The grand hall shimmered under the pale morning light, its towering pillars carved with mysterious runes glowing in faint silver lines, and its ceiling painted like a starry night sky. At the center stood the great platform, where Instructor Eldrin waited, his long silver hair swaying gently with his movements, his sharp emerald eyes radiating both wisdom and authority.
Students crowded along both sides of the hall, their whispers and footsteps weaving a symphony of anticipation. Each one tried to look confident—some gesturing with bravado, others whispering about their predictions. The air carried the unspoken truth: a single mistake, a careless word, could reveal your true strength… or the tribe you belonged to.
Arian stepped inside with careful, measured steps. Dozens of gazes turned toward him, and for a moment, it felt as if every muscle in his body tightened at once. Deep down, he knew the truth: he was human—the only one among elves. His disguise technique gave him the long, pointed ears of the elves, his appearance nearly identical to theirs, yet his heart raced with dread at the thought of anyone uncovering his real origin.
Instructor Eldrin raised his hand, his deep voice carrying through the hall:
— "Next… Arian. Which tribe are you from?"
Arian swallowed hard, answering in a low, uneasy voice:
— "I… am from the Grey Shadow Tribe."
A short silence fell before one student burst into laughter:
— "Hahaha! The Grey Shadows? That's one of the weakest tribes in the records! Not a single one of them ever reached the mid-tier!"
More laughter erupted, followed by sharp whispers:
— "Even their novices are stronger than him!"
— "He'll probably get the weakest spirit possible… hahaha!"
Arian felt his face burn, but he forced himself to remain calm. He took a deep breath, steadying the tremor in his hands. He knew—any slip of weakness might expose the truth: that he was human, hiding among elves.
Eldrin walked closer, his eyes reflecting the glow of the crystal sphere beneath Arian's hands. He looked straight at him, his voice softer, yet cutting through the noise:
— "Do not concern yourself with their words, boy. It is not origin or tribe that defines strength—it is what you do with your spirit… and what you discover within yourself."
Arian bowed slightly, then placed his palms on the glowing crystal. The hall fell silent, all eyes fixed on him.
Moments passed… the crystal began to flicker. A faint light gathered at its core, and then—only a tiny gray dot appeared, barely visible.
The hall erupted with shocked whispers:
— "What is that?!"
— "Is that even a spirit?"
— "The weakest spirit ever revealed in the academy!"
— "Even beginners show a ray of light… but him? Just a dot? Hahaha!"
Arian felt as if the ground collapsed beneath him, heat pounding in his ears. But he remembered Eldrin's words:
"It is not origin that defines strength…"
Eldrin raised his hand again, his voice silencing the uproar:
— "Enough."
The hall quieted, though mocking gazes still clung to Arian like chains. Eldrin leaned closer, speaking in a tone only he could hear:
— "Your spirit shows none of the five known elements… therefore, its classification is the weakest possible. But do not lose hope. Sometimes… what seems the weakest is merely the beginning of something no one has ever seen before."
Arian lowered his head, breathing deeply. And in that stillness, he felt it—a faint glimmer stirring within, a whisper echoing from the depths of his soul:
"I am here… just wait."