"Yes, Principal," Kale said quickly. "Sophia Jinra, Alex Hardy, and Max Ironwood."
Her silver gaze lingered on them one by one. On Sophia first, the faint burn of flame still visible around her aura. On Max, whose steel resonance shimmered faintly under his skin. And finally, on Alex—quiet, steady, with a strange, golden pulse in his eyes that seemed to look right back at her.
For a heartbeat, Eloria's expression softened—curiosity, perhaps, or recognition. Then it vanished, replaced by her usual composure.
"You have all done well," she said. "Not only in strength, but in restraint. In this academy, it is not raw power that defines your worth—it is the will that governs it."
Sophia and Max straightened immediately. Alex merely gave a small nod.
Eloria turned slightly, her gaze shifting to the instructors. "The trials are concluded. The top ten will advance to the Guild Observation program. The top three," she paused, "will be included as well—but with additional conditions."
Kale blinked. "Observation, ma'am?"
Eloria nodded once. "They will not be taken as students under any instructor's direct tutelage for now. Instead, they—and the remaining top seven—will be evaluated directly by the Guild Representatives who arrive tomorrow. Their performance will determine their potential sponsorship and placement in future missions."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. That meant the guilds themselves—the continent's major powers—would be watching them.
Then Eloria's expression softened slightly. "Before that, however… you have earned a right long upheld by this academy's tradition."
She raised her hand. The runes along the arena's edge pulsed to life, forming a glowing sigil in the air behind her. With a sweep of her arm, it expanded, opening into a radiant portal of light that led into another chamber beyond.
"Come," she said. "The Armory awaits."
The three followed her through, and the rest of the top ten trailed behind as the instructors looked on proudly.
Inside, the chamber gleamed with floating platforms, each displaying a weapon or artifact pulsing faintly with mana. Blades, spears, gauntlets, and relics—all lined up like whispers of history.
Eloria's voice carried clearly through the hush. "You may each choose one weapon. The top three—Sophia Jinra, Alex Hardy, and Max Ironwood—are permitted a higher selection tier. Jinra, you may claim a rare-ranked artifact weapon. Hardy and Ironwood, you may each select one uncommon-ranked weapon of your choice."
Sophia's eyes lit up immediately. She walked forward, drawn to a blade that shimmered in a sheath of crimson fire. When she unsheathed it, the edge gleamed like molten glass—the Flameveil Sword, said to dance with its wielder's heartbeat.
Alex moved next, pausing before a slender golden-edged sword. Its core shimmered faintly with light and wind mana. "A dual-element focus," he murmured. He drew it carefully—the blade hummed softly, resonating with his bond.
Max grinned as he stepped toward the gauntlet rack. He tested several, then stopped at a pair faintly inscribed with shifting brown glyphs. "Earth resonance," he muttered approvingly, slipping them on. The gauntlets flexed to his movement, the stone texture alive with energy.
Eloria nodded once, satisfied. "Your choices suit you."
She turned toward the other seven students who had followed silently behind. "The remaining top ten may also choose from the lesser armaments—common ranks. Make your selections wisely. What you wield should not only amplify your strength but also enhance your abilities if chosen perfectly."
"Wait a minute, Principal!" Alex called out, raising a hand.
Eloria turned her gaze toward him, one brow arched. "Yes?"
He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "If one uncommon-ranked weapon is worth more than several common-ranked ones… how many common weapons would equal a single uncommon rank, if I were allowed to trade?"
Sophia immediately sighed, crossing her arms. "Alex, are you serious right now? An uncommon weapon is far more valuable than any number of common ones. You'd be throwing away a rare chance."
Max nodded firmly beside her. "Yeah, man. Don't make that mistake. You won't get a deal like this again."
But Alex didn't waver. He kept his eyes on Eloria, waiting patiently for her answer.
The principal's expression softened, faintly amused by his resolve. "So that's what you're after," she said. "Very well—one uncommon weapon equals five common weapons in value. You may take five common arms instead of one uncommon." Her tone grew slightly firmer. "But don't come bakc crying in regret."
Alex nodded respectfully. "Understood. Thank you, Principal."
He carefully placed the uncommon-ranked weapon he had been inspecting back onto its rack, then turned toward the rows of common-tier armaments. Unlike the uncommon rack—where no steel-elemental weapons were available—the common section had plenty.
After a few quiet minutes of inspection, he began choosing.
To everyone's surprise, Alex didn't pick a mix of weapons for versatility as most expected. Instead, he selected five of the same kind—steel-imbued straight swords, each perfectly balanced and nearly identical.
Even Eloria paused briefly, watching him with a faint glimmer of curiosity in her eyes. She had assumed he might diversify—one blade for speed, one for defense, one for elemental attunement—but instead, he had chosen consistency and uniformity.
Sophia shook her head with a disbelieving smile, wondering what's going on in his mind but didn't asked about it.
After everyone had chosen their weapons, Eloria stepped forward once more. From her palm, two faintly glowing crystals floated into the air—Three deep crimson, the other a soft gold. She extended them toward Sophia and Alex.
"These are your earned mana stones," she said evenly. "But remember—don't rely too heavily on them. The best mana you can absorb is still the one flowing freely in the atmosphere. Stones are only shortcuts, not foundations."
Both Sophia and Alex nodded respectfully, accepting the stones.
Once the exchange was complete, Eloria turned and led the group out of the armory. The heavy doors closed behind them with a low metallic hum, sealing the faint blue light of the vault.
She faced them again, her expression softening slightly. "You may return home for now. However—if any of you intend to join a guild, come back tomorrow at your regular academy time. Representatives from several guilds will be visiting to observe and conduct personal interviews."
A few students straightened immediately, excitement flashing in their eyes.
Eloria's tone remained calm but firm. "If you perform well, some of you might be scouted directly. So rest well tonight—and come prepared."
"Yes, Principal!" the students answered in unison.