By the next morning, almost the entire academy had heard about the separate evaluation.
Students discussed it while walking through corridors. Others talked about it during breakfast inside the dining halls. Even upperclassmen who normally paid little attention to first-year evaluations had become curious after hearing that the advanced combat arena had been reserved personally by Professor Tal.
Nobody understood the reason clearly.
And that uncertainty only made the rumors spread further.
Some believed the academy wanted to test whether Zynar already deserved direct exchange selection consideration.
Others thought the academy simply wanted to measure his real combat ability away from ordinary students.
A few exaggerated stories even claimed the instructors suspected hidden abilities related to the dungeon incident.
None of the rumors were accurate.
But none of them fully disappeared either.
Inside Class S, the atmosphere before lessons carried unusual energy.
Students spoke more quietly than normal while waiting for Professor Tal to arrive.
Finn leaned back in his chair while glancing toward Zynar.
"So you're really doing the evaluation separately."
Zynar sat near the window section calmly.
"Seems like it."
Finn stared at him for a moment before sighing dramatically.
"Why do you always sound like none of this concerns you?"
"Because it doesn't."
Nearby, Crest adjusted the stack of books beside his desk before speaking quietly.
"The advanced combat arena was opened this morning."
Finn immediately looked toward him.
"You actually checked?"
Crest hesitated slightly.
"...I was curious."
Lyra closed the book resting on her desk calmly.
"Most of the academy is curious."
Dorian sat near the opposite row while silently observing the conversation.
Even he had become interested after hearing Gareth Valehart would personally oversee the duel.
Gareth was not an ordinary academy assistant.
Among the combat division students, he was known for his refined aura control and practical swordsmanship.
The fact he would personally evaluate a first-year naturally attracted attention.
The classroom doors eventually opened.
Professor Tal entered with his usual composed expression.
The room quieted immediately.
Tal placed several documents across the desk before looking toward Zynar.
"The evaluation will begin shortly."
No unnecessary explanation followed.
Simple as always.
Tal turned toward the rest of the class.
"Those permitted to observe will follow afterward."
That immediately caused movement throughout the room.
Even though the evaluation was limited, selected Class S students had still been granted permission to watch from the observation seating.
Finn looked far too excited for someone who complained constantly about training.
"This is going to be interesting."
A few minutes later, the western combat division of Aethermoor Academy came into view.
Unlike the ordinary training grounds, this section of the academy remained far quieter.
Massive reinforced stone walls surrounded the advanced combat arena while mana formations carved across the structure emitted faint blue light beneath the morning sky.
The arena itself existed for higher-level combat evaluations.
Protective barriers.
Reinforced flooring.
Specialized observation areas.
Everything about the structure carried a heavier atmosphere compared to ordinary academy fields.
Several instructors already stood near the entrance by the time Tal arrived.
Among them was Gareth Valehart.
Tall and broad-shouldered, Gareth carried the calm presence of an experienced combatant rather than the arrogance many students expected from strong swordsmen.
His sharp eyes moved toward Zynar briefly before returning toward Tal.
"So this is the student."
Tal nodded once.
Gareth looked toward Zynar again.
For several seconds, he simply observed him silently.
Then he spoke calmly.
"Professor Tal told me not to evaluate you like a normal first-year."
Zynar's expression remained unchanged.
"That sounds troublesome."
A faint smile briefly crossed Gareth's face before disappearing again.
Behind them, the observation seating slowly filled.
Finn immediately leaned against the railing overlooking the arena floor while Crest stood beside him carrying far too many books again.
Lyra and Isolde quietly took seats near the center section while Dorian folded his arms near the side railing.
Aldric Solvane sat several rows behind them calmly observing the arena below while Seraphine rested one hand lightly against the stone railing nearby.
Unlike the students around them whispering excitedly, both remained quiet.
Professor Rhett entered shortly afterward and took position beside Tal near the lower observation area.
The swordsmanship professor's eyes remained focused entirely on the arena itself.
Below them, academy assistants activated the barrier formations surrounding the combat floor.
A low hum spread through the arena as transparent mana barriers stabilized across the structure.
Tal stepped forward slightly.
"This evaluation will focus only on swordsmanship."
No further explanation followed.
The rules were simple.
Steel against steel.
Nothing else.
Gareth slowly unsheathed his sword.
The movement carried neither intimidation nor unnecessary pride.
Only calm professionalism.
Zynar drew his own blade moments later.
Silence settled across the arena.
Then Gareth moved first.
The sound of steel echoed sharply across the combat floor as Gareth closed distance instantly with refined footwork before delivering a diagonal strike toward Zynar's shoulder.
Clang.
Zynar blocked the attack perfectly.
No wasted motion.
No dramatic movement.
Only a single precise interception.
Gareth attacked again immediately.
Another strike.
Another perfect defense.
Steel clashed repeatedly throughout the arena while Gareth steadily increased pressure with each exchange.
Faster strikes.
Sharper angles.
More complex transitions.
Yet every attack met the same result.
Perfectly timed defense.
Perfect counters.
Minimal movement.
Finn stared openly from the observation seating.
"...How is he doing that?"
Even Crest remained unusually quiet while watching.
Below them, Gareth narrowed his eyes slightly.
Zynar's swordsmanship lacked recognizable structure.
No academy form.
No noble family style.
No traditional rhythm.
Yet every movement carried absurd efficiency.
Nothing unnecessary existed within his sword.
Every motion existed only to intercept, redirect, or counter using the shortest path possible.
Clang.
Another strike redirected.
Clang.
Another counter stopped perfectly.
Professor Rhett silently observed the exchanges below.
Unlike the students, none of this surprised him anymore.
He had already witnessed Zynar's strange swordsmanship during earlier classes.
What interested him now was the refinement.
