Chapter 405:Finished.

Chapter 405: 405:Finished.

Everyone turned the moment the lights deemed. The same officer who had addressed them throughout the examination stepped onto the platform.

Behind him, the screen showed one number.

2,037

The officer looked across the room.

"Two days ago, two thousand and thirty-seven candidates entered the Alpha Three Academy general admission examination."

The number changed.

503

"Five hundred and three reached the final phase."

Antony swallowed.

The officer continued.

"The academy’s general-entry intake for this year is one hundred and thirty - six."

The number changed again.

136

A ripple moved through the hall.

Antony stared in disbelief.

One hundred thirty-six, out of more than two thousand.

The officer continued.

"Your final result was not determined by a single examination. We reviewed your individual control, combat judgment, resource management, adaptability, squad performance, decision-making and interview."

Antony’s fingers tightened.

"Candidates who were not selected will receive full performance evaluations. Failure today does not prevent future Contractor advancement, military application or application to another academy."

The screen went dark.

"Selected candidates will now be displayed."

Names appeared.

Antony searched too quickly but couldn’t find himself. His heart began pounding.

"Where..."

Rebecca was searching too. Gareth remained strangely calm. Mira stood on her toes. Leon just stood there, staring at the board.

Names moved in succession, then Antony saw it.

BRAILLE, ANTONY - CANDIDATE 1472 - ACCEPTED

He stopped breathing. For a second, the noise around him disappeared, then Rebecca grabbed his arm.

"You’re there."

"I know."

"You passed."

"I know."

"You look shocked."

"I know!"

She laughed.

Antony immediately searched again.

VALE, REBECCA - ACCEPTED

He pointed.

"You too!"

Rebecca’s eyes widened, then she smiled, a genuine smile this time.

Antony kept searching.

HOLLER, GARETH - ACCEPTED

Gareth exhaled.

The confidence finally cracked.

"Thank God."

Antony stared at him.

"I thought you said they weren’t rejecting you."

Gareth looked over.

"I was motivating myself."

"That was fear disguised as arrogance!" He pointed it out almost incredulously.

"It worked."

They searched again.

HARROW, LEON - ACCEPTED

Leon smiled quietly.

Four.

Antony’s happiness suddenly faded.

Mira hadn’t spoken.

She was staring at the screen.

Antony searched.

Names.

V.

Voss.

Nothing.

His stomach dropped. Then the screen shifted to the next column.

VOSS, MIRA - ACCEPTED

Antony shouted before thinking.

"ALL FIVE!"

Half the hall looked toward him.

An officer near the wall immediately snapped, "Candidate Braille, shut up."

Antony lowered his voice.

"Sorry, sir."

Mira covered her mouth, her eyes had gone wet. Rebecca hugged her while Mira laughed into her shoulder.

"I thought I failed."

Gareth smiled.

"You didn’t."

"My Soul Capacity is nine."

Antony immediately pointed at her.

"Don’t start doing that after everything we’ve just been through."

Mira looked at him.

He continued.

"Two days ago, everyone cared about numbers. Now look." He pointed toward the screen. "You’re in."

Mira wiped her eyes.

"That was almost inspiring."

"Almost?"

"You just had to ruined it by pointing."

Antony laughed.

The officer allowed the celebration for less than a minute, then he raised his hand.

The hall became quiet.

"Congratulations."

That single word felt different from anything the academy had said for two days.

"You are now members of Alpha Three Academy’s incoming first-year class."

Antony looked down at his candidate card.

The display changed.

CANDIDATE 1472

Then disappeared.

A new designation appeared.

STUDENT - FIRST YEAR

He smiled.

The officer continued.

"General-entry students will receive academy uniforms and identification badges immediately after dismissal from this hall. You will then proceed to Main Orientation Hall One."

Antony’s eyebrows rose.

Orientation.

Today.

Of course. ℴ

"You will be joining students admitted through direct-entry programs, sponsored military pathways and special admissions."

Antony thought immediately of Ravenna.

Finally, he could find out what had happened. Maybe Mallory would miraculously be there too. Maybe Shawn had news.

His excitement dimmed when he thought about Silver.

He still didn’t know.

The officer continued.

"Orientation begins in one hour."

Antony whispered, "one hour?"

Rebecca heard.

"At least they’re letting us change," she whispered.

"That’s the nicest thing they’ve done."

The officer’s gaze swept across them.

"You will receive information regarding academy regulations, first-year structure, disciplinary procedures, combat education, specialization placement and unit organization."

Antony listened more carefully.

"Your entrance examination is over."

A collective breath moved through the hall.

"But your evaluation as students begins the moment you put on the academy uniform."

That sounded much more like Alpha Three.

Antony smiled.

An fouty five minutes later, he stood in front of a mirror wearing brown and green uniforms.the academy insignia sat against his chest.

Beneath it:

FIRST YEAR

Antony adjusted his collar.

Gareth appeared behind him.

"You’ve been staring at yourself for two minutes."

"I look good."

"You look exactly like everyone else."

"Not everyone has my face."

Gareth walked away.

Antony followed.

Rebecca, Mira and Leon were waiting outside. All five looked different in uniform, less like random candidates, more like students.

Antony smiled.

"Squad Seventeen."

Rebecca shook her head.

"The squad examination is finished."

"So?"

"So we’re probably not staying together," she replied.

Antony looked offended.

"You can’t get rid of me that easily."

Mira laughed.

"Unfortunately, he’s probably right."

They followed the flow of new students across the academy.

For the first time, nobody called them candidates. Academy students passed them without much interest. Training fields stretched across the grounds.

Groups in older-year uniforms moved between buildings. Some carried weapons. Others wore field equipment. Antony spotted one group marching toward a transport area under the supervision of an instructor.

The military nature of the academy was much clearer from inside. It was not oppressive, just ever-present through ranks, schedules, unit boards, training sectors and weapons carried as casually as textbooks.

They reached Main Orientation Hall One.

Hundreds of students were already entering: general entry mixed with direct admissions.

Antony walked through the doors with Gareth and the others. He was halfway down the aisle when he stopped. Someone behind him nearly walked into his back.

"Move."

Antony didn’t.

His eyes were fixed several rows ahead. A distinctive white hair.

Ravenna.

She was sitting there completely unbothered.

Antony’s expression immediately brightened, then he saw the person beside her.

Black hair with a familiar profile, sitting comfortably in an academy uniform as though he hadn’t spent nearly a week missing.

He stopped breathing. He saw Ravenna turn to look at his direction before leaning in and whispering something to him.

Silver turned his head at that moment and their eyes met.