A bell chimed, which signalled everyone to quiet down. Neat rows were then designated, depending on ranking, so Freon waved Yuna farewell and headed to the back of the hall. Freon's ranking from last year was 977, and… he doubted anyone could be lower, so he assumed the last spot in the line. No one bothered him yet, but he could tell people were giving him weird looks. They were probably not aware of who he was and decided to mock him based on his ranking. Freon sneered. What a familiar sight! That was why he detested this place. It reeked of trash.
Looking up, a man wandered onto the tall stage. Magic lights illuminated him and allowed Freon to see him, even at this distance. The elderly man introduced himself as the substitute headmaster for the university, since Ten Dawn Rosemary Arkfell, the real headmaster, had died in the Xingyuu Empire. A moment of silence followed. Freon was a bit sad. Although Freon could not say they were friends, the Ten Dawn often helped and doted on his sister, Nassandra, as fellow Ten Dawns. When Freon's home was destroyed last year, she offered to house him. Later, they worked together in the war, which ultimately culminated in her death during the Siege on Yongtein. Freon remembered her final moments and sighed. The war… took too many people. It was a true tragedy. He could have been one of the corpses too. The students were beginning to move on, but he remained solemn and respectful.
The substitute headmaster thanked everyone and started calling people up, in order of their rankings. However, he did not start with the first row, since it reflected their rankings from the previous year. He was calling people up using their updated rankings that only he knew. As for why it was done this way, it was to showcase the people with the greatest growth and thus inspire the remaining students. The first name did not surprise anyone.
"Freon Adnire! Rank 977 to Rank 1! Low Condensed Drop Core Level!" the headmaster shouted.
Freon casually left his spot and strolled up to the stage, under a heavy sea of whispers and gazes. They were startled to hear that his initial ranking was so low, and that he was confirmed to have Low Condensed Drop. That would mean he scaled from Gaseous Fog to Condensed Drop in a single year. An entire Core Level! How did he do it? It was incomprehensible! Meanwhile, people were eager to see this famous war hero, who stood alongside Elizabeth, Benedict, and Shirley. Their feats in the Xingyuu Empire were almost legendary! In fact, many students here, like Lord Aster and Lady Solis, were saved directly or indirectly because of them. The clamour was almost too loud, making Freon's ears hurt. By the time he reached the stage, people were practically burning holes into him. He shivered. He almost preferred a battlefield… Almost. Greeting the headmaster, he was about to leave, when he was stopped by the man.
The man smiled, and addressed the crowds, "This year is very special, because three people will be sharing the top ranking. Kel Lanark! Rank 4 to Rank 1! Low Condensed Drop Core Level! Vivian Malkhorn! Rank 2 to Rank 1! Also, Low Condensed Drop Core Level!"
A thunderous applause ensued, leaving Freon stunned. He had refrained from using his Magic Perception, so he had no idea there were two more Condensed Drop students, besides him. And honestly, it was unthinkable too. Low Condensed Drop Core Level was close to the apex of magic power. There was probably less than ten people in the human world who had it. The Featherwind Sect aside, this went to show how incredibly challenging it was to cross minor, much less major, Core Levels. Freon knew that personally. To reflect that, the top ranking students would usually be Peak Gaseous Fog, Half-Condensed Drop at most, but never a full-fledged Condensed Drop. This had never happened before. Were they truly prodigious? Or was it something else? Freon inspected them, as they did to him.
Kel Lanark was a short, frail-looking boy. He looked like a twig that one could snap in the slightest wind. His short black hair crowned his head and made it hard to see his eyes. However, Freon could tell they were filled with indescribable coldness. Vivian Malkhorn, on the other hand, was the stark opposite. She was a towering girl. Her arms and legs were bulging with muscles, packed under her toned skin. A wild smirk hung on her face, prideful and arrogant. The two students assumed their places next to Freon. The substitute headmaster started another mind-numbing speech about how monumental the occasion was, and how happy he was to see the next generation overtake the old. He spoke with such fervor that it almost sounded like his accomplishments, and not the students'. Eventually, Freon was released from the torment and allowed off stage.
As the three students left, Vivian spun around and pulled his hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Freon. We didn't get a chance to talk in the Xingyuu Empire, but I'm sure we'll have more chances to talk in the future."
Her grin was unsettling. She did not give him a chance to reply before returning to the first row. Meanwhile, Kel said nothing, but Freon could sense the boy glaring intensely from behind. It sent shivers down his spine. It was incredibly creepy. Freon's mood hit rock bottom by the time he arrived at the last row again. He deeply regretted and resented coming here now. The ceremony went on.
"Aster Cisvernia! Rank 17 to Rank 5! Half-Condensed Drop!"
"Solis Welgen! Rank 21 to Rank 7! Half-Condensed Drop!"
"Yuna Cascadion! Rank 41 to Rank 25! Peak Gaseous Fog!"
Everyone's ranking went up, since everyone improved, but also because many people died in the war. This left gaps that people could jump over. Overall though, the average Core Level was higher than usual. This graduating year would probably be the most outstanding one in history! The reason was simple. Anyone who survived the war would have overcome impossible odds and pushed their Cores to beyond their limits. They would have forcibly unearthed their potential or died as a result. Freon, Elizabeth, Benedict, and Shirley were the same. The extreme circumstances forced Freon to break through into Low Condensed Drop Core Level. If he failed, then he would have died. And he did not consider himself a genius. The true geniuses would have an easier time than him. Therefore, it was not too surprising to see everyone improve.
During the closing remarks, Freon snuck away. As he stood outside the hall, he breathed in the crisp autumn air. Orange and red leaves whipped through the cloud-riddled sky. In the distance, there was a gigantic tree that soared high above the city and the valley. A golden serpent of a building coiled around the trunk, as if stretching for the heavens. This iconic sight was the Asaparagon Tree and the Celestial Court! They were visible from everywhere and what made Firecast so special. Elizabeth, Benedict, and Shirley were there to arrange Elizabeth's new office. Freon could hardly believe it. After all those battles, all those struggles, all those close encounters with death… After an entire year of bitter fighting, he was finally back home! A rare smile showed on his face.
He shivered. His uniform was too thin for October. Shaking his head, Freon avoided the large crowds and went to an unassuming garden. He looked around, but there was no one here. Just then, someone leapt from a tree, right onto him. Thud! Both tumbled into the grass, leaving Freon shaken and sore. A young girl with long black hair sat on his chest. Her face was cute and round, and her expression was a mixture of fear and shock. She looked like a scared little kitten. If it was anyone else, Freon might have snapped, but not to her. Because this was Nassandra Adnire, his little sister! He pulled on her cheeks, in a show of fake anger.
"What was that for?" he complained.
"Hehe. I wanted to surprise you."
"Who surprises people by jumping on them?" They got up and patted the dirt from their clothes. He took a stern tone. "You're not young anymore, Nassandra. You shouldn't be jumping off trees."
Nassandra pouted. "What do you mean I'm not young anymore? I'm fourteen! You missed my birthday too."
Freon smiled wryly. "Sorry about that. I was on the ship at that time. I'll make it up to you, okay?"
"Hmph." The girl pretended to be angry, then grinned. "That's a promise!"