《The Condemned Child》


 Chapter 1 - This World Is Cruel

    I was six when the Shifters ravaged my home. I can still remember it vividly - No, it would be easier to say that I can¡¯t forget it. Like a series of photographs, the destruction of my home occurred in such a cruelly simple step-by-step fashion that it can never escape my mind.


    My mother had tucked me into bed, staring at me with warm blue eyes as I smiled back at her, face full of childlike curiosity. My father was talking loudly downstairs; It wasn¡¯t in Bazuran, so I couldn¡¯t decipher the words, but his tone seemed uncomfortable. Now, I have a strong suspicion of who he was talking to.


    ¡°Katsuro, Shinju!¡± He called out in a panicked tone, ¡°Get out of here now!¡±.


    Well, I can only presume that was the ending of the second sentence - He was cut off before he could finish. I wish I could¡¯ve meant that in the sense that he was interrupted, but I would later find out his body was physically cut in half as he warned us to flee¡­


    My mother was surprisingly calm; no, not calm, but determined to put on a brave face for her son. Grabbing my hand and dragging me off the bed, she threw me onto her back and climbed up the ladder to the attic.


    I quivered at the sound of Shifters flooding my room as they broke and overturned my treasured belongings to hunt us down.


    My mother then walked to a dark corner of the room, pulling a strange cord and pushing a certain box out of a row to reveal a hidden passageway.


    Looking back, I was still stunned by the shock as I was able to tiptoe after her, without whimpering too much. As we descended down the secret stairs, I heard my mother softly mutter to me,


    ¡°Katsuro, I fear that life after this will not be the same again. If I do not make it out of this, remember that your father and I will always love you, from here and in the afterlife - We won¡¯t let go of you, you hear me?¡±


    I wonder how much of that reassurance was designed for her, rather than me. I had never fully understood what she meant . Specifically, why she was so resigned to death; why she was so convinced I would not die alongside them?


    As I silently wept at her words, even then understanding the severity of the situation, I begged her, ¡°Please, Mom¡­ I beg of you, don¡¯t die.¡±


    She hesitated at that, staring back at me and kindly whispering, ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±


    Sometimes in life, though, trying isn¡¯t enough. Begging isn¡¯t enough. Even praying isn¡¯t enough.


    As we reached the end of the stairs, we found ourselves in a narrow, squalid tunnel. Although my mother climbed through it with ease, I had been a homebody as a child and thus didn¡¯t enjoy getting dirty.


    Regardless, after some initial reluctance, we picked up the speed until we saw a light at the end of the tunnel.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    How ironic to call it that. As my mother lifted her face out of the tunnel into the last rays of the evening sun, she was pulled out by forces I could not see. I could only grab onto her feet as they pulled her out, trying desperately to save her, before she disappeared from my line of sight.


    Pragmatically, spurred on by adrenaline, I disappeared back deeper into the tunnel.  I could hear a Shifter jump down behind me, but I did not turn my head as I crawled faster and faster. The mud stained my favourite pyjamas, but in the frenzy I couldn¡¯t have cared less.


    As it got closer and closer behind me, I could feel myself getting closer and closer to the house. Closer. Just a bit more. The bottom of the stairway was in sight now. A couple more metres. And then, it happened.


    A Shifter descended from the stairway, and I realized I was surrounded by both sides. Staring at it directly in the eyes, I felt a wave of repulsion fill my body. It was merely a floating head, connected to organs without its exterior. Drooping beneath its head lay its heart, lungs and liver as I felt my own heart shudder from such a disgusting image.


    I suppose such a look was befitting for the Shifter, who immediately pounced on me, pushing me to lose consciousness.


    When I woke up, I could feel the sensation of a knife handle in my hand, and I was poised right in front of an unconscious body. There were Shifters either side of me, and at the front of them all stood a young boy, who could be no more than a year older than me.


    And yet, compared to my pathetic, quivering state, the boy stood with a menacing grin and a shadowy stature, blood dripping off his mace.


    The boy, who seemed human, introduced himself in Shiftari. Well, I can only presume it was an introduction as I didn¡¯t speak the language; the only two words I could recognize were that of a Rajanese name, ¡®Ryouzan Kamio¡¯.


    He made a motion of thrusting the mace forward, as if to encourage me to thrust my knife forward at the lying body in front of me. I knew I was in great danger, but I resisted. After all, it was my mother¡¯s body in front of me.


    Instead of immediately killing me,  Ryouzan waited.  He continued to encourage me to kill. He grew increasingly exasperated, getting more exasperated as he threatened to kill my mother himself. Or, at least, that¡¯s how it appeared. I couldn¡¯t tell the meaning of his words, but the tone was obvious.


    After what felt like hours of resistance, and hours of silent prayers in my head, Ryouzan moved. He kicked me straight in the face, eliciting a spurt of blood from my nose. He then incited me to stab her again, but I refused by not making any motion.


    He kicked harder. He requested once more. I refused.


    He punched me. He requested once more. I refused.


    He stabbed me in the chest. He requested once more. I refused.


    At that point, I thought it was likely that these would be my final moments. So, pressing my hands together weakly, I silently thanked my mother and father for giving me a good life.


    However, as all hope seemed lost, there was the roaring sound of the Imperial Guard as they engaged in conflict with the Shifters. As Ryouzan left to command his troops, he sent two strong Shifters to monitor me. Laying weakly on the ground, I made the most of my pitiful situation by observing their misshapen forms.


    They were both in the shape of unnaturally bent, ethereal women with long, flowery white dresses. Despite the idea that their outfits could be beautiful, they scared me to my core.


    Despite how strong they must¡¯ve been, they were not strong enough for the ruthless Commander Miyagawa of the Imperial Guard.


    The Commander struck into them with a heavy hammer. Striking to distract, not to kill, he bought time to throw me over his shoulders as we escaped.


    As we snuck away, all I could do was shiver as pathetic tears rolled down my eyes. Although the Commander was heroically saving me, I was cowardly leaving my mother to die.


    That was why, 10 years later, I stood facing his daughter Naomi as she pulled me out of my bed with a soft but ferocious hand.


    ¡°Katsuro, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking about, but we have to go - Today¡¯s a big day, you know?¡±


    I knew what she was talking about - How could I not? It was why I was suffocated by memories of that day.


    Gazing back at Naomi, I thought to myself that I should be really grateful for her. Her short red hair complemented her hazel eyes, and her energetic expression was exactly what I needed to gather my thoughts.


    There was no hesitation.


