(Author: Hello! The promised academy days have arrived. Shu is now headed for the Black Lotus Academy. There, he will meet other talented youths and participate in the entrance exams. How will people react to his results? How are students categorized? By the way, you find out how mages rank and how they compare to Practitioners. Hint: Arch Mage is weaker than Arch Magus. Lu Rong is an Arch Magus. Now you'll know why Lu Yi said he was weaker. Yeah, the info has arrived. It's school. Can't start the fighting and jealous student conflicts yet. Some of that starts at the eighth chapter I am writing. Ivy Shao also returns then. Enjoy.)

-------------Chapter 4: Entrance Exams--------------

The royal guard waited with Lu Shu for the academy doors to open before entering the teleportation circle. Lu Shu drank some lion wine to stay awake as he yawned while people began gathering in front of the gates with their kids. Some people kept staring at him. Pissed off by so many stares, Bahamut grew to its full size and roared at them. Many scrambled away from Lu Shu, who sighed as he laid against the back of his dragon to nap with the tiger cub curled on his chest. Some of the people had seen the royal guard and assumed he was a member of a royal family somewhere. As they were in a different continent, it was natural most people did not recognize the insignia of a golden dragon as there are numerous kingdoms with dragons, but not in the continent the Yan Empire was in. That was because of the constant Hyperion assaults.

"Hello, friend. Do you mind moving your dragon from the gate. Many people are getting scared," a boy asked as he released the strength of a fourth stage Spirit Shaman, drawing the admiration of the crowd as the boy was a genius among geniuses to be at the fourth stage at thirteen.

In a flash, Lu Shu appeared in front of the guy and lifted him up by the neck. The boy paled as he chocked, his body sweating buckets of tears as he felt the spirit force of someone at the fifth stage.

"Heavens above! That boy is at the fifth stage!" a person cried.

"We thought we was an arrogant noble, but who would have thought he was stronger than the fourth stage!" another cried.

"I was taking a nap and you dare threaten me when making a request?" Lu Shu said darkly as he squeezed the throat tighter. "Have you now manners? You don't threaten someone when you make a request. It's a little something called manners."

The boy coughed blood as Lu Shu threw him against the wall next to the gate. He nodded at Bahamut and it moved out of the way, cautiously making sure the tiger cub did not waken. Lu Shu attacked the boy, but he made sure to lay the tiger down softly. The crowd approved of Lu Shu's actions despite the previous scare by the dragon. The other boy was in the wrong after all. The tiger cub woke as an official came in to allow them after they had finally finished their preparations despite the gate already being opened. It walked over to Lu Shu, who picked it up and fed it some lion wine while the dragon shrunk and landed on his head.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to Black Lotus Academy. We will now proceed with the entrance exams. Do note that those who do not pass at least four of our five tests will be rejected. The first exam is the only one you must not fail. The academy is divided by year and results based on the entrance exams. Furthermore, a fee of fifty gold and four silvers must be paid to take the exam. The annual tuition ends at Ten thousand and five hundred gold, thirty silver, and eight bronze coins. Tuition is subject to change based on student availability and results for the following years. You may now proceed into the academy after paying the fee. Parents are allowed to watch their children during the exams. Guardians and all other custodial relations will wait here and we will send you confirmation of their results. If you have a recommendation letter, please proceed to the front of the line. Thank you," the staff member bowed, gesturing into the academy.

"The fee and recommendation letter?" a man asked as Lu Shu approached the gate first.

"My name is Shu of the Lu Clan in the Yan Dynasty. Here is the fee and recommendation letter," Shu nodded as he gave the man the items.

"Fee has been paid and....ah. Son of an emperor I see. Do note that relations won't help you with the entrance exams. A God Eater! Already! I see. Please proceed into the academy and follow the staff to the testing area. Please wait until the first batch of twenty have arrived to take the first test. If less than twenty pass the first, you must wait for all twenty spots to be filled before proceeding to the next test. If there are no further people, that rule is invalidated and you may proceed to the next test. As it is customary for first name first here, please begin adjusting to calling yourself Shu. Shu of the Lu Clan is acceptable. Thank you and good luck in the entrance exams" the man recited and bowed until Lu Shu left to face the next applicant.

"Not a bad school," Shu thought as he stared at the large, numerous white buildings around him as he passed several orchid trees and saw some ponds with lotus flowers in the center. Each building had the symbol of a black lotus flower. As he followed the staff, he noticed four different variations of the same uniform. Each uniform had a black lotus over the heart and a larger version at the center of their backs. The uniforms consisted of black shoes and a white under shirt. Boys wore pants while girls wore skirts a little above the knees. However, the buttoned jackets they wore were different, excluding the option of a hood. The four different colors were white, gold, crimson, and azure.

