The arena shook with thunderous noise.
Hundreds of students stood under the dome, faces tense, eyes locked on the five massive crystals floating in the center — red, blue, green, yellow, and violet. Each one pulsed like a beating heart, radiating energy so strong it made the air hum.
Then the voice boomed from the loudspeakers:
"Only ten students per crystal will advance.
The rest… will be disqualified.
Begin."
And just like that — the world erupted.
A blinding storm of Flows filled the air. Fire streaked across the floor. Wind tore through the stands. Lightning cracked from student to student.
The Final Evaluation had started… and it was absolute chaos.
Kaiden barely ducked as a spear of ice whizzed past his ear, exploding into shards behind him.
"Bro!" Gray shouted, clutching his injured left arm — wrapped tight in a support brace. "They're actually trying to kill each other!"
Kaiden gritted his teeth, scanning the crowd. "This is supposed to be a test, not a massacre!"
"Tell them that!" Gray barked, pointing at a student launching flames across the field like a flamethrower.
Kaiden's pulse pounded. Everyone was losing their minds — running, yelling, forming groups just to survive.
The red crystal's side had already become a warzone, the ground melting under the heat. The blue crystal's area turned into a frozen tundra. And near the green crystal — the one Kaiden's wind affinity resonated with — the air whipped violently, a storm forming from the combined Flows of dozens of students.
"That's the one," Kaiden said, nodding toward it. "The green crystal. It's our best shot."
Gray looked doubtful. "You mean the one surrounded by wind maniacs? With our luck?"
"Got a better idea?"
Gray sighed. "Fair point."
They began moving — keeping low, using broken pieces of the arena as cover. Kaiden's muscles ached from the previous trial, and Gray was still nursing his arm, unable to form his usual ice constructs. They were both exhausted, but backing down wasn't an option.
They hadn't even made it halfway when a group of four students blocked their path.
"Well, look who it is," one of them said, smirking. His voice oozed arrogance. "The underdogs."
Kaiden narrowed his eyes. He recognized them — upper-rankers, known bullies from the advanced classes. Their wristbands glowed brightly, showing high Flow capacity.
Gray muttered, "Great. The elitist squad."
One of them cracked his knuckles, his Flow sparking with orange heat. "Heard the professors are watching. Guess we'll make it easy for them and trim down the weaklings."
Kaiden frowned. "You're seriously trying to eliminate people? There's no point—"
"Oh, there's always a point," the leader said, grinning. "Less people, less competition. You get it."
Before Kaiden could reply, the ground beneath him cracked open — molten energy slicing toward them.
"MOVE!"Gray shouted.
Kaiden dove to the side, grabbing Gray by the shoulder as the attack erupted, sending lava fragments flying. The heat was unbearable.
Gray exhaled sharply, frost forming on his right hand as he thrust it forward.
Ice exploded from his palm, freezing the molten Flow mid-stream. Steam hissed violently.
Kaiden took the chance — lunging through the steam, his dagger flashing green. He slashed twice — fast, precise — disarming the molten user. But another student came in from behind, launching a sonic kick that cracked the ground.
Kaiden twisted away, barely dodging. "Damn it, they're coordinated!"
Gray clenched his jaw. His frost Flow was unstable — weaker without his full strength. But he could still outthink them.
"Kaiden! Follow my lead!"
He slammed his good hand on the ground. Thin frost spread out in a line. The bullies laughed — until their feet started to freeze, the ice climbing up their ankles.
"What the—?" one shouted, struggling to move.
Kaiden grinned. "Nice one, bro."
He pushed off the ground, Flow surging through his legs as the wind propelled him forward like a sudden gust. With a swift spin, he drove the lower end of his dagger—just beneath the hilt—straight into the back of the enemy's neck.
The student hit the ground hard, knocked out cold.
"Two down,"Kaiden said, breathing heavily.
The leader growled, his molten arms flaring brighter. "You'll pay for that!"
He launched a barrage of fiery punches, the air warping from the heat. Kaiden dodged left, then right, but his reflexes were slowing. One punch grazed his side, burning through his jacket.
"Kaiden!"Gray yelled, creating a small ice barrier — just enough to block the final strike. The molten attack shattered it, spraying shards everywhere.
Kaiden pushed through the smoke, adrenaline roaring. He ducked low and drove his knee into the guy's gut, forcing the air out of him. As the bully doubled over, Kaiden jabbed his dagger's hilt into his chin — lights out.
The last two backed away, realizing they were outmatched. "You're crazy, both of you!" one shouted before retreating.
Kaiden dropped to his knees, panting. "Yeah… tell me something new."
Gray leaned against the wall, sweat dripping from his forehead. "Remind me to never underestimate us again."
Despite the chaos, both of them laughed — tired but proud.
For a moment, the world around them felt quieter. The battlefield's noise faded into a distant roar.
"Bro," Kaiden said between breaths, "we just beat upper-rankers… and you only used one arm."
Gray grinned weakly. "You're welcome."
They shared a small fist bump — exhausted but still standing.
But the silence didn't last.
A crash echoed nearby — the sound of someone being thrown across the floor. Kaiden turned sharply, spotting three students ganging up on someone near the edge of the green zone.
The victim had a shield — large, silver, glowing faintly cyan. He was trying to defend himself but clearly overwhelmed.
Kaiden frowned. "He's not fighting back."
Gray tilted his head. "He's just… blocking their hits."
One of the attackers laughed. "C'mon, Glasses Boy! You're not gonna pass if you just stand there!"
Kaiden clenched his fists. "I hate people like that."
Gray nodded. "Let's even the odds."
The two charged forward.
Before the bullies could react, Kaiden's wind Flow burst outward, pushing them back with a gust strong enough to crack the floor. Gray followed up, freezing the ground beneath their feet — they slipped instantly, crashing into each other.
The boy with the shield blinked in surprise. "Uh… thanks?"
Kaiden stood in front of him, panting lightly. "No problem. You okay?"
The boy nodded, adjusting his glasses with a nervous smile. "I'm fine. Just… didn't wanna hurt anyone."
Gray raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? They were about to break your ribs."
He scratched the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. "Yeah, I'm not really the fighting type."
Gray tilted his head. "Then what's your name, Shield Boy?"
"Oh. Uh—Jehyun," he said. "Kinetic Flow. I absorb momentum and redirect it through my shield."
He lifted his shield slightly. "Basically… I take hits so others don't have to."
Gray blinked. "You're a tank."
Jehyun looked confused. "A what?"
Kaiden chuckled. "He means you're built for defense. I like this guy already."
then he offered a hand. "Join us. We could use someone who can actually survive hits."
Jehyun hesitated. "A team? In this kind of trial?"
"Yeah,"Kaiden said, smiling faintly. "We're not here to destroy people. Just to make it through."
After a short pause, Jehyun took his hand and smiled. "Alright. Let's pass this thing together."