The arena dissolved into light.
Floating platforms faded. Energy barriers shut down. The oppressive pressure vanished, replaced by a vast, circular hall beneath the open sky. Hundreds of candidates stood scattered across the ground, some injured, some exhausted, some staring upward in silent anticipation.
Damon stood still.
Lira was beside him, breathing softly. Will crossed his arms, calm as ever, eyes fixed on the sky.
A deep, resonant voice echoed across the hall.
"The Celestial Academy Entrance Examination has concluded."
Holographic panels ignited above them, massive and blinding.
[System Status: Hidden Mode — Stabilized]
[Neural Load: Acceptable]
Damon felt the system quiet down—watchful, but restrained.
"Candidates will now receive their results," the voice continued.
"Advancement is determined by ability control, adaptability, combat intelligence, and teamwork."
At that word—teamwork—several candidates stiffened.
The panels flickered.
Names began to appear.
Some glowed green—Pass.
Others red—Fail.
A heavy silence fell as eyes searched desperately.
Lira's fingers clenched lightly at her side.
Then—
LIRA VAYNE — PASSED
Rank: High Compatibility / Tactical Support
Her eyes widened.
"I… passed?" she whispered.
Will smirked. "Of course you did."
A heartbeat later, another name burned across the screen.
WILL ARDEN — PASSED
Rank: Elite / Frontline Specialist
A few murmurs rippled through the crowd. Will didn't react—only nodded once, as if he had expected nothing less.
Then the screen paused.
For half a second too long.
Damon felt the system stir.
[Attention Detected — Observation Priority Increased]
And then—
DAMON VALE — PASSED
Status: UNCLASSIFIED
Evaluation Note: Abnormal Growth Curve / System-Assisted Adaptation
The hall erupted.
Whispers. Gasps. Confusion.
"Unclassified?"
"What does that mean?"
"System-assisted…?"
Lira turned toward him, eyes shining. "Damon… you did it."
Will glanced sideways, studying him with new interest. "Looks like you're not normal even by academy standards."
Damon said nothing. Crimson eyes fixed on the glowing word:
UNCLASSIFIED
The system whispered quietly, almost approvingly.
[Designation Accepted]
The voice spoke again.
"Special recognition will be given to candidates who demonstrated exceptional cooperative combat under high-risk conditions."
Three names highlighted simultaneously.
DAMON VALE
LIRA VAYNE
WILL ARDEN
"For the first time in this examination cycle," the voice continued,
"a spontaneous three-man unit achieved near-perfect synchronization during a live-threat scenario."
A new tag appeared beneath their names:
[Provisional Team Status: APPROVED]
Lira's breath caught. "They… noticed us. As a team."
Will chuckled softly. "Guess we're officially trouble now."
Damon felt something unfamiliar tighten in his chest—not fear, not anger.
Connection.
The system observed silently.
[Team Data Stored]
[Synergy Index: High]
[Future Optimization Possible]
As the crowd slowly dispersed, instructors began moving among the candidates. Some smiled. Others watched Damon with thinly veiled curiosity.
Lira stood a little closer to him now.
"So… Celestial Academy," she said, half nervous, half excited.
Will stretched lazily. "Looks like we're in."
Damon looked up at the sky above the academy grounds—vast, endless.
His father was gone.
The past was burned into him.
And now—
A system.
A team.
A future that refused to stay quiet.
[New Phase Initiated: Student Life — Celestial Academy]
[Primary Directive: Grow. Adapt. Survive.]
The exam was over.
But the real story had just begun.