Semesta Academy felt like a vessel brimming to the edge. Glass corridors
shimmered with reflections of moving uniforms; voices layered over
voices—rumors, confident boasts, whispered worries. Every step rang faintly on
the white stone floor, as if the building itself kept time with the day’s
anxious heartbeat.
Tom Anderson walked unhurriedly through the noise—hands in pockets, shoulders
relaxed. His gaze drifted past the crowded holographic boards without settling
on any one thing. Beyond the glass, the southeast garden shimmered with dew; a
small lake wore a thin veil of morning mist.
“Tom!”
Jenny Cross’s voice cut through the chatter, bright and breathless. She jogged
to him, notebook hugged to her chest.
“Do you think they’ll announce results today?”
“Yes, I don’t see why they should delay any further.” Tom said, as if reporting
the weather. “They want reactions. Pressure reveals patterns.”
Jenny puffed her cheeks, then laughed. “Pressure reveals patterns,” she
mimicked. “You sound like Instructor Ben.”
She glanced sideways. “You think I did okay?”
“You did well.”
He didn’t elaborate—but the quiet certainty in his tone softened her shoulders.
Tom’s words always seemed to settle inside her like smooth stones in a jar.
Together, they joined the current of students flowing toward the central dome.
–––––
The Student Hall — Before the Announcement
The Student Hall stretched beneath a glass dome that reflected the sun in
fractured colors. Five hundreds of students gathered in tiers and rows; the air
vibrated with tension and the hum of light projectors. Holographic displays
floated above the marble floor, cycling through academy emblems and countdown
timers. Every surface seemed alive, glowing with suspended energy—like the
entire building was holding its breath.
Jenny and Tom stood among others, near the front rows reserved for high-ranking
examinees. From the upper platform, House Aryan’s circle glimmered—Aru Aryan in
his immaculate uniform, posture effortless, smile precise.
“See that?” Lionel Hum whispered. “She’s with Anderson again.”
Aru’s tone was calm, almost indulgent. “Let her be. Sooner or later, she’ll
notice the difference between the sky and those who just stand under it.”
Laughter rippled softly through his entourage.
Kaito Ishida stood several rows down, flipping through his tablet, his brow
furrowed. When his eyes met Tom’s, he looked away as if burned by lightning.
Farther off, Aira Ai stood alone under a pillar of data light, posture perfect,
her calm presence cutting through the noise.
Jenny followed Tom’s gaze. “Do you think Aira got a perfect score?”
“I don’t think,” he said. “Definitely.”
Jenny pouted, then smiled. “Of course.”
Tom didn’t explain. He didn’t have to. The truth behind that word was heavier
than anyone around them could guess.
Aira wasn’t merely intelligent—her mind resonated on a different spectrum. She carried the mark of the Resonant Memory Path, one of the rarest and most dangerous cognitive awakenings in the universe. Others learned through repetition; Aira’s mind recorded reality itself. Every sound, motion, and flicker of emotion was etched into a crystalline layer that never faded.
He’d noticed it during the exams—the way her eyes moved only once, her hand following after the answer had already formed. That was the Mirror Mind Phase, the first gate of a path few survived.
Tom knew what came next.
Eidetic Recall, a flawless reflection.
Echo Reconstruction, where memories rebuilt the past from mere
fragments.
And finally, Clairmnemonics—when memory and causality blurred, allowing
the mind to remember futures that hadn’t yet happened.
Gaelion didn’t know it yet.
But Tom did. He’d seen what awaited those who reached the final stage. And it
was as awe-inspiring as it was terrifying.
–––––
“Attention!”
Instructor Chang made an entrance on the stage
Without further a due he tap his bracelet and display of test result appears
The First Display — Academic Rankings
Yesterday’s Physical Trial results still echoed through every conversation—numbers etched in pride and bruises alike.
Now came the measure of the mind.
Top 10 Academic Phase Results (Weighted ×0.6 — Knowledge, Comprehension, Logic, Strategy)
1️⃣ Aira Ai — Academic Avg 100% → Weighted 60.0
Flawless logic; unparalleled precision.
2️⃣ Zachary Adam — Academic Avg 96.3% → Weighted 57.8
Strategic manipulator; theory innovator.
3️⃣ Jenny Cross — Academic Avg 92.5% → Weighted 55.5
Balanced excellence; consistent thinker.
4️⃣ Aru Aryan — Academic Avg 91.3% → Weighted 54.8
Solid strategist; efficient under pressure.
5️⃣ Tom Anderson — Academic Avg 90.0% → Weighted 54.0
Controlled reasoning; hidden precision.
6️⃣ Kai Ren — Academic Avg 88.8% → Weighted 53.3
Practical thinker; calm decision-maker.
7️⃣ Rina Morales — Academic Avg 87.5% → Weighted 52.5
Analytical bridge between theory & action.
8️⃣ Mika Reen — Academic Avg 86.3% → Weighted 51.8
Endurance scholar; tactical discipline.
9️⃣ Gareth Lowell — Academic Avg 85.0% → Weighted 51.0
Consistent; reliable contributor.
🔟 Sylvia Ardent — Academic Avg 81.3% → Weighted 48.8
Sword-style theorist; focused but niche.
The hall murmured with awe and disbelief.
“Aira perfect – no doubt.”
“Zachary second—no surprise.”
“Jenny third? Well, she is excellent in Junior School.”
“And Anderson… fifth? Who the hell is this guy?!”
Aru smiled faintly. “This Anderson also has good mind.”
Jenny barely heard the whispers. Her eyes stayed fixed on the golden board—pride and disbelief swirling together. Third. I’m third. I guess I’m not letting my parent down. Beside her, Tom stood unmoved, expression unreadable—a mirror that refused to reflect the storm.
