Chapter 743: The Rankings (2)
" ...You showed that you are more than capable of functioning alone, without anyone beside you to give direction or cover your weaknesses."
The statement sounded simple enough to most of the hall, but among the students who knew Lucian well, the meaning carried deeper weight.
It was no secret that Lucian had often positioned himself near Chris Rature, acting more like a subordinate than a student pursuing his own growth. Those who understood Kaelen's words understood the warning hidden within them.
He was not merely praising Lucian's independence in Nalim. He was pointing out that Lucian was capable of more when he was not moving as someone else's shadow.
Lucian himself remained still, his gaze fixed on the stage.
Kaelen continued, his voice measured.
"Your earth affinity has improved significantly since the previous evaluations. Your control over terrain was more flexible than before, and your defensive structuring showed better timing and stability. You no longer rely solely on raising barriers and waiting for the enemy to exhaust itself against them. Several times during the assessment, you used the environment offensively, redirected enemy movement, and forced demons into positions where their physical advantage was reduced."
On the screen, Lucian could be seen standing at the base of a cliff while two Horror-class demons charged at him from opposite directions. Instead of retreating, he slammed his palm into the ground, causing the earth beneath one demon to collapse while a wall of jagged stone erupted in front of the other.
The first demon stumbled into the pit, and the second crashed into the stone barrier. Lucian then shaped the broken wall into several sharp pillars that pierced through the second demon's body, pinning it long enough for him to drive a blade into its core.
"However," Kaelen said, and the word immediately carried enough firmness to make several students listen more carefully, "your greatest issue remains how much time you sometimes spend preparing before committing. Earth magic grants stability and control, but too much dependence on preparation can become hesitation. There were moments when faster action would have preserved more of your Myst and prevented unnecessary injuries."
Lucian's expression tightened faintly.
Kaelen did not soften the criticism.