Chapter 415:Dismissed.

Chapter 415: 415:Dismissed.

The room became noticeably quieter.

"Likewise, combat strength alone does not determine leadership."

Silver felt Ravenna’s thumb slowly move across the back of his hand.

"Your initial leadership list contains twenty students."

The screen went dark, then names began appearing from the bottom.

Twenty... Nineteen... Eighteen.

Students reacted quietly whenever they recognized someone.

Silver didn’t, most were unfamiliar.

Some names came from major Contractor families he had heard mentioned before. Others apparently belonged to ordinary applicants who had simply performed extremely well.

Ravenna watched without speaking.

Ten... Nine... Eight... Seven... Six.

Then the screen stopped.

The officer looked across the hall.

"The five highest preliminary evaluations will receive priority consideration for first-year class leadership and field-team command positions."

Antony stopped joking.

Silver glanced backward.

He looked suddenly much more interested.

The screen changed.

[5 - ANTONY BRAILLE]

Antony stared as though frozen by time itself. Rebecca immediately hit his shoulder.

"You got fifth."

Antony continued staring unable to formulate a full thought.

Gareth leaned around Rebecca.

"Congratulations."

He slowly pointed at himself.

"Fifth?"

Mira laughed.

"That’s your name."

"I know that’s my name."

Rebecca grinned.

"Then why are you asking?"

He looked toward Silver who smiled.

"Not bad."

"Not bad?" Antony straightened. "Do you understand how many people started that examination?"

"Two thousand and thirty-seven."

He paused.

"How do you know that?"

"You complained about it every chance you got."

"Oh."

He laughed.

"Congratulations."

Antony’s expression softened.

"Thanks."

The screen moved.

[4 - JUDE DERO]

Silver didn’t recognize the name.

A young man several sections to their right did. He had dark brown hair cut neatly around his ears, a lean build and an expression that barely changed when his name appeared.

Silver studied him briefly.

Jude Dero.

Apparently someone worth remembering.

Antony leaned forward.

"Don’t know him."

He shook his head.

"Neither do I."

The officer allowed the murmuring to settle, then third appeared.

[3 - RAVENNA ARKLAND]

Ravenna stared at the screen.

Silver looked at her.

Her face barely changed but he felt her fingers tighten around his.

He smiled.

"Third."

She nodded.

"Third."

"You don’t sound happy."

"I am."

He followed her gaze. She was looking at the two empty spaces above her name.

He immediately understood.

"You’re wondering who’s second."

"Yes."

"Not who’s first?"

Ravenna finally looked at him.

"I assume that’s you."

He blinked.

"That’s a lot of confidence."

"In you?"

"Yes."

She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"Get used to it."

He smiled.

Several students nearby noticed but she didn’t care.

Then second place appeared.

[2 - DILLIAN VALE]

Silver’s smile faded slightly; not because he was unhappy but because it made perfect sense.

Dillian looked at the screen.

The original protagonist had always been exceptional. His performance throughout the general examination had apparently been excellent enough to compete with people who had received direct admission precisely because they were considered exceptional.

Antony leaned forward between Silver and Ravenna.

"That’s him."

He turned slightly.

"I know."

"Oh... I forgot you knew him."

Ravenna looked toward Dillian, her expression unreadable.

Silver glanced at her.

Ravenna noticed.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You’re doing the staring thing."

He smiled.

"You’re staring at second place."

"I’m studying it."

"Very aggressively."

Ravenna narrowed her eyes.

Antony laughed behind them.

"She’s competitive."

She looked back.

Antony immediately stopped laughing.

The screen changed and the final name appeared.

[1 - SILVER RUDDINGTON]

The hall erupted into murmuring.

Silver stared at his name. For perhaps the first time that evening, Ravenna looked more pleased than he did.

She turned toward him.

"I told you."

He looked at her his lips curving into a smilr.

"You sound happier about this than your own placement."

"I’m allowed to be happy for you."

"You are."

She smiled.

He squeezed her hand. She leaned closer and kissed his cheek again.

Antony groaned while looking at the both of them.

"You’re going to do this all year, aren’t you?"

He turned.

"Probably."

She nodded.

"Definitely."

Rebecca laughed.

Silver looked back at the ranking. His gaze moved downward to the top five.

The officer raised his hand and conversation stopped.

"Again, these rankings are preliminary."

He looked directly across the room.

"Do not become attached to them."

Antony whispered, "Too late."

Gareth elbowed him.

The officer continued.

"Tomorrow morning, first-year students will be assigned to their initial classes and training units. Students on the leadership list will be distributed according to ability compatibility, instructor requirements and academy needs."

The screen changed.

