Duskveil Academy — Central Hall.
Students gathered beneath a suspended crystal board.
Names etched in glowing blue light.
The Internal Ranking System.
Every student was placed based on:
• Level
• Combat record
• Mana efficiency
• Tactical assessment
And today—
It was being reset.
Instructor Maerin stood at the front.
"Ranking Exam begins tomorrow."
Murmurs filled the hall.
"This determines your tier placement."
"This determines your training priority."
"This determines who represents us in the next Veil Trials qualifiers."
Eyes shifted.
Toward Jareth.
He leaned against a pillar.
Hands in pockets.
Quiet.
⸻
Ranking Structure Inside Academy
Tier E – Levels 1–5
Tier D – Levels 6–12
Tier C – Levels 13–25
Tier B – Levels 26–50
Tier A – 51+
Darin had been Tier C.
Now his name flickered unstable.
Crystal damage affects rank.
Harsh system.
⸻
Maerin continued:
"Matches are controlled. One-on-one elimination. No killing."
A pause.
"But we will not stop you from breaking bones."
Light laughter.
Jareth muttered quietly:
"Good to know."
⸻
Later that night.
Dorm hallway.
Two students blocked his path.
Level 7.
Level 8.
"You jumped straight to attention," one said.
"Lucky streak."
Jareth tilted his head slightly.
"You volunteering?"
They didn't smile.
"Ranking exam tomorrow. Don't get comfortable."
They walked off.
Jareth shrugged.
"…I wasn't."
⸻
NEXT DAY — EXAM START
Arena platform.
Tier E matches first.
Jareth placed in Tier E bracket automatically.
Because:
Level: 3
Murmurs.
"That's disrespectful."
"He cracked Tier C."
"System only sees level."
That was the rule.
First opponent:
Kai Morren
Level: 4
Combat Style: Short-blade reinforcement
Match begins.
Kai rushed fast.
Twin reinforced daggers.
Jareth didn't rush.
He watched.
Kai was aggressive but predictable.
Jareth stepped inside blade range.
Grabbed wrist.
Twisted.
Disarmed.
Short knee to stomach.
Back elbow to temple.
Kai dropped.
Match over.
Status update:
Jareth Nocturne
Level: 4
Students started whispering.
"Too easy."
"That's Tier E."
He moved up bracket.
Second match:
Level 5.
More refined.
Defensive type.
Longer fight.
More exchanges.
Jareth didn't overpower.
He outlasted.
His opponent's mana flickered first.
He didn't even look winded.
Win.
Level 5 achieved.
Tier E cleared.
Promotion to Tier D bracket immediately.
Now the room got quieter.
Tier D students were watching seriously now.
First Tier D opponent:
Level 9.
Heavy reinforcement.
Body tank type.
This one hurt.
Blows landed.
Forearms bruised.
Shoulder cracked slightly.
Jareth stumbled once.
Crowd reacted.
But five minutes in—
The Level 9 slowed.
Breathing heavy.
Mana unstable.
Jareth wasn't fresh.
But he wasn't drained.
Final exchange:
Feint.
Body rotation.
Reinforced hook.
Knockout.
Silence.
Status:
Jareth Nocturne
Level: 6
Reinforcement Mastery +2%
He stood there breathing slightly heavier now.
But still steady.
Above in observation deck—
Elder Kael narrowed his eyes.
"He doesn't taper."
Maerin nodded.
"No peak. No crash."
That was unnatural.
⸻
Bracket updated.
Next opponent scheduled:
Tier D Top Rank.
Level 12.
Clean record.
Strategic fighter.
The crowd buzzed.
"He's moving too fast."
"He's only Level 6."
"That's a four-level gap."
Jareth rolled his neck once.
Looked at the arena.
"…Alright."
⸻
END OF EPISODE 4