"Presiden Dewan Mahasiswa tidak boleh menjadi salah satu siswa terlemah di akademi, dan aku tidak akan membiarkan struktur kekuatan ini terus berlanjut seperti ini. Seorang siswa seharusnya tidak harus berada di bawah naungan seseorang hanya untuk mendapatkan misi, sumber daya, atau bahkan menemukan tim."<br><br>Itu bukan nada bicara Rindo yang biasa, tetapi ada keseriusan dalam suaranya yang tidak diragukan oleh siapa pun.<br><br>Baginya, masalah ini bukan hanya tentang posisinya sendiri; tahun ajaran ini sudah hampir berakhir.<br><br>Ini dianggap sebagai tahun terakhirnya di akademi, dan setelah kelulusan, pemilihan Dewan Mahasiswa yang baru akan diadakan.<br><br>Sebelum mereka memasuki Area Spesial, Cassian adalah salah satu pilihan utama untuk menggantikannya.<br><br>Namun sekarang ada orang lain, Rodrick.<br><br>Dari segi level, ketenaran, kekayaan, dan jaringan siswa yang luas, ia memiliki keunggulan yang sangat besar, dan jika ia memutuskan untuk mengikuti pemilihan, ia tidak akan lagi menjadi nama yang remeh.<br><br>Ia memiliki peluang nyata untuk menang.<br><br>Dari sudut pandang Rindo, menggabungkan kekuatan tidak resmi Rodrick dengan wewenang resmi Presiden Dewan Mahasiswa dapat menghancurkan seluruh keseimbangan akademi untuk tahun depan.<br><br>Ia tidak berniat membiarkan hal seperti itu terjadi tanpa perlawanan sebelum kelulusan.<br><br>"Aku juga akan pergi, syarat Evolution Quest milikku sudah selesai." Seraphina berdiri beberapa detik kemudian.<br><br>Lalu Selina.<br><br>Liana.<br><br>Cassian.<br><br>Ethan.<br><br>Marcus.<br><br>Masing-masing dari mereka berada dalam situasi yang berbeda, tetapi hampir semua Evolution Quest mereka telah mencapai titik selama peristiwa di Area Spesial di mana mereka dapat menyelesaikan proses tersebut pada hari yang sama.<br><br>Sisanya telah usai, hanya beberapa hari yang telah berlalu sejak mereka melarikan diri dari bencana, tetapi dunia tidak berhenti berputar untuk mereka.<br><br>Jika mereka tidak ingin berakhir di dasar peringkat di hadapan seluruh akademi keesokan harinya, mereka harus mulai bergerak lagi.<br><br>Kurang dari satu menit kemudian, meja besar itu hampir kosong.<br><br>Hanya Lian dan Kain yang tersisa, dan yang terakhir memperhatikan yang lain pergi selama beberapa detik sebelum menoleh ke arah yang pertama.<br><br>"Menurutmu apakah kita punya cara untuk menghancurkan wajah Rodrick ke lantai besok? Karena sekarang, mereka sepertinya tidak bisa banyak membantu."<br><br>"Kamulah yang bilang kemarin agar aku tidak terlibat konflik dengan Rodrick." Pemuda Vorhelm itu memberinya tatapan penuh arti.<br><br>Kain terdiam sejenak.<br><br>"Yah... keadaan telah berubah dan ini bukan hanya masalahku, jika orang-orang yang merupakan siswa terkuat di akademi sembilan bulan lalu dikalahkan di depan semua orang besok, hal terakhir yang tersisa dari pengaruh masa lalu Dewan Mahasiswa dan kelompokmu juga akan lenyap."<br><br>"Maka tempat ini benar-benar tidak akan lagi disebut sebagai Akademi Nasional, tempat ini akan menjadi Akademi Rodrick." Ia tersenyum pahit.<br><br>"Jangan khawatir." Lian menatapnya selama beberapa saat lalu berkata dengan sangat tenang.<br><br>"Itu artinya kau punya rencana?" Kain mengangkat alis.<br><br>"Tidak. Tidak perlu." Ia mengambil cangkirnya dan meminum tegukan terakhir minumannya.<br><br>Ia mengatakannya dengan begitu tenang dan percaya diri hingga temannya bahkan tidak tahu harus berkata apa selama beberapa detik.