Chapter 211: Group selection

The next day, Olmo sat in his chair in his office, going through a stack of files. Each master had submitted a list of the strongest students in their groups. Now, all that was left was to match them against one another to compete for the representative positions of Class One.

Although this method made the process easier, it still came with its own stress—especially the responsibility of indirectly pitting students against each other. Still, the idea of a small tournament was exciting. It would reveal who truly stood at the top of the class.

He was certain Jelo would be among them, but he was just as eager to discover who else would rise to the challenge.

⸻

Olmo set his tea down at the edge of the desk and straightened the stack of folders in front of him. The office was quiet at this hour. Morning light came in at a low angle, stretching across the floor in pale strips. He preferred working like this—before the noise of the day set in, before instructors started filing in with questions or complaints about scheduling. Just him and the paperwork. No distractions. No weight of expectation from whoever happened to be standing in the room. Just names on paper, and the quiet task of understanding what those names meant. Outside, the academy was already beginning to stir. He had some time yet.

He picked up his pen and opened the first folder.

⸻

One of the first lists he checked was for Group 6—Jelo’s group. Tongen had placed Jelo at the top as the strongest. It wasn’t surprising. Jelo’s strength placed him far above the others. Atlas and Mira were both powerful—among the top-ranked students in the class—but neither came close to his level.

Tongen’s notes were brief. That was like him. A single line beneath Jelo’s name: Exceptional instinct. Conceals more than he shows. Olmo read it twice, then set the folder aside. He made a mental note to watch that match carefully when the time came. Whatever Tongen had seen, it wasn’t something he’d put into a written report without good reason. The man chose his words the same way he chose his battles—deliberately, and only when it mattered.

⸻

Ken’s group followed the same pattern. It consisted of Ken, Elon, and Lucan. Sherlock ultimately selected Ken as their representative. While Elon and Lucan were strong in their own ways, Ken’s control, precision, and overall ability made him stand out clearly.

Sherlock had included more detail than Tongen. Typical. There were two full paragraphs explaining the reasoning behind the choice, with specific references to sparring results and ability classification scores. Olmo skimmed to the conclusion. The answer was Ken. He didn’t need the rest. He appreciated thoroughness in principle, but right now he had eleven more folders to get through before the morning ended.

He set that folder on the growing pile to his left and reached for the next.

⸻

As Olmo continued reviewing the files, he realized a pattern was forming. Each group of three students had its strongest member chosen to represent them in the upcoming selection battles.

Every master had done their job. Some had been thorough. Others had written barely enough to fill a margin. But the selections themselves were clear, confident. No hesitation in the choices. That said something on its own—that even without a formal rubric, every instructor had arrived at an answer without apparent doubt. The strongest always rose to the surface. That was either reassuring or a little troubling, depending on the day.

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Group 2

Members: Riven, Kael, Sora

Master: Dramor

Representative: Riven

Dramor selected Riven for his ruthless efficiency in battle. Kael had raw strength and Sora possessed speed, but Riven’s ability to end fights quickly made him the clear choice. Olmo noted the word ruthless in the margin of Dramor’s report. It was underlined once. He didn’t know if that was a warning or a compliment. Either way, he filed it away. Fighters who ended things early were worth paying close attention to in a bracket like this.

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Group 4

Members: Nyra, Vex, Luno

Master: Seren

Representative: Nyra

Seren chose Nyra without hesitation. Her control and calm decision-making under pressure set her apart from the others. Olmo had watched Nyra in a joint exercise two months prior. She had moved through a difficult scenario almost quietly—no wasted motion, no panic. He remembered thinking she didn’t look like she was competing. She looked like she was solving a problem. That quality was rare. It tended to hold up when things got difficult.

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Group 7

Members: Zarek, Ivo, Dain

Master: Korin

Representative: Zarek

Zarek’s overwhelming combat presence made him the obvious choice over Ivo and Dain. Korin had attached a short sparring log to the folder. Three matches. Three early stops. Olmo didn’t flip through the whole thing. He’d seen enough. Some fighters made the case for themselves before anyone finished reading the file.

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Group 9

Members: Eron, Silas, Kade

Master: Valen

Representative: Silas

Valen selected Silas for his unpredictability and dangerous fighting style. This one made Olmo pause. Silas wasn’t the strongest on paper—Eron’s ability scores were higher by most standard measures. But Valen’s note explained it simply: Eron is powerful in favorable conditions. Silas doesn’t need them. Olmo underlined the sentence and moved on. It was the kind of distinction that only became obvious after watching someone fight under real pressure. Valen had clearly watched closely.

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Group 11

Members: Taro, Jax, Niro

Master: Helis

Representative: Jax

Helis chose Jax for his aggressive, relentless combat style. Short note. No elaboration. Olmo trusted Helis’s judgment—the man rarely spoke unless he was certain. If he wrote Jax’s name and stopped there, that was enough. Some recommendations needed no defense.

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Group 10

Members: Tessa, Lior, Bran

Master: Kellan

Representative: Tessa

Master Kellan selected Tessa for her precision, intelligence, and adaptability in battle. Of all the entries, Kellan’s was the most detailed—nearly a full page. Tessa’s history, her ability profile, recorded match data, projected scenarios against each possible opponent. Olmo set the folder down carefully, as if it weighed more than the others. He appreciated the thoroughness. Still, the name at the top was the only part that mattered for now. He’d read the rest later, when he had time to sit with it properly.

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Group 12

Members: Kaizo, Marn, Elric

Master: Varn

Representative: Kaizo

Kaizo’s explosive power and relentless pressure made him the strongest in his group. Varn’s note was three words: No real competition. Olmo set the folder down slowly. He wondered if Varn had meant that as high praise for Kaizo or something closer to disappointment in the others. With Varn, it was difficult to tell. The man never explained himself unless forced to, and even then, only barely. Still, a student who drew that kind of note from his own master was one worth keeping an eye on.

Probably both.

⸻

As Olmo finished the last file, he leaned back in his chair.

Every group had produced its strongest fighter. Now, each representative would have to face the others.

And only one would stand as the true representative of Class One.

All that was left was for him to announce to the results for what they had been hoping for.

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