"What are the color variations for?" Shu asked the staff member he followed.

"Ah, those? It represents the status of the student. Crimson jackets means they are God Eaters, gold jackets mean they are mages, azure jackets means they are Practitioners, and white jackets means they are on the student council or class president. Crimson jacket bearers cannot be in the student council or class president. They can be either mages or Practitioners. Other than that, people who wore white jackets are always the most powerful of students, excluding those who wear crimson jackets. According to the man at the gate, your recommendation letter stated you killed a humanoid Hyperion. As it is the words of an emperor, there is no dispute over the claim," the staff member smiled. "It is good you have a crimson jacket. Must students who wear white jackets call themselves the elite and look down on others."

"Why those colors?" Shu asked.

"Well, mages have the most costly and lucrative lifestyle. To become a God Eater, you have to kill. Thus, we used the color of blood, crimson, to symbolize that. Practitioners have something called a Mystic Stone and it always starts with a soul lake. Thus, we use azure to symbolize that lake of spirit energy. White....I don't know. The principal decided that when he found the school," the staff member sighed. "He is about as powerful as a Magus as he is a Spirit Master at the eight stage. Mage ranks are mage novice, mage apprentice when they choose a class, adept mage, elite mage, arch mage, mage lord, mage king, magus, arch magus, and Magic Overlord. Mages up to mage apprentice are comparable to Spirit Shamans. Mages from adept mage to arch mage are the same as Spirit Knights. Mage lords to magus are comparable to Spirit Masters. Finally, Arch Magus and Magic Overlord is the same as a Spirit Sage."

"That's a lot of ranks," Shu noted.

"Not really, kid. It is easier for a mage to rank up than Practitioners as there are no stages. Just tiers. Explains why most Practitioners start out weaker, but can easily kill mages in later tiers," the man laughed. "Over there is the waiting area. Please wait until twenty are gathered to take the first trial. It's a simple measurement test. You must be a mage apprentice or a Spirit Shaman of the third stage to pass. This is the only exam you cannot fail. You only get one fail forgiveness for the other four exams. Good luck."

Shu easily passed the first test and only one, of the nineteen who arrived an hour later, failed to pass the exam. They waited for five minutes before they got another person and proceeded to the next exam area. For mages, it was an elemental affinity test. For Practitioners, they had to exert enough spirit force into their hand to break at least twenty wooden boards as hard as steel. Shu had lazily concentrated his spirit energy into his right hand and crushed the first board as he pulsed his spirit force from his hand. The tiger cub wrinkled its nose from the noise and slept soundlessly as Shu easily broke forty seven boards.

There were more mages who failed and would be separated into a line with other people who failed a single exam. If they failed, they were out. Lu Shu sighed as they arrived at the third area of the exams after his group numbers were replenished. The third exam measured one's mana or spirit energy capacity. If the Practitioner, or mage, was able to break a sphere by overloading it with mana or spirit energy, they passed. A single crack was also considered a pass, but shattering it was preferred. As Lu Shu already formed his soul ocean. He easily burst the sphere and moved on. From the initial twenty of his group, only he remained as he didn't fail a single test.

"Hmm. Only one of you has remained from the first group without being replaced. Less talented people. The rest of you had to wait less than this boy. Now, for the fourth trial. You must answer a series of questions. Your results vary depending on the answers," the proctor nodded and left Shu for last. "Alright. You're up. Remember, the results vary. Good luck."

"Hello. What is your name?" a woman asked as she began to exert spirit force on him.

Unaffected, Lu Shu answered, "My name is Shu of the Lu Clan."

"Have you killed anyone?" she asked, making the spirit force stronger.

"I killed a spy yesterday," Shu shrugged. "I killed magical beasts. Killed Hyperion, both humanoid and beast. I killed a lot."

"What do you think about the concept of good and evil?" she asked, as her spirit force entered the strength of the second stage Spirit Shamans.

"It is just perceptions based on two opposing views. To some people, eating meat is good while others believe it is evil. There is no such thing as good or evil. Demons approve massacres of humans and humans approve massacres of demons. Both approve of killing Hyperion and magical beast. It is just a concept people made up to better understand the universe," Shu sighed.

"If your enemy was on the ground, and you could kill him, what would you do?" she asked.

"If he was useful, spare him. If he wasn't, end him. Mercy is only cruelty to yourself. Why? The living desire vengeance and the dead hold none," Shu answered.

"If a man made a move on your woman, what would you do?" she asked as her spirit force reached the peak of the second stage.

