Chapter 108
The arena remained filled with whispers as students continued staring at the massive ranking board.
Student ID: 7211977O
Documented Malignant Eliminations: 1,241
The number alone had become the center of attention.
Many students were already attempting to identify the individual behind the academy number. Some compared records. Others searched through class rosters. A few simply stared at the board in disbelief.
Meanwhile, Nille quietly prepared himself for the inevitable.
Surely the Deans would reveal the identity.
At least partially.
After all, there was no way a statistic like that could simply be ignored.
Then, unexpectedly, the second Dean stepped forward.
The arena immediately fell silent.
Unlike Dean Osamu, who often handled practical evaluations, the second masked Dean rarely spoke during public assemblies. Because of that, every word immediately captured the attention of students and faculty alike.
The Dean's gaze swept across the gathered students before resting upon the floating ranking board.
Then a soft chuckle escaped from beneath the mask.
Many students blinked.
The Dean sounded amused.
"Some of you seem very interested in discovering the identity of Student 721197700
."
Immediately, hundreds of heads nodded.
Even several professors looked curious.
The Dean folded both hands behind their back.
"Unfortunately..."
A dramatic pause followed.
"...that information will not be provided."
The reaction was immediate.
Groans.
Complaints.
Disappointed sighs.
Several students nearly shouted in protest.
The Dean simply laughed.
Then raised a hand.
Silence returned.
"Because discovering the answer is part of your Mid-Term Examination."
The entire arena froze.
Even Dean Osamu appeared mildly amused by the statement.
The second Dean continued.
"For a very good reason."
The enormous ranking board shifted.
Student ID 721197700 remained displayed above everyone.
The Dean pointed toward it.
"Among all the students currently enrolled within Yamatai Academy, this individual demonstrated something that greatly interested the Academy."
The Dean's voice became slightly more serious.
"This person did not simply accumulate results."
"This person questioned assumptions."
The arena became quiet.
"This person challenged established methods."
Several professors straightened.
"This person disregarded limitations that many accepted without question."
Now even the Academy Elders appeared attentive.
The Dean slowly continued.
"And most importantly..."
The masked figure turned toward the students.
"...this person created something new."
The statement sent another wave of whispers through the crowd.
Created?
A technique?
A spell?
A theory?
An invention?
Nobody knew.
The Dean allowed the speculation to build before speaking again.
"Yamatai Academy was never created merely to produce powerful awakened."
The Dean gestured broadly toward the enormous arena.
"Power is common."
Many students looked surprised by that statement.
A Level 1 awakened might disagree.
A Level 5 awakened certainly would.
Yet neither Dean appeared interested in raw numbers.
Instead, the Dean continued.
"Our purpose is to nurture individuals capable of advancing knowledge."
"Those willing to challenge accepted truths."
"Those willing to ask questions others fear asking."
"Those willing to innovate."
The Dean's voice echoed throughout the arena.
"History remembers pioneers."
"It remembers discoverers."
"It remembers inventors."
"It remembers those who changed what people believed was possible."
A heavy silence followed.
Many students found themselves listening far more carefully now.
The Dean pointed toward Student ID 07211977 once more.
"We are not interested in how many Malignants this person defeated."
The arena immediately became confused.
Not interested?
There were over a thousand kills.
The Dean nodded as if anticipating the reaction.
"Combat achievements are impressive."
"However..."
The Dean's tone sharpened.
"...that is not what earned our attention."
Now the entire arena was focused.
Even Nille.
The Dean smiled beneath the mask.
"What interested us was the willingness to attempt something considered impossible."
The statement immediately caused a stir among the faculty.
Particularly among several professors who suddenly became very careful about maintaining neutral expressions.
Professor Caelum Verdanis looked away.
Professor Mei Ling Zhaolin coughed into her hand.
Instructor Kaori Takamura suddenly found the ceiling fascinating.
The Dean continued.
"This Mid-Term Examination will test your ability to think."
"To observe."
"To investigate."
"To learn."
The ranking board vanished.
In its place appeared a single sentence.
"As Knowledge is not given. It is discovered."
