CHAPTER 316: RESULTS

Merlin took a long, slow breath.

The battles were done.

But something about that final simulation...

It was wrong. Different. Not part of the original novel.

And not part of the academy’s usual structure.

A chill ran up his spine.

’Someone modified the system...’

The simulated chamber vanished completely, dissolving into light that gradually reformed into the wide, polished marble floor of the academy’s main testing hall.

The abrupt shift from battle-tension silence to open space and bright lamps left everyone slightly dazed. Students were slumped over or panting, each slowly realizing the fight was over.

Merlin found himself standing in the center of his group, still catching his breath as adrenaline faded. Elara steadied herself beside him, brushing dust from her uniform but otherwise composed. Nathan plopped down into a sitting position, coughing out a laugh that sounded half-alive, half-traumatized.

"Okay," Nathan muttered, massaging his temples. "So... early year exams are now officially evil."

Ethan, sprawled dramatically on the floor, raised one hand. "I vote we burn that simulation room."

Liliana jabbed him with her foot. "It was an illusion, genius."

"THEN I’LL BURN THE WHOLE CONCEPT!"

Seraphina ignored them all, straightening her collar and adjusting her gloves until she looked like she hadn’t just been battling ink-monsters from hell. Dorian, more composed but equally exhausted, simply leaned against a pillar. Even Adrian—who usually came out of every trial looking like he’d had fun—looked impressed and a little shaken.

Instructors from multiple departments were watching from elevated seats, whispering among themselves. Some scribbled notes; others exchanged confused expressions, clearly unsure why the simulation had escalated so aggressively. Morgana, arms folded, stared down with her usual stone-cold expression, but Merlin noticed the way her brows furrowed with a hint of concern.

Before anyone could speak, a projection shimmered into view above the hall. The academy seal turned once, then expanded outward as notifications appeared.

"SECOND-YEAR EARLY EXAM — PRACTICAL COMPLETE.""Results Calculated for Group C-12."

Everyone held their breath.

Numbers appeared in quick succession, ranking each category: danger response, teamwork, adaptability, critical thinking, mana efficiency, and endurance. Merlin skimmed them immediately—his eyesight enhanced by Wind and Lightning perception, giving him a slight unfair advantage.

They scored absurdly high.

Almost unfairly high.

No... genuinely unfairly high.

Nathan blinked several times. "Is that... us?"

Liliana squeaked. "We beat Group A-1?! The honor class? Seriously?!"

Ethan sat up abruptly. "This has to be a bug."

Seraphina crossed her arms, chin lifted. "It’s not. We performed exceptionally well." She paused, then reluctantly added, "Mostly thanks to Merlin."

Elara nodded quietly beside him. "You held the formation together. Without your call on the mana pattern, those shadow constructs would’ve kept adapting."

Merlin shook his head. "You all reacted fast. I just noticed the connection first."

Adrian dropped his axe with a heavy thud. "Brother, take the compliment."

Dorian gave a small snort. "He’s uncomfortable with praise. It’s predictable."

"I AM NOT—" Merlin began defensively, then sighed as the group laughed.

The scoreboard continued updating until the final result appeared:

Group C-12 — Overall Rank: #1 (Second Years)All Members Passed. Advancement Secured.

A wave of whispers spread across the hall from the other students and observing faculty. Some sounded impressed. Others... confused. A few definitely jealous.

Nathan leaned over to Merlin and whispered, "People already think you’re terrifying. This isn’t going to help that reputation."

Merlin smothered a laugh. "It’s not a reputation, it’s misunderstanding."

"Tell that to the first-years who think you can blow up the moon."

"That was one isolated spar!"

"It was last week!"

Before Merlin could craft a counterargument, Morgana descended from the instructor balcony with her usual silent, predatory grace. The group straightened at once.

Her boots clicked sharply against the marble floor as she approached the team.

"You did well," she said simply.

Nathan beamed, but Morgana raised a hand before any of them could bask in the praise.

"However," she continued, expression hardening, "that final simulation sequence was—unexpected."

The room went quiet.

"This academy does not use ’Shadow Construct Cores’ in any of our exam modules. They are forbidden-tier simulations. The core model you encountered hasn’t been activated in over thirty years."

Merlin felt something heavy settle in his stomach.

Morgana looked between them, gaze lingering very briefly on him and Nathan—the two multi-affinity users.

"That simulation did not generate itself. Someone tampered with the system."

Ethan swallowed. "So someone tried to kill us?"

"No," Morgana said. "Not kill. Test."

The room suddenly felt colder.

Dorian muttered under his breath, "That’s somehow worse."

Seraphina frowned. "Instructor Morgana, do you know who might have done it?"

Morgana’s eyes slid to the corner of the room where several higher-ranking faculty—the ones who rarely showed up—were gathered. The kind with access to restricted systems.

"That," Morgana said, "is under investigation. You will all remain silent about the anomaly. Do not discuss it with other students. Do not speculate. Understood?"

Everyone nodded, though unease rippled through the group.

Merlin felt Elara standing very close beside him, tension radiating through her shoulders. She sensed something off, but she couldn’t know what Merlin knew: this wasn’t in the novel. This wasn’t supposed to happen at all.

And that meant someone in the academy was rewriting events.

As Morgana turned to leave, she paused and added:

"Rest for the remainder of the day. Results will be formally posted tomorrow. And Merlin—"

He stiffened slightly. "Yes?"

"You’ll report to my office at dawn."

He blinked. "...May I ask why?"

"No," she said, and she walked away without explanation.

Nathan gave Merlin a sympathetic pat on the back. "Good luck, buddy."

Elara frowned softly at him. "I’ll walk with you tomorrow."

Merlin shook his head. "You don’t need to—"

"I want to."

He couldn’t refuse her when she said it like that.

The group slowly made their way out of the hall, each processing the battle and the bizarre anomaly in their own way. Merlin lingered a moment longer, gazing up at the projection that still floated shimmering above the room.

The results were excellent.

But the message beneath them was clear.

Someone was testing them—and not in the way the academy intended.

The arc had just begun.