"Three... two... one—RUN!"
BOOM!
A bolt of lightning burst from Will's hand and exploded across the sky, marking the start of the test.
Dozens of students sprinted forward, charging through the dense forest.They had to keep their eyes sharp and their bodies steady, reacting instantly to the terrain ahead.This test demanded two things—physical strength and reflex.
Every now and then, roots shot up from the ground to block their path, or rocks fell from the cliffs above.None of these traps were meant to harm, only to slow them down—and to test how they reacted, analyzed, and adapted to danger.
Midway through, they reached a river.The current was fierce, forcing them to swim across while avoiding hidden obstacles beneath the surface.And once across, they had to lift a one-meter stone cube weighing nearly seventy kilograms and carry it uphill.
Throughout the exam, no one was allowed to use more mana than permitted.The bracelets they wore would instantly alert the proctors if someone crossed the limit—and three of them were hovering above, watching everything from the sky.
With my build? Forget passing—I wasn't even sure I'd survive to the end.
My body was thin, fragile.After just a few steps, I was gasping for air.'Maybe I should change my diet... and actually start exercising,' I thought bitterly.
"Huff... huff..."
"Hey, Ron! Why are you running so slow? Planning to fail already?""Hah... shut up..." I wheezed.
Marcus ran right beside me, not even breaking a sweat.His hands were in his pockets, and his face had that same smug look as always.
"Ron, seriously, you should work out more. No wonder Emma dumped you."
And with that, he sprinted ahead, overtaking several students with ease.'Tch. That muscle-brained idiot... He's no different from Lunas,' I muttered inwardly.
Marcus was one of the few people I knew at Blue Light.He was insanely talented—Rank 11, with combat skills that placed him near the top of the inter-academy rankings.
Smart, capable... and unbelievably annoying.Everyone avoided him, partly because he was arrogant and way too full of himself,and mostly because he flirted with every girl he met.So, no guys wanted to hang around him, and no girls took him seriously.
When I first transferred here, he was one of the few who talked to me—probably because I hadn't heard his reputation yet. Poor me.
'Anyway, stop thinking about that idiot. Focus, Ron. The river's ahead.'
I took a deep breath, ran as fast as I could, and dove straight into the water.
Marcus sat calmly atop a large stone cube, watching the students struggle below.He'd been here for nearly five minutes now—still the first to arrive.
He wasn't waiting because he was tired. He was waiting because... he was bored.
'Winning too easily isn't fun,' he thought, smiling faintly.
For Marcus, this wasn't an exam. It was a light warm-up.He'd trained under conditions like this since childhood.
From afar, someone was closing in fast—a small, black-haired boy, panting but steady.
Kale.
Known as the "Black Flash" of Blue Light.His Gift granted him immense speed.
'Tch, who came up with that stupid nickname,' Marcus thought.
When Kale finally reached the hill, he hoisted the stone cube onto his back with visible effort.Marcus, meanwhile, lifted his cube with one hand like it was nothing.
If it came down to pure speed, Marcus had the upper hand.But Kale hadn't used his mana yet—meaning the gap could close any second.
Of course, Marcus was also saving his ace for later.
A faint distortion appeared in the air.A black tentacle extended outward, smooth and glistening, before twisting into the shape of a hand.Its fingers moved delicately, like a puppeteer pulling invisible strings.
Kale's limbs turned jet black, his eyes going empty—soulless—but his body grew faster, sharper, more powerful than ever.
Marcus only smiled, raised a finger—and snapped.
"Huff... huff... huff..."
"Ron Irus! Dead last—number fifty out of fifty!"Will's laughter echoed across the field. To me, it sounded like the devil's cackle.
"Ron, I suggest you pray you never end up in the 40–50 range again... or you'll regret it."
"Yes, sir..." I muttered, bowing slightly.
Will sighed, then disappeared into thin air.The moment he vanished, a familiar voice spoke from behind me.
"Hey, about that promise—"
"WAHHH!"
I spun around and punched the white-haired idiot right in the chest.
"Ow—hey! That actually hurt!"
"ARGHH, my wrist! What's your body made of, steel?!"
"I'll have you know, I take very good care of my skin, thank you."
"…Wait—what? Are you gay or something?" I asked, clutching my wrist.
Marcus froze. "...The hell did you just say?"
"Well, you keep coming up to me, inviting me out, whispering things about skincare—"
"NO! What the hell!? Listen—"
"It's fine, I don't judge. But I think you picked the wrong guy."
"NO! I'm literally the biggest flirt in this academy!"
"Funny, haven't heard you dating anyone though."
"I don't like those girls, alright!? They're too much work!"
"That's... a weird complaint to have," I said flatly.
"…I'm done talking. Just get ready, we're going out tonight. Tomorrow's the weekend anyway."
He turned to leave, then suddenly stopped and looked back with a grin.
"Oh, and Ron... since I ranked first, you're paying."
Before I could say anything, he dashed off toward the dorms.
"…How much money do I even have left?" I muttered, checking my storage ring.
That evening, I stood in the city square wearing a black suit and styled hair,a silver watch glinting under the streetlights.
Beside me, Marcus wore a white vest, shining like some noble peacock, covered in flashy jewelry.
"Come on, who are you waiting for? We're gonna be late," Marcus said, checking his pocket watch impatiently.
"She's almost here."
"She? Don't tell me... Emma?"
"…"
"And you said you don't talk to her anymore?"
"She's not here because of me," I replied curtly.
"Oh? Then... who's that?" Marcus pointed toward a girl in a violet dress,her black hair tied neatly as she ran toward us.
I sighed. "Great... here we go."
(Author's note:
1:The levels of mana core development potential range from 1 to 13. Starting from level 10, both the body and the mana core will begin to undergo transformations.
2:The "gifts" grant their users unique powers of their own, unless they share a spiritual connection with someone or something else. Everyone possesses a "gift," but not everyone can obtain it. The conditions for awakening one depend on each individual—shaped by their experiences and actions.
3:
Similar to humans, there are also supernatural elements, regions, creatures, and objects—most of which originate from the spirit race. They are classified from level 1 to 10:
Level 1: the lowest rank,
Level 2: capable of influencing but not dangerous,
Level 3: not directly harmful but leaves consequences,
Level 4: dangerous yet non-lethal,
and so on, increasing in severity up to level 10.
That's all of the author's notes for this chapter.)