Back in the training arena, the atmosphere had changed completely.
The brilliant pillar of light that erupted from Ryusei's body continued to soar into the heavens, piercing through the clouds like a divine spear. Its radiance illuminated the entire academy grounds, forcing many students to shield their eyes from the overwhelming brightness.
The wind suddenly grew violent.
Powerful gusts swept across the arena, kicking up dust and debris as if nature itself were responding to the mysterious energy.
Everyone watched in stunned silence.
Flick Blaze stared at the phenomenon with disbelief written across his face.
"What... what is that?!" he exclaimed.
His voice trembled as he looked up at the gigantic beam of light.
Not far away, Professor Hexio narrowed his eyes.
Even someone with decades of combat experience had never witnessed anything like this.
"I've never seen such energy before..." he muttered.
His sharp gaze remained fixed on the pillar.
"Is it some kind of spell? An enchantment? Or perhaps an Elemental Art?"
For the first time in years, even he couldn't find an answer.
Whatever was happening to Ryusei Ryugu was beyond anything he had ever encountered.
As confusion spread throughout the arena, whispers quickly erupted among the spectators.
Then suddenly, one student pointed toward the center of the light.
"Wait!"
His voice echoed across the arena.
"There's something inside it!"
The crowd immediately focused their attention on the glowing pillar.
As their eyes adjusted, they finally noticed it.
A silhouette.
Standing motionless inside the light.
At first it was only a vague outline, but slowly its shape became clearer.
The entire arena fell silent.
Nobody knew what they were looking at.
Nobody dared to speak.
Flick felt his heart pound against his chest.
Without hesitation, he raised his hand.
"Fire Art: Flame Bullet Barrage!"
Dozens of flaming projectiles erupted from his fingertips.
The blazing attacks shot into the sky like meteors, streaking toward the mysterious figure hidden within the light.
The students gasped.
But before the fireballs could strike their target—
The pillar reacted.
Countless streaks of pure white light suddenly burst outward from the beam.
The glowing projectiles raced through the air like divine arrows.
A moment later—
BOOOOOOM!!!
The attacks collided.
An enormous explosion shook the arena.
Shockwaves spread outward in every direction, rattling the spectator stands and sending dust flying across the battlefield.
The crowd screamed.
But the clash wasn't over.
More flames erupted from Flick's hands.
More beams of light emerged from the pillar.
Again and again they collided.
BOOM!
BOOM!!
BOOOOOOM!!!
Each impact created another deafening explosion.
The training arena quickly descended into chaos.
Students began fleeing from their seats.
Some screamed in panic.
Others rushed toward the exits.
The once-organized Shototsu had become a battlefield.
High above the arena, Kayosha gripped the railing tightly.
Her face was filled with worry.
"What's happening down there?!" she shouted.
Beside her, Kasai looked equally shaken.
"I don't know!"
His eyes remained locked on the battlefield.
"Ryusei screamed... then that pillar of light appeared!"
Before he could continue—
BOOOOOOM!!!
Another explosion interrupted him.
Both of them instinctively flinched.
Kayosha clenched her fists.
Her heart pounded faster with every passing second.
Please...
Please be safe, Ryusei...
Back in the arena, the final collision finally occurred.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
A massive explosion erupted in the center of the battlefield.
The pillar of light suddenly vanished.
Silence followed.
Smoke spread throughout the arena.
Dust clouds drifted slowly through the air.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Every eye remained fixed on the battlefield.
Several long seconds passed.
Then the smoke slowly began to clear.
And what emerged left the entire academy speechless.
Standing calmly at the center of the ruined arena was Ryusei Ryugu.
But he looked completely different.
The frightened boy who had been overwhelmed moments earlier was gone.
Instead, he stood with absolute confidence.
A strange aura surrounded him.
An overwhelming presence that made everyone instinctively hold their breath.
Most shocking of all—
He held a sword.
A beautiful white blade forged entirely from pure light.
The weapon glowed softly, illuminating the cracked arena floor beneath his feet.
The radiant sword looked almost divine.
Kasai's jaw dropped.
"K-K-Kayosha!"
His voice cracked from shock.
