When he had observed from afar earlier, he had only noticed that Ryan was a Ninth-tier Adept Mage, stronger than most of his rank, yet nothing truly remarkable.

  It was Derrick and Darlene, instead, whose faintly unusual magical constitutions had caught his attention. But at that time, he hadn't looked deeper.

  Only now did he finally see clearly, Derrick had awakened the power of Light Element Magic!

  What stirred the Headmaster's heart even more was Derrick's fearless yet composed fighting style.

  He dared to trade injury for injury to break the stalemate, yet remained sharp enough to catch his opponent secretly using potions in the crucial moment. That blend of blood and reason was precisely the quality most valued by the Sanctum of the Sacred Sword.

  The Swordmage Academy was, after all, a branch of that very Sanctum.

  And as the Headmaster of the academy, it was his duty to recruit talents for the Sanctum itself.

  "I must have him," the Headmaster thought firmly."His Light Element affinity alone is enough to make him a worthy apprentice to the Headmaster of the Sanctum of the Sacred Sword!"

  It was known throughout the continent that the Sanctum of the Sacred Sword stood among the top academies, not only because of its formidable heritage, but because of its relentless dedication to nurturing rare magical talents.

  Countless apprentices dreamed of entering its gates, yet most were turned away for lack of exceptional gifts. Derrick's Light Element magic, however, was a miracle seen perhaps once in a century.

  "Enough!" The Headmaster's voice resounded again from above, imbued with authority that allowed no dispute."I have witnessed your entire battle. With your current injuries, you are in no condition to continue in the following trials."

  Before his words had even faded, he flicked his wrist. A magical admission token engraved with sword-shaped runes flew from his palm and landed precisely before the tall, thin man.

  "Once you have recovered," the Headmaster continued,"present this token to enter the academy directly. All healing resources will be provided in full by the academy."

  The tall man froze for a moment, then his face lit up with disbelief and joy. Trembling, he took the token, bowed deeply toward the stands, and said, voice shaking,"Thank you, Headmaster!"

  Then he turned toward Derrick, placing a hand over his chest in a perfect apprentice's salute. His tone was sincere."I am Gillen. Today I admit defeat completely. Farewell for now if fate allows, I would gladly challenge you again one day!"

  With that, he staggered down from the arena, enduring the agony of his broken arm.

  He no longer needed to worry about the cost of recovery; the academy's resources would ensure his swift healing. That assurance allowed him to face this defeat with peace of mind.

  The Headmaster paid Gillen no further attention. With a motion of his hand, a spell wrapped around Derrick, lifting him, along with his sword, gently toward the viewing platform.

  Below the stage, both Ryan and Darlene exhaled in relief.

  Ryan crossed his arms, showing little concern. He had only ever taken Derrick as a student because the boy could earn him a Magic Sword Domain Inheritance reward.

  But over the past days, he had genuinely grown fond of the apprentice, not for his talent, but for his almost absolute obedience.

  The only thing that exasperated him was how stubborn the boy could be. To risk such serious injury over a few taunting words what a fool.

  "Well, it saves me the trouble," Ryan muttered inwardly."Let the academy train him instead."

  Darlene, on the other hand, was entirely different. The image of that sword thrusting toward Derrick's heart still made her pulse race even now.

  As she watched him being carried off the arena, her tense body finally began to relax, and the cold sweat on her palms started to dry.

  But the moment Derrick slipped out of combat state, the pain from all his forcibly suppressed injuries surged through him like a tide.

  On the viewing platform, Derrick's scream echoed through the night sky, loud enough that even the spectators in the plaza below could hear it clearly.

  But the agonized cry lasted only a brief moment before it abruptly stopped. The Headmaster raised his hand and pressed gently toward him, and healing magic instantly enveloped Derrick's body. At the same time, a vial of glowing restorative potion floated into his mouth.

  As the potion slid down his throat, warm magical energy spread through his body, reaching every limb and bone. The tearing pain vanished in an instant, leaving only a faint numbness around the wounds.

  Derrick blinked in surprise and instinctively touched his left eye socket. It was no longer bleeding, and even the burning sensation had completely disappeared.

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  The Headmaster's eyes flickered with mild astonishment as he watched Derrick's wounds heal rapidly.

  He studied the boy closely, and when his gaze settled on the pendant around Derrick's neck, shimmering faintly with a green light, he suddenly understood."So that's it. This little trinket is healing him on its own."

  He had no idea that what looked like an ordinary pendant was in fact the Soulweaver's Pendant.

  He had seen vague mentions of the Soulforge in ancient texts, which described it as a single artifact formed by nine Soulweaver's Pendants combined into one. It never occurred to him that the pendant before him was actually a fragment of that legendary Soulforge.

  Ryan, too, had once wondered about the pendant's peculiar form.

  The Grimoire had told him that the Soulforge had not been shattered, but rather divided into nine independent fragments. If all nine were gathered, they could once again merge into a complete Soulforge.

  The Headmaster set aside his curiosity about the pendant's origin and stepped forward. Placing his right hand gently over Derrick's left eye socket, he channeled a surge of magic.

  Derrick, still dazed, felt a warm current flow into his eye. In the darkness of his vision, a faint glimmer appeared.

  When the Headmaster withdrew his hand, Derrick gasped in astonishment, his left eye could see again.

