Hearing Allen's words, Isabella pressed further."So how high is it really? How many concentric rings can you light?"

  Allen thought carefully and said,"I honestly don't know the exact number. Back when I was tested, the Crystal Obelisk couldn't even display my talent."

  He was telling the truth. When he had been tested at Radiant Magic Academy, the Crystal Obelisk could not contain the full power of his talent.

  Later, Augustine did not have him undergo further testing, so he himself had no idea how many concentric rings he could actually light.

  He only estimated privately. Evelyn had been able to light thirty three concentric rings when she was tested, and he was certainly no worse.

  No sooner had Allen finished speaking than the crowd watching nearby erupted into laughter, their mockery rising one after another.

  "This is hilarious! He doesn't even know how talented he is!"

  "Isabella, your Alchemy and Potions Department really hit the jackpot!"

  "Take him back, and he'll definitely become the living treasure of your department, entertaining everyone every day!"

  "Exactly! Not even knowing your own talent means either you're an idiot or your talent is too low to be mentioned!"

  Listening to the continuous mockery, Isabella's expression darkened instantly, and regret grew heavier in her heart.

  How had she been so soft-hearted to take in such a troublesome apprentice?

  She glared at Allen, her voice filled with suppressed anger, pointing to the Crystal Obelisk standing nearby.

  "Go test! Let me see how high this so-called talent of yours really is!"

  Allen shook his head gently, a hint of difficulty on his face. He really did not like talent tests, as they could easily expose his identity as the Demon King, a risk far greater than any benefit.

  "I don't think it's necessary. I've already enrolled with the recommendation letter anyway."

  Isabella's brows furrowed even tighter. Anger surged instantly, and she raised her voice.

  "I said! Go test!"

  "You're a grown man. So what if your talent is low? Why hide it? Are you really that afraid to face your own ability?"

  No sooner had she finished than the surrounding crowd erupted into laughter again, their mockery growing even sharper.

  "Yeah! Isabella isn't embarrassed by you, so why are you?"

  "Go on, test it! Let everyone see for themselves how high your so-called talent really is. How many concentric rings can you light?"

  "Go ahead! We're all waiting to watch your joke unfold!"

  Allen exhaled wearily. He knew that if he did not take the test today, he would not escape it.

  He turned to Isabella and said,"Let's make this clear. No matter how many concentric rings I light, since you've accepted me into the Alchemy and Potions Department, you cannot go back on it or push me to another faction."

  Isabella's face went ashen with anger, and she thought inwardly, This man is audacious! He even dares to corner me!

  But at this point, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and nod."We won't go back on it! Just make sure you take the test.

  No matter how poor your talent, once you join our Alchemy and Potions Department, you will forever be our apprentice!"

  Allen nodded in satisfaction. He then turned and walked toward the Crystal Obelisk, calmly extending his right hand to lightly press on its surface.

  The crowd's eyes were filled with anticipation, eager to see Allen reveal a disastrously low talent and provide a bigger joke for them to enjoy.

  One second, two seconds, three seconds… time passed slowly, yet the Crystal Obelisk remained completely unresponsive.

  The crowd watching froze for a moment, then erupted into a wave of exclamations and ridicule.

  "Good grief! What kind of person is this?"

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  "How rich do their family have to be to push such a talentless waste all the way to Senior Mage level?"

  "My heavens! He doesn't have a shred of talent! Not a single concentric ring lit on the Crystal Obelisk. This is literally zero talent!"

  "The family wealth behind him must rival Matteo's, right?"

  "That useless Matteo, wasn't he also pushed to Senior Mage level by his father using countless advanced magical potions?"

  "Exactly! Zero talent and still reaching Senior Mage? How many magical potions, how many magic crystals would it take to do that?"

  Listening to the dense flood of mockery and speculation around her, Isabella felt as if the world were spinning. Her eyes reddened, and she almost cried. How had she been so unlucky?

  Luminara Magic Academy valued magical talent and personal combat strength above all, yet there were always a few who entered through family connections and money.

  These people, while able to manipulate and command within the academy thanks to family wealth, were scorned by all apprentices who earned their place through talent and strength.

  Allen was clearly one of these people. No one knew how many connections his family had pulled or how much they had spent to get him a recommendation from Radiant Magic Academy, artificially inflating a talentless waste to Senior Mage level.

  People like him were a huge headache in the academy, relying on family influence to act arrogantly and stir up trouble. With mercenaries for protection, ordinary apprentices would never dare confront them.

  Seeing Allen withdraw his hand and turn to walk toward her, Isabella instinctively took two steps back, her eyes full of resistance and disdain, as if Allen carried something dirty on him.