    ¡°I know, I know¡­¡± I murmured in respond, feigning as if I was merely tired.


    She saw right through it, though - ¡°Yeah, sure, whatever. The main thing is you get dressed, how the hell are you going to prepare for the biggest day of your life in that sorry state!¡± She chastised, and I merely nodded in response, gesturing with my hand to flick her out so I could get changed.


    Sighing with a small roll of her eyes, Naomi uttered, ¡°How rude..¡± before disappearing out of my bedroom, likely to get ready herself.


    She was right, this was the biggest day of our lives.


    See, me and Naomi had our own motivations, but the end goal was the same. We would do whatever it takes to save humanity and end this horrible, all-consuming war.


    I would stop at nothing to do it. And the first step of my plan?


    Enrolment at Celestial Military Academy.

 Chapter 2 - And Yet, I Have Hope

    ¡°Just like this!¡± Naomi declared, thrusting her curved sword towards my unsuspecting leg. Following the trajectory of her attack with my eyes, I leapt back to escape the strike.


    ¡°Hey, you know we¡¯re sparring, right? You look like you¡¯re aiming to kill¡­¡± I retort, parrying her blade as we dart around in a circle.


    ¡°What?! Nah, only a total weakling would die from an attack like this." Naomi jumped after me, pouncing with her weapon like a tiger chasing a gazelle.


    Still, I was no pathetic gazelle. I was a jaguar. I planted one foot into the sand, spinning my body to feign a hook before slicing upward with my sword. I rested it beneath her chin as she rolled her eyes.


    ¡°That was a lucky shot,¡± She murmured, panting as I rolled my eyes. She¡¯d never been the type to admit defeat, so I was aware that false acknowledgement was merely a pretence. A pretence for what, you ask?


    Well, the gleam in her eye would¡¯ve given it away if I hadn¡¯t known earlier. She pulled herself back, ducked beneath and slashed at my side. I would¡¯ve been a goner if I hadn¡¯t gotten accustomed to her fighting style, but luckily I had so I was able to dodge in time.


    We fought for a while longer. As we danced across the sand, Naomi began to sweat. Slicing left and right without pause, she manipulated me from one vulnerable position to another.


    ¡°Hey, we should take a break,¡± I offered, but she shook her head without hesitation.


    ¡°Seriously, you¡¯ll tire yourself out if you keep forcing your body to its limits. I understand you¡¯re excited, but they say you should always rest before a big test.¡±


    I felt quite inspirational. I was like a wise sage delivering some beautiful wisdom in his dying moments. Unfortunately, Naomi didn¡¯t quite agree.


    ¡°Firstly, there¡¯s absolutely no way I¡¯m going to rest. We¡¯ve got to make sure we¡¯re in top form for the entrance test, and if I didn¡¯t refine my technique now, I¡¯d never forgive myself. Besides, who¡¯s ¡°they¡±? Because unless you¡¯re talking about Dad, I get the feeling you made that up to improve your credibility¡­¡±


    Ouch. That was a low blow, but she¡¯d seen right through me. Although it was obvious ''they'' never existed. Looking around, it was impossible to make out even the slightest sign of humans outside the cabin. Of any other creature, for that matter.


    ¡°Fine, fine, you¡¯re right, we should work hard. But we need a nice break. We should be going pretty soon anyway, right? May as well speak to the Commander before we go.¡±


    The words flew off me, but I could tell they pierced through Naomi more than I anticipated. Despite her enthusiasm, her eyes exposed her reservations as I mentioned the Commander.


    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go now, then?¡± She nodded casually, but the way she phrased it as a question told me everything I needed to know.


    I plunged my blade into the sand and motioned for Naomi to follow me as we entered the wooden cabin. The living room was surprisingly comfortable juxtaposed to the rest of the house. A nice fur carpet coated the floor and complemented some of Naomi''s beautiful artwork.


    In her younger years, though, Naomi wasn''t quite as talented. Thus some rather crude images tainted the otherwise pristine gallery. The Commander was far too sentimental to ever take them down.


    Specifically, I sighed as I tried to decipher whether one of the smaller brown drawings was a hippo or a capybara. No, wait, perhaps a Sloth?


    As if sensing my thoughts, Naomi giggled, ¡°Oh my god, do you like it? Don¡¯t you think chimpanzees are just so cute! I¡¯m so glad I¡¯ve been able to appreciate their majestic nature even as a kid!¡±


    I stared at her in shock. With her warm smile and curious eyes, it¡¯d be easy to nod along to her every word. However, I was genuinely perplexed. What kind of chimpanzee had four legs?!


    ¡°Oh yeah, for sure. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t think we have too much time so let¡¯s save all this for when we come back on holiday, right?¡± I asked, out of the empathy in my heart to stop Naomi feeling too down about leaving. That alongside a desire to liberate my eyes from this repulsive, Shifter-looking chimpanzee.


    Naomi giggled before nodding, taking the lead as she knocked on the Commander¡¯s office. ¡°Hey, Dad, are you busy?¡±


    Of course, he was. Swinging the door open with an enthusiastic grin, Mr. Miyagawa enveloped us both in a warm hug.


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    I did not return it, as I was a little annoyed by the breach of my personal space. Instead, I sneaked a glance over his shoulder.


    He¡¯d made a makeshift bed next to the desk, which was overflowing with battle plans and documents. When he was back from operations, he¡¯d often spend his entire day and night inside this room in pure focus.


    I admired him for that, and would always be grateful for what he¡¯d done for me. That said, I wasn¡¯t as grateful for the heavy hug. Whatever happened to boundaries?


    Ah, well, I¡¯d give him the pass this time because of the special occasion. I wouldn¡¯t hug him back though, that¡¯s too far even for this.


    As he pulled away, he shot us an encouraging look and addressed us both at once. ¡°You¡¯re both the two best decisions I ever made.¡± He began, his eyes flickering to the sunlight outside as if to gauge the time.


    ¡°I used to be a pretty ruthless warrior, your old man.¡± He delivers the line with a hearty chuckle, but I don¡¯t think ¡®used to be¡¯ applies at the rate he¡¯s still working. ¡°But my old age is making me soft.¡±


    He pauses, and I can sense Naomi¡¯s face trembling. She¡¯s brave, determined and has a goal in mind, but I guess everyone feels lonely when they¡¯re leaving home.


    Commander Miyagawa is a more reassuring man than me, though, and he moves to twist Naomi¡¯s reluctance into a sense of excitement.


