SSS-Ranked Summoner: Only I Summon All Heroes And Heroines Of Legend-Chapter 51: Academy Exams Conclusion

The Red Tower came into view just as the sun began its descent toward the horizon.

Altair spotted it first—a crimson spire rising above the forest canopy like a beacon. It was impossible to miss.

"There," he said, pointing.

Finn followed his gaze and let out a long, relieved exhale. "Thank god. I was starting to think we’d be walking forever."

They’d been moving steadily for hours now, stopping only once to rest and eat. The forest had been surprisingly quiet after their encounter with Omar’s group. They’d heard distant sounds of combat a few times—shouts, the crash of summons colliding—but nothing had come close enough to engage them directly.

Altair checked his phone.

08:47:12

Eight hours left. Plenty of time. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"We’re making good time," Finn said, echoing his thoughts. "Better than I expected, honestly."

"Yeah." Altair pocketed his phone and adjusted the tags tucked safely in his jacket. Two tags now—their original tag plus the two Musashi had taken from Omar’s group. That put him well over the passing threshold.

They continued toward the tower, the trees gradually thinning as they approached. The undergrowth gave way to a wide clearing, and the Red Tower stood at its center.

Up close, it was even more impressive.

The structure was about fifty feet tall, built from smooth crimson stone that seemed almost organic in the way it curved and spiraled upward. The entrance was a tall archway at the base, currently standing open.

And standing just outside the entrance, talking quietly, were Svenja and Ryka.

Altair felt something warm settle in his chest. He was both relieved and satisfied at seeing them safe.

"Hey!" Finn called out, waving as they approached. "You two made it!"

Ryka turned, her face breaking into a genuine smile. "Altair! Finn!"

She jogged over to meet them, Svenja following at her usual measured pace.

"You’re here early," Altair said, returning her smile. "How long have you been waiting?"

"About an hour," Ryka said. She looked tired but happy, her hair slightly disheveled and her uniform showing signs of wear. "We had a pretty direct route. Well, mostly direct."

Svenja stopped a few feet away, her pale eyes meeting Altair’s briefly before shifting to away. She gave a small nod of acknowledgment.

Altair nodded back. "You both look like you’ve been through it."

"You have no idea," Ryka said, laughing. "We ran into this swarm of bats. Thousands of them. They were being controlled by this giant queen bat that could actually talk."

Finn’s eyes widened. "Wait, seriously?"

"Seriously." Ryka gestured broadly. "The whole thing was wild. They moved like one organism, and no matter how many we killed, more just kept coming."

"How’d you beat them?" Altair asked, genuinely curious.

Ryka glanced at Svenja, who remained silent but whose lips twitched slightly giving the faintest hint of satisfaction.

" figured out the queen was controlling them," Ryka explained. "So I took Rhegalyion and drew the swarm off while Svenja went for the kill shot. One perfectly aimed strike, and the whole swarm just... dropped."

Altair looked at Svenja. "Nice work."

Svenja’s expression didn’t change, but she inclined her head slightly.

"What about you two?" Ryka asked. "How was your trip?"

"Eventful," Altair said dryly.

Before he could elaborate, movement near the tower caught his attention.

A few other students were scattered around the clearing. Some sat against trees, clearly exhausted. Others stood in small groups, talking quietly. All of them looked rough. Torn uniforms, visible injuries, the hollow-eyed look of people who’d been through something intense.

Altair recognized a couple of faces from the Hall of Reverse Summoning, but no one important. No one he’d interacted with before.

The numbers were far lower than what they’d started with. Hundreds of students had been reverse summoned into Area 99. Now? Maybe a dozen had made it to the tower so far.

"Not many made it," Finn observed quietly.

"Yeah," Ryka said, her tone more subdued now. "I noticed that too."

They stood in silence for a moment, taking in the reality of the exam. This wasn’t just a test—it was a filter. And most people hadn’t passed it.

"Come on," Altair said finally. "Let’s check in."

They approached the tower entrance together.

Instructor Scathach stood just inside the archway, her posture relaxed but her eyes sharp.

As they approached, she looked up and smiled faintly. "Altair Elfender. Finn Coyler. Ryka Drakenheart. Svenja Hohenzollern."

She gestured for them to come closer. "Let me verify your status."

Altair stepped forward first, pulling out his two tags and placing them in Scathach’s outstretched hand.

She examined each one carefully, her fingers tracing the runes etched into the metal. A faint glow pulsed from her palm as she ran some kind of verification spell.

"Two tags," she said. "One original and one acquired. That’s forty points for Phase Two. Combined with your Phase One score of twenty-five, your total is sixty-five."

"Well done, Mr. Elfender. You pass."

"Thank you, Instructor." Altair said

Finn went next. He pulled out their original tag and handed it over.

Scathach verified it the same way. "Two tags. Forty points. Combined with your Phase One score of thirty-two, your total is seventy-two."

