Silence saturated the plaza. The question seemed ordinary, but the manner in which Adrian posed it made Jordan feel as though the student was the one testing him, rather than the other way around. He glanced at the ledger in his hands, then at Adrian's stoic face.
"Yes..." Jordan replied, struggling to regain his composure before the rest of the students. "Adrian Vanit... Result: Pass."
Adrian turned without waiting for another word and walked back toward the ranks of the Adopted. He didn't look back, indifferent to the mocking laughter of some nobles that began to rise in the background, unaware of the true reason for their scorn. Immediately after, Professor Jordan called out:
"Niko Vanit."
Niko stepped forward, feeling the crushing weight of responsibility. He did not possess Adrian's icy detachment; instead, he held a burning passion that matched the nature of his power. When Niko placed his hand upon the crystal, his mana did not hesitate to surge. Suddenly, a brilliant orange light erupted from the heart of the stone, accompanied by a powerful sizzle like burning timber. Under his touch, the crystal transformed into what looked like a mass of molten lava, and the stone base of the pillar vibrated visibly.
"High-Intermediate Level," Jordan noted, recording the result with visible admiration. "Well done, Vanit."
Niko returned to Adrian's side, sweat pouring from his brow, but he caught flashes of primal respect in the eyes of some students—and glints of pure malice in others. Without turning his head, Adrian whispered: "Good job."
The testing continued, and as the names were called, three figures from the "High Elite" distinguished themselves.
The first was Casparian von Arcadia, who strode forward with his bronze armor gleaming under the sun, his rebellious red hair fluttering like a localized wildfire.
Casparian was not merely a student; he was a scion of the renowned House Arcadia, those whose souls were forged in combat and offensive lava magic. Standing with a massive frame and hazel eyes burning with defiance, he did not place his hand gently;
instead, he struck the crystal's surface with his palm, producing a resounding crack.
In that instant, the crystal erupted with deep crimson mana, transforming into a glowing ember so intense it nearly liquefied the stone. Casparian looked around with vanity, watching Professor Jordan swiftly record his success as if the fires of his lineage had just declared sovereignty over the grounds.
As Casparian flames faded and he swaggered back to his place, Lilith Malquar stepped forward silently after her name was called, appearing like a phantom emerging from the walls.
She was slender and beautiful, with porcelain skin and piercing violet eyes. Lilith was the daughter of House Malquar, the family of strategists and war counselors to the court—masters of tactical death. She touched the crystal with only her fingertips, and what followed was unexpected: the crystal did not ignite, but rather sucked in all surrounding light in the blink of an eye, turning into a mass of pitch blackness emitting a cold, purple vapor.
A terrifying stillness fell over the plaza as she withdrew quietly after being marked as a success, making no sound at all—exactly like a dagger plunged into a back under the cover of night.
Finally, the noise died down completely when Sebastian of House Platod advanced. He embodied aristocratic perfection in every detail: tall, with shimmering silver hair and grey eyes as cold as polished metal.
Sebastian was not just a noble; he belonged to one of the most famous and highest-ranked families, the Invincibles. He moved with the quietude of absolute authority.
When he placed his hand on the crystal, the stone transformed into a pure, solid crystal radiating a majestic, deep black light—a hue so dark it shook the very foundations of the Academy with its hollow resonance. There was nothing flashy or flamboyant; it was simply pure, disciplined power so terrifying that Professor Jordan instinctively bowed in respect to his family name. Sebastian returned to his place without a glance toward anyone; for him, this wasn't a test—it was a proclamation of who the true master was.
Amidst this terrifying display of power, Adrian stood in his attire, watching these "giants" with dull, listless eyes. To everyone else, he was nothing more than an outlier who had passed by some miracle. But deep inside, he smiled coldly; he now possessed a complete map of his "tools," while they still believed him to be nothing but ash scattered by the wind....
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