"Wait to make sure he didn't know she was single. If he did, I'd beat him up and kill him if there were no witnesses," Shu shrugged.

"Final question. What would you do to someone who betrayed you?" she asked as her spirit force reached the third stage.

"Hmmm. I would cut off his limbs, run his body through a pike while avoiding his vitals, and have him bleed to death and let the crowd see the birds eat his flesh when he died. I would make sure that all would see it and prevent any future betrayals," Shu answered darkly.

"Very well. You passed the test albeit barely," the woman nodded as she gestured toward the man. "He will explain the criteria of the test."

"This was a psychological test as well as a test to measure the strengths of your defenses against raw spirit force. You have a screw loose somewhere due to your heartless nature to those who wrong you. I advise you change that and make it a bit more humane," the man said as he led the twenty to the final exam, some of them staring at Shu with nervous eyes.

"I'll change," Shu lied. If you treated him well, he returned the favor. If you wrong him, he would punish you in such a way there would never be a second time.

"Welcome to the final exam. I am your principal and Spirit Master: Arthur Hog. Welcome to the Black Lotus Academy, first place winner of the inter-academic competition, held annually, for the past three hundred and seventy four years. We accept only the best of the best. I will now conduct the final exam. Please form two lines. One to my left and one to my right," a man in a brilliant white tuxedo and black tie and hair smiled, looking as if he was in his early thirties. "Good. Now, face the person across from you, in the other line. Defeat your opponent and you pass."

Shu's opponent paled as he stepped back. Shu gave a mental command to Bahamut, who expanded to its full size. Bahamut snorted at the other boy and revealed its teeth.

"I surrender!" the boy cried as he wet himself and nine others repeated his words within the next ten minutes.

"Good. Those who lost, please wait for the next twenty to arrive who have also failed one test. You will replace the first ten and the last ten must wait for their turn. As for the ten who passed, congratulations! Please obtain one hundred sets of the uniform and patiently wait in the auditorium for the new term year address. There will be food and refreshments at the tables, if you haven't brought any of your own. Welcome to my academy. Work hard," Arthur smiled and Shu followed the nine others toward the largest building in the academy, after the library.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Welcome. Remember to vote for Boss Weiss for the position of first year representative on the student council," many thugs grinned as Lu Shu and the others entered.

Among his group, he was the only one wearing a crimson jacket. He looked around and barely a dozen wore the crimson jackets. Some students wanted to threaten him but suffered mysterious scars on their legs and ended up howling on the ground. Shu looked at his shadow and knew who had done the dead. Ten chairs were situated around each of the many round tables all over the auditorium. Based on the number of chairs and tables, Shu expected that very little more people would be passing the exams. He ate alone until a group of nine friends approached his table, four of them mages.

"Oh, a God Eater. Un, can we sit here. Other people have occupied more than one chair at the other tables," a girl asked as she, two girls, and five other boys approached him.

"Sure. I hope you don't mind my dragon and tiger cub," Shu nodded as he fed the tiger cub a piece of magical beast meat.

"Alright! Finally, a place to sit," a boy grinned and sat on a chair with a loud thud. "Name's Joey Carta. I'm a Practitioner of the third stage."

"I'm Max Underwood and this is my sister, Mary. We're both Practitioners at the peak of the third stage," one of two twins with black hair and blue eyes grinned.

"Hello. Nice to meet you," Mary bowed.

"Thank you for allowing my request. My name is Bella Hale," a brown haired girl with green eyes bowed. "I am a Practitioner of the fourth stage of the Spirit Shaman tier."

"That's Kei and Kai Yamada. They don't talk much. As you can see, one wears a gold jacket while the other wears an azure jacket. They're cousins from the same clan. Kei is a Practitioner of the fourth stage while Kai is an apprentice mage learning necromancy. However, he is specialized with poisons," Joey grinned as the two boys nodded politely.

"This guy with pale white skin and red hair is Daniel Gaunt. Kind of matches his complexion. A mage apprentice studying the fire element. The final girl is Jiyeon Choi. Normally her last name is first. She's a mage apprentice who also has a generic class of white mage. You know, healing and magic barriers and stuff. Finally, we have Geo Craven. He's a mage apprentice who comes from a long line of earth mages. We're a pretty stable group, if I say so myself," Joey grinned as the three nodded after they all sat down.

"My name is--" Shu began.

"Shu of the Lu Clan. Spirit Shaman of the fifth stage. I heard the man's burst of surprise from the gate. A lot of people have too. It's why they are staring at us. Well, you," Max interrupted and the others saw the crowd avert their gaze as they stared around.

