The Grand Hall was enormous.
Its vaulted ceiling disappeared into the clouds, supported by towering marble pillars carved with scenes of ancient heroes battling dragons, demons, and gods.
Thousands of freshmen filled the hall.
Nobles stood together in expensive uniforms.
Commoners kept to themselves.
The divide was obvious.
Noah and Eric found seats near the back.
"I hate crowds," Noah muttered.
Eric laughed.
"I hate nobles."
"You’ll fit right in."
Before Noah could answer, every conversation died.
An elderly man stepped onto the platform.
His crimson robes shimmered with countless golden runes.
The pressure he released was enough to silence the entire hall.
Noah immediately recognized him.
Not personally...
But from the novel.
Headmaster Leonhardt.
One of the strongest humans alive.
One of the few people even Azrael acknowledged.
The old man’s sharp gaze swept across the students.
For one brief moment...
His eyes stopped on Noah.
Only for a heartbeat.
Then they continued moving.
No one else seemed to notice.
Noah did.
"...He saw me."
The Headmaster smiled faintly.
"Welcome..."
His voice echoed effortlessly through the hall.
"...to Valhalla Imperial Academy."
A wave of applause followed.
"It matters not whether you are noble or commoner."
More applause.
"It matters only whether you possess the will to stand when everyone else falls."
The applause became louder.
Then the Headmaster’s smile disappeared.
"Look to your left."
Everyone did.
"Now look to your right."
Students exchanged confused glances.
"One of those people..."
"...will likely be dead before graduation."
Silence.
The atmosphere instantly changed.
"This academy does not create heroes."
"It reveals them."
Noah smirked.
"Now that’s a speech."
The Headmaster raised one hand.
Golden mana filled the hall.
"Before classes begin..."
"...every student will undergo an aptitude evaluation."
The floor beneath the students began glowing.
Magic circles.
Hundreds of them.
Noah frowned.
"This wasn’t in the novel."
The System chimed.
[New Event]
Academy Aptitude Evaluation
Objective:
Complete the test without exposing the Ragnarok Bloodline.
Noah’s expression darkened.
"So I have to hide now."
That made things more complicated.
One by one, students were teleported onto the central platform.
A crystal sphere floated there.
Each student placed a hand on it.
The crystal responded.
"Fire Affinity: B."
Applause.
"Wind Affinity: A."
More applause.
"Sword Talent: A+."
Gasps.
A noble boy with emerald hair stepped forward confidently.
He placed his hand on the crystal.
The sphere exploded with brilliant golden light.
The examiner’s eyes widened.
"...Mana Affinity."
He swallowed.
"SS Rank."
The hall erupted.
"Incredible!"
"A monster!"
"As expected of House Valerius!"
The young noble smiled proudly before returning to his seat.
Eric clicked his tongue.
"Arrogant bastard."
Noah only watched.
He remembered him.
Cassian Valerius.
One of the academy’s top prodigies.
Also...
One of Noah’s future rivals.
Then another student stepped forward.
Silver hair.
Ice-blue eyes.
Luna Frost.
The moment her hand touched the crystal...
The entire hall grew cold.
Frost spread across the platform.
Snowflakes drifted through the air.
The examiner stared in disbelief.
"Ice Affinity..."
He paused.
"...SSS Rank."
Complete silence.
Then thunderous applause.
Noah wasn’t surprised.
She’d always been a monster.
Luna calmly stepped away.
Not once did she acknowledge the applause.
Or anyone else.
Then...
The examiner called another name.
"Noah Blackwood."
Eric nudged him.
"Your turn."
Noah stood.
His heartbeat quickened.
The System remained silent.
Which somehow made him even more nervous.
He climbed the platform.
Thousands of eyes watched him.
Cassian glanced over with mild disinterest.
Luna looked up.
The Headmaster quietly folded his arms.
Noah reached toward the crystal.
"Please don’t explode..."
His fingers touched the surface.
For one second...
Nothing happened.
Then the crystal cracked.
A thin crimson fracture spread through its center.
The examiner frowned.
"...Strange."
The crack vanished.
The crystal returned to normal.
As if nothing had happened.
A result slowly appeared.
Mana Affinity: F
Murmurs spread across the hall.
"F?"
"Seriously?"
"How did someone like him get accepted?"
A few nobles laughed openly.
Cassian smirked.
Eric looked ready to punch someone.
Noah simply withdrew his hand.
"Good."
"An F-rank is perfect."
He wanted to stay invisible.
But high above the hall...
Headmaster Leonhardt narrowed his eyes.
Only he had seen it.
For a fraction of a second...
The crystal hadn’t cracked.
It had almost shattered.
He whispered under his breath.
"...Interesting."