Radiant Talents Unveiled

Roy's group arrived at Venue C shortly after Cromwell, their presence catching the attention of onlookers who watched with intrigue as the trio accompanied the Head Instructor.

"Head Instructor Cromwell, is there a issue?" The examiner at Venue C hesitantly asked.

"There's no issue, Instructor Almont. I just wanted to personally examine these three young lads behind me." Cromwell made his purpose known.

Instructor Almont nodded as he motioned for the three to come closer.

"Would you please come closer?" he asked with a respectful tone, mindful not to cause any offense, especially in the presence of the Head Instructor.

The trio complied, stepping forward as requested.

"As you all recall from Head Instructor Sebastian's enlightening address," he began, his voice carrying a hint of enthusiasm, "the third stage of our examination will assess your magic talent. However it won't just merely assessing your mana manipulation skills, as it will serves as a platform to delve deeper into your understanding of mana, spells, and elements. This pivotal stage will be the true gauge of your potential advancement in the realm of magic arts." With a brief pause, he allowed the weight of his words to settle among the eager candidates before continuing.

"Furthermore, it's crucial to understand that this test isn't just about evaluating your current abilities; it's also about determining when you can start conjuring spells. The higher your talent, the quicker your progress in mastering your spells, and the sooner you can begin wielding them," Instructor Almont emphasized, his tone conveying a sense of urgency.

He paused for a moment, his expression growing solemn. "It's unfortunate, but there are numerous students in this academy brimming with potential yet lacking the necessary talents to fully harness it. Despite years of practice, they still struggle to conjure even the simplest of spells," he continued, his words carrying a weight of disappointment.

"So, I urge you to pray and hope that you do not fall within the category of those students I've just mentioned," he concluded, his gaze lingering on the assembled trio, hoping they understood the gravity of the situation.

"Without further delay," he declared, his voice firm and authoritative, "it's essential to understand that the academy utilizes this magical orb to assess the talents of our aspirants."

Taking a moment to emphasize the significance, he continued, "Talents in the academy are ranked from lowest to highest grade as follows: Red(G-worst of the worst) , Orange(F) , Yellow(E) , Green(D) , Blue(C) , Indigo(B) , Violet(A) , black(A+) , and Gold(S-very rare) . Therefore, the color emitted by the orb after the test will immediately reveal your talent."

With a reassuring nod, he concluded, "All you need to do now is place your palm on the magical orb, and the artifact will seamlessly perform its task."

"Now, the first one to take the test, please step forward!" announced the examiner.

"That will be me!" exclaimed Aurora, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Wish me luck, you two," she said to her companions, a hint of nervous excitement in her voice, before briskly moving forward to reveal her hidden talents.

"You may place your hand on the orb, young lady," directed the examiner, his tone encouraging.

As Aurora placed her hand on the orb, anticipation filled the air. Moments later, the orb began its mesmerizing display, glowing first with red light, then transitioning swiftly through orange, yellow, green, blue, and Indigo. Finally, it settled on a radiant violet hue.

With a gasp of amazement, Aurora watched the orb's display, her heart racing with excitement. However, as the orb remained fixed on violet, a sense of wonder and realization washed over her.

"Congratulations, miss ," exclaimed Instructor Almont, his face alight with joy and anticipation. "You possess an excellent talent at the A-grade in the concepts of magic, as indicated by the glowing violet light emitted by the orb. You are guaranteed to reach Archmage status on your journey as a mage."

Instructor Almont couldn't contain his smile, realizing he was witnessing a truly extraordinary moment. Meeting someone with the talent to reach Archmage status was exceedingly rare, and now he understood why the Head Instructor had chosen to personally conduct the test for them.

On the sidelines, Cromwell's face lit up with delight, radiating confidence and hope. It had been far too long since they had recruited such remarkable talents. The Kingdom's low ranking among the seven kingdoms during the previous continental tournaments weighed heavily on his mind, but now, with talents like Aurora emerging, there was a renewed sense of optimism.

