The faint rays of morning sunlight peeked through the blinds of Avince's room, casting soft lines across the cluttered desk piled with books, rune sketches, and a few empty mana potion vials. He stirred in his bed, groaning slightly as the weight of exhaustion settled into his body. Visiting Althiel always left him drained. Even if his physical body remained untouched during his trips into the dungeon, the mental strain of being in her presence—and dealing with her was another thing entirely.

Sitting up, he rubbed his temples, trying to shake the grogginess. As much as he hated how tiring those visits could be, he couldn't deny the thrill they gave him. Watching Althiel turn silver into mithril had been mind-blowing. He could still feel the echo of her mana control in his mind, the effortless grace she had displayed as she bent raw elements to her will.

He let out a breath, standing and stretching. Today was another big day. The results of both the exam and the dungeon run were being announced. The exams, at least, didn’t make him anxious. He’d studied hard, and he expected to place somewhere in the top percentile. The dungeon rankings, though...

Avince shook his head as he pulled on his uniform, unable to suppress a grin of excitement. He had to see where he’d placed.

The results could have been simply posted in the academy website but the school liked to make the students visit the academy itself in case they have some remedials or backlogs to finish. It was also a way for the academy to promote one last meet up between the students as well as the professor before their break

Avince navigated the academy’s hallway on his way to the central hall, where the exam and dungeon results had been posted on the digital leaderboard. Students were already gathered in clusters, chatting loudly about their standings, some gleeful and others grumbling.

He found an open terminal on the far side of the hall and quickly tapped his student ID. The holographic interface shimmered to life, displaying his personal results.

Exam Results

Rank: Top 14 out of 1497

Score: 94.7%

Avince smiled faintly. It was about what he’d expected. He wasn’t aiming to be the absolute best—those were reserved for the absolute study freaks and those with abilities that enhance intelligence—but being in the top 1% was enough to keep him competitive in both academics and future opportunities.

He scrolled to the next section, his heart beating faster as the dungeon results loaded.

Dungeon Run Rankings

Team Ranking: 1st Place

Individual Ranking: 1st Place

Avince blinked, stunned. “Wait... what?” he muttered, leaning closer to the terminal as if that would make the words change. He double-checked the results, his name sitting firmly at the top of both lists.

A few students standing nearby caught wind of his reaction.

“Thane’s team got first?” one whispered.

“And he placed first individually too?” another added, their tone laced with disbelief.

Avince stepped back, allowing others to see the rankings as he processed the information. How? There were so many strong first-years—Cel Maldour, with his unique ability; Long Xiaofei, whose wind magic and dragon bloodline put her in a league of her own. Especially Cel—his ability should be incredibly strong in a team format.

He frowned, trying to piece it together. He hadn’t done anything particularly flashy during the dungeon run, except for killing the High Water Elemental. But other teams should also have been able to defeat that boss since a Middle C-rank creature was still manageable for some of them.

His thoughts shifted to the next boss, and suddenly, realization struck. The Dark Mage is too strong for any of the first-years, and their guides must have stopped them from proceeding further. It must be that his group had reached that point faster than the others.

He then recalled that most of the floor leading to the Dark Mage was puzzle-based, and another thought dawned on him.

“That must be it,” Avince murmured to himself. “It’s not about how strong you are—it’s about how quickly you progress. Those puzzles must have slowed them down more than they did us.”

Still, the rankings were more about bragging rights than anything else. They wouldn’t affect his future directly, but he couldn’t deny the small sense of pride swelling in his chest.

Avince’s thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice. “Looks like you’re full of surprises, Avince.”

He turned to see Erica, her arms crossed, a teasing grin on her face. “Ranked higher than Cel Maldour and Long Xiaofei? I’m starting to wonder if you’ve been holding out on us.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Avince replied with an awkward chuckle. “Honestly, I think it came down to luck more than anything else.”

Before Erica could respond, Mavis, one of his more competitive classmates, approached. She was tall and lean, her piercing hazel eyes giving off a feline intensity. Her short, jet-black hair had a subtle, natural sheen, and the sharpness of her movements always seemed to hint at something more predatory.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Known for her rare transformation ability, Mavis could shift partially or fully into a sleek black panther, enhancing her speed, agility, and stealth. She crossed her arms, a smirk curling at her lips as her eyes flicked toward Avince. “Luck? Don’t sell yourself short. You’re ranked first. You had to do something right. What’s your secret?”

Avince shook his head. “No secret. We just managed to clear some of the puzzles faster, that’s all. I’m sure anyone could’ve done it with the right focus.”

Mavis smirked. “Humility doesn’t suit you, Thane. If I ranked first, I’d make sure everyone knew it.” He glanced at the rankings again and muttered, “Though I’ll admit, that Dark Mage floor was brutal. My guide pulled us out before we even got close.”

