The Contest of Gifted Ones

"Gin, let's go. Do they think that they are the only academy present in the silver mist region?" Hammer said, deciding to leave the place.

Gin caught Hammer by his collar, "Haha, Where are you going, Hammer? I was the one who got rejected, not you."

"You both better participate in the entrance exam and get selected, otherwise, don't come before me." Gin coldly said.

"Gin, you-"

"Understand?" Gin sternly asked again, interrupting Hammer's words before he could speak.

"Yes," Hammer grudgingly agreed while Astro unwillingly nodded his head.

They could tell Gin is serious, if they try to leave with him, he certainly won't see them ever again.

"Good!" Gin patted Hammer and Astro's shoulder and disappeared in the crowd.

Hamme and Astro saw Gin's lonely back, vanishing from their eyes. Both of hem clenched their fist, while a hint of resolve and determination is evident in their eyes.

The towering man watched everything which unfolded before him. He praised Gin mentally who's considerate of his friends.

He also appreciated Gin's composure, even though he was rejected in the face of countless students.

'He would be a good student but unfortunately, he wasn't born with a spirit seal.' The towering man sighed.

--

'Bah! What a waste of time...I better go home.' Gin thought. As he was planning to leave this place, a beggar looking man blocked his path.

The man was tall as him, pale-skinned with messy, unkempt, shoulder-length black hair. He looked tired and worn-out as if he just rolled out of bed.

He donned in a ragged black outfit that consists of a long-sleeved shirt and matching pants.

"Boy, why don't you come and join our academy?" the beggar looking fellow asked.

Gin wasn't sure he heard the right words, 'This beggar looking man is recruiting students. Is he from some other academy?'

"Oh, sorry. Let me introduce myself. My name is Baste, from Heaven Fall Academy." Baste introduced himself.

"Heaven Fall Academy? Isn't that the number one trash academy in the entire continent." Gin thought for a second and mumbled.

"Yes," Baste acknowledged without any embarrassment.

Gin interestingly looked at Baste. 'A person from the number one trash academy trying to recruit me, when did I become trash?'

Moreover, there are more than ten academies in the silver mist region, but there wasn't anyone like Baste.

He was trying to recruit the students coming out of Skyfire Academy, who got rejected. And that too, outside the gates of Skyfire Academy.

No academy will recruit students like this as it would be beneath their status and power. Even if they try to recruit, no students will join the academy that could stoop so low.

Apart from Gin, many students got rejected but the man didn't spare a single glance at them. Gin wants to know why and 'why him?'

"I suppose you already know that I am a person without a spirit seal, right?" Gin asked, intrigued.

"Yes," Baste nodded his head as he heard everything.

"Then, why are you trying to recruit me?" Gin asked with a doubtful look.

"Unlike others, you are calm, confident, and worry-free even though you didn't have any spirit seal and was rejected by the number one academy. If so, then why should I be worried?" Baste asked.

"Mn. You have a point there."

"Even though we were last in the ranking, we don't recruit just anybody! We have our own standards." Baste boasted.

'Yes, even if you want to, nobody will join.' Gin thought.

"So, what do you say, interested in joining us?" Baste asked. Gin was about to reject the offer and go home.

"Don't be so quick to reject. Tell me first, why do you want to join martial academies?" Baste asked again.

Gin didn't know how to reply, he heard the academies provide the best teaching, resources, and powerful martial skills.

"I presume you at least know what you gain from joining the martial academy." Noticing Gin's silence, Baste spoke while Gin nodded.

"Skills, resources, good training environment to increase your strength – you can expect this from any academy."

"But if it's just this, then the students with prominent background won't even partake in the entrance exam, much less study in it."

'Yes, what's the reason?' Gin also mused.

"Let me tell you the reason, it's because only in academies you will get the precious opportunity that every student desire," Baste stated.

"Opportunity?" Gin asked, bewildered by Baste words.

"Yes, opportunity! An opportunity to join one of the top three major academies of this world." Baste revealed.

"You knew the Silver mist is a backwater region that resides in the far edge of the human continent, right?" Basked asked while Gin nodded.

