Chapter 287 The Three Sections

Damian stood among the academy students and other challengers who had not been called for the first five batches. Shifting his gaze away from the heir of Goldilocks, Damian spotted Sam and Einar in batch no. 3 and the princess in batch no. 4.The five batches were filled with promising individuals, some even approaching the cusp of their third job. However, only a select few possessed mana levels that truly placed them in the third-job category. Damian could easily discern significant mana gaps, such as those between a first and second ranker. However, the difference between second-job and third-job individuals was less pronounced for most people. The other two Light-walker jobs were typically seen as supportive roles, and most students either stuck to their first chosen job or followed the path their family dictated—often the case for nobles.

Some individuals stood out to Damian. Lucian, from batch no. 3, appeared to be halfway through her third job progression. She was accompanied by several kids from the North of Dawnstar noble circle, familiar faces Damian had seen at Goldilock villa during his years there. Another notable figure was a noble girl in elegant attire with a golden hairclip adorning her silver hair. She was in Evrin's batch no. 4 and radiated sharp, focused mana, likely a mage.

In batch no. 1, there was a striking young man dressed in lavish attire and clad in gleaming golden armor. He exuded confidence, his hand resting on a powerful sword emanating an impressive amount of mana. Meanwhile, a beastman child in the second batch also showcased remarkable mana reserves.

Alex, the prince of Faerunia, was not among the first 500 contestants. Yet, Damian sensed his mana within the crowd. His growth was strikingly impressive. Achieving a third job before the age of 15 was considered genius-level talent. While some individuals advanced rapidly to reach a higher job, it was often at the cost of mastering essential skills or missing critical job opportunities. This was why experienced noble families typically forbade their young from ascending too quickly unless they had already mastered their path. Exceptions existed for those who knew their destined path and focused exclusively on the necessary skills or were the talented individuals who mastered all their skills and had nothing more holding them back from ascending.

These individuals caught Damian's attention through his mana sense, but the real test lay in their performance and even a most average looking guy could prove to be exceptional. A massive mana pool was pointless if one's combat technique was mediocre or their spellcasting relied on basic spells with poor mana control.

The participants, though promising, were still just kids. The academy staff, on the other hand, were terrifyingly powerful. Over 20 second-rankers stood before Damian, and this likely wasn't even half of the academy's entire staff. They were the members of Highsword or one of many squires who were in training for years and had yet to earn their place in their ranks. Many wore the distinct armor of Highsword knights or casual attire bearing the Highsword emblem on badges, robes, or other accessories. Some appeared to be external hires, supporting the academy in various capacities.

Among them were two Highsword members in distinct unique alloyed armor, standing apart with an unmistakable aura of power. These were Transcendents—the strongest individuals present. Damian had sensed many of those before in the Highsword academy, and he was sure there were many who he couldn't even sense, due to that blocking mechanism. But if Highsword members could send not one, but two third rankers just to see some kids' entrance exam go through smoothly, they sure had a ton of firepower to spare. No wonder no kingdom ever messed with them.

The five batches were overseen by ten second-rankers, with two assigned to each batch. These staff members began by explaining the rules for the first test and how rankings would be determined. The process was straightforward:

- Three tests would be conducted. S~eaʀᴄh the Nôvelƒire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

- Participants were to aim for the highest rank possible in each test.

- The top 10 in each batch would receive an S-rank for that test.

- Achieving S-rank in all three tests would result in an SSS ranking.

After the three tests, a small contest among SSS-ranked individuals would determine the top 100, who would then gain access to the VIP sections of their respective classes. All the classes were divided in three sections:

The Spellborne Legion

: For mages and spellswords.

Knowledge Keepers

: For crafters, scholars, and non-combat mages.

Fists of Valor Continue your adventure at empire

: For pugilists, who made up over 50% of the student body.

The Spellborne Legion had a majority of nobles while the Fists of Valor had a majority of commeners, there were no rules of such a thing, it was just the massive disparity between classes one got a chance to choose.

Espers were so rare that only a few joined the academy. If they did, their rankings were determined through personal interviews conducted by the academy's professors. And that was if they revealed themselves, the best advantage an Esper had was their secrets of how their ability really worked. Even in noble families they always hid their powerful Espers.

The first test, held for the Spellborne Legion, thrilled Damian. It was exactly the type of contest he wanted to observe. For the test, each batch's staff produced a round, basketball-sized ball made of soft metal covered in fur, which hovered a kilometer above the ground.

The rules were simple: contestants had to hit the ball with their best spell, aura attack, or other abilities. Destroying or splitting the ball in half would earn exceptionally high marks. The goal was to make contact with the ball using any means, including flight for those who could - it was mostly for Beastmen kids with flying ability, they could use their wings.

It was the best Damian could ask for, he took out his spell-book and quill, placed Toph on his head and was ready to copy anything useful or unique. Although five participants performed at once, he was confident in his ability to keep up.