The air on the trial grounds was tense as the final results were tallied. Mingma stood with Tashi, both of them exhausted but relieved that the ordeal was over. The last few hours on the island had been brutal, a constant test of endurance, strategy, and sheer luck. Together, their group had managed to scrape together a total of 200 points—just enough to pass the threshold for admission to the academy.
As the instructors gathered the candidates, an enormous magical display lit up above the trial grounds. A leaderboard shimmered into view, listing the names of the top students along with their scores. The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation as everyone craned their necks to see the rankings.
Mingma's eyes scanned the leaderboard, and his jaw nearly dropped when he saw the name at the very top: Zilong — 12,000 points.
"Twelve thousand points?" Mingma whispered, disbelief coloring his voice. "Is that even possible?"
Tashi let out a low whistle, equally stunned. "I heard rumors about Zilong. They say he's from the Zhu family, one of the most prestigious bloodlines in the entire empire. But this… this is on another level."
Mingma's mind raced. The Zhu family—even he had heard of their reputation during his short time in this world. Known for their unparalleled command over elemental magic and their ruthless efficiency, they were practically legends. But 12,000 points? That was more than just talent; it bordered on the supernatural.
Mingma couldn't help but wonder if Zilong was the protagonist of this world, the kind of figure destined for greatness in every story. The thought unsettled him. In contrast to Zilong's overwhelming performance, his own achievements felt minuscule. Was he really so outclassed?
The leaderboard continued to reveal other names, many of them tied to prestigious families or elite bloodlines. Each score seemed to dwarf the next, with the top ten candidates all scoring well over 5,000 points. Mingma and Tashi's group, with their 200 points, didn't even come close to appearing on the board. They had barely passed.
"Look at these scores," Mingma muttered, his voice tinged with frustration. "Zilong isn't the only one. Almost everyone in the top ranks has some kind of high-tier bloodline. It's like they're playing a different game."
Tashi gave him a sympathetic look. "That's the reality of this world. Bloodlines dictate so much—affinity, strength, potential. Some of us are just… starting at a disadvantage."
Mingma sighed, the weight of the gap between him and the others pressing heavily on his mind. He'd known from the beginning that this world valued strength above all else, but seeing it displayed so starkly left him feeling small. His Rathore bloodline, while helpful, was nowhere near the level of those at the top. And Zilong… Zilong was in a league of his own.
As the crowd murmured and buzzed with discussions about the results, Mingma's gaze fell to the ground. "Two hundred points. That's all we could manage. And we only got that because we worked as a team and got lucky. How am I supposed to compete with people like Zilong? Or the others?"
Tashi placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Hey, we passed. That's what matters. The academy isn't just about where you start—it's about where you end up. We'll have time to grow, to train. Don't let this get to you."
Mingma nodded, though the doubt lingered in his heart. He couldn't deny the reality in front of him: the gap between him and the top candidates was vast, almost insurmountable. But he also knew he didn't have the luxury of giving up. He had his own goals, his own reasons for being here. And if he wanted to survive—to break the curse and find the truth—he couldn't afford to falter now.
"You're right," he said finally, his voice steadier. "We passed. That's a start. I'll just have to work harder."
Tashi grinned. "That's the spirit. Besides, you've got something a lot of these top scorers don't have."
Mingma raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"
"Perspective," Tashi said, a hint of mischief in his tone. "You've got a whole other world's worth of knowledge to draw on. Who knows? Maybe that'll be your edge."
Mingma chuckled despite himself. Tashi's optimism was infectious, even in the face of such daunting odds.
The leaderboard flickered once more before vanishing, leaving the candidates to disperse. Mingma cast one last glance at the spot where Zilong's name had been, a silent promise forming in his heart. He didn't know how, but he would find a way to close the gap. He had to.
As they left the trial grounds and returned to their temporary lodging, Mingma's thoughts churned. The trials had shown him just how far he had to go, but they had also given him a clearer picture of what he needed to do. He would train harder, think smarter, and push himself beyond his limits. The academy was just the beginning, and he was determined to make his mark—no matter how long it took.
Satisfy my hunger for power stones.(reader are addressed here)