Morning arrived far too quickly.
By the time we left The Silver Griffin after a quick breakfast, Aurelia was already overflowing with movement.
Nearly every street leading toward the upper districts had become crowded with academy applicants, merchants, nobles, adventurers, and curious spectators hoping to witness this year’s entrance examination.
The closer we approached Aetherion Academy, the heavier the atmosphere became.
Excitement, ambition, nervousness, arrogance… thousands of emotions mixed together beneath the cold morning sky while the massive silhouette of the academy towered above the capital like a kingdom standing over another kingdom.
Even after seeing it yesterday, the scale still felt absurd.
Gigantic towers rose toward the heavens beneath floating magical platforms connected by enormous bridges crossing the mountainside itself.
Rivers of visible mana flowed through parts of the architecture like streams of light carved directly into the structures, illuminating sections of the academy in pale blue despite the daylight.
From afar, Aetherion Academy had looked prestigious.
Up close…
It looked dangerous.
Like a place specifically designed to create monsters.
Kael stared upward with wide eyes while adjusting the new daggers at his waist for what was probably the tenth time since this morning.
“Okay, no.
Yesterday was impressive.
This is terrifying.”
Lyra sighed softly beside him while tightening her grip around her new staff.
“You’ve said that three times already.”
“Because it somehow keeps getting worse.”
I quietly smiled while listening to them.
Honestly, I understood the reaction.
The entrance plaza alone was larger than entire towns I had seen on Earth.
Thousands of applicants filled the enormous white stone courtyard stretching toward the academy gates while instructors and armored knights maintained order around the perimeter.
Noble families gathered beneath private canopies surrounded by servants and guards while poorer candidates waited together farther back carrying worn equipment repaired countless times over.
The divide between social classes in Nythera wasn’t hidden.
It was displayed openly.
Some nobles openly laughed while observing commoner applicants nearby.
Others looked visibly irritated simply from standing too close to poorly dressed people.
Meanwhile, several ordinary candidates avoided making eye contact entirely, already acting as though they didn’t belong here.
Kael clicked his tongue quietly beside me.
“I already want to punch at least half the people in this place.”
“Please don’t start a war before the exam even begins,” Lyra muttered.
“No promises.”
As we continued walking deeper into the plaza, Authority of Knowledge activated instinctively inside my mind.
My eyes slowly scanned the instructors standing throughout the academy grounds while information surfaced naturally within my consciousness.
Elemental affinities.
Mana density.
Combat specialization.
Estimated threat levels.
Most were strong.
Very strong.
And then…
The analysis suddenly stopped.
My gaze shifted toward several individuals standing near the upper platform overlooking the plaza.
One was a massive bald man covered in scars carrying a sword larger than most humans.
Another appeared deceptively young despite the overwhelming mana pressure surrounding him constantly.
A silver-haired woman stood calmly near the center while frost spread subtly beneath her feet every few seconds before disappearing again.
Authority of Knowledge struggled to evaluate them properly.
Incomplete analysis detected.
Interesting.
Even in its current limited state, the Authority could still analyze most living beings instinctively.
The fact that certain professors remained partially unreadable meant only one thing.
Real monsters existed inside this academy.
Good.
That made this place far more interesting.
“You’re doing that thing again,” Kael suddenly said.
“What thing?”
“The mysterious staring into the distance thing.”
Lyra glanced toward me briefly before quietly nodding.
“You really do look like you’re planning something dangerous whenever you stop talking.”
I almost laughed at that.
If only they knew how absurd that statement actually was.
Before I could answer, movement near the center of the plaza immediately drew everyone’s attention.
Conversations throughout the courtyard slowly began fading into silence as several instructors stepped onto the massive elevated platform overlooking the gathered applicants.
And honestly…
Their presence alone changed the atmosphere.
The pressure filling the plaza became heavier without any of them visibly doing anything.
Thousands of applicants instinctively straightened their posture while even the arrogant nobles grew quieter beneath the eyes of the academy instructors.
Then my attention shifted toward the individual standing at the very center of the platform.
