At last, it was now time to start the evaluation.

The number of teachers that would be conducting and overseeing it came as a surprise to both Rai and Liena, who were expecting the company of at least one more teacher, but they were more than willing to go through the evaluation with the current conditions, especially after the incident that had taken place right before Ms. Wang had arrived.

The teacher and the two teenagers walked over to something that resembled the podium that Kazaki did a speech on, but not as gracious and not as intimidating, partly due to Kazaki not being the one about to proclaim this time.

“Everyone’s looking awfully ready, wouldn’t you say, Ms. Wang?” asked Rai, who was trying to glance over all of the students but in vain, since the amount of people there present made it far too hard for him to clearly see all faces.

A quick glance was also enough to tell many things about the quality of the students: it is indeed not a visible thing, but everyone had something that martial artists liked to call an “aura”. This aura was something of heavenly nature and was only noticeable by those who had spent many years training, but someone like Rai, Liena, and Ms. Wang, who had already spent many years practicing and learning the ways, knew very quickly where the talent lied and what type of talent could be found, although pinpointing the exact person who possessed such an aura would be impossible because of all the people there present.

“Indeed, Mr. Rai. It is my first time witnessing such a batch of talented untrained individuals with my own eyes. How should we go about the evaluation?”

“Eh? Didn’t Teacher Kazaki say anything about how the evaluation should be done?”, Liena asked, surprised by the fact that such an important event had no rigid procedure to be followed.

“All he told me was to come to this Block, nothing more, I think,” Rai added.

Ms. Wang, instead of replying and saying anything about how things would elapse, stepped up on the podium after spending a few seconds contemplating whatever and started her greetings, hiding the grin that had formed while she secretly pondered something. Despite it clearly seeming like the elderly woman was plotting something, Rai thought nothing notable of it, seeing that she had never come off as the cunning type.

“Good afternoon, my dear students.”

This introduction made Rai laugh for a bit, although quietly as to not ruin the presentation. ‘Wait until you know how much of a devil this woman is', he thought.

“It is with enthusiasm and happiness that I would like to receive you all and, once again, congratulate you for going out of your way to be here present on this historic day. I, Ms. Wang, together with two of the Northern Fighting Institute’s best students, Rai and Liena, will be conducting today’s evaluation that will determine your initial path as a practitioner and as a student.”

As soon as the two heard their names, they looked at each other discreetly and bowed with their heads in a polite manner, almost as if they had already forgotten that they made sure to show most of the people there present who they were and of what it was that they were just capable of.

“Bear in mind that no result is definite and that things can, and most likely will, be overturned in a way or another. Simply give it your best shot and the Heavens shall reward you.”

Then, following a few seconds of silence that left not only the students but the two teenagers curious and mystified, Ms. Wang turned her head to Rai and asked him a very simple question - “Are you feeling tired?”, to which Rai nodded no, not understanding what the full scope of the teacher’s intentions was. The same thing could be said about Liena, who exchanged a confused and intrigued glance with Rai but, together with the boy, chose to not vocalize any of those doubts since she felt that Ms. Wang had been annoyed plenty already.

“Very well then, Mr. Rai. Consider this your punishment.”

“Eh?”

Ms. Wang directed her eyes towards the new students, once again, and made her first actual announcement related to the evaluation.

“Your first test has already started!”

The students, puzzled over the words Ms. Wang had just spoken, looked at each other in a confused manner, hoping that whoever they encountered next to them would hold the key to open this problem’s door. ‘What is that woman on about?’, they thought, as Ms. Wang grew overly impatient, slowly realizing that students of this level were not going to comprehend her message without it being told in a very obvious and objective manner.

“What are you all waiting for? Did I not make myself clear? Your first task is to punish this boy right here, Rai.” Ms. Wang said as she hovered her index finger over the lower-positioned teenager's head, revealing her story-replete right hand that had grown shriveled due to many years of use and age. “Beat him into submission and you pass. You may group up if you wish to do so, all you need to do is bring him down. I should warn you, though: underachieving… will equal instant failing. You may, once again, start!”

“Eh?”