Demons Within: I level up endlessly-Chapter 38: Ranking Reveal

The sun had set completely over the Vanguard Academy.

Huge floodlights buzzed to life around the training field, casting long shadows across the concrete.

Daniel stood at the back of the crowd. The one thousand six hundred survivors stood in loose rows.

Some were chatting quietly, boasting about the monsters they had killed. Others stood silently, staring at nothing, their eyes empty and haunted.

Daniel did not talk to anyone. He kept his hands in his pockets, fingering the hilt of his D-Grade Vibro-Knife.

Instructor Baldwin walked up the steps to the raised platform. The sound of her boots striking the metal rang out clearly in the night air.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

She stopped at the center of the stage. The lights reflected off her grey combat armor, making her look like a statue made of steel.

She did not smile.

"Attention!" her voice resonated through the speakers. The murmurs died down instantly.

The aspirants straightened their backs. Even after surviving the monsters, they still feared the Chief Instructor.

"You have eaten," Baldwin said, her voice calm but commanding. "You have rested. You have licked your wounds. Now, we look at the results."

She pressed a button on a small console in front of her. "We do not release these rankings to make you feel bad," she continued.

"We do not do it to shame the weak. We do it to show you what is possible. We do it to recognize those who understood the assignment."

A faint hum spread through the room. Behind her, a massive holographic screen came to life. It was huge, standing over the assembly.

Blue light bathed the faces of the students.

"In the Vanguard Academy, effort is good," Baldwin stated. "But results are everything."

Words began to scroll across the screen.

[Phase One Assessment Rankings (FINAL - Comprehensive)]

Daniel looked up. He felt a knot tighten in his stomach. He wanted to see where he stood.

The criteria for the ranking appeared on the screen: Personal Kills, Assisted Kills, Current Level, and Survival Score.

Then, the names appeared.

1. Sansa Valtor

(Level: 5. Score: 2450)

Kills:

1x Lvl 5 Obsidian Golem (Elite)

3x Lvl 4 Shadow Stalkers

15x Lvl 3 Venom-Spitters

6x Lvl 2 Iron-Hide Boars

A gasp rippled through the crowd. "Level 5?" someone whispered nearby. "That’s insane. And look at the kill count. Fifteen Level 3 monsters? She wiped out an entire ecosystem."

Daniel looked at the name. Sansa Valtor. He saw a girl standing near the front. She had silver hair and stood with a deadly grace. She didn’t even look excited.

2. John Draven

(Level: 4. Score: 2100)

Kills:

1x Lvl 5 Swamp Hydra (Assisted)

4x Lvl 4 Razor-Claw Bears

17x Lvl 3 Forest Wolves

John was the leader of a large team. He was a tall, broad-shouldered man who looked like he was born wearing armor.

He pumped his fist in the air, and his teammates cheered loudly.

3. Joren Blackwood

(Level: 4. Score: 1950)

Kills:

1x Lvl 5 Swamp Hydra (Assisted)

2x Lvl 4 Razor-Claw Bears

12x Lvl 3 Forest Wolves

5x Lvl 2 Crystal Spiders

Joren stood right next to John. He was John’s right hand, a ruthless fighter who did the dirty work.

4. Lyanna Cross

(Level: 4. Score: 1880)

Kills:

4x Lvl 4 Wind-Rippers

15x Lvl 2 Cave Bats

12x Lvl 2 Crystal Spiders

She was an enigmatic solo fighter.

5. Marcus Lookman

(Level: 4. Score: 1820)

Kills:

3x Lvl 4 Stone Crushers

15x Lvl 2 Armored Beetles

8x Lvl 2 Iron-Hide Boars

A brutal fighter known for using his bare hands to crush skulls.

Daniel scanned down the list. His heart hammered against his ribs. "Where am I?"

Then he saw it.

6. Daniel Rivers

(Level: 3. Score: 1750)

Kills:

1x Lvl 5 Wraithfire Fenrir (Demonized Elite)

2x Lvl 4 Ashpelt Ravagers

1x Lvl 2 Ironback Whelp

1x Lvl 1 Fangmaw Crocodilian

3x Lvl 1 Veridian Constrictors

1x Lvl 1 Glimmerfang Crawler

Number 6. Daniel stared at the number. It felt like a slap in the face. He was not number one. He was not even in the top five.

"Six," he whispered to himself. The word tasted bitter. He knew why. It wasn’t because he was weak. It was because he had been foolish.

He had spent so much time hiding his power to avoid attention. He had spent days playing the role of a weak support character to make his teammates feel useful. And he had carried Bran, the traitor, on his back like a sack of stones.

While Sansa and John were out there slaughtering monsters and grinding EXP, Daniel was playing family.

"I sabotaged myself," Daniel thought. His fists clenched at his sides. "I let my feelings get in the way of my power."

Instructor Baldwin’s voice cut through his thoughts.

"The top five aspirants, step forward," she commanded.

Sansa, John, Joren, Lyanna, and Marcus walked up the stairs to the platform.