An older man dressed entirely in black.
No visible weapon.
No visible mana pressure.
Nothing.
Yet the moment my eyes landed on him, Authority of Knowledge reacted violently inside my mind.
Analysis impossible.
Warning: abnormal existence detected.
For the first time since arriving in Nythera, genuine curiosity surfaced inside me again.
The old man slowly scanned the crowd gathered beneath him before finally speaking.
His voice wasn’t loud.
Yet every single person inside the plaza heard him perfectly clearly.
“Welcome to Aetherion Academy.”
Instant silence spread across the courtyard.
“Some of you stand here because of ambition.
Others because of desperation.
Some seek glory.
Some seek power.
Some simply wish to survive in a world where the weak are crushed beneath the strong.”
His gaze moved calmly across the thousands of applicants.
“At Aetherion, your family name means nothing.
Your wealth means nothing.
Your status means nothing.”
Several nobles visibly stiffened hearing that.
Good.
“Only your ability matters here.”
The atmosphere shifted the moment he finished speaking.
Not intimidation exactly.
Expectation.
Behind the instructors, several enormous crystalline pillars slowly rose from the ground while mana circles illuminated the academy plaza beneath our feet in pale blue light.
“You will now begin the first phase of the entrance examination,” the old man announced calmly.
“Elemental manifestation and rank evaluation.”
A low murmur immediately spread throughout the plaza after the announcement.
The enormous crystalline pillars continued rising slowly from the ground until they towered above the applicants like translucent monuments carved entirely from mana itself.
Strange symbols flowed beneath their surfaces while academy instructors moved between them calmly, organizing candidates into multiple lines across the courtyard.
The atmosphere had changed completely now.
Earlier, the plaza had felt noisy and chaotic.
But after the appearance of the professors, tension naturally settled over the academy grounds.
Thousands of applicants stood watching the crystalline pillars with nervous anticipation while noble families observed from farther back beneath private canopies.
Everyone understood this moment could change their entire future.
One after another, candidates were called forward to demonstrate their elemental affinity and potential.
Place a hand against the crystal, release mana naturally, and allow the artifact to analyze both elemental compatibility and overall talent.
In reality…
The pressure was overwhelming.
A young noble stepped forward confidently before placing his hand against the crystal.
Flames erupted around his body moments later, crimson fire spiraling upward violently enough to heat the surrounding air.
“Fire affinity.
Rank B.”
Applause immediately followed from the noble section of the plaza while the candidate walked away wearing an arrogant smile.
Another applicant revealed wind affinity shortly afterward.
Then earth.
Water.
Lightning.
Most candidates fell between D and C Rank potential.
B Rank already caused visible reactions from the crowd.
Interesting.
That alone revealed how difficult true strength was to obtain in Nythera.
Then the first A Rank appeared.
The silver-haired noblewoman we had seen yesterday calmly approached one of the central crystals while whispers instantly spread throughout the plaza.
The moment her mana touched the pillar, freezing energy exploded outward across the platform.
Frost spread beneath her feet instantly.
Snow-like particles filled the air despite the clear morning sky while the crystal itself glowed with deep blue light powerful enough to illuminate the surrounding area.
“Ice affinity,” one instructor announced calmly while observing the crystal carefully.
“Rank A.”
The crowd erupted immediately afterward.
Even some professors looked mildly impressed.
Kael let out a low whistle beside me.
“Okay… so A Rank really is absurd.”
Honestly, he wasn’t wrong.
At eighteen years old, someone with A Rank potential already stood among the future elite of Nythera.
Kingdoms would fight to recruit talents like that.
The examinations continued afterward, though the atmosphere across the plaza had shifted noticeably.
Every new candidate now hoped to reproduce the same level of reaction.
Most failed.
Then eventually…
“Kael Arden.”
Kael visibly froze.
For the first time since arriving at the academy, he looked genuinely nervous.
His usual grin weakened slightly while he adjusted the daggers at his waist instinctively.
“You’ll be fine,” Lyra said softly.
Kael exhaled slowly before forcing his confidence back onto his face.
