Chapter 23: Accepted!
The atmosphere in the plaza was still buzzing with excitement and nervous energy as applicants waited for their final results.
Klein found a quiet spot near the edge of the waiting area and leaned against a pillar, taking a moment to collect his thoughts.
’Spirits huh... I have seen many since Aeloria used them a lot when we were young.’
’But I have never been in a Spirit Realm. Well, men usually can’t enter there because you need a certain amount of spirit aptitude to even place foot there.’
Most male Arbiters could not even manifest basic spirit energy, let alone enter the Realm itself.
Women, with their naturally more receptive mana cores, had a much easier time forming contracts and visiting the Spirit Realm.
For a man to have access... it has never happened before.
Klein clenched his fist subtly, feeling the warm spirit energy flowing through his veins.
’With this power... I can even form contracts with powerful spirits that normal people could never approach.’
The thought sent a thrill through him.
But he also knew the risks. The Spirit Realm was not a gentle place. Wild spirits could be hostile and powerful spirits could be arrogant and demanding.
’Still... this is a path I need to explore,’
’Especially if I want to grow strong enough to protect Arwen and Cynthia... and eventually revive the two who sacrificed everything for me.’
A few minutes later, Julia emerged from her own evaluation zone. She spotted him immediately and walked over with a complicated expression on her face.
"Klein. You finished all five waves. Congratulations. That was... impressive."
Klein gave her a nod "Thank you. You did well too."
Julia’s eyes sharpened slightly "But I have to ask... why did you lie to me?"
He raised an eyebrow, feigning mild confusion "Lied?"
"You said you never held a sword before," Julia said, crossing her arms.
"But the way you used that spear... that wasn’t beginner level. You lied."
Klein chuckled softly, rubbing the back of his neck in a relaxed manner.
"I didn’t lie. You asked if I had ever held a sword before. I said no. I never touched swords. Spears are different."
Julia stared at him, clearly not fully convinced.
She tilted her head slightly, "Then how do you know how to use a spear so well?"
Klein shrugged lightly, "I took some military training in the past. That’s all."
She narrowed her eyes further, looking at his face for a long moment. She could tell he was holding back, but she didn’t push further.
Instead, she let out a small sigh and shook her head "Fine. I want a spar with you someday. Spear versus sword. I want to see how good you really are."
Klein gave her a small smile "I look forward to it."
They stood together in the waiting hall as the evaluators began announcing the final results for their batch.
Everyone in the plaza were nervous as their names were called.
Some students cheered wildly when their names were announced as accepted, hugging friends and family.
Others stood frozen in disappointment with their heads lowered in rejection.
"Applicant Lian Voss - Accepted, Standard Class."
"Applicant Mira Kael - Rejected."
"Applicant Toren Black - Accepted, Standard Class."
"Applicant Klein Faress - Accepted, Elite Class."
"Applicant Julia von Langford - Accepted, Elite Class."
Julia turned to him with a faint smile "Looks like we’ll be seeing a lot of each other from now on," she said quietly.
Klein simply nodded "Yeah... looks like it."
He pulled out his phone and sent a quick message to Arwen and Cynthia:
Klein: I got accepted. Elite Class. Heading home soon.
The replies came almost immediately.
Arwen: I knew you would. I’m so proud of you❤️Come home safely.
Cynthia: That’s my Kay!! We’re ordering your favorite food to celebrate. Hurry back~
---
Sitting on the couch in the living room, Arwen and Cynthia were watching the footage of Klein’s practical evaluation on the laptop.
It has gone quite viral within just a few hours.
Clips from the live feed were being shared in social media, Awakener forums, and even some news channels were picking it up.
Arwen had a slight frown on her face as she watched the clip on repeat.
"I didn’t know he was very good with spears," she murmured, almost to herself. "Who taught him that? He never mentioned anything about spear training before..."
Cynthia leaned in closer to the screen and tilted her head "Maybe he awakened a skill related to spears? You know there are weapon mastery skills."
"Like how you have [Dagger Mastery]. Maybe his class gave him something similar for spears."
Arwen nodded slightly, though her frown didn’t disappear.
"It’s possible. But... it looked too natural. That wasn’t the movement of someone who just awakened a skill today."
"The way he redirected attacks, the footwork and the timing... it was like he had done it a thousand times before."
Cynthia paused the video on a frame where Klein was mid-spin and zoomed in slightly.
"You’re right," she admitted. "It does look too clean for a brand-new skill."
"Even with a Mythic class, skills usually start at basic proficiency. This looks like he’s been training with a spear for a long time."
They looked at each other for a moment in confusion.
"We can ask him later."
---
It was already evening by the time the final results were announced and the formalities concluded.
Klein and Julia were quietly escorted by academy staff through a private corridor reserved for high-ranking guests and noble families.
They were led into a spacious private lounge.
Evelyne was already inside, sitting gracefully on one of the sofas.
She looked up as they entered, "Welcome."
Klein took his seat opposite her while Julia went and sat beside her sister.
A servant quietly poured fragrant tea into cups and arranged plates of light snacks.
Evelyne waited until the servant left and the door closed before speaking.
"Congratulations, Klein. Five waves cleared with such composure... you’ve made quite the impression today."
Klein gave her a nod, taking a sip of his tea "Thank you, Miss Evelyne."
Evelyne set her cup down gently and leaned back, crossing her legs with effortless elegance.
"I must admit, I was curious to see how you would perform. And you exceeded my expectations. The instructors are already talking about you."
"Since you’ve been accepted into the Elite Class, you’ll have access to better resources, private training facilities, and more personalized guidance."
"If you ever need anything, you can come to me."
With a nod, he replied "I appreciate the offer. I’ll keep it in mind."
The conversation shifted to lighter topics, about the academy’s traditions, the different divisions, and what to expect in the first semester.
As the evening deepened, Evelyne finally stood up.
"It’s getting late. You should head back and rest. The official orientation begins in three days."
"You can either stay here or return and come back after three days."
>>>>>>
A/n: I have updated the power system and character images in the auxiliary Chapter