"Everyone would have different desires like wealth, status, power, revenge, happiness, and so on. But, you can only accomplish your goals in the core regions of this continent."

"Every two years, the major academies in the core region conduct a contest to choose students from all over the continent called 'The contest of Gifted ones'."

"The only way to attend that contest is through the seats allocated to every region. Our silver mist region only has 500 spots."

"If you want to get a spot, your only way is to join one of the martial academies."

"Really?" Gin urged.

"Yes, no other way"

"A Ranking competition will be organized by every academy of Silver mist region to select the top 500 best students, one month before the 'The contest of Gifted Ones' and it's the only way in!"

"But, if you join our academy you will directly get a spot without any need for participating in the competition."

"Why?" Gin asked.

"It's a privilege exclusive to our academy, you won't understand. But, our academy only has 5 spots each time."

"Mm, it's little tempting." Gin said but what he found intriguing was the 'contest of the gifted ones' mentioned by Baste.

He didn't know about any of this. Besides, if he joins the Heaven Fall academy he doesn't need to participate in the regional competition to get the spot.

"Let's go. I want to visit your academy before I make my decision." Gin said, after a thought.

For him, the number one and number ten are all the same as his strength improves because of the hard work, not because of the academy he would join.

Besides, he thinks none of the academies in the silver mist region would know anything about the physique cultivation after his recent rejection. He can only depend on himself.

"Where is the academy located?" Gin asked.

"District 9"

It took two hours for Gin and Baste to reach the location as the academy was situated on the outskirts of District 9.

Gin stared at the Heavenly Fall academy before him. Surprisingly, it was quite a scenery with a sprawling garden, a mirror-like lake, a grassy terrain, and three large buildings; everything enclosed by a stone wall.

At the academy back, there was a lush forest filled with trees and plants. It was a wonderful view that one can look at every day and even the air here was fresh.

Gin and Baste walked towards the academy through a silver steel door guarding it.

"The academy looks great, outwardly, let's see how it's inside." Gin spoke.

'We cleaned the entire academy for the last ten days, how can it not impress you?' Baste inwardly mused.

"The four-story building at the center is the main building of our academy while the other two three-story buildings comprise of residence, food courts, training room, combat facilities and much more," Baste spoke.

"How many students study here?" Gin asked as he hasn't seen a single being in the surroundings.

"W-well, we don't have that many students," Baste replied, trying to look natural.

"Tell me the exact numbers," Gin spoke, noticing something's wrong.

"Ahh, I can't pretend anymore. Only ten students are studying in our whole academy with a single teacher while he's also our academy dean."

"Happy, now?" Baste asked and sighed in relief as if some kind of weight has been lifted off his shoulder.

"That's higher than I guessed." Gin muttered.

Baffled by Gin's mumble, Baste asked, "What's higher than you guessed?"

"The number of students studying here, I thought it would only be five or six students." Gin said.

"You knew all along?" Baste asked with little anger.

"No, I only guessed after entering the academy. The building looks too clean as if it was recently polished, the plants and flowers in the garden were also recently transplanted."

"Furthermore, I noticed there are only three kinds of footmarks on the ground. So, everything is obvious and crystal clear." Gin said as a matter of fact.

"You guessed everything within these two short minutes?" Baste asked, open-mouthed.

"Excellent! I haven't met such a good seedling during these few years. What's your name, child?" A fifty-year-old man asked, who seemingly materialized out of nowhere.

"You can call me Gin," Gin said.

"Dean! Didn't you go to poach some students from other academies? What happened?" Baste asked.

The Dean turned around, looking at Baste slightly miffed. "Cough, Cough, I came back as I forgot to bring my wallet."

"Dean, you-"

Before Baste could finish his sentence, the Dean gave a kick at his bottom and send him flying towards the building on the right side.

"Gin, come, let's go for a walk."

"I am the Dean of this academy and my name is Alfin; you can call me Dean Alfin or just Dean is also fine." Dean Alfin introduced himself, while they walked towards the building at the center.