Assessment 

"Wow, is this the academy?" Valeria's eyes widened as she stood beside Elion in front of Eldoria's south gate. 

"It's more like an entire city! How could it be so big?"

Before them stretched a sprawling metropolis, nothing like what they had imagined. Towering metal buildings lined the streets, their sleek, reflective surfaces catching the sunlight in a way that seemed almost futuristic.

An entire city developed around Eldoria.

The architecture was reminiscent of Earth, but even more technologically advanced, with sharp, clean lines and an advanced design that stood in stark contrast to the Skywood's medieval-like charm.

For Valeria, who had never set foot outside of Skywood, the scene before her felt like stepping into an entirely different world. 

Everything around her was larger, more intricate, and more bustling than anything she had ever imagined. The scale of the city overwhelmed her senses.

It was both exhilarating and intimidating, and Valeria couldn't help but feel like a small fish in an ocean of unknown depths.

"Hehe, what a country bumpkin," an elf sneered, his voice dripping with condescension as he glanced over at Valeria.

He stood with a group of other elves, all looking around fifteen years old, their pointed ears twitching as they chuckled among themselves. 

Clearly, they were here for Eldoria's entrance assessment, their fine clothes and polished weapons marking them as members of noble families. 

The elf's sharp, angular features twisted into a mocking grin as he continued to whisper to his friends, their laughter rising in agreement, and eyes flicking toward Valeria.

"Look at them, they must have just crawled out of some backwater village," another one added, smirking.

Valeria stiffened, her eyes narrowing slightly, but she didn't respond. Elion, standing beside her, noticed the exchange and placed a hand on her shoulder. He leaned in with a reassuring smile.

"Let them talk, it's not worth it. Let's go," Elion whispered softly as he gently placed a hand on Valeria's shoulder.

Elion called for a metallic vehicle—something like a taxi from Earth—and they both hopped in. As the car sped through the streets, it hummed softly beneath them, carrying them toward the heart of Eldoria, the academy grounds.

People bustled about, students in various uniforms, mages, and warriors alike, moving with purpose across wide streets paved with smooth stone.

As their gaze moved toward the center, the true heart of Eldoria came into view: the colossal structure of the academy itself. It dominated the skyline, an enormous fortress-like building, ancient yet refined, with towering spires and glowing runes etched into its stone walls.

"That building," Valeria whispered, awe-struck as she stared at the academy, "how does something like that even exist?"

Elion smiled, equally impressed. 

After stepping out of the vehicle, Elion and Valeria were greeted by the sight of ten long queues, filled with young people. 

Elion glanced around and quickly realized these must be the registration lines for the academy's entrance assessments. 

"Looks like this is it," Elion said, giving her an encouraging nod. They joined the same queue and waited for their turn.

The assessment was straightforward, consisting of three stages. 

The first stage was a simple age check—applicants couldn't be older than sixteen. 

The second stage involved testing the applicant's Realm, where only those who had reached at least the Soul-Strengthening Realm were considered eligible. 

Lastly, the third stage was a one-minute sparring match against a second-year student. To pass this final stage, the applicant didn't need to win but had to demonstrate an acceptable level of skill, as judged by the professors overseeing the process.

Overall, it wouldn't take more than five minutes, since the first and second stages happen together.

Elion easily met the age requirement and had no doubt he'd perform well in the sparring match. The only issue was the second stage—he hadn't reached the Soul-Strengthening Realm yet. 

However, thanks to the princess's badge he carried, a prestigious symbol akin to a free pass, Elion only needed to meet the age requirement. It was like entering through the academy's backdoor, a privilege few would claim as unfair.

In a matter of minutes, it was Valeria's turn.

"Please place your hand on the crystal and focus on your mana," instructed the clerk in a monotone voice, clearly having done this task hundreds of times.

Valeria followed the instructions and placed her hand on the ball. A few moments passed, and then the ball began to glow faintly before spinning rapidly. Words materialized above it in glowing letters for all to see.

[Warrior Path - Late Soul-Strengthening]

[15 years old]

The clerk nodded in approval. "You meet the requirements. You may proceed to the next phase of the assessment. Should you pass, another attendant will be responsible for registering your details and providing you with your academic badge."

This was a mere formality. While someone at the low Soul-Strengthening Realm could fail, and in rare cases, even a mid-level practitioner could stumble, it was unheard of for a late Soul-Strengthening practitioner to fail the third stage.

"Thank you," Valeria replied with a polite smile. As she began to walk towards the next section, she briefly glanced over her shoulder at Elion. "See you later, brother."

Elion nodded back with an encouraging smile.

"Please place your hand on the crystal and focus on your mana," the clerk instructed again.

