Bale's eyes lingered on several recruits who had fled or made poor decisions in the simulation. Their faces paled.

"These simulations expose something more important than your fighting ability. They expose your character. How you think. How you react. How you decide. Every recruit learned something about themselves today, whether they want to admit it or not."

He took a slow sip of his coffee, letting the silence hang.

Then...

"Now," he said, turning to face all ninety-nine recruits at once, "I will address something important."

A tension gripped the room.

"The Guild does not expect perfection. We expect progress. Most of you showed that. And the Guild will provide resources to foster your growth moving forward."

Several recruits exhaled shakily in relief.

But then Bale's voice deepened.

"However, there were those among you who distinguished themselves so thoroughly that the Guild can no longer view them as ordinary recruits."

Everyone knew the first name that came to mind.

Every eye flicked subtly, some unwillingly, toward Bruce.

His presence was silent but crushing.

Even without releasing aura, he felt like a walking calamity.

Bale continued, "The Guild will offer special resources, mentorships, and opportunities to the individuals who performed with excellence during the two stages of the trial. Their futures will be drastically different from the rest."

Silence.

Cold, heavy, suffocating.

Bale took one final sip of his coffee and let the cup lower slowly, deliberately, as if marking a moment in history.

"Now then..." he said, voice steady.

"It's time to announce the Top Three Recruits based on overall performance in both trials."

Every heart in the room slammed against its ribs.

Every breath hitched.

Every gaze locked forward.

Bruce remained calm.

Sophie's expression was serene.

Ozai clenched his fists, praying, bargaining, hoping.

Jean stood still, frost-light flickering faintly in her eyes.

Claire exhaled slowly, her red hair trembling with nerves.

And then

Bale took a step forward and he began, "Starting from third place…"

The silence in the pod room sharpened, taut like a drawn bowstring. Even breathing sounded too loud, too intrusive, as if exhaling might shatter the fragile tension hanging over every recruit. Bale's gaze swept across them once, slow and deliberate, before settling with the weight of judgment.

"Ozai Thorne. Total points from both trials: fifty thousand, one hundred and fifty. No casualties. Time taken: one hour and thirty minutes."

Ozai's heart jumped into his throat. For a moment, he couldn't move, couldn't even blink. Then, almost against his will, his legs carried him forward in stiff, mechanical steps. Bale extended a clenched fist, a sealed pouch resting atop his palm. Ozai accepted it with both hands, the unfamiliar weight sending a tremor up his arms. It wasn't gold. It wasn't silver. It was something far more valuable, an acknowledgement of merit he had nearly failed to earn. Next came a small bundle of smart bracelets, identical to the ones they used inside the virtual reality.

"These marks rewards for your efforts, the smart bracelet would help with communication," Bale said.

There was no reason to say all that since it was actually Ozai's family, the Thorne that invented it so Ozai was well versed with it... But out of courtesy Bale had to say it, it made Bale feel a bit weird...

Meanwhile, Ozai nodded, trying desperately to hold his expression steady, but the minute trembling in his fingers told the real story. He wasn't proud. He wasn't even relieved. He was terrified. Terrified because even after fighting with everything he had, even after clawing and bleeding to reclaim his shattered pride, he had barely scraped into third place. He stepped aside, pulse pounding in his ears as faint whispers rose through the room like wind rustling dry leaves.

"Third place…"

"Tsk… but he's Ozai. That's expected."

"At least he made it…"

"He looks like he hasn't slept in days…"

Bale lifted a single hand. Silence fell instantly, sharp, cold, absolute.

"Second place… Sophie Reign."

Every head turned at once toward the raven-haired goddess standing beside Bruce. She stepped forward with calm grace, her expression serene as moonlight.

"Total points: fifty-one thousand, one hundred and fifty. No damage taken in the first trial and no casualties in the second. Completion time: one hour and twenty minutes."

Sophie exhaled softly and bowed her head as Bale presented her reward pouch and the set of smart bracelets. Her hands were steady. Her breathing even. Her confidence unshakeable. And that composure struck the recruits as much as her numbers did.

"For real… she's insane too…"

"She beat Ozai on almost everything…"

"No damage in both trials…"

"Sigh…"

But the strangest part, the part that twisted like a blade in everyone's chest, was the gentle smile curving Bruce's lips as he watched her. Not arrogant. Not teasing. Proud. Fond. Her cheeks warmed faintly at the sight of it, and when she returned to his side, their fingers brushed in a subtle, intimate glide that sent a wave of silent agony through the room.

Then Bale inhaled deeply. Everyone knew what was coming. The air itself felt heavier as all attention shifted toward Bruce, toward the monster who had dominated both trials so utterly that even standing near him felt suffocating.

"And first place…"

The atmosphere froze. A few recruits flinched. A single drop of sweat slid down Ozai's cheek.

"Bruce Ackerman."

The name detonated through the room like a shockwave. Bale continued, his voice like distant thunder rolling across a battlefield.

"Total points from both trials: one million, seven hundred twenty-one thousand, forty-seven. A flawless performance. Zero casualties. Completion time: one hour and ten minutes. The fastest. The cleanest. The most overwhelming result ever recorded in the Adventurer Guild's history."

No one breathed. Not even Bale. It was as if the entire room had forgotten how.

"For his unrivaled performance… For reaching S-Rank merely three days after awakening… For killing an actual S-Rank beast alone… For demonstrating bypass capability against existence-level restrictions… Bruce Ackerman is hereby granted the title, The Anomaly of the Adventurer Guild."

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