The academy did not wait.
By the next morning, every first-year student was gathered in the central arena.
A vast circular field stretched beneath the open sky, surrounded by elevated stone platforms where instructors and senior students observed in silence.
At the center—
a massive structure stood.
The Resonance Pillar.
Aetherion Valen Drakhar stood among the crowd.
The whispers had not faded.
If anything—
they had grown louder.
"That's him…"
"The one with no creature…"
"He broke the dummy yesterday…"
"That had to be luck…"
Aetherion ignored them.
His gaze rested on the pillar.
It pulsed faintly with energy.
"…That measures you?" he asked quietly.
"Not you," the voice replied softly.
The spirit's presence flickered beside him—barely visible, unseen by all others.
"It measures what the system thinks you are."
Aetherion's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…And what am I?"
A pause.
Then—
"Something it cannot measure."
Before he could respond—
"Silence."
Instructor Kaelron stepped forward onto the arena floor.
"Today, your ranks will be decided."
His voice carried across the entire field.
"Your strength. Your control. Your worth."
A pause.
"Everything you are… will be revealed here."
The tension in the air thickened.
"Step forward one by one. Place your hand on the Resonance Pillar. Channel your power."
The first student stepped up.
A boy with a fang rat.
He placed his hand on the pillar.
Focused.
Energy flowed.
The pillar glowed faintly.
A symbol appeared above it.
E Rank
Murmurs spread.
"Next."
Another stepped forward.
A stone lizard user.
D Rank
"Next."
The Storm Hawk boy stepped forward.
Confidence radiating from every step.
"Watch closely," someone whispered.
He placed his hand on the pillar.
Wind energy surged.
The hawk screeched as lightning flickered across its wings.
The pillar glowed brighter than before.
A symbol formed.
C Rank
A wave of reactions followed.
"Already C rank?!"
"That's elite…"
The boy smirked slightly.
His eyes flickered toward Aetherion.
As if to say—
This is where you belong.
Aetherion remained still.
"…Temporary numbers," he murmured.
"Exactly."
More students went.
Ranks filled the air.
E.
D.
A few low C.
Then—
"Aetherion Valen Drakhar."
Silence fell instantly.
All eyes turned.
Some curious.
Some mocking.
Some… cautious.
Aetherion stepped forward.
The distance to the pillar felt longer than before.
Not because of pressure.
But because of expectation.
He reached it.
Placed his hand on the surface.
Cold.
"…Channel your power," Instructor Kaelron said.
Aetherion closed his eyes briefly.
"…I don't have anything to channel."
A few students laughed.
"Then try harder," the instructor replied coldly.
Silence.
Aetherion exhaled slowly.
Fine.
He focused.
Nothing happened.
The pillar remained dim.
"…Pathetic," someone muttered.
Then—
"Do you want help?"
The voice again.
"…No."
"You hesitate too much."
"…This is unnecessary."
A pause.
Then—
"Then let them decide your worth."
Aetherion's eyes opened.
The pillar flickered weakly.
A faint symbol appeared.
Barely visible.
Then—
it stabilized.
F Rank
The lowest.
Silence—
then laughter.
"F rank?!"
"Even worse than a rabbit user!"
"So it's official now—he's useless!"
Some shook their heads.
Others smirked openly.
The Storm Hawk boy let out a quiet laugh.
"Fitting."
Instructor Kaelron didn't react.
"…Next."
Just like that—
it was over.
Aetherion removed his hand.
Stepped back.
No resistance.
No argument.
The label had been given.
Failure.
F Rank.
Below even the weakest.
But—
"…It doesn't matter," he said quietly.
"Of course it doesn't."
The spirit's voice carried a faint amusement.
"Because that pillar…"
A pause.
"…cannot see me."
Aetherion's gaze lowered slightly.
"…Then what does it see?"
"A shell."
A faint flicker passed through his sigil.
Unnoticed.
The test continued.
But something had already shifted.
Not in the rankings.
But in perception.
Because some had noticed.
Not the rank.
But what came before it.
That brief moment—
when the pillar flickered.
As if it hesitated.
As if—
it didn't know what to display.
Later.
The results were posted.
A large board stood in the academy courtyard.
Names listed.
Ranks assigned.
At the very bottom—
Aetherion Valen Drakhar — F Rank
Students gathered around it.
Pointing.
Whispering.
Laughing.
But Aetherion didn't stay.
He turned.
Walked away.
"…Does it bother you?" the voice asked.
"…No."
"Lying already?"
"…It's irrelevant."
A pause.
"…Good."
Her tone shifted slightly.
"Because it will get worse."
Aetherion stopped.
"…Explain."
Silence.
Then—
"You are now officially the weakest."
A faint breeze passed.
"Which means…"
Her voice softened.
Almost… excited.
"Everyone will try to step on you."
Aetherion's eyes darkened slightly.
"…Let them."
A faint shadow flickered behind him.
For just a second—
Wings.
Massive.
Gone instantly.
"That confidence…"
A quiet laugh echoed.
"…I like it."
Aetherion resumed walking.
The sigil on his hand pulsed once.
Dark.
Unseen.
Unmeasured.
And far beyond the academy—
Something ancient stirred again.
Watching.
Waiting.
For the moment—
the F rank boy would no longer be contained.
End of Chapter 3