The entire arena went silent.
For a split second, everyone — professors, medics, students — froze as the two boys came crashing down at the edge of the glowing finish line.
Then the timer above the field beeped.
Three seconds left.
The air seemed to explode with noise — gasps, cheers, disbelief.
"They… they actually made it!" someone shouted from the stands.
Kaiden could barely breathe. His arms were shaking, his lungs felt like they were on fire, and Gray's weight still hung heavy over his shoulders. The world spun around him, bright lights and wind blurring together as he collapsed next to Gray.
They were lying flat on the ground, panting like they'd just sprinted through hell — which, honestly, wasn't that far from the truth.
The announcer's voice boomed over the speakers, echoing across the island's massive training grounds.
"Out of two thousand seven hundred sixty-two participants… only two hundred and six have reached the finish line!"
The crowd went wild again. Some clapped, others just stared, jaws dropped. Kaiden could barely lift his head, but he managed a weak grin.
"We did it…" he whispered.
Gray chuckled between heavy breaths, voice rough but smug. "Told you… I'm not failing this test again."
Kaiden laughed a little, even though it hurt. "Yeah, yeah. You're welcome for the assist, frost boy."
Gray turned his head toward him, one eye half-open, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "Assist? Dude, I carried your skinny butt for half that fight."
Kaiden groaned, laughing under his breath. "Bro, I literally carried you at the end. I almost dislocated my spine."
Their small bickering was drowned out by the medics rushing toward them. Two of them kneeled beside Gray first, injecting a healing stimulant into his arm. His frost-burned skin shimmered faintly before softening back to normal. Another medic placed a patch on Kaiden's shoulder — cool, metallic, and pulsing faintly with light-blue energy.
He winced. "Ow. Feels like getting punched by an air conditioner."
"Stay still, rookie," the medic said. "You're lucky to even be conscious."
Gray chuckled again. "Told you, he's tougher than he looks."
---
A few minutes passed before Kaiden's vision started to clear. He sat up slowly, looking around at the chaos that still filled the field.
Dozens of stretchers. Some students were being carried away unconscious. Others sat in shock, covered in dust and blood.
And then there were the ones who didn't make it — sitting just short of the glowing line, heads down, silent.
Kaiden's chest tightened. He recognized a few faces. The girl with the red scarf who fought off a whole pack of stone beasts alone. The tall guy who wielded two scythes with Flow energy trailing behind them.
They'd all gotten so close…
Gray noticed where Kaiden was looking. He sighed softly. "Yeah. Happens every year. Some of them were probably stronger than us. But this test… it's not just about strength."
Kaiden nodded, eyes distant. "It's about endurance. Willpower."
"And dumb luck," Gray added with a weak grin.
Kaiden smirked. "Guess we had all three."
---
Then his eyes caught something else — the group of students who had made it.
They stood apart, forming small clusters near the center of the field. Each of them looked… different. Distinct.
One girl carried a massive black halberd that shimmered like obsidian. A boy beside her had an arm made entirely of glowing runic metal. Another student casually spun two revolvers — real guns, not training weapons — as they holstered them at their hips.
"Wait—"Kaiden blinked, pointing. "Are those… actual guns?"
Gray followed his gaze and chuckled. "Yeah. Real ones. But they're modified for Flow combat. Rubber bullets infused with Flow energy. Hits harder than steel but won't kill… usually."
Kaiden let out a low whistle. "Okay, that's both cool and terrifying."
"That's Flow University for you," Gray muttered. "You'll see everything here — from swordmasters to gunners to people who can literally bend the elements."
Kaiden tilted his head. "So basically, anime."
Gray smirked. "Pretty much."
---
Above them, the holographic scoreboard shifted. Names appeared — glowing blue for those who passed, red for those who didn't.
Kaiden's eyes scanned quickly, his heart pounding again until he finally saw it:
#0007 – Kaiden Cassano
#0117 – Gray Elrin
"Holy crap," Kaiden said, his jaw dropping. "We actually passed."
Gray smirked. "Didn't I tell you?"
Kaiden gave him a sideways grin. "Yeah, but you were half-dead when you said it, so it didn't sound convincing."
Gray chuckled weakly, shaking his head. "Fair."
---
A group of staff arrived, instructing everyone who passed to get onto the buses lined up by the airfield. Kaiden helped Gray to his feet — or tried to, since Gray could barely stand.
"Dude, I think my bones forgot how to function,"Kaiden groaned, pulling his friend up.
Gray laughed breathlessly. "You and me both."
As they limped toward the bus, Kaiden glanced around one last time. The sky was turning gold — sunset bleeding into the ocean horizon. The ruined forest behind them, the shattered stones of the defeated beasts, all glowing faintly from leftover Flow energy.
It was chaotic. Brutal. Beautiful.
He'd survived it.
---
Inside the bus, Kaiden slumped into a seat near the window, while Gray sat beside him, resting his head against the glass.
The vehicle hummed quietly, the lights flickering to life as it began to move.
"Man," Kaiden whispered. "This place is insane."
Gray nodded slowly. "Yeah. But this is just the beginning."
Kaiden turned to him. "What do you mean?"
Gray looked at the night sky outside — the stars beginning to glimmer. "That fight earlier? That was a test just to enter. Once we're inside the University of Flow Arts… we'll be surrounded by monsters disguised as students."
Kaiden blinked. "…That's reassuring."
Gray chuckled softly. "You'll see what I mean."
---
As the bus rolled along the winding cliffside road, Kaiden stared out the window, lost in thought.
Mom, Dad… I wish you could see this.
I made it. I'm finally here.
The ocean sparkled below, the moonlight tracing silver lines across the waves. The road climbed higher, twisting through fields of glowing crystals and patches of ancient ruins.
Then, as they turned one final corner—
Kaiden's eyes widened.
There it was.
The University of Flow Arts.
Built across a massive plateau at the island's center, it looked like something straight out of a dream — a blend of ancient temples and futuristic structures, each tower pulsing faintly with colored energy. Blue streams of Flow danced through the air like auroras, connecting the buildings like glowing veins.
Students who'd arrived earlier were standing by the entrance, chatting, laughing, some already sparring in open fields of energy.
Kaiden's jaw dropped. "Yo… this looks like if Hogwarts and an anime arena had a baby."
Gray snorted. "Yeah, that's one way to put it."