Others began chiming in, some congratulating Avince, others lamenting their own rankings. Myra, a quiet but sharp girl known for her lightning magic, offered him a small smile. “Your group’s strength must have been exceptional. Some parts of the dungeon are actually hard to clear. I had to hold back a lot to stop me from hurting my teammates.”

“Maybe,” Avince replied. “But it’s not just that. I think our team is quite well balanced for this dungeon theme too.

As the chatter grew louder, Avince found himself retreating into his thoughts again. The rankings didn’t matter to him as much as they seemed to matter to others. He had come to the Academy with a goal: to grow stronger, to find his place in a world that often made him feel out of place. And now, standing here with his classmates, he realized he had already taken the first steps toward that goal.

He glanced at Erica, who was now talking animatedly with Mavis about her own dungeon run. Despite her excitement, she seemed to sense his gaze and turned toward him. “You okay?” she asked, her tone softening.

Avince nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just that I have more things to do after this. There should be no issues with the subjects too. There’s no reason to hang around.”

Erica studied him for a moment, then smiled. “Fair enough. I’ll catch up with you later, then.”

As Avince turned to leave, a firm yet familiar voice called out from behind him. “Avince Thane.”

He stopped and turned to see Professor Carlson Verity approaching, his sharp gaze fixed on him. The professor’s presence was commanding, even in a casual setting.

“Professor Carlson?” Avince asked, unsure why the history instructor would single him out here.

“I won’t keep you long,” Professor Carlson said, adjusting his glasses. “But before you disappear, check your Academy email. I’ve sent you something that requires your attention.”

Avince frowned slightly, curiosity sparking. “My email? Is it related to the dungeon run?”

“Partially,” Carlson replied cryptically. “Let’s just say it’s an opportunity.

With that, the professor gave him a curt nod and walked off, blending into the crowd of students.

Avince stood there for a moment, trying to piece together what Carlson could mean. He rarely interacted with the professor outside of class, so this sudden message felt… unusual.

Erica’s voice broke his train of thought. “Looks like someone’s popular,” she teased, her grin playful.

Avince shook his head, still puzzled. “I’ll check the email later"

Erica nodded, her expression softening again. “Don’t overthink it."

With a small smile, Avince gave her a wave and walked toward the exit.

Once he was back in his room, Avince sat at his desk and turned on his phone to check his email. The interface flickered to life, displaying a flood of spam, promotional offers, and random notifications. He skimmed through the list until he found the email from the academy.

However, another email caught his attention.

It was from the Kenshi-Ryu Dojo, the Dojo his guide, Kai was in. The subject line read:

“Exclusive Invitation for Training – Sponsored Offer!”

Intrigued, Avince opened it.

The message congratulated him on his dungeon results and extended an invitation to train at their dojo. It explained that the dojo was offering an initial sponsorship, meaning his training fees would be covered until he either decided to leave or failed to meet their standards. The email detailed the dojo’s rigorous training regimen and its focus on swordsmanship. It also mentioned the dojo’s strong connections to different level tournaments, which piqued his interest.

Avince leaned back in his chair, chewing on his bottom lip thoughtfully.

“Swordsmanship, huh?” he muttered.

He immediately thought of Kai, whose simple, yet deadly technique cut that dark mage in half so effortlessly

“Not really my style,” Avince murmured again. His fighting method relied heavily on adaptability and using different magic to outmaneuver his opponents rather than engaging in direct, close-quarters combat.

But then, he paused.

Wouldn’t it be a good idea to have a backup option?

He drummed his fingers on the desk. Swordsmanship might not align perfectly with his current fighting style, but it could make him more versatile. Close combat was his weakest area, and improving even slightly could make a significant difference in a pinch.

“I’ll think about it,” he decided, flagging the email to revisit later.

He then checked the email sent by the academy.

“Congratulations, Avince Thane – Candidate for District Tournament”

He clicked it, his eyes quickly scanning the text.

The message congratulated him on his rankings and informed him that his exceptional performance in both the exams and the dungeon run had earned him a spot in the academy’s district tournament training program. The program was designed to prepare top-performing students for the upcoming tournament, offering advanced lessons, sparring matches, and the chance to represent the academy at a higher level.

As Avince continued reading, one sentence stood out:

"Due to your outstanding results, the academy has made an exception to include you in this year’s program despite the already decided line up during the first year’s tournament."

Avince’s heart raced as he re-read the email. A candidate for the district tournament? Him?

Sure, his rankings were high, but he hadn’t expected to be selected for something this prestigious. It wasn’t just about competing—it was about being noticed by influential figures, forging connections, and testing himself against some of the best ability-users in the region.

The exception only made it more surreal. The academy decided to bend some rules with their decision to include him.

He leaned back in his chair, a grin spreading across his face. “Well, this changes things,” he muttered.

For once, the path ahead seemed clear. He had the potential to stand among the elite—if he put in the effort.