The entrance exam ended before sunset.
The surviving candidates were escorted back through the gate.
Many were injured.
Some were carried by instructors.
The exam had been far more dangerous than expected.
Whispers spread quickly among the students.
Everyone talked about the same thing.
The Wolf King.
And the mysterious person who killed it.
Lysander stood quietly near the back of the group.
His injuries had mostly stopped bleeding.
But his body still ached from the battle.
He kept his head low.
Listening.
"Did you hear?" one candidate said.
"They said someone killed the boss monster alone."
"That's impossible."
"It was a D-rank monster!"
Another student whispered nervously.
"What if there's an S-rank hiding among us?"
Lysander sighed quietly.
Please stop guessing.
The massive gates of Eclipse Hunter Academy opened slowly.
Black stone towers rose above them like silent guardians.
Thousands of years of history rested within those walls.
For most candidates, this was the beginning of their dreams.
For Lysander—
It was the beginning of a completely different story.
Inside the academy courtyard, the instructors gathered the candidates.
A tall man stepped forward.
"The entrance examination is complete."
His voice carried across the courtyard.
"Results will now be announced."
A large crystal screen appeared above the platform.
Names began appearing one by one.
Candidates who failed were dismissed immediately.
Others were placed into ranks.
"Caelum Draven — Rank C."
Murmurs spread through the crowd.
C rank.
Extremely impressive.
"Elara Moonveil — Rank C."
No surprise.
She was a prodigy.
"Leon Valerian — Rank B."
Gasps spread through the courtyard.
Even the instructors looked impressed.
B rank during the entrance exam was nearly unheard of.
Leon scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Guess I overdid it."
More names appeared.
Then—
"Lysander Vale."
Lysander looked up.
The screen displayed his result.
Rank: E
A few candidates glanced at him briefly.
Then lost interest.
E rank was respectable.
But nothing extraordinary.
Exactly what Lysander wanted.
He exhaled slowly.
Perfect.
Hidden in the crowd.
Just another student.
No attention.
No suspicion.
But at that moment—
A faint blue screen appeared in front of his eyes.
Fate Deviation Detected
Event: Ashfang Wolf King Massacre
Status: Prevented
Deviation Level: Minor
Reward Granted:
Lightning Element Fragment
Lysander blinked.
A sudden surge of energy flowed through his body.
Not void.
Not mana.
Something sharper.
Faster.
Electric.
For a brief moment, sparks flickered across his fingertips.
Then vanished.
His eyes widened slightly.
Lightning…
A faint smile appeared on his face.
This would make hiding his true abilities much easier.
Then another voice echoed across the courtyard.
Calm.
Elegant.
Authoritative.
"Welcome to Eclipse Hunter Academy."
The crowd turned.
A tall woman walked down the academy stairs.
Long silver-blonde hair.
Sharp golden eyes.
Lightning energy crackled faintly around her presence.
Seraphina Solari.
Student Council President.
And one of the strongest students in the academy.
Her gaze scanned the crowd slowly.
When her eyes passed over Lysander—
She paused for a fraction of a second.
Almost imperceptible.
Then she continued walking.
But inside her mind a thought appeared.
Strange.
That student…
Why does his presence feel… unstable?