The combat examination ended far sooner than anyone expected.
Or more accurately—
It ended the moment two aura swords appeared.
The instant the silver blades began orbiting around Aedon Flinth like silent moons circling a sovereign star, the outcome had already been decided.
No further evaluation was necessary.
No additional combat was required.
The assistant instructor himself knew it.
The observing instructors knew it.
Even the applicants watching from nearby arenas understood.
Some techniques demonstrated strength.
Some techniques demonstrated talent.
Some techniques demonstrated mastery.
The Sovereign's Orbit Sword Arts demonstrated all three simultaneously.
And that made it terrifying.
The arena remained silent.
The two orbiting aura swords floated calmly around Kel.
One revolved near his left shoulder.
The second circled behind his back.
Neither moved aggressively.
Neither displayed killing intent.
Yet everyone felt pressure.
A strange pressure.
The pressure created when witnessing something beyond ordinary understanding.
The assistant instructor slowly lowered his sword.
His expression had become complicated.
The battle no longer felt like an examination.
It felt like a demonstration.
The instructor exhaled slowly.
Then smiled bitterly.
"I think that is enough."
The protective barriers immediately deactivated.
The examination officially ended.
A murmur spread through the crowd.
Applicants exchanged looks.
Several appeared stunned.
Others looked inspired.
Some looked completely defeated.
One swordsman stared at the orbiting blades as though witnessing divine revelation.
Another quietly questioned every life decision that had brought him to this moment.
Meanwhile—
Kel dispersed the aura swords.
The silver blades dissolved into particles of light.
The pressure vanished.
Yet the image remained burned into countless minds.
Inside his mind—
Seiren spoke.
"That could have gone better."
"It could."
"It could have gone worse."
Kel thought about that.
Then nodded slightly.
"True."
The Guardian laughed.
"At least you didn't summon six."
Kel stared silently into the distance.
Because that possibility had never crossed his mind.
Until now.
Above the arena.
Senior Instructor Varian watched quietly.
The spoon remained in his hand.
For once.
He wasn't smiling.
The old instructor's sharp eyes followed Kel as he left the ring.
Then he looked toward the evaluation sheets.
Then toward the assistant instructors.
One of them approached.
"What score?"
Varian didn't answer immediately.
Instead—
He asked a question.
"How many applicants in this generation condensed even one stable orbit blade?"
The assistant instructor thought.
Then answered.
"Three."
Varian nodded.
Reasonable.
Then asked:
"How many condensed two?"
Silence.
The assistant instructor froze.
Then slowly replied.
"...one."
The old instructor looked toward Kel's retreating figure.
The spoon tapped gently against his shoulder.
"Exactly."
The evaluation sheet received a special mark.
Not perfect.
Not extraordinary.
Something much more troublesome.
Observe Further.
The examinations continued.
The academy could not stop because of one applicant.
Thousands still awaited assessment.
Hundreds of instructors continued working.
The sun gradually descended across the western sky.
Golden light painted the academy grounds.
Long shadows stretched across pathways.
One by one.
Applicants completed their final examinations.
Some emerged smiling.
Others looked devastated.
A few appeared ready to cry.
Reality had a way of humbling dreams.
Meanwhile—
Kel spent the remaining hours quietly wandering the academy grounds.
Several students recognized him.
Mostly because rumors spread faster than magical communication.
Especially academy rumors.
The story had already begun.
The Explorer of Nameless.
The Spear Throw.
The Orbit Swords.
The assistant instructor fight.
Everything.
By sunset.
Half the examination district knew.
Inside his mind—
Seiren sounded amused.
"You became famous in a single day."
Kel sighed.
"That was not the plan."
"It never is."
Unfortunately.
She was correct.
Again.
Elsewhere.
A special examination hall had become unusually lively.
The reason?
Seraphina.
The silver-haired mermaid had somehow become another source of chaos.
Several instructors sat around a crystal recording table.
Each reviewing reports.
One report.
Then another.
Then another.
The room became increasingly quiet.
An elderly instructor adjusted his glasses.
