Raindrops began to fall, gently wetting the surface of the road. The sky, which was previously bright, was slowly covered by clouds. Flashes of lightning appeared in the sky, followed by loud rumbles of thunder.
The drizzle turned into a heavy downpour within minutes. The sound of water and flashes of lightning created a cold and frightening emptiness throughout the city.
It didn't take long before puddles began to flood the quiet streets of the district. A district adjacent to the Eternals district, one rarely traversed by people.
Aruma, who was on his way back after registering, quickened his pace. Then, he took shelter in a large tavern that stood out in the midst of the heavy rain.
With his clothes soaked, Aruma stepped into the tavern. Although it looked large from the outside, the inside was surprisingly quiet—there wasn't a single customer.
A man, who seemed to be both the cook and the owner, immediately greeted him from behind the counter.
"Welcome, kid. Want something to eat?"
Aruma, with a blank expression, calmly replied, "Just a cup of beer, Uncle."
He then pulled out a chair and sat down. The clock on the wall showed 1:00 p.m. The rain was still falling, and drowsiness slowly crept in. Without realizing it, he rested his head on the table, his eyes gradually closing—and he fell into a deep sleep.
#@$$!%%!!%!%.
Glitch effects began to appear again…
A young Aruma stood frozen.
Three figures in black cloaks were slaughtering the mages before him.
Screams, blood, and explosive magic filled his vision.
Terrified, Aruma turned and ran with all his strength.
#@$$!%%!!%!%.
"Quickly shifting to Aruma's POV."
He found himself tied to a steel bed. His head turned, and his eyes scanned the surroundings, staring at the all-white room. Everything felt unfamiliar—cold—silent.
A man in a doctor's uniform stood beside him, accompanied by three nurses. They were holding an empty syringe, as if intending to draw Aruma's blood.
The doctor slowly approached, without saying a word. The syringe pierced Aruma's arm—slowly.
Suddenly—
#@$$!%%!!%!%.
The entire room had begun to fall apart. The doctors were now lying in pools of blood.
Terrified, Aruma watched and ran, crashing into another doctor. That doctor smiled with a blurry face, and then—
Aruma began to wake up with a slight headache. Although it wasn't as painful as before, the lingering ache still left his body weak.
A bowl of soup was placed on the table by the man. "Eat this soup first," said the uncle gently.
Aruma stared at the soup. "I didn't order soup. I asked for a glass of beer."
The uncle just smiled, then placed a glass of juice beside it.
"You're too young for beer. Just enjoy this one for now.""Drink this. I know you're tired. It's better to fill your stomach with food than with beer.""You just came from the Academy, right? Are you planning to enroll?"
Aruma only nodded slightly while enjoying the warm, delicious-looking soup in front of him.
The uncle then began talking while wiping some plates.
"My nephew also applied to that Academy. He's been waiting for two years, since the registration only opens once every three years."
Aruma put down his spoon and asked seriously, "Why does the Academy only open every three years?"
While placing the dishes on the rack, the uncle replied, "One batch in that Academy lasts for three years. It's different from normal schools, where you study for twelve years to graduate."
While serving some fried bananas, he added, "That's why I suggested to my nephew that he should just go to high school instead."
Aruma stared at the fried bananas and said firmly, "I don't have extra money to pay for all of this."
The uncle simply gave a warm smile.
"Don't worry. Just enjoy it. You're my first customer today."
Aruma paused for a moment, then started eating everything that had been served—even if he felt a bit guilty.
Suddenly, the shop's curtain was pushed open. A man with short hair and glasses entered and quickly walked toward the kitchen.
"You're back? That's rare. You're early," the uncle said, glancing over.
The man replied while putting on an apron, "Albert had something to do, so I came straight home."
The uncle then placed a hand on the man's shoulder and gently pulled him closer.
"This is the nephew I mentioned earlier. I hope you two can get along well."
The man gave a brief nod, gently nudged the uncle aside, and began helping clean the tables in the shop.
The uncle smiled and said, "His name is Rey. I hope you two can become friends."
Slowly, a few customers started to enter the shop and order soup.
Aruma opened the curtain of the shop and saw that the rain had stopped.
He stood up and spoke to the uncle, "How much is it, Uncle? Sorry, I can only pay for the soup. I'll come back another time to pay the rest."
The uncle leaned closer and whispered, "You don't have to pay. Let's just say it's on me," he said with a soft chuckle.
Aruma lowered his head slightly and gave a quiet thanks.
He opened the curtain and slowly stepped out. "Thank you, come again!" the uncle called out from inside.
Aruma glanced back briefly and replied firmly, "I'm the one who should be thanking you, Uncle."
He began walking toward the hotel, passing puddles left behind by the rain. He looked up at the evening sky—the sun slowly sinking behind clouds that were turning dark.
He paused for a moment in front of a vending machine, inserted a few coins, then grabbed a can of beer. Aruma sat on a bench by the roadside and drank it slowly.
Suddenly, a sharp pain struck his head—
#@$$!%%!!%!%.
The glitch appeared once more.
Young Aruma was tied up inside a steel room equipped with advanced facilities.
