Translator: AnubisTL
"All apprentices who have completed and passed the Talent Assessment, proceed immediately to the central plaza! Major specialization selection is about to begin!"
The cold, mechanical announcement echoed repeatedly through the hall, urging the crowd to move.
Jieming had just emerged from the testing area, barely having time to gather his thoughts, when he was swept along by the surging crowd toward the exit on the opposite side of the hall.
He could feel the anxiety and confusion radiating from the apprentices around him.
The emotions stirred by the assessment results hadn't fully settled before they were being herded like ducks onto the next life-altering decision.
The hall's exit opened directly onto the academy's massive central plaza. As Jieming was pushed through the doorway with the crowd, the sight before him drew an involuntary gasp of awe.
The plaza was unimaginably vast, resembling a miniature city.
The ground, paved with a dark, shimmering material, stretched to the horizon, reflecting the light from above.
But what truly captivated everyone's attention were the colossal, adrenaline-pumping magical projections hovering above the plaza.
Wizards clashed on the otherdimensional battlefield, where flesh and blood flew through the air. Powerful spells fell like meteors, each strike accompanied by earth-shattering sound effects and dazzling visual displays.
Ferocious otherworldly creatures, crumbling ancient ruins, and colossal magical constructs traversing the starry skies—all were presented with visceral, eye-searing intensity.
Across the bottom of the screen, massive runic characters flashed with blinding brilliance:
Glory Awaits!
Unlimited Wealth!
The Path to Rapid Advancement!
Join the Combat Department and Achieve Legendary Status!
Moments later, a colossal phantom of a wizard materialized from the swirling light and shadows. His expression was stern and icy, his voice echoing across the plaza like a cosmic resonance from the distant stars, utterly devoid of emotion:
"Welcome to Noren Academy. The academy will provide you with the most advanced transcendent knowledge, helping you ignite your spiritual fire and forge the Ring of Truth."
"But power comes at a price! According to the principle of equivalent exchange, every apprentice must sign a contract with the academy. Upon reaching a certain level of strength or completing a specified period of study, you will be sent to other planes connected via the Star Rail Network to expand the federation's and the academy's territories!"
The wizard's spectral gaze swept coldly over the densely packed crowd below, his voice utterly devoid of emotion:
"Now, you must choose between two primary specializations: the Combat Department, representing power and conquest, and the Logistics Department, representing creation and support."
"You have one day to make your decision. Seize this unique opportunity wisely, for once chosen, your path cannot be altered!"
With those words, the wizard's spectral form vanished.
A massive magical screen immediately rose at the center of the plaza, dividing the area into distinct sections like a barrier.
Above the screen, prominent labels declared: "Combat Department" and "Logistics Department."
Below, smaller screens displayed specific sub-branches. For the Combat Department, these included disciplines like the Soul Branch, Shaping System, and Summoning Branch.
On the other side were the Logistics Department's sub-branches: alchemy, potionology, enchanting, constructology, and more.
In the areas closest to the apprentices stood academy mentors and senior students, making their final pitches with fervent enthusiasm.
"Choose the Combat Department! The shortest contract terms! The most generous resource allocation! The front lines are the finest whetstone, and the fastest springboard to becoming a high-tier wizard!" A middle-aged wizard with a face flushed with excitement shouted in the Combat Department area, his voice carrying an infectious fervor.
"The academy will provide you with the most elite spell models and the most powerful magic equipment! You'll also have the chance to inherit legacies from ancient ruins and seize wealth and glory across countless planes!"
The scene left Jieming feeling dazed. "What the hell is this recruitment fair? Where the fuck have I ended up? Am I back in China again?"
Beyond these eerily familiar sights, at the forefront of the Combat Department area, a group of imposing wizards stood on a temporary stage constructed with magic.
They wore uniform robes, each bearing the insignia of at least a first-tier official wizard. However, first-tier wizards were rare; the vast majority were second-tier wizards, and there were even several third-tier wizards present!
According to the academy's promotional materials, these wizards were alumni who had served in the previous military draft, "returning from the front lines to temporarily withdraw and guide new students."
They stood tall and proud, or conversed casually, their eyes gleaming with the sharpness and confidence forged on the battlefield, radiating an aura of formidable power.
"Look! That's Mentor Mars, a third-tier wizard! He just returned from a mission to the Crimson Flame Plane. They say he slew several powerful Fire Elemental Lords!" A nearby apprentice whispered, his eyes filled with awe and admiration.