–––––
The Second Display — Final Composite Rankings
Formula: Final Score = (Physical × 0.4) + (Academic × 0.6)
Each student’s strength score was normalized from R-Meter resonance readings—Punch and Kick composites translated into a 0–100 scale, weighted at forty percent of the total.
Adjusted Semesta Academy – Final Composite Rankings
🥇 1. Aru Aryan — Physical 97 | Academic 91 | Final 93.6
Dominant strength; unmatched physical genius.
🥈 2. Jenny Cross — Physical 93 | Academic 93 | Final 93.0
Perfect balance; edges Tom by grace and control.
🥉 3. Tom Anderson — Physical 92 | Academic 90 | Final 91.2
Precision over power; steady, unreadable.
4️⃣ Kai Ren — Physical 88 | Academic 88 | Final 88.0
Reliable equilibrium of stats; disciplined.
5️⃣ Gareth Lowell — Physical 90 | Academic 85 | Final 87.0
Physically gifted; theory catching up.
6️⃣ Sylvia Ardent — Physical 89 | Academic 82 | Final 84.2
Sword-style resonance sharpens score.
7️⃣ Aira Ai — Physical 70 | Academic 100 | Final 88.0
Academically flawless; physicals limit potential.
8️⃣ Rina Morales — Physical 83 | Academic 88 | Final 85.0
Balanced but mid-range resonance output.
9️⃣ Mika Reen — Physical 80 | Academic 86 | Final 84.4
Adaptable, endurance
🔟 Zachary Adam — Physical 65 | Academic 95 | Final 83.0
Analytical, composed
–––––
The Hall Reacts
Numbers began to shift, each name rewriting the hierarchy born from two weeks of exams, physical trials, and sleepless study nights.
Rank #1 — Aru Aryan
Golden laurels framed his name. The prodigy of the Aryan House stood tall, sunlight glinting in his hair.
“Expected,” someone whispered. “Aru never misses the top.”
Rank #2 — Jenny Cross
The hall rippled in surprise. A few gasps, then quiet respect.
“She did it. Both Aru and her still have both talent of physical and mind”
Jenny froze, then exhaled. “Dad, mommy, I did it” she murmured, but the smile came anyway—quiet, grateful.
Rank #3 — Tom Anderson
No cheers, no murmurs. Just a gravity of stillness that seemed to bend the air around him. His score blinked: balanced, perfect. He offered no reaction—only a small nod toward Jenny.
Rank #4 — Kai Ren
Rank #5 — Gareth Lowell
Rank #6 — Sylvia Ardent
The hall came alive again. Rival groups cheered, guild colors flashed.
Rank #7 — Aira Ai
Her calm, sharp eyes never moved from the data. Perfect SS marks across the board, but her low physical score anchored her just short of the podium.
“As expected” she said simply, and began taking notes.
Rank #8 — Rina Morales
Rank #9 — Mika Reen
Then came the silence before the storm.
Rank #10 — Zachary Adam
The crowd held its breath. A flicker. A pause.
Then—
“YES!”
Zachary’s shout broke the hall’s tension. He threw both fists up like a man escaping gravity.
“I’m in!” he laughed, startling the students beside him. “Barely, but in!”
Jenny laughed behind her hand. “You’re impossible.”
“Statistically miraculous,” he corrected, grinning ear to ear.
And there, one name lower—
#11 — Kaito Ishida.
The glow of his name hung in silver, not gold. His expression cracked—not from shock, but disbelief.
“Impossible,” he whispered. “I was third.”
He stared at the scoreboard, then at the names above him.
Zachary Adam. A trader’s heir. Tom Anderson. That quiet nobody.
Kaito’s jaw tightened. The crest of House Ishida shimmered faintly on his collar.
“Enjoy your spot while you can,” he muttered, voice low enough that only Tom heard.
“Verdalis doesn’t kneel below commoners.”
Tom didn’t flinch. “Then stand taller next time.”
A silence heavier than applause filled the space between them—the kind that sparks future wars.
–––––
The golden holograms dimmed, leaving only soft light over five hundred faces. A moment later, Instructor Chang’s voice resonated through the hall’s soundfield.
“Congratulations, all of you—especially our Top Ten. Each number glowing before you represents more than a score. It is proof that the new generation of Gaelion has begun to move.”
He let the weight of the words settle.
“You have measured strength and intellect, instinct and analysis, and fused them in harmony. But remember—Resonance is not mere power; it is reflection of will. Power without reason is chaos; reason without power is helplessness. Our goal at Semesta is to raise neither monsters nor martyrs, but minds that will carry the world forward.”
He gestured toward the top platform where the instructors stood. Instructor Erhad from Combat folded his arms with a faint smile; Instructor Natasya from Research tapped her data tablet, quietly assessing every projection.
“All faculty extend their recognition. You have made your mentors proud.”
“Later, at dusk, the Academy will hold the Reward Ceremony in the Resonance Plaza. The Top Ten will be formally acknowledged at the Plaza. Let this mark not the end of your test—but the beginning of your resolve.”
A low hum rolled through the sound system—a closing tone that rippled through the dome.
“Dismissed for the day. Rest well, students. See you again this evening.”
The holographic displays folded into streaks of light and vanished into the ceiling crystal. For a heartbeat, the glass dome mirrored the stars—reflections of five hundred futures waiting to begin.
Jenny’s voice came softly. “We’re really here now, aren’t we?”
Tom nodded once. “This is where the real resonance begins.”
And beyond them, the Top Ten lingered—each carrying a spark that would, in time, reshape Gaelion.
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