    ¡°So, go do me proud! I¡¯ll be out here working behind the scenes for the next few months, but I¡¯m far from retired. In fact, I¡¯ve heard I might be given a batch of Celestial Military kids sometime down the line. Only the best of the best, though. So, should I expect to see your faces?¡±


    With that, he masterfully cements a goal in both our minds. Ending the war is an ambitious, long-term objective, but being able to work with the Commander to do so in the short-term sounds like a perfect goal to me.


    Naomi appears to agree, as she stretches her hand to punch me on the shoulder. ¡°Of course, Dad, but you should be more worried about Katsuro. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s quite up to scratch!¡±


    How rude. If I remember right, aren¡¯t we both equally scratched after our little fight earlier? Still, I don¡¯t say that aloud. The Commander¡¯s words are motivating, and I¡¯ve got an itch to fight.


    Although I share some of Naomi''s attachments, I can''t relate to her. For me, the main emotion I maintain will always be anger towards the Shifters. The more noble goal to save humanity and the less noble goal to enact vengeance on Ryouzan are both parts of that.


    A little rural cabin is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, my memories considered or not.


    ¡°Yo, Katsuro? I didn¡¯t mean it, knock that gloomy expression off your face,¡± Naomi teases, and I realize I must¡¯ve zoned out.


    ¡°Lay off him, Naomi, you know how he is. Katsuro, you feel ready?¡± The Commander understood and kindly asked for my own opinion in turn.


    I nodded, ¡°As ready as I¡¯ll ever be,¡± and he reciprocated with a confident smile.


    ¡°The boats will be leaving anytime now, and I have to get back to work. Naomi, Katsuro? Do me proud.¡±


    And with those parting words, my time living with the Commander came to an end.


    After a long hike to the end of the beach, we finally reached the docks. I clutched some Ajuras he gave us - They were small purple gems widely traded in Zhandaria. Gripping the sparkling rocks, I paid a local shipman to transport us.


    As the small boat toe through the roaring waves, Naomi and I stared at the distance of our former homeland. Soon, the shoreline disappeared and the beautiful, brutal cerulean seas engulfed us.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Naomi, they say absence only makes the heart grow fonder,¡± I whispered, half-expecting her to immediately shut down my strange quote.


    She didn¡¯t and instead reached to hold my hand. On this quest together, I knew we were both at least a little reassured we had someone to come back to.


    ¡°Just wait, once we¡¯ve made it to the Reclamation Teams, we¡¯ll come back and have a glorious, happy reunion. It¡¯ll be the greatest celebration we¡¯ve ever had.¡± Naomi suddenly proclaimed, with newfound vigour. I have to admit that she convinced me.


    Unfortunately, she was wrong. My next encounter with Commander Miyagawa would be anything but happy...

 Chapter 3 - Qualifying for a New Life

    Majestic. No other word came close when it came to describing Zhandaria. As a child, I''d come with the Commander, but even now, the sprawling modern centres never failed to elicit a gasp.


    The populations of the first few villages alone dwarfed the entirety of our native island, Subajura.


    After thanking the shipman, we followed the Commander''s instructions to reach the beginning of a long river to the capital city.


    Although I''d expected most candidates today to be from the island, I must''ve been wrong. The sheer number of multilingual guides indicated there must''ve been a lot of foreign applicants as well.


    "Should we go for one of the Bazuran boats?" Naomi tilted her head, probing for my approval.


    "Nah, we may as well go for a native Rajanese speaker. The journey''s going to be the same either way, and we may as well practice." I reasoned.


    Despite having studied Rajanese to fluency years ago, our accents still exposed us as foreign. Naomi took a strange pride in her origin, but I was far more pragmatic.


    "Alright, if you say so, but you''re no fun. We''re gonna be hearing Rajanese non-stop the rest of our lives, you know?!" Naomi protested, puffing her cheeks out to express her annoyance.


    Not that I cared. She could feign annoyance to her heart''s content, but I knew she''d follow my lead in the end.


    Thinking back to our sparring earlier, I was under no delusion that I was stronger than her. We were equals in combat; no, if anything, she was the more talented fighter. In turn, I barely edged her out in academic studies.


    With that in mind, I struggled to understand her dependence on me. I hoped that the experience of the Academy would help her become more independent.


    As we stepped onto the boat, we were immediately greeted by a girl lounging against the back of it. With a


    "Hey hey, are you guys here for the CMA exam?" The girl waved, her voice tinged with an accent. Dressed in shorts and a black top which rested low on her chest, the sunlight struck against her mostly bare skin to create a glowing appearance.


    "That''s right," I nodded, stretching my hand out to shake hers. "The name''s Shinsato Katsuro, it''s a pleasure to meet you."


    At the gesture, both Naomi and the girl looked a little surprised. I shot Naomi a tiny glare, before returning to smile politely at the girl, who reciprocated the gesture.


    "What a gentleman," She giggled, twirling a strand of her wavy black hair, "My name''s Xiao Shuren, the pleasure''s all mine."


    With that gentle introduction, I was able to ascertain the origin of her accent.


    I paused before the murmur, ''You''re Akhmik?'' was able to leave my lips. I''m sure she wouldn''t care, but I didn''t want to risk unnecessarily provoking a stranger.


    Unfortunately, Xiao was a step ahead of me. "You look surprised. What, is an Akhmik signing up for the CMA so shocking? You sound Bazuran yourself, so what''s up with judging me?" She asked, accusatory, and I instinctively brought my hands up to apologetically defend myself.


    "I was thinking no such things, my apologies." I bowed my head, unwilling to start such a meaningless fight despite her malevolent expression.


    "Sorry for my partner here, he can get a little ahead of himself. But trust me, no offence was intended!" Naomi cut in to defend me, and I sighed a breath of relief that it wasn''t only me who thought she was overreacting.


    "And who are you to interrupt? If I remember correctly, you didn''t even introduce yourself. So how is it, you some sidekick?" Xiao taunted.


    At that point, I could tell Naomi was a little annoyed, but I couldn''t find it within me to feign anger.


    "You know it wasn''t meant badly, Xiao, so please drop it and accept our forgiveness," I spoke solemnly, disappointed by how my first encounter here had turned out.


    "Mm, accept your forgiveness?" Xiao giggled, "Perhaps you should descend to your knees and bow first." With that, her eyes gleamed mischievously as she let out a long, hearty laugh to our confused faces.


    "Damn, you guys are so gullible! I could barely hold in my laugh watching how serious you two got!" Xiao grinned, as I rolled my eyes and Naomi let out a sigh of relief.


