F'arank was an Examining Officer.

His job required him to constantly sit behind the same desk, within the same building, every single day, for the arrival of Examination Candidates.

Administrative Professions were not the most respected in the Dragon Empire, but he and his colleagues weren't particularly scorned due to the role they played in one of the most important sectors of the Empire.

—Education.

The Entrance Examination Facility of the Empire was a massive structure that everyone throughout the land knew very well. It was visited by scores—if not hundreds—of Dragons every day, and remained the most popular way to enter the Academy.

In this place, young ones interested in further study in the Academy would apply as Examinees. As was trite, they would have to take an important exam known as the Entrance Exam, in order to test their capabilities and determine if they were indeed cut out for the Empire's only official and distinguished Academy.

Compared to what was practiced in other regions, the Dragon Educational System took a much different approach when it came to its potential students.

There was no restriction to the age and period which a student could apply to join the Academy. All they had to do was go to the Entrance Examination Facility and register themselves as viable candidates.

Once that happened, they would have to wait for the day of the Entrance Examination—which typically occurred once every week.

Hence, anyone could apply up to 52 times a year.

This system wasn't only restricted to Entrance Exams, but had a similar influence on the Academic Curriculum of the Academy itself.

Students could also move on to the next classes at no particular interval. As long as they distinguished themselves at any of the Academy Events and expressed their desire to climb the ranks—or class—they would be allowed.

In essence, education was all about ABILITY.

Those who lacked talent and skill would be left behind—though with the opportunity to get better and try again—while the truly powerful ones were throttled forward to achieve greater heights.

F'arank remembered how it took him nearly fifteen years to complete his own degree at the Academy, which was probably why he ended up being stuck in an Administrative Role, rather than as an official warrior for the Empire.

Despite being a Dragon Solider in Class, his role in society was nothing more than a clerk or proctor.

It sucked, but F'arank also recognized his role.

He—just like the rest of his comrades—was nothing more than a cog in this machine.

As long as his efforts made the Empire advance further, which would consequently please the Emperor, then he had to be fulfilled.

On this particular day—the Examination Date—F'arank was not required to sit behind his desk. Instead, he had to monitor the Examinees, as they completed their tests in order to prove themselves worthy of the Academy. He had done this so many times that he had lost count already, and the same could be said about his comrades.

Well, except maybe for the newer recruits—though, those were few.

F'arank and his colleagues entered the Examination Hall that day to check on the progress of the Examinees, who had all been placed in the same massive expanse for one purpose and one purpose alone.

—To fight.

This was the final, most important test.

Dragons were natural predators and perfect fighters. They were the strongest on H'Trae for a reason, so the most important thing for a Dragon was their combat ability—especially in warfare.

This was why a Battle Royale remained the staple for the final test of the Examination.

It was also the one with the highest score.

In essence, this was truly what determined whether or not an individual would be accepted into the Academy or not.

It was F'arank and his colleague's job to observe the fight between the students and determine the ones who would make it into the Academy based on the last ones standing.

Since he had done this so many times, he could already estimate how many people would be left standing.

'At this point, a few hundred will still be up. Those are the only ones worth watching. The dregs will only be a waste of time…'

Which was why the Examiners were entering the hall later than usual.

This was the standard practice.

Out of the few hundred, only less than a hundred would be chosen.

On a good day, up to fifty could be selected that week, but it usually averaged around thirty or thirty-five. F'arank looked at his colleagues, and they had the same emotionless expressions on their faces.

Their jobs were predictable.

There was no real purpose to it, either.

Any of them could be easily replaced, and barely anything interesting even happened.

Besides, most of the students who passed the Entrance Exams would still be expelled due to the harshness of the Academy's grading system, so it felt like they were recycling trash a lot of the time.

Still… F'arank could not complain about his job.

This was his duty to the Empire—all for the pleasure of the Emperor.

'H-huh…?' F'arank found a sudden change in the expression of his comrades the moment they finally made their way into the hall.

Their eyes were wide open—almost bloodshot—and their bamboozled expressions were far from the stale and predictable kind that he had grown to expect.

It seemed they were all at a loss for words.

'Come to think of it… why is it so quiet?'

A few hundred were supposed to remain at this point, which meant the battle had to be reaching its climax.

Yet… 'Ahh.'

… There was no sound.

F'arank took his eyes off his comrades and cast his gaze on the massive center that had was supposed to have become a battlefield.

Instead, it was nothing more than a sea of bodies.

Fallen Examinees littered the floor, to the point where their unconscious, wounded, and completely battered bodies covered the hard ground entirely.

Only two, out of the thousands, were still standing.

The boy had jet black hair, while the girl was blessed with pure white hair—the two opposites resembling a couple designed by fate. They had completely demolished the competition by themselves—and in such an absurdly small amount of time.

'Ahh…' He had never seen anything like this in all his life.

F'arank knew at that instant… only they would be admitted into the Academy the following week.

'... Amazing!'