<br><br>Sisa hari itu berlalu dengan cepat.<br><br>Rindo dan beberapa orang lainnya menghabiskan hampir seluruh waktu mereka di dalam ruangan khusus akademi yang telah dibangun untuk menyelesaikan Evolution.<br><br>Menjelang malam, sebagian besar anggota kelompok telah menyelesaikan First Evolution mereka.<br><br>Akademi juga menjadi semakin sibuk dari jam ke jam.<br><br>Para siswa yang telah aktif selama berbulan-bulan di Base #3, daerah terpencil, dan wilayah lain di Ruined Realm kembali satu demi satu.<br><br>Hampir semua nama penting di akademi berkumpul di satu tempat lagi.<br><br>Dan keesokan paginya, hari ujian pun tiba.<br><br>Ujian akhir semester untuk para siswa Awakened sama sekali tidak seperti ujian biasa.<br><br>Nilai itu penting, tetapi itu hanya sebagian kecil dari apa yang ditentukan oleh hasil ujian.<br><br>Peringkat resmi setiap siswa untuk tahun depan akan diperbarui berdasarkan ujian ini.<br><br>Akses ke beberapa misi penting, prioritas untuk menggunakan sumber daya dan area pelatihan, posisi dalam tim eksplorasi, dan bahkan kemampuan untuk memilih guru tertentu secara langsung bergantung pada performa siswa.<br><br>Dan yang lebih penting, orang-orang di luar akademi sedang mengawasi.<br><br>Serikat, keluarga, Awakeners Association, guild, organisasi militer, bahkan pemerintah dan federasi.<br><br>Bagi banyak siswa, performa yang luar biasa dalam ujian akhir semester dapat menciptakan kontrak profesional pertama dalam hidup mereka.<br><br>Sebuah guild mungkin akan membayar Evolution masa depan mereka, sebuah keluarga mungkin akan menjadi sponsor mereka, atau seorang guru yang kuat mungkin akan menerima mereka sebagai murid.<br><br>Ujian ini adalah pameran generasi penerus Awakened di negeri ini.<br><br>Hal ini bahkan lebih penting bagi para siswa tahun ketiga, yang sudah berada di hari-hari terakhir masa studi mereka di akademi.<br><br>Dan tahun ini, ada jauh lebih banyak perhatian yang tertuju padanya daripada biasanya; generasi saat ini telah dikenal sebagai generasi yang tidak biasa sejak awal tahun.<br><br>Generasi ini muncul bersamaan dengan dibukanya Ruined Realm yang baru, dan kemudian para jenius terkenal seperti Rodrick, Kain, dan Lian Vorhelm termasuk di antara para pemuda di akademi.<br><br>Dan sekarang, kembalinya mereka yang telah hilang di Area Spesial selama sembilan bulan.<br><br>Semua orang ingin tahu siapa yang sebenarnya berdiri di puncak generasi ini.<br><br>Aula utama akademi hampir terisi penuh.<br><br>Ribuan kursi ditempatkan di beberapa bagian, dan layar melayang besar siap di atas aula untuk menampilkan hasil ujian.<br><br>Para guru duduk di bagian mereka sendiri.<br><br>Beberapa pejabat dari National Awakened Center hadir di lantai atas, dan perwakilan dari berbagai guild serta keluarga juga dapat terlihat di kursi khusus.<br><br>Para siswa tahun pertama memenuhi bagian tengah aula, dan di salah satu barisan depan, Lian duduk dengan sangat santai.<br><br>Tidak ada tanda-tanda gugup di wajahnya, bahkan tidak ada kegembiraan yang jelas; ia duduk seolah-olah ia memiliki aula tersebut.<br><br>Tubuhnya bersandar pada sandaran kursi dan salah satu kakinya sedikit maju ke depan, seolah-olah ia datang untuk menonton ujian orang lain, bukan untuk mengambil bagian dalam salah satu evaluasi paling penting tahun ini.<br><br>World-Devourer Bastion berada di dalam ruang penyimpanannya.<br><br>Tidak ada alasan untuk mengungkap salah satu kartu terbesarnya sejak awal.