Bong-Bong.

  The students fell silent at the loud sound of the bell ringing. Only seds after it stopped, a cires appeared on aed podium, taking the shape of a two-meter-tall man with bulging muscles and a serious expression. He had red hair and red eyes.

  All eyes were drawn to him due to his fmboyarahe man, seeing that he had captured the young adults’ attention, began to speak in a deep voice that strangely carried across the entire area. “Wele, future students. I am the vice principal, Brendan Iro.”

  At the mention of his name, many people grew excited and began to whisper among themselves.

  “No way! I heard he's a powerful SS+ rank fire mage!”

  “If only I could train under him, I’d bee an exceptional mage.”

  Brendan, notig the murmurs in the crowd, bellowed, “SILENCE!” Once quiet was restored, he tinued, “I know many of you are thrilled at the prospect of joiniral Academy, but let me tell you now: this year, we will accept only 1,000 students. Yet, there are thousands of you hoping to join. This means only the top 1,000 will make it in. Everyone around you is your petition.”

  As soon as he said this, the atmosphere shifted, and students began to cautiously observe those around them. Brendan, satisfied with the ge in mood, went on, “To determine who will be admitted to tral Academy, there will be two tests. The first test will take p the Testier,” he said, pointing te medieval-style building bustling with staff.

  “You’ll ehe Testier and line up to touch the analysis orb, which will record your talent level. Based on this, you’ll receive a score. However, don’t be disced if your talent is rated low; even if you don’t score highly in the first test, hope is not lost. The sed test will assess your battle power.”

  “I won’t expin the sed test now because I hate repeating myself, and some of you will fet the details anyway. I’ll discuss it in more detail after everyone pletes the first test. Just keep in mind that your overall score will bine your results from both tests, giving you a ranking from 1,000th pce to 1st pce.”

  “I won’t go into details for now, but know that achieving a high rank es with many bes, so aim for it.”

  He paused, then fixed the crowd with a fierce gaze and said seriously, “Some of you are used to having parents who say yes to everything you ask. But here, your family background doesn’t matter. If you try to use your status to threaten other students—or eveaff, if you’re foolish enough to try—I assure you, there will be sequences.”

  “Now you may proceed to your first test; I’ve finished speaking,” Brendan announced before fmes enveloped him, and in an instant, he vanished.

  Upon hearing his words, the future students began to move toward the Testier. Mikael quietly followed the crowd into the building. Inside, he was surprised to see that it appeared evehan it seemed from outside. ‘Space magic? Or something simir that allows for this kind of logic-defying magic. Impressive’ he thought.

  The interior was a stunning blend of medieval architecture and modern design. Bright e lines on the ground, along with retractable belt barriers—the kind often seen in airports—ahe queues. These lines led to ters with staff stationed behind them. However, the most magical sight was the blue orb set atop a pilr near each ter.

  Seeing the orb, Mikael thought ‘This must be the analysis orb Brendaioned. It’s supposed to assess my talent level. I’m holy curious about how it works and what score I’ll receive, though it doesn’t mean mue. Uhe natives here, whose future may depend oalent, mine won’t.’

  ‘Their talent… I think I uand now. The “race” I received is probably the most basic or least talented version, which means I have lower stat limits and reduced potential. So, those with higher talent levels likely possess superior versions of the same race. I ’t be pletely certain, but it makes sense.’

  ‘If this theory holds, then the question is, how do I obtain a better race? Maybe there’s a solution in the System Upgrades Store; I should check that when I have time.’

  Just as he was about to browse the System Upgrades Store—he had nothing else to do while waiting in line—a otion broke out nearby.

  Turning to look, he spotted a moderately handsome man with slicked-back blond hair and blue eyes, dressed in luxurious but pletely impractical clothing for a physical exam. He might have looked better if he didn’t have a perma scowl on his face.

  The man spoke loudly, his voice full ance. “oners, move out of my way! I am Eric Saurdane, young master of the Saurdane family, a ep aside and keep your disgusting oner air far from me.”

  His tone angered many of the oners, but they still stepped aside. No one wao risk a frontation with a spoiled noble, especially one likely strohan them due to his privileged background. Better resources led to faster progression, and refusing to yield could quickly make them enemies of both him and his powerful family.

  However, not everyone was willing to give in. One person firmly stated, “I’m not giving up my pce. Wait your turn.”

  The noble was instantly ehat a oner dared to talk back, and was about to insult him when he felt a hand grab his colr and lift him into the air. Eric’s angry retort died in his throat when he saw who it was.

  It was Brendan Iro, t at two meters with a body of pure muscle. Holding Eric up effortlessly with one hand, Brendan spoke, “What did I just say? Didn’t I make it clear that your background doesn’t matter at tral Academy?”

  He paused for a moment before tinuing, “So, why are you already trying to use your status to skip the line just five mier?”

  Eric stammered, attempting to give an excuse, but Brendan wasn’t ied. “I said there would be sequences, and there will be. You’ll move to the end of the line, and if you pass the entrance exam, you’ll start ranked as the 1000th student. If you cause another problem, you’ll be expelled before you even join the Academy.” With that, he let Eric’s feet touch the ground again.

  Horrified, Eric was about to protest but, seeing Brendan’s intimidating frame and knowing he could crush him effortlessly, he held his tongue and slio the back of the line.

  Brendan looked around at the gathered students and said, “I hope that was a clear enough example for you to uand that your background doesn’t matter here.” With those words, he was once again enveloped in fmes and disappeared.

