Morning arrived quietly over Vajraśila.
For the first time since the examinations began, the academy felt smaller.
Empty.
The mountain bridges that once overflowed with nervous noble heirs now stood half-deserted beneath drifting silver fog. Several residence towers had already gone dark. Servants guided defeated students through the lower academy pathways while others departed silently toward the outer gates.
Some left with dignity.
Others with lowered heads.
The Preliminary Eliminations had ended.
And now—
only sixty-four nobles remained.
Cold mountain wind swept across the Grand Arena as the surviving contestants gathered once more beneath the towering barrier formations. The atmosphere had changed completely from the earlier stages.
No one underestimated anyone anymore.
Because every student standing here had already survived battle.
Above the arena, the colossal formation screen shimmered beneath the pale morning sky. Hundreds of glowing inscriptions moved slowly across its surface while instructors finalized updated rankings from the previous matches.
But the rankings themselves had not reset.
That was the terrifying part.
The students remaining were not simply "Top 64."
They were survivors carrying ranks from every corner of the standings.
Rank 1.
Rank 7.
Rank 43.
Rank 89.
Even Rank 128.
Because Vajraśila did not reward survival alone.
It rewarded total excellence.
Written Examination.
Manifestation.
Power.
Application.
Combat.
Every stage still mattered.
At the lower terraces, nervous whispers spread naturally between students.
"Rank 94 survived somehow…"
"Rank 27 got eliminated yesterday…"
"So surviving doesn't guarantee academy admission…"
"No… only the final sixty overall scores enter…"
Pressure spread instantly after those words.
Because everyone understood now.
Even among the sixty-four survivors—
four students would still fail.
Near the eastern railings, Auren Vellmare stared silently upward at the formation screen.
Auren Vellmare — Overall Rank 68
His chest tightened slightly.
Still outside the acceptance range.
Still unsafe.
"You look like the rankings insulted your bloodline."
Auren turned immediately.
Aditya stood nearby with folded arms while crimson-red flames rolled lazily across his fingertips. Beside him, Sasi leaned against the stone wall with royal-blue sparks flickering softly around his shoulders.
Aryan arrived moments later.
Quiet as ever.
Auren exhaled slowly. "I dropped three ranks."
"You survived," Sasi replied calmly.
"Barely."
"That still counts."
Aditya smirked faintly. "Besides, there are nobles ranked below you who somehow survived through pure luck."
Several nearby students instantly pretended not to listen.
Auren laughed weakly despite himself.
Then the arena bells rang.
Once.
Heavy.
Every conversation stopped immediately.
At the center platform, Instructor Vael Drakhar stepped forward beneath the massive formation screen. Black academy robes moved slowly in the wind while his sharp eyes swept across the remaining contestants.
"You stand among the final sixty-four survivors of the Vajraśila Noble Examination."
His voice echoed across the mountains.
"No weak student remains."
The silence deepened.
"Understand this clearly."
Vael raised one hand toward the formation screen overhead.
"Your overall rankings remain active."
The screen ignited instantly.
Ranks appeared beside every surviving noble.
Some students visibly relaxed.
Others became more nervous instead.
Because now they understood—
losing a match did not automatically mean failure.
But performing poorly could still destroy their final placement.
Vael continued.
"The academy accepts only sixty noble students."
A visible ripple passed through the terraces.
"Your remaining battles will determine your final standings."
No one spoke.
Because the meaning behind those words was brutal.
Every movement mattered now.
Every mistake mattered.
Even survival itself was no longer enough.
Then—
the Official Round One brackets began forming overhead.
Names shifted rapidly across the formation screen while the sixty-four nobles watched in complete silence.
The first matchup appeared.
Aditya Vyomtara — Rank 1vsRovan Mireth — Rank 83
Ash AffinityAsh Wolf Constellation
A broad-shouldered noble from the southern territories stiffened immediately after seeing the matchup.
Dull gray-red ash chakra drifted slowly around his arms like smoke from a dying battlefield.
Several students exchanged sympathetic looks.
"Rank 83 against Rank 1…"
"That's terrible luck…"
"Ash affinity is dangerous though…"
Aditya merely rolled his shoulders once while crimson flames spread slowly across his arms.
Calm.
Almost bored.
Sasi Vyomtara — Rank 2vsHelric Voss — Rank 74
Speed AffinityStorm Crow Constellation
Helric narrowed his eyes immediately while neon yellow-white chakra exploded briefly beneath his feet.
The stone cracked instantly.
A speed-type specialist.
Across the arena, royal-blue lightning flickered once behind Sasi's shoulders.
Fastest thunder user in the academy.
Against a pure kinetic fighter.
Several nobles immediately leaned forward with interest.
Aryan Vyomtara — Rank 3vsDren Talvor — Rank 91
Astral AffinityCelestial Serpent Constellation
Emerald-teal chakra shimmered faintly around Dren like fragments of distant stars.
Several students looked surprised immediately.
"Astral affinity…?"
"That's rare…"
Dren swallowed slightly after seeing Aryan's name appear overhead.
Even among the remaining contestants—
the triplets had become terrifying to face.
Aryan remained expressionless while soft green chakra drifted quietly around his fingertips like ancient life itself awakening.
Not forceful.
Not violent.
Natural.
Kael Rithvar — Rank 5vsVaen Orlis — Rank 57
Metal AffinityIron Jackal Constellation
Yellow lightning flickered beneath Kael's skin as he stared upward silently.
This time—
his opponent looked more nervous than he did.
Nyssa Korrin — Rank 8vsLyric Vale — Rank 96
Sound AffinityEcho Bat Constellation
Several students immediately looked toward Lyric with pity.
Nyssa's curse affinity had already unsettled half the academy.
Fighting her directly felt less like battle—
and more like stepping willingly into darkness.
Caelum Rift — Rank 7vsTyris Kain — Rank 64
Gravity AffinityStone Rhino Constellation
Dark blue-black chakra bent faintly around Tyris' body, distorting the air near him.
Several students instinctively stepped farther away.
Gravity users were feared for a reason.
Across the arena, cosmic-indigo energy flickered around Caelum's fingertips like fractured space itself.
Space.
Against gravity.
The pressure from that matchup alone felt dangerous.
Then—
Auren's name appeared.
His heartbeat tightened instantly.
Auren Vellmare — Rank 68vsKaidus Renn — Rank 49
The arena murmured immediately.
Metal affinity.
A physically overwhelming fighter.
Auren clenched his fists unconsciously.
Last time—
he barely survived against Kaidus during the preliminary stages.
And now they faced each other again.
His eyes lowered briefly.
Then Aryan's voice reached him quietly beside the railing.
"You already know his fighting style now."
Auren looked up slowly.
Aryan's expression remained calm.
"That means this battle starts differently than the last one."
For some reason—
the panic inside Auren eased slightly.
Above them, the remaining brackets continued forming across the sky while tension spread heavier and heavier through the arena.
The students stared upward silently.
Calculating.
Preparing.
Fearing.
Because now—
the real tournament had truly begun.
And from this point onward—
even survivors would begin disappearing.