The Dean slowly spread both hands.
"Your objective is simple."
The students waited.
The second Dean allowed the excitement, confusion, and endless speculation to continue for a few moments before raising a hand once more.
The arena gradually fell silent.
Even the students still arguing over the identity of Student 07211977 eventually stopped talking.
Then the Dean spoke.
"Many of you are focusing on the wrong thing."
The massive projection above the arena shifted again.
Student ID 72119770 slowly faded from view.
In its place appeared a large map of Sector One , Luminaire Boundary.
Numerous glowing markers immediately appeared across the landscape.
Villages.
Merchant routes.
Ancient ruins.
Forests.
Mining settlements.
Academy outposts.
Unknown zones.
And hundreds of quest markers.
The students stared.
Some immediately recognized them.
Interconnected Quests.
The Dean nodded.
"Determine your own worth."
The map expanded further.
Additional quest markers appeared.
Some connected together through glowing lines.
Others branched into multiple outcomes.
Several possessed hidden routes.
A few even appeared to influence entire regions.
The Dean folded both hands behind his back.
"Sector One will now begin issuing High-Ranking Interconnected Quests."
The arena stirred.
Many upper-year students immediately straightened.
Interconnected Quests were different from ordinary assignments.
Completing one often unlocked another.
Choices created consequences.
Actions influenced future opportunities.
Entire chains could alter relationships with factions, merchants, villages, and even academy-affiliated organizations.
The Dean's voice echoed across the arena.
"Some quests may reward knowledge."
"Some may reward resources."
"Some may reward influence."
"Some may reward nothing."
Several students looked confused.
The Dean smiled.
"That uncertainty is intentional."
The map continued rotating overhead.
Dozens of pathways intertwined like a living web.
The Dean pointed toward the display.
"Your Mid-Term Examination begins the moment you leave this arena."
Immediately, many students began taking notes.
Others activated recording artifacts.
A few looked overwhelmed.
Then came the statement that truly captured everyone's attention.
"Break them."
The arena fell silent.
Several students blinked.
Had they heard correctly?
The Dean continued.
"Or solve them."
The confusion only deepened.
Then the masked figure slowly smiled.
"With anything you can think of."
Now even the professors looked interested.
Because that statement was unusual.
Very unusual.
The Dean gestured toward the fading image of Student 07211977.
"Like what 07211977 did."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The Dean allowed those words to settle.
Then continued.
"The purpose of an awakened is not merely to follow instructions."
"The purpose of an awakened is to think."
The projection changed again.
Examples appeared.
A bridge needing repair.
A village suffering from resource shortages.
A monster threatening a trade route.
A contaminated water source.
A territorial dispute.
The Dean pointed toward them.
"Most people seek the obvious solution."
"Kill the monster."
"Repair the bridge."
"Deliver the supplies."
"Clean the water."
"Resolve the conflict."
The Dean paused.
"Those are acceptable answers."
Then his voice sharpened.
"But they are not the only answers."
Many students slowly began understanding.
The Dean continued.
"If a bridge is destroyed..."
"Why not create a ferry route?"
"If a village lacks food..."
"Why not establish a trade agreement?"
"If a monster attacks travelers..."
"Why not alter the route entirely?"
"If contamination spreads..."
"Why not remove the source?"
"go to war, face calamity and face death and live to share your tale"
The Dean spread both hands.
"The world does not reward those who only follow existing paths."
"The world rewards those who create new ones."
Several professors exchanged impressed looks.
This was no longer merely a Mid-Term Examination.
It was a philosophy lesson, and the time limit is one month
A challenge.
A test of creativity.
A test of initiative.
A test of leadership.
The Dean pointed toward the students.
"Do not ask what the correct answer is."
"Determine what works."
The map slowly expanded until the entirety of Sector One filled the sky above the arena.
Thousands of opportunities.
Thousands of problems.
Thousands of unknowns.
Waiting.
Then the Dean delivered the final instruction.
"Your rankings will not be determined solely by results."
"Your rankings will be determined by the value of your thinking."
