Chrono walked through the academy halls, his footsteps steady—but the atmosphere around him had completely changed.
The moment he appeared, conversations died.
Silence spread like a ripple.
Eyes turned.
All of them.
"I-it's him…"
"H-he looks so different… his face…"
"His hair… it's completely white now…"
"Yeah… he's actually… really handsome now… maybe even more than Leon—"
"D-dude, who cares about that?! Look at his eyes… what the hell is that?"
Chrono's jaw tensed slightly at the whispers, but his expression remained indifferent.
He didn't slow down.
He didn't react.
He simply walked.
But inside—his thoughts were anything but calm.
So it's already spread this far…
Even with the illusion covering his rank, something had clearly changed enough for people to notice. His appearance alone was drawing attention—and attention was the last thing he needed right now.
This is bad…
Yesterday's incident had already shaken the academy. Because of that, the physical examination had been postponed to today.
Which meant—
All cadets were now heading toward the training grounds.
And waiting there…
Was Professor Nox Valen.
Chrono's eyes narrowed slightly.
The real test begins now.
The open training grounds came into view, vast and filled with students gathering in clusters. The air buzzed with anticipation, tension lingering from yesterday's events.
At the center—
A tall figure stood with arms crossed.
Black coat swaying slightly in the wind.
A presence so heavy it silenced even the loudest groups nearby.
Professor Nox Valen.
The moment Chrono stepped onto the field
Nox's eyes shifted.
And locked onto him.
_______
Professor Nox Valen stood at the center of the training grounds, his sharp gaze sweeping across the gathered students.
Without wasting a second, he began.
"The physical examination will be simple."
His voice was calm—too calm.
"I will call each of you one by one. You will spar against me."
For a moment—
Silence.
Then—
"B-but sir, that isn't fair!"
A few students immediately protested, their faces paling.
Nox didn't even blink.
"Relax."
A faint smirk touched his lips.
"I will limit myself to F+ Rank and all you have to do is survive for 5 minutes."
The reaction was instant.
The tension shattered.
Relief flooded the crowd.
"Haha—seriously? Then this is easy!"
"Five minutes? I can just run around!"
"Phew… way easier than Ms. Clara's test…"
Confidence returned.
Even arrogance.
Some students were already grinning, whispering strategies among themselves.
But—
Not everyone.
Those ranked within the top 100…
Didn't smile.
Didn't relax.
And those below that—
Didn't change at all.
Because they understood something the others didn't.
Even if he lowered his mana to F+…
He was still Professor Nox Valen.
His skills and experience in the battlefield would still overpower them.
A monster didn't become harmless just because it held back its claws.
He would still win.
Always.
Nox's eyes slowly scanned the crowd once more—lingering briefly on a few individuals…
Leon.
Vayne
Liam.
Rina.
Nia.
Lia.
Carl.
And then—
Chrono.
For just a fraction of a second—
His gaze sharpened.
"…Interesting."
Then, as if nothing had happened, he looked away and spoke again.
"We begin now."
A pause.
Then—
"Leon Ardent."
A ripple went through the crowd.
The number one ranked student stepped forward, calm and confident.
Chrono watched silently from the back.
This is where it starts…
Not just a test—
But a display.
Of strength.
Of limits.
And of monsters… hiding behind human faces.
____
"Leon Ardent."
Leon stepped into the arena, golden hair glinting under the sunlight, his expression calm—confident.
He gave a slight smile.
"Good luck, Professor."
Nox let out a quiet chuckle.
"Haha… I think you'll need it more than me."
The next second—
Leon vanished.
Solar Shift.
A blur of golden light.
He appeared right in front of Nox, sword already mid-swing.
Fast.
Incredibly fast.
But—
Nox smirked.
"Impressive."
With the slightest shift of his body—
He dodged.
Clean. Effortless.
Leon's eyes flickered in surprise for just a moment—
Then sharpened.
He didn't stop.
His attacks came faster.
Sharper.
Relentless.
Steel cut through the air again and again, each strike aimed to overwhelm.
Then—
Leon whispered,
"Aurora Sequence."
In an instant—
Multiple slashes appeared at once, as if space itself had been cut apart.
Afterimages.
Layered strikes.
Impossible angles.
Even the spectators gasped.
Nox's eyes widened slightly.
"…Now this is interesting."
He moved.
Each step precise.
Each motion minimal.
He dodged every slash—
But—
A faint line appeared on his shoulder.
A graze.
Silence fell.
Nox glanced at it… then back at Leon.
"Wow… you aren't rank one for nothing—"
His words stopped.
His eyes narrowed.
The sky above began to glow.
Leon raised his sword slowly.
Golden light poured out, engulfing the arena.
The air grew heavy.
Students instinctively stepped back.
Leon's voice rang out—calm, but filled with certainty.
"I hope you survive this, Professor."
The light intensified.
Then—
"Dawnbreaker."
He brought the sword down.
A pillar of golden energy crashed into the arena.
The ground trembled.
Shockwaves rippled outward.
Dust and light swallowed everything.
The entire training ground fell into stunned silence.
"…Is this really the power of someone at D+ rank…?"
"…No way…"
As the dust slowly cleared—
A figure stood at the center.
Unmoving.
Unharmed.
Professor Nox Valen.
Not a single injury on him.
And yet—
Leon smiled.
Confident.
Certain.
"I won, didn't I, Professor?"
Nox sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
"…Yeah. You did, brat."
Confusion erupted instantly.
"B-but sir! That attack didn't even hurt you!"
Nox glanced at them lazily.
"Seems like some of you were paying attention."
A small smirk formed.
"I raised my level… from F+ to B… to block that."
Silence.
Then—
Shock.
Even the top students stiffened.
He had to raise his level.
Against a first-year.
Nox looked back at Leon, eyes gleaming with interest.
"…That was a pass. More than that."
Leon simply sheathed his sword and walked out—
As if it had been expected.