They stood in a line, looking down at the rest of the students. They looked like gods among mortals.

"You have proven yourselves," Baldwin said. "You understood that in the Aurora Vale, hesitation is death. You took power. You did not wait for it to be given to you."

Assistant instructors walked onto the stage carrying trays. On the trays were shiny, metallic tags and heavy pouches.

"The Vanguard Academy rewards strength," Baldwin announced.

"For the first position, Sansa Valtor. You are awarded 2,000 Vanguard Coins."

The crowd roared. The sound was deafening.

2,000 coins! In the normal world, one Vanguard coin was worth a hundred regular coins.

"You are also granted full access to the Archives, access to the restricted training facilities, and a letter of recognition sent to all Allied Academies," Baldwin added.

Sansa took the pouch. A faint smile touched her lips. Baldwin clipped the award tag onto her.

"For the second position, John Draven. 1,800 Vanguard Coins and access to the Archives." John grinned and waved to his team.

"For the third position, Joren Blackwood. 1,400 Vanguard Coins."

"For fourth and fifth, 1,200 Vanguard Coins each and an award tag."

Then, Baldwin looked at a list in her hand. "For those ranked 6th to 10th," she said, her voice losing a bit of its warmth.

"You will receive 1,000 Vanguard Coins. Collect them from the bursary office later."

No special recognition. No access to the Archives. No glory. Just a participation prize.

Daniel felt a burning sensation in his chest. It was humiliation. He had an SSS-Grade talent. He had a power that defied the laws of the world. And yet, he was standing in the shadows while others stood in the light.

"It is my own fault," he told himself again.

The top five returned to their spots. The crowd was buzzing with excitement and jealousy. Everyone wanted those coins. Everyone wanted that power.

"Silence!" Baldwin shouted. The field went quiet again. The Instructor’s face hardened.

The celebration was over.

"Phase One is complete," she said. "You should be proud. You survived. But do not let it go to your head."

She paced back and forth on the stage.

"Two thousand of you went in. Four hundred died. That is a twenty percent casualty rate. In the real war, that is considered a good day."

She stopped and looked directly at the faces in the crowd. Her gaze seemed to land on Daniel for a brief second, then moved on.

"I have looked at the reports," she said. "And I will tell you the truth. Most of you survived by luck."

She pointed a finger at them. "You ran from fights you should have won. You won fights you should have lost. Your levels are low. Your stats are pathetic." Her words cut deep.

Many students looked down at their boots, ashamed.

"In this Academy," Baldwin continued, her voice rising, "we value results. We care about who is standing at the end of the day. But we also care about how you stand." She paused.

"Some of you used your teammates as bait," she said, her voice dripping with disgust. "Some of you stole from your friends. Some of you hid while others bled."

Daniel felt his blood run cold. He thought of Bran. "That is not strength," Baldwin spat. "That is cowardice. In the short term, it might keep you alive. But in the long term? It will kill you. A warrior without honor is just a wild dog."

Daniel gritted his teeth.

"However," Baldwin sighed, "results are results. You are here. You are alive."

The holographic screen behind her changed. The list of names disappeared. It was replaced by a map of a massive, floating island.

"From this moment on, things change. You will not return to the Academy after every mission. We are establishing a forward base. Platform Alpha. That will be your new home.There are repair stations.There are shops where you can spend your Vanguard Coins. There are medical bays."

She looked at the map with a serious expression.

"You have exactly seventy-two hours," Baldwin said. Use them wisely. Repair your gear. Heal your wounds. Study your mistakes."

The image on the screen changed again.

"Because in three days," Baldwin said, her voice dropping to a whisper that resonated across the silent field, "Phase Two begins.

We call it the Astral Verge."

A collective shiver ran through the crowd. The name alone sounded terrifying.

"The Aurora Vale was a nursery," Baldwin said. "The monsters there were animals. They acted on instinct. In the Astral Verge, the enemies are different. They are smarter. They are organized. And they are hungry."

She stepped closer to the edge of the platform.

"I will give you one piece of advice," she said. Her eyes locked onto Daniel again. This time, she held his gaze.

"Lone wolves die young," she stated clearly. "Look around you. Form teams. Build alliances. If you try to face the Astral Verge alone, you will be nothing more than a stain on the ground."

Daniel met her gaze. He did not blink. He respected Instructor Baldwin, but on this, she was wrong. She didn’t know what he knew. She didn’t know about that crazy Bran.

"Teams are a weakness,"Daniel thought.

He broke eye contact with the Instructor. He looked down at his hands.

His talent, [Soul Assimilation], required him to land the killing blow. If he was in a team, he would have to share the kills. He would have to split the experience. He would have to slow down. "No," Daniel decided. "I am done with teams."

"You are dismissed!" Baldwin shouted.

The crowd began to disperse. Students started talking loudly, rushing towards the exits. They were eager to spend their coins and rest.

Daniel stood still for a moment. He watched the groups forming. He saw Sansa being surrounded by admirers asking to join her.

He shook his head and left.