  "You're quite impressive," the Headmaster said."Would you be willing to join the Sanctum of the Sacred Sword? With your aptitude, there is no need for you to take part in any further trials."

  He lifted his hand once more, and the severed arm that had been suspended in midair floated toward them, aligning perfectly with Derrick's shoulder.

  A burst of secret arcane energy flared from the Headmaster's palm, its brilliance so intense that Derrick had to squint against the light.

  When it faded, he stared in disbelief at his left arm. The limb was fully restored, not only reattached perfectly but without a single scar. He flexed his fingers and found them moving as naturally as before.

  For an Arcane Mage, repairing the eye and arm of a First-tier Adept Mage was a simple matter.

  As long as the damaged parts were intact, rare potions were unnecessary. The superior control afforded by higher-tier magic alone was enough to achieve complete restoration.

  "I need to ask my Mentor about this," Derrick said respectfully, moving his newly healed arm.

  Though young and impulsive, he understood that the man before him was the Headmaster of the academy, and that such a decision could not be made lightly.

  The Headmaster's lips twitched slightly at his response. His gaze passed over Derrick and turned toward the dense crowd in the plaza below.

  It didn't take long for him to spot the most conspicuous figure Ryan lounging comfortably on a large chair, a cup of wine in hand, looking utterly relaxed.

  "That one?" the Headmaster asked, sounding faintly incredulous."The young man drinking down there?"

  To his mind, anyone capable of training a prodigy like Derrick should at least be an Arcane Mage. He had never expected that Derrick's Mentor would appear so carefree and unassuming.

  In the plaza below the viewing platform, Ryan and Darlene were sitting side by side, each holding a handful of caramelized sunflower seeds, eating happily as they occasionally glanced toward the other arenas.

  They looked for all the world like ordinary spectators watching a lively show.

  Up on the platform, Derrick followed the Headmaster's gaze downward.

  He caught a glimpse of Ryan's small dark figure far below, but before he could take a closer look, a strong wave of dizziness washed over him.

  Only then did he realize how terrifyingly high the viewing platform was.

  The clouds beneath his feet looked close enough to touch. When he had been pulled up here by magic earlier, he had been too nervous to notice the height at all.

  The Headmaster reacted quickly, grabbing the back of Derrick's collar and pulling him back to the center of the platform.

  "Thank you, Headmaster. Please send me back down to the ground. I need to ask my Mentor personally," Derrick said, steadying himself.

  By now, the combined effects of the Soulweaver's Pendant and the potion the Headmaster had given him had nearly healed all his injuries.

  The Headmaster nodded, but instead of acting right away, he continued to persuade him."Still, I must tell you, joining the Sanctum of the Sacred Sword will offer you far greater prospects than staying with your current Mentor. The Sanctum surpasses any other academy in resources, spells, and instructors."

  He was not exaggerating. Every year, countless gifted apprentices fought tooth and nail to enter the Sanctum of the Sacred Sword.

  "If my Mentor doesn't allow it, then I won't go," Derrick replied. His eyes were wide with innocence, but his tone was firm.

  In the few days he had spent with Ryan, he had not only been treated kindly but had also learned more than ten movement techniques and basic sword forms. That genuine care was something he had never experienced before.

  He had grown up in a remote town where most people had never even seen a magic crystal, let alone heard of a grand academy like the Sanctum of the Sacred Sword.

  So even though the Headmaster's words sounded impressive, in Derrick's heart, his easygoing Mentor meant far more than any famous institution.

  The Headmaster looked at the boy's earnest expression, and a flicker of admiration crossed his eyes."Not bad. Loyalty and sincerity are qualities our academy values highly."

  With that, he extended his hand and gently pushed forward. A soft current of magic wrapped around Derrick, slowly carrying him downward.

  "Ah!" Derrick screamed as the ground grew rapidly larger in his vision. The height made his stomach lurch, and the weightless feeling was unbearable.

  But just as he was about to crash into the ground, the magic halted abruptly. A moment later, he dropped the last half meter softly onto the floor. His backside tingled a little, but otherwise, he was fine.

  Patting his chest in relief, Derrick confirmed that he was safe, then immediately sprinted toward Ryan, shouting as he ran,"Mentor!"

  Ryan had been watching the matches with great interest. Not far away, two Seventh-tier Adept Mages were trading blows with long swords, their movements fast and dazzling.

  At the sound of that familiar voice, Ryan leapt from his chair at once, ignoring the astonished looks from the nearby spectators. Spreading his arms wide, he caught Derrick in a fierce embrace.

  The two clung to each other tightly, even rubbing their heads together like long-lost family members.

  They looked so emotional that they were only a step away from bursting into tears. The surrounding crowd was stunned, this was supposed to be a teacher and student, yet they seemed closer than brothers.

  "Let me see you. Are all your injuries healed?" Ryan said, holding Derrick's face in his hands and inspecting him from left to right.

  When he saw that only the boy's clothes still bore traces of blood and there were no visible wounds, he finally relaxed completely.

  "You're all right now?"

  The tender moment was abruptly interrupted by an ill-timed voice.

  Darlene stood nearby with her arms crossed, watching the pair with a faint trace of discomfort in her tone. A couple of caramel seeds slipped from her fingers to the ground.

  "None of your business, Old Witch!"

  Ryan and Derrick turned around almost in unison, clearly annoyed. Couldn't she see they were having a heartfelt reunion?

  This was absolutely the wrong time to interrupt!