Chapter 236 - I apply for a duel with you
"Personal reasons. I've never been formally tested."
Roy shrugged in response.
It wasn't a lie; his mana hadn't been fully transformed yet, and he had only been in this world for a few days. There hadn't been an opportunity to visit a testing facility.
"Never been tested?"
Hearing Roy's answer, Kurono Shinguuji showed a slightly surprised expression.
She had assumed the lack of data in the recommendation letter was an oversight, not that he had never undergone the procedure at all.
In this era, Blazers were public knowledge and the most critical military assets in the world.
Consequently, most parents took their children to special agencies during infancy to test for mana capacity.
This determined early on whether a child would be trained as a Blazer or raised as an ordinary citizen.
Cases like Roy's were incredibly rare.
"However... is it true that you defeated the Sword Eater from Donrou Academy?"
Kurono looked at Roy questioningly, her sharp eyes trying to discern the truth from his expression.
This was the only line in Kaito Ayatsuji's recommendation letter that had truly caught her attention.
"Madam Chairwoman, I saw it with my own eyes. Roy defeated Kuraudo Kurashiki at my family's dojo," Ayase quickly interjected.
When Roy defeated Kuraudo, Ayase had assumed he was at least a C-Rank student knight.
Learning later that he had never been ranked was a shock to her as well. However, having witnessed his strength firsthand, she had full confidence that he wouldn't be rejected.
Kurono's gaze lingered on Roy's face. Only when Roy gave a calm nod of confirmation did a faint smile appear on her lips.
Kuraudo Kurashiki was a Top 8 finalist in last year's Seven Star Sword Art Festival. He was considered a favorite for this year's tournament.
If Roy had truly defeated him, it meant Roy possessed at least Top 8 potential..possibly even championship potential.
Kurono had only taken the position of Chairwoman this year, intending to reform Hagun Academy from the ground up.
But reform challenges the old system, and to succeed, she needed results. The most undeniable result would be Hagun Academy students dominating the Seven Star Sword Art Festival.
A strong person like Roy was exactly what she needed.
Kurono leaned back in her chair, observing Roy with a scrutinizing smile. "Although your strength likely meets my standards, Hagun Academy has rules. There is a threshold for admission. You are aware of this, correct?"
"I am," Roy nodded. He had researched the academy online.
Hagun Academy was a boarding school that provided free tuition, food, housing, and even a stipend for its students—benefits not offered by the other six academies. In exchange, the admission standards were strict.
"The admission standard for Hagun Academy is Rank E or above," Kurono explained, sitting up straight.
Blazers are categorized by the League of Mage-Knight Nations based on parameters like offensive power, defensive power, mana capacity, and control.
The ranks are generally divided into six tiers: A, B, C, D, E, and F.
Rank C: Considered elite.
Rank B: Genius knights.
Rank A: National treasures, capable of altering the strategic balance of a country.
Ayase was a Rank D student knight, while Kuraudo, despite his strength, was only Rank C due to his mana capacity.
"So, I need to be tested for admission?" Roy asked indifferently.
"Correct," Kurono nodded.
"You are currently an Unranked individual with zero records. Even in the past, documentation was necessary. In today's society, we need to file your data properly."
Without Kaito's recommendation, the procedure for enrolling an undocumented Blazer would have been astronomically difficult.
"For someone who defeated the Sword Eater, the entrance test shouldn't be a problem, right?" Kurono smiled.
"No problem. How do we do it?" Roy asked.
"Normally, we would use the school's specialized equipment to measure your specific values," Kurono said, slightly embarrassed.
"However, the holidays aren't over yet, and the faculty members in charge of testing haven't returned to campus. And frankly... I don't know how to operate those machines."
She sighed. While her strength and vision allowed her to make accurate rough judgments, she wasn't a technician.
"So, I will test you personally. Show me your strength in whatever way you excel at, and I will assign you a provisional rank. It's that simple."
Kurono was eager to secure Roy as a student. She planned to assign him a rough value to get him into the system immediately.
If a talent like Roy slipped away to a rival academy because of bureaucratic delays, it would be a huge loss. They could measure his exact stats after the semester started.
"I'm free to choose any method?" Roy asked.
"That's right."
"Chairwoman, I heard that you used to be ranked third in the world?" Roy asked with sudden interest.
Kurono nodded silently.
The King of Knights is the top competition held by the League of Mage-Knight Nations.
The League features the strongest Blazers on the planet. Four years ago, Kurono Shinguuji was ranked third in the world. She had only retired from the public eye to get married and raise a child.
Now, she had returned as an educator.
"Then I have a request," Roy said, looking the beautiful administrator in the eye.
"I apply for a duel with you, as my admission test."
His words shocked both Ayase and Kurono into silence.
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