EMERGING VICTORIOUS OR GATHERING MALICE?

For Grey, it was just another mundane day filled with theory classes. During the lunch break, some D and E rank cadets bullied the F ranks. The evening consisted of practical and sparring classes followed by a training session with Instructor Doopil, which included running 100 laps and doing 250 pull-ups and push-ups. Nothing changed.

Like that two days passed by and today, the day of the exam results announcement arrived. This was no ordinary announcement. UTOPIA, the stronghold for nurturing future heroes, made this event grander than the opening ceremony. Famous guilds, influential and powerful families from around the world, wealthy individuals seeking connections, and a few people of the International Hero Organisation (INHO), including some from its pillar families, were in attendance. These grandiose individuals attended the event for various reasons, but they all shared one common interest - to gather talents and bring them under their control to increase their power. They were slyer than snakes and foxes. However, amidst these individuals, there were a few good people. They were the sole reason for peace in such places.

Soon the cadets gathered in the grand auditorium which can contain more than 10,000 people in such place every cadets from S rank to F rank where gathered. The S rank cadets sat in the front to F rank in the last, the senior honor cadets from 2nd year and 3rd year also joined of course they are also S rank, all the instrutors also gatherd in the front with S rank cadets, now time 10:15am in 15 minutes the event is going to start, our Grey sat in the furthest with his friends and Raphael also sat beside him.

A mature voice started to speak

"Ladies and Gentlemen, esteemed instructors, honorable guests, and most importantly, our brave cadets, I extend a warm welcome to all of you. We are gathered here today in this grand auditorium, a testament to the spirit of UTOPIA, to celebrate the achievements of our cadets.

From the courageous S-rank cadets seated at the front, to our determined F-rank cadets at the back, each one of you has shown exceptional dedication and resilience. Our senior honor cadets from the 2nd and 3rd years, who have continued to uphold the values of UTOPIA, are also with us today.

We are here to acknowledge the hard work, the sweat, and the countless hours of training that you have all put in. Today, we are not just announcing the results of the practical exam, but we are also celebrating your journey, your growth, and your transformation into future heroes.

To our cadets, remember, no matter where you are seated today, no matter what your rank is, each one of you is a beacon of hope, a symbol of courage, and an embodiment of the spirit of UTOPIA.

As we move forward with the event, let us applaud the efforts of every cadet here. Let us cheer for their victories, learn from their challenges, and get inspired by their journey.

Once again, welcome to the UTOPIA Practical Exam Results Announcement. Let the celebrations begin!"

As the speaker concluded the welcoming speech, a series of long speeches by honorable elders and influential figures in society followed. At 1:25 pm, the commentator announced that the award ceremony would be next. The crowd cheered as the honorable chief guest, a great hero of the Cactalism, was introduced to present the awards for the teams who placed in the top 10 in the practical exam.

Mr. Ho began reading out the names of each team. "First place goes to S-rank A-class Baek Namgoong and his team, and the second place goes to S-rank A-class Ha Doona and her team," he announced, and so on for the remaining teams. Even though it wasn't their victory, all the cadets enjoyed the moment. Guilds marked potential and powerful cadets, as did political figures.

The much-awaited moment arrived - the individual ranking reward. This reward was given to cadets who scored in the top 10 highest points individually. Mr. Ho began, "Now for the ranking of the top 10 cadets in the individual ranking." He cleared his throat and started to read out loud. This moment felt like an eternity for some, but for most, they were too excited and cheered like crazy. F-rankers were going wild, wondering who would come first. They were even hosting a betting event at the back.

"The first place is F-rank cadet Grey," Mr. Ho announced. The whole grand auditorium fell into pin-drop silence, like the calm after a tsunami or tornado. Everyone's minds went blank, even Mr. Ho, who had even faced the Demon Lord, paused for a minute. Grey was thrown into another dimension after hearing that, as were his teammates and the entire auditorium. Except for the people who evaluated and investigated Grey's result, they remained composed but awkward. UTOPIA's Principal also remained composed because she knew this beforehand.

Soon, Mr. Ho regained his composure and read again, "F-rank cadet from class E, Grey," and once again, "F-rank cadet from class E, Grey, please come to the stage." Hearing that, everyone in the auditorium was enraged, disappointed, displeased, and harbored hatred toward Grey. Well, almost everyone in the auditorium didn't know about Grey except his classmates. Mr. Ho read out his name again. His friends and classmates were looking his way. Everyone in the auditorium was looking for Grey like crazy. Everyone's eyes were rolling, but Grey sat as if his bottom was glued to the chair. It was too much for him. If he stood and went to the stage, he would regret his next two years in the academy, so he sat tight in his chair.

Magical Instructor Seolah used her warp gift and summoned Grey with his chair. The instructor who evaluated Grey also knew who Grey was, so she warped him to the stage. The massive crowd, which was in turmoil again, paused and stared at Grey intensely. Grey was overwhelmed but did not pass out. Mr. Ho walked toward Grey and asked, "Kid, are you Grey?" Grey nodded, and Mr. Ho handed him the artifact for the first place in the individual category and told him to share his experience in the dungeon.

Grey cleared his throat and spoke, "Hello everyone, my name is Grey. So, um, my dungeon experience is… I and my team defeated the Wurmlord on the first floor, and we went to the second floor. We defeated an ant larva, and a monster chased us. I bought time for my team to escape and met Raphael while fighting it. He helped me defeat it, and my internal parts were damaged, so we both stayed on the second floor for the remaining time. That's all. Thank you for this opportunity." People who were present there couldn't make sense of what happened.

Everyone was puzzled and filled with rage. How could someone only reach the second floor and still come out on top? The great guilds were disjointed in UTOPIA, and some of their instructors voiced their dissatisfaction. The principal intervened, "Everyone, please calm down. I understand your confusion about rewarding him, but he genuinely defeated a strong monster with his companion. That monster was stronger than the last boss of the Mulvise dungeon." Upon hearing this, most of them fell silent.

Grey left his place, artifact in one hand and chair in the other. The principal instructed Grey to sit beside the S-rank cadets. All of the S-rank cadets showed dissatisfaction on their faces, but Ho Doona welcomed him to sit beside her.

Mr. Ho continued to call the next person. "Ok, now the second place in the individual category of the practical exam, come to the stage Raphael of class F of F rank." The crowd was already in a fury by selecting an F-rank as number one, but the second position also belonged to an F-rank. A few tried to leave the place, but at that moment, Mr. Ho spoke, "Silence everyone and sit down. Don't dare to move." His words carried great pressure, making them nauseous and gasping for breath. Well, he did not pressure them; it was just his normal tone to begin with.

So, Raphael gracefully walked down from the far end to the stage and received the reward. He was also offered to sit in the front, and he sat beside Grey.

Mr. Ho continued to announce the next individuals, "Baek Namgoong in 3rd place, Rin Sakura in 4th place, Ho Doona in 5th place," and so on until the award ceremony concluded. Baek Namgoong, a member of the prestigious Namgoong family and one of the pillars of INHO, was filled with dissatisfaction and rage towards Grey and Raphael. Being the 3rd son of Gaon Namgoong, he was in a fight for succession rights within his family. Losing to two F-rankers in individual rankings meant, at least in their eyes, that he was weaker than an F-ranker. Gaon Namgoong didn't even glance at Baek and left the place as soon as the event ended, making Baek feel like a failure. Consequently, Baek Namgoong planned to destroy Grey and Raphael. What will happen to our Grey? How can he overcome the challenges posed by the Namgoong family?