"W-What is happening?!"
He pointed frantically toward the arena.
"Why is Ryusei holding a sword?!"
Kayosha stared in disbelief.
For once, she couldn't find any words.
"I..."
She swallowed nervously.
"I don't know."
Across the battlefield, Flick's eyes widened.
"I thought he couldn't cast a single spell..."
For years, Ryusei had been known throughout the academy as the weakest student in his class.
The boy who couldn't use magic.
The failure everyone laughed at.
Yet now he stood there holding a weapon created entirely from energy.
Flick's pride immediately flared up.
He gritted his teeth.
"This isn't the time to hesitate."
Anger replaced his fear.
"I'll finish this F-Rank loser right now."
However, before he could act—
Ryusei started walking.
One step.
Then another.
Slow.
Calm.
Deliberate.
Each footstep echoed across the silent arena.
Flick suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
He quickly raised his hand.
"Fire Art: Flame Bullet Barrage!"
A storm of flames shot toward Ryusei.
But this time—
Ryusei simply raised his sword.
CLANG!
One swing.
The first projectile split in half instantly.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
Every fireball was cut apart effortlessly.
The glowing blade moved so smoothly it looked almost effortless.
Ryusei didn't even break his stride.
He continued walking forward.
The flames couldn't stop him.
The attacks couldn't touch him.
It was as though Flick's magic had become completely meaningless.
Flick's eyes widened.
"That's impossible..."
Earlier, those same attacks had completely overwhelmed Ryusei.
Yet now they were being destroyed with ease.
Panic began creeping into his mind.
He fired another barrage.
"Fire Art: Flame Bullet Barrage!"
More flames filled the air.
More fireballs raced toward Ryusei.
But the result remained exactly the same.
Every attack was sliced apart.
Every spell was destroyed.
Flick's breathing became heavier.
Sweat rolled down his face.
His confidence began crumbling before his eyes.
The boy everyone mocked.
The boy everyone called worthless.
Was overwhelming him.
"Stay away from me!"
Flick shouted.
His voice cracked with fear.
"Stay away!"
But Ryusei didn't stop.
The distance between them continued shrinking.
Step by step.
Closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Desperation filled Flick's heart.
Knowing he was running out of options, he clasped both hands together.
A tremendous amount of mana began gathering around him.
A massive sphere of flames formed above his palm.
The pressure alone caused the air to distort.
Even students far away could feel the immense heat.
Professor Hexio immediately sensed the danger.
His eyes widened.
"That idiot..."
The killing intent radiating from Flick was unmistakable.
This was no longer a sparring match.
Flick intended to kill Ryusei.
Professor Hexio stepped forward.
Ready to stop the battle.
But before he could move—
Ryusei disappeared.
For a brief moment, nobody could see him.
It was as if he had simply vanished from existence.
Then—
BAM!!!
The entire arena shook.
Flick's head slammed into the ground with tremendous force.
Cracks exploded across the battlefield.
The fiery spell vanished instantly.
Flick lost consciousness on impact.
Silence consumed the arena.
Professor Hexio froze.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
"That speed..."
Even he hadn't seen Ryusei move.
One moment Ryusei was standing several meters away.
The next—
The fight was over.
Professor Hexio looked at Ryusei differently now.
Not as a weak student.
Not as a failure.
But as a warrior.
His strength.
His speed.
His swordsmanship.
Everything had exceeded expectations.
The professor stepped forward and raised his hand.
"Flick Blaze is unable to continue."
The arena remained silent.
Everyone waited.
Professor Hexio glanced toward Ryusei.
"The winner of this Shototsu match..."
He paused.
"...is Ryusei Ryugu."
The crowd immediately erupted into shocked murmurs.
Nobody could believe what they had witnessed.
The academy's weakest student had defeated his opponent without effort.
And nobody understood how.
Later that afternoon, Ryusei sat inside the cafeteria with Kasai and Kayosha.
The atmosphere around their table was much brighter than usual.
Kasai could barely contain his excitement.
"You were amazing!"
Kayosha nodded repeatedly.
"I've never seen anything like that before."
Ryusei scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
Honestly...