The statement struck many students harder than any combat challenge could have.
Because suddenly—
there was no clear answer.
No obvious path.
No guaranteed strategy.
Only possibilities.
And somewhere among the crowd, Nille quietly sighed.
Because he understood exactly what the Deans were doing.
They weren't asking students to become stronger.
They were asking them to become useful.
To observe.
To innovate.
To adapt.
To challenge assumptions.
In other words, they were encouraging the entire Academy to start thinking the same way that had led him into the depths of Sector 12 in the first place.
And judging by the growing excitement spreading through the arena,
the Deans had just unleashed hundreds of ambitious students upon Sector One. That realization alone might prove more dangerous than any Mid-Term Examination in academy history.
The arena erupted.
"What?!"
"How are we supposed to do that?!"
"That's impossible!"
"We don't even know who they are!"
"Is this serious?!"
The Dean laughed openly now.
"Excellent."
More groans followed.
Even Dean Osamu appeared entertained.
The second Dean nodded approvingly.
"Confusion is the first step toward learning."
Then the Dean's voice became firm.
"Find the person."
"Study the evidence."
"Investigate the results."
"Ask questions."
"Draw conclusions."
"Present your findings."
The students slowly realized what was happening.
This wasn't merely a test of strength.
Or combat.
Or cultivation.
It was an investigation.
A research exercise.
A lesson in observation and deduction.
The Dean pointed toward the student body.
"Information exists all around you."
"Most people simply fail to notice it."
Then the masked figure delivered the final statement.
"The students who discover the truth will receive additional Mid-Term Evaluation credits."
Instant chaos.
Every student immediately became interested.
Because now Student 72119770 was no longer a mystery.
It was an opportunity.
And somewhere among hundreds of awakened students, Nille slowly covered part of his face with one hand.
Because he had a very unpleasant feeling that the next few days were about to become considerably more troublesome.
Just as the students were beginning to process the scale of the Mid-Term Examination, Dean Osamu Tsukuyomi stepped forward once more.
The massive map of Sector One remained suspended above the arena, glowing softly as hundreds of interconnected quest markers continued to shift and rearrange themselves.
Then Osamu raised a single finger.
"There is one more detail."
The arena immediately fell silent again.
Every student instinctively straightened.
Experience had taught them that whenever a Dean said one more detail, the information was usually important.
Very important.
Osamu's masked gaze swept across the gathered students.
"This Mid-Term Examination is not merely an academic evaluation."
Several students frowned.
Then the Dean continued.
"It is a promotion examination."
The entire arena froze.
A second later, an explosion of whispers erupted from every section.
"A promotion exam?"
"What?"
"They never mentioned that!"
"Promotion to what?"
Osamu allowed the reactions to continue before calmly speaking again.
"Any student who successfully completes the requirements of this examination will automatically advance one academic year."
This time, the arena nearly exploded.
First-year students stared in disbelief.
Second-year students looked shocked.
Even some professors appeared impressed.
The Dean pointed toward the student body.
"If you are a First-Year student and successfully complete the examination, you will immediately advance to Second Year."
The projection shifted.
"If you are a Second-Year student, you will advance to Third Year."
Another shift.
"If you are a Third-Year student, you will advance to Fourth Year."
The arena had become completely silent.
Everyone knew what came next.
Osamu nodded.
"And if a Fourth-Year student successfully passes..."
The Dean paused deliberately.
"...they will graduate."
The reaction was immediate.
Several fourth-year students visibly stiffened.
Others looked excited.
A few appeared nervous.
Because graduation from Yamatai Academy was not a simple matter.
Many students required additional years before receiving official certification.
Yet this examination offered a direct path.
A difficult one.
But a path nonetheless.
Then the Dean delivered the final revelation.
"And graduates who pass this Mid-Term Examination will receive qualification consideration for the International Veiled Origins Tournament."
For a moment—
nobody spoke.
Because everyone understood exactly what that meant.
Then chaos erupted.
"The Veiled Origins Tournament?!"
"Impossible!"
"That's an international event!"
"They're serious?"
"Students can qualify through this?"
