Two weeks passed quickly in the royal capital.
During that time, Saksham spent most of his days training and recovering from the battle in the northern mountains.
His control over fusion mana slowly improved.
Although he avoided using the full power of the technique, the system's new skill—Fusion Mastery—helped him stabilize both light and dark elements much more easily.
Orion occasionally watched his training from the side.
"You are progressing faster than most mages I've seen," Orion said one morning.
Saksham wiped sweat from his forehead.
"Still not enough."
Orion raised an eyebrow.
"You defeated a Void Apostle."
Saksham shrugged.
"That was luck and desperation."
"An academy full of talented students might be harder."
Orion smiled slightly.
"That is the correct attitude."
Finally—
the day of the Royal Academy Entrance Examination arrived.
Early in the morning, the streets of the capital were already filled with young candidates heading toward the academy gates.
Some wore noble family crests on their clothes.
Others carried magical staffs or training swords.
Everyone looked nervous.
Everyone wanted to pass.
Standing at the end of the main road—
the Royal Academy looked even more impressive up close.
Its enormous white walls surrounded a massive campus filled with towers, training grounds, and magical facilities.
Tall silver gates marked the entrance.
Above them hung the academy's banner.
A group of armored academy guards checked invitations as students entered.
Saksham approached the gate calmly.
He handed over his invitation letter.
The guard examined the seal carefully before nodding.
"Invitation confirmed."
"You may enter."
The large gates opened.
Saksham stepped inside.
The academy courtyard was enormous.
Hundreds of candidates had already gathered there.
Some stood in groups talking.
Others practiced small spells nervously.
Saksham quietly observed the crowd.
"Looks like competition is everywhere."
Just then—
a loud voice echoed across the courtyard.
"Move aside!"
Several students quickly stepped out of the way.
A tall boy wearing expensive noble clothing walked forward confidently.
Two other students followed behind him.
A golden crest decorated his jacket.
Saksham overheard someone whisper nearby.
"That's Victor Ravenhart."
"His family controls half the eastern territories."
"They say he awakened a rare lightning element."
Victor stopped near the center of the courtyard and looked around with a confident smile.
"Looks like the academy invited quite a crowd this year."
One of his companions laughed.
"Most of them won't pass the first test."
Saksham simply watched quietly.
He had no interest in starting trouble before the exam.
Nearby—
another student caught his attention.
A girl with long silver hair stood calmly near the fountain.
Unlike the others, she seemed completely relaxed.
Her eyes were focused as if she were analyzing the entire crowd.
Someone whispered again.
"That's Elena Frostveil."
"They say she's a magical prodigy."
"A natural ice element user."
Saksham smiled slightly.
"So the competition really is serious."
Suddenly—
a loud bell rang across the academy grounds.
All conversations stopped instantly.
Several academy instructors walked into the courtyard.
They wore long dark robes decorated with magical symbols.
At the center of the group stood an older man with white hair and sharp eyes.
His presence alone commanded attention.
The old man raised his hand.
The entire courtyard became silent.
"I am Archmage Valerian."
"Head Instructor of the Royal Academy Entrance Examination."
His voice was calm but powerful.
"You have all come here seeking admission to the most prestigious magical academy in the kingdom."
He slowly looked across the crowd of candidates.
"However…"
"Only a small number of you will pass."
Some students swallowed nervously.
Valerian continued speaking.
"The entrance examination will consist of three trials."
He raised one finger.
"First Trial: Mana Measurement."
"Your magical capacity will be evaluated using the academy's crystal system."
He raised a second finger.
"Second Trial: Element Control."
"You will demonstrate your ability to control your elemental magic."
Finally—
he raised a third finger.
"Third Trial: Combat Assessment."
"You will face magical constructs in the academy training arena."
Several students gasped quietly.
Even Saksham raised an eyebrow.
"Construct battles already?"
Valerian lowered his hand.
"Those who fail any trial will be eliminated immediately."
"Only the strongest candidates will remain."
He pointed toward the large stone building behind him.
"The first trial begins now."
The massive doors of the testing hall slowly opened.
Inside—
rows of glowing magical crystals waited.
The real test had begun.
And soon—
Saksham would discover just how powerful the other candidates truly were.
To be continued…