The courtyard was alive with tension. Hundreds of
students gathered in quiet clusters, each pretending not to stare at the towering crystal sphere placed at the center of the grounds. It hovered above a carved stone pedestal, slowly rotating, its inner light shifting like liquid
starlight. Soft waves of mana pulsed outward from it — rhythmic… watchful. Riven stood at the very back of the line, hands in his pockets, expression calm. Inside, every instinct he had was screaming.
That thing can sense potential pathways of power
development… mana density… affinity resonance… even combat response patterns…
He remembered the day he first touched it in his previous life. The courtyard had fallen silent then, too. Whispers. Shock. Fear.
Top potential classification. That was when the academy noticed him. When the military marked him. When the king learned his name. The chain of
fate had begun with a single touch. Riven
exhaled slowly. Not this time.
An instructor stepped forward — tall, beautifull, wearing layered robes woven with stabilizing runes.
"Listen carefully," she said, voice amplified by mana. When your name is called, step forward and place one hand on the crystal. Do not channel
power intentionally. Do not resist. Do not attempt to interfere."
She paused.
"The crystal does not measure strength. It measures potential — the highest level of
development your body and spirit are capable of reaching." Murmurs spread. Someone
whispered, "So even if you're weak now…" "You could still be ranked high," another replied.
The instructor continued.
"Your result will determine academy placement, access to resources, combat eligibility, and
instructor assignment."
That made everyone quiet.
This wasn't just a test. This was a
sorting of futures. Students stepped forward. Hand to crystal. Light shimmered. Results appeared as floating sigils above the sphere.
F rank potential
D rank potential
F rank potential
Some students sighed in relief. Others looked crushed. A boy collapsed in tears after receiving F rank. His parents pulled him aside, trying to comfort him, but their strained smiles revealed disappointment they could not hide. Another
student received B rank. Gasps followed by applause. Immediate attention from academy staff.
Riven watched everything silently.
Patterns. Mana reactions. Calibration pulses.
He was studying the crystal like a battlefield opponent.
Eventually—
"Tristan Welsh." The crowd stirred. Tristan
stepped forward stiffly, pride barely masking lingering humiliation from earlier. His throat was wrapped in a light healing band.
He placed his hand on the crystal with dramatic flair.
Light surged.
The sphere glowed bright gold.
Sigils formed above it.
B rank potential - affinity for flame Cheers erupted from his family's attendants. Tristan smirked, chin raised. He shot Riven a glare filled with promise.
This isn't over. Riven didn't react.
Names were called.
The line shortened.
Riven's pulse slowed instead of rose.
His breathing became controlled. Measured. Like before entering a battlefield where one wrong move meant death. Because in a way… it did. If the
crystal detected even a fraction of his true capacity
He would be put on watch again. Used again.
Owned again.
Aura responded to intent.
Not emotion alone — intent.
Riven closed his eyes briefly.
He pictured still water. A frozen lake under endless night. His power buried beneath layers of pressure. Sealed. Silent. Aura compression technique. A skill he developed late in his previous life to hide his presence from enemy detection arrays. He forced
his life force inward. Heart rate slowed. Circulation
dampened. Muscle fibers relaxed. Even his
breathing became shallow enough to mimic an untrained civilian. The world around him felt distant… muffled. Good.
"Riven." Silence followed . He stepped forward.
The crystal hummed softly — reacting before he even touched it. Some instructors leaned forward slightly. Sensitive artifact. It could feel anomalies.
Riven placed his palm against its smooth surface.
Cold.
Then -
Warm.
Energy spread upward through his arm like searching fingers. Scanning. Mapping. Predicting.
For a moment… the crystal's light flickered erratically. A ripple passed across its surface. Several instructors stiffened. Riven tightened his suppression. Lower… deeper… quieter… The crystal
pulsed again. Then stabilized. Light gathered slowly. Forming sigils. The courtyard held its breath.