Before the duels could begin in the Outer Arena, Professor Aurelia stepped forward, her posture as commanding as the towering Arcane Clock of the Academy. She raised a gloved hand, calling for silence.
"Before we start today's matches, we'll conduct an important assessment," she said, her voice firm. "We will measure each of your combined physical strength and Energy control."
The students exchanged eager glances. Reid let out a low whistle.
"Physical strength? Finally, something fun."
Claire merely cracked her knuckles and narrowed her eyes toward the field.
With a flick of her wrist inside a magic circle, Aurelia summoned something from the ground — metal structures rising as plates locked together, glowing faintly with blue light. In moments, an imposing device stood before them: it resembled a futuristic battering ram, its center a circular metal target encased in a magical field. Above it, a rune-etched holographic panel floated, ready to display results.
The professor strode to the device with steady steps. Without any obvious Energy infusion, she struck the center of the target with a clean, precise blow.
THUUM!
The panel lit up.
[1,000]
An awed silence fell over the class.
"This machine measures both physical strength and the control with which you channel Energy into a single strike," Aurelia explained. "The maximum is 1,000 — the standard output of a high-level Master. The scale is as follows:"
With a gesture, she projected a floating chart for all to see.
---
0–100 — Apprentice
101–250 — Awakened
251–350 — Graduate (low)
351–450 — Graduate (mid)
451–500 — Graduate (high)
501–550 — Specialist (low)
551–600 — Specialist (mid)
601–700 — Specialist (high)
701–800 — Master (low)
801–900 — Master (mid)
901–1,000 — Master (high)
---
"Minor Clans, Middle Clans, and the Nine Great Clans — you will now demonstrate your true standing," she continued. "Your results will directly influence the expectations placed upon you by the Academy and the Esoteric Society. Remember: this machine does not measure your total Energy reserves, but rather how well you convert that Energy into raw power and precision. Refined control can surpass even a stronger Core."
Murmurs rippled through the students.
"So… a skilled Graduate could beat a sloppy Specialist?" Reid whispered.
"Exactly," Claire replied, eyes fixed on the machine.
Aurelia pointed to the first in line.
"Begin."
The Minor Clans went first.
Most were Graduates, and to Indra's surprise, they performed far better than he'd expected — averaging between 300 and 500 points.
A boy from the Darwin Clan scored 472. A girl from the Kasumi Clan hit 489. Quiet murmurs of approval spread. While not elite, the Minor Clans' strength was respectable.
"Wow… they're not as weak as I thought," Indra murmured, watching intently.
Next came the Middle Clans. Reid was among the first to step up.
The Ledger heir took a breath, rolled his shoulders, and let amber Energy shimmer around his fist.
THOOM!
[679]
"High-level Specialist," someone muttered.
Claire followed. Her strike was straight, sharp, and wreathed in black flames that flowed from the tattoos on her arm.
THOOM!
[693]
Aurelia said nothing but gave a small nod. Claire allowed herself a faint, satisfied smile.
Other Middle Clan heirs — Clifford, Kim, and others — scored between 550 and 640, with only a handful reaching 650 exactly. Indra absorbed every detail with the hunger of someone starved for knowledge.
Then it was the Nine Great Clans' turn.
The air grew heavy with anticipation. Silence spread.
Mia Nefertari stepped forward, rapier in hand, moving with graceful precision. Her golden hair caught the pale morning light, and her blue eyes shone like sapphires. She thrust at the target, her blade wrapped in radiant Energy.
THINK!
[703]
"Low-level Master," someone murmured.
"Not bad for the one they call the weakest of the Nine."
Tanya Romanova followed — 726, her blow making the air hum with dark magic.
William Von Goethe, clad in heavy runic armor, struck for 739, thunder echoing from the impact.
Shin Jin-Sung, shy and hesitant, seemed almost unsure — until his fist hit.
BOOM!
[747]
"How…?" Claire whispered.
"The Energy around him… it's oppressive," Reid muttered, a bead of sweat on his temple.
Alexia Valois struck next — 731, her white priestess robes fluttering from the motion.
Yamazaki Sosuke's blow was so fast most didn't see it — 745, his red eyes flashing.
And then, the three most awaited.
Aurora Bianchi approached in silence, golden eyes as cold as the snowy dawn in the Northern Peaks. She thrust her palm forward, wrapped in pure white celestial Energy.
WHAM!
[842]
"She wasn't even trying…" a student whispered.
Kade Rockefeller followed, walking like a man with an invisible throne on his shoulders. A spiral of golden flame swirled around his fist.
BOOM!
[875]
"He's a monster…" someone breathed.
And finally — Ye Chen.
The silence deepened.