  Watg the se unfold, Mikael was holy impressed. ‘This Eric really is something… A true ‘young master’ with a ive IQ who ’t even follow the instrus an SS-rank mage gave just five minutes ago. That level of stupidity is impressive in its own way.’

  ‘I wonder if the vice principal acted out of a genuine desire to prevent discrimination based on background here. Somehow, I doubt that’s the only reason. It’s more likely he wao give the oners a fairer ce—or at least hope. I think it’s probably a mix of both.’

  Anyway, that’s not what really matters right now. I was about to check the System Upgrades Store to find a solution for my ‘limited’ talent.

  He pulled out his phone, pretending to browse while actually navigating the System Upgrades Store to avoid looking strange by staring at the air.

  After a few minutes of searg, during which he overheard some otion about other people’s results—something he didn’t care about—he tinued his seartil he found two iing upgrades that might solve his problem.

  [Sed Race System]Requirements: Basic Stats System, Race System, Basic Race Gain SystemAllows the user to have two active races at ohe stat limits of both races are bined, meaning if one race has a stat limit of 500 and the sed race has a limit of 600, the total stat limit bees 1100. Both races will apply their respective bonuses and drawbacks, though it’s possible to set a primary raaintain a single appearance. If not set, the appearance will blend traits from both races. Price: 15,000 LP]

  [Advanced Race Gain System]

  Requirements: Basic Stats System, Race System, Basic Race Gain System

  Allows users to acquire new races simply by toug a being of a different rad activating the Advanced Race Gain System—killing is not always required like before. This upgrade also ehe user to gain stronger variations within the same race based orength of the being they touch/kill. hat killing the individual may yield an even higher-ranked version of the race. Price: 50,000 LP]

  Seeing these two options, he inwardly sighed and thought, These are both good. The first one could solve my problem in the short term, and the sed one would help over the long term. But they’re both so expensive. Seriously, 15K and 50K LP? Who sets these prices?!

  Feeling a bit disced by the costly solutions, he passed the time pying on his phoil it was finally his turn to use the analysis orb.

  Mikael approached the ter, where the woman behind it said, "ID." Expeg this, as it was on knowledge that an ID was required to firm one's identity before joiniral Academy, he handed her his ID card.

  The receptionist took his card, swiped it through a mae, typed a few notes into the puter, and then, after a moment, spoke. "All set. You pce your hand on the analysis orb and el your aura and mana into it."

  Mikael nodded slightly in respoepped up to the orb, and pced his hand on it, eling his aura and mana simultaneously.

  The orb began to glow blue, but what was remarkable was the presence of two distinct types of blue energy seemingly g within it.

  The staff woman gasped, exg, "Double talent type!" She was stunned for a sed but quickly regained her posure. "The evaluation is plete. You remove your hand."

  Initially, no one aying attention to Mikael's test, as he wasn’t a known noble. However, wheaff woman excimed, "Double talent type!" people’s attention turoward him.

  “No way! That’s the extremely rare body type that allows both aura and mana?”

  “I’m so jealous.”

  “He doesn’t look like a noble; maybe we oners have a genius among us.”

  Simir whispers filled the room, with even the aking notice, including Amelia, who gave him a curious look. Meanwhile, Mikael walked back to the ter, feeling a surge of pride at the rea. Realizing this, he immediately berated himself. ‘Why am I feeling proud? It shouldn’t matter what these people think of me. I thought I didn’t care about others’ opinions, but it seems I still do—at least a little. But I shouldn’t let it affect me.’

  Mikael had these thoughts in the brief time it took to walk back to the ter. The staff member entered some additional information into the puter, returned his ID, and said, "Here are your results," as his test results appeared on a rge s visible to all examinees.

  The s dispyed:

  Name: Mikael AngeliniAge: 21Talent Type: Double talent typeTalent Level: Average

  Power Levels: F- Aura, F- Mana

  There was nothing ued for Mikael in his results, though he was displeased by the public dispy. It’s like being in school, where the teacher announces your exam results for everyoo hear.

  With firmation that he was indeed a double talent type, the murmurs resumed.

  “Wow, he really is a double talent. I’m so jealous.”

  “So what if he’s a double talent? His talent level is just average and he just an F- Rank.”

  “Yeah but maybe he was just unlucky aly awakened!”

  Simir ents tinued, mixing awe and dismissal.

  Mikael ighe remarks and looked at the staff member. Seeing he was done reviewing his results, she added, “You gh the door behihere, you’ll wait for the other examinees until the vice principal gives further instrus on the sed test.”

  “Okay,” he replied, heading toward the door while thinking, ‘I remember from the memories I accessed that talent levels in this world range from lowest to highest as Trash, Bad, Average, Good, Genius, and Monster.’

  ‘I’m ly sure how talent level affects growth, but it’s probably tied to growing faster and having a higher ceiling. But even if my talent is just average, it doesn’t really matter. With access to the Akashic Records, my growth potential surpasses anything in this world. While the most talented here only grow until they reach SSS+, I have no such limits…’

  After a short walk, Mikael exited the Testier and stepped into a grand courtyard, immediately awed by the lush surroundings. The area was filled with luxurious vegetation—pnts were everywhere, and there were even occasional trees.

  Throughout this magical courtyard were small stone fountains, but the most eye-catg feature was the rge fountain at the ter, with crystal-clear water flowing from it in graceful arcs. Unfortunately, the beauty of the pce was slightly marred by the sheer number of people crowding the area.

  Seeing o sit, Mikael remaianding, taking in his surroundings and trying to ighe bustling crowd around him.