Color Rankings

The students finished unpacking their belongings and began changing into the academy's standard uniform—a black and grey jumpsuit. While the outfit provided little protection, it was light, breathable, and designed for ease of movement.

All students were required to use the standard equipment provided by the academy, including weapons and armor. Personal belongings were permitted but could only be used on missions or special tasks, ensuring that no student gained an unfair advantage through superior gear.

Slyvia insisted that everyone leave the room while she changed. As Ray stood outside, he noticed something odd.

"There are only five of us here," he muttered, glancing at the names written on the door.

"Yeah, two are missing. I recognize one of the names, but I have no clue who Martha is," Gary added.

Just as he spoke, a tall, slender young man with black hair and a wooden staff strapped to his back approached them.

"Hey, why are you guys just standing around?" the newcomer asked casually.

"You're Dan, right?" Gary responded.

"In the flesh. Looks like I'll be staying with you guys. Now, why are we all just loitering out here? Let's head in."

Gary grinned and leaned toward Ray. "This will be fun." Then he turned to Dan with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Oh, there was a big cockroach in there. We were all too scared to go in and get rid of it. You wouldn't mind, would you?"

Dan scoffed. "A future knight can't be scared of something like that."

A few moments later, Dan emerged from the room sporting a black eye and several lumps on his head. The others burst into laughter.

Once Slyvia had finished changing, they all returned to the room and took turns introducing themselves. As they spoke about their backgrounds, the conversation soon shifted to the upcoming assessments and the different sashes they could receive.

"What sashes are you guys hoping to get?" Dan asked.

"I hate to ask this, but what are all the different sashes you can get?" Gary admitted.

Everyone in the room shrugged and looked toward Slyvia. She sighed, clearly bothered by the fact that she had to explain, but it was evident she also enjoyed the chance to showcase her knowledge.

"You guys, didn't you study anything? First, you need to understand that the sashes aren't strictly a power ranking system. They're more about potential. If you receive a red sash, it means the academy doesn't see much potential in you—at least not yet. You'll be placed in basic training without any extra classes, giving you free time to discover your strengths on your own."

"That doesn't sound too bad," Gary said, considering the option.

"Yeah, if you want to be a loser," Dan scoffed. "The red sashes get treated like dirt. They're bullied by the other sashes because everyone knows they don't have the power to fight back."

Slyvia continued. "On the opposite end, we have the white sash. This means you have incredible potential and will receive lessons from the Master Knights themselves."

"What about the other ranks?" Ian asked.

"If red is the lowest, then yellow comes next, followed by blue, and then white. These are the standard squire rankings. But there are two exceptions—green and black. Green is given to those who excel at archery. Black is a bit of a mystery. It's rarer than white, and no one really talks about it."

"So, is black better than white?" Monk finally spoke up.

"I wouldn't say that," Slyvia mused. "If I had to guess, I'd say black is more like green—specialized rather than broadly ranked. It likely serves a specific purpose, but I don't know what."

Gary smirked. "Well, I never thought I'd see the day Slyvia Heart didn't know something."

Slyvia raised her fist, aiming a playful punch at Gary's face. Just as her fist was about to make contact, the door swung open.

Lancy stood in the doorway, his voice sharp and authoritative. "Students, you have a few moments to get ready. We will meet in the dining hall for lunch and a short meeting. Afterward, we'll head to the training fields to begin your assessment."

With that, he quickly departed to deliver the message to the other dorms.

Gary practically leaped into the air, grabbing Ray by the shoulders. "This is it! We're finally going to become knights. Hey, why don't we aim to get white sashes together?"

Ray didn't respond, allowing Gary to ride his wave of excitement. He glanced around the room. Some students shared Gary's enthusiasm, while others seemed indifferent—perhaps treating this as just another step in their journey. However, a few had grim expressions, as if their very futures depended on the outcome of the assessment.

With everything in place, the group left the room, ready to face whatever awaited them in the trials ahead.