Even the professors were talking now.
The International Veiled Origins Tournament was one of the most prestigious awakened competitions in the world.
Every year, elite academies, independent factions, awakened organizations, and government-sponsored institutions selected their most promising candidates to compete.
The tournament was famous for producing future leaders, researchers, explorers, military commanders, artifact creators, and legendary awakened.
Simply qualifying was considered a tremendous achievement.
Winning was enough to gain international recognition overnight.
Osamu folded his arms.
"The tournament will be held at the conclusion of the academic year."
The projection above shifted again, displaying a magnificent arena far larger than anything currently surrounding them.
Massive crowds.
Foreign academies.
Countless flags.
Elite competitors from around the world.
The image alone was enough to ignite ambition in many students.
Then the Dean's voice echoed throughout the arena.
"Opportunity does not care how old you are."
"Opportunity does not care what year you belong to."
"Opportunity only cares whether you are capable."
The words struck deeply.
Particularly among the first-year students.
Many of them had entered the academy assuming they would spend years slowly climbing through the system.
Now they were being told that exceptional performance could accelerate everything.
Years of progression.
Graduation.
International recognition.
All of it.
The Deans were essentially offering a shortcut.
Not through favoritism.
But through merit.
Through achievement.
Through results.
Osamu looked across the arena.
"Most of you will fail."
The statement was blunt.
Honest.
Expected.
Yet no one complained.
Because everyone knew it was true.
The Dean continued.
"Some of you will succeed."
His voice remained calm.
"And a very small number of you will exceed even our expectations."
The arena grew quiet once more.
Students exchanged determined looks.
Friends became rivals.
Rivals became competitors.
Ambition filled the air.
The Mid-Term Examination had transformed into something far greater than anyone anticipated.
It wasn't simply a test.
It was an opportunity to rewrite one's future.
And among the crowd, Nille silently watched the reactions around him.
Meanwhile, the two masked Deans exchanged a brief glance.
Because they both knew something the students did not.
The purpose of the examination was not merely to find strong awakened.
It was to discover which students possessed the ability to change the world around them.
The same quality that had recently attracted their attention toward a certain student numbered 72119770.
The excitement inside the arena had not yet settled when a hand rose from among the student ranks.
Dean Osamu immediately noticed.
"Speak."
A young woman stood confidently from the Second-Year section.
Sofiya Volkov (Ukraine)Student Number: 120919760Academic Year: Second YearSpiritual Level: 5Bulletin Rank: 70
Personality:Sofiya Volkov is known for her calm, disciplined, and highly analytical nature. She rarely speaks without purpose and prefers observing a situation before acting. Among her classmates, she has a reputation for maintaining composure even under intense pressure, making her a dependable presence during dangerous expeditions or combat exercises. Sofiya values preparation, self-reliance, and efficiency, often believing that careful planning is just as important as raw strength. While she may appear distant or cold to those who do not know her well, her reserved demeanor hides a strong sense of responsibility toward allies and teammates. She dislikes unnecessary conflict, reckless behavior, and individuals who overestimate their abilities. Despite her quiet nature, she possesses a dry sense of humor that occasionally emerges around people she trusts.
Passive Characteristics:Sofiya naturally adapts well to harsh environments and remains mentally focused during prolonged periods of stress. She demonstrates exceptional patience, allowing her to make rational decisions even when others panic. Her calm emotional state makes it difficult for enemies to provoke or manipulate her through fear or intimidation. Due to years of training in cold climates, she has developed remarkable endurance and resistance to environmental hardships. She is also highly observant, often noticing subtle changes in terrain, weather patterns, and enemy behavior that others overlook.
Awakened Skills:
Ice-Element Magic:Sofiya can manipulate and shape ice through the conversion of spiritual energy into elemental frost. Her spells range from simple projectiles and freezing attacks to more complex battlefield control techniques that slow enemy movement and alter terrain conditions. She excels at creating stable, efficient ice constructs rather than overwhelming destructive power.
