LEVEL ASSESSMENT
*DARK CREST ACADEMY – LEVEL TESTING HALL – 09:00*
The hall is a stadium. White floor. Steel walls. No windows.
Two hundred first-years stand in rows. Watches rest on a steel table in the center. Black. Sleek. No dial. Just a blank screen.
Instructor Vance stands on the platform again. Same stone face. Same cold voice.
"Dark Crest Academy uses the standardized level assessment. The watch will scan your mana signature, physical stats, and combat potential. It will assign you a level from 1 to 8. No arguments. No retakes."
He picks up a watch. Straps it to his wrist. The screen lights up blue.
*[LEVEL 6 – INSTRUCTOR VANCE – COMBAT SPECIALIST]*
"The watch is synced to the Academy system. It tracks your growth. Your missions. Your kills. Lose it, and you lose your access."
He tosses it back on the table.
"Step forward when your name is called."
*[POV: DAMIEN]*
_Skill: None._
_Mana: 0%._
_Expected result: Level 1. Skillless._
One by one, they go.
Kieran Voss. Level 5.
The watch flashed gold. The crowd murmured. S-rank in the Awakening Rite, but level doesn't always match rank.
Mira Celeste. Level 4.
Blue lightning ran across the watch screen.
Darius Thorn. Level 3.
Stone armor formed briefly around his arm as the watch scanned.
C-rank. D-rank. F-rank.
Most landed between Level 2 and Level 3.
Skilless got Level 1. Every single time.
"Damien Pathfinder."
I step forward.
The hall goes quiet. Skilless are rare here. Skilless in Dark Crest are rarer.
I strap the watch to my wrist.
Cold metal. No weight.
The screen flickers.
*[SCANNING…]*
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
*[LEVEL 1 – DAMIEN PATHFINDER – SKILLESS]*
Silence. Then laughter.
"Level 1. Called it."
"Dark Crest actually let a Skilless in. Joke."
I unstrap the watch. Step down.
*[POV: DAMIEN]*
_Result: Expected. Data: Confirmed._
_No change. No surprise._
---
*DARK CREST ACADEMY – LEVEL TESTING HALL – 09:30*
The next name is called.
"Logan Reed."
A lanky guy with messy brown hair and dark-rimmed glasses walks up. Hoodie under the uniform. No posture. No presence.
He straps on the watch.
The screen doesn't just light up blue. It turns white. Then lines of code start scrolling across it.
*[LEVEL 6 – LOGAN REED – SYSTEM CONTROLLER]*
The code stops. The screen displays a simple interface. Files. Networks. Security locks. All of it accessible through his mind.
The instructors straighten up.
"System Controller," Instructor Vance says. "Rare. Very rare."
Logan just shrugs. "I can hack the Academy doors if you want me to."
A few students laugh. The instructors don't.
He walks down and sits two rows in front of me. Doesn't look back.
---
*DARK CREST ACADEMY – LEVEL TESTING HALL – 09:45*
"Mikael Vane."
A tall guy with silver hair and sharp eyes steps up. Wind stirs around him the moment he touches the watch.
The screen flashes.
*[LEVEL 3.5 – MIKAEL VANE – WIND MANIPULATOR]*
A small tornado forms around his hand for half a second before he cuts it off.
"3.5?" someone mutters. "What's that even mean?"
Instructor Vance answers. "Half-step. He's stronger than a standard Level 3, but not yet Level 4. Potential is there."
Mikael grins. Confident. Easy. He glances at the board, sees my Level 1, then looks at me directly.
Interesting.
He walks down and sits beside Logan.
---
*DARK CREST ACADEMY – DORM ASSIGNMENT ROOM – 12:00*
The dorm assignments are posted.
*Room 107 – Damien Pathfinder – SKILLESS – Level 1*
*Room 107 – Logan Reed – SYSTEM CONTROLLER – Level 6*
*Room 107 – Mikael Vane – WIND MANIPULATOR – Level 3.5*
Room 107. Basement level. Three occupants.
I wasn't expecting roommates. Skilless usually get placed alone.
Logan walks in first. Drops his bag on the bed by the window. Looks at me. Looks at the watch on my wrist.
"You're the Skilless."
"I am."
He nods. "I'm Logan. I can control computers with my brain. Don't ask how. It's annoying."
Mikael walks in after. Drops his bag on the other bed. Grins at me.
"And I'm Mikael. Wind. Level 3.5. Don't ask what the .5 means. I don't know either."
He looks at my watch. Then at my face.
"You didn't flinch during the test. Most Level 1s do."
I don't answer.
Logan tosses an apple at me. I catch it.
"Look, we're stuck together for two years. Might as well not hate each other."
Mikael leans back on the bed. "Besides, Skilless surviving the hunting? That's not normal. You've got something."
*[POV: DAMIEN]*
_Analysis: Logan = Level 6. System Controller. High utility. Low physical combat._
_Analysis: Mikael = Level 3.5. Wind Manipulator. High mobility. Mid combat._
_Status: Roommates. Potential allies._
I put the apple on the desk. Don't eat it.
"I have nothing."
Logan smirks. "We'll see."
The watch on my wrist vibrates once. A message appears on the screen.
*[MISSION: SURVIVE TWO YEARS. REWARD: UNKNOWN.]*
Only I can see it.
*[POV: DAMIEN]*
_New variable detected. Origin: Unknown. Source: Unknown._
_Observation required._
I close my fist around the watch.
Two years start now.