The air in the Cutthroat Valley was thick with tension. The colossal Guardian of the valley had paused its devastating attack, frozen by the protective squawk of its chick, which was hovering awkwardly between the monster and the prone figure of Sabnock Sabro and the clumsily landed Noir Sullivan.
Sabro, his eyes glinting with tactical ambition, was secretly forging a dagger, ready to betray the Guardian's trust and exploit the distraction.
Noir, however, was oblivious to the high-stakes treachery unfolding behind him. He looked up at the towering Guardian, then at the gigantic chick, and finally at the healed leg, still glowing faintly from the residue of his blood.
He smiled, raising his hand in a clumsy, friendly wave, as if addressing a casual acquaintance.
"It's okay, big guy!" Noir called up to the Guardian, his voice echoing slightly in the canyon. "The chick's leg is all better! Look, he can stand on it now!"
The Guardian blinked its massive eyes, looking down at its child. The chick lowered to the ground, flexing its healed limb and letting out a happy trill. The relief radiating from the immense creature was palpable.
Noir then turned to Sabro, who was trembling with anticipation, ready to launch his sneak attack.
"Sabro, put your weapon away," Noir instructed quietly, a rare note of genuine authority in his voice. "It's over. We don't need to fight them."
Sabro stared at the small, razor-sharp dagger he held, then back at Noir. The sheer, terrifying power of the Chaos Demon was still receding, but the simple, direct command was more powerful than any magical blast. Sabro hesitated, then slowly—and against every instinct he possessed—he dissolved the dagger and lowered his head.
The Guardian, satisfied that its child was unharmed, lowered its imposing neck toward Noir. It made a deep, resonant sound—a gesture of profound thanks.
The immense beast bowed.
Sabro's eyes went wide with shock. A guardian-level demon, one of the most feared entities in the Babyls territory, was submitting to the newcomer.
Inner Dialogue (Sabro):Impossible! He didn't overpower it; he... he healed it? He used no mana, no Bloodline Magic—just a simple action of kindness, and the creature bows! He isn't just a strong demon; he's something utterly special! The perfect king should not only be strong but capable of commanding respect through impossible means!
The chick gently nudged Noir toward its mother's back. Noir climbed on, holding tight to the thick, coarse feathers. Sabro, defeated but newly inspired, clambered onto the Guardian's back beside him. With a powerful beat of its colossal wings, the Guardian soared out of the Cutthroat Valley.
The Guardian delivered Noir and Sabro back to the starting peak, where most of the students were only just returning, exhausted and battered by the Warbling Valley. Alice and Clara, who had reconciled mid-flight (with Clara promising Alice a new pilot's cap), rushed over.
"Noir-sama! You are safe!" Alice cried, relieved. "We saw a massive guardian fly overhead! What happened? Did you defeat it?"
"Nope. I healed its chick's boo-boo," Noir replied casually, hopping off the Guardian's back. The Guardian nodded sagely at the class, then flew off with its chick.
The entire class stared in disbelief at the retreating figure of the territorial valley Guardian.
It was then that Kalego stepped forward, looking unimpressed. He gestured to a very large, imposing Owl Demon wearing a small, ornate vest, standing patiently by the finishing line.
"This is the Ranking Owl," Kalego announced flatly. "It is equipped with the magical tools necessary to assess and quantify your magical aptitude and academic potential into your starting rank. Approach it one by one."
The Ranking Owl, which was entirely composed of shimmering, dusty brown feathers, held out one immense wing.
"However," Kalego continued, his gaze landing directly on Noir and Sabro, "due to a technicality, you two were not recorded by the finishing line timers. You are disqualified from this specific ranking competition."
Sabro, despite his pain, didn't argue. He knew his deviation from the course was a violation.
He approached Noir, his immense hand resting heavily on Noir's shoulder. His face, though still bloody, was alight with sincere respect.
"Noir Sullivan," Sabro said, his voice deep and solemn. "You saved me, and you commanded the Guardian with an act of pure benevolence. A King is not merely defined by his weapon, but by his will and his impossible deeds."
Sabro raised his fist. "You are more than a rival, Noir. You are the only one worthy of the challenge. I will reach Yod, and I will defeat you to get there! You are my sworn rival! Thank you!"
Noir, bewildered by the intense declaration of rivalry and gratitude, just nodded awkwardly. "You're welcome, Sabro. Please try not to get impaled again."
The Misfit Class students began approaching the Ranking Owl in turn, reaching into its feathers.
The process was simple: the student inserted their hand into the soft, dusty feathers of the owl, and the owl's magic measured the residual mana and potential, imprinting the result onto a small, carved badge pulled from the feathers.
Gaap (The Wind Demon): Pulled out a badge inscribed with Bet (2). "It matters not. Strength is constant."
Valac Clara: Pulled out a badge inscribed with Gimmel (3). Clara giggled and immediately tried to eat the badge.
Asmodeus Alice: Approached the owl with the confidence of royalty. He pulled out a badge inscribed with Daleth (4). "Excellent! The starting rank befitting my devotion!"
One by one, the chaotic students of the Misfit Class received their initial ranks.
Finally, only Noir Sullivan remained.
With a final, measured step, Noir approached the Ranking Owl. He knew his situation was unprecedented. His mana was chaotic, his origin was human, and his status was a lie. What rank would the Demon World bestow upon the ultimate fraud?
Noir cautiously reached his hand into the Ranking Owl's thick, soft feathers.