Rui didn't know how, but word quickly spread throughout the town of the Martial Squire attempting to take the general science exam. Apparently, that was revolutionary news for some reason.
Everywhere Rui went, he could feel the gazes on him from the people around him.
('Ugh, maybe this wasn't the best of ideas,') Rui groaned.
He disliked being the center of attention, it was annoying and at the end of the day he would rather be left alone, but he decided to stick with the course of action that he had chosen for Kane's sake.
He could understand where it came from, of course. It came from the idea that Martia, Artists could not be adept at any intellectual field because it contradicted what it took to become a Martial Artist. And they were mostly right, Rui had dedicated most of his life exclusively to Martial Art and nothing else.
The whole town grew absorbed in the topic as various opinions flew across the entirety of the little society.
"I respect Martial Squires, but it is arrogant for him to believe that he could just take on an exam that we spent many years studying for and pass it with ten days of preparation."
"It's as insulting as if we scholars thought that we could fight and defeat a Martial Squire in combat after just ten days of Martial Art practice!"
"Do you think he'll cheat? Since he obviously cannot succeed? Martial Squires have extreme senses far beyond that of the human body."
"I heard that there will be Martial Squires inspecting the exam in addition to other measures. Cheating should be impossible, right?"
"Honestly, who cares why he wants to write the exam? He's willing to stay here and serve as protection from the surrounding states. As long as he is willing to do that, I don't mind entertaining his delusional intention of passing the exam."
Many opinions flew across the people who came across the news. Rui even heard what many were saying because they underestimated how far he could hear.
However, he didn't care. For one, he didn't fault them for feeling the way that they did. It was only natural, and he would have felt the same way.
If, in his previous life, a mixed martial artist tried to obtain a bachelor's degree in any major field despite a shallow educational background, with only ten days to write a general exam for the bachelor's level, he too would have a similar reaction.
He put aside what the people around him seemed to think while focusing on the hurdle at hand. He had gotten access to the study materials needed for the exam so that he could thoroughly understand what it was that he was getting himself into.
"Oh…?" Rui's eyebrow rose up when he skimmed through the material.
It was mostly high school-level sciences, which fit his suspicions due to the lacking theoretical science in this world.
('There is some esoteric material science through,') Rui noted as he skimmed through the study material.
This was the one area that he did need to study since his previous life's knowledge and background were entirely irrelevant and unhelpful.
This meant that this was the one area that he needed to start from scratch.
In ten days.
This would normally be impossible, although cramming worked, it only worked when one had a foundation to support them.
Rui did not.
He had studied some esoteric material science, but these were hype niche research avenues that he had looked into when researching for the Riemannian Echo technique.
He also had other considerations in mind in regard to his exam. He was a little worried about doing too well. That was problematic because he didn't want to do anything that obtained a grave amount of attention.
After all, he was technically in disguise and hiding. Although the probability that Chairman Deacon finding them through his success in this exam was extremely low, he wasn't keen on tempting fate.
On the other hand, he discovered an annoying rule.
"The score you get dictates your access clearance to the scientific literature," The mayor stated. "Thus a lower score means less scientific literature."
Rui wanted to strangle the man.
He understood the doctrine, of course. It was just an extreme push in the interests of a meritocratic system. But it meant that in the interests of Kane, and anything that he wanted to pursue, he needed to do well in this exam.
Furthermore, this was a good opportunity to build a small and initial foundation in the avenue of esoteric material science as well. The Riemannian Echo technique was proof that esoteric substances were filled with potential.
Of course, he didn't intend to turn into a fiend that relied on stuffing his body with esoteric substances, not at all. But Riemannian Echo as well as Kane's Fulminata technique were proof that it was worth having such knowledge at hand.
('Especially when I won't have access to knowledge as easily from now onwards,') Rui's eyes narrowed.
There was a reason that there were only three places that offered such information within the limit of the direction that they were traveling in. Due to this fact, it meant that knowledge was a lot harder to come by.
Regardless, he quickly acquired the study materials that he needed before diving deep into the subjects.
The theoretical science was not developed well enough to have distinct categories at the level that he was studying at, thus they were simply divided into different topics that fell under general sciences as opposed to the various fields within science.
Out of all the topics at hand, he found that thirty percent of the exam would be centered around esoteric science. Given that he had only ten days to go, he immediately began working at full pace. He had already decided to go all out and get the maximum possible marks he could, and gain access to as much information so that Kane could regain his Fulminata technique.