He was just as confused as everyone else.
Then suddenly, a familiar voice spoke from behind him.
"I see my little brother finally won a Shototsu."
Ryusei's eyes widened.
He immediately turned around.
"YUKI!"
Without hesitation, he jumped from his seat and hugged her.
Yuki Ryugu smiled warmly.
Her long white hair flowed behind her as she gently patted his head.
"Congratulations, Ryusei."
She smiled proudly.
"I'm really proud of you."
Yuki was one of the academy's most respected students.
A B-Rank Elementalist.
And the Vice President of the Student Council.
Moments later, two more familiar faces approached the table.
The first was Shizen Ryugu.
Ryusei's older brother.
The Student Council President.
The second was Shadow Kageryu.
Shizen's closest friend and the Treasurer of the Student Council.
Like Yuki, both of them were powerful B-Rank Elementalists.
For the first time in a long while, Ryusei felt genuinely happy.
Surrounded by family.
Surrounded by friends.
Surrounded by people who believed in him.
It was a feeling he wasn't used to.
And he treasured every second of it.
Meanwhile, elsewhere within the academy...
The teachers' lounge remained illuminated long after sunset.
A heated discussion had continued for hours.
Every teacher had watched Ryusei's match.
And none of them could explain what they had seen.
The mysterious pillar of light.
The sword created from pure energy.
His sudden increase in strength.
His impossible speed.
Most importantly—
Nobody knew what his Elemental Art actually was.
Dozens of theories were proposed.
Dozens were rejected.
Eventually, the academy principal raised his hand.
The room fell silent.
After hearing everyone's opinions, he finally made a decision.
The following morning, students gathered around the academy bulletin board.
The new rankings had finally been posted.
Crowds filled the hallway.
Everyone eagerly searched for their names.
Kasai and Kayosha quickly found theirs.
Both had advanced to E-Rank.
They celebrated together while discussing their future goals.
In the Kingdom of Aluxany, every Elementalist was assigned a rank based on their strength, talent, achievements, and overall combat potential.
The ranking system determined far more than social status.
Higher-ranked Elementalists received access to stronger missions, greater rewards, and more opportunities within the kingdom.
At the very top stood the legendary ranks.
SSS-Rank.
SS-Rank.
And S-Rank.
These were considered the highest levels an Elementalist could ever achieve.
Only a handful of individuals throughout history had reached them.
Many believed that a true S-Rank Elementalist only appeared once every ten to twenty years.
Below them were the ranks most people could realistically attain.
A-Rank Elementalists were known as Gadians, the kingdom's elite guardians and defenders.
B-Rank Elementalists formed the kingdom's strongest combat forces.
C-Rank Elementalists specialized primarily in battle and military service.
Below them were D-Rank and E-Rank.
Finally, at the very bottom—
F-Rank.
Most F-Rank and E-Rank Elementalists served non-combat roles such as farmers, craftsmen, merchants, chefs, healers, and various other occupations essential to daily life.
Students often began at these lower ranks before gradually unlocking their true potential.
As the crowd celebrated their promotions, Ryusei searched for his name.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
He checked the list repeatedly.
But he couldn't find it.
Not among the C-Ranks.
Not among the D-Ranks.
Not even among the E-Ranks.
Confused, he approached Professor Hexio during class.
"Professor..."
The classroom grew quiet.
"I still haven't received my ranking."
Every student turned toward him.
Professor Hexio stared at him silently for several moments.
Then he finally spoke.
"Ryusei Ryugu."
The room became completely silent.
"Your rank..."
A brief pause followed.
"...is F-Rank."
The classroom exploded.
"WHAT?!"
Kasai and Kayosha jumped to their feet simultaneously.
Their shocked voices echoed throughout the room.
Nobody could believe it.
The student who had displayed power beyond anything they had ever witnessed...
The student who had defeated Flick effortlessly...
The student who had summoned a mysterious sword of light...
Had just been assigned the lowest rank possible.
And deep within the academy, hidden from the students, several teachers stared at the ranking records with growing unease.
Because a single question now lingered in their minds.
Had they just made the biggest mistake in academy history?