Meanwhile, Aurora, still with her palm resting on the orb, found herself in disbelief. It felt surreal to be the one undergoing the exam. The confidence she had lost after the incident in the forest began to resurface, and a proud smile graced her lips. It was as if she was proclaiming to the world that this was her destiny, the eldest mistress of the Flamescion family.

On the other side, Roy couldn't contain his excitement, cheering and clapping his hands enthusiastically. "You did it, Aurora! I love seeing that look on your face," he exclaimed, his smile wide and infectious.

"Yes, it's wonderful to see you regain your mojo back. Welcome back, Aurora," added Selene warmly, her eyes reflecting genuine happiness.

"Thank you, guys, for all your support. I promise I won't let you down," Aurora responded, her lips curved into a smile, her eyes shining with determination and gratitude.

"So, who's next?" prompted Almont eagerly, his expression expectant.

"That would be me, Instructor," declared Selene confidently.

"Alright! Just as your friend did before, place your hand on the orb, and let it work its magic," instructed Almont, his voice filled with anticipation.

Selene nodded as she stepped forward and placed her palm on the orb, and just like Aurora the orb glowed with red bright light, then turned to yellow, thereafter orange, followed by green, blue, and Violet, and the instructors' faces were full of joy as they realized that they've gained another aspirant with rare talents, however as if wanting to blow their minds the orb began to change once more as it radiated a bright dark light, Instructor Almont couldn't believe what he was seeing, same goes for Cromwell as he thought Selene only had an A grade talent.

However they couldn't be more wrong as the orb clearly showed that Selene had an exceptional A+ graded talent, their jaws touched the floor as they realized that they underestimated these lads.

However, despite their initial shock, they couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement and anticipation. The realization that they would be recruiting not just one, but two individuals with top talents filled them with hope and renewed confidence. With such rare talents among their ranks, their chances for victory in the upcoming continental tournament soared.

Knowing that most of the participants would possess A grade talents, they understood that only those with exceptional talents (i.e. A+) stood a chance at claiming victory at the tournament's end.

With Aurora and Selene on their team, they felt more confident than ever in their prospects for success.

"Haha! The Gods have truly blessed Syndria with exceptionally talented individuals this year," exclaimed Cromwell, his eyes glistening with tears of joy and a wide smile gracing his lips as he gazed up at the vast expanse of the blue sky.

"That's Selene for you, you never cease to amaze me. I knew you'd surpass me, but rest assured, I'll catch up to you one day," declared Aurora with a competitive glint in her eye.

Selene chuckled in response. "Alright, then you better keep up the pace. But it seems you've forgotten something," she remarked, her gaze shifting towards Roy's figure.

As the group followed the direction of Selene's gaze, their eyes landed on Roy. Instantly, they were enlightened, realizing that they had yet to witness the full extent of his shocking magic potential. Now, they wondered if Roy would once again astonish them by shattering all norms.

Exceptional talent was the highest known talent to exist in the Kingdom of Syndria, if not all over the continent. With Roy's abilities still largely unknown, anticipation hung thick in the air.

"Ayy, Selene, you just had to put the spotlight on me, didn't you? Well, I guess I better not disappoint you," Roy remarked with a playful wink, causing Selene to blush.

"Lad, you're next!" exclaimed Cromwell, his expression expectant and hopeful. Even though he, like everyone else, had an inkling of Roy's talent without needing the orb, he couldn't help but feel eager to witness what Roy would offer. The anticipation was palpable as all eyes turned towards Roy, waiting to see what extraordinary abilities he would unveil.

"Here goes nothing!" declared Roy as he stepped forward, determination evident in his stance. With a deep breath, he placed his hand on the magical orb, sending ripples of anticipation through the entire venue. A hush fell over the audience as the orb began to emit a bright crimson glow, leaving everyone baffled.

