A month has passed since Lucian ventured into the dungeon, and his experiences have been quite tumultuous. On his first day, he struggled to defeat a group of goblins, but by the second day, his ability to adapt and grow was impressive. By the end of the first week, he managed to overcome several goblins.
His daily routine consisted of hunting, training, eating, and sleeping.
By the following week, he had progressed to F rank and was dominating the goblins, although this didn't contribute much to his continued growth. Seeking new challenges, he targeted Starbats, which were easy to spot thanks to their gleaming wings.
During his initial attempts to hunt the Starbats, he faced difficulties because of their speed. However, his rapid growth allowed him to become even stronger.
After a month in the Star Dungeon and having completed his registration with the Monster Association, he arrived at Astro Academy for the examination.
...
"It's amusing to see the old man's shocked expression at my growth, haha." Indeed, the old man was taken aback by Lucian's remarkable development, initially suspecting that he might be using an artifact to conceal his true rank.
'Status'
**Status:**
- Name: Lucian Starlight
- Race: Human/Starborn
- Class: Starlight Swordsman
- Rank: D
- STR: E+
- AGI: D
- MANA: C+
- Affinity: Stars, Moon, Light
- Talent: 12 Stars
His rank had jumped from G rank to D rank, surprising him as he thought he would only reach E rank, not D. That was the same rank as both main characters in the entrance exam.
"Wow, my stats really improved this much!" he thought, pleased but knowing he needed rest before the big day ahead.
"Hehe, the world will be shocked by my talent," he whispered to himself, anticipating sharing the spotlight with the other protagonists while the characters from the novels he'd read tended to conceal their true powers.
Lucian closed his eyes, ready to enjoy a restful night ahead of tomorrow's big event.
...
When Lucian arrived at the academy, he was struck by its immense size, large enough to accommodate 5,000 students, not counting the dorms that could house an additional 4,000.
Upon entering, he was greeted by a woman named Grace, recognizable by her attire.
"Hello! Are you here for the examination?" she asked.
"Yes," he replied.
"Please provide your information," she said as she handed him a tablet for his details.
After completing the necessary paperwork, Lucian made his way to the entrance examination, where they would assess his affinity and talent. This evaluation was conducted privately, with only the academy knowing the results until the following day when students would receive their class assignments.
Classes were categorized from S to F, with S being the highest and F the lowest. In the novels, S class typically included around 30 students, each possessing 10-star talent. The main cast usually had 11-star talent, while the two protagonists boasted 12 stars.
Once everyone's affinity and talent checks concluded, the academy announced the students could leave. The professors, having seen everything, were astounded to learn that three students would possess 12-star talents.
...
Leo transformed back to his smaller self, as he prepared to move into the academy dormitories the following day. Excited to be assigned to the S class dorm, he exclaimed, "Haha, I'm going to have a great room!"
"The other two protagonists are the only ones I'll need to watch out for; however, one of them plans to hide his abilities initially. The academy is aware of his talent, but the other will become renowned among humanity, and now I'll be among them," he reflected, noting how the protagonist in the novel he read concealed his powers initially, only to reveal them later, while the other gained fame instantly.
"The battle is tomorrow," he remarked, anticipating the day when the protagonist would gain fame across humanity, while the other would blend in as an ordinary student and would lose in the semifinals intentionally.