“Right.
Of course I will.
Future legend, remember?”
Then he walked toward the crystal.
And immediately drew attention for all the wrong reasons.
Several nobles quietly laughed the moment they noticed his clothes.
A poor commoner standing among elite candidates barely deserved a glance in their eyes.
Interesting mistake.
Kael placed one hand against the crystal.
For a brief second, nothing happened.
Then lightning exploded across the platform.
Golden electricity erupted violently around his body while arcs of mana spread outward hard enough to force several nearby candidates backward.
The crystal illuminated instantly beneath his hand as lightning crackled wildly through the air surrounding him.
Even the instructors reacted this time.
Not surprise.
Interest.
“Lightning affinity,” one professor announced while narrowing his eyes slightly.
“Rank A.”
Silence spread through the plaza.
Then the whispers started immediately afterward.
A commoner.
An A Rank.
Several nobles visibly looked irritated while others stared at Kael with newfound attention.
Kael himself looked completely stunned.
Then his face exploded into a grin so large it looked painful.
Lyra immediately covered her mouth with both hands while trying and failing not to cry from relief.
Honestly…
Watching them happy felt strangely satisfying.
Kael returned toward us several moments later still looking like his brain had stopped functioning properly.
“I’m A Rank,” he whispered.
“You’re yelling,” Lyra informed him quietly.
“I DON’T CARE.”
I laughed softly.
Then shortly afterward, Lyra’s name was called.
Unlike Kael, she didn’t try hiding her nervousness at all.
Her hands tightened around her staff while she walked toward the crystal beneath thousands of watching eyes.
And honestly…
The pressure on her was probably even worse.
A healing mage from a poor village already sounded unlikely.
A powerful one?
Almost impossible.
Lyra slowly placed her hand against the crystal.
Soft blue mana immediately spread outward around the platform.
Water affinity.
Calm.
Stable.
Elegant.
The crystal glowed brightly while streams of water slowly began orbiting around her body like flowing ribbons.
Several instructors nodded approvingly.
Then suddenly…
The color changed.
Golden light erupted from inside the crystal.
The entire plaza froze.
Warm luminous mana exploded outward around Lyra instinctively while particles of golden light began floating through the air surrounding her body.
The water itself started glowing beneath the influence of the new affinity, transforming into shimmering streams resembling liquid sunlight.
Lyra’s eyes widened in complete shock.
“…What?”
Even the professors reacted visibly this time.
The silver-haired instructor specializing in ice magic immediately stepped forward while several other teachers exchanged serious looks.
Authority of Knowledge activated instinctively inside my mind.
Light affinity detected.
Extremely rare elemental branch.
Probability among humans: exceptionally low.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Light and Darkness.
Two affinities feared and admired throughout Nythera because of how rarely they appeared.
And apparently…
Lyra herself hadn’t known she possessed it.
The crystal continued glowing brilliantly while the entire academy plaza remained completely silent.
“Dual affinity,” he announced slowly.
“Water and Light.”
Even the noble section of the plaza had stopped whispering entirely now.
“A Rank.”
The silence surrounding the plaza lasted several seconds after Lyra’s evaluation.
Even after the golden light faded from the crystal, many applicants continued staring at her with disbelief.
Some nobles looked irritated while others suddenly seemed far more interested in a quiet orphan girl they would have ignored only minutes earlier.
Several professors exchanged glances as well, clearly understanding the significance of a Light affinity appearing during the entrance examination.
Lyra herself still looked completely stunned while returning toward us slowly.
Her fingers remained tightly wrapped around her staff as though she still expected the entire thing to turn out to be a misunderstanding.
Kael grabbed both of her shoulders immediately.
“You have Light magic.”
“I noticed,” she answered weakly.
“No, you don’t understand.
You have legendary Light magic.”
“Kael, please stop shouting.”
“I physically can’t.”
Despite her embarrassment, I could still see happiness hidden beneath her expression.
Not arrogance.
Not pride.
Relief.
For the first time since arriving at the academy, Lyra looked like she genuinely believed she belonged here.
