abcnovels
Chapter 38 Prizes
Chapter 38 Prizes
?As the board illuminated with colors representing the magic grades, Lyrian's name blazed in vibrant red, shining like a beacon of extraordinary potential. Gasps of disbelief rippled through the gathering of students and adults, each face mirroring the shock of witnessing an exceptional display.
Even the ones who had mocked Lyrian moments ago were left stunned, their own scores paling in comparison. He met their surprised expressions with a mischievous grin, relishing the sweet taste of victory.
Whispers of awe and admiration swept through the crowd as Lyrian's feat spread like wildfire. There was no doubt that his name was going to be perceived as a threat moving on.
Just then, three other names shot up to the second, third, and fourth place on the leaderboard, their names nearly as vibrant as Lyrian's.
The leaderboard read:
»»--------　★　--------««
???d?s??vel.c?m 1. LYRIAN THEAGELD: RED
2. SILVUS YALTAN: RED
3. GLIS SILANDRA: RED
4. ENDRA YUUIN: RED
5. LEO---
'Glis Silandra?' Lyrian suddenly thought to himself as he looked at the board, shocked at what he was seeing.
'Isn't that the annoying girl from the adventurer's guild?'
Noticing bright red lights similar to his in the sides of his vision, he stood up and looked around.
There were 6 different red crystals that he saw, all with a different shade of brightness.
The red crystal that shone the brightest, apart from Lyrian's of course, was Silvus', as stated by the leader board.
Looking for that bright crystal, Lyrian found the holder of that potential quite close to him.
He wore some of the finest clothing amongst all those present, his eyes showing no emotion as he simply stared at the leaderboard nonchalantly.
Lyrian noted his appearance and then switched his gaze to the third brightest crystal, and shockingly, the holder of that crystal was staring back directly at him.
From afar, Glis Silandra's eyes met with Lyrian's with the gaze of a hawk. From her expression, she already looked angry.
'How could someone like him possess such potential?' Glis pondered resentfully, her gaze lingering on Lyrian. 'I was supposed to be second, right behind Silvus... Who is he?'
After identifying the other prominent names on the leaderboard, Lyrian settled back into his seat, a wave of excitement coursing through him.
He couldn't help but break into a momentary smile.
As the potential evaluations concluded, approximately 300 kids, lacking potentials beyond the green realm, were escorted back to the ships with gloom weighing heavily on their faces.
They were to return home, disappointment shadowing their spirits.
On the other hand, for the remaining candidates, laughter and joy filled the air. This segment of the entrance exam had been dreaded by many, making their successful passage a cause for celebration.
Once the commotion subsided, the top ten students with the highest potentials were summoned to the stage, one by one. Eight names were called, and then Julius announced, "And surprisingly, our long-favored contender for the first-place spot has been relegated to second place! Nevertheless, it is an impressive achievement for the heir of the esteemed supreme royal family. Let's give a warm welcome to Silvus Yaltan!"
Silvus's name reverberated through the crowd, prompting him to ascend the stage, his expression unchanged and indifferent. Though Julius's words tried to frame Silvus's accomplishment in a positive light, many present knew that congratulating a member of the supreme royal family for anything less than first place was a subtle insult.
The teachers and representatives from other schools held their breath, uncertain of what might unfold. Such a situation had never occurred before.
Whenever a member of the Yaltan family, the esteemed rulers of the Yaltas Kingdom, participated in the magic potential realm tests, they consistently claimed the top spot. But this time, the outcome had taken an unexpected turn.
A hush fell over the crowd as Silvus ascended the stage, positioning himself at the far right, symbolizing his superior standing compared to everyone else.
No one could anticipate Silvus's reaction, nor the response of the Yaltan family to this unprecedented turn of events.
"And finally, the winner of this test, placing first, is an unfamiliar name! Please welcome Lyrian Theageld!" Julius declared.
The majority had never encountered Lyrian's name until it emerged at the pinnacle of the leaderboard. Unaware of his background, no one dared to question his capabilities.
Lyrian confidently stepped onto the stage, positioning himself on the right side of Silvus, officially signifying his superior status and placing the member of the Yaltan family in an unexpected position of inferiority.
At this moment, the entire crowd fell into a deafening silence, unsure of what awaited them.
The crowd remained in a state of uncertainty, the silence stretching on until Julius broke the tension. "Alright, everyone, listen up!" he called out, commanding their attention. "Sometimes things don't go as planned, but that doesn't mean it's an upset! Let's continue this ceremony as we would normally. No need to treat this any differently just because the supreme family didn't come out on top." Julius directly addressed the elephant in the room, unafraid to confront the issue head-on.
Not many individuals would dare to broach such a controversial topic, let alone have the support to do so.
But Julius was a different breed. Not only did he hail from a prominent family in the kingdom, but his prodigious talent in magic had propelled him to become the vice principal of Anaviotis before the age of 30--an achievement unheard of. Even the supreme family didn't want to sour their relationship with him, allowing Julius the freedom to act as he saw fit.
With Julius's words, the tension dissipated, and the atmosphere returned to normal. Gifts were presented to the top winners, while the remaining seven contenders received Riftstones in decreasing increments of 100, starting at 700.
In a concise explanation, Julius introduced Riftstones as the exclusive currency within the school premises. These unique stones served as the medium of exchange for all transactions within the campus, be it services, markets, or restaurants.
The purpose of implementing Riftstones was to foster a fair and equal environment for all students. They could only be earned through achievements accomplished within the school, eliminating the need for external assistance.
This system created a level playing field where everyone had an equal opportunity to acquire Riftstones.
Upon completing their tenure at the school, students were rewarded with the chance to convert their accumulated Riftstones into real-life currency.
This ensured that the value of their efforts within the school translated into tangible benefits beyond the confines of the academy.
Essentially, Riftstones provided a seamless currency system within the school, promoting fairness and enabling students to reap the rewards of their accomplishments both during their education and in their future endeavors.
Glis, who secured third place, received 800 Riftstones and a low-grade storage ring with a capacity of 10 by 10 feet. While storage rings were common in the kingdom, especially among royals, it initially didn't seem like an exciting reward.
However, Julius pointed out that all magic equipment from the outside world wouldn't function within the academy's jurisdiction, including storage items.
Silvus, the second-place finisher, received 900 Riftstones, a low-grade storage ring, and Orlon's Bracelet--a magical item that increased magic damage by 6%.
Finally, Lyrian, the victor, was rewarded with 1000 Riftstones, a medium-grade storage ring capable of holding 20 by 20 feet, and Syan's Mana Ring--a magical item that provided a boost of 50 mana.
The distribution of these prizes marked the culmination of their achievements and set the stage for their future endeavors within the school.