He walked without haste, black hair stirring faintly in the breeze, his dark, unreadable eyes an endless calm.
Raising his fist, he struck without spectacle.
BAAAM!
The number flickered, hesitated… and then locked in place.
[999]
No one moved.
Reid muttered a quiet curse. Claire's eyes went wide.
"He didn't break the machine… but came one step away," someone whispered.
Aurelia narrowed her eyes, her lips almost — almost — curving into a smile.
"Without a doubt, one of the greatest talents of his generation," she murmured. "High-level Master precision from a mid-level Master."
Indra wasn't surprised. He'd heard of Ye Chen. He knew the boy wasn't normal. But seeing 999 glowing above the device lit something inside him — not envy, but a raw, almost primal desire. He didn't want to be Ye Chen. He wanted to reach him.
And deep in his chest, he felt… maybe one day, he could.
"Indra Shuemesch. You're next."
Aurelia's voice cut through the air like an obsidian blade, sharp and absolute.
The arena fell silent. Hundreds of eyes — heirs, scions of ancient lines — turned toward Indra, the boy from the Mortal Plane who just over a week ago could barely touch Qi. Now, he walked toward the device as a true Awakened.
Claire and Reid watched with mixed pride and surprise. Aurora crossed her arms, intrigued. Even Mia Nefertari's gaze sharpened.
The walk to the machine felt long, but Indra didn't hesitate. He moved with the calm of someone used to carrying heavy expectations.
Standing before the target, the circular plate seemed almost to loom over him. He exhaled once and closed his eyes.
Everything around him faded.
His Qi flowed like a clear river through a dense forest. Now that his Magical Veins were formed, circulation was natural, pulsing. The power was tangible, moldable.
He channeled the flow into his right fist, taking a boxer's stance — left guard forward, chin tucked, hips steady, shoulders loose. On the Mortal Plane, he had practiced many martial arts, but here, the Straight Punch felt like the purest, most efficient choice.
Qi surged. His foot grounded. And then—
THUUMMM!
A shockwave rippled through the field. The clothes of nearby students stirred in the sudden pressure. The metal sang, Indra's Qi resonating like contained thunder.
Above the device, numbers spun… and stopped.
[352]
Silence.
Then — an uproar.
"Impossible!"
"He's only Awakened!"
"A mid-level Graduate with just a week of training?!"
"How…?!"
Even some of the Nine Great Clan heirs were stunned. William Von Goethe frowned. Yamazaki Sosuke's eyes narrowed. Aurora's brow rose.
Reid gave a low whistle. Claire muttered, "By all the stars on the Other Side…"
The shouts multiplied. Some, irritated or doubtful, demanded:
"Professor! Have him do it again!"
Aurelia regarded the loudest voices with calm, almost as if she'd expected this. With a nod, she said, "Indra, for protocol's sake, repeat the test."
Indra smiled faintly.
"No problem."
He stepped up again, channeling his Qi. His body already remembered the process.
And then — a calm voice behind him:
"You're dumping it all at once. That wastes Energy."
Indra turned, startled.
Ye Chen stood there, hands in his pockets, not even looking fully at him.
The entire arena fell utterly silent.
The boy of 999 had spoken — and not to just anyone, but to Indra, the outsider from the Mortal Plane.
Even the proudest heirs looked taken aback.
Ye Chen continued, his tone indifferent:
"Layer the flow. Don't release it all in one burst. After impact, let the Qi out in successive stages. That way, all the Energy is used, and the strike stays cohesive even after the initial contact."
Indra studied him. Ye Chen's eyes seemed distant, but… there was a spark there. Faint, but real.
Without a word, Indra nodded.
He turned back to the machine. Inhaled deeply. This time, he split the Qi into three layers — one for the moment of impact, another for when the target absorbed the shock, and a final one to sustain the blow's power.
Straight Punch — again.
BOOOOOOOM!
The sound was deeper, the force broader yet more controlled. Three invisible rings of pressure rippled out from him.
Numbers spun…
[449]
Another stunned silence. Then — chaos.
"That's nearly high-level Graduate strength!"
"No — that surpasses plenty of them!"
"An Awakened doing this? Unheard of!"
Even the earlier skeptics were left speechless. Smirks turned to wary, curious, or even unsettled expressions.
Aurora studied him with an amused curiosity.
Ye Chen… simply nodded once and turned away, as if it had been a casual technical remark. But everyone knew it meant far more.
Aurelia clapped her hands once — sharp and commanding.
"That's enough. Return to the main field."
The students were still buzzing with talk as they obeyed.
At the combat circle, Aurelia turned back to the group.
"Today, we have a new fighter."
Her golden eyes fixed on Indra.
"Prepare yourselves."