After Li Xian completed the assessment, the entire round of tests for their group of a dozen or so was officially over.
The results were more or less as expected—no one failed.
After all, those with Elemental Affinity of Excellent Grade or above could be considered geniuses.
Geniuses are always different from ordinary people; even those few with average backgrounds and limited combat experience managed to barely hold their own and pass the assessment.
Assessments for the other groups seemed to require more time.
During this interval, they appeared to have nothing much to do.
Out of boredom, Li Xian found his mind wandering back to that purple-haired girl.
After a brief hesitation, he started scanning the area, searching for that unmistakable long, lavender hair.
Such a striking shade of pale purple was rare, making her easy to spot.
Before long, Li Xian found her amidst the crowd.
She was preparing for her assessment, seemingly unaware that Li Xian was watching her.
“Assessment failed, next!”
Unfortunately, the young man right before her failed to pass.
Hearing “Assessment failed” undoubtedly added pressure to the girl who was next in line.
Karinya took a deep breath, clenched her fists tightly, and looked toward the proctor ahead of her.
Then, as if finally making up her mind, she stepped forward to stand before him.
Throughout the process, the proctor didn’t rush her—he simply stared at Karinya with a complicated expression.
It was clear he knew Karinya’s identity… and even some of her history.
“Are you ready?”
He asked again, giving her time to prepare.
Yet those words stabbed Karinya’s heart even deeper.
Even though her grandfather disliked her intensely and was eager to marry her off, even though she was mediocre at best and hadn’t achieved much, the examiner still treated her with care.
Not because of what she could offer—her grandfather certainly didn’t favor her or hold her in any regard—but simply because she was Lord Elvis’s granddaughter.
She was the granddaughter of the Empire’s Grand Magus, the pillar of the entire Empire.
Such care could very well be a form of pain itself…
The harsh reality she had lived through made it impossible for her not to feel bitterness, even if she understood that the examiner’s intentions were truly well-meaning—respecting her grandfather’s reputation and his contributions to the Empire.
She was not worthless.
She was not a failure.
She had always just wanted to prove that.
So…
“I’m ready!”
The moment she spoke, magical elements rapidly gathered around her body, then surged toward the proctor with swift and decisive movements.
Intermediate-level Mage.
For Li Xian’s group, this wasn’t anything remarkable—in fact, it was on the lower end of the scale.
But for a girl with such average talent, weaker than nearly everyone present, this was the result of countless days and nights of relentless effort.
She attacked with desperation, recklessly throwing herself into the fray.
Her ferocity even took the proctor by surprise.
“Assessment… passed.”
Finally, when those words left the examiner’s mouth, Karinya, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath, ceased her movements.
She swayed, barely able to stand.
She had done it.
Even with average talent, she could do it!
Through effort many times greater than others, she had reached heights that most with better talent had not.
She had truly passed the assessment with her own strength…
A glimmer of hope had quietly surfaced in her eyes.
She looked toward a certain direction, yearning for a familiar smile she hadn’t seen in so long.
Yet Lord Elvis was fully focused on the assessments of other groups, seemingly unaware of her at all.
Her joy of success seemed to vanish instantly.
The smile on her face slowly stiffened, and only her clenched fists remained tense, her fingernails digging into her palms, drawing small droplets of blood.
“Next…” The proctor’s hesitant voice called her back to reality.
She bowed gracefully with her head lowered and turned to leave.
All assessments were finally over.
Those who were to leave had already departed.
The remaining candidates were gathered together once more, and Lord Elvis slowly stepped forward to address them.
“First, congratulations to all who remain. You have successfully passed the assessment and become members of the Imperial Magic Academy.”
His words struck like thunder, instantly causing a ripple of excitement below.
Not everyone here was a genius.
Most were simply the lucky few among the diligent.
For them, entering the Imperial Magic Academy might well be the highlight of their entire lives.
Lord Elvis’s clear affirmation was enough to send them into a frenzy of joy.
Lord Elvis seemed to understand this and waited until their excitement subsided before continuing, “From now until tomorrow, you may decide how to spend your time. You may stay within the Academy—the dormitories will be arranged—or choose to lodge at inns outside. You can relax, or continue training. And after one day—that is, the day after tomorrow…”
He paused.
“There will be one final assessment.”
That announcement silenced the crowd instantly.
None of them had heard of this before.
The previous assessments only consisted of two rounds; no one knew there would be a third.
“Of course, you need not worry. This final assessment will not affect your admission…”
Lord Elvis’s next words reassured many.
“But, although it won’t affect your entry, this assessment is very important to you… I’m not one to beat around the bush, so I’ll be direct. This final assessment is your first chance to compete for resources. Those who perform better will receive better accommodations and resources. The best performer will receive an additional reward—whether it be a top-tier Magic Scroll, a peak Transcendent-grade Magic Crystal, or even the chance to become my disciple.”
As he spoke, his gaze casually flicked toward Li Xian and Sara’s direction.
Li Xian, however, paid no attention; his only thought was: “Why won’t this old man just shut up already?”
He had zero interest in listening to the old man ramble on…
But to the other students, this condition was almost maddening!
Becoming Lord Elvis’s disciple—what did that mean?
The best resources, the strongest mentor, the entire Empire’s attention focused on you.
The possibility of becoming an ace Mage in the future was not out of reach.
To become Lord Elvis’s disciple was like having the protagonist’s spotlight cast upon you, starting a legendary, unrivaled journey!
Who could resist such temptation?
The earlier surprise and confusion quickly transformed into excitement—especially for those in Li Xian’s group, as geniuses who stood a greater chance of winning…
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