  "I'm done testing," Allen said, his tone free of any embarrassment from the ridicule.

  Isabella forced down her anger and frustration, took a deep breath, and twisted her mouth into a smile."Truly high talent. You've really opened my eyes!"

  Allen shrugged helplessly and said,"So can we go inside now?"

  Isabella took several deep breaths to suppress her anger. With a furious flick of her hand and gritted teeth, she said,"Follow me!"

  With that, she turned and strode toward the gates of Luminara Magic Academy, her steps fast and heavy, clearly seething with anger.

  Allen followed calmly behind her, expression as serene as ever.

  Once their figures completely entered the academy gates, the apprentices and mages watching in the plaza could no longer contain themselves.

  They erupted into deafening laughter, the ridicule echoing across the entrance of the academy.

  "This is perfect! They got a genius for their Alchemy and Potions Department, and now they're stuck with a zero-talent waste. Finally, everything's balanced!"

  "Isabella's really going to suffer this time. Let's see how she recommends this waste to her Mentor!"

  "Exactly! A person with zero talent in the Alchemy and Potions Department won't even learn how to brew magical potions."

  "Pretty soon, their Alchemy and Potions Department will become the laughingstock of the entire Luminara Magic Academy!"

  The laughter and mockery continued without pause, echoing back and forth for a long time.

  ...

  A few minutes earlier, the moment Allen gently pressed his hand against the Crystal Obelisk, a faint but rapid streak of light shot deep into the heart of Luminara Magic Academy.

  At that moment, several academy elders were gathered around an Advanced Crystal Obelisk, arguing over the allocation of resources for the new quarter. The atmosphere was already tense.

  Sherman, an elder of the Construct and Relics Department, spoke with clear dissatisfaction:

  "Our department received far too few magical potions this time!"

  "And where is Horn from the Alchemy and Potions Department? Why isn't he here?"

  "What is going on? Can't they even brew a few advanced magical potions?"

  Sherman looked around for Horn, but the council hall was filled with elders from every faction. The elder responsible for potion-making in the Alchemy and Potions Department was nowhere to be seen.

  "Horn just recruited an exceptionally talented apprentice. It's said the apprentice lit fifty-three concentric rings. He personally went to teach that apprentice the basics of potion-making."

  Hearing this, Sherman's anger flared even higher, and his voice rose several decibels.

  "Recruiting one apprentice after another, yet I haven't seen him brew a single decent advanced potion! Instead of wasting time teaching newcomers, he should spend more effort actually brewing potions!"

  Before he could finish, a subtle but unmistakable disturbance arose in the council hall.

  The Advanced Crystal Obelisk at the center suddenly glimmered with a faint light.

  All the elders immediately paused their arguments, turning toward the Obelisk with furrowed brows, faces full of confusion.

  "What's happening? Is someone disturbing the Obelisk's magical sensing?"

  "That's impossible. What kind of talent could make it react like this?"

  "Could it be that the Crystal Obelisk at the academy entrance couldn't measure this person's talent, so it triggered the Advanced Crystal Obelisk here?"

  The elders whispered among themselves, eyes locked on the trembling Obelisk.

  Then, suddenly, a crisp cracking sound came from the Obelisk.

  Fine fractures rapidly spread across its surface, covering the entire Advanced Crystal Obelisk.

  In the next moment, under the horrified gazes of all the elders, the Advanced Crystal Obelisk exploded into shards!

  The council hall fell completely silent. Every elder froze in place, eyes wide, faces filled with shock and disbelief.

  They had never witnessed such a scene. An Advanced Crystal Obelisk, shattered by a single person!

  After only a few seconds, the elders finally snapped back, their eyes ablaze with fanatic excitement, abandoning any thoughts of arguing over resource allocation.

  They rushed at top speed toward the main gate of Luminara Magic Academy.

  What kind of genius is this! Even the Advanced Crystal Obelisk couldn't measure his talent, and it was directly destroyed!

  They had to claim him! If such an extraordinarily talented apprentice could become a core apprentice and be carefully trained, he would dominate the academy in the future.

  All of the academy's resources would naturally tilt toward their faction. No longer would they waste time fighting over a few potions or magic crystals!

  Just one apprentice could completely change the standing of a faction!

  In the blink of an eye, the elders converged at the academy's main gate.

  Sherman arrived first, his eyes burning with fanaticism and urgency. He grabbed the nearest apprentice and demanded,

  "Who touched the Crystal Obelisk at the academy entrance just now? Speak up!"

  The apprentice trembled violently, terrified by Sherman's fierce expression and overwhelming aura, completely frozen in place.