Leon’s body stiffened slightly, a reaction that didn’t escape Henry’s notice. Taking advantage of the moment, Henry easily slipped free and turned to look at Leon. Following Leon’s gaze, his eyes landed on the young woman standing in front of the receptionist’s desk.

If there were only one word to describe her appearance, it would be impossible to choose between stunning and breathtaking.

Long, silky hair cascaded past her shoulders, parted by elegant curtain bangs that framed an exquisitely beautiful face. Her crystal-blue eyes shimmered with quiet confidence, while her fitted black combat uniform highlighted her graceful yet athletic figure. Standing with effortless poise, she looked less like a knight and more like someone who had stepped straight out of a dream.

’I had no time to look at her properly that night,’ Leon mused. ’But damn. She sure is a stunner.’

Before Leon could admire her any longer, Henry’s voice pulled him back to reality.

"You know her?"

"Uh...? Who?" Leon replied awkwardly.

Henry grinned. "Don’t play dumb. You know her, don’t you? So who is she? Your crush? Or maybe... your girlfriend?"

Leon let out a helpless sigh and shook his head. "You really need to stop watching those romance dramas. All it takes is one pretty girl, and your imagination goes completely off the rails." He grabbed Henry by the arm and pulled him away from the receptionist’s desk. "Come on. Let’s get done with what we’re here for."

"Hey! Where are you taking me? We need to register at the receptionist’s desk for the training rooms."

"No, we don’t," Leon replied calmly. "The assessment will take place in a single room equipped with different testing facilities. The teachers and a member of the gym staff will be there to conduct the test. We’ll just wait for everyone else to head to the designated room, then follow them."

Henry gave him a suspicious look. "Your brain’s working unusually fast today. Are you sure you don’t know her? It really feels like you’re trying to avoid her."

"Nonsense." That was the only explanation Leon gave.

Meanwhile, the young woman standing in front of the receptionist’s desk narrowed her eyes and glanced in their direction.

"This voice... Why does it sound so familiar?"

Leon and Henry moved to a corner of the hall. The other students from their class soon gathered there as well. Miss Cicimore stood with them while another male teacher headed to the receptionist’s desk to reserve a training chamber, just as Leon had explained.

Miss Cicimore stopped in front of Leon and folded her arms.

"So, Leon, you’ve suddenly become so popular that you don’t even need my guidance anymore? You used to come to me for short notes. Now you’re even skipping classes."

"It’s not like that, Miss Cicimore." Leon scratched the back of his head awkwardly. She was one of the few teachers who had continued to help him despite his poor grades and seemingly hopeless future. "I’ve just been very busy lately. You know my family’s situation."

She sighed. "I do. But that doesn’t change the fact that no one will accept it if you fail your final exams. I heard from one of the teachers that you’ve been performing much better recently. I want to see if that’s really true. I expect you to score at least sixty-five percent in every subject."

"Understood, Miss. I’ll give it my all."

Sixty-five percent wasn’t much of a target.

But for the old Leon, it would have been no different from climbing a mountain. As for the current Leon... Only the results would tell.

She nodded before asking, "What about today’s physical assessment? Are you prepared?"

"I’ll pass it, Miss Cicimore." His voice wasn’t arrogant — only calm and firm.

After all, this assessment was merely meant to determine whether students possessed the physical capability to withstand the hardships expected of an F-Class hunter.

And Leon...

He had long since surpassed that level.

Soon, the male teacher returned, accompanied by a tall man with an athletic build.

"This way, students." With that, he led everyone toward one of the training chambers.

The students quickly followed, hushed murmurs spreading through the group.

"I really hope I can pass today. That six-month training camp is a must for me. I heard they even reward outstanding performers with artifacts."

"If you’re still worried about whether you’ll pass, do you really think you’re worthy of those rewards?"

"I know." The student smiled wryly. "I’ve been training diligently ever since I awakened my ability. I’m already at the peak of F-Class, but I still struggle with spellcasting. I have the strength, but my mana control isn’t smooth enough. That’s why I’m worried. If I can get into the training camp, I’m sure my control will improve."

"You really know how to dream big." The other student chuckled. "There are six E-Class students in our section alone. Now think about the other sections... and the other colleges. There’ll be at least two hundred E-Class students competing. And you haven’t forgotten about him, have you?"

He pointed at Leon.

The conversation came to an abrupt end at that.

As everyone headed toward the training chamber, the young woman from the receptionist’s desk quietly followed behind.

"So these students are here for assessment as well." Her gaze swept across the group before settling on Leon’s back. "Let’s see what they’re capable of. And maybe... I’ll remember why that voice sounded so familiar."

Everyone entered the training chamber. It was a spacious hall equipped with various testing facilities.

At the center stood a towering monolith, clearly meant to determine each participant’s class.

Beside it was a long jumping pitch designed to measure speed and explosive power.

On the left stood a wooden dummy that looked more like a humanoid robot than an ordinary training dummy.

Near the far end of the chamber was a large circular platform. No one knew what it was used for.

Four different testing stations. Four different assessments awaited them.

Everyone stood in a semicircle pattern, looking at the teachers and the gym trainer, waiting for them to state the rules.

Some looked nervous, while some...

Eager.