The morning sun cast golden hues over Brightwater, its light filtering through the bustling streets as Arthur made his way toward the academy grounds. The crisp air carried the chatter of hopeful examinees, their excitement and nervous energy palpable.

Arthur walked with steady strides, as he approached the entrance of the academy, he spotted Finn standing near the massive wrought-iron gates, shifting from foot to foot, his hands clenched into fists.

Finn noticed him and let out a breath of relief. “Arthur! You’re early too, huh?”

Arthur nodded. “Figured it’d be crowded.”

And it was. More than a thousand participants had gathered in one of the academy grounds, forming clusters as they talked amongst themselves. Some were stretching, preparing themselves mentally and physically. Others stood silently, eyes sharp with determination.

The academy itself loomed before them, a grand structure of towering spires and fortified walls, built from enchanted stone that shimmered faintly under the morning light. 

As they waited, Finn exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “Man, I thought I was ready, but looking at all these people…” He gestured toward the sea of participants. “This is going to be tough.”

Arthur glanced around. It was true, many of the participants radiated mana, their energy levels varying but noticeable, though he got the same feeling from Finn but he didn’t pry into his secrets. Some of them were clearly from noble families, evident by their fine robes and confident postures. Others, likely commoners, stood with gritted determination.

Finn groaned. “We’ve been standing here for half an hour. When are they…”

Before he could finish, a ripple of silence spread through the crowd as two figures stepped onto a raised platform in front of them in the academy grounds.

One was a man in his mid-twenties, his black robes lined with silver embroidery. He had sharp, dark eyes and short, neatly styled hair. His presence was authoritative yet composed. Beside him stood a woman of similar age, dressed in flowing blue robes, her silver hair cascading down her back. Her piercing gaze swept over the crowd, assessing them.

The man took a step forward and spoke, his voice magically amplified. “Welcome to the entrance examination of Velcrest Academy. I am Elias Verdane, an instructor at the academy. Beside me is Instructor Saria Voss. We will be overseeing this exam.”

A brief murmur ran through the crowd before silence returned.

Instructor Elias continued, “The entrance exam will consist of two rounds. The first round will test your ability to absorb mana. Each of you will be given a fundamental mana absorption technique. You will have till sun down to comprehend it. By the end of that time, if you are unable to absorb mana, you will be disqualified.”

A ripple of reactions swept through the examinees. Some seemed confident, while others stiffened in worry.

“The second round is divided into two parts,” Instructor Saria continued. “First, we will measure your talent using a specialized device. Those who meet the requirements will be accepted as students. Once accepted, we will determine your affinity, which will decide the classes you will attend.”

Arthur listened intently. The structure of the exam was simple yet effective. The mana absorption test ensured that only those with a minimum level of talent progressed, while the talent assessment sorted them further.

“Now,” Elias said, raising his hand. “Let us begin.”

A complex magic circle flared to life beneath each participant, intricate symbols weaving together in a mesmerizing dance of light.

Arthur tensed. ‘What kind of spell is this?’

The next moment, a book materialized in front of each examinee, its cover shimmering with arcane inscriptions. The books floated momentarily before dissolving into streams of light, flowing into their minds.

Arthur’s body stiffened as an influx of information flooded his consciousness. His mind parsed through it instantly, breaking it down into formulas, theories, and structured patterns.

The technique was surprisingly advanced for an entry-level skill. The core principles revolved around synchronizing one’s internal energy with external mana, creating a circulation path within the body. It detailed specific breathing techniques, focal points in the mana pathways, and the importance of mental state in achieving resonance with the ambient mana.

Arthur’s eyes gleamed with intrigue. ‘This… is well-designed.’

Around him, many participants staggered, clutching their heads as they struggled to absorb the information. Finn groaned beside him, rubbing his temples. “Damn… That was a lot at once.”

Arthur exhaled, allowing the information to settle. Unlike the others, he had already deciphered most of it. His understanding of energy manipulation allowed him to grasp the underlying mechanics swiftly.

Still, he decided to follow the technique exactly as instructed.

Closing his eyes, he steadied his breathing. The first step was to sense the mana in the air.

Silence.

He reached out with his senses, feeling for the unseen energy that permeated the world. At first, there was nothing.

Then…a faint flicker.

Like mist drifting through the void, mana lingered all around him. He focused on it, guiding it toward his body. The technique described forming a “loop” inside oneself, a channel through which mana could flow and be absorbed.

Arthur carefully shaped the circulation path, adjusting his internal energy to match the technique’s structure. The moment he completed the loop…

A spark.

Mana flowed into him.

It was slow, subtle, but unmistakable. A current of foreign energy entered his body, diffusing into his body. His eyes snapped open.

‘That was faster than expected.’

Finn, who was beside him, huffed. “You got it already, didn’t you?”

Arthur offered a small shrug. Finn grumbled as it had taken him a few hours to understand the technique when he started to learn a similar technique, but Arthur did it in less than ten minutes. In Finn’s family there was an ancestor many generations ago who was a mage, and he had practiced the technique he received from his parents who didn’t have any talent to become a mage.

There were also a lot of participants from noble families who also didn’t need to start practicing the standard technique provided by the academy as their techniques were better and they were already able to absorb mana with the techniques they got from their families.

