SSS-Rank Talent: Super Upgrade System-Chapter 128: The Fight For Vance! Pt 1

Daniel stood calmly amid the chaos of broken expectations and shattered records, a faint, enigmatic smile on his face.

The title of Potential Savior of Humanity, as declared by the Academy’s evaluation system, felt a bit like a very heavy hat.

The shocked roar from the gathered aspirants slowly faded into a stunned, almost reverent silence.

Director Gareth , his face still a shade paler than usual, finally managed to clear his throat, the sound resonating unnaturally in the sudden quiet.

"The... ah... the battle records," Director Sterling began, his voice regaining a sliver of its customary authority, though it still carried a faint tremor, "are, as the system has unequivocally verified, entirely accurate.

Aspirant Daniel’s performance across all three initial Verge levels is... without precedent in the recorded history of Vanguard Academy, or indeed, Astralis Academy."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the four Vice-Principals who stood beside him on the dais, their own expressions ranging from Travis Standen’s almost religious awe to Robb Naharis’s begrudging, shocked respect. frёewebnoѵēl.com

"I believe," Director Sterling continued, a vein pulsing faintly in his temple as he seemed to wrestle with the sheer absurdity of the situation, "this might somewhat... expedite... the school placement considerations."

Vice-Principal Travis Standen, the scarred, feral-eyed head of the Combat Techniques School, was the first to break the spell.

"Expedite?!" Travis barked, his voice a gravelly roar that made several nearby aspirants flinch.

"Sterling, this isn’t a matter of expediting! This is a divine revelation! An SSS-Talent!

That... that young man," he pointed a thick, calloused finger directly at Daniel, who offered a polite, almost innocent nod, "is not just a recruit; he’s a living, breathing combat genius!

He belongs in my Combat Techniques School! We will take his monstrous potential, his Will of the Verge Manifest, and we will forge him into a weapon that will make the deepest hells of the Verge tremble and beg for mercy!

I will personally oversee his training! He will be my ultimate masterpiece!"

"Boom!"

Travis slammed his fist onto the dais, the obsidian-like surface cracking slightly under the force.

"He’s ours! End of discussion!"

Before anyone could react to Travis’s enthusiastic, if slightly terrifying, recruitment pitch, the elderly and serene Vice-Principal Aslaug Winnick of the Command School stepped forward, her calm grey eyes fixed on Daniel with an intensity that belied her frail appearance.

"While your enthusiasm is... commendable, Vice-Principal Standen," Aslaug said, her voice soft yet carrying an undeniable weight of authority that cut through Travis’s fiery declaration, "you may be overlooking the finer details of Aspirant Vance’s record".

She gestured gracefully towards the holographic display, which still glowed with Daniel’s impossible achievements.

"Observe," she continued, her gaze sweeping over the assembled recruits, then settling back on Daniel.

"Yes, the raw power is undeniable, the combat prowess legendary. But look deeper.

Strategic Command & Support for Team during Group Encounters. Facilitated Team Power Spike via Resource Distribution.

This is not merely a berserker, Travis. This is a mind capable of understanding complex systems, of leading, of maximizing the potential of those around him.

His Will of the Verge Manifest suggests a destiny far greater than just being a peerless warrior.

He has the potential to be a true leader, a beacon for humanity. Such a mind, such potential for command, must be nurtured, guided, within the halls of my Command School.

He will learn to wield not just his own power, but the power of armies, of entire fleets. He will shape the future, not just survive it."

Aslaug Winnick’s quiet words resonated with a different kind of power, the power of intellect and vision.

Olenna, standing near Daniel’s group, visibly straightened, her eyes shining with a fierce determination.

This was the kind of leader she aspired to be, the kind of school she yearned to join.

Then, Yara Fairley, the ethereal Vice-Principal of the Logistics and Support School, her emerald eyes sparkling with a mixture of awe and gentle compassion, drifted forward.

"My dear colleagues," she began, her voice like a soothing melody, "while your claims are compelling, let us not forget the foundation upon which all great endeavors are built.

Aspirant Vance’s record also shows Acquired SS-Grade Familiar, Amassed Unprecedented Surplus of Yin/Yang Cards,Gifted S-Grade Crystal Gloves to Teammate.

These are not the actions of a solitary warrior or a distant commander.

