Chapter 74: New Start (II)

Those who remained were undoubtedly the elites among the elites.

A casual glance was enough to reveal another obvious characteristic.

Most of the admitted students came from extremely wealthy families.

Their clothes, equipment, accessories, and even the aura surrounding them betrayed their backgrounds.

They had clearly been provided with enormous amounts of resources from a young age.

Jackson’s eyes swept across the crowd.

Then he noticed something unusual.

There were only around a dozen students who looked ordinary.

Their clothes were simple.

They lacked expensive equipment and extravagant accessories.

Compared with the wealthy students surrounding them, they stood out almost immediately.

Interestingly, all of these ordinary-looking Awakened had gathered together in one corner.

They didn’t appear particularly comfortable.

Their gazes constantly moved across the surroundings, observing the other students with a mixture of caution and wariness.

Jackson could understand their behavior.

They had probably come from backgrounds similar to his own.

In a place filled with heirs of powerful families, anyone without a strong background would naturally be cautious.

Just as Jackson was observing them, a familiar voice came from nearby.

"Damn, you hid yourself deeply..."

Jackson turned his head.

Jonathan was walking toward him.

The confident smile that had been present on his face earlier had completely disappeared.

Instead, his expression was stiff, as though he was still trying to process what he had witnessed.

Jonathan reached Jackson and lightly punched him on the shoulder.

"You really surprised me."

Jackson looked at him for a moment before remaining silent.

It seemed that Jonathan had suddenly become much more familiar with him.

Jackson wasn’t quite sure how he was supposed to respond.

Jonathan, however, didn’t seem bothered by his silence.

He simply stood beside him, looking toward the academy grounds.

Meanwhile, Jackson could feel numerous gazes falling upon him.

One after another, the newly admitted students glanced in his direction.

Some whispered among themselves.

Others openly stared.

Their expressions were complicated.

There was jealousy in some eyes.

Anger in others. Suspicion. Curiosity.

But above all else, there was shock.

Five thousand kilograms.

That single number had been enough to completely change the way everyone viewed him.

Just a few minutes ago, Jackson had been another anonymous student standing somewhere in the crowd.

Now, nearly everyone who had witnessed the test knew his name.

And Jackson had a feeling that this was only the beginning.

Professor Niom cleared his throat, immediately drawing the attention of the newly admitted students.

The chatter gradually faded.

Hundreds of young Awakened turned toward him, waiting to hear what came next.

"First, I would like to congratulate all of you who have successfully made it into Golden Radiance Academy."

Professor Niom paused for a moment before his expression changed.

"But don’t get too full of yourselves just yet."

The easygoing appearance he had maintained during the admission process slowly disappeared.

His back straightened, his eyes became sharper, and the relaxed teacher from earlier was replaced by a stern instructor.

"This is only the beginning of your journey."

The atmosphere around the students subtly changed.

Professor Niom continued.

"Let me remind you of the rules of Golden Radiance Academy. The academy’s resources are not meant to be handed out to freeloaders."

His gaze swept across the crowd.

"Every month, before the month ends, there will be an examination."

"Anyone who fails to meet the required criteria will be severely punished."

The words immediately caused several students to exchange uneasy glances.

Some had entered the academy believing that admission itself was the difficult part.

Apparently, they had been mistaken.

Professor Niom’s gaze eventually settled on the group of students who looked somewhat ordinary compared with the wealthy heirs surrounding them.

Many of those students were still nervous.

Their clothes were simple, and their expressions lacked the confidence displayed by the children of powerful families.

Professor Niom’s tone softened slightly.

"And let me say this to those of you who are afraid and don’t want to shine too brightly."

"Don’t make that mistake."

His voice carried through the square.

"Show us your potential."

"Show the academy that it can invest in you fully."

Those words had an immediate effect.

The nervous expressions on several students’ faces gradually relaxed.

Some straightened their backs.

Others clenched their fists.

A faint spark appeared in their eyes.

They had been worried that their lack of background would place them at a disadvantage.

Professor Niom’s words reminded them that the academy cared about potential above everything else.

Jackson listened silently.

Yet those words also stirred something within him.

Show us your potential.

His original plan had been simple.

Keep a low profile.

Observe the academy.

Understand its rules.

Then decide how much of his strength he should reveal.

But the academy’s system seemed to work differently from what he had expected.

Here, hiding too much could be just as dangerous as revealing too much.

If the academy’s resources were truly distributed according to potential, remaining completely ordinary might mean giving up opportunities that could accelerate his cultivation.

Jackson narrowed his eyes slightly.

He would have to reconsider his strategy.

Beside him, Jonathan spoke again.

"Golden Radiance Academy, along with the other top academies of humanity, has a very effective method of nurturing talent."

Jackson glanced toward him.

Jonathan continued.

"Here, competition for resources is extremely intense. If you don’t show enough potential, the academy might not even give you a single resource."

He smiled faintly.

"But if you show enough potential..."

His eyes swept across the magnificent academy buildings in the distance.

"The academy’s entire treasury will be open for you to use."

Jackson’s eyes flickered.

That was quite the promise.

Of course, he understood that Jonathan was probably exaggerating to some extent.

But even if only a portion of those words were true, Golden Radiance Academy’s resources were clearly far beyond what an ordinary family could provide.

For someone like Jackson, who wanted to advance as quickly as possible, this was extremely important.

Professor Niom continued explaining several more rules.

Students were warned about academy regulations, monthly examinations, resource allocation, and the consequences of violating the academy’s rules.

Once he finished, he gave the students one final look before turning around.

"I’ve said everything that needs to be said."

With that, Professor Niom left.

The moment he disappeared from sight, the atmosphere among the students immediately changed.

The crowd began dispersing.

One group hurried toward the academy buildings.

Another began discussing their plans.

Some students were already moving with obvious urgency, as though they had somewhere important to be.

Jackson watched them leave with a hint of confusion.

What’s going on?

He hadn’t even figured out where he was supposed to go yet.

Just as he was wondering why everyone seemed to be in such a hurry, Jonathan’s voice came from beside him.

"Why are you still standing here?"

Jackson turned his head.

Jonathan looked at him as though he had just witnessed something unbelievable.

"Don’t tell me you want to live in a tent."