Path of the Unmentioned: The Missing Piece-Chapter 257: New Rankings [2]

"Alright, these are your new top 10 rankers."

Aurelia's calm voice carried through the classroom. She flicked her wrist and stepped aside, revealing a shimmering blue panel of light that expanded above the teacher's desk.

The ripple of murmurs spread instantly. Some leaned forward in disbelief, some gasped, and a few just stared blankly at the screen.

'That was... unexpected.' Kyle thought as his tired eyes followed the light screen, where names appeared one by one.

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Overall First Year Rankings

「1. Kyle Valemont 」

「2. Eleanora D'Argent 」

「3. Cedric Valtieri」

「4. Cassian Emberfall 」

「5. Serena Blackthorn 」

「6. Luna Starfrost 」

「7. Sylvie Wavecrest 」

「8. Lyra Silverwind 」

「9. Reo Dustbane 」

「10. Clara Reeves 」

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Kyle's eyes scanned the top stop spot for a few seconds longer than expected.

A quiet sigh escaped his lips.

He wasn't exactly shocked; he had expected him to be the first rank, but not the overall rankings.

He was confident he would be placed first in the practical part, but in the theory part... that was a different story.

Since overall rankings were calculated using a twenty percent theoretical exam and an eighty percent practical exam, he had assumed he'd land around second or third.

'Maybe I did better than I thought,' he mused as a faint smile formed on his lips. 'Guess I owe Aurelia and Seraphina for that.'

He still remembered the night before the exam, when Seraphina had suddenly barged into his apartment with a bunch of books flying behind her.

Then, from there, it turned into a competition between Aurelia and Seraphina to see who could teach him better.

It seems those extra lessons were worth it.

His eyes traced the ranking again.

「2. Eleanora D'Argent 」

「3. Cedric Valtieri 」

A slight chuckle escaped his lips.

'Interesting.'

He wasn't exactly shocked by Eleanora overtaking Cedric in the ranking; actually, he had expected her to be in first position. His eyes followed Eleanora, seated at the front desk.

She had improved a lot, or maybe she had always been stronger.

If they were to fight head-on, he wasn't sure he would be able to defeat her unless he went all out by using spirit mana and his other elements, and he was sure Cedric would probably say the same.

If he had to guess, it was probably because he was the one who came up with the plan to take down Anemosidon, the strongest monster in the Fractal Veil.

'That probably got me extra points.'

Feeling his gaze, Eleanora turned toward him, a genuine smile softening her features as she silently mouthed, "Congrats."

Kyle's lips curved in response, a faint chuckle escaping before he mouthed back, "Congrats on second place."

He checked the others' rankings: Cassian, Serena, Luna, Sylvie, Lyra. His eyes paused on Rank 9 at Reo's name, and a small sigh escaped his lips.

That was expected. Reo was brilliant in combat, with sharp instincts and excellent control over his spearmanship, but that guy was hopeless when it came to written exams.

Sylvie and Lyra were above him; both of them are known for their calm decision-making. The practical exams weren't just about fighting; they were also about those who thought under pressure, who could stay composed when things went wrong.

In the direct duel, Reo would probably wipe the floor with them, but practical exams weren't just a simple duel.

Kyle's gaze finally fell on the tenth place.

「10. Clara Reeves」

'So Orion fell off the list.'

He remembered Clara from the Fractal Viel, the girl who had thrown herself in front of another student to protect them before he arrived and saved them.

Her rank had been twelfth before. To see her now in the top ten said a lot.

(A/n: She was the one partnered up with Serena in the Chained Together Virtual Simulation Exam)

As he mulled over the rankings, a voice cut through his thoughts.

"Congrats on first place."

Kyle glanced at his side; Cedric wore an easy smile he always wore, but there was a challenging spark in his eyes.

"Thank—"

But before he could complete his sentence, Cedric continued.

"But don't think it'll last. I'm taking it back by the end of the semester."

For a movement, neither of them spoke. Kyle let out a small laugh.

"Right, that's how it should be."

Cedric's grin widened. "Good, it would've been boring otherwise."

Around them, others began to speak up, small congratulations, teasing comments, and some curious glances. Kyle nodded in acknowledgment but didn't say much else.

At the front of the classroom, Aurelia tapped at her mana band on her wrist.

Ting! Ting! Ting ——

The room was filled with the sounds of multiple notifications.

"I've sent each of you your detailed performance reports. That includes your individual written and practical scores, full reviews, and copies of your written exams with answer keys. Read through them carefully, especially the practical evaluations. We didn't just observe the strength, but also tested decision-making, coordination, and adaptability. Learn from your mistakes." Aurelia said in her brisk voice.

Kyle glanced down at his mana tab's screen.

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「Kyle Valemont 」

Written Exam: Rank- 29; Score- 197

Practical Exam: Rank - 1

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"Hmm."

That was higher than expected, almost two hundred out of three hundred was impressive by any standard.

As he scrolled further, he found detailed feedback on his performance, precise notes on his mana flow, combat awareness, and team coordination.

Every detail was meticulously recorded, highlighting his mistakes and explaining what he should've done differently in each situation.

'They really went all out this time. Even the written feedback looks like a research paper.'

Across the room, students whispered in low voices about the results.

"Alright, you can review the details later. For now, open your textbooks. We still have class to complete." Aurelia said.

The next hour passed quietly, with markers scratching against the whiteboard and pens gliding over the pages.

When the clock finally hit noon, Aurelia glanced at her wrist to check the time, flipped her textbook closed, and said,

"That's all for today."

A collective sigh filled the classroom.

She was just about to leave when she paused at the doorway. Her eyes swept over the class as if remembering something.

"Oh, and one more thing. You might have a field trip coming up sometime next week, maybe one after that. Details aren't finalized yet."

And just like that, she was gone, her long coat fluttering behind her.

'A trip....'

The word lingered in his mind, and his index finger was absentmindedly tapped on the desk.

Knowing his [Unpredictable Luck], it wouldn't be a simple outing.

A sigh escaped his lips as he leaned back on his chair.

"....It's never peaceful, is it?"

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