After all the candidates had completed the registration process…
a senior officer stepped forward once again.
In his hand…
he held a black command staff.
He slammed it against the ground hard.
THUD!
The impact immediately silenced the entire area.
His gaze swept across the thousands of candidates filling the academy grounds.
“EVERYONE, LISTEN UP!”
His voice echoed across the courtyard.
“ALL MALE CANDIDATES…”
“HEAD TO THE NORTHERN AREA!”
“ALL FEMALE CANDIDATES…”
“HEAD TO THE SOUTHERN AREA!”
“YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE YOUR DESIGNATED PATH!”
“FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTORS’ ORDERS!”
“ANYONE WHO DISOBEYS…”
“…WILL BE IMMEDIATELY DISQUALIFIED!”
“UNDERSTOOD?!”
“YES, SIR!!”
Thousands of voices answered almost simultaneously.
The crowd began moving again.
Slowly…
the long line split into two.
Men to the north.
Women to the south.
There would be no more chance for them to walk together.
Amid the crowd…
Aether glanced back.
In the distance…
Lyra was also walking with the group of female candidates.
Their eyes met for a brief moment.
Neither said a word.
Only a small nod.
Then…
they both turned their attention forward again.
From this point on…
they would have to face every stage of the selection on their own.
…
The line of male candidates continued forward.
They passed along a wide stone road.
Grand academy buildings stood on both sides.
Tall white stone structures towered above them.
Glass windows reflected the morning sunlight.
Statues of Imperial Generals stood proudly along the road.
Galaxium flags fluttered gently in the wind.
The farther they walked…
the more it became clear that this place was more than just an academy.
It was…
the heart of the Empire’s finest Vestigers.
Some candidates began whispering among themselves.
“It’s huge…”
“Even more magnificent than I imagined.”
“Is that the training building?”
“No.”
“I heard that’s the library.”
“The library?”
“It’s that big?”
Aether simply listened.
His gaze continued wandering from one place to another.
Everything he saw…
felt new.
He didn’t know…
whether he had ever seen a place like this before.
And yet…
there was a strange feeling he couldn’t explain.
As though…
his arrival here…
wasn’t a coincidence.
Not long afterward…
the line came to a stop.
Standing before them…
was a massive iron gate.
It was almost as tall as the academy walls.
The emblem of the Galaxium Empire was engraved across its surface.
Two dragons flanked a crown.
Slowly…
the gate began to open.
GRRRRRRRR…
The grinding sound of metal echoed throughout the area.
Beyond the gate…
lay an enormous field.
It was so vast…
the far end was almost impossible to see.
Tiered stone stands surrounded the field.
Dozens of academy banners fluttered in the center.
Thousands of candidates fell silent almost automatically.
The atmosphere of this place…
was different.
Heavy.
As though every inch of the ground…
had once witnessed the birth of legends.
Standing in front of the gate…
was a woman with long black hair.
Her military uniform was far more elegant than those worn by the other instructors.
A short white cloak covered her left shoulder.
The golden emblem of the Galaxium Imperial Military Academy was pinned to her chest.
Her expression was calm.
Yet…
it was enough to make thousands of candidates hold their breath.
She took one step forward.
Then smiled faintly.
“Welcome…”
“…to the first stage of the Galaxium Imperial Military Academy selection.”
Silence immediately settled across the field.
The woman continued.
“My name…”
“Serena Valen.”
“Lead instructor for the first stage.”
Her gaze swept across the candidates.
One by one.
Not a single person escaped her attention.
“From this moment onward…”
“you are no longer nobles.”
“Nor commoners.”
“Nor the children of regional officials.”
“And you are no longer students representing anyone.”
She paused.
“You…”
“…are merely candidates.”
“And here at this academy…”
“everyone will be judged by the same standards.”
Several candidates swallowed nervously.
The woman’s presence was…
overwhelming.
Serena raised her right hand.
Behind her…
more than a dozen instructors emerged.
They stood in a single line.
Each one radiated the aura of an experienced Vestiger.
“You are about to learn…”
“…why only a small fraction of candidates ever become cadets of the Galaxium Imperial Military Academy.”
Her smile remained the same.
Faint.
Yet somehow…
it made the backs of many candidates prickle with unease.
“Then…”
“Welcome.”
“…and I hope you’re lucky enough.”
Silence returned.
No one spoke.
Every eye was now fixed…
on the massive gate that had been fully opened.
Beyond it…
the first stage of the selection…
was about to begin.
The massive iron gate stood fully open.
Thousands of candidates began entering.
Beyond the gate…
five different arenas were arranged side by side.
Each was separated by a tall stone wall.
Several instructors stood in front of every arena, already prepared.
Aether looked around.
