---
Principal Dalhmer canceled the spell he had cast on the five students and calmly walked back to the podium. A smile formed on his lips as he gazed at the five students on stage, but his focus quickly narrowed to Gabriel, Tigram, and Dave.
"I'm very pleased that the three of you have reached level 10. Keep up the excellent work," Principal Dalhmer said, his tone warm but authoritative. He then added, "Since you have achieved the required level, speak with Miss Claire after this event and provide the description of the item you wish to receive."
Without further delay, Principal Dalhmer raised his voice and announced, "Now, let's welcome the top five scorers in this assessment! Let's give them a warm round of applause!"
He paused briefly before continuing, "For the school's reward, aside from gold coins and experience pills, each top scorer will be given equipment that I have personally selected. Note that the reward for reaching level 10 is not included here, as that was commissioned by the empire. Jonathan is awarded a green-rank staff, and Jamie receives a shield fitting his awakened class, ranked similarly to Jonathan's staff."
By observing the two of them fight on the projection, Principal Dalhmer had already noticed the shortcomings in their equipment. Although they had managed to acquire some loot within the dungeon, it was insufficient to compensate for their weaknesses. This observation applied not only to Jonathan and Jamie but to all students who participated in the assessment.
After presenting their rewards and offering his congratulations, Principal Dalhmer moved on to distribute the rewards for the third and second-place finishers. Dave was given a piece of armor from the principal's personal collection. This armor, though old, had once belonged to a teammate during their youth and low-level days. Despite its age, the armor was well-maintained, retaining its properties as peak green-ranking equipment.
Tigram received a leather bracer designed to increase his attack speed and damage. The principal, having observed him closely, noted that Tigram's talent allowed him to enhance his damage and attack speed by at least twice the usual amount. Although the exact side effects of this talent were unknown, the principal's assessment was accurate. He had noticed that Tigram was unable to unleash his full potential due to his lack of attack speed and damage. This was why he had personally chosen the bracer from his collection.
After distributing the items to Dave and Tigram, Principal Dalhmer turned his attention to Gabriel.
"And now, for our final reward—the one that the champion of this assessment truly deserves. Gabriel, would you join me here?" the principal asked.
Gabriel walked towards the old principal, stopping only when he was by his side. Seeing Gabriel beside him, Principal Dalhmer raised his hand, and something materialized. He examined the object before handing it to Gabriel. It was a one-handed light shield made of special materials. Although it felt light in his hand, the shield's surface, though not large, effectively covered all the vital parts of the human body.
"Gabriel, this shield is one of the treasures I encountered during one of my adventures when I was young. As a supporter, your primary responsibility on the battlefield is to survive, even if your team falls. As long as you are alive and have sufficient mana, should you acquire the [Resurrection] skill in the future, you need only revive your allies and heal them so they can rejoin the fight. This shield complements one of your buffs, especially if you fully realize its potential."
Principal Dalhmer smiled at Gabriel, offering both advice and the shield simultaneously. Gabriel accepted the shield and examined its status.
---
[Name: Crimson Shield]
[Type: Shield]
[Defense: 65]
[Grade: White]
[Description: A magnificent shield that protects its wielder. Vague runes are etched into this shield, providing an additional layer of protective grace. Over time, the shield has regressed, locking out most of its abilities. To reactivate the rune, the wielder must offer specific items as a sacrifice to this shield, which will then automatically unlock the shield's evolution.
Additional Attributes:
+50 VIT
+25 Defense
Special Effect: +10% Damage Reduction
First Rune: 0/10, Iron Rank Shield
Durability: 150/150]
---
What truly captured Gabriel's attention was not the shield's characteristics but the word "unlock." Based on his knowledge, most equipment was either crafted at its current grade or found within mysterious realms.
He frowned, searching his memories, or rather, the memories of the former Gabriel.
...
From the memories of the former Gabriel.
One day, he grew bored with the book he was reading and decided to search the library for something more interesting. After a long search, he accidentally came across a book that piqued his interest—**Compendio De Armamento**. While reading, he discovered articles referring to certain equipment that grows by itself when certain criteria are met. These were known as "Growth-type Equipment."