[INITIAL LEADERSHIP POSITIONS]

[CLASS LEADERS]

[DEPUTY CLASS LEADERS]

[FIELD TEAM LEADERS]

[SPECIALIZATION REPRESENTATIVES]

"Being ranked first does not guarantee you command of the strongest class. Being ranked twentieth does not guarantee you the lowest position."

That made sense.

"We do not build teams by stacking the strongest students together and hoping strength compensates for every weakness."

Antony quietly whispered, "There goes my plan."

Rebecca shook her head.

"Your plan was to let everyone else do the work."

"That’s efficient delegation."

The officer continued.

"Your instructors will explain the full structure tomorrow." Then his expression hardened. "Before dismissal, there is one further matter."

The screen changed and several identification numbers appeared.

Silver recognized one.

The boy with the family sword from earlier.

"Five special-admission students received disciplinary warnings during today’s evaluation."

The atmosphere changed.

The officer looked toward the relevant section.

"General-entry candidates were informed before their examination that violations of safety instructions could result in immediate disqualification."

Antony sat straighter.

"Special-admission students entered today’s evaluation with their enrollment already finalized."

Silver knew where this was going.

"That distinction is the only reason the five students displayed behind me remain enrolled tonight."

There were murmurs.

The officer didn’t soften it.

"Consider that your first and only advantage."

The boy with the family sword looked uncomfortable.

"Your next serious violation will result in expulsion... The Academy recognizes the influence of the families, organizations, research institutions and military offices responsible for recommending many students in this room."

The officer paused.

"Those recommendations may open the gate." His gaze moved across the special-admission section. "They will not carry you through your years here."

Silver appreciated the wording.

It didn’t erase the bias.

Antony had still been right.

Someone from general entry would already have been eliminated for the same violation.

These students had received one additional chance because power existed outside the academy whether anyone liked it or not.

But Alpha Three had at least made its boundary clear; one chance, then gone.

The officer dismissed them.

It was already evening when students began leaving the assembly hall.

Antony immediately joined Silver and Ravenna.

"Fifth."

Silver looked at him.

"You’ve mentioned that," he calmly said.

"I beat more than two thousand applicants," he insisted clearly unwilling to back down from his achievements.

"Most of them didn’t make Day Two," Silver drill replied.

"That strengthens my argument."

Silver just shook his head and turned his attention to Ravenna.

She smiled towards Antony.

"Congratulations, Antony."

He looked genuinely pleased.

"Thank you. Finally, someone respects greatness."

Rebecca appeared behind him.

"You nearly fell asleep during the interview waiting period," she said

"Great people need rest."

Gareth joined them.

"So do idiots."

Antony looked offended.

Silver laughed.

The seven of them walked together through the academy grounds as evening settled over Alpha Three.

Eventually Gareth, Rebecca, Mira and Leon split away toward their assigned dormitory sections.

Antony remained with the two.

He was checking the room assignment that had appeared on his identification card.

"Male Dormitory Seven. Third floor. Room three-one-four."

Silver stopped and looked at his own.

Male Dormitory Seven.

Third floor.

Room 314.

He looked toward Antony who slowly looked up.

"No."

He smiled as it slowly turned evil.

"We’re roommates."

Antony stared at the card again, then Silver’s, then back to his.

"I just survived two days of examinations to escape you."

"You voluntarily followed us across multiple checkpoints."

"That was different."

Ravenna looked amused.

"At least you’ll know someone."

Antony sighed.

"I suppose."

Silver checked the remaining names listed under the room assignment.

Four occupants.

His expression changed slightly.

ROOM 314

SILVER RUDDINGTON

DILLIAN VALE

JUDE DERO

ANTONY BRAILLE

Antony leaned over, his eyes widening.

"Oh."

Ravenna looked.

She saw Dillian’s name, then Jude.

"They really shot all of you to the deep end."

Antony pointed.

"That’s first, second, fourth and fifth."

Silver nodded.

"Apparently."

"Who thought this was a good idea?"

Ravenna looked toward him.

"The academy?"

"Then the academy has terrible judgment."

Silver laughed.

Antony looked toward Ravenna’s card.

"What room are you in?"

Ravenna pulled it slightly away.

"None of your business."

"I’m not asking for the bed number that’s Silver’s job. I mean which dormitory."

"Female Dormitory Four."

He nodded.

"Different side of campus."

Silver looked toward Ravenna.

That was unfortunate.

Ravenna seemed to have reached the same conclusion. Antony noticed both their expressions.

"Oh, don’t start."

He looked at him.

"Start what?" Silver asked.

"You’ve been holding hands for almost the entire evening."

Silver looked down.

They were.

He hadn’t really noticed anymore. Ravenna’s fingers were still intertwined with his.

She looked at Antony.

"Is that bothering you?"

"No. It’s horrifying."

She raised an eyebrow.

Antony immediately corrected himself.

"Beautiful. I meant beautiful."

Silver laughed.