"You pass as well, Mr. Coyler. Congratulations."

Finn grinned. "Thanks."

Ryka stepped forward, producing three tags. "We managed to pick up two extras along the way."

Scathach verified them both. "Three tags. Sixty points. Combined with your Phase One score of twenty-seven, your total is eighty-seven."

. "Excellent work, Miss Drakenheart."

Finally, Svenja approached.

Scathach paused slightly, her eyebrows raising just a fraction. "Three tags. Sixty points. Combined with your Phase One score of forty, your total is a hundred points."

She looked at Svenja with approval. "Perfect theory score and strong practical performance. Very impressive, Miss Hohenzollern."

Svenja gave a nod and stepped back.

Scathach gestured toward the open archway. "You’re all cleared to enter. Rest inside if you need to. The exam officially ends in just under eight hours, but you’re free to leave once you’ve recovered."

"Thank you, Instructor," Altair said.

They passed through the archway into the tower’s interior.

---

Inside, the Red Tower was surprisingly spacious.

The main chamber was circular, with a high vaulted ceiling. The walls were the same crimson stone as the outside.

Several students were already inside, scattered around the space. Some sat against the walls, others lay sprawled on the floor, clearly exhausted. A few were talking quietly, comparing stories and injuries.

Altair spotted an empty corner near the far wall and led the group over. They settled down—Ryka and Finn sitting against the wall, Altair standing for a moment before deciding to join them on the floor. Svenja remained standing for a few seconds longer before finally lowering herself to sit beside Ryka.

For a moment, nobody spoke. They just sat there, breathing, letting the weight of the past seventy-two hours settle over them.

Then Ryka turned to Altair. "So. You said your trip was eventful. What happened?"

Altair leaned his head back against the wall. "We ran into Omar Hassan."

Ryka’s eyes widened. "Omar? The guy from House Slykhar?"

"Yeah." Altair glanced at Finn, who nodded encouragingly. "He ambushed us with three other people. Two of them were third-years—Prince Lex’s lackeys."

"Wait, third-years?" Ryka looked incredulous. "Aren’t they supposed to have their own exams?"

"Apparently not," Altair said dryly. "They must’ve made some kind of arrangement. Either way, it was four against two."

Finn leaned forward. "And then Altair summoned this crazy winter mist that dropped visibility to almost nothing. I couldn’t see anything. It was like the whole forest just disappeared."

Ryka looked at Altair with renewed interest. "You can do that?"

"Yeah. One of the spells I learned from Master Oz’s training." Altair shrugged. "Anyway, I used the mist to separate them, then I summoned."

Svenja’s pale eyes shifted toward him slightly, a flicker of curiosity.

Ryka whistled softly. "Damn."

"Omar tried to fight back," Altair said. "But he was outmatched completely. We took their tags and left them there."

"Did you—" Ryka hesitated. "Did you kill anyone?"

"No." Altair shook his head firmly. "I was pretty clear on no killing. This is an exam, not a war. Omar was being an idiot, but he didn’t deserve to die for it."

Ryka nodded slowly. "Good. I’m glad you didn’t."

Finn stretched his arms over his head. "After that, it was pretty quiet. We just walked straight here. No other fights."

"Lucky," Ryka said

Svenja said nothing, but her expression softened slightly.

They sat in comfortaby for a while, watching as more students trickled into the tower. The numbers grew slowly—maybe twenty total now. Still far fewer than had started.

Altair pulled out his phone to check the time.

07:21:45

As he was putting his phone away, it buzzed.

All four of their phones buzzed simultaneously.

Altair pulled his back out, and a notification filled the screen.

---

GRAN-LUSIA ACADEMY - EXAMINATION RESULTS

TO: Altair Elfender

FINAL EXAMINATION - GRADE REPORT

Phase One (Theory): 25/40

Phase Two (Survival):40/60

Total Score: 65/100

STATUS: PASS

Congratulations on completing your First Year Final Examination. Your results have been recorded, and your academic standing has been updated accordingly.

---

Altair stared at the screen.

Finn slumped back against the wall. "Man, we actually did it. We passed."

"Yeah," Ryka said, her voice carrying a mix of relief and exhaustion. "We did."

They sat there together, the four of them, as more notifications pinged across the tower. Other students checking their results, some celebrating, others looking devastated.

Altair closed his phone and slid it back into his pocket.

He glanced at his companions.

They’d all come so far.

And this was just the beginning.

"Come on," Altair said, standing and brushing dirt off his uniform. "Let’s get out of here. I need a real bed and about twelve hours of sleep."

Ryka laughed. "Agreed."

Finn groaned but pushed himself to his feet. "Yeah. Let’s go home."

Svenja rose silently

Together, the four of them walked toward the exit, leaving the Red Tower behind.

The exam was over.

And they’d all passed.