He burst from his hideout and leaped towards the stage. His entrance to the venue was like a bolt of lightning, which struck the ground in an instance, commanding attention. Professor Leo was about to declare Drake's results when a deep, resonant voice rumbled from behind Drake. "Leo, relax. Don't rush to the conclusion."
Drake spun around, shocked, his wide eyes set on the old man's broad chest and muscular frame. The man in his sixties was candid in his demeanor, as slick and calculated as a predator, though his features showed signs of aging.
Gasps rolled through the crowd like waves disturbed by a sudden storm. No one had even sensed his presence until he spoke. Professor Leo dipped into a respectful bow. "Greetings, Principal Logan. May I ask why you grace us with your presence?"
A storm of whispers boiled among the students.
"What? That's Principal Logan?"
"They say he's contemporaneous with the patriarchs of every clan!"
"I heard his strength rivals theirs. Can that be true?"
Principal Logan stepped forward with an air of unshakeable authority. "The mana type displayed here is called Draconic Mana."
The whispers in the crowd rose to a deafening roar.
"What does that mean?"
"Draconic Mana? Could it be related to dragons?"
Principal Logan clapped his hands, the sharp noise cutting through the buzz like a gavel. "Silence!" His tone held enough mass to still every tongue.
He pointed at Drake and his glare was just as relentless. "As most of you know, the history of magic starts with dragons. Mankind learned by imitating their power, creating what we now call mana. The mana that this boy."
He turned that intense gaze back towards him, scrutinizing Drake as if he were an enigma. "Drake," he said, his emphasis on the name laced with such an air of gravitas that even the tiniest murmurs ceased to be heard.
He turned back toward the crowd. "Drake's mana is in its purest water form, similar to the Mana of the Water Dragon. This means there are no limits; he could use water and ice magic all at once."
To Professor Leo, Principal Logan asked, "Is everything clear now?"
Professor Leo gave a deep bow. "Yes, Principal Logan."
Principal Logan approached Drake, his body a whirlwind now closing in. He set a hand, solid as granite, on Drake's shoulder. "Drake, right?"
Drake nodded, his voice even with the moment's weight. "Yes, sir."
A ghost of a smile played upon Principal Logan's lips. "Meet me at my office after the qualification exam." And with that, he was gone; his footsteps sure and strong, like the tick of time itself.
"Draconic Mana, tier 3. Qualified," Professor Leo declared; his voice echoed across the stunned gathering.
As Drake walked down from the stage, a prickling of unease ran up his spine. Ronan's glare sliced through the crowd like a knife, but it was the subtext of something darker-an instinctive irritation-that set him on edge. Drake shrugged it off, remembering Mark's words earlier.
"Next! Rafe Liam, please come to the stage," Professor Leo called.
The crystal tablet lit in pale white with streaks of cyan, three stars twinkling beside it. "Frost Water Mana, tier 3. Qualified," Professor Leo said.
Stepping close to the crystal tablet, Professor Leo laid his hand atop ancient runes etched before it. In activating the mechanism, mana pulsed outwards-ancient and commanding. "Mana circle, activate: Subducted."
The tablet was sucked into a shimmering, blue mana circle that had a diameter of 6.5 radii. Turning around to face the students, the weight of a final verdict could be felt in Professor Leo's voice. "There are 122 applicants in total, but only 65 have passed. Those who passed the first test should not get complacent. The second evaluation will determine your admission."
The qualified students mounted the platform, the anticipation hanging heavy in the air like the stillness before a storm. Professor Leo addressed them, his voice as sharp as a razor. "Prepare yourselves. You must be conscious under the force for five minutes to qualify."
The sharp clap sounded as the mechanism roared to its feet. In a flash, the entire platform rumbled under a full covering of the blue mana circle; then, the crushing force bore down like the press of a giant's hand. Seven students collapsed without warning; their body couldn't bear the weight.
Drake felt only two-thirds of that force; his draconic crystal instinctively absorbed the remainder. The tempered rings around his heart pulsed stronger with the pressure. He crossed his legs, his mind clearing as he focused on endurance rather than resistance.
By the end of three minutes, twenty more students fell-so their willpower was shattered. Only thirty-nine remained, most bleeding from their noses and ears. Drake felt a trickle of blood from his nose, but he, as stable as a boulder in a raging river, pressed on.
After the ordeal finally ceased, the injured-both qualified and failed-were escorted to the academy clinic.
Drake walked to the principal's office, his thoughts consumed by everything he had discovered that day. He reached it and knocked. "Knock, knock, knock."
"Come in," the principal's calm yet commanding voice filtered through the wood.
Drake opened the door and stepped inside to see Principal Logan seated behind a desk piled high with tomes and documents. The shelves behind him threatened to spill over at any moment with knowledge from ages past.
"I came as you instructed," Drake said, his voice measured.
Principal Logan steepled his fingers, his eyes narrowing. "Tell me about your relations with the Water Dragon Race."
Prepared for such a question, Drake replied in an even tone of voice, "I don't think my family has any relation to the dragon race. You know I came here under recognition by the Kaldris Kingdom."
Principal Logan had sighed after a moment of silence. "Very well, I won't pry anymore, but how about becoming my personal disciple?"
Drake felt a surge in his heart, his excitement immediately tempered by caution. "Sir, I'm honored, but I must decline."
The room had gone silent for some moments, the air thick with unsaid tension, until Principal Logan said finally, "Very well, I look forward to your progress. You may leave."
Drake bowed. "Thank you, sir."
As Drake was leaving the office, his mind reeled. It's better that way. I must keep a low profile to hide my secrets.
Lost in thought, he heard the voice of Professor Leo.
"Drake, right?"
"Yes," Drake answered him.
"You stopped the test with only a minor nosebleed. Great. And I also got an instruction from the principal, where your fiancée doesn't need to take the test and can get a direct scholarship. Whatever the principal says, I will follow.
Pausing, Professor Leo added, "Your room number is 27-J in the junior dormitory."
Drake nodded, giving a slight smile. "Thanks."