The Central Academy gates closed behind Kael with a deep tallic echo.
THUD.
It sounded less like a door…
And more like a final decision.
Inside, the world changed instantly.
The air was richer.
Denser with mana.
Every breath carried faint energy into the body.
Students walked in groups across vast marble pathways, each one surrounded by subtle auras.
So were calm.
So were arrogant.
So were terrifyingly silent.
Kael noticed it imdiately.
Everyone here was strong.
Not equally.
But visibly.
A system screen flickered in his vision.
====================
New Area Detected: Central Academy
Mana Density: High
Recomnded Behavior: Conceal identity
Warning: Multiple High-Risk Entities Detected
====================
Kael exhaled slowly.
“…So this is where they train monsters.”
He kept walking.
Beside him, Lyra glanced at him briefly.
“You feel it too, don’t you?” she asked.
“The pressure.”
Kael nodded slightly.
“Yes.”
Lyra looked forward.
“This place doesn’t care who you are.”
“It only cares what you can beco.”
Kael didn’t respond.
But he understood.
That was the sa rule as everywhere else.
Just more refined.
More civilized.
They entered a massive hall.
The Entrance Assessnt Chamber.
Hundreds of new students stood inside.
Above them floated a crystal sphere emitting faint golden light.
A voice echoed across the hall.
“Applicants, step forward one by one.”
“The Mana Resonance Test will determine your rank placent.”
Whispers spread instantly.
“That’s the sa test every year…”
“I heard geniuses can reach Rare Mage instantly.”
“So even reach Legendary tier on awakening.”
Kael tilted his head slightly.
Lyra spoke quietly beside him.
“This test asures your mana quality and stage.”
“If you’re Common, you’ll be placed in outer classes.”
“If you’re Rare or above… you enter elite division.”
Kael listened carefully.
“So ranking is decided now.”
“Yes.”
She paused.
Then added:
“But don’t expect fairness.”
Kael looked at her.
She didn’t elaborate.
But she didn’t need to.
A student stepped forward.
The crystal lit up imdiately.
Bright green.
====================
Result: Common Mage — Mid Stage
Class: Outer Division
====================
Another stepped forward.
Blue glow.
====================
Result: Rare Mage — Beginner Stage
Class: Inner Division
====================
The crowd reacted imdiately.
“That’s strong already!”
“Rare at entrance?!”
Kael observed silently.
So this was how they asured strength.
Mana stages.
Breakthrough systems.
Everything structured.
Everything predictable.
Then another student stepped forward.
The crystal erupted violently.
Golden light filled the chamber.
Gasps echoed everywhere.
====================
Result: Legendary Mage — Beginner Stage
Class: Elite Division
====================
The hall exploded in whispers.
“A Legendary at entrance?!”
“Incredible…”
Kael narrowed his eyes slightly.
“…So that’s the level here.”
Lyra glanced at him.
“Don’t compare yourself to them.”
Kael responded quietly.
“I wasn’t.”
He ant it.
Because he wasn’t even in their system.
Finally—
Lyra stepped forward.
The crystal glowed softly.
Then turned deep blue.
====================
Result: Rare Mage — Peak Stage
Class: Inner Elite Division
====================
A few students looked impressed.
Lyra returned calmly.
Then she looked at Kael.
“Your turn.”
Kael walked forward.
Every step echoed slightly in the hall.
So students looked at him curiously.
Others ignored him.
No one expected anything special.
He placed his hand on the crystal.
For a mont—
Nothing happened.
A silence spread.
A few students whispered.
“…No mana?”
“Is he even a mage?”
The examiner frowned.
“Step aside—”
Then it happened.
The shadow beneath Kael’s feet moved.
The crystal flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then—
CRACK—
Black light erupted violently.
The entire chamber shook.
Gasps filled the room.
“What is that?!”
“Dark mana?!”
“Impossible!”
The crystal fluctuated uncontrollably.
Warning signals flashed.
====================
ERROR!!!
Unknown Energy Source Detected
System Interference Level: EXTRE
Result Cannot Be Classified
====================
The examiner stepped back in shock.
“This… this doesn’t make sense…”
Kael removed his hand calmly.
The crystal slowly stabilized.
But the light remained unstable.
Unclassified.
Unknown.
Lyra stared at him.
“…Kael.”
Kael didn’t answer.
Whispers spread through the hall.
“A defect?”
“A forbidden type?”
“I’ve never seen that before…”
Far above in the observation tower—
A group of academy elders watched silently.
One spoke slowly.
“…Erase that result.”
Another nodded.
“Yes. If the public sees an unknown classification—”
But the head elder raised a hand.
“No.”
Silence.
He stared at Kael through the glass.
“…Keep him under observation.”
Back inside the hall—
Kael turned away from the crystal.
A system notification appeared.
====================
New Quest Issued
Objective: Gather Information About Academy Ranking System
Reward: Shadow Insight Upgrade
====================
Kael narrowed his eyes slightly.
“…Information again.”
Interesting.
Lyra stepped closer.
“What did it show you?”
Kael looked at her.
“…Nothing they understand.”
A brief silence passed.
Then the examiner spoke loudly.
“Kael Draven!”
“You are placed under special classification.”
“Pending evaluation.”
The hall went silent again.
Kael turned and walked away.
But behind him—
For the first ti…
Everyone was watching.
And sowhere deep within the academy…
Sothing ancient stirred at the sound of his na.
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