Then looked toward the silver-haired mermaid sitting patiently nearby.
"You copied all of those?"
Seraphina nodded.
"Yes."
The instructor looked at the reports again.
Sword techniques.
Mana control methods.
Breathing patterns.
Combat stances.
Magic structures.
The list continued.
The room became silent.
One instructor whispered.
"...monster."
Another nodded.
"Definitely."
Seraphina looked confused.
Again.
As night approached.
The examination grounds gradually emptied.
Students gathered around dormitory plazas.
Gardens.
Cafeterias.
Public squares.
Everyone waited.
Because the most important moment remained.
The results.
The academy had promised to release the first admission list before midnight.
And so—
Thousands gathered.
Nervousness filled the air.
Some students paced.
Others prayed.
Several sat quietly.
The atmosphere felt heavier than any examination.
Because now—
The results existed.
Hidden somewhere within the academy.
Already decided.
Already recorded.
Already finalized.
Only waiting to be revealed.
At the center of the Admission District stood a massive stone board.
Ancient.
Enormous.
At least twenty meters tall.
Runes covered its surface.
Magical formations glowed faintly beneath the stone.
This was the Common Board.
The place where admission results appeared every year.
The place where dreams succeeded.
And failed.
Thousands gathered before it.
The crowd continued growing.
Applicants.
Parents.
Observers.
Senior students.
Everyone waited.
Meanwhile—
Kel stood near the back.
Arms folded.
Expression calm.
Nearby.
Seraphina stood surrounded by several girls from the ship.
All of them looked nervous.
Even Seraphina.
The atmosphere gradually became tense.
Then—
The bells rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The entire district fell silent.
The Common Board illuminated.
Ancient runes awakened.
Golden light spread across the stone surface.
Thousands of names began appearing.
Slowly.
Line by line.
The crowd exploded.
People pushed forward.
Applicants searched desperately.
Families looked anxiously.
Voices echoed everywhere.
"I found mine!"
"No!"
"Where is it?"
"Move!"
"My name!"
"Look again!"
Chaos erupted.
Pure chaos.
Meanwhile—
Kel calmly waited.
Inside his mind—
Seiren laughed.
"Everyone is panicking."
"Yes."
"You are not checking?"
"I will."
The Guardian sounded suspicious.
"Eventually?"
"Eventually."
Nearby.
The girls around Seraphina had already begun searching.
One screamed.
Another jumped.
A third nearly cried.
Then—
The dark-haired girl found her own name.
The blonde found hers.
Several others too.
Excitement spread.
Then someone suddenly froze.
Completely froze.
Her eyes widened.
Then widened further.
She pointed toward the board.
"T-There!"
Everyone looked.
The crowd followed her finger.
Several names had appeared near the top section.
Not ranked.
Yet specially highlighted.
Special admissions.
Exceptional observations.
Applicants requiring further academy evaluation.
Among them—
Aedon Flinth
And directly beneath it—
Seraphina
Silence spread through the immediate area.
Then whispers began.
Then more whispers.
Then many whispers.
The names rapidly attracted attention.
Because anyone listed within the highlighted section was unusual.
Very unusual.
Meanwhile—
Kel looked at the board.
Then nodded once.
Satisfied.
Simple.
Calm.
As though this was expected.
Nearby.
Seraphina stared at her own name.
The silver-haired mermaid blinked.
Then blinked again.
A small smile appeared.
Not because she ranked highly.
Not because she attracted attention.
But because for the first time.
She had achieved something through her own choice.
Her own decision.
Her own effort.
Inside his mind—
Seiren spoke softly.
"Looks like both of you passed the first gate."
Kel looked toward the glowing academy beyond the plaza.
The towers.
The lights.
The ancient pathways.
Then toward the names written upon the board.
Aedon Flinth.
Seraphina.
Two names among thousands.
Yet somehow—
He had a feeling.
This was only the beginning.
The true challenges of Aetherial Institute had not yet started.
And somewhere within the academy's ancient halls.
Several instructors were already discussing those two names.
Very carefully.