As the youths listened to Astragius Altars' welcome speech, Altar pulled out a golden pin with a sun embroidered onto it:

[Astragius Altar: "This pin is the proof that you are an Emperor Candidate. If you have it stolen or lose it, you'll be disqualified. If someone other than you has your pin in your possession, then you'll be part of their faction, which means you'll have to listen to their commands and support them by taking other pins. You may NOT steal your pin back."]

A shudder ran through the masses of the students and they began to whisper amongst themselves as a boy in golden armor began to speak, it was the candidate from the Yon-Empire.

[Yon-Candidate: "So you say, I'll become Emperor if I just take everyone's pin? That's too easy!"]

[Astragius Altar: "Yes, this is one way, but even if you eliminate every other candidate, you still have to solve all the trials, and maybe you'll need the help of someone else to do so? And if you brutally eliminate them, will they really do as you say or oppose you?"]

An athletic dark elf girl raised her hand:

[dark elf girl: "So this is a trial as well, it shows how good we can rule over others."]

Astragius Altar had an evil smirk on his face.

[Astragius Altar: "Who knows... Anyways, the first trial will begin in two months, so prepare yourselves, you will act as regular students in the meantime."]

Altar turned around and waved goodbye to the students, so did the judges, and a group of servants dressed in white robes entered the auditorium and began handing out coins with the names of the candidates on them.

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As I, Sara Van Heron received my pin, and the pins of the heroes, I looked next to me, where Flint, the "class leader" had a tense expression on his face, as If someone had put hot sauce into his food.

["Flint, what's wrong?"]

[Flint: "That boy with the ashen hair, he seems familiar..."]

Suddenly, Perry, a boy with auburn hair and freckles peaked his head into our conversation:

[Perry: "Isn't that Ren?"]

[Flint: "I thought so too, but why wasn't he summoned together with us?"]

So that's the missing one...

[Perry: "Does it really matter? come on, let's approach him already!"]

We went closer to the ashen-haired boy, whose name was apparently Ren.

As the youth noticed us, he locked eyes with Perry and the two had some kind of stare-off, then suddenly they smiled at each other and began to perform an eerily long handshake... What kind of witchcraft are they performing?

[Perry: "I've missed you, bro!"]

[Ren: "I've missed you too! What were you up to all this time?"]

[Perry: "You see, we've been summoned by some goddess to help this princess here to become emperor!"]

Perry then pointed towards me

I performed a slight bow:

["Nice to meet you, my name is Sara Van Heron, current head of the Illa-Theocracy."]

[Ren: "Nice to meetcha!"]

[Flint: "Ren, she's a princess, you can't just greet her like that!"]

[Ren: "Flint! didn't even notice you!"]

[Flint: "Good, but look, we're here to kinda serve her, so you shouldn't speak so impolitely..."]

Then the ashen haired youth's eyes turned dark:

[Ren: "You guys might, but I wasn't. As it stands, I'm here as a candidate, and I plan on winning."]

["Flint, Let it be. I'm sure he has his reason, besides, if he's my rival, then we'll cut the formalities short."]

[Flint: "So anyway, what have you been up to?"]

[Ren: "As I said, I'm here as a candidate, but before that, I woke up at like the corpse of a dragon and then dragged myself towards a village of lizardmen, they were really nice, and the boss there wanted me to become Emperor, so I'm here now."]

Dragon corpse? It can't be...

As the three continued their banter, Enrico and his clique approached...

This looks like trouble, but I also want to see their interactions...

Maybe I can gain some intel for the future...

[Enrico: "Look who finally decided to show his face again... Were you scared, Ren?"]

[Enrico Underling A: "Still mad, about Rea? Ahaha!"]

I suddenly felt an immense amount of mana surge.

And then Enrico Underling A was sent straight through a wall, his nose and jaw completely smashed to bits! What power!

Next was Enrico's turn to face Ren's fist, but Flint stepped between them and blocked the punch with his entire weight.

[Flint: "REN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU COULD HAVE KILLED HIM!!]

A small stream of blood ran down out of Flint's mouth.

[Ren: "SHUT UP, LET ME SMASH HIS FACE IN!"]

[Perry: "Oh no, this is bad..."]

["Could you please not lay your hands on my subordinated, Ren was it?"]

[Ren: "Who cares whose lapdog he plays, scum should be wiped out."]

["Flint, I'm leaving this to you! get me his pin."]

[Flint: "Eh, I don't really want to... ugh, fine, I guess..."]