<br><br>Namun bahkan tanpa baju zirah tersebut, banyak pasang mata tertuju kepadanya dan bisikan-bisikan terdengar dari barisan di sekitarnya.<br><br>"Apakah itu dia? Lian Vorhelm?" salah satu siswa bertanya dengan suara pelan.<br><br>"Kupikir dia sudah mati," jawab orang lain.<br><br>"Kata mereka levelnya hampir tidak lebih dari Level 20."<br><br>"Apa? Kau serius?"<br><br>"Dia tertinggal sembilan bulan, memangnya berapa level yang kau harapkan?"<br><br>Lian dapat mendengar hampir semuanya dan sama sekali tidak ada yang penting baginya; ketenangannya bukanlah pamer kebanggaan, ia bahkan tidak perlu berusaha untuk terlihat percaya diri.<br><br>Beberapa ratus siswa yang berbisik tentang levelnya benar-benar tidak bisa membuat detak jantungnya meningkat sedikit pun.<br><br>Rindo duduk beberapa baris di depan bersama para anggota Dewan Mahasiswa.<br><br>Ia telah menyelesaikan First Evolution miliknya malam sebelumnya.<br><br>Seraphina juga berhasil menggunakan kondisi yang diselesaikannya di Area Spesial dan merampungkan First Evolution miliknya.<br><br>Cassian juga berhasil menyelesaikan prosesnya sendiri.<br><br>Semua orang sudah siap, atau setidaknya mereka telah melakukan yang terbaik yang mereka bisa dalam waktu satu hari.<br><br>Suara percakapan di aula masih terdengar riuh ketika pintu masuk yang besar tiba-tiba terbuka.<br><br>Awalnya, hanya segelintir orang yang menoleh, lalu lebih banyak orang yang melihat, dan bisikan-bisikan itu menjadi lebih pelan.<br><br>"Yah, akhirnya dia datang," bisik Kain pelan.<br><br>Rodrick memasuki aula; tidak seperti yang mungkin diharapkan pada awalnya, ia masuk dengan sangat normal, tetapi tampaknya ia tidak lagi perlu melakukan hal-hal seperti itu.<br><br>Kehadirannya saja sudah cukup.<br><br>Tubuhnya lebih terlatih daripada sembilan bulan lalu, dan remaja arogan yang diingat Lian telah digantikan oleh kepercayaan diri yang jauh lebih kuat.<br><br>Mana mengalir melalui tubuhnya dengan cara yang sangat terkontrol, tidak cukup untuk dilepaskan demi pamer, tetapi masih bisa dirasakan dengan jelas.<br><br>Ia telah menjadi lebih kuat, benar-benar kuat, dan Elena berjalan di sampingnya; ia juga telah berubah.<br><br>Rambutnya lebih rapi dan penampilannya menjadi lebih dewasa, serta cara berjalannya juga penuh dengan kepercayaan diri.<br><br>Ada semacam kepuasan di matanya, seolah-olah melihat keterkejutan orang lain terhadap dirinya dan sang pacar memenuhinya dengan kepuasan.<br><br>Benar sekali! Semua orang seharusnya terkejut ketika melihatnya dan pasangannya, atau setidaknya itulah pemikirannya.<br><br>Di belakang mereka, Darren dan beberapa anggota utama kelompok Rodrick berjalan.<br><br>Para siswa di jalur mereka tanpa sadar memberikan sedikit ruang.<br><br>Melihat pemandangan ini, Lian akhirnya melihat dengan mata kepalanya sendiri segala sesuatu yang telah dikatakan Kain tentang pengaruh Rodrick.<br><br>Namun pada saat itu, mata Elena bergerak di antara barisan dan berhenti kepadanya; sedetik kemudian, langkah kakinya melambat.<br><br>Hanya dengan selisih yang begitu kecil sehingga mungkin tidak ada orang lain yang akan menyadarinya, tetapi Lian menyadarinya.<br><br>Mata gadis itu sedikit terbuka lebih lebar sejenak; pria yang kematiannya sempat tampak mungkin terjadi sembilan bulan lalu itu sedang duduk di sana.<br><br>Benar-benar sehat dan tanpa cedera, dan yang lebih aneh dari segalanya, ia bahkan tidak tampak menganggap kepulangan mereka sebagai peristiwa penting.