    "No offence was intended, no offence was intended!" Xiao mocked Naomi''s apology as she continued to laugh, "Well yeah of course not, you didn''t even say anything!" She guffawed, before realizing we weren''t as involved in the joke as she was.


    "Ah, my bad, maybe I took that a little too far... Anyways, it''s good to meet you Ms Sidekick, what''s your actual name?" Xiao shook her head as if to clear her mind of the seemingly comedic thoughts.


    "Naomi Miyagawa..." Naomi replied, still dazed by Xiao''s rapid change in expression.


    "Ay, Naomi''s a pretty name," Xiao murmured as I raised an eyebrow.


    "Aw, thanks, I love your name as well!" Naomi grinned, easily pleased and without a remnant of the hurt and irritation she''d exhibited prior.


    We talked for a little longer, and before we knew it, we''d arrived at the site of the Celestial Military Academy. Or, at least, that''s what we were told.


    Instead, we were delivered to an empty patch of deforested jungle and grassland.


    Across the patch, there must''ve been over 350 students and still more were arriving. There were only 64 available spots, so the competition would be difficult.


    We were not the only ones confused by our location. Looking left and right, I could see new batches of applicants coming via boat. But, alongside them, I could see an abundance of applicants who looked like they''d already been here for some time.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Looking back at the girls, both Naomi and Xiao looked puzzled so I figured the best bet would be to ask one of the surrounding students.


    "Hey, does anyone know what''s happening? We''re a little late," I asked, aiming my question at a boy nearby, who was staring inquisitively at one of the tree trunks.


    Spinning back at me, his eyes lit up as they made contact with mine. For some reason, I felt a little unnerved as he stared me up and down with piercing blue eyes.


    "We haven''t been told anything." He began, brushing his hands through his floppy white hair, which drooped into curtains.


    Although I fully believed his statement, especially considering how clueless many of the other applicants looked, my eyes darted to the trunk beside him.


    Stepping closer, I was able to make out a ring of four pins on the circle of the wood, with a small hole in the middle.


    Weighing up my options, I considered if it was a simple test of bravery. Slamming my finger down into them and thus obtaining blood would be the best way of checking that strategy.


    Still, I wasn''t a brute. If that was the solution, then there wouldn''t be so many people left bewildered.


    I inspected each pin in turn, trying to distinguish any unique differences they may have. As I did so, I was conscious of the curious eyes that the white-haired boy fixed on me.


    For a second, that gaze faded, and I utilized the opportunity to try to mask my actions. This was a competitive exam, so I didn''t want to reveal the solutions without thinking.


    I could hear the white-haired student whispering with Xiao, compounded by Naomi''s annoyed shriek in reaction to being left out. I didn''t let it distract me, though, running my hand along the top of the pin to judge for sharpness.


    It wasn''t sharp, but it could easily draw blood if the user attempted to make it do so. Proud of at least one observation, I attempted to sense any differences in markings or size of the pins.


    However, they all appeared the same and thus I lifted my head to see how the others were doing. Most seemed similarly stumped, no pun intended, and those which were by the grass plains lacked any clear focus at all.


    Looking to Naomi, Xiao and the white-haired student for feedback, I noticed Xiao had all but disappeared. Turning to ask the white-haired boy, he seemed to anticipate my question and answered for me.


    "What I said to her is irrelevant, the main point is, she isn''t here anymore."


    Naomi looked similarly intrigued, but she didn''t speak up as I considered the rest of the crowd - Xiao was absent, even from there. From my impression of her, she didn''t exactly seem the type to give up, so did she qualify?


    "Hey, Xiao? You there?" I called out, pausing for a second to test my theory. Then, with no response, I looked back to the white-haired boy.


    "Out of curiosity, were there more people than the group assembled now?"


    A grin spread across his face at my question, and he nodded, "Yeah, you guessed it; there''s no secret passageway or hidden location. When someone solves this puzzle, they disappear."


    At that, I was a little perturbed. Naomi appeared to feel the same way, though for different reasons.


    "What, they disappear?! Entirely? Surely that can''t be the work of the Invisibility Rune or the Spatial Manipulation Rune, so.. how do they do it?" Naomi asked, demonstrating her impressive knowledge of the runic stones as she did so.


    The boy, who I''ll hereafter refer to as the Mysterious Showoff because of the thick gold chain around his neck, looked off in thought for a second.


    "It''s not the work of runes." The Mysterious Showoff acknowledged her idea and agreed, looking impressed. Still, his laid-back attitude confirmed he knew more than he was letting on.


    Ultimately though, that was a mystery I could save for later. Xiao had worked and disappeared within less than a minute, so clearly, the challenge wasn''t too long-winded.


    Returning my hands to the pins, I had an idea. "Hey, Naomi, did Xiao leave with anyone?"


    Gazing at the pins herself, inspecting them closely, she nodded. "Mhmm, she approached a small group a distance away. But... I don''t think she knew them very well."


    "How big was the group?" I asked, although I already had an answer I hoped for in my mind.


    "Hm, maybe 3 or 4 people? I couldn''t tell," Naomi admitted, looking up at me as if to ask if I''d achieved a solution.


    Staring at the pins for a second, I turned to the Mysterious Showoff for confirmation. Like I thought, he threw me a thumbs up with a cryptic smile.


    "Yo, Kaya?" The Mysterious Showoff called out, and as if summoned, a tanned girl with green eyes and cerulean hair jumped behind him. Presumably, she''d been among the crowd, but I was a little shocked by how quickly she''d reacted to his call - Had this been planned?


    "Oh, so you figured it out, Ruji? Proud of you." The girl called Kaya gave an affectionate smile as she stepped towards the tree trunk.


    I would have to uncover more about those two later, but one step at a time. For now, I merely moved to place my finger against one of the pins, gesturing for Naomi to follow suit.


    Soon, all four of us were crowded around the trunk. Naomi looked a little disheartened by the idea of what we were about to do, but I''d be damned if I let a little blood interfere with my goal.


    "Gh..." Naomi winced as we all thrust our fingers down, the tiny pins piercing into our flesh in unison. For someone who suffered real injuries so often in mock combat, I expected a little more pain tolerance, but that train of thought quickly fell apart as the world around us fell apart.


    The people around us vanished. Next, the tree trunks disappeared. And finally, the ground beneath us evaporated.


    Blinking as if awoken from a dream, my eyes were immediately hit by the sight of large stone walls and a huge hall enclosed between them.


    Alongside those walls, there was a stairway downward, a door outward and a small room enclosed within this wider hall.


