[Ding!]
[Territory #2 Successfully Claid.]
[Ownership Assigned: Class-1C.]
[Reward Distribution In Progress]
Soon after, the maze began to dissolve into nothing but fairy dust. That’s when Class-1C finally realized it.
"WE WON?!"
"WE ACTUALLY WON!"
"NO WAY!"
Several students imdiately tackled one another into the dirt. Others began screaming so loudly that birds flew out of the surrounding forest.
Ren nearly dropped his fish for the third ti that day. Alex stared blankly at the floating screen.
Siv pointed at Cassien. "HE DIDN’T EVEN DO ANYTHING!"
"I DID EVERYTHING!" Cassien protested jokingly, trying to fit in.
anwhile, Olivia simply crossed her arms while a small smile appeared on her face. The first genuine one since the exam began.
Their class had just defeated Class-1A. The exam wasn’t even over yet, but they celebrated as if they had contributed just as much, if not more, than Cassien himself to the supposed ’victory.’
But beneath all the cheers and celebrations, the more logical students understood that this was only the beginning.
Class-1A had never truly been brought down, nor had they ever lost an exam in the academy’s history. You could go through years of docunted reports and sohow never find a single instance of Class-1A losing.
Cid Forge clicked his tongue. His expression was ugly because he didn’t believe they had lost. For perhaps the first ti in the academy’s history, soone had beaten him before the contest had even begun.
Elandor suddenly raised his hand. "You have claid the territory." he smiled.
[Ding!]
[Bonus Rewards Granted 30 Points.]
A golden chest materialized above the stone platform. The students instantly forgot how to breathe. They weren’t used to loot like this. Not in the slightest.
The chest slowly opened as light burst into the sky. Several objects appeared.
[Rewards Acquired.]
[Class-Wide Recovery Potion x20]
[Enhanced Survival Packs x20]
[Territory Compass x1]
[Special Item: Heart of Judgnt]
The final reward floated alone. A silver-like crystal. Its surface reflected the surrounding world like a perfectly clean mirror.
[Ding.]
[Heart of Judgnt.]
[Once every 24 hours, it reveals one hidden piece of information related to the current event.]
[Information cannot be directly requested.]
[The system chooses the most relevant clue.]
Elandor’s expression changed. "You solved my trial. Congratulations." His voice lowered so only Cassien could hear. "But your eyes seem focused not on the territory, but far beyond what the minds of your classmates can comprehend."
"You were searching for sothing else."
Far above the clearing, another notification appeared.
[Ding.]
[Third Territory Located.]
[Current Ownerless Territories Remaining: 5.]
They didn’t need another territory. The rewards they had received today were more than enough.
But the students of Class-1A were clearly not content with the result. Cid Forge began stepping forward before Izel, the princess, could hold him back.
"Hey, you bastard!"
Elandor imdiately looked down. "Are you talking to , young man?"
"Yes, you!" he yelled. "How co they get rewards like those?! All we got were so useless points, nowhere near that amount. How is it fair that they get 30 while we only got 10?!"
Elandor raised both hands. "Please, young man. Many more territories await. There is no need to feel distressed simply because you missed one. Claiming a territory alone is already quite difficult. I believe the rewards are based on the manner in which it is earned. I’m only here as a volunteer, nothing more."
"Blah blah," Cid whispered. "I can’t have this... We might genuinely lose if they have the Heart."
Izel put a hand in front of him. "We won’t. After all, we already know their leader."
"No, that thing is too overpowered. Even with less than five days remaining, they’ll catch us." A sword began to form inside his palm. "I’m a quad-elental mage and a swordsman with enough talent that the Duke himself couldn’t refuse my request to take your hand in marriage."
"Stop, Cid." Izel’s expression didn’t change. "Now’s not the ti. There are many more territories to explore."
He pushed her back slightly. "I want this one." His gaze returned to Elandor. "Hey, Elan-whore, or whatever your na was."
Elandor looked over. A calm smile ford on his face, showing no emotion whatsoever.
"Can we steal the rewards?!"
The old elf tapped his jaw several tis. "I didn’t make the rules. Everything is in accordance with academy law."
"Great," Cid whispered. "They never denied it."
Four separate elents slowly spiraled around his sword at once.
"Don’t do this, Cid! It’s dangerous!" Izel’s voice wasn’t loud enough.
"Maybe for them, but not for ."
Amidst the celebrations, Cassien looked over toward Class-1A, noticing an unfamiliar amount of mana.
It wasn’t Umbra. That controlled shadows and illusions, so it couldn’t be it.
Inferna, which encompassed fire, heat, and combustion, didn’t feel the sa either. It wasn’t like [Jason Sparrow] back then.
Cassien had seen Tideborn before. This wasn’t it. Ice, water, fluid manipulation... none of it matched.
Zephyr probably wasn’t the answer either. Wind, storms, weather control, atmospheric pressure... this phenonon lacked all those traits.
’Is this... Terranova?’
Earth, stone, crystals, terrain manipulation.
Ferrum governed tal, magnetism, and alloys.
Verdant governed nature, plants, and the growth of life.
The number of affinities in this world was endless, but out of all of them—
’Aether...’ Cassien pondered. ’He possesses an Aether Core!’
Cid Forge, the heir of the Forge family. A first-degree noble. Sohow, he had unlocked the full potential of an Aether Core.
The difference between an Aether Core and a Mana Core was quite simple.
One was one in a million.
The other was one in thirty.
This ant Cid didn’t rely possess a massive amount of mana.
No.
It ant he could influence his surroundings through space, gravity, and distortion.
Amidst all of this, Cassien smiled.
’So it’s ti.’
He slowly began pulling sothing from his bag, preparing to use it.
He didn’t try showing it off. That would have attracted far too much unwanted attention.
And besides, what he was about to do was completely illegal.
’It’s ti to use this reford Demon Core and connect it to my own!’
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