His arms and legs were suspended in an X shape, as if his body were displayed for experimentation.
The door to the room slowly opened.
A man in a doctor's coat—with a blurry face—appeared once more, accompanied by his assistant. Their footsteps echoed on the metal floor, slow yet terrifying.
When they reached Aruma, the doctor took a pair of scissors from a metal tray carried by the assistant.
Aruma remained silent. His body was limp, unable to move.
The doctor stared at Aruma with a mad grin.
"I doubt it's really you. Even if your power is perfect, I'm not sure you're the same as before.""That's why now I'm going to change you back to—"
His sentence was cut off.
#@$$!%%!!%!%.
His voice vanished, replaced by the glitch that continued to distort the room. His mouth kept moving, but not a single word could be heard.
#@$$!%%!!%!%.
Aruma began to regain consciousness. Without thinking much, he rushed back toward the hotel where he was staying.
However, just before he arrived, his feet veered off the path—heading toward the forest's edge.
He stopped in the middle of a narrow trail inside the woods, staring straight ahead.
Clenching his fists tightly, he spoke in his heart, "I'm still too weak…""I'm still fragile…""I have to become the strongest… no matter what it takes."
Without hesitation, Aruma began to train. He punched the trees with his bare fists—without magic, without protection. Blood began to drip from his knuckles, but he didn't stop.
He ran around the forest, pushing his body through intense, brutal physical training throughout the night, without rest.
Aruma continued without pause for three days. His body was covered in wounds, his breath ragged—yet his spirit never faded.
Until finally, on the night before the Academy's entrance exam, he decided to rest for a moment...
Aruma sat on a large rock at the edge of the forest, one leg raised.
The night breeze blew gently, brushing through his hair. Messy strands fluttered lightly in the wind.
He remained silent, letting the night accompany him in the stillness.
He looked up, gazing at the sky full of stars.
Constellations began to form, shaping beautiful patterns above. Starlight scattered across the heavens, some falling slowly—the view sparkling and serene.
In the midst of the silence, his heart felt warm. For some reason… the beauty of the sky stirred a vague memory.
Aruma closed his eyes. For the first time in three days—he truly felt at peace.
As Aruma remained seated, his figure could be seen from behind, surrounded by the silhouettes of trees, bathed in soft, beautiful light.
Then, slowly... The scene transitions to the grand gates of Eternals Academy.
Aruma began walking toward the Eternals Colosseum.
Along the way, he passed through a bustling crowd—ranging from nobles, merchants, to mages dressed in extravagant clothing.
Upon reaching the special gate for participants, Aruma was stopped by two officials.
They thoroughly inspected his body and belongings, ensuring there were no forbidden items or illegal weapons hidden.
After being cleared, Aruma stepped into one of the waiting rooms for participants. Inside the spacious room, there was only one other person present.
The figure appeared calm. He had short hair, an expressionless face, and sat quietly while holding the hilt of a samurai sword—neatly wrapped in its iron sheath.
Aruma then sat on an empty bench in the corner of the room, waiting for his turn or the next announcement. He glanced at the participant in front of him, whose head was bowed.
Trittttt— Suddenly, a siren echoed throughout the entire area.
A speaker system came to life, and a woman's voice rang out with a firm, formal tone,
"Attention! All participants taking part in the exam are requested to gather at the center of the Colosseum immediately."
Aruma began walking toward the center of the Colosseum.
He saw a great number of other participants standing in the middle of the massive arena. With slow steps, Aruma observed his surroundings.
In the spectator stands, nobles, merchants, and mages had gathered. Some came to watch their children, siblings, or friends—and others were simply attending by invitation.
The voice from the speakers rang out again. A woman spoke with a strong tone,
"Welcome to Eternals Academy.To all our honored guests, special invitees, and of course… the participants.We will begin the exam shortly," the voice continued."But before that, the rules for this exam will be explained."
The rules were then read out in detail and with a serious tone.
After finishing, the woman added,
"For this year's exam, there will be five stages. The first stage is the elimination round. The remaining four stages will be used to collect as many points as possible.From the 800 registered participants, only 100 will pass this exam."
Upon hearing that, the participants began glancing at each other. Some looked nervous, but many appeared confident.
One participant among the crowd smirked arrogantly and flipped his hair with pride,
"This exam will be a breeze. My father is a noble, so I have nothing to worry about."
The loudspeaker activated again, and the woman's voice returned,
"Before we begin the exam, the Headmaster of Eternals Academy will give a speech."
A man dressed in luxurious attire began walking slowly toward the honorary seat at the highest point of the Colosseum.
People in the stands started cheering and stood up—every eye was fixed on him.
Once he reached the top, the man stood tall, holding the railing in front of him, then waved to the crowd below, both spectators and participants.
Amid the roaring cheers, Aruma didn't blink. His once calm expression now shifted into one of utter shock.
The speaker crackled to life again, and the woman spoke loudly,
"Let us give a round of applause to the esteemed Headmaster of Eternals Academy… Sir Yong!"
All spotlights turned to Mr. Yong.
Yong's face radiated enthusiasm, a slight smile on his lips, his hand still waving at everyone below.
To be continued…