Months ago, Zynar's movements had still carried roughness beneath the efficiency.
Now?
The transitions between attacks and counters had become far smoother.
More complete.
Below the arena lights, Gareth stepped backward slightly.
Then—
silver aura slowly manifested around his blade.
The atmosphere inside the arena shifted instantly.
Pressure spread across the combat floor as Gareth's sword became coated in stable aura.
Several students straightened immediately.
Finn's expression sharpened.
"He's using aura now."
The silver aura surrounding Gareth's blade intensified lightly before he moved again.
This time his speed increased noticeably.
Clang!
The collision between their swords echoed far heavier than before.
Yet Zynar still defended perfectly.
Another strike followed immediately.
Then another.
Gareth's aura-enhanced attacks carried enough force to crack ordinary training grounds, yet every movement was intercepted cleanly by Zynar's blade.
And then—
dark aura began flowing across Zynar's sword.
The entire observation area fell silent.
The black aura coating the blade stabilized naturally without flickering even once.
No instability.
No collapse.
Perfect manifestation.
Finn's eyes widened immediately.
Months ago, during swordsmanship class, Zynar had only manifested aura for a brief unstable moment.
Now the dark aura surrounding his blade remained completely stable against Gareth's own aura.
The realization spread across the arena almost instantly.
His growth speed was absurd.
Crest unconsciously tightened his grip against the railing.
Dorian's expression became serious.
Even Lyra's calm gaze sharpened slightly.
Below, Gareth's eyes narrowed during another clash.
Clang!
Their aura-covered blades collided heavily.
For the first time since the duel began, Gareth spoke during combat.
"...What exactly is your aura?"
Zynar did not answer.
Instead, he stepped forward.
Clang!
His sword intercepted Gareth's next attack instantly before countering with frightening precision.
The silence afterward felt heavier than any explanation could have been.
Near the observation railing, Seraphine quietly watched the dark aura surrounding Zynar's blade.
What unsettled her was not only the pressure.
It was the calmness.
Even while fighting Gareth using manifested aura, Zynar's expression never changed.
No excitement.
No aggression.
No pride.
The dark aura coating his sword felt strangely cold because nothing emotional seemed connected to it at all.
Beside her, Aldric observed the duel silently.
Unlike many students focused entirely on the aura itself, his attention remained on Zynar's combat style.
Everything about his swordsmanship lacked unnecessary emotion.
No wasted movement.
No flashy dominance.
No noble arrogance.
Only efficiency.
Even the aura surrounding his blade seemed optimized solely for combat itself.
That interested Aldric far more than overwhelming strength would have.
Below them, the duel continued escalating gradually.
Silver aura collided repeatedly against black.
Each exchange echoed across the reinforced arena while pressure spread heavier through the atmosphere.
Yet something soon became disturbingly obvious.
Zynar was still conserving movement.
Still holding back.
Even Gareth realized it.
Every one of Zynar's counters targeted the exact moment balance shifted between attacks.
Every defense consumed the minimum amount of force necessary.
Nothing about his swordsmanship resembled academy combat.
It resembled survival.
Gareth accelerated again.
Silver aura surged brighter around his blade before he delivered a powerful overhead strike enhanced by concentrated aura output.
Boom!
The impact cracked the arena floor beneath his feet.
And for the first time during the duel—
Zynar responded properly.
Not dramatically.
Just slightly faster.
Clang!
Their swords collided directly.
Then dark aura surged sharply through Zynar's blade during the counterattack.
The reinforced barriers surrounding the arena trembled lightly.
A sharp pressure exploded outward across the combat floor, causing several students to freeze instinctively.
Not because of destruction.
Because of sharpness.
The aura released during that single counter felt terrifyingly concentrated.
Cold.
Heavy.
Refined beyond what first-year students should have been capable of.
Gareth's eyes widened slightly during the clash itself.
And in that moment—
he understood clearly.
Zynar had been suppressing himself throughout almost the entire duel.
The silver aura around Gareth's sword slowly faded.
Then he stepped backward.
Lowered his blade.
Silence filled the arena.
Several seconds passed before Gareth finally spoke calmly.
"...I understand enough."
No one misunderstood what that meant.
The duel had ended because Gareth himself chose to stop it.
Not because he had been defeated openly.
But because continuing further no longer held meaning.
The dark aura around Zynar's blade disappeared instantly afterward.
His expression remained as calm as before the duel began.
As though nothing significant had happened.
That alone unsettled several students more than the aura itself.
Finn slowly exhaled.
"...Months ago he couldn't even hold aura properly."
Crest quietly nodded.
Now everyone inside the arena understood the same thing.
Zynar's growth speed no longer fit ordinary standards.
Students slowly began leaving the observation seating afterward while quiet conversations spread throughout the arena corridors.
Not fear.
Recognition.
The academy's perception of Zynar had shifted once again.
He was no longer simply the strange student surrounded by unsettling rumors.
Now the academy had witnessed undeniable proof.
His strength was growing at a speed even the instructors found difficult to measure.
Below the arena, the instructors remained behind after most students departed.
Professor Rhett folded his arms while staring toward the combat floor silently.
Finally, he spoke.
"His aura matured too quickly."
Several nearby instructors quietly agreed.
Months ago, Zynar had barely manifested aura for an instant.
Now he maintained complete aura manifestation against Gareth Valehart without instability.
That level of progression should not have been possible within such a short period.
Gareth sheathed his sword slowly.
"I couldn't properly measure him."
Tal's eyes remained on the empty arena floor.
"No," he replied calmly.
"You couldn't."
And for the first time since the academy term had resumed, even the instructors of Aethermoor quietly understood something unsettling.
Zynar Velkros was becoming someone the academy itself could no longer properly evaluate.
[End of Chapter 45]