Silence lingered over the arena.
Then—chaos.
Students erupted into shouts, disbelief echoing from every corner.
"He beat Kael!"
"A-rank talent lost!"
"That guy… has no limits!"
I stood still as instructors rushed in, checking Kael's condition. He was alive, but unconscious, his pride shattered far worse than his body.
An elderly instructor raised his hand.
"Enough!"
The noise died instantly.
"This match," he said slowly, "is concluded."
His gaze fell on me.
"Arin… step forward."
I did.
The crystal screens flickered.
Names shifted.
Ranks rearranged.
Then they stopped.
Arin — Rank: 7
A wave of shock rolled through the crowd.
Rank 7.
From talentless… to top ten.
Kael was carried away.
As he passed me, his eyes opened briefly.
They burned with hatred.
"This isn't over," he whispered.
I didn't reply.
Victory didn't need words.
Later, in a quiet chamber, instructors gathered.
"This boy is dangerous," one muttered.
"Not dangerous," another replied. "Unpredictable."
The old man in the cloak stepped forward.
"And priceless."
That night, in my dorm room, I sat cross-legged on the bed.
My body ached.
But my mind was clear.
The system activated.
[Major Combat Data Analyzed.]
[System Evolution Initiated.]
My heart skipped.
[New Function Unlocked: Growth Allocation]
Description: Manually distribute growth gained from actions.
[Skill Enhanced: Limit Adaptation]
Resistance growth increased by 30%.
I exhaled slowly.
"This changes everything."
I opened my status screen.
Strength: 14.8
Agility: 12.9
Intelligence: 9.2
Still not enough.
Never enough.
Outside, academy lights glowed under the night sky.
I stared out the window.
"Rankings," I whispered,
"are only the first step."
The Endless Growth System pulsed quietly, as if agreeing.