Chapter 356: Rewards for the Victorious

[Ruvian’s POV]

The host allowed the anticipation to build for several seconds before finally raising the voice-amplifying crystal.

"Beginning with tenth place, this scholar displayed a work ethic that bordered on relentless. Throughout the test, he repeatedly threw himself onto the front line of his team, serving as its vanguard regardless of the danger waiting ahead.

Despite coming from Class E, his contributions proved far more valuable than his standing might suggest. In fact, it would be no exaggeration to say that his efforts played a decisive role in dragging his squad toward their third-place finish."

A low murmur began to spread among the surrounding tables. Turning toward one side of the hall, the host extended a hand in its direction.

"At tenth place, stand proud and come forward, Scholar Griffer Noktz of Squad 71!"

Upon hearing the name, Ruvian could not help but raise his eyebrows in surprise. Griffer had been the last person he expected to hear.

A pleased grin soon tugged at the corner of his lips.

’That bastard... he really improved a lot to make it into the top ten.’

Across the hall, nearly every gaze had already shifted toward Squad 71’s table.

"Griffer Noktz? Isn’t he from Class E?"

"A Class E scholar actually made it into the top ten? What?"

"He was part of the squad that took third place, right?"

"Impossible..."

Amid the astonished murmurs, Griffer rose from his seat and calmly made his way toward the podium. His steps remained steady beneath the crushing weight of countless stares. If the attention rattled him in the slightest, his expression revealed nothing.

Once he reached the stage, an academy official presented him with a silver bracelet and an individual medal. Griffer accepted both rewards with a restrained nod before turning around and making his way back toward his seat.

His expression remained perfectly composed throughout the entire walk.

However, the tips of his ears had already burned a vivid red.

Watching everything through Ophelia’s [Clairvoyant], Ruvian nearly burst out laughing.

’Look at that bastard... trying so damn hard to act cool.’

He shook his head, unable to stop the amused grin from spreading across his face.

’Still, I have to admit... I’m impressed.’

As Griffer returned to his seat, the host accepted another silver bracelet from the official beside him. He held it up between his fingers, his smile widening.

"Before we continue, allow me to explain what our winners will find inside these bracelets. Each one already contains several Grand Prize Coins, but that is merely the beginning. More importantly, this bracelet grants you access to the Velthia Grand Shop. Simply channel a small amount of mana into it, and you will be able to browse through the available rewards yourselves."

Through Ophelia’s [Clairvoyant], Ruvian watched Griffer lower his gaze toward the bracelet resting in his hand. A translucent screen flickered into existence above it, immediately drawing the eyes of his squadmates. Even the scholars seated at the neighboring table leaned closer, unable to resist stealing a glimpse.

"All the individual points you accumulated during the test will be converted into tokens that can be spent within the shop. On top of that, you will receive additional points based on your final standing in the Individual Excellence Awards, and those points will likewise be converted into tokens. The higher your rank, the deeper your pockets will be!"

"As for what you can purchase, the selection includes weapons, armor, enchanted robes, and artifacts tailored to different combat styles. You will also find spellbooks, combat manuals, healing potions, mana recovery potions, and various elixirs meant to sharpen your training. For those interested in crafting, the shop offers rare herbs, precious ores, beast limbs, elemental crystals, and countless other materials."

The host paused as the noise across the hall began to swell.

"And that is not all. The selection also includes dimensional storage items, specialized training equipment, and passes granting access to restricted academy facilities. You may even purchase private lessons with instructors to refine a spell or technique you have been struggling to master. Whether you need stronger equipment or a way to break through your next wall, there is no shortage of options."

"You are free to spend your tokens on whichever rewards you deem worthwhile. You may hoard them for a single expensive item or divide them among several rewards better suited to your needs. Take your time and choose wisely."

Ruvian’s smile widened slightly as he listened.

This was exactly what he had been aiming for from the very beginning of the test.

Velthia Academy possessed several items capable of raising his potential cap, and he knew for a fact that some of them were buried within the bracelet’s Grand Shop.

There were several other things he wanted from it as well. He had already decided on most of them long before he ever stepped foot onto the island. All that remained was having enough tokens to claim them.

Besides, the host had conveniently left out one detail that Ruvian already knew.

If a scholar had a bounty placed on them and managed to survive the test without being eliminated, the entire bounty would also be converted into tokens for the shop.

That was precisely why he had done something as absurd as placing a bounty on his own head.

Ruvian let out a quiet sigh, the corners of his lips still curled upward.

’Though, I completely forgot to keep track of my individual points. Well, with the bounty and the award bonus piled on top of everything else, I should still have more than enough to get everything I planned for.’

After that, the ceremony continued without much delay, and one name after another was called onto the stage. Behind the host, their names slowly appeared across the large white wall in clear black runic letters.

==========

10th: Griffer Noktz (6,800Pts + 2.5K Tokens)

9th: Arlok Carnam (7,200Pts + 5K Tokens)

8th: Yerin Solder (7,500Pts + 7.5K Tokens)

7th: Julian Rozenberg (7,700Pts + 10K Tokens)

6th: Irene (7,900Pts + 12.5K Tokens)

==========

Ruvian’s eyes lingered on the names for a moment before shifting back toward the stage.

However, just as the host was about to continue toward fifth place, he suddenly stopped. Instead of accepting another bracelet from the academy official beside him, he lowered the voice-amplifying crystal for a moment.

"Now, for our remaining five scholars, there will be a slight change in how the awards are presented. From this point onward, Chancellor Ophelia Dumblelore herself has chosen to personally present the rewards to each scholar," the host smiled.

Hearing that, Ruvian’s eyes shifted toward the woman standing beside him.

Ophelia remained perfectly calm, still watching the ceremony through the spell floating before them.

His eyebrow slowly rose.

—’So, you’re going?’

Ruvian asked through telepathy.

Ophelia glanced toward him from the corner of her eye before taking another small sip from her glass.

—’Yes, I mean, technically.’

Ruvian’s eyebrow rose even higher at that answer. But before he could ask what she meant, Ophelia calmly added.

—’I mean... I already sent one of my clones there.’

—’Ah... right.’

Ruvian stared blankly at her for a second.

’Does she use her clones to handle every annoying chore she doesn’t want to deal with? So that her real body can just sit here and do whatever she wants?’

Ruvian’s lips twitched.

’How damn convenient!’

After that, one of Ophelia’s clones simply warped onto the stage. Almost everyone fell silent in reverent awe at her sudden arrival.

After that, space above the stage suddenly twisted before one of Ophelia’s clones stepped out from the distortion. Her arrival struck the hall like a silent hammer, and almost every voice died at her sudden arrival.

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[Chapter 356: Rewards for the Victorious]

Plot Points = 289,000