The stage remained active.
Another student stepped down, holding a sealed envelope and blinking fast, trying not to tear up.
He'd been offered a position in a beast language research lab, something no one expected. His test scores had been average.
But a staffer had seen footage of him calming a berserk creature just long enough for others to escape.
The recruitments continued.
A girl from a coastal school who used glass shards and mist to disrupt pursuit patterns was offered a scholarship by a stealth tactics institute.
A quiet, broad-shouldered boy whose ability was limited to minor strength enhancements was picked by a mid-tier rescue academy after he'd carried two injured students for almost two kilometers during the last phase.
Another team offer was given to a trio of siblings who moved through the riot like a pack. Not flashy, not fast, but effective. They were picked up by a logistics university known for building an elite support corps.