    There must''ve been around 400 or so students already gathered; Only a few were foreign, with many even donning outfits which exhibited their status as local Rajanese nobility.


    Other than them, I noticed a familiar face among the crowd - Xiao was talking with some other students and threw me a friendly wave when I motioned to her.


    Ha. It''s easy to give a friendly wave, but not tell us the solution, huh? It is what it is.


    In the very middle of all the students stood a tall, broad and muscular old man with a long white beard to complement the lion''s mane his hair had grown into.


    Sensing the presence of a new group, he turned to us with a broad, frightening grin. Walking with a cocky swagger, he paused before us.


    Immediately, Kaya and the Mysterious Showoff bowed their heads. Naomi and I did not know who he was, but by the significant reaction he''d garnered and his position here, we realized he must be an important figure. Resultantly, we swiftly joined their bow.


    Eying us up as if to determine our value, the man swung his head down in an approving nod.


    "You look very athletic, all of you. An impressive bunch, for sure. The only question is, are you more impressive than the others here?"


    Naomi moved to speak, but sensing it was a rhetorical question just in time, she cut herself off.


    The elderly man seemed to notice, but did not say anything, merely staring with intensity.


    "Well, only time will tell. My name is Professor Hugo Harada, and I''d advise that you memorise it. I will be your chief examiner today."


    With that, he walked back to the centre of the room and snapped his fingers, as if to request utter silence. The request was immediately obliged, with all faces turning to him.


    "Well, I think that''s just enough students. I''m seeing some talent, some potential, and some trash for good measure. But... Only 64 of you 448 will have a chance to study here."


    That was an extremely high number of applicants who had passed the first stage, and an extremely difficult ratio to qualify.


    Naomi looked a little disconcerted, but Kaya and Ruji expressed no such concern. I was more aligned with the latter.


    Of course, being the best out of seven talented candidates would be difficult. But compared to ending the war? This was less than a warm-up hurdle. I would make the top 64, without a doubt.


    The old man moved to make a final comment, delivering the line which defined the start of my new life.


    "Welcome, everyone, to the entrance examination for the Celestial Military Academy. Good luck... You''ll need it."

 Chapter 4 - Our First Team Challenge

    ¡°However, as a final question, are there Akhmiks present today?¡± Professor Harada asked, his dull grey eyes scouting across the huge crowd.


    The characteristic dark black and brown hair of the Akhmik population distinguished them. Therefore, I wondered if Professor Harada was partially blind. Still, the way he had immediately stormed across to us when we arrived in the room didn¡¯t give off that impression.


    As a wave of hands, perhaps around 40 or so, rose into the air, I noticed with curiosity that Xiao didn¡¯t lift her hand. Still, this didn¡¯t seem to concern me, so I took a second to breathe in, and consider the circumstances of how we were transported here.


    Like Naomi and the Mysterious Showoff had suggested, the magic didn¡¯t seem to be the work of runes. Even the highest level of Spatial Manipulation wouldn¡¯t be sufficient to transfer so many of us so quickly.


    So, how could it be? I could¡¯ve hypothesized it was maybe a secret rune that we hadn¡¯t heard about, but the nineteen runes were pretty famous. Of course, the 20th remained a mystery, but it was firmly on the side of the Shifters. Otherwise, we would¡¯ve maintained a much stronger advantage even in the early stages of the war.


    As I pondered that thought, I was interrupted by the sound of a cold, cruel kick.


    Professor Harada had walked, slowly and methodically, towards a tall Akhmik boy. The applicant seemed confident, even cocky, but the scene was a little eerie as the Professor walked wordlessly towards him.


    I¡¯d been watching closely, wondering the purpose of the exercise, until the boy was sent flying backwards off his feet from a brutal kick to the stomach.


    ¡°Ugh?!¡± The boy yelled out, accompanied by the loud, painful sound of his back clashing against the rough stone ground.


    ¡°Mhm, there¡¯s been a change of policy.¡± A smirk spread across Professor Harada¡¯s face as many of the other students dropped their hands down.


    One was a little too slow, though, and Professor Harada shot them a toying glare as if playing with his prey. The girl, whose brown pigtail swayed in fear, took a step back, but it was too late. Professor Harada slapped her across the face, causing her whole body to shudder as she staggered backwards.


    ¡°As per the latest Royal Decree, Akhmiks are no longer permitted to study at the Celestial Military Academy. Similarly, they are banned from working in the Military, Reclamation Teams and Scouting Teams. They''re similarly barred from studying at the Celestial Academy of Natural and Social Sciences.¡±


    The words were drawn out and enjoyed. I was sick to my stomach, and looking across at Naomi¡¯s face, she was similarly angered by the policy. Naomi had always been righteous, and I could tell she was going to raise her hand.


    Resultantly, I moved my hand up to squeeze her gently, encouraging her to stop. By the concerned faces of the Akhmik students, I doubted any of them would protest. After Professor Harada''s brutal treatment of the first two, I couldn''t blame them.


    Therefore, even if Naomi protested, I wasn¡¯t sure how much of a support base she could work with. More importantly, though, Naomi and I were both Bazuran. Although we were treated far better than the Akhmiks, there was no way a blatantly discriminatory man like the Professor would heed our opinions.


    Looking across to Kaya, whose tanned skin revealed her foreign origin as likely Azurian, I got the same impression. She seemed like she wanted to speak, but knew better than to voice her thoughts.


    ¡°That policy is ridiculous.¡± A solitary challenger appeared.


    With long, flowing purple hair and eyes burning with passion, a tall girl stepped forwards to face the Professor. For his part, he swivelled towards her with his fists raised, before dropping them to his side as he identified who he was talking to.


    ¡°Hm? Little miss, are you sure you want to be speaking? You might come from a noble family, but this is an Imperial policy. You wouldn¡¯t want to endanger your family, would you?¡±


    The conversation left a bitter taste in my mouth. Although the Commander had warned that Zhandaria and the CMA would be cruel, unforgiving places, even I was a little disconcerted. Blackmail in broad daylight?


    ¡°Whatever do you mean?¡± The girl rose to the challenge, forcing the burden of explanation back onto him. Matching his cockiness with a confidence of her own, she nodded - "I understand I''m merely an applicant, but I fail to see the benefit of that policy. Why discard so many talented, dedicated fighters when we need them more than ever, solely based on their accent?


    She paused for emphasis, before slyly chuckling, ¡°And if I remember correctly, aren¡¯t you supposed to teach Ethics here? Seems a little ironic.¡±


    Her heritage was clearly from nobility based on the conversation and her silky, battle-adjusted dress. Despite that, her attitude was the noblest thing about her.