“It’s huge…”
Someone beside him also clicked their tongue in amazement.
“I heard each arena is used for a different type of evaluation.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah.”
“And the academy never uses exactly the same selection method every year.”
Serena stepped forward again.
“You may be wondering…”
“…what exactly we will be evaluating today.”
She raised one hand.
“The answer is simple.”
“We will examine…”
“…the basic abilities each of you possesses.”
“Not just your strength.”
“But also…”
“…how you use that strength.”
Her gaze shifted toward the arenas behind her.
“Today, you will undergo three stages of Initial Evaluation.”
“Mana Resonance.”
“Combat Assessment.”
“And Decision Assessment.”
Several candidates began whispering.
Serena continued.
“This evaluation…”
“…is not designed to determine who is the strongest.”
“Instead…”
“…it is meant to determine the training methods most suitable for each candidate.”
“Once all evaluations are complete…”
“…the Academy will assign each of you to your respective Division.”
Serena looked over the entire crowd.
Then raised her right hand.
Behind her…
a massive crystal slowly emerged from the ground.
RUMMM…
It stood nearly three meters tall.
Its surface was crystal clear.
Yet deep within it…
blue light pulsed steadily.
Dozens of magic circles gradually appeared around it.
Several candidates immediately held their breath.
“The Resonance Crystal…”
someone whispered.
Serena began explaining.
“The first stage…”
“…is the Initial Evaluation.”
“This is not a pass-or-fail examination.”
“There is no passing score.”
“There is no failing score.”
Several candidates exchanged glances.
Serena continued.
“The Academy simply needs to understand each candidate’s basic abilities.”
“Mana quantity.”
“Mana quality.”
“Synchronization with their Vestige.”
“Combat style.”
“And…”
“…how they make decisions under certain circumstances.”
“This data will serve as the foundation for your Division placement and training methods throughout your time at the Academy.”
She paused.
“Because…”
“A marksman cannot be trained like a mage.”
“A mage cannot undergo the same training as a knight.”
“And likewise…”
“…a Unique Authority wielder cannot simply follow an ordinary curriculum.”
Several candidates began whispering again.
Serena raised one finger.
Five large symbols slowly appeared in the air.
Each one glowed with a different color.
“Graduates of the Galaxium Imperial Military Academy…”
“…are divided into five main Divisions.”
The first symbol glowed red.
“Vanguard Division.”
“The division for frontline combatants.”
“Knight.”
“Fighter.”
“Guardian.”
“Tank.”
“Heavy Weapon.”
The second symbol turned green.
“Ranger Division.”
“Marksman.”
“Scout.”
“Assassin.”
“Recon.”
The third symbol glowed blue.
“Arcane Division.”
“Mage.”
“Rune User.”
“Elementalist.”
“And magical researchers.”
The fourth symbol radiated a golden light.
“Support Division.”
“Healer.”
“Barrier Specialist.”
“Alchemist.”
“Commander.”
“And various other support-oriented Authorities.”
Finally…
the fifth symbol slowly began to emit a silvery-white light.
It was far simpler than the other four.
“Special Division.”
The atmosphere across the field immediately grew quieter.
“This Division…”
“…is reserved for all Unique-Class Authority wielders.”
Quite a few candidates began whispering among themselves.
Serena continued.
“Authority of Wind.”
“Authority of Star.”
“Authority of Gravity.”
“Authority of Time.”
“Authority of Space.”
“Authority of Ocean.”
“And every other Unique Authority…”
“…will be assigned to this Division.”
Aether listened carefully.
Serena continued.
“However…”
“…Unique-Class candidates do not follow a standard curriculum.”
“Every Authority develops differently.”
“Therefore…”
“…all Unique-Class candidates are required to undergo a Special Evaluation.”
A candidate raised his hand.
“Instructor!”
Serena looked toward him.
“What is a Special Evaluation?”
Her answer was simple.
“We must first understand your Authority.”
“How it works.”
“What its limitations are.”
“What training methods are most suitable for it.”
“And…”
“…if the Authority has never been recorded before.”
Her expression became slightly more serious.
“…then the evaluation results will determine whether that Authority is recognized and entered into the Empire’s Official Vestige Archive.”
Silence descended once again.
Several candidates who had looked confident before…
now appeared nervous.
So even a Unique Class…
wasn’t automatically recognized.
Serena nodded slowly.
“Registration is merely the recording of your identity.”
“Initial Evaluation…”
“…is the stage where you prove what you can actually do.”
She raised her hand toward the massive crystal.
“First evaluation.”
“Mana Resonance.”
The crystal immediately began emitting a much brighter light.
UUUUMMM…
The magic circles beneath it began rotating.