The cloudy crimson light inside the orb soon shifted, morphing into bright yellow, a sight that left the audience wide-eyed and speechless. The colors of the lights were so dense and concentrated, unlike anything they had ever witnessed before. As the orb continued its mesmerizing display, the audience watched in awe as the glow changed to amber, then to emerald, followed by azure, blue-violet, and finally, dark violet.

The tension in the air reached a fever pitch as the orb glowed with darkness, holding the audience captive in suspense.

Every eye in the crowd remained fixated on the orb, not wanting to miss a single moment of this miraculous scene. Then, as the orb shook lightly, loud gulps could be heard echoing in the surroundings, signifying the rising tension.

Suddenly, a bright gold glow burst forth from the orb, illuminating the entire venue with its brilliance. Gasps of astonishment and awe filled the air as the audience witnessed the revelation of Roy's exceptional talent, a sight that would be etched into their memories forever.

A total silence enveloped the crowd, leaving them stunned and speechless.

Not a single sound escaped their lips as they watched in awe, their minds racing with disbelief at the sight before them.

This being, Roy, continued to shatter their common sense and upend their worldview with his extraordinary display of talent.

"That's... That is... the legendary perfect S grade talent!" exclaimed Instructor Almont, his voice filled with disbelief as he pointed his trembling index finger towards the orb, which now glowed with honey gold lights, breaking the silence in the process.

"What a monster!" Selene blurted out, voicing the collective thoughts of everyone present.

The word "monster" reverberated in the air, not as a term of fear, but as a testament to the incomprehensible magnitude of Roy's abilities.

"Haha! A perfect S-grade talent indeed! Lad, you've surpassed even my highest expectations," exclaimed Cromwell, his face breaking into a wide grin as he approached Roy, patting his right shoulder with pride.

Aurora, standing nearby, couldn't help but be consumed by curiosity about the future of someone as exceptional as Roy. "Head Instructor, what exactly does it entail to have a perfect S-grade talent?" she asked, her expression filled with genuine curiosity.

Cromwell raised his brows in realization, realizing he had forgotten to explain such crucial information.

"As you all know, those born with A-grade talents have an easier path towards becoming an Archmage. Well, the same logic applies to those with higher talents. Individuals with outstanding A+ talents, such as this young lady here," he gestured towards Selene, "will have a high chance of becoming a Grand Sorcerer. And my friend Roy, with his perfectly graded talents, will have a high probability of becoming an Arcanelord in his lifetime, if everything goes well."

He paused, allowing the weight of his words to sink in before continuing, "Throughout history, it has been known that Arcanelords are at the peak of this world's power. These kinds of individuals emerge only once every century."

As Head Instructor Cromwell spoke, Aurora's heart swelled with a mix of excitement and happiness for Roy.

She couldn't contain the surge of joy that flooded her being, knowing that her dear friend was destined for greatness.

Their bond had grown stronger over time, forged through shared experiences and intimate moments. In that moment, she realized just how much she cared for him and how deeply she wished for his happiness above all else.

It was a feeling she embraced wholeheartedly, cherishing their connection and eagerly anticipating the bright future that lay ahead for Roy.

The culprit stood frozen for a brief moment, stunned by the revelation unfolding before him. While he had intinctly believed to possess talents at least at the top grade, witnessing it happen in real-time was another thing altogether. A rush of emotions flooded his mind, and he couldn't help but think of his mother and all the suffering she had endured.

"Just you wait, mother," Roy thought inwardly, his fists clenched with determination. "As promised, l shall soar through the sky and make you proud. Wait for me, and I shall take away all your pain and suffering and bring back that joyful smile on your face."

With renewed resolve burning within him, Roy vowed to use his exceptional S-grade talents not only for his own success but also to alleviate the burdens that weighed heavily on his beloved mother's heart.

It was a promise he made silently to himself, a driving force propelling him towards a brighter future filled with hope and possibility.