Elion stepped forward and placed his hand on the crystal, just as Valeria had done. After a few moments, his information materialized.

[Mage Path - Peak Meridian Expansion]

[Warrior Path - Peak Muscle Expansion]

[15 years old]

The clerk's face twisted in mild irritation. "Tsk. You don't meet the requirements for Soul-Strengthening," he muttered, barely hiding his annoyance. "And why waste your efforts on both paths? If fewer people like you were trying their luck, my job would be a lot faster."

Elion remained calm, saying nothing. Instead, he casually reached into his inventory and pulled out the princess's badge, holding it up for the clerk to see. The moment the emblem caught the light, the clerk's expression shifted from disdain to shock. His eyes widened as his mouth clamped shut.

"Oh, I-I'm terribly sorry, sir," the clerk stammered, his attitude doing a complete 180. 

"I didn't realize you were associated with the royal family. What's your name? I'll fill out your form immediately so you can receive your academic badge. You can proceed to the east wing, in that building over there. Someone will give it to you."

"Elion," he responded simply.

The clerk fumbled with the paperwork, hastily scribbling down the details as if the badge itself held the power to reprimand him. 

Elion nodded once and strode off towards the east building, not sparing the clerk another glance.

'I should send Valeria a message and let her know where I'll be waiting after she finishes the assessment. We didn't plan for that,' Elion thought to himself. 

Before he could head to the east wing, a commotion near the assessment grounds caught his attention.

"Wow, is that Princess Seraphina?! She's even more stunning in person. I heard she's insanely powerful too, surpassing everyone her age," someone in the crowd whispered excitedly.

Elion turned toward the source of the noise and caught sight of Seraphina. Even among vampires, her beauty was beyond compare. She had always been captivating, even before coming of age, but now… she seemed otherworldly, words couldn't do her justice.

As she approached the assessment stone, the crowd's anticipation grew palpable, murmurs building like a wave of excitement ready to crash. The moment she placed her hand on the glowing orb, a collective gasp rippled through the students.

[Mage Path - Low Body and Soul Fusion]

[15 years old]

"How is that even possible?" someone exclaimed, their voice filled with disbelief. 

"The Princess is already at the Body and Soul Fusion Realm! That's insane! Not even most graduating students reach that level. And for her, this is just the beginning," said a boy with a spear on his back.

"She's only fifteen… She's on a whole different level from everyone else," another added in awe.

"No wonder they say her talent is god-given," a girl nearby said, shaking her head in amazement.

Elion overheard bits of the conversation as the crowd continued to swell with astonishment.

"What's even crazier is that she's not the only one. I've heard there's another vampire noble from the north, also at the Low Body and Soul Fusion Realm," someone mentioned to their friend.

"This year's competition is going to be brutal. Two geniuses of this caliber in the same year? That's unheard of."

'Looks like I'm getting left behind,' Elion thought.

Elion continued on his way. Soon enough, he reached the east wing, where a second clerk handed him his academic badge. The badge glowed faintly, its magical runes etched into its surface, signifying its authenticity. 

"This will serve as your identity document within the academy," the clerk explained while handing Elion a small pouch. "You are also entitled to a monthly stipend of 10 gold coins and 5 mana stones, thanks to the privileges associated with your royal badge."

Elion pocketed the pouch, nodding politely. He moved out of the building and pulled out a phone. He quickly typed out a message telling Valeria to find him close to the queues, so they could rent a room.

Not long after, his phone buzzed. Valeria had replied.

[Got it, brother. Just finished my assessment too! I'll Be there in five minutes.]

He didn't have to wait long before he spotted Valeria weaving through the crowd. Her eyes lit up when she saw him, and she jogged over, a smile on her face.

"So, how did it go?" Elion asked, his expression softening as she reached him.

"Passed easily!"

"Good," Elion smiled at her.

"Let's find a place to rent near the academy," Elion suggested, glancing at the map on his phone.

Valeria nodded.

The siblings soon found a cozy apartment less than a kilometer from the academy. It was perfect—close enough for convenience. Elion paid a gold coin for six months of rent, which was expensive as expected, for such a densely populated area.

As they entered the apartment, they were pleasantly surprised by the space. It was larger than expected, with two separate sleeping areas and a shared living space in between. The common area had a small but comfortable couch, a wooden table, and a large window that let in plenty of sunlight.

"This is pretty nice," Valeria remarked, tossing her bag onto one of the beds.

Elion nodded with a grin. "As for food, we can just eat at the academy's restaurant. I'd rather not waste time cooking. If you ever need money, just ask—your brother is well-off." 

Valeria laughed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "In that case, I won't be polite, brother!"