After a few hours, around them some examinees had begun to show signs of progress, faint wisps of mana gathering around their bodies. Others, however, still sat in deep concentration, faces scrunched in frustration.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the first stage of the entrance exam had truly begun.

…

As Arthur sat in quiet focus, refining his mana circulation, the air around him shifted. He could feel the weight of gazes pressing against him, some filled with curiosity, others laced with jealousy.

“Did you see that?” a noble boy in a finely embroidered blue robe whispered to his companion. “He absorbed mana in under ten minutes. That’s absurd.”

His friend, another noble, scoffed. “Probably some cheap trick, he might have practiced the technique before. No way a commoner can pick it up that fast.” Though he himself knew it was impossible to know about the technique before the exam.

A few other noble-born examinees threw scrutinizing glances Arthur’s way, their expressions ranging from mild suspicion to open hostility. One particularly haughty-looking youth clicked his tongue. “Tch. I refuse to believe a nobody like him could be this talented. He must have been trained in secret.”

But Arthur didn’t pay much attention to their words, he was busy deciphering the technique further and absorbing mana.

Yet, among the common-born participants, the reaction was different. A boy with tattered sleeves and calloused hands nudged his friend. “Did you see that? That guy’s incredible!”

“Yeah,” another whispered. “I struggled just to feel the mana. But he made it look easy…”

Even some of the instructors, including Elias and Saria, took notice. Elias observed Arthur with narrowed eyes, his sharp mind processing the implications. “Interesting,” he murmured under his breath. “That level of comprehension isn’t easily found among participants…”

Saria crossed her arms. “We should keep an eye on him. If his talent matches his comprehension, he could be a significant asset.”

Time passed, and as the sun began to dip toward the horizon, the number of successful examinees dwindled. Some still sat in deep meditation, brows furrowed in frustration. Others sighed in defeat, realizing they couldn’t grasp the technique in time.

A booming voice from Instructor Elias finally broke the silence. “Time’s up! Those who have successfully absorbed mana, step forward. The rest of you, thank you for your effort, but your journey ends here.”

A collective groan rippled through the failed participants. Some gritted their teeth in frustration, while others slumped in disappointment.

“Damn it! I was so close!” a boy punched the ground.

A girl clenched her fists, tears welling in her eyes. “I spent years dreaming of entering Velcrest… and now it’s over just like that?”

A few bitter noble kids sneered. “Hmph. At least we won’t have to deal with common trash trying to compete with us.”

The rejected participants were escorted out, leaving less than two hundred examinees standing before the instructors. The true test was about to begin.

…

The remaining examinees were led into a grand hall within the academy. The chamber was vast, its high ceilings adorned with intricate carvings of arcane symbols. At the center stood a towering crystal, its surface gleaming like glass, pulsating with faint energy.

Finn nudged Arthur and whispered, “That’s the Talent Appraisal Crystal. It measures our potential and categorizes it into different levels.”

Arthur listened attentively. “What are the levels?”

“They range from Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, to White. Red is the most common, while White is legendary, only one in a million people are heard of possessing White talent.” Finn stated.

And one’s talent is determined by how easily one was able to channel mana through their body.

But what Finn does not know is that there’s supposedly a mythical Black level. But it hasn’t been recorded in over a century, and most people don’t even know it exists. Even among nobles, it’s considered a mere legend.

There were more instructors in the hall and they began calling participants forward one by one.

A boy approached the crystal and placed his hand on its surface. A faint red glow pulsed within the crystal.

“Red talent,” Instructor Saria announced. The boy sighed in disappointment and stepped away.

Another girl placed her hand on the crystal, and this time, it flared orange.

“Orange talent. Passed.” The girl exhaled in relief.

The test continued. Some received Red, their dreams of entering the academy shattered in an instant. The Orange talents sighed with relief, while the few who received Yellow talents stood a bit taller, basking in their achievement.

Then, Finn stepped forward. He placed his palm on the crystal, and a bright yellow glow radiated outward.

“Green talent,” Elias confirmed. Finn grinned and stepped aside.

Some nobles received Yellow and a few even Green, and then a murmur ran through the crowd when a girl with silver blonde hair placed her hand on the crystal and it flared with a deep, rich blue.

“A Blue talent…” someone muttered in awe.

Even some of the instructors exchanged glances. “A Blue talent? Impressive, this year’s batch is promising.” Saria remarked.

After ten minutes, a young noble girl, around fifteen or sixteen, approached. As she placed her hand on the crystal, a blinding white light erupted. The entire hall gasped.

“A White talent!” someone shouted in disbelief.

Elias and Saria shared a look before nodding. Without hesitation, Saria stepped forward and spoke to the girl. “Come with me.” The girl nodded without being surprised about her talent, and followed her out of the hall. It seems she was already aware of her talent before coming to participate in the entrance exam.

As the test continued, a boy in commoner’s clothes approached the crystal. When he placed his hand on it…

The crystal shone white once more.

The hall erupted in shock.

“Two White talents in the same batch?! That’s unheard of!”

“A commoner…? How is that possible?”

Even the instructors were surprised, it was not common to see White level talent, they would be considered lucky to receive a single White level talent in ten years. But in a single batch of participants they were able to see two who had White level talent. Then one of the overseers immediately took the bewildered boy away, just like the noble girl.

Arthur watched, intrigued. ‘So White talent really is that rare…’

Finally, his turn came. He stepped forward and placed his hand on the crystal.

***

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