    I was torn. She was right that the discrimination was counter-productive and cruel, but it would at least eliminate part of the competition. I felt disrespectful for thinking that, but I have to do whatever I can to reach my goal of leading the army and winning this war.


    Professor Harada did not respond for a second, breathing deeply as if to take it all in. I was genuinely curious how he would react, but instead of speaking, he went to strike the noble girl¡¯s face.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Just like the others, she flew back and fell onto the ground.


    Or, that was how it went in my head. In actuality, she grabbed his wrist and spun him around, kneeing him in the stomach to push him backwards.


    There was a collective mixture of gasps and conversations among the crowd, and I feared the girl had put herself in a dangerous position. Upsetting someone malevolent, and with great authority over you in the next coming years, didn¡¯t seem like the finest decision to me.


    That being said, something was alluring about her determined attitude. A capable fighter, with a noble heritage, and a beautiful appearance - She was magical. She radiated a sense of powerful righteousness that I involuntarily smiled at.


    To my surprise, Professor Harada did not retaliate. Instead, he merely brushed himself off for a second and gazed into the crowd.


    ¡°Alright.¡± He murmured, as if nothing had happened, ¡°To begin the exam, please gather into a group of four and descend the stairs. Everyone who raised their hands, stay behind.¡± He nodded, reaching over to the girl he¡¯d slapped and signing something with his fingers - As he finished, the girl vanished into thin air.


    Everyone had already lowered their hands, but that didn''t stop the Professor. He eradicated girl after girl, boy after boy until everyone who had raised their hand was gone.


    He must¡¯ve had a perfect memory - That skill alone was terrifying enough. But, he was able to sense trouble as well - He walked towards Xiao and a girl next to her, with long brown hair.


    ¡°Well, hello, ladies. You don¡¯t seem like you¡¯re from these parts, could you spare me with the knowledge of where you come from?¡± The Professor asked, his domineering attitude restored.


    The brunette opened her lips but looked like she was going to fall over her words as Xiao interrupted her. ¡°My name¡¯s Koitana, and this here is Ann. We¡¯re both Bazuran, born and raised in Tajaran, thus our accent.¡± She spoke clearly and without hesitation, to the point that her delivery even convinced me.


    Opting to feign Tajaran as her homeland was a wise choice. It was big enough that it was understandable people came from there and small enough that it was unlikely the Professor had ever personally met someone from there.


    Sensing her confidence, the Professor set his sights on the more meek ¡®Ann¡¯. ¡°Is that true? Your partner here doesn¡¯t seem very Tajaran.¡±


    To Ann¡¯s credit and my surprise, she brushed off the comment with a small smile, ¡°Is that so? I take great pride in my heritage, thank you very much..¡±


    In the end, I could see her mind whirring a bit as she tried to maintain the faux confidence. Luckily, it seemed sufficient to convince Professor Harada as he focused on interrogating the others.


    While Naomi and I had spent the entire time watching the Professor¡¯s ordeal with Xiao and Ann, we were losing time. The crowd was dwindling as many of the other candidates had already assembled groups.


    Like I¡¯d expected, Kaya and the Mysterious Showoff were an exception. Like me, they¡¯d watched the Professor with a cautious eye, but the Showoff seemed to be waiting for me to make a move.


    ¡°Alright, want to go as a four, then?¡± I offered. They were both athletic and the Showoff seemed to have figured out the puzzle before we even got there, so I had some faith in their competence as well.


    ¡°That totally works! My name¡¯s Kali Yazura, it¡¯s good to meet you,¡± Kaya, who I now knew to be Kali, gave me and Naomi a friendly punch on the shoulder as we nodded in return.


    ¡°I¡¯m Katsuro, this is Naomi, we¡¯re both from Subajura. And you?¡± I motioned for the Showoff, who I was most curious about.


    ¡°Yahruji.¡± He responded stoically, no longer seeming to test me as he beckoned us to follow him to the stairway. ¡°This examination is a competition, so we can save the longer introductions for later. You guys ready?¡±


    His words were reminiscent of the Commanders, and I resented my mental comparison of the great Miyagawa to this stranger. ¡°We were born for this,¡± I nodded, and Kali laughed as if it was a joke.


    Naomi and I both shot each other a glance, because I knew it wasn¡¯t and Naomi knewI never really joke in the first place.


    Arriving at the top of the staircase, I leaned forward to get a better view. It was pitch black downstairs, and it seemed like the stairs went on forever. We¡¯d waited a while, so no other groups were directly ahead of us, but we hadn¡¯t heard any screams which must have counted as a good sign.


    Suddenly, I felt two hands on my back start to push as I twisted with surprise, only to be caught and pulled back. The assailant was none other than Xiao, who shot me a cold smirk.


    ¡°You should learn to keep your guard up,¡± She teased, surrounded by Ann, alongside a tall guy and a fiery girl, both sporting devilish grins and neither of whom I''d seen before.


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t need to do that if someone hadn¡¯t attacked him,¡± Naomi protested, but I brushed it off. Yahruji seemed to agree with my thought process.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get going, there¡¯s no time to waste,¡± He encouraged as we crept down the stairs, one at a time. I felt Naomi¡¯s hand wrap around mine as we tiptoed closer and closer to our destination.


    And there it was, the last step. Fortunately, I couldn¡¯t sense anything wrong as we reached our destination. In front of us were a set of 20 doors.


    All twenty were closed and locked shut, judging by the way an applicant from another team was fruitlessly gripping a handle.


    The hall was genuinely gigantic, and thus I flicked my head to the left to see if the other walls had any other hints.


    There were twenty doors on the left side. Twenty doors on the right. And another twenty at the back. At the back, there were tons of groups flooding through them, the door locking behind each as they stepped inside.


    With that in mind, I hurriedly rushed our group to an open door on the left. I¡¯d been way too over-confident, underestimating the fact that even a test of stupid bravery could contribute to our assessment. According to the logic of this test, if you were slow to descend the stairs, that meant you must be an incapable fighter.


    I then wondered if that was a secondary goal of Professor Harada¡¯s bullying of the Akhmik candidates. Even those who snuck past, like Xiao, would be delayed compared to their Rajanese, Bazuran and Azurian counterparts.


    Still, there was no time to think. I gripped the handle of the door - There was no way of telling what was inside, and no time to expend thinking about how to test it safely.


    Don¡¯t get me wrong, I wasn¡¯t panicked, but I was forever aware of what was at stake. ¡°You ready?¡± I asked, mimicking Yahruji. In this scenario, I could only trust the team if I knew I was leading them, so assuming the position of leader was a necessary step.