Frost Barriers:One of her signature abilities allows her to create defensive walls, shields, and layered protective structures made of reinforced magical ice. These barriers can absorb physical impacts, weaken incoming elemental attacks, and create temporary defensive positions for allies. Her defensive capabilities are considered among the strongest within her year level.
Cold-Environment Combat Adaptation:Sofiya's body has become highly resistant to low temperatures, allowing her to function effectively in freezing environments that would hinder most awakened individuals. Cold climates enhance her stamina and concentration while reducing the effectiveness of temperature-based environmental hazards. This adaptation also allows her to maintain combat efficiency during extended battles involving ice-element techniques.
Overall, Sofiya is regarded as a balanced awakened combatant whose strengths lie in defense, battlefield control, patience, and tactical decision-making rather than direct aggression. Her steady personality and reliable skill set have earned her a respectable position at Bulletin Rank 70, making her one of the more promising Second-Year students at the academy.
Unlike many students who seemed overwhelmed by the announcement, Sofiya's expression remained composed.
similarly another student reacted this was
Lucien Moreau (France)Student Number: 041219758Academic Year: Third YearSpiritual Level: 5Bulletin Rank: 68
Personality:Lucien Moreau is a charismatic, intelligent, and highly observant individual who possesses a natural talent for reading people. Unlike many awakened who rely on direct confrontation, Lucien prefers subtlety, misdirection, and psychological advantage. He enjoys solving problems through creativity rather than force and often treats combat as a complex puzzle rather than a contest of strength. His calm confidence and refined manners make him approachable in social situations, though many students find it difficult to determine when he is being completely sincere. Lucien rarely reveals his true thoughts and has a habit of keeping multiple plans in reserve. Despite his playful and sometimes mischievous nature, he is surprisingly loyal to those he considers genuine friends. He strongly believes that information, perception, and understanding are often more valuable than brute power.
Passive Characteristics:Lucien possesses exceptional situational awareness and an unusual sensitivity to behavioral patterns, body language, and emotional reactions. He naturally notices inconsistencies that others overlook and can often predict how individuals will respond under pressure. His mind remains flexible and adaptable during rapidly changing situations, allowing him to improvise solutions when plans fail. Years of training have also sharpened his concentration, making him resistant to confusion, mental distractions, and certain forms of psychological manipulation. His greatest strength lies in understanding how people perceive reality and exploiting the gaps between expectation and truth.
Awakened Skills:
Illusion Casting:Lucien can create realistic visual, auditory, and environmental illusions by manipulating how spiritual energy is interpreted by the senses. These illusions can range from simple disguises and decoys to complex battlefield deceptions capable of misleading multiple targets simultaneously. While his illusions do not physically alter reality, their realism often makes them difficult to distinguish from genuine objects or events.
Sensory Manipulation:This ability allows Lucien to influence and interfere with an individual's sensory perception. He can alter what a target sees, hears, or feels within certain limitations, creating confusion and uncertainty during combat. Skilled use of this technique allows him to disrupt enemy coordination, conceal allies, or create openings without relying on direct attacks.
Perception Distortion:Lucien's most advanced specialty involves subtly altering a target's interpretation of reality. Rather than creating entirely new illusions, he can distort existing perceptions, making distances appear incorrect, directions seem reversed, or movements appear delayed. This ability is particularly effective against opponents who rely heavily on instinct and visual reactions, forcing them to question their own senses during battle.
Overall, Lucien is regarded as one of the academy's most dangerous support and control-oriented awakened. While he lacks the overwhelming destructive power possessed by some combat specialists, his ability to manipulate perception, create confusion, and dominate the flow of information makes him a formidable opponent. His combination of intelligence, adaptability, and psychological warfare has earned him Bulletin Rank 68, placing him among the most respected Second-Year students within the academy.
they both asked a similar question.
"What is the prize?" asked by Sofiya Volkov
"what will we get?" asked BY Lucien Moreau
A wave of agreement immediately spread through the arena.
Many students had been wondering the same thing.
The Mid-Term Examination sounded unprecedented.
Automatic promotion.
Potential graduation.
Qualification opportunities for the International Veiled Origins Tournament.
