Welcome to the Imperial Academy Entrance on the day of its entrance as a candidate, or as I like to call it: a thirty-hour unskippable cutscene just to touch a glowing rock. Inclusively for me by the way, atleast somewhere I'm getting special treatment.

  The Colosseum was a cauldron of noise. Thousands of hopeful students, nervous parents, and stoic guardians filled the space, creating a hum of anxiety that was almost palpable.

  Then, the amplification array flared to life.

  "Everyone! May I have your attention!"

  The voice boomed from the center of the arena, echoing off the stone tiers. It wasn't just loud; it carried a weight of authority that snapped the crowd into instant silence. Even the wind seemed to stop to listen.

  A figure stood on a floating platform in the center of the arena—a man in ceremonial robes that shimmered with mana-weave.

  "Welcome to the Imperial Academy of Razia!" he announced, spreading his arms wide. "Today, as you all know, marks the beginning of the Entrance Exam for the Razia Academy... or, as it is popularly known, the Entrance for the Elite."

  I blinked. Entrance for the Elite?

  I nudged Celestia, keeping my voice low. "Elite? I thought this was a school, not a VIP club. Did I underdress? Is my jacket not expensive enough?"

  Celestia rolled her eyes, though a small smile played on her lips. "It's a title, Ragna. Not a dress code. I'll explain it to you later. Just listen."

  The announcer continued, his voice resonating with theatrical gravity.

  "There are three parts to this exam. And today, the first phase will commence. It is known as the Sacred Stone Judgement."

  A ripple of murmurs went through the crowd. Sacred Stone Judgement. It sounded ominous. I liked it.

  "I would like to ask all participants to step forward and extend one hand," the announcer instructed. "You will receive your Participant Number. And I request all guardians to strictly remain by their participant's side. Do not wander. Thank you. All the best to all participants."

  "Extend a hand?" I muttered. "What is this, a charity drive?"

  But I did as I was told. Around me, thousands of kids reached out into the empty air. It looked ridiculous—like a cult trying to catch raindrops.

  Then, the magic hit.

  ZING.

  I felt a fluctuation in space—a minor teleportation spell triggered by a mass-area array. A small particle of light coalesced above my palm, solidifying instantly into a metal object. It dropped into my hand with a satisfying clink.

  "Spatial delivery," I whispered, impressed despite myself. "Efficient."

  I looked down at the badge. It was made of a cool, silver metal, engraved with a number.

  [ 1001 ]

  I stared at it. I blinked. I rubbed my eyes and stared at it again.

  "You gotta be kiddin' me," I groaned, my head falling back.

  "Participant Number 1," the announcer’s voice boomed. "Please come in."

  I looked at the gate where a nervous-looking kid with the number '1' was walking in. Then I looked at my badge.

  "1001," I calculated, my soul withering slightly. "If each person takes even two minutes... that’s... 2000 minutes. That’s over 30 hours. I’m going to die of old age before I even swing my sword."

  "Pffft."

  I turned to see Celestia covering her mouth, her shoulders shaking.

  "It’s not funny!" I hissed.

  "It’s a little funny," she giggled, poking my shoulder. "You know what this means, right? You are literally the last one."

  "Hey! Ah!" I let out a noise of pure disappointment, slumping my shoulders. "My luck stat must be in the negatives. I bet the Goddess rigged this. Talestia is up there laughing at me right now."

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  I kicked a pebble on the ground, sulking for exactly three seconds. Then, my brain rebooted. The disappointment vanished, replaced by the itch of curiosity. I’m an engineer at heart; I can't stay mad when there's data to process.

  "Hey, um..." I straightened up, turning to Celestia with a serious expression. "Actually, never mind the wait. What was that thing the guy said? 'Exam for the Elite'? What does that mean? And what exactly is this Sacred Stone?"

  Celestia stopped giggling. She looked at me, realizing I was done throwing my tantrum.

  "Oh, that," Celestia said, waving her hand as if explaining basic arithmetic to a toddler. "'Exam for the Elite' is just a fancy title. There are five Great Academies in this world, Ragna. Being one of the top five makes this place an 'Elite' institution. Therefore, you are taking an exam for the Elite. Marketing 101."

  I stared at the massive structure. "Marketing. Right. Because 'School for Really Strong Kids' didn't test well with focus groups?"

  "Exactly," she winked. "Now, regarding the Sacred Stone Judgment. That isn't marketing. That’s history."

  She lowered her voice, leaning in closer amidst the crowd of waiting students.

  "No one knows where the Stone truly came from. Legend says the First King placed it here. It’s covered in weird characters—runes that even the arch-mages can't decipher. It stays dormant all year, but for this one month, during the entrance season, it glows."

  "Glows?" I asked, looking at the distant podium.

  "You place your palm on it," she explained. "It reads your potential. If it glows Red, you are disqualified. Immediately. Go home, try again next life. But if it glows Blue... you are welcome to the next stage."

