The air in the wide plaza buzzed with a tense, almost tangible energy.
Director Gareth Sterling's announcement of potential elimination, coupled with the non-refundable tuition clause, had sent a wave of anxiety through the hundreds of newly admitted aspirants.
Faces that had been flushed with the triumph of surviving Level 3 of the Verge were now pale with apprehension.
Ayra, her earlier enthusiasm slightly dampened by the Director's grim warning, grumbled, "Eliminated? After all that skull-cracking in the Taiji Basin?
They better not try to kick me out just because my will to fill out forms isn't S-Grade."
She flexed her S-Grade Crystal Gloves, a silent promise of resistance against any bureaucratic nonsense.
Olenna , standing beside her, offered a reassuring smile, though her own eyes held a glint of concern.
"Fear not, Ayra. The initial tests are rarely focused solely on combat prowess.
Astralis Academy values diverse talents. They seek potential in all its forms."