Yet nobody had explicitly mentioned the rewards.
Dean Osamu chuckled softly beneath his mask.
"A fair question."
He slowly began walking across the arena floor once more.
Grass and flowers continued appearing wherever he stepped.
"The answer is simple."
He paused.
"There is no single prize."
The students looked confused.
Osamu raised a hand toward the enormous map still floating overhead.
"There are countless rewards."
The interconnected quest network immediately illuminated.
Hundreds of paths glowed across Sector One.
"Every quest contains opportunities."
"Resources."
"Knowledge."
"Contacts."
"Artifacts."
"Influence."
"Trade agreements."
"Ancient discoveries."
"Rare materials."
The map continued changing.
New possibilities appeared everywhere.
Then Osamu looked directly at the students.
"The interconnected quest system itself contains rewards beyond what the Academy could ever provide through ordinary examinations."
The students listened carefully.
Then Dean Osamu continued.
"As for the International Veiled Origins Tournament..."
His voice became more serious.
"...Dean Asakura Setsuko and I have personally approved this year's participation incentives."
The mention of the second Dean immediately captured everyone's attention.
Even the professors grew quiet.
The two Deans rarely spoke publicly about decisions they had made together.
That alone suggested the rewards were significant.
Osamu folded his hands behind his back.
"If you qualify..."
"You will gain more than power."
The arena became silent.
"You will gain more than skills."
The students listened intently.
"You will gain more than fame."
His voice echoed across the massive arena.
"You will gain experience."
"Perspective."
"Allies."
"Knowledge from other nations."
"Exposure to techniques and disciplines unavailable within Yamatai."
The floating image above changed.
Foreign academies.
Ancient institutions.
Awakened organizations.
Research groups.
International competitors.
Students from every corner of the world.
"The tournament is not merely a competition."
"It is one of the greatest gatherings of awakened talent on the planet."
Many students found themselves imagining it.
The scale.
The opportunities.
The possibilities.
Then Osamu's tone changed.
The warmth vanished.
The arena suddenly felt colder.
More serious.
The Dean stopped walking.
The flowers growing behind him ceased spreading.
And for the first time since the assembly began—
his presence became genuinely intimidating.
"There is something else you must understand."
The excitement among the students immediately diminished.
Many instinctively straightened.
Dean Osamu's voice became calm.
Far too calm.
"This examination is not a Controlled Training Continuum."
The words immediately drew attention.
Students exchanged uneasy looks.
Every awakened student understood what that meant.
Most academy combat exercises occurred inside specially designed training environments.
Illusionary battlefields.
Controlled simulations.
Emergency safety systems.
Protective enchantments.
Even serious injuries could usually be prevented.
Not this time.
Osamu pointed toward the quest map.
"This examination will occur in the real world."
The arena became silent.
"No simulation."
"No illusion."
"No artificial safety restrictions."
His gaze swept across the student body.
"The creatures you encounter will be real."
"The dangers will be real."
"The consequences will be real."
Some students visibly paled.
Others grew more serious.
Even the ambitious ones.
Then Osamu delivered the warning.
"If you make poor decisions..."
"If you underestimate your enemies..."
"If you ignore risks..."
His voice echoed through the arena.
"You can die."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Nobody laughed.
Nobody whispered.
Nobody moved.
Because every student knew he wasn't exaggerating.
The Dean was simply stating a fact.
This was not a game.
Not a tournament.
Not a classroom exercise.
It was a real-world evaluation.
A test of judgment.
A test of survival.
A test of responsibility.
The floating map above continued glowing softly.
Hundreds of opportunities.
Hundreds of dangers.
Waiting.
Then Osamu spoke one final time.
"The Academy will provide opportunities."
His gaze hardened.
"But it will not protect you from every consequence."
For several long moments, the arena remained completely silent.
The reality of the examination finally settled over the students.
The rewards were extraordinary.
The opportunities unprecedented.
But the risks, were equally real.
And for the first time that morning, many students realized that the Mid-Term Examination was not asking whether they wanted to become stronger.
It was asking whether they were willing to stake their future on it.