Awakening: I Became a Legendary Spirit Summoner-Chapter 18 - : Karl’s Empire Rank

Victor, the principal of [Seabright Highschool], stood near the entrance of the school, hands clasped behind his back.

His gaze was fixed on the empty space where the portals would soon appear.

"I wonder who'll be next," he muttered, a mix of curiosity and anticipation in his voice.

"It's going to be Karl," Celeste replied confidently, standing next to him with her arms crossed.

Once students completed the [Novice Trial], protocol required them to return immediately to verify their survival.

Families, friends, and the school staff waited anxiously to see who would emerge victorious, or if they would emerge at all.

The portal, which appeared at the school's entrance, served as both a relief and a judgment for those watching.

So far, only Celeste had completed the trial from their school.

She'd come through the portal an hour ago, a satisfied smirk on her face as she claimed her spot as the first to return.

The [Novice Trial] had no set time limit, but the majority of students typically finished within ten hours.

Any longer, and Victor would leave the task of monitoring the portal to the guards.

Celeste, however, wasn't required to stay, yet she did.

Her father was a good friend of Victor, so he had waited with her, but after realizing that Celeste wouldn't budge from her spot, waiting for someone, he simply drove off.

Before getting into his sleek, black car, he grinned at her, "So, my girl is in love, huh?"

"No!" Celeste shouted, her cheeks flushing red, but he didn't hear her protest.

He was already pulling out of the parking lot, leaving her fuming in his wake.

"Damn it," she muttered under her breath.

Suddenly, the portal materialized before them, its swirling energy casting a faint glow over the area.

"Another one," Victor said, straightening his posture.

"Get ready," Celeste added, her eyes narrowing.

Several professionals, healers, and guards stationed nearby readied themselves to assist whoever stepped through.

The [Novice Trial] was a cornerstone in the life of every awakener, but it wasn't without risks.

Moments later, Karl stepped out of the portal.

His movements were calm and deliberate.

All of his summoned spirits had been sent back to the [Summon Cemetery], except for the [Frenzied Rabbit], which perched comfortably on his head, its tiny paws clutching his hair.

Victor's face lit up with a grin.

"Second person to come out. As expected, the two geniuses."

Celeste smirked, though her pride was evident, "That's true, but it means I win! I finished first!"

"Fair point," Victor admitted with a chuckle.

Karl didn't seem particularly concerned about rankings.

His neutral gaze met Celeste's, and for a moment, they silently communicated.

'Don't speak about Alexander and his group,' her eyes said.

'I won't,' his gaze replied.

A panel appeared before Karl as he stepped away from the portal.

[School rank: 2nd.]

Not unexpected.

It was likely the order in which students completed the trial.

But then, another panel popped up.

[Empire rank: 38th.]

Karl's eyes lingered on the number.

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With tens of thousands of students participating across the empire, being in the top 50 was an impressive feat.

For reference, Celeste had ranked 24th.

"Amazing," Victor said, laughing in satisfaction.

He seemed more thrilled about the results than the students themselves.

Victor's reputation as a principal would skyrocket for producing such exceptional talents.

At future gatherings with his peers, he would no doubt boast about his school's accomplishments.

"The goal now," Victor said, his tone shifting to one of advice, "is [Starlight Academy]!"

"It's impossibly difficult to join, but I think you two have a good chance. That said, plenty of other powerful candidates will try as well."

After completing high school and surviving the [Novice Trial], the next step for awakeners was clear: joining one of the empire's prestigious academies.

Dozens of academies existed, each offering unique benefits.

But among them, [Starlight Academy] stood at the pinnacle.

Only the best of the best earned a spot there.

In one week, the [Entrance Examination] would take place.

Every student would be judged on their abilities, and based on their performance, academies would extend, or withhold, offers.

Victor glanced between the two students.

"They say that people who manage to clear the first floor of the tower several times have a much better chance of getting into [Starlight Academy]. The rest is up to you."

Clearing the first floor many times typically allowed students to reach levels 16 or 17.

That also meant that if you wanted to enhance your chances, reaching that threshold was the best way to do so.

[Starlight Academy] doesn't accept anybody under level 15, that was one of their rules.

Achieving that in a week wouldn't be easy.

Monsters required to level up became exponentially harder to find and defeat.

Yet for many, it was worth the effort.

Karl was certain that every student who had ranked above him in the trial would be gunning for [Starlight Academy] as well.

While he was lost in thought, the [Frenzied Rabbit] suddenly leaped off his head, landing squarely in Celeste's arms.

The small creature nestled against her chest, letting out soft, content noises.

"...?"

"Look how cute it is!" Celeste giggled, stroking the rabbit's fur, "Seriously, this pet is more sociable than you are!"

Karl shrugged. He didn't deny it.

The rabbit, it seemed, had taken a liking to her.

"I'll head out now," Karl said, motioning for the rabbit to return.

It obediently hopped back onto his head, "I need to prepare."

Without another word, he turned and walked away, his figure disappearing into the nearby alley.

Celeste watched him leave, then glanced at her phone.

"Oh no, look at the time!" she exclaimed. "I need to go too, Principal Victor."

Victor grinned knowingly.

"Your boyfriend left. Makes sense you'd follow. See you, kid. Don't disappoint me, aim for the top!"

"...!" Celeste didn't even bother denying the claim.

She sighed, shaking her head, and began walking away, her staff in hand.

Victor chuckled to himself.

"These kids are promising. With enough determination, they might just make it into [Starlight Academy]. Though they'll need to be careful, it's much harder than they think."

As another portal began to form, Victor straightened his tie, ready to greet the next student.

Meanwhile, Karl arrived at his apartment.

The place was small and sparsely furnished.

It was located in a low-income neighborhood, but it was all he needed.

He set the [Frost Wolf Core] on the table, its faint glow illuminating the otherwise dim room.

The core could fetch around 200 coins at the market, a decent amount for now.

But he wasn't in the mood to sell it just yet.

All he wanted to do was rest.

He lay back on his bed, his eyes closing as exhaustion finally caught up with him.

The path ahead would be grueling.

But for now, he allowed himself a brief moment of peace.