The Grand Resonance Hall did not recover quickly.
The talent crystal still pulsed faintly on the platform, its surface fractured like cracked ice under pressure it was never designed to endure.
Students remained frozen in place.
Not from fear.
From confusion.
Because the system they trusted—the one that defined their worth—had failed.
A teacher finally forced her voice out.
“…S Talent.”
She said it again, slower this ti, as if repetition could make it believable.
“S Talent… anomalous classification.”
Whispers erupted imdiately.
“That’s impossible…”
“Even Legendary Talent has limits…”
“How can soone trigger system overload?”
Kael stood quietly where he had stepped back.
No change in expression.
No satisfaction.
No shock.
Just observation.
Lyra exhaled slowly beside him.
“…This is going to get worse.”
Kael replied calmly.
“It already is.”
The system flickered faintly.
====================
Talent asurent Complete
Result: S Talent (Anomalous)
Warning: Host classification instability remains unresolved
====================
Kael stared at the ssage for a mont.
“…Still incomplete.”
Lyra glanced at him.
“What?”
Kael didn’t answer imdiately.
Then—
“It didn’t understand .”
Lyra frowned slightly.
“…That’s not sothing people say normally.”
Kael turned away.
“I’m not normal.”
That was not arrogance.
It was a conclusion.
anwhile — Academy Tower
Inside the observation chamber, the elders no longer argued.
They watched the replay in silence.
Again.
And again.
One finally spoke.
“We should suppress this result.”
Another shook his head.
“It’s already spread.”
A third added quietly.
“Students are talking.”
The head elder didn’t move his gaze from the crystal projection.
“…S Talent is already dangerous.”
He paused.
“…But anomalous S Talent is sothing else entirely.”
A long silence followed.
Then—
“Inform the Hunter Guild.”
The room shifted slightly at that statent.
Soone asked carefully.
“…You want external observers involved?”
The head elder nodded.
“If the academy cannot classify him…”
“…then the outside world will.”
Academy Corridor — Later
Kael and Lyra walked through quieter halls.
The atmosphere had changed.
Students watched Kael differently now.
Not mockingly.
Not dismissively.
But carefully.
Like sothing they couldn’t categorize.
Lyra broke the silence.
“You’ve officially drawn attention from everyone now.”
Kael replied without looking at her.
“…That was inevitable.”
She studied him.
“You don’t seem concerned.”
Kael paused slightly.
“…Concern doesn’t change outcos.”
Lyra narrowed her eyes.
“That’s not how most people think.”
Kael stopped walking for a mont.
Then said quietly:
“I’m not most people.”
A brief silence passed.
Lyra sighed.
“…You’re going to be targeted.”
Kael continued walking again.
“I already am.”
Training Grounds — Afternoon
A new announcent echoed across the academy.
BOOM.
ALL FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS
COMBAT EVALUATION SCHEDULE UPDATED
Lyra tilted her head.
“That’s fast.”
Kael looked up slightly.
“…Combat evaluation.”
Lyra nodded.
“Yes.”
“Now they test what you can actually do.”
She glanced at him.
“Talent ans nothing if you can’t fight.”
Kael responded quietly.
“…That’s where they’re wrong.”
Lyra frowned.
“What do you an?”
Kael looked toward the distant arena.
“…I don’t need talent to win fights.”
A pause.
“…I just need to survive them.”
Arena Field — First Combat Wave
The arena was massive.
Floating barriers surrounded multiple platforms.
Students were already forming groups.
The instructor’s voice echoed.
“This evaluation is simple.”
“You fight until you cannot continue.”
“Performance determines your academy rank.”
Murmurs spread instantly.
“So it’s real combat…”
“I heard people get injured every year…”
Lyra exhaled.
“…This is where the weak disappear.”
Kael stepped forward slightly.
Lyra looked at him.
“You’re going in early?”
Kael replied.
“…No reason to wait.”
He stepped onto the platform.
A few students noticed.
Then more.
Whispers again.
“That’s him…”
“The S Talent anomaly…”
“Is he going first?”
Across the arena—
Reyn Volkar stood on another platform, watching.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“…Finally.”
He smiled faintly.
“This should be interesting.”
The instructor raised her hand.
“Begin.”
BOOM.
Mana exploded across the arena instantly.
Kael stood still.
Observing.
Listening.
Calculating.
Then—
His shadows moved slightly beneath his feet.
The system flickered.
====================
Combat Evaluation Initiated
Multiple Hostile Targets Detected
Recomndation: Adapt or be eliminated
====================
Kael exhaled slowly.
“…Then I adapt.”
And the arena descended into chaos.
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