<br><br>Tanda-tanda keterkejutan, kemarahan, ketidakpercayaan, dan ketidakpuasan muncul di matanya, meskipun ekspresinya dengan cepat dikendalikan.<br><br>Tetapi itu sudah cukup, dan Rodrick juga menyadari arah tatapannya; ia menoleh dan kemudian matanya tertuju pada pemuda Vorhelm itu.<br><br>Selama beberapa detik, tidak ada siapa pun di antara keduanya.<br><br>Setidaknya, begitulah rasanya.<br><br>Sembilan bulan lalu, Rodrick adalah salah satu siswa paling terkenal di antara para siswa baru.<br><br>Kelas bintang empat, keluarga yang kuat, tawaran dari berbagai guild.<br><br>Dan Lian?<br><br>Seorang siswa dengan Awakening yang gagal yang bahkan diejek oleh banyak orang karena kehadirannya, dan yang telah diasingkan dari keluarganya.<br><br>Sekarang Rodrick hampir mencapai Level 39 dengan dukungan dari guild yang besar, puluhan siswa kuat di sekelilingnya, dan pengaruh yang mencakup sebagian besar bagian akademi.<br><br>Di sisi lain, Lian hanya berada di Level 23... setidaknya itulah yang bisa dilihat oleh semua orang.<br><br>Saat yang sangat singkat berupa keterkejutan melintasi mata Rodrick; ia mungkin sudah mendengar tentang kembalinya Lian, tetapi mendengar berita berbeda dari melihat seseorang yang lebih ia sukai untuk mati.<br><br>Matanya bergerak sangat singkat ke bawah dari wajah Lian dan jelas bahwa tubuhnya telah berubah, tetapi hal yang penting di atas kertas adalah Level 23 miliknya, dan ini memberi Rodrick kepercayaan diri palsu.<br><br>Kemudian sudut bibirnya perlahan naik dan ia memberikan senyuman yang sangat tipis yang berada di antara rasa geli dan penghinaan.<br><br>Seolah-olah ketidakhadiran Lian selama sembilan bulan telah memutuskan hasilnya dan ia benar-benar yakin bahwa dirinya akan menang.<br><br>Pemuda Vorhelm itu menatapnya selama beberapa detik, tetapi tidak ada emosi di matanya kecuali ketenangan yang begitu dalam seperti lautan, dan ia hanya bersandar sedikit lebih jauh ke sandaran kursinya.<br><br>Reaksi ini, atau lebih tepatnya ketiadaan reaksi, membuat senyuman Rodrick menjadi sedikit lebih kaku selama sepersekian detik.<br><br>Lian hanya memiliki satu pikiran di dalam benaknya: bajingan ini masih memiliki wajah yang menyebalkan itu.<br><br>Pada saat itu, semua lampu di sekitar panggung utama menyala, suara percakapan di aula menjadi senyap, dan suara kuat Kepala Sekolah bergaung ke seluruh area.<br><br>"Para siswa."<br><br>Semua mata beralih ke arah panggung, dan Kepala Sekolah memandang ke arah kerumunan selama beberapa detik.<br><br>Seorang pria yang tampak berusia sekitar enam puluh tahun, dengan rambut putih tertata rapi dan wajah tanpa rambut wajah, mengenakan setelan jas.<br><br>"Ujian akhir semester tahun ini dimulai dari detik ini."
Chapter 425: The Final Exam Begins
"Student Council President cannot be one of the weakest students in the academy, and I am not going to let this power structure continue like this, a student should not have to go under someone’s banner just to get missions, resources, or even find a team."
It was not like Rindo’s usual tone, but there was a seriousness in his voice that no one doubted.
For him, the matter was not only about his own position, the school year was almost over.
This was considered his final year at the academy, and after graduation, a new Student Council election would be held.
Before they entered the Special Area, Cassian was one of the main choices to replace him.
But now there was someone else, Rodrick.