“Step forward one at a time!”
“Place your hand against the crystal!”
“Do not attempt to manipulate the flow of your mana!”
“The crystal will measure your body’s natural condition!”
She glanced toward the instructors behind her.
“Every result will be recorded immediately.”
“Then the next candidate will proceed.”
Serena took a step back.
“Candidate number…”
“…0001.”
“Step forward!”
A large-built young man slowly stepped out of the line.
The attention of thousands of candidates…
immediately turned toward him.
The first stage of the evaluation…
had officially begun.
He took a deep breath.
Then…
placed his palm against its surface.
UUUUMMMM…
Blue light immediately flowed throughout the crystal.
Several magic circles began spinning.
A moment later…
a glowing panel appeared above the crystal.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Name: Gareth Volkan
Vestige Class: Fighter
Authority: Iron Fist
Mana Capacity: B
Mana Quality: B+
Vestige Resonance: A
Mastery: Adept — Mid Stage
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
An instructor immediately recorded the results.
“Next.”
Gareth nodded.
Then left the evaluation area.
The next candidate quickly stepped forward.
A girl wearing a blue robe.
Her hand touched the crystal.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Name: Elena Frost
Vestige Class: Mage
Authority: Frost Spear
Mana Capacity: A
Mana Quality: A
Vestige Resonance: A
Mastery: Expert — Early Stage
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Several candidates began whispering.
“Expert?”
“She’s only a prospective cadet and she’s already at Expert…”
“Impressive.”
Serena made no comment.
To her…
a result like that wasn’t particularly rare.
Candidate after candidate stepped forward.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Vestige Class: Tank
Authority: Stone Wall
Mastery: Adept — Peak Stage
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Vestige Class: Assassin
Authority: Silent Fang
Mastery: Expert — Mid Stage
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Vestige Class: Healer
Authority: Vital Bloom
Mastery: Adept — Early Stage
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
More results continued to appear.
The majority of candidates were between Mastery Levels Two and Four.
Adept.
Expert.
Occasionally…
someone had already reached Master.
Whenever that happened…
the atmosphere immediately grew louder.
“Master…”
“He must be from a major family.”
“No wonder he got a recommendation.”
One instructor closed his notebook.
“Still within expectations.”
Serena nodded slightly.
“Nothing particularly outstanding yet.”
Not long afterward…
the next candidate number was called.
“0418.”
A red-haired girl slowly stepped forward.
She was the same candidate who had been playing with a small flame in her palm earlier.
She placed her hand against the crystal.
In an instant…
red light filled its interior.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Vestige Class: Unique
Authority: Crimson Ember
Status: Unregistered
Mana Capacity: A
Mana Quality: A
Vestige Resonance: A
Mastery: Expert — Peak Stage
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Several candidates immediately reacted.
“Unique Class!”
“A new Authority?”
The instructor simply recorded the result.
One of the evaluators placed a small mark on her form.
Special Evaluation Required
The girl didn’t look surprised.
As though she had expected the result.
She received an additional black badge.
Then walked toward a designated path on the right side of the field.
Aether watched from a distance.
“…So that’s how it works.”
Apparently…
Unique-Class candidates were separated from the others from the very beginning.
Not long afterward…
another candidate stepped forward.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Vestige Class: Unique
Authority: Magnetism
Status: Unregistered
Mana Capacity: B+
Mana Quality: A
Vestige Resonance: A
Mastery: Master — Early Stage
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Another candidate followed.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Vestige Class: Unique
Authority: Crystal
Status: Unregistered
Mana Capacity: A
Mana Quality: B+
Vestige Resonance: A
Mastery: Expert — Mid Stage
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
As time passed…
a pattern began to emerge.
New Authorities…
weren’t actually as extraordinary as Aether had expected.
However…
their numbers were still extremely low.
Out of the hundreds of candidates who had already been evaluated…
only a handful had received the Special Evaluation designation.
A candidate standing behind Aether whispered,
“I heard…”
“…a few never-before-recorded Authorities appear every year.”
His friend nodded.
“But not all of them are officially recognized.”
“If the evaluation results aren’t good enough…”
“…the Authority won’t be added to the Empire’s archives.”
Aether listened to the conversation without saying anything.
The line continued moving slowly.
Candidate numbers kept increasing.
“0709.”
“0710.”
“0711.”
“0712.”
Not long afterward…
the examiner’s voice rang out again.
“Candidate number…”
“…0713.”
Aether raised his head.
“That’s me.”
He stepped out of the line.
Slowly…
he walked toward the Resonance Crystal standing proudly in the center of the field.
Thousands of eyes…
once again turned toward the front.
Aether’s turn…
had finally arrived.
HMM SUPRISING YEAH!?