Chapter 92: Into the portal

The first month-end assessment was a major event at Golden Radiance Academy.

Although the assessment primarily involved first-year students, its significance extended far beyond the newcomers. Many senior students also paid close attention to the proceedings, knowing that this was where the academy’s future geniuses would begin to distinguish themselves. A strong performance could earn a student recognition, valuable resources, and opportunities that might otherwise take years to obtain.

For the newly admitted Awakened, the assessment represented their first real opportunity to prove themselves within the academy. They had spent an entire month cultivating, learning new skills, and adapting to their newfound strength. Now, it was time to see how much they had accomplished.

The academy’s management was equally interested in the results. Among those watching closely would be Dean Maxwell himself. As the head of one of humanity’s most prestigious academies, he had a vested interest in identifying exceptional talents and determining which students deserved greater investment.

After all, the purpose of an elite academy was not merely to educate the next generation. It was to cultivate the individuals who would eventually become the pillars of humanity.

And the first month-end assessment was often where the earliest signs of future greatness emerged.

The grand training ground of Golden Radiance Academy was already crowded with students.

The enormous arena had been designed to accommodate large-scale training sessions and competitive examinations. Its reinforced floor stretched across a vast expanse, while the surrounding stands provided ample space for observers. Under the bright morning sky, groups of young Awakened gathered across the training ground, forming clusters of two or three as they discussed the upcoming assessment.

Some spoke confidently about their progress, while others listened quietly, unwilling to reveal too much about their abilities before the competition began. A few students could barely conceal their excitement, their gazes repeatedly drifting toward the instructors overseeing the event.

Yet, despite the apparent liveliness of the gathering, the first-year students were far from united.

From a sufficiently high vantage point, the division between them would have been immediately apparent.

On one side stood the students who possessed Six Resonance Talent. They were among the most gifted individuals admitted to Golden Radiance Academy, having demonstrated exceptional potential during their initial evaluations. Their talent gave them access to cultivation opportunities and resources that ordinary Awakened could scarcely imagine.

On the other side stood a group of students whose greatest advantage was their raw strength.

Most of them had entered the academy at Peak First Sequence. After a month of intensive cultivation and access to the academy’s resources, they had finally broken through their previous limits and advanced to Early Second Sequence.

Their auras were still somewhat unstable, revealing that their breakthroughs had occurred relatively recently. Nevertheless, the difference in their strength was undeniable. Compared with their condition a month earlier, these students had undergone a substantial transformation.

They had worked hard for their progress, enduring the difficulties of cultivation and taking full advantage of the opportunities available to them.

Unfortunately, not everyone regarded their achievements with admiration.

Whenever the students possessing Six Resonance Talent glanced toward these newly advanced Second Sequence Awakened, unmistakable disdain flickered in their eyes.

To them, the distinction between the two groups was obvious.

Talent determined one’s potential, and potential determined how far one could ultimately climb. In their minds, the students who possessed superior talent were destined to surpass those with inferior gifts, regardless of the temporary advantages the latter might enjoy.

A breakthrough to Early Second Sequence was certainly worth acknowledging, but it was hardly enough to change their opinion.

After all, cultivation was a long journey. One month’s progress meant very little when measured against the years that lay ahead.

At least, that was what they believed.

The teachers supervising the students noticed the division as well. They could see the contempt in some students’ expressions and the dissatisfaction simmering among others, but none of them intervened.

To the instructors, such behavior was hardly surprising.

The distinction between talent and raw strength had existed for generations. Those blessed with superior talent naturally enjoyed greater advantages, while those with inferior gifts often had to work several times as hard to achieve comparable results.

Even the teachers had grown accustomed to this hierarchy.

In their eyes, the divide was simply a reflection of reality.

Whether that reality would change was another matter entirely.

Jackson arrived at the training ground alongside Jonathan, Jackal, and the others.

The moment he entered the arena, he took a brief look around, surveying the gathering with his usual calm demeanor. He was not particularly interested in the students’ attempts to establish their positions within the academy’s social hierarchy. As far as he was concerned, the assessment would ultimately come down to results.

Still, the atmosphere was interesting enough to observe.

Angela Northwind walked beside the group, her beautiful face retaining its usual cold indifference. Her gaze passed over the gathered students without lingering on anyone in particular, as though none of them were worthy of her attention.

Given her background and talent, such an attitude was hardly unexpected.

Angela had grown up surrounded by resources and opportunities that most people could only dream of. She was accustomed to meeting talented individuals, and the ordinary displays of confidence and ambition among the first-year students were unlikely to impress her.

Compared with Angela, Jackal appeared far more relaxed.

He chatted with the other two young men as they walked, occasionally making a remark that drew a response from one of his companions. His relationship with them had improved considerably over the past month. The initial awkwardness between the group had gradually faded, replaced by a more comfortable familiarity.

Jackson paid little attention to their conversation, instead examining the training ground and the students gathered across it.

That was when Jackal’s voice reached his ears.

"I heard the academy plans to introduce something new this year to determine the true rankings."

Jackson turned his head slightly.

Jonathan, who had been listening to the conversation, immediately frowned.

"That’s not possible. The month-end assessment has followed the same pattern for years. They won’t change it out of nowhere."

His response was confident, almost dismissive. The assessment was an established tradition at Golden Radiance Academy, and changing its format without warning seemed unlikely to him.

As he spoke, Jonathan glanced toward Angela, apparently expecting her reaction to settle the matter.

However, her expression remained unchanged.

She continued walking with the same cold indifference, showing neither surprise nor interest in Jackal’s claim.

Jonathan interpreted her silence as a sign that the rumor was probably unfounded.

After all, if someone like Angela had heard about a major change to the assessment, surely she would have shown some reaction.

Jackson, on the other hand, was more interested in Jackal’s claim.

Although he had not known the young man for very long, Jackal did not strike him as someone who would casually invent a rumor of this magnitude. There had to be some reason he had brought it up, especially with the assessment about to begin.

Jackson looked at him expectantly.

Jackal responded with a knowing smile, as though he had anticipated that someone would question his statement.

Rather than immediately explaining himself, he raised his hand and pointed toward the two distinct groups of students gathered across the training ground.

"See this?"