Yota was happy and overjoyed, he put his hand on Ric’s shoulder and exclaimed

  “Ooh! You’re 2nd rank Ric! Come on be happy! We gotta go and brag to Ren and the others!”

  Ric was also smiling, satisfied with his result, he said

  “Haha, I expected to be 4th or 5th, but this was quite unexpected.”

  He was happy and enjoying the moment, but a thought arose in his mind,

  “But now, I will be sticking out like a sore thumb to the nobles, they will try anything to put me down to satisfy their ego.*Sigh* it was a good coincidence that I managed to meet Berlin, either he wants to or not, others will naturally think that he is my backer, which will help me avoid a lot of trouble and buy some time, until then… I need to become stronger!”

  As Rasmond warned them all, the students went silent and payed attention, seeing this, Rasmond continued.

  “Now, at number One, with a total score of 398 out of 400 we have Jin Rivious”

  The floating transponder projected the face of Jin Rivious, with the marks he gained in each of the exams, it read:

  [ Jin Rivious ]

  Time management score: 100/100

  Academics score: 100/100

  Obstacle course score: 99/100

  Loyalty score: 99/100

  Everyone was shocked, there was no one in the history of Kyrus Academy, no noble, and no commoner have ever achieved a score as close as that, it was too surprising, so much so that no one uttered a word, just stared at the screen in awe, except for Ric, his thoughts were racing.

  “What the heck?! how is he here? Why didn’t I see him in the exams? I am sure I was observing everyone! How did i not see him?”

  Interrupting his thought Yota exclaimed while looking at the screen.

  “Oh, its him, hey Ric we met him before you remember?”

  Ric looked at Yota seriously and asked

  “Hey Yota!”

  Yota was puzzled and replied

  “What?”

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Ric grabbed both of his shoulder and questioned, his face turned worrisome.

  “Tell me, did you see him during any of the exams?!”

  Yota was confused but still replied

  “Yeah, you remember when that drugged guy attacked and his arm was chopped?”

  Ric replied

  “Yeah.”

  Yota continued

  “Well, when I went to help others, he was also with me, trying to help others who vomited.”

  Ric released Yota, a drop of sweat dripping from his face. Seeing Ric so worried, Yota’s expression also turned serious as he asked

  “Ric, is something going on? Why do you look so tense?”

  Ric looked at Yota and exclaimed

  “I don’t know, but I have a bad feeling about that guy…”

  Yota was puzzled by the vague answer of Ric, but Ric continued

  “Maybe this is just me, but I still want you to beware of that guy; don’t get tangled with him if possible.”

  Yota nodded in agreement and said

  “Ok! Don’t worry.”

  As both of them were conversing, someone shouted, pointing his finger at the transponder. Halberd yelled out

  “This is not right! There is definitely something wrong with that transponder!”

  Rasmond looked at him and stated

  “Elaborate.”

  Halberd clenched his fists in anger and exclaimed out loud.

  “It's already absurd that two peasants made it into the Top 5, but there is no way that illegitimate weakling is capable of that and not me!”

  Halberd was furious, his anger pumping his face red. He remembered the times he had visited the Jin family, his thoughts racing, “That illegitimate trash cannot be stronger than me! It's impossible! I won every time we sparred. There is definitely something wrong with this exam!”

  But Rasmond ignored his words and exclaimed in a serious tone.

  “Student Halberd, you’ve got some nerve.”

  Halberd was flustered, as Rasmond released a burst of mana! Enveloping all the students in the grounds, the mana pressured the students, some of them couldn’t hold their ground and got blown away backwards.

  Along with a few others, Ric and Yota were holding on, while it troubled Yota and he was trying his best to hold on, Ric was unfazed, standing calmly and observing the situation.

  “This is quite the pressure… but I’ve faced much worse before!” he thought, remembering the moments he faced the mana burst of Chiron, the blood lust of Reinhardt, and the pressure of Berlin, with a smirk appearing on his face, he uttered

  “Getting stronger, feels good!”

  While Ric was feeling satisfied with his growth, Halberd was suffering as the main target of this pressure, he was on the ground, lying flat on his front, unable to get up due to the pressure, it felt as if being crushed by hundred bulls, his whole body was starting to give out, his vision going blurry as he saw Rasmond looking at him, his piercing gaze sent chills down Halberd’s spine, and the only thing Halberd could hear was the words Rasmond spoke, his tone serious, his voice deep and menacing

  “This result was checked and authorised by Sir Reinhardt and many other teachers, who are and will be much more qualified than an egoistic snot-nosed brat like you.”

  Rasmond walked towards Halberd, his anger fuming, the veins on his head bulging as he continued.

  “I don’t know about others…”

  He reached his hand towards Halberd and grabbed him by the hair and declared

  “But you do not possess the authority to question the Academy!”