The atmosphere of the examination hall was still heavy with shock from Neyvar's result. A thick silence filled the room as whispers echoed among the students.
Serina, eyes wide, murmured:
"Layer Eleven? ...He's only thirteen. Even I, at sixteen, am still in Layer Nine!"
Meanwhile, Neyvar was calmly stepping down from the platform when one of the kids, clearly shaken, shouted:
"T-That has to be a mistake! Test him again!"
But Professor Rongard, with a stern expression and piercing eyes, replied:
"Are you saying I made a mistake?"
The boy, now intimidated by Rongard's glare, stuttered:
"N-No, sir… sorry."
Neyvar moved aside silently, the surrounding students still stunned:
"Is that even possible? Layer Eleven? He's just a commoner… Must be a mistake."
Neyvar himself was deeply confused. He looked at his hands and softly whispered:
"Am I really... this strong? This can't be real."
But there was one person even more shocked than Neyvar… Zeltor.
He thought to himself:
"Layer Eleven? I saw him just two days ago. He was only at Layer Five… Has he really advanced this far in such a short time?"
Zeltor stood up and said firmly:
"Neyvar Venmar, come with me to the headmaster's office."
Neyvar nodded and followed him. As they walked, students whispered among themselves:
"I-Is that Zeltor Velthar? Yeah, that's him… he's the head of the academy and—"
Their words faded into murmurs.