"What's up with those thugs by the entrance. Who cares about that Weiss guy?" Joey growled as he began eating chicken legs from the table. "He somebody important?"

"I heard he's some noble's son from another country. He's at the fifth stage also. People claim he's already the best among us and is a shoo in for first year representative for the student council anyway. However, it's a vote, so he sent his followers to threaten the first years to vote for him," Geo answered. "I don't like how this academy already categorizes people, but it's the best in the continent."

"Shh! The principal is here," Jiyeon whispered as the smiling man in the white tuxedo walked onto the stage.

""Welcome and thank you all for coming to Black Lotus Academy. I am Principal Arthur Hog. We met when you all took the fifth trial. I am pleased to admit one hundred and eighty four students to my first year division! Remember, we train only the best. You may all be in the same classes, but some of you are much weaker than others. You must strive hard or might as well drop out. If you are not able to reach the eighth stage of Spirit Shaman cultivation, or cast at least ten intermediate grade magic, within fifty years; you will fail and expelled. Please begin voting for who you believe should be the first year representative in the student council and the class president who will create the first year council. They can be the same person or two different people. Note that crimson jacket bearers are not eligible. Thank you for coming and enjoy the rest of your dinner. After an hour, attendants will come in and present you a list of all your classes depending on your status and cultivation stage or tier. Please turn in your list at the administration office within the library's first floor. Thank you and enjoy the night. It is yours," Arthur bowed and left as quick as he came.

"Well that was fun. Dumplings?" Joey asked as he passed the pot of food.

"Always," Shu grinned and emptied half the basket while the others chatted about what classes to take.

"Hmm? We're not going to the same dorms?" Joey asked as they had neglected to vote at all after receiving a personal list for what classes they were eligible for.

"The first years may take some of the same classes, but where you live is based on your cultivation. For mages, this rule does not apply," Bella said. "It was in the student handbook. Didn't you guys get one from the auditorium?"

"Nope," Joey asked.

"They had a handbook?" Geo laughed.

"Did you know?" Kei asked Kai.

"I was with you. How would I know?" Kai answered Kei.

"We didn't know," Max and Mary answered in unison, chuckling at the coincidence.

"I got one. So did Daniel," Jiyeon nodded while Daniel waved it before stuffing it in his storage bag.

"Let's go Bahamut. Later guys. Watch out for that Weiss guy," Shu warned as he rode atop Bahamut as it enlarged.

As Shu arrived at his dorm, he went to the man in the office on the first floor and got his dorm room key. He asked if there were first year through fiftieth year students living in the dorm. The man had laughed and told him that classifications stopped after the first year and you were assigned either by your magic specialty or your cultivation stage and pick your classes from there. The first years was always the introductory phase to allow students to assimilate to academy life and the dorms.

Most people didn't bother to attend their classes as they were not mandatory. It was best to take a class that you needed lessons on. Each class was everyday, save the weekends. At most, people took eight classes, two hours each, or just one class that they really needed. Everyone only had one class that they could all take together: The History of the Academy. Everything else was based on whether they were Practitioners or mages. However, all those classes were for beginners. You had the option to take a class at a higher level if you wished.

Shu browsed through the application form as he entered his room. He saw only one bed and assumed he had no roommate. He went back to the office to request for items for his room and paid for it with a few gold. Later, both Bahamut and his tiger cub were sleeping in their own beds as Lu Shu lit a lamp and began reading as his window ha a view of the moon. He had learned a lot under the Bone Demon, or Overseer, and didn't see a point to going to classes on the darkness, lightning, and water affinities.

He found a class he need to know called Essence of the Soul: Intermediate Studies. The class talked about Mystic Stones, how they developed, what spirit reactors did, and other pieces of knowledge. One very crucial piece of information he learned was that the soul had condensation levels. The higher the level, the more powerful the soul, the less spirit energy one consumed on average. From the description, it said that the soul was bound to only nine levels and had nothing to do with their cultivation except allow the Practitioner to absorb spirit energy more easily.

It one broke to the tenth level of soul condensation, then he defied the Heavens. Instead of an ocean of water in the Mystic Stone, the Practitioner would have an ocean of stars. According to the class description, he had reached the second stage of the soul: the soul ocean. Most people stopped here as most enemies focused on using material attacks. However, Lu Shu had already fused the Eclipse Indestructible Body technique to his body, making all attacks from people below him useless, save for those soul attacks and weapons with special properties. Shu decided to focus on condensing his soul and not waste time thinking about what magical armor he had to wear. After checking the box next to the class title, he laid back and began to sleep.