    Fortunately, neither Yahruji nor Kali intervened as Naomi nodded.


    I swung the door open.


    Inside, it was pitch black, except for a clock, which began ticking down from ten.


    Ten. Nine. Eight.


    I reached into my pocket for a small stone I¡¯d collected outside and threw it down on the floor.


    Seven. Six. Five.


    It landed with a small bounce, reassuringly, so I entered the room.


    Four. Three. Two.


    I ushered the others in after me, taking a sigh of relief as I felt for the walls.


    One.


    The door swung shut.


    Zero.


    And then I saw it.


    On the other side of the room, masked by darkness, it lurked in wait.


    As we clamoured over ourselves to find the walls and investigate the room, it stirred.


    It opened its blood-red eyes.


    It opened its sharp jaws.


    And we could only assume it aimed to open us up next, as it leapt forward, signalling the first battle of my career at the Celestial Military Academy.

 Chapter 5 - Our First Real Fight

    It was a living, breathing Shifter. This was not a practice, nor a simulation, but a monster in the flesh. The door had slammed shut behind us, and I could hear the sound of Kali trying and failing to turn the handle.


    Faced with such an intimidating situation, I could see Kali trembling. However, Naomi and I didn¡¯t even break a sweat. Living under the Commander, we¡¯d had plenty of experience with Shifters ourselves. Although I hadn¡¯t fought any wild ones out in the open, he had brought some small captured ones back for us to observe and study.


    Having felt across the wall, the only thing I could feel was a shelf, coated with a sticky substance. Perhaps it had some battle utility, and I considered grabbing it, but Kali motioned as if to claim it herself.


    Resultantly, Naomi and I charged forward across both sides of the room. We were aiming to apply pressure from both sides, thereby forcing the beast to pick one opponent and expose its back to the other.


    It was still too dark to notice the beast. When it closed its eyes, our sight of it vanished entirely. The blinking phenomenon was truly horrible, so I was determined to get as close as I could to fight it.


    ¡°Are you planning on attacking it with your hands?¡± Yahruji called out from behind me, curious, without moving himself.


    ¡°There¡¯s no choice - Either there¡¯s a weapon at the end of the room, and we¡¯ll find it on the way, or we¡¯ve been forced to fight melee," I responded before Naomi motioned across the room with a finger over her lips.


    I¡¯m assuming she meant to say that we should be quiet, to avoid alerting the beast. Though it seemed like a lost cause, considering it had already seen us, perhaps Naomi was right. We didn¡¯t know how effective the beast¡¯s sight was, and there was a danger to be had in overestimating it from the get-go.


    As we crept closer, the beast exhibited no sign of reacting. It just stared at us with rotten eyes; though they were a strong red as if they were burning, closer inspection brought a more uncomfortable feeling. Throughout their vibrant colour lingered a dull, empty expression.


    The monster was seriously creepy. I would prefer to end it sooner or later, so I stepped just close enough for it to enter my kicking range. On my left, Naomi was in a similar position, bracing herself for the beginning of the fight.


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Yahruji screamed across the room, as I simultaneously lifted my leg to kick the beast. Hearing his warning, I immediately jumped back as the beast''s head expanded, its mouth unhinged from its jaws to reveal sickening darkness inside.


    I knew if I had gone for the kick, my leg would¡¯ve undoubtedly been consumed. Damn it. I had to come up with a different tactic, then. But the beast was in motion. The beast stretched forward, roaring as it thrust towards Naomi.


    I couldn¡¯t help but shield my eyes for a second. Fortunately, I was able to sigh a breath of relief. Naomi knocked the beast¡¯s rising head with her palm, knocking it down before following the attack up with a second kick.


    Taking the opportunity while it was distracted, Yahruji moved to attack it from the front as I went around the back. I pulled up its outstretched neck to allow him to land a direct strike with his foot.


    Still, the head was hungry and rapidly fought back. It slammed into Naomi, crumpling her against the wall, before bucking its head. Its fangs tore through my shirt, skimming my bare chest.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Ruji, Katsuro, bring it over here!¡± Kali called out in a demanding tone as Yahruji shot me a look.


    I could feel slight bleeding from the fang wound, but I had no time to think about that as I followed Kali¡¯s instructions. Co-ordinating with Yahruji, we repositioned ourselves on either side of the body to pull the beast with us by the neck.


    It was a risky move, considering how feisty the head was, however, we swung it back and forth erratically to disorientate it. At one point, the beast threw its head far enough to bite deeply into Yahruji¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Khh¡­¡± He winced, the fangs planted in his soft skin. I half-expected him to drop there, but instead, he began sprinting faster. Using the beast¡¯s position as leverage to prevent it from further resistance, he even forced its head down by pressing his fists against its furry head.


    I could tell Yahruji was muscular, but even I had not expected him to be so stoically badass. Regardless of acting badass, though, I was worried; Any wound that severe would take a long time to heal, not to mention the sheer amplitude of pain.


    Unfortunately, there was no time to think about that as we got closer and closer to the doorway; I could just barely make out Kali¡¯s figure, but I wasn¡¯t sure what she wanted us to do - Were we meant to ram it against the door?


    However, she rapidly responded to my internal question. Jumping up from the ground, she used her entire body weight to smack the wolf monster with a wooden plank. At first, I was a little surprised that she¡¯d ripped the shelf off entirely, but I was more shocked by the scream of pain the Shifter released.


    It writhed for a few seconds, still firmly within our grasp, as I noticed a thick patch of white blood begin to spread across its back.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± I tilted my head, kicking the beast for good measure as we threw it against the ground. It didn¡¯t seem to be resisting anymore. Although we could kill it, there was no benefit to doing so by kicking it for hours until it finally succumbed. Something a little faster would be more humane. Even if they¡¯re not human, a swift death from the Professor or other authority would likely be better and cleaner for everyone involved.


    In response to my question, Yahruji chuckled softly as Kali¡¯s chest swelled with pride.


    ¡°See, me and Ruji figured out the first challenge a long time ago. So, in the meantime, we figured out what would be the best way to prepare for future challenges? Using the tree trunks of the teams which had already been transported, I collected a bunch of pins and kept them in my pocket.¡± She began, and I crouched to get a better view of the underside of the longboard. The bottom was densely packed with pins, their heads glued to the sticky surface of the shelf and the bottoms impaled into the Shifter.


