The Arcane Academy towered above the capital like a judgment carved from stone.
Seven black spires pierced the violet sky, each one engraved with ancient runes that glowed faintly beneath layers of age. To step through its gates was to have one's worth measured—not by effort, not by will, but by talent.
Today, that judgment would be absolute.
Eryon Vale stood among the other candidates in the central assessment plaza, surrounded by murmurs of excitement and barely concealed arrogance.
"Frostmark is here."
"I heard his mana output broke the second threshold."
"They say an S-rank might appear this year."
Eryon listened in silence.
He had learned long ago that expectations were dangerous things. The higher they rose, the harder they crushed those beneath them.
At the center of the plaza stood the Aptitude Monolith, a towering crystal pillar pulsing with restrained power. This artifact measured mana capacity, spell stability, and potential growth—three values that defined a mage's future.
One student after another stepped forward.
Hands touched crystal. Light flared. Rankings appeared.
Gasps followed strong results. Applause followed excellence.
"Lucien Frostmark—Aptitude Rank: S."
The crowd erupted.
Lucien withdrew his hand calmly, frost-blue mana dispersing around him like mist. Professors exchanged approving glances as his name burned itself onto the top of the floating ranking board.
Eryon watched, expression unreadable.
Then—
"Eryon Vale."
The name drew little reaction. No noble house. No reputation.
Eryon stepped forward.
The crystal was cold beneath his palm.
For several seconds, nothing happened.
Whispers rippled through the plaza.
"Is the monolith malfunctioning?"
Then the crystal flickered.
A single character appeared, dull and unmistakable.
F
The plaza fell silent.
Then laughter broke out.
"An F? That's not even measurable."
"Did he sneak in by mistake?"
"Lowest rank in academy history?"
Eryon's name appeared at the bottom of the ranking board, isolated and faintly outlined in red.
[Overall Rank: Last Place]
A professor frowned as he reviewed the data.
"Mana flow unstable. Spell formation incomplete. Growth potential… negligible."
Another shook his head. "Barely qualifies as a mage."
Lucien glanced back briefly, eyes indifferent, as if acknowledging an object already discarded.
Eryon removed his hand.
His chest tightened, but he did not lower his gaze.
This result was familiar.
That afternoon, the first practical assessment began.
Basic spellcasting.
A simple task—forming a stabilized mana sphere. Even apprentices could do it.
Students stepped forward with confidence. Orbs of light shimmered into existence, earning nods of approval.
Then it was Eryon's turn.
He focused, drawing mana inward.
The energy gathered.
Shuddered.
Then collapsed.
The construct imploded violently, backlash tearing through his mana channels. Pain lanced through his body, forcing him to one knee.
Laughter echoed across the training grounds.
"Again?"
"Does he fail at everything?"
The instructor's voice was cold. "Spell failure. Zero points."
Eryon clenched his teeth and stood.
Failure.
Just like always.
He had practiced longer than most. Studied harder. Endured more. And yet, his spells shattered more often than they formed. Mana slipped through his control like water through broken fingers.
As the pain faded, something else took its place.
A strange sensation—sharp, mechanical, utterly unlike magic.
The world dimmed.
Text appeared before his eyes.
[Abnormal Condition Detected] [Repeated Spell Failure Confirmed] [Compatibility Threshold Reached] Initializing Evolution System...
Eryon's breath caught.
[Evolution System Activated] [Analyzing Failed Spell Structure...] Warning: This evolution path deviates from sanctioned magic. Proceeding may result in irreversible alteration.
Irreversible.
Forbidden.
Dangerous.
Eryon slowly clenched his trembling hand.
At the edge of the training grounds, several professors observed in silence.
One spoke quietly. "…It activated."
The headmaster's gaze sharpened. "Record his ranking," he said. "And mark him for observation."
Above the academy, the ranking board remained unchanged.
Eryon Vale was still last.
But something unseen had begun to move.
And the weakest student of the Arcane Academy had taken his first step.