Surviving the Magic Academy With Just Intelligence Stats

Sunlight streamed through the high windows of the examination hall as hundreds of prospective students gathered in anticipation. Ambrose stood with his companions, observing the proceedings with calculating interest. The first test – the talent evaluation – was about to begin.

He recalled from his research that this wasn't truly a test in the conventional sense. The academy used it primarily to catalog which students had already awakened their talents and which hadn't. After all, it would be counterintuitive for a magic academy to reject students simply because they hadn't yet awakened abilities they were meant to learn here. Still, humans being humans, this preliminary evaluation had evolved into an unofficial ranking system among the students, a way to identify potential allies and rivals before classes even began.

One by one, candidates approached the testing area. A crystalline orb would glow with varying colors and intensity as each student placed their hand upon it, allowing the instructors to assess their talents. Some returned to their seats beaming with pride, others shuffled back with downcast expressions, while a few maintained carefully neutral faces that revealed nothing.

"Lysander Blackvale," the instructor called out, his voice carrying across the hall.

A tall young man strode forward, his bearing aristocratic and self-assured. As his hand touched the orb, it erupted in brilliant purple light.

"[Arcane Dominion] (Legendary)," the instructor announced.

The hall erupted in excited whispers. Even Ambrose found his interest piqued, though not primarily by the impressive talent ranking. He recognized Lysander from the book's cover – another piece falling into place on his mental chessboard. The youth's haughty expression and the way he seemed to bask in the attention painted a clear picture. There was no way he could be the main character so he was probably the "main character's rival," Ambrose concluded silently, filing the observation away.

His enhanced perception caught every detail as more students were evaluated. Then came another familiar face.

"Marcus Turner."

The young man who approached the orb had what Ambrose could only describe as a "protagonist's face" – the kind of features that somehow managed to be both ordinary and memorable simultaneously. 

"[Sword Intent] (Top Level)," the instructor declared.

While others might have dismissed a merely Top Level talent, something about Marcus set off warning bells in Ambrose's mind. He felt a familiar pull – the same sensation he'd experienced with the doctor's spatial pouch and in his parents' presence. His Space-time talent resonated with something about Marcus, detecting traces of temporal essence. Yet his enhanced perception revealed no magical items or treasures that could account for this.

The realization hit him like a thunderbolt. "A regressor," he thought, the pieces clicking into place. It made perfect sense – who better to serve as a story's protagonist than someone who had already lived through it once?

The evaluation continued. When Hualing's turn came, the orb remained dark, confirming her lack of an awakened talent. Adelaide's test revealed a Top Level Accounting talent – an intelligence-type ability similar to his own Observation talent. Ambrose noted with interest that such talents were actually quite rare. While most believed combat talents to be uncommon, the reality was that direct combat abilities were far more prevalent than support talents, with intelligence-type talents being the rarest of all.

His analytical reverie was interrupted by a stir in the crowd. A girl with twin braids and glasses had approached the orb.

"Liu Meihua: [Calculation] (Mythical)," the instructor announced, his voice betraying a hint of surprise.

The hall fell silent. Mythical-grade talents were exceedingly rare, and for one to manifest as an intelligence-type was practically unheard of. Ambrose's eyes narrowed as he added another piece to his increasingly complex puzzle.

…

A wave of shocked murmurs rippled through the examination hall as the announcement of Meihua's Mythical-grade talent echoed off the stone walls. Even the most composed nobles among the candidates couldn't hide their surprise. The academy's principal herself descended from her viewing platform, her crimson robes sweeping behind her as she approached to verify this extraordinary development personally.

Meihua stood rigid as the principal's power washed over her like a warm tide, probing the nature of her talent. Such verification was a simple matter for high-level heroes, and for someone of the principal's caliber, it was as natural as breathing. Still, Meihua couldn't help but fidget under the intense scrutiny of hundreds of eyes.

Her mind raced even faster than her heartbeat. She had never encountered any mention of a [Calculation] talent in the original story. Although she didn't know all of the talents in the book, she was familiar with all high level talents.She wondered if this was another change. From its name alone, she could deduce it was likely an intelligence-type talent, which actually suited her perfectly. Physical exertion had never been her strong suit – the walk to this venue had left her more winded than she cared to admit.

Experimentally, she tried to access her newfound talent, only to hit a familiar wall. Without mana or mental strength, she couldn't tap into its capabilities. Unlike combat and support talents that naturally enhanced the body, intelligence-type talents required either mana or mental strength as fuel. She currently had neither.

Released from the principal's examination, Meihua made her way back to her position, her mind churning with possibilities. Understanding one's talent was crucial for advancement – like a mage spending years in physical training, pursuing the wrong path would yield minimal results and potentially block future progress entirely. But how could she develop a talent that seemed to have no precedent?

She began methodically analyzing possibilities, drawing on her knowledge from the book. Perhaps it was an advanced evolution of the Accounting talent? Or maybe it branched from the Observation talent path, though she knew little about that particular line of development since the only character she knew who possessed it hadn't featured prominently in the story.

"Speaking of…" A prickling sensation on the back of her neck interrupted her thoughts. From her peripheral vision, she could see Ambrose Rothschild watching her with unsettling intensity. Her imagination began spinning wildly: "Is he that impressed by my talent? Wait... does he want me as a concubine? No, absolutely not! Although... he is the heir to a dukedom… if he becomes the duke of the north…" Her thoughts spiraled into increasingly elaborate scenarios, each more dramatic than the last.

Meanwhile, Ambrose's focused gaze held a completely different significance. While Meihua's Mythical talent was certainly noteworthy, what truly captured his attention was the familiar resonance he detected – the unmistakable trace of spatial essence emanating from her being. Initially, he had simply been surprised by the appearance of such a powerful candidate, but that spatial signature confirmed something far more intriguing: she was like him, another transmigrator.

His suspicion was further confirmed by Marcus Turner's reaction. The supposed regressor's carefully controlled expression had cracked for just a moment, revealing a flash of genuine surprise that his enhanced perception hadn't missed. That brief lapse told Ambrose everything he needed to know – this development hadn't been part of Turner's previous timeline.