  I narrowed my eyes at her. That was very specific information.

  "Hey, Celestia," I asked slowly. "How do you know the color coding and the exact process? Let me guess... your 'cousin' again?"

  Celestia stiffened. Her eyes darted to the left—a classic tell.

  "Um... uh..." She laughed nervously, twirling a lock of her chestnut hair. "I read it! In a magazine! 'Weekly Sorcery,' I think. Very popular."

  "A magazine," I deadpanned.

  "Yes! A magazine! Anyway, look at the line moving!"

  She pointed away, desperate to change the subject. I sighed. She was suspicious as hell, but she had saved me from eating dirt in the city, so I let it slide. For now.

  "Fine," I grumbled. "I'll trust your 'magazine'."

  I looked at my badge again. [ 1001 ].

  The line was moving, but at a glacial pace. Participant 5 had just walked in.

  "This is going to take forever," I groaned, sliding down to sit against a tree near the queue. Celestia sat beside me, humming a tune.

  To kill time, I decided to do a inventory check. Celestia had been paying for the small stuff, acting the guardian part, but I needed to remind myself that I wasn't actually a charity case. I was Ragna Crimson, son of the Commander of the South Gate.

  I focused on my Spatial Bag.

  Let's see...

  Inside, the heavy clink of gold echoed in my mind. Five Royal Gold Coins. That was enough to buy a small mansion in the noble district. Then there were the Ten Standard Gold Coins—pocket change for a normal noble, a fortune for a commoner.

  I mentally patted the items:

  The Black Knight Sword (Ring Form): Resting on my finger.

  The Black Knight Armor (Locket Form): Hanging around my neck.

  Phoenix Wing & Dragon Scale: Currently serving as my internal organs.

  "I'm loaded," I whispered to myself, a smirk tugging at my lips. "I could buy this line and skip to the front if I wanted to."

  "Did you say something?" Celestia asked.

  "Just counting my blessings," I replied. "And by blessings, I mean my money.

  Hours passed. The sun moved across the sky. Finally, after what felt like an eternity and three naps...

  "Participant Number 1001! Please enter!"

  "Finally!" I jumped up, dusting off my trousers. "My time to shine."

  I walked toward the massive archway leading into the inner arena. The darkness of the tunnel swallowed me for a moment.

  (Narrator Mode Engage)

  So, Ragna stepped into the darkness, his heart pounding with the fear of the unknown. He was but a small boy entering the maw of destiny, unaware of the terrors that awaited him...

  "Wait! Wait! Wait!"

  I stopped walking and looked up at the ceiling of the tunnel.

  "Cut the melodrama, Writer! I'm still here. It is supposed to be First Person when I'm around. 'Small boy'? 'Maw of destiny'? Who writes this stuff?"

  (...Fine. Have it your way.)

  "Thank you," I huffed. "Alright. Let's do this properly."

  I walked out of the tunnel and into the light.

  My breath caught in my throat.

  I had expected a simple stage with a stone. I didn't expect this.

  The inner arena was a coliseum of white stone, packed with a massive audience. But my eyes were drawn instantly to the elevated platform at the far end.

  There sat five huge thrones.

  The middle one was the most luxurious, draped in velvet and gold. Sitting there was the King of Alzaria himself. He was a handsome guy with slick black hair and sharp brown eyes that scanned the crowd with absolute authority.

  On his right sat the Queen. She looked remarkably similar to her daughter—purplish hair and dark purple eyes. She wore a white dress with golden borders that radiated elegance.

  To the Queen's right sat their eldest daughter, Clair Lesse. She wore a purple dress that was cut to expose her waist from the front—a bold fashion choice for royalty.

  Then I looked to the left.

  And I froze.

  On the King's left sat a man I didn't know. But just seeing him gave me chills.

  He looked just like me.

  Not exactly me, but enough to be terrifying. He had white hair and piercing blue eyes. His hair was long, cascading down his robes. His face was set in a permanent scowl of seriousness. He looked like the kind of man who, if something bad happened, would crush the problem (and anyone standing near it) in an instant.

  "Who is that?" I thought, swallowing hard. "Relative? Or threat?"

  And on his far left sat someone I actually wanted to replace.

  The Strongest Imperial Disciple.

  (Oh, I forgot to tell you. There are three levels of disciples here: Normal, Core, and the highest is Imperial.)

  Sitting there was Crystalia de' Razillia.

  She was a beautiful and extremely powerful woman. (And don't you even think with your dirty minds—she's 20 years older than me. Respect your elders).

  Her hair was snow-white with sky-bluish tips at the ends. Her eyes were a deep, oceanic blue, and she wore a matching blue dress that looked more like battle-formal wear. She looked bored. Unbeatable.

  Part 5: The Revelation of the Stone

  I walked up to the podium.

  The announcer stepped back. "Participant 1001. Proceed."

  "Here goes nothing."