These are the hallmarks of someone who understands the profound importance of support, of nurturing potential, of ensuring the well-being and optimal performance of his team.

Such a comprehensive understanding of resource management, of care, even of inter-species diplomacy," she smiled warmly at Daniel, "would make him an invaluable asset, perhaps even a revolutionary figure, within the Logistics and Support School.

Imagine, gentlemen, a logistical network managed by an SSS-Talent. The efficiency would be... divine."

Lia, her A-Grade Staff of the World Ash pulsing faintly, looked at Yara Fairley with a newfound respect.

She hadn’t considered this angle, but the Vice-Principal had a point. Daniel’s ability to acquire and distribute resources was indeed on another level.

Finally, Robb Naharis, the stoic and perpetually unimpressed Vice-Principal of the Weapons and Armaments School, uncrossed his arms.

This, in itself, was a significant event. He took a single step forward, his cold eyes fixed on Daniel, a strange, almost hungry light glinting but within their depths.

"The boy forges S-Grade weapons," Robb Naharis stated, his voice flat, devoid of emotion, yet carrying a weight that silenced all other arguments.

"The records state Forged S-Grade Blade of The Night, Forged S-Grade Flying Cloud Mystic Bow.

Such an achievement, for a recruit at his level, even with an SSS-Talent, is not just remarkable, it is... fundamentally impossible by any known rules of magic-based metallurgy and energy infusion".

He paused, his gaze never leaving Daniel.

"Yet, he did it. My school, the Weapons and Armaments School, does not care for flashy combat or grand strategies.

We care for the purity of the craft, the soul of the artifact.

This... Vance... he doesn’t just wield power, he creates it. He understands it at a level that most master smiths spend centuries striving for.

To allow such a talent to be wasted on mere brawling or battlefield tactics would be a crime against the very art of creation.

He belongs in my forges. He will not just learn to make weapons, he will learn to make legends.

And perhaps," a rare hint of excitement touched his lips, "he might teach us a thing or two in return."

The plaza was utterly silent.

The four most powerful figures in Astralis Academy’s Upper House were, quite literally, fighting over Daniel .

Each saw in him the potential to revolutionize their respective fields, to become the ultimate warrior, the supreme commander, the divine supporter, or the legendary crafter.

Director Gareth Sterling finally stepped forward, looking like a man in dire need of a long vacation, preferably somewhere quiet and nothing like the Verge.

"Vice-Principals," he said, his voice firm but carrying an undertone of weary resignation.

"Your enthusiasm is... understandable. Aspirant Vance’s potential is clearly... multifaceted.

However, the final decision regarding school placement cannot be made solely on past records, however impressive.

The third and final entrance test will bring more clarity. Ultimately," he added, his eyes briefly settling on Daniel with a trace of unease, "the decision may rest with Aspirant Vance himself, assuming he doesn’t unintentionally bring down all four schools while making it."

Daniel listened to the intense, slightly intimidating recruitment pitches with calm, almost detached amusement, and responded with a polite nod.

His mind was already sifting through the information, assessing the potential benefits and drawbacks of each school.

His journey through the lower Verge levels, fueled by his SSS-Rank [Soul Assimilation], had been a whirlwind of rapid evolution. He had defeated S-Grade and SS-Grade beasts, forged S-Grade weapons from A-Grade components, acquired an SS-Grade familiar in Nyx who was now Level 20 and a pseudo-dragon, transitioned to a unique Night Ranger class, and his attributes were already far beyond those of seasoned Vanguard Captains.

The Combat Techniques School could refine his S-Grade skills like [Solar Flare Fist Art] and [Earthquake Colossus Form].

The Command School, while less appealing, could offer insights into large-scale operations.

The Logistics and Support School might enhance his understanding of resource management, something his talent excelled at.

But the Weapons and Armaments School... the thought of combining Master Naharis’s knowledge with his own [Soul Assimilation] talent to forge SSS-Grade artifacts, or even to unlock the secrets of the UNKNOWN-Grade Mountain and Sea Chest he had acquired from the Leviathan... that was a truly intoxicating prospect.

He remained calm, his expression unreadable, watching as the holographic display prepared for the next phase of the assessment.

His path was his own, and while the schools offered specialized knowledge, his true power, his SSS-Rank [Soul Assimilation], would always be the ultimate guide.

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