Interesting.
Humans really did change the moment someone acknowledged their worth.
The examinations continued afterward, though the atmosphere throughout the plaza had shifted completely now.
Kael and Lyra had already attracted far more attention than commoners were supposed to receive inside a place like Aetherion Academy, and because of that, people naturally began paying attention to me as well.
Whispers spread quietly through the crowd.
The Lightning user.
The Light mage.
And the black-haired guy standing beside them.
Honestly, I found the situation strangely amusing.
Then eventually, my name echoed across the academy courtyard.
“Noctis Vale.”
Kael immediately grinned beside me.
“Alright,” he whispered excitedly.
“Your turn to reveal whatever terrifying nonsense you’ve been hiding.”
Lyra nodded quietly.
“You’ve been suspicious since the day we met.”
“Only since then?” I asked calmly.
“Yes.”
I laughed softly before stepping forward through the crowd.
Countless eyes followed me immediately.
Some curious.
Some dismissive.
Some openly hostile.
The noble from yesterday stood farther back near the center of the plaza, his expression darkening slightly the moment our eyes met briefly.
Interesting.
Apparently he still remembered our conversation.
I eventually reached the crystal platform before stopping directly in front of the enormous pillar.
Up close, the mana flowing beneath its surface looked almost alive, shifting constantly through glowing symbols and ancient magical circuits.
Authority of Knowledge activated instinctively inside my mind, analyzing the structure automatically.
Ancient mana detection artifact.
Designed to evaluate elemental affinity, mana density, combat potential, and growth compatibility.
Reliable.
Interesting.
Slowly, I placed one hand against the crystal.
For a brief moment, nothing happened.
Then darkness exploded across the plaza.
The reaction was immediate.
Black mana erupted violently from the crystal while shadows spread unnaturally beneath the platform itself.
The surrounding temperature dropped sharply as thin black flames flickered across the surface of the pillar like living shadows consuming light itself.
The entire academy courtyard froze.
No whispers.
No movement.
Just silence.
Even the instructors visibly reacted this time.
Authority of Knowledge instantly analyzed the surrounding crowd.
Elevated heart rates.
Mana fluctuations.
Defensive instincts.
Fear.
Interesting.
So even in Nythera, darkness carried real weight.
The crystal continued trembling beneath my hand while black flames slowly spiraled upward around my body.
Unlike most elemental manifestations shown earlier, my mana didn’t feel explosive or chaotic.
It felt cold.
Controlled.
Hungry.
The old man dressed entirely in black standing at the center of the instructor platform narrowed his eyes slightly for the first time since the examination began.
Good.
That meant he was genuinely interested now.
“Darkness affinity,” one professor finally announced.
His voice sounded noticeably more serious than before.
The plaza erupted into whispers immediately afterward.
“Darkness?”
“That’s impossible…”
“I thought it only appeared every few centuries.”
Several applicants instinctively stepped backward from the platform while others stared at me with open fascination.
Even many nobles looked visibly uncomfortable now.
Kael, meanwhile, looked moments away from exploding from excitement.
Lyra simply stared at the black flames silently.
Then the crystal’s light intensified again.
The instructors immediately turned toward it.
So did I.
Mana surged violently through the pillar while glowing symbols illuminated simultaneously beneath the crystal’s surface.
Then suddenly, faint cracks appeared across parts of the structure itself.
A low murmur spread throughout the plaza.
The crystal trembled violently for several seconds before finally stabilizing beneath the pressure of my mana.
Interesting.
Perhaps I had pushed slightly harder than intended.
One of the professors stepped closer toward the artifact while carefully observing the final result appearing inside the crystal.
For the first time since the examination began, even the instructors looked genuinely shocked.
Then the announcement finally came.
“Darkness affinity,” the professor repeated slowly.
“Rank S.”
Silence swallowed the academy plaza completely.
Thousands of eyes remained fixed on me while the weight of those words settled across the courtyard.
S Rank.
At eighteen years old.
Even among the elite of Nythera…
That level placed someone among monsters.