"And that young one over there? He's a newly promoted second-tier official wizard! I heard he completed his contract mission in just five years of combat and has been honing his skills on the battlefield ever since."
"Tch, aren't we all just apprentices here for today's assessment? How do you guys know so much?!" Jieming couldn't help but grumble inwardly.
Of course, he knew that genuine country bumpkins like himself were rare. Many qualified apprentices were nobles by birth, and in this world, nobles seemed to be wizards by default.
Having been exposed to the Wizard World through osmosis, it was only natural that these apprentices would know some things about it.
Jieming approached a promotional area for the Puppet Faction within the Combat Department. The luminous screen clearly displayed the faction's contract terms:
Apprentices joining the Puppet Faction receive ten years of study. Upon reaching either the ten-year mark or achieving the strength of a first-tier official wizard, they will be deployed to the battlefield.
During this period, all foundational and advanced knowledge related to the Puppet Faction will be provided free of charge. Additionally, each apprentice will receive monthly resource stipends equivalent to 100 merit points.
Contractees must serve a minimum of seven years on the battlefield or earn second-tier merit to complete their military service...
Jieming scanned through the promotional areas for the Combat Department, finding the terms largely similar across factions.
The study duration and strength requirements remained consistent, and all faction-related knowledge was provided free of charge.
The main differences lay in the monthly resource stipends and the length of military service.
Most factions offered monthly resource stipends ranging from 100 to 150 merit points, while military service durations varied from 5 to 15 years.
After spending a considerable amount of time reviewing the information from start to finish, Jieming turned his attention to the other side of the hall.
In stark contrast to the bustling energy of the Combat Department, the Logistics Department area was relatively deserted.
The instructors here showed little interest in promotion, impatiently pointing to the holographic screens even when asked questions.
After quickly reviewing the contract terms they offered, Jieming understood why the Logistics Department was so unpopular.
The maximum study duration remained unchanged, but virtually everything else had been altered.
All Logistics Departments provided only the most basic knowledge. Advanced knowledge required merit points, and the monthly basic resource allowance was a paltry 10 merit points.
And... a shockingly long military service term: thirty years!
The contract terms from all Logistics Departments were virtually identical, differing only in name.
"What a joke! A thirty-year contract?" one apprentice muttered. "That's way too long! The Combat Department's shortest term is only five years!"
This stark contrast in benefits, combined with the visible "success stories" on display, ignited a hunger for power and glory in many apprentices. They began to surge toward the Combat Department area.
The Combat Department instructors were particularly eager to recruit apprentices with high-tier talents.
Jieming's sixth-tier talent had already made him a target of interest for several Combat Department instructors, whose gazes occasionally drifted toward him.
Yet amidst this fervent frenzy, Jieming felt utterly out of place.
Having lived through the information explosion of his previous life, he remained unmoved by the dazzling magical displays and the polished images of "successful" wizards. The constant anxiety of potentially becoming a test subject kept him vigilant, and he soon noticed something peculiar.
"There are ninety-seven returning wizards from the Combat Department... Strange, why such an odd number?" Jieming frowned.
These wizards, fresh from the battlefield, possessed a distinct aura. Moreover, the Combat Department's returning wizards were currently gathered on the stage, being showcased like exhibits by their instructors.
Across the way, the Logistics Department maintained a more subdued presence, but their returning wizards were also clustered together, their eyes occasionally flashing with amusement as they glanced at the Combat Department's stage.
Jieming suspected that these returning wizards had been assigned a publicity-related mission, which explained why they were all gathered together.
But then the question arose: why were there only ninety-seven of them?
If they were "cooperating with publicity," why hadn't they rounded the number up to a neat figure, like... a hundred?
This was a wizarding academy renowned for its rigor and pursuit of knowledge. Theoretically, such a "not quite round" number shouldn't occur in a public setting.
"Two possibilities," Jieming mused. "First, in the Wizard World, due to some special wizarding rule or numerical symbolism, ninety-seven might actually be considered a 'round number.' Second..."
As a grim possibility dawned on him, Jieming's expression darkened. "...they simply couldn't gather a hundred."
What did "couldn't gather" mean?
It meant... everyone else was dead!
These ninety-seven individuals were likely the sole survivors of a group sent to the otherdimensional battlefield, having endured layers of selection and countless battles.
(End of the Chapter)
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