'Hoo—'
How many times had she anticipated this day over the past two years?
Though hailed as a "Genius Knight," she had scarcely tasted the privileges of that title before being overshadowed by a suddenly emerging boy.
A-Rank.
Such labels seemed to hold no sway over him.
If things continued this way, the gap would only widen, eventually forming an insurmountable chasm between them—she foresaw such a future.
To protect her empire, she needed overwhelming strength.
This had always been her aspiration.
Now, perhaps there was one more reason.
"I am ready! Let's begin!" Stella focused her mind and summoned her Device.
The mere act of summoning Lævateinn unleashed flames so intense that nearby spectators felt their skin scorching.
Even Kurono Shinguuji, formerly ranked third in the world, marveled at the sight.
'Whoa, what absurd magical power! She's reached this level even as an A-Rank? She is a monster.'
Sweat had no time to form before evaporating.
The facility's air conditioning seemed useless against the sweltering heat.
The girl's flames alone caused the indoor temperature to skyrocket, rivaling the peak of summer outdoors.
The two previously eliminated contestants wore expressions of sheer terror upon witnessing such power.
'As fellow teenage Blazers, Her Highness's strength existed in an entirely different dimension.'
'That towering pillar of fire—this was the Crimson Princess.'
'Such power rendered any chance of victory for people like us nonexistent from the start.'
Noah glanced at the two candidates who had lost their will to fight and concluded they were hopeless.
Upon witnessing superior strength, their first reaction was fear, followed by self-imposed despair—without a shred of ambition to reach such heights.
Across this world and every universe, life begins with varying starting points.
If one must ask why, perhaps it can only be attributed to fate.
This holds especially true in the world of Blazers. Magic power is seen as a force intertwined with destiny—the extent of one's power signifies the weight of the fate they must bear.
Effort never betrays.
Swinging a sword a thousand times makes one stronger by a thousand swings—this applies to everyone, though baselines differ.
Hence, the existence of hard workers.
Through diligence, one can surpass geniuses.
Countless ordinary individuals have proven this with humble origins and sheer grit. Because it is no easy feat, their deeds are sung far and wide.
In reality, there are plenty who possess both talent and diligence, yet their efforts are often overlooked as mere extensions of their innate gifts.
Between these two, there is one common factor where superiority can never be definitively judged.
That is—resolve!
To scale great heights, one must brace for the accompanying risks.
Where there's a will, there's a way!
"Lævateinn's Dragon Breath!"
The scorching flames resembled the fiery exhalation of a legendary dragon.
The terrifying heat created drastic air temperature disparities, causing visible distortions from the superheated air.
Unlike two years ago, Stella now wielded control precise enough to prevent her flames from adversely affecting herself.
For her now, the petty tricks Noah had used back then would no longer be effective.
A dense barrage of projectiles closed in. Stella calmly deployed her magical defense—attacks like firearms and artillery stood no chance of penetrating her Dragon Scale attire.
Whether in terms of offensive power or defensive capability, what Stella displayed was a masterclass in power.
When the physical fitness test results came out, Kurono Shinguuji once again revealed a slight smile of surprise.
'Stella Vermillion, despite possessing such immense magical power, had not neglected her training in martial arts and swordsmanship.'
'Physical fitness: B and she was only 15 years old—there was still plenty of room for growth.'
'Remarkable.'
"That will do, Princess. Please step down and rest."
Stella nodded. She had performed at her best. For someone who trained intensely every day, there was no such thing as an unstable performance.
"Next up then... Huh? Withdrawal?" Kurono frowned.
But in an instant, she seemed to understand something and simply sighed.
"Alright, what a shame, but it is understandable. After witnessing the Crimson Princess's performance, they must have felt despair. Among Blazers, if one's spirit is that fragile, they won't last long."
Monsters abound in this world.
Remaining a frog at the bottom of a well isn't an easy thing to do either, and she didn't want to criticize them further.
"Then, the next three. Noah, step forward."
'So they withdrew after all.'
Noah wasn't particularly surprised and walked into the arena normally.
'Hmm?'
"This boy..." Kurono Shinguuji looked at the boy's profile with great astonishment.
[Noah]
Nationality: Vermillion Empire
Age: 15
Blazer Rank: C
Blazer Title: None
Device: Raven Feather
Ability: Natural Causality Type—controls all elements
Attack Power: A
Defense: C
Magical Power: C
Magic Control: A
Physical Fitness: C
Luck: B
A Blazer's rank is not fixed. Based on activity records, over seventy percent of Blazer assessments are not actually determined by ability values.
In fact, Kurono herself didn't start as an A-Rank but was promoted later.
'The Vermillion Empire actually has such a young C-Rank knight?'
In the photo, the boy's young face stared coldly at the camera.
'Judging by appearance alone, he didn't look 15, more like 12 or 13.'
However, she had seen even younger ones, so that wasn't what caught her attention—it was these ability values!
'Controls all elements in the Natural Causality category? What kind of joke is this?'
'Attack Power A? With only C-Rank Magical Power, the only explanation would be that his ability is exceptionally strong.'
'Hah. Well, once tested, whether it is true or false will become clear.'
Her intuition told her this boy might bring her some surprises.
"Begin the test."
"Yes, ma'am."
There are three types of targets for measuring attack values, and test subjects can choose the type they prefer.
Blazers skilled in close-range physical attacks can select point-blank targets for physical measurements, while caster-types can choose mid-range or long-range targets, depending on their combat style.
"Unleash, Raven Feather," Noah chanted softly, summoning his inherent Device.
He then gestured to the staff. In the next moment, a close-range target appeared before him.
Kurono found this strange.
'A physical target? That Device... Could it be he is not a mage?'
"Smelt Iron."
Through an ultra-short incantation, Noah gathered iron sand drawn from the ground into his hand, forming a pitch-black longsword.
Witnessing this, Kurono thought to herself, 'What a peculiar technique.'
The moment the youth gripped the sword with both hands, she keenly noticed he possessed considerable expertise in swordsmanship.
As she wasn't a swordswoman herself, she couldn't determine his exact level.
Noah raised the black sword and simply swung it down—no buildup, no earth-shattering momentum, not even a glimmer of magical energy.
Yet when the strike landed on the target, the target's characteristics instantly activated.
"Ground... shock?"
"Was it because of his sword?"
'Gulp—'
'Hey, hey, hey. What are the readings looking like?'
"What are the parameters?" Kurono immediately asked.
The staff showed her the tablet. An A-Rank evaluation appeared on the screen.
Her experience as the former world number three allowed her to see through the true nature of that seemingly powerless strike.
Because that was the signature technique of her old friend from the past!
"Could it be... a gravity-infused slash?" Kurono's lips twitched slightly.
'Not another one.'
Yes, the Vermillion Empire really sent her quite the gift. A small country with a sparse population, yet they produced two such terrifying students at once.
Still, there were some questions she needed to confirm.
"Noah, may I ask you a question?"
Noah turned to face the school director.
"Your profile says your ability is a Natural Causality type, and that you can control all elements. Is this accurate?"
"That is correct. Since I filled it out myself, there is no mistake."
"Sorry, that is not what I meant. I am asking whether your ability truly matches what is written in the profile?"
Noah hesitated.
The same? Of course it wasn't the same.
The abilities of a Truth Seeker, along with his capacity to manipulate magical energy and souls—he hadn't revealed these yet.
It wasn't deliberate concealment either, as aside from soul manipulation, his other abilities were better suited for display as "Blazer techniques."
She must be questioning this because he hadn't used mage-type attacks.
'In that case...'
Noah gestured to the staff again.
Immediately, a new target appeared 15 meters away.