In terms of level, fame, wealth, and a large network of students, he had a very big advantage, and if he decided to enter the election, he would no longer be just a minor name.
He had a real chance of winning.
From Rindo’s point of view, combining Rodrick’s unofficial power with the official authority of Student Council President could destroy the entire balance of the academy for next year.
He had no intention of allowing something like that to happen without resistance before graduation.
"I’m going too, my Evolution Quest condition was completed already." Seraphina stood up a few seconds later.
Then Selina.
Liana.
Cassian.
Ethan.
Marcus.
Each of them was in a different situation, but almost all of their Evolution Quests had reached a point during the events in the Special Area where they could complete the process that same day.
The rest was over, only a few days had passed since they escaped from a disaster, but the world had not stopped for them.
If they did not want to end up at the bottom of the ranking in front of the entire academy tomorrow, they had to start moving again.
Less than a minute later, the large table was almost empty.
Only Lian and Kain remained, and the latter watched the others leave for a few seconds before turning toward the former.
"Do you think we have a way to crush Rodrick’s face into the ground tomorrow? Because right now, they do not seem able to help much."
"You were the one who said yesterday that I should not get into a conflict with Rodrick." The young Vorhelm gave him a meaningful look.
Kain was silent for a moment.
"Well... things have changed and it is not just my problem, if the people who were the strongest students in the academy nine months ago get defeated in front of everyone tomorrow, the last thing left of the Student Council’s and your group’s former influence will also disappear."
"Then this place will really no longer be called the National Academy, it will become Rodrick’s Academy." He gave a bitter smile.
"Don’t worry." Lian looked at him for a few moments and then said very calmly.
"Does that mean you have a plan?" Kain raised an eyebrow.
"No. There is no need." He picked up his cup and drank the last sip of his drink.
He said it so calmly and confidently that his friend did not even know what to say for a few seconds.
The rest of the day passed quickly.
Rindo and several others spent almost all their time inside the academy’s special rooms that had been built for completing the Evolution.
By night, a large part of the group had completed their First Evolution.
The academy also became busier hour by hour.
Students who had been active for months in Base #3, remote areas, and other areas of the Ruined Realm returned one after another.
Almost all the important names of the academy were gathered in one place again.
And the next morning, the day of the test arrived.
The final-term test for Awakened students was nothing like a normal exam.
The score was important, but it was only a small part of what the test result decided.
The official rank of every student for the next year would be updated based on this test.
Access to some important missions, priority for using resources and training areas, position in exploration teams, and even the ability to choose certain teachers directly depended on the student’s performance.
And more importantly, people outside the academy were watching.
Unions, families, the Awakened Association, guilds, military organizations, and even the government and federation.
For many students, an excellent performance in the final-term test could create the first professional contract of their lives.
A guild might pay for their future Evolution, a family might become their sponsor, or a powerful teacher might accept them as a student.
This test was the showcase of the country’s next generation of Awakened.
This was even more important for the third-year students, who were already in the final days of their time at the academy.
And this year, there was much more attention on it than usual, the current generation had been known as an unusual generation from the very beginning of the year.
This generation had appeared at the same time as the opening of a new Ruined Realm, and then famous geniuses such as Rodrick, Kain, and Lian Vorhelm were among the young people in the academy.
And now, the return of those who had been lost in the Special Area for nine months.
Everyone wanted to know who was really standing at the top of this generation.
The academy’s main hall was almost completely full.
Thousands of seats were placed in several sections, and huge floating screens were ready above the hall to display the test results.
The teachers were sitting in their own section.
Several officials from the National Awakened Center were present on the upper floor, and representatives of different guilds and families could also be seen in the special seats.
The first-year students filled the central section of the hall, and in one of the front rows, Lian was sitting completely comfortably.
There was no sign of nervousness on his face, and not even clear excitement, he was sitting as if he owned the hall.
His body was against the back of the chair and one of his legs was slightly forward, as if he had come to watch other people’s test, not take part in one of the most important evaluations of the year.
World-Devourer Bastion was inside his storage space.
There was no reason to reveal one of his biggest cards from the beginning.
But even without the armor, many eyes were on him and whispers came from the rows around him.
