"Student Asaeya, take position." At the training grounds of the 43rd Settlement's Academy of Refinement, an Instructor announced. "First Test! Might!"
He stood beside a slab of bone positioned forty metres away from Asaeya. Students formed a perimeter around the training grounds, watching the activity.
Asaeya was twelve years old, about to become thirteen in a couple of months. But she had already applied to graduate, hence garnering a lot of attention.
Moreover, the walls, corridor, and even the floor of the Academy were covered by Imagination Art, all supplied by her. So, not a single student was ignorant of her contribution, hyping her up.
'Today's the day I graduate.' Thinking as such, Asaeya infused her Prana into a bone sphere and focused. At the Instructor's signal, she sent it hurling at her maximum speed, causing it to thunderously slam into the bone slab forty metres away.
The slab broke from the impact while the bone sphere was only dented. It meant her skill in refining a piece of bone using the Mystic Bone Art was superior to the elite that refined the bone slab. That was a direct show of her cultivation capabilities already treading upon the Body Stage despite being at the Spirit Stage.
"It's under a second." The Instructor muttered and calmly noted down the time, accurately to two decimal points.
Forty metres per second was the peak speed a Spirit Stage cultivator could attain while controlling their Spirit Weapon. As Asaeya had exceeded that, it meant her control and explosiveness surpassed her cultivation stage.
"Second test! Pull!" The instructor announced as a large monolith appeared, weighing two hundred kilograms. It sported a ring on its front face.
In response to the second test, Asaeya took out a Spirit Weapon in the shape of a hook and hooked it to the ring. Immediately in response, veins protruded all over her body as she infused copious amounts of Prana into the hook, pulling it towards her.
There wasn't a string connecting the hook to her. So, it was a show of the tensile strength of her psychokinesis. "Keuk!"
Asaeya grunted as the monolith slowly began to move, creating deep marks on the floor due to the friction. She pulled it for twenty metres before gasping in exhaustion, expended of all Prana. Eight metres was the limit for a student; she had well exceeded that.
'Inala did this when he rescued me.' Due to her strong impression of his actions, Asaeya practiced this aspect the most. Her goal was to rely solely upon her psychokinesis to hang from a ceiling without any physical contact.
That way, even if she were to fall during her shuttles between the settlements, she would be able to hook herself to the Empyrean Tusk's exoskeleton and stop her fall.
"Third Test! Recovery!" Saying so, a feast was laid before Asaeya. Without any hesitation, she devoured them like a pig until her belly protruded conspicuously. Even while eating, she was able to activate her Mystic Bone Art and hasten digestion, rapidly recovering her Prana.
"Fourth Test! Combat!" The Instructor announced and released a Beginner Iron Grade Pranic Beast.
Mystic Bone Art—Puppetry!
Six bone hands calmly revolved around Asaeya as she launched herself toward the Pranic Beast, easily subduing the latter. Even Inala was only able to control four hands, but she was even more suited to it. This was only in comparison to Inala though. For an average Mammoth Clansman, her ability to efficiently control six Spirit Weapons was terrifying.
The Instructor brought out an Intermediate Iron Grade Pranic Beast next and made Asaeya fight it. While the test was proceeding without issues, a group of people observed everything from a high vantage point.
A balcony was constructed on the topmost building in the Academy, one with a clear view of the training grounds. Comfy cushioned chairs were placed, facing the training grounds. Seated on them were the masters that controlled the 43rd Settlement.
At the centre of the arrangement was Yahard Tusk, the 43rd Settlement's Settlement Leader. He stared at Asaeya's actions with a glint in his eyes, "She has improved tremendously in the past eight months. I feel it's time."
"Don't be in such a hurry." Zahaella commented calmly, "Asaeya has indeed contributed immensely to the Clan as a student."
She stared at the masters seated around them, brothers and sisters of Yahard Tusk, "Everyone here has given her an S-Grade evaluation. But, I'm not satisfied yet to grant her the Grim Knell."
"Sister-in-law," Yahard Tusk's younger brother tugged his thin moustache and announced, "We have reached the preservation limit of the Grim Knell's egg. It will hatch in a year. I don't see any other student that can outshine Asaeya within that timeframe."
"Eight months ago, none of us considered her worth of even an S-Grade evaluation, not to mention obtaining the Grim Knell." Zahaella argued, "A lot can change in a year. A student better than her can appear."
"But there's no guarantee, right?" Yahard Tusk's younger brother retorted. He then stared at Yahard Tusk and gave his opinion, "Brother, as the one in charge of preserving the Clan's eggs, I vote in favour of Asaeya."
"The Grim Knell is the best against a swarm. The intensity of the Zinger attacks is accelerating every day. I say this is the opportune time." One of Yahard Tusk's younger sisters—in charge of resource harvesting from the Empyrean Tusk's stomach—commented. She stared at Zahaella, "In terms of strategic value, once Asaeya becomes the Grim Knell, she would aid in minimising our losses. Her abilities would be the perfect counter against the Zingers. Moreover,"
"She can efficiently control six Spirit Weapons. Her mind is perfectly suited to wield the Grim Knell's power. Hence," She stared at Yahard Tusk, "I too vote in Asaeya's favour."
"She has expressed her potential clearly. I vote in her favour."
"Asaeya has all the qualifications…"
One after another, all the masters voted in favour of Asaeya. They were one big family either way. The majority of them were Yahard Tusk's siblings while the minority were his uncle and aunt who remained alive to date.
As Asaeya was part of their family, they were happy to support her, especially since she displayed her superiority in comparison to other students, a tad above even Yahard Tusk's oldest children.
'The moment I expressed dissatisfaction towards Asaeya, they were happy to support her. This is almost too easy.' Zahaella expressed frustration externally but was pleased internally. The moment Asaeya exploded in growth, she had already decided to grant her the Grim Knell. Following that was merely a mental war against Yahard Tusk's siblings.
"It's decided then," Yahard Tusk smiled proudly as he stared at Asaeya's figure that stomped an Expert Iron Grade Pranic Beast to death, completing her graduation test, "She'll become our Settlement's trump card."