Ariel stepped forward timidly, her posture slightly hunched as if to make herself as small as possible under the gaze of so many. She looked up briefly, her hands shaking slightly as she placed herself before Allseer, whose massive form loomed above her. His radiant pink eyes glowed as he lowered his hand on her head, focusing on her. The room fell into a heavy silence, as if the very air itself was holding its breath.

After a beat, Allseer lifted his hand, his eyes now gleaming with intrigue. "Wow," he said, voice full of admiration. "We have ourselves a very unique one here. You will be Level 4, and you shall join the House of Neptune."

The room fell into a hushed murmur, the students discussing amongst themselves as Ariel returned to her seat. "Wow, Level 4—she must be strong," one student whispered. "Neptune, that must be the water elemental house," another added.

The ceremony continued at a gradual pace. Kromus called up one student after another, each one stepping forward with a mix of excitement or hesitation, as Allseer assessed them. "Level 2 and House of Gaia," came the announcement. The students watched in awe, marveling at the unique abilities and the impressive results.

But then Kromus called out, "Gale Crimson."

Gale froze. His heart pounded in his chest, and the air around him seemed to thicken. His eyes darted nervously to Rai, who sat beside him. He felt the weight of every gaze in the room, the unspoken judgment in the whispers of his classmates. His hand trembled slightly. He could already hear the teasing comments in his mind.

"There’s no need for me to go, right guys?" Gale mumbled, his voice shaky. "I mean, come on, it’s just gonna say Level 1. So let’s not waste everyone’s time." He tried to make light of it, but the anxiety in his eyes betrayed him.

Before Gale could continue, Rai’s hand clapped firmly on Gale’s shoulder, a silent but powerful gesture. His eyes met Gale's with a look of unspoken trust and support. No words were needed; it was as if Rai's confidence in him alone could wash away the fears threatening to choke him.

Gale blinked, a flicker of hope sparking in his chest. For the first time, he looked at the situation with clearer eyes. Rai's words from their first day in the dorm room echoed in his mind: "You will be the Magel, Gale. We will stand atop the magical world—one with no magic and the other with such weak magic."

Those words, said so simply, had always been a balm for his insecurities. Now, with Rai’s steadying presence beside him, Gale felt a surge of determination. He straightened up, pushed his self-doubt aside, and with resolve hardening his features, he stepped forward.

The murmurs in the room intensified as Gale began his walk toward Allseer. "Hey, look, here comes another Level 1." "Yeah, you don’t even have to guess." "What’s the point, man? Stop wasting our time."

Each whisper felt like a strike against his fragile confidence, but Gale kept his eyes fixed ahead, ignoring them. The harsh words bounced off him as he focused on the image of Rai—his unwavering support, his belief in Gale when no one else seemed to.

As he reached Allseer, the murmurs quieted, and the room seemed to hold its breath. Gale closed his eyes for a brief moment, inhaling deeply. When he opened them again, his posture was different—steadier, firmer. He had made his decision. This was his moment.

Allseer gazed at him for a long, silent moment, his glowing pink eyes reflecting a depth of magic that was almost incomprehensible. Finally, the ancient creature lifted his hand and placed it gently on Gale’s head.

A gust of wind howled through the hall, its force powerful enough to rattle the windows, like a sonic boom reverberating through the air. Allseer's eyes blazed with an intensity greater than ever before as he assessed Gale. "What a spectacular power," he said in awe. The rest of the room stood in stunned silence, eyes wide, completely taken aback by the sudden display of strength. Yet, Rai remained unfazed, his expression almost casual, as though he had known exactly what was coming.

"Level 5, and the House of Zephyrus," Allseer declared, his voice firm, but full of wonder. The room erupted into astonishment.

Gale stood frozen in place, a wave of disbelief washing over him. How could this be? How could someone like him, with such weak magic, be classified as Level 5? The murmurs around him grew louder, shifting into outright protests.

"This is preposterous!" one voice shouted.

"Level 5? He can barely be Level 1, let alone that!" another student called out.

The room was filled with anger and disbelief, but Gale had already tuned it out. His gaze, determined yet calm, settled on a single person—Rai. Leaning back casually in his chair, Rai flashed him a proud smile and gave him a thumbs-up.

The support from Rai cut through the noise, and Gale’s chest tightened with emotion. He wiped away a tear that had slipped down his cheek, but this wasn’t sadness—no, it was something else entirely. Gale had grown up used to the disapproval, the sneers, and the rejection from everyone around him, including his own parents. The anger from the students in the hall? That wasn’t new to him. He had learned to shut it all out, to block it all away.

But this—this was different. The simple gesture of support, the unwavering belief from Rai, meant more to him than anything. In a world full of voices that tried to tear him down, Rai’s encouragement was a lifeline, a reminder that he wasn’t alone. It was more than enough. It was everything.

With newfound resolve, Gale wiped his tears of joy away, stepping forward with his head held high. He made his way back to his seat, the echoes of the room’s protest falling on deaf ears.

Kromus, seeing the tumult in the room, raised his voice to regain control. "Silence!" The command rang out, and instantly the room fell into quiet submission.

As Gale sat down, Rai reached across the table, and the two clasped hands in a triumphant high-five. The moment felt like a victory, a shared bond of understanding and friendship. Both of them smiled, pride lighting up their faces.

Behind them, Rose sat quietly, watching the exchange. A soft smile crept onto her face, admiration for Rai’s character flickering in her eyes.

The ceremony continued, the atmosphere still thick with frustration. Students, whose pride had been shattered, tried to make sense of how someone like Gale—who had always been dismissed for his weak magic—could rise to such a high level, surpassing even some of the brightest-eyed students. Those with stronger powers than Gale only managed to reach level 4, while he, the underdog, had ascended to level 5.

Kromus called out, “Rose Scarlett.”

The entire room fell into heavy anticipation. Her presence alone exuded immense power, a beauty so rare it left a tangible aura in her wake. Her bright red hair shimmered under the light, and her eyes, glowing like burning embers, radiated raw magical power. Everyone in the room knew what to expect, but the tension was palpable all the same.

Rai, however, remained unfazed. He leaned back casually in his seat, exchanging a knowing smile with Gale.

Allseer placed his hand on Rose’s head. A wave of energy rippled through the room, much like the reaction from Gale, and the other students who had managed to reach level 5. Allseer’s voice rang out with authority, “Of course, you will be level 5 and the house of Vulcan.”

A proud smile adorned Rose’s face as she turned, her movements graceful and poised, and walked back to her seat with elegance.

The boys in the room were transfixed, hearts practically appearing in their eyes. The girls, on the other hand, were filled with a mix of admiration and envy, jealous of her beauty.

But Rose’s focus was elsewhere. She glanced over to where Rai sat. She wanted to see how he would react.

In response, Rai—just as he had done for Gale—smiled at her. He raised his hand and gave her a warm thumbs-up.

Rose couldn’t suppress a soft "umph" as she turned her face away, pretending not to care, but the truth was she was pleased. The simple acknowledgment from Rai for some reason meant more to her than all the admiration from the class combined and it meant more to her than she was willing to admit.

With all the students done, there was but one more left—the main man himself, Rai. Kromus called out, "Well then, you dimwit, do you want a red carpet—get up here!" His playful yet authoritative tone seemed to show that even the great icy Frost Kromus had been swayed, just a little, by Rai's earlier confident joke.