The Runic Alchemist

Damian then canceled the spell, gathered all the bracers into another conjured box, and gave it a dramatic shake. "Whoever chooses to leave now," he announced with a mischievous grin, "can pick one bracer from this box. The first to leave might even walk away with the supreme-grade one. Every time someone takes a bracer, I'll replace it with a new, common-grade version."

The students stared at him with a mix of frustration and awe, their eyes gleaming like children shown forbidden candy but denied the taste. Behind them, Damian's friends gathered and scolded him for his cruelty, eliciting a few nervous chuckles from the kids. But most were too deep in thought, their minds racing with calculations.

"I'll leave," one boy finally declared.

Damian gestured toward the box. The boy, after some deliberation, selected a bracer. Damian revealed its stats—it was high grade. The boy left with a satisfied grin, aware he'd gotten a remarkable deal.

Even the most basic spatial storage items were worth 60 to 70 gold, given the rarity of space-time mages and their demanding skill set. Damian's creations, however, were a cut above the rest, complete with his signature glowing palm sized runic circle. They had the ability to gather mana from the environment, so the first use was always free. And they could use it again every few hours if not in urgency. Though not everlasting, they would easily last the entire academy year, possibly longer for the higher-grade versions.

Surprisingly, the spatial storage spells required little mana to imbue and caused minimal damage to the metal with each activation. The reason behind this was a mystery, as much of what related to the space-time element usually was. However, activating the storage function itself consumed a significant amount of mana—far more than the process of imbuing it. It was completely illogical.

Soon, one after another, the kids started breaking under the pressure and decided to grab a good bracer. If they couldn't use it themselves, they could sell it for hundreds of gold pieces. Most of the surviving participants were commoners, and the temptation was impossible to ignore. Even some of the noble-born students succumbed to the gamble, not all nobles were equal afterall. One commoner boy was lucky enough to secure a supreme-grade bracer. Everyone stared at him with jealousy—not the malicious kind, but a regretful envy as they wondered why they hadn't taken the risk first.

After ten minutes, only four people remained. Among them were the Toph fangirl and the youngest Sunblade, both still standing strong. With the high- and supreme-grade bracers already claimed, the remaining contestants seemed to value the squire position more than the consolation prizes. But Damian wasn't finished yet.

He unveiled another set of rewards, this time three enticing items.

The first was a bracelet capable of holding a spell ranging from common to advanced level, ready to be used at any time. The bracelet was also a mana-gathering type, granting its wearer a "free" spell to unleash during a battle. However, it could only be used a few times before needing repair. A grande-grade item, just below supreme. Damian displayed its stat panel, and the four contestants gazed at it in awe.

The second reward was a set of four potions—high-quality brews from the same stash Damian had shared with Eldoris' army. The contestants, recognizing their worth, nodded with eagerness as Damian explained each potion's function and displayed their stats.

Finally, the third item was a steel crown adorned with four glowing, palm-sized green runes. The crown's function was straightforward yet powerful: it generated a thick, air-blade shield around the wearer that no spell or sword below high grade could even crack. It was an exceptional named item called These Walls I See.

He discovered this use for the spell while searching for ways to replicate the invisible box spell using modified air blades. However, no matter how precisely Damian conjured them, there was always a space for dirt particles to gather inside, rendering it ineffective for golem-making. Instead, it proved to be an overpowered spell for separating pure dirt from impurities.

"I'll give you one of these—but of my choosing. No selections this time," Damian declared.

The four kids stared greedily at the three invaluable items. Each was unique in its function and had the potential to shift the tide of a battle, help win academy challenges, save their lives, or make them rich enough to live comfortably for a year. Even Damian's friends looked longingly at the prizes, their faces looked as if they regretted not joining the challenge themselves.

The Toph fangirl broke first. Damian smiled at her; she had held out impressively long despite being scrawny and possessing the lowest mana reserve he'd ever sensed in a first-ranker student. How she gained admission remained a mystery to him.

Patting her shoulder, Damian handed her the potions. "The mana-reliant items won't suit you much, but these should serve you well—or fetch a good price if you decide to sell them." He also included a chit detailing the specific functions of each potion. She beamed at him, her delight unmistakable, and joined the others who had already conceded and were watching with their bracers in hand.

Next to buckle was the noble fourth-year student, swallowing his pride to compete against younger peers. Damian handed him the crown, a prize worthy of his actions.

This left two contestants: the youngest Sunblade and a commoner boy. Neither moved. They stared each other down for over five minutes, but Damian, uninterested in rushing their decision, began examining sword designs instead.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Eventually, the commoner boy relented, his need for money outweighing his resolve. He was awarded the runic bracelet as his prize - which he knew he would get.

Damian turned to his younger sibling, the youngest of all 14 present there, his eyes blazing. The guy surely had no regrets.. He could have selected one of the items and live happily for a few years off of it. Start his own different life somewhere far from his broken house but he had chosen not to..

This brother of his had one thing if not gifted much in others.. Dedication and Loyalty to his miserable house.. Damian just patted him on shoulder and smiled,

"Be ready tomorrow, Squire," Damian said, his tone firm but encouraging. "Meet me after academy classes end."

The Sunblade nodded, obedient and resolute, and left the room with the others.

His friends smiled knowingly, as though they had anticipated this outcome all along.