Absolute Cheater - Chapter 493
Chapter 493: Averin Academy XVII
She stepped forward and drew one final arrow. The energy flowing into it was far greater than anything she’d fired so far. The air shimmered around her hands. The arrowhead glowed white, brighter than the arena lights.
She aimed not at one person, but at the very center of the Magnus formation.
If it hit, it would break their entire teamwork apart.
But Lia was already ready.
She inhaled slowly, drawing her arrow. Her aura steadied into a thin, focused line. When she released, the arrow flew faster than the eye could follow. It cut across the field in a straight, perfect path.
The two arrows collided in the middle.
A loud crack burst across the arena. Light exploded outward. The shockwave forced both teams to squint through the sudden brightness.
Nyss blinked, genuinely surprised for the first time. “Impossible…”
Lia lowered her bow calmly. “You’re not the only one with accuracy.”
Before Nyss could react, Amanda moved in from the left. Her whip snapped forward, wrapping around one Selnar fighter’s wrist and yanking her off balance. Sylens stepped in and tapped the flat of his blade against the girl’s chest—a clean knockdown. Her aura shattered.
Maxwell finished the last fighter with a swift disabling strike to the knee, followed by a push that sent him crashing to the floor.
Only Nyss remained.
She lifted her bow again, but her hand trembled slightly. Her aim wavered. Lia’s arrow was already drawn and pointed straight at her heart. Amanda angled her whip. Sylens and Maxwell advanced together. Sophia raised her shield and closed all escape routes.
Nyss stood there, breathing hard, overwhelmed on every side.
She slowly lowered her bow.
“…I concede.”
The referee sigil burst into bright blue light.
“Victory—Team Magnus!”
The arena exploded with the loudest cheers of the entire exam. The sound shook the stands. Spectators jumped to their feet. Even several guardians clapped.
Team Magnus stood together at the center of the field—dusty, sweating, bruised, but united and steady. They didn’t celebrate loudly. They simply looked at one another with silent understanding. They had fought as one, and it had carried them to the end.
Up on the guardian platform, Asher leaned against the railing. His expression was calm, but pride tugged at the edges of his smile.
“They’re ready,” he said softly. “More than ready.”
The cheers hadn’t even faded when the arena sigils shifted again, rising into the air like floating banners. They twisted once, twice, then locked into place above the dueling platform.
Top Three Teams – Entrance Trials (Combat Division):
Team Magnus
Team Selnar
Team Drevan
A wave of crowd noise rolled across the stadium—some calling the names, some shouting the rankings, some simply cheering at the spectacle they had witnessed. The top three teams descended the platform one by one, taking their places before the judges.
Team Drevan bowed stiffly, pride still intact despite their earlier defeat. Team Selnar stood silent and composed, Nyss keeping her chin lifted even after the overwhelming loss. But it was Team Magnus that drew every eye.
Maxwell’s steps were steady, Sylens walked with silent confidence, Amanda held her whip coiled at her hip, Lia moved with practiced calm, and Sophia carried her shield as if it weighed nothing. Together, they radiated something deeper than strength—control, unity, and focus.
A sharp hum echoed through the air.
The central crystal tower at the far end of the stadium blazed with gold light.
From it descended a tall man wrapped in robes of pale silver and blue, embroidered with the sigils of the Averion Academy. His aura was calm, refined, and unshakably powerful. Every guardian on the upper platforms bowed their heads slightly.
Director Avaron Lysander.
Head of the Averion Academy.
Keeper of the Stellar Vault.
His steps were slow but deliberate as he approached the top three teams. The arena fell completely silent, as if even the wind refused to interrupt.
When he stopped before them, his eyes—sharp, star-like grey—swept across every student.
“Today,” he said, his voice calm but carrying effortlessly across the entire stadium, “I saw not only the strength of individuals, but the forging of something far rarer.”
He turned his gaze to Team Magnus.
“True synergy.”
The cousins straightened unconsciously.
Director Lysander extended his hand. Three floating crystalline tokens appeared—deep violet in color, carved with the emblem of Averion’s highest division.
“The rewards for the top teams,” he continued.
“Third place—Team Drevan.”
One token descended. The Drevan siblings accepted it with a bow, pride burning in their eyes.
“Second place—Team Selnar.”
Nyss and her teammates received their crystal, bodies still tense with the lingering weight of their loss. But Nyss exhaled softly, accepting it with dignity.
Then the final token rose higher than the others, glowing brighter, its edges shimmering with faint constellations.
“And first place… Team Magnus.”
The crystal drifted forward, stopping directly before Maxwell, Sylens, Amanda, Lia, and Sophia. The moment they touched it, the violet crystal split into five fragments—one for each member. Warm light seeped into their palms, imprinting an intricate sigil on their skin.
The crowd roared again.
Director Lysander smiled faintly. “With this mark, you are granted priority access to the academy’s inner resources—training chambers, weapon forges, astral libraries, and early entry to the first-year elite division.”
He paused, then added:
“You have earned your place—not by talent alone, but by discipline… and unity.”
His words carried weight. Even the guardians looked impressed. The cousins bowed deeply.
“For now,” the director said, stepping back, “rest. Tomorrow marks the official commencement ceremony. From there, your true path begins.”
Team Magnus turned away from the stage, their new sigils still glowing on their hands. Students from the stands leaned over the rails, shouting congratulations. Some were excited. Others were shocked. A few from other noble families looked uneasy.
Maxwell chuckled. “Guess we made an entrance after all.”
Sylens rolled his shoulder. “We did what we came to do.”
“It’s only the beginning,” Lia said quietly.
Sophia nodded, tapping her shield lightly. “We move together.”
Amanda smirked. “And break whatever stands in the way.”
Up on the guardian platform, Asher exhaled slowly. The faintest spark lit his Red eyes.
His cousins—his juniors—had taken the arena by storm.
“I guess I should reward them for it” he chuckled as he looked at them celeberating and talking with other teams.