe even a cracked rib. Strictly speaking, that was still within the exam rules.

I approached slowly, eyeing the other groups of fighting sword artists to make sure no one broke for me instead.

"Don't take more than sixteen," one of the boys on the ground called out. "How many you have?"

The girl struggled, but she couldn't overpower the two holding her in place. I knew what they meant to do. If she had two swords, she had earned a minimum of fifty points previously. They would cautiously divide that among themselves, making sure everyone had a minimum share, before proceeding further. It was a logical plan, if not ruthless.

"Quit fooling around. Hurry up," the second boy on the ground said.

The standing one with the rapier shrugged as he brushed blond hair out of his eyes. "But I'm *enjoying* this."

He stabbed downward with extra force. The girl finally made a noise, halfway between a pained gasp and a sob. The tall boy turned as he spotted me approaching. "Scram. We got her first."

I replied with a lunging attack. The tall boy dodged and pivoted to face me. He called over his shoulder. "You two keep her there. I'll take care of this."

I darted in and out, staying light on my feet. With the ability to defend and attack at the same time, my two short swords would normally be superior to a single rapier, but I quickly realized the mistake in my assumption.

Since a light touch was enough to count as a strike, the weaker damage potential of the rapier didn't matter. Only speed counted, and the tall boy was obviously no stranger to taking full advantage of the rapier's nimble strikes. It didn't help that the rapier had a slightly longer reach, combined with the tall boy's lankier arms.

Even with two swords, I couldn't quite find an opening to land a strike without risking a counterblow. Even a glancing strike would count for points, I assumed, and I didn't want to risk that. The tall boy seemed to have come to the same understanding, as he fought by flicking the point of his sword, what would have been a quick but useless gesture in a real fight.

I blocked another stab with a downward chop from my left sword. I immediately stabbed my right sword at the tall boy, but my reach fell short as he glided backward and flicked his rapier's tip upward and across using only his wrist. I had no choice but to retreat a step backward as well to avoid the otherwise limp counterattack.

The tall boy grinned, clearly pleased with himself. I forced myself not to scowl. Many versus one, abusing the touch rules...the melee was hardly fair or balanced, but I couldn't complain. That was how it always went, wasn't it? Still, I couldn't see a way past the other's guard without getting struck by the light wrist flicks. Trading one point to gain another would break even at best. In that case...

I moved sideways. The tall boy shouted a warning, but he was too late.

I slashed with my right sword at one of the other boys on the ground. The fallen girl hadn't given up trying to escape, and I timed my attack with one of her heavy bouts of twisting. My sword glanced off the boy's shoulder, barely, but that was enough.

+1 xp. Total: 160 xp.

I easily stepped over a kicking leg, then turned to block the tall boy's lunge. I circled around, putting the trio on the ground between us. The others froze with indecision for less than a second, but that was enough for me to deal with the relatively defenseless candidates stuck in awkward positions.

+1 xp. Total: 161 xp.

+1 xp. Total: 162 xp.

+1 xp. Total: 163 xp.

Three quick strikes, and three bodies lay on the ground covered with red glows. Dealing with this many opponents was dangerous, and I had put an end to them quickly. I had not spared the girl this time, either.

The tall boy shook his head. "You ruined it, damn you!"

He turned and walked off. I reluctantly let him go. We had been in something of a stalemate, anyways. I would need to hurry to collect the easy points before they were all gone.

I continued searching for opportunities, fighting when necessary, taking advantage when I could. As the exam continued, the number of active test takers continued to dwindle. Those who recovered walked away from the clearing.

Five minutes were still left by the time I reached this round's cap of a hundred fifty points. Afterward, I moved to the sparse edges of the field where few candidates lingered. When the buzzing noise sounded again, I dared to raise both of my swords high into the air. Others whooped and cheered, although much fewer voices celebrated than after the first part of the exam.

I had done it. Three hundred points, the maximum. They had to let me into the Academy with a perfect score. Elder Gri would be pleased.

New blue words appeared in front of me.

Congratulations! Your performance on the Sword Assessment Test qualifies you for admission into the Sword System Academy.

I let myself grin as a reward. My smiles quickly faded, though, as I read the rest of the message.

To complete the admissions process, please select one of the following victory conditions. Failure to select or complete a victory condition will result in the denial of your current and any future application to the Sword System Academy. You have one minute to complete your selection and fifteen minutes to complete your task. You must remain in the designated area until the end of the fifteen minutes.

A new circular area outlined by a blue light on the ground appeared in a smaller section of the exam field. This marking was large, roughly a hundred yards across, and the only one in the field. They were squeezing the survivors together.

Some left the area, walking away with downcast faces. I joined the others jogging over to the indicated area. A message followed me in my vision as I ran.

Select a victory condition from one of the following:

A) Disable all remaining participants and emerge as the sole victor.

B) Retrieve 10 ears from the remaining participants. Ears may belong to the same individual.

C) Retrieve 4 thumbs from the remaining participants. Thumbs may belong to the same individual.

D) Kill one of the remaining exam participants.

I stared at the choices. At least a hundred test takers remained. The first was nearly impossible, and no matter what, only one person could succeed. As for the other choices...

Was this a grisly joke by the exam creators? One of those situations where no one passed? I looked up to find other confused and shocked faced, and, disturbingly, a few pleased smiles. Whatever was happening, it seemed to be affecting all of them as well. Someone screamed, and if not for my strict training, I would have been sorely tempted to do the same.

Blinking numbers appeared just below the message, counting down the seconds remaining. My gut tightened, the flow of qi through my core wavering.

54, 53, 52, 51...