Book: The Sacrifice of Study

A boy wants to get into [choose one of the schools]. There is no age requirement, but an entrance exam. You have one shot ever, so if you fail the exam you can never re-apply. What happens during the exam is a closely guarded secret and is different every time. Start: has to be sure he is ready for the entrance exam. Middle: Takes the exam with 4 other students. The exam is hijacked by a member of the faculty who has cracked their mind. This years trial is last man standing. There are 4 stages to the trial, each time the losing student will not make it through (students die??). They have to decide to work together and when to go for themselves. End: Final stage is a duel to the death. Main character wins but manages to trick the organiser and doesn't actrually kill the other student. He gets into that faculty memebrs class and must find a way out to inform the school what is happening. Succeeds and that memebr is exiled along with all his followers, main character is scarred by what he has had to go trhough to get in but is resolute to make it worthwhile and begins his true studies under the master of the college, whose favour he has won by showing his strength in this trial. 
By the end of the story the main character has become stronger than any other initiate, is the direct and only chosen disciple of the master and is becoming powerful. Very end of the book is a few months later the master has requested his help on a missiosn together, but the master usually never leaves the college...

Plot type

Book