"Is that him? Lian Vorhelm?" one of the students asked quietly.
"I thought he was dead." another person answered.
"They say he is barely above Level 20."
"What? Are you serious?"
"He is nine months behind, what did you expect his level to be?"
Lian could hear almost all of them and none of it mattered to him, his calmness was not a show of pride, he did not even need to try to look confident.
Several hundred students whispering about his level really could not raise his heartbeat even a little.
Rindo was sitting several rows ahead with the members of the Student Council.
He had completed his First Evolution the night before.
Seraphina had also managed to use the condition she completed in the Special Area and complete her First Evolution.
Cassian had also managed to finish his own process.
Everyone was ready, or at least they had done the best they could in one day.
The sound of conversations in the hall was still loud when the large entrance doors suddenly opened.
At first, only a few people turned their heads, then more people looked, and the whispers became quieter.
"Well, he finally came." Kain whispered quietly.
Rodrick entered the hall, unlike what might be expected at first, he entered completely normally, but apparently he no longer needed to do things like that.
His presence alone was enough.
His body was more trained than nine months ago, and the proud teenager Lian remembered had been replaced by a much stronger confidence.
Mana was flowing through his body in a very controlled way, not enough to be released for show, but it could still clearly be felt.
He had become stronger, really strong, and Elena was walking beside him, she had changed too.
Her hair was neater and her appearance had become more mature, and the way she moved was also full of confidence,
There was a kind of satisfaction in her eyes, as if seeing the shock of others toward herself and her boyfriend filled her with satisfaction.
That was right! Everyone should be shocked when they saw her and her partner, or at least those were her thoughts.
Behind them, Darren and several main members of Rodrick’s group were walking.
The students in their path unconsciously made some space.
Seeing this scene, Lian finally saw with his own eyes everything Kain had said about Rodrick’s influence.
But at that moment, Elena’s eyes moved between the rows and stopped on him, for a fraction of a second, her steps became slower.
Only by such a small amount that perhaps no one else would notice, but Lian did.
The girl’s eyes opened slightly wider for a moment, the man whose death had been possible nine months ago was sitting there.
Completely healthy and without injuries, and stranger than everything else, he did not even seem to consider their return an important event.
Signs of shock, anger, disbelief, and dissatisfaction appeared in her eyes, although her expression was quickly controlled,
But it was enough, and Rodrick also noticed the direction of her gaze, he turned his head and then his eyes reached the young Vorhelm.
For several seconds, there was no one between the two.
At least, that was how it felt.
Nine months ago, Rodrick was one of the most famous students among the new students.
A four-star class, a powerful family, guild offers.
And Lian?
A student with a failed Awakening whom many people even mocked for being present, and who had been exiled from his family.
Now Rodrick was close to Level 39 with the support of a large guild, dozens of powerful students around him, and an influence that covered a large part of the academy.
On the other side, Lian was only Level 23 ...at least that was what everyone could see.
A very short moment of surprise passed through Rodrick’s eyes, he had probably already heard about Lian’s return, but hearing news was different from seeing someone he preferred to be dead.
His eyes moved very briefly down from Lian’s face and it was clear that his body had changed, but the thing that mattered on paper was his Level 23, and this gave Rodrick a false confidence.
Then the corner of his lips slowly rose and he gave a very small smile that was somewhere between amusement and contempt.
As if Lian’s nine months of absence had already decided the result and he was completely sure that he would win.
The young Vorhelm looked at him for a few seconds, but there was no emotion in his eyes except that deep calm as deep as the sea, and he only leaned a little more against the back of his chair.
This reaction, or rather the lack of a reaction, made Rodrick’s smile become a little stiffer for a fraction of a second.
Lian only had one thought in his mind, this bastard still has the same annoying face.
At that moment, all the lights around the central stage turned on, the sound of conversations in the hall became quiet, and the powerful voice of the Academy Principal spread through the entire area.
"Students."
All eyes turned toward the stage, and the Academy Principal looked over the crowd for a few seconds.
A man who looked to be in his sixties, with neatly styled white hair and a face without any facial hair, wearing a suit.
"This year’s final-term tests begin from this moment."
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