Growth-type equipment, it was said, could not be created, making it extremely rare. The only way to obtain such equipment was by sheer luck during dungeon dives. The reason this type of equipment was so highly sought after was that when it evolved, its status doubled compared to normal equipment of the same grade, with greater durability. The only drawback was that it couldn't be repaired by ordinary means. The only way to fully restore its durability was to satisfy the requirements for evolution or find another, yet-undiscovered method.
...
Gabriel snapped out of his thoughts and refocused on what Principal Dalhmer was saying.
"With this shield, you will gain an extra layer of protection while battling monsters and magical beasts. I know that, to come out on top of this assessment, you have your own methods, but you must always remember your core. Your core is that of a supporter, and your first priority should always be safety, no matter the circumstances," Principal Dalhmer advised.
...
While the principal was presenting Gabriel with the shield, one student looked on with intense jealousy. His gaze was so fierce that if looks could kill, Gabriel would have died a thousand times over.
"F*cker!" he muttered, staring at Gabriel as though he would devour him given the chance.
His eyes were red with envy, and his hands were clenched so tightly that if you looked closely, you could see a tint of blood where his fingernails dug into his palms. But his jealousy wasn't driven by the equipment Gabriel received; he believed he could acquire better gear with the proper use of his resources. No, what enraged him was the way the principal treated Gabriel.
"It should be my moment! I should be number one!" he thought, despite having seen Gabriel's earlier fight on the projection. He remained in denial, convinced he was better than Gabriel.
He didn't realize it yet, but his obsession with being the best was slowly consuming him, threatening to drive him mad. Unless he achieved his goal, this "heart demon" would continue to grow, potentially consuming him entirely.
...
After the award ceremony, Principal Dalhmer snapped his fingers, and a pill appeared before each student in the venue.
"When you reach level 10, take the limit-breaking pill to unlock level 11. You won't be able to advance further without taking this pill, so remember to use it only when you reach level 10."
He then turned to Gabriel, Tigram, and Dave.
"For the three of you, once you have reached level 11 and surpassed the limit, it is imperative that you delve into the dungeon and advance to level 15 to unlock your class advancement. Please take note of the materials required for the advancement and submit the list to the academy as soon as possible so we can prepare them for you in a timely manner."
As soon as Principal Dalhmer finished speaking, he vanished into thin air, leaving everyone in shock and awe. In the next moment, the sky was lit up with a spectacular display of vibrant fireworks that illuminated the night with their dazzling colors, mesmerizing the onlookers.
BOOOM!
BOOOM!
BOOOM!
The fireworks display marked the end of the event and the beginning of a new phase for every student present.
...
After the fireworks display, the teachers instructed the students to leave the area and head home to rest.
Gabriel was on his way out of the school when someone suddenly called out to him.
"Stop!"
Gabriel halted and turned to face the person who had stopped him. He saw eyes filled with hatred and jealousy, eyes that would devour him if given the chance.
"What?" Gabriel replied coldly.
A figure stepped forward, blocking his path to the exit gate.
"We haven't settled the score between us from this morning! Do you think you can just leave whenever you want?" the figure demanded.
Gabriel furrowed his brow and spoke in a cold tone, "Move, Dave. Get out of my way!"
"Hmph! If you're not willing to compete with me, you can't pass. The arena is only a few meters away. Follow me and face me if you want to proceed," Dave challenged.
As the two glared at each other with intense hostility, the other students in the vicinity quickly turned away, afraid of being caught in the crossfire. Despite several minutes passing, Dave stood his ground, showing no sign of moving.
"Damn! So annoying," Gabriel muttered. He released his aura, and his killing intent surged toward Dave.
Gabriel was frustrated. He had been eager to return home and share the good news with his family, but now, someone was blocking his way. To resolve the situation, Gabriel resorted to a technique he had been researching and practicing while awaiting the assessment within a mysterious realm.
Drawing inspiration from one
of his favorite anime series from his time on Earth, Gabriel executed a skill he had developed. Although the anime was incomplete, it had provided enough guidance for him to create this move, and enough to deal with a student of his age. Gabriel's aura expanded as he channeled his mana into it.
VRRROOOOOOOOOMMM!!!
Silence fell over the area. Without another word, Gabriel pursed his lips and left the academy.