    ¡°Ruji wanted me to take more pins, so other teams couldn¡¯t qualify, but I¡¯m not a big fan of playing dirty. Not that I¡¯m too against it, either - In fact, we tried to smu-¡± Kali continued, before Yahruji shot her a look I couldn¡¯t quite decipher.


    Either way, she just rolled her eyes and smiled at her achievement. To be honest, I could imagine the gist of what she was trying to say. She¡¯d likely attempted to smuggle in a weapon to the examination, despite that being expressly cheating. How disrespectful. Well, I did the same with a small dagger, but it disappeared promptly as we were transported, leaving me with a few mere rocks.


    Walking over to Naomi, who was still crumpled up against the wall, I stretched out my hand to pick her up.


    ¡°Hey, you did a good job.¡± I nodded, as she gratefully grabbed my hand and stood up.


    ¡°Still, after all that talk, are you really gonna lose to one lousy Shifter?¡± I teased, though I suspected my voice remained as solemn as ever. Even when I tried to joke, I couldn¡¯t shake my serious demeanour. I suppose it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    ¡°Hmf, we¡¯ll see. I won¡¯t let myself,¡± She began, panting, ¡°Be beaten by you so easily. The next challenge will be all mine, just you wait.¡± She shot me a cocky smile, despite her weakness, and I couldn¡¯t help but sigh.


    Speaking of the next room, we all turned our heads to the end of the hall. Yet, as far as we could see, there was still nothing. However, on that thought?


    A small hole was blasted into the end of it, revealing a bright light outside. As we stumbled toward it, we weren¡¯t prepared for the challenge we were about to see.


    It was a much bigger room than the small one we were in before, and other teams on our side of the wall were given similar access. That wasn¡¯t the issue, though.


    No, the issue was the gigantic Duobeast in the centre of the room¡­

 Chapter 6 - The Dauntless and the Duobeast

    We were standing within a gigantic battle arena. The floor was coated with sand, the walls hanging with lit torches. However, we didn¡¯t have the time to appreciate the scenery. A gigantic blue creature stormed towards the opened gates, tusks protruding from its vicious face.


    It was a brutal rhinoceros, amplified by heavy wings and a sharp, milky white horn. Most strikingly of all, it only had one large eye and was thus reminiscent of a Cyclops creature from legend.


    Compared to the Shifter, it had a translucent appearance, marking it as a Duobeast. With the knowledge that it must therefore be controlled by two humans, I would¡¯ve felt reassured regarding our safety. That is, except for the fact that five of the rooms in our row had remained closed.


    My eyes flickered upward, and I spotted a glass window near the top of the opposite wall. Inside were a man and woman - One I could recognize as Professor Harada, and by extension, I assumed the other must be a teacher as well. They did not make eye contact, and I doubted if they could even see me, but regardless their nonchalant, predatory expressions were concerning.


    Although admittedly weak, those Shifters were not trained. They were not passive. No, they were aiming to kill. I grimaced; effectively, that meant the examiners were fully prepared for us to become seriously injured, if not worse.


    To avoid that possibility, I called out to my team to hold back. Yahruji and Kali looked as if they were raring to fight, and thus I had to stop them partly to maintain my leadership of the group. In these first, defining moments of our friendship, I needed to establish my authority.


    That was not the only reason, of course - I wanted to observe the powers and abilities of the Duobeast, and the only way to do so was to let other applicants tackle it first. With that thought in mind, I watched with anticipation as a girl leapt forward into the arena with two boys trailing behind her.


    With holly green bangs that flipped with every movement, she jumped left and right as the Duobeast spotted her. Lowering its head to thrust out its horn, it charged. Matching its movement, the girl sprinted towards it, building momentum.


    As the two got closer and closer, I wondered exactly what the girl¡¯s plan was - In the meantime, some of the other teams began to flood across into the arena. Among them, I spotted Xiao and Ann. Like I¡¯d expected, they¡¯d cleared the first challenge - By the looks of Xiao¡¯s dauntless expression, it was with considerable ease as well.


    As the horn was about to tear right through her chest, she pushed against the ground and leapt on top of its tusk. Instantly recognizing the threat, the Duobeast flipped its head up to throw her off, sending the girl flying across the air for a second before crashing on its back.


    Pulling out something from her jacket, she slashed downward with a knife-type weapon. I was curious, for a second, until I realized it must¡¯ve been a fang from the Shifter in her room. Did she tear out the fang? Some people here were even braver and more merciless than I had anticipated.


    The Duobeast barely winced, though. Instead, it began shifting left and right, wriggling to disorient her as it flew down towards the assembled crowd of fighters. Naturally, the crowd split in two to avoid the horn and tusks. A wise decision.


    Unfortunately, not wise enough. Instead of pushing forward, the Duobeast twisted to the side at the last moment and thus swung its huge body against a crowd of fighters, knocking them into the stone walls.


    At the sight of the blood, I wanted to avert my eyes, but a little blood would be the least of my issues if I wanted to beat this creature. Signalling to the others, I crept onto the battlefield.


    ¡°Haha, I was getting a little tired being out on the sidelines,¡± Kali giggled as we watched the Duobeast switch angles to thwack another group of applicants on the other side. It had flown up into the air, and the rest of Fang-girl¡¯s team had clambered onto its feet as it did so. They were punching, however, I could only hope their intention was merely to distract, not kill, as the feeble assaults failed to produce much effect whatsoever.


    Taking advantage of the summoned creature¡¯s focus on its current assailants, I ran across to the wall on the side - Ann was standing there, pulling a torch off the wall, as I followed her lead.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Xiao?¡± I tilted my head, instructing the rest of my group to similarly grab weapons as my eyes flickered across the battlefield, aiming to spot her.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°She¡¯s gone ahead already,¡± Ann murmured weakly, before pointing up at the Duobeast.


    I was foolish to have let my eyes off it for even a second, but I was extremely grateful to Ann for pointing out what I was about to see. The Fang-Girl had clambered back to its head, nimbly resisting the rumbling to poise herself for a crushing blow.


    Taking a deep breath, she thrust her Fang down. Directly into the large eye of the Duobeast. It released a high-pitched screech and took a nosedive, and I understood Xiao¡¯s plan.


    Sprinting towards the spot where the beast would fall, Xiao stood with a burning torch. Accompanied by her teammates, she was planning to coat the underside of the beast with hot flames and therefore I ushered my group to join her.


    In this battle, I had been very much passive - However, I had done so deliberately. As the group had obediently followed my commands of lying low without challenge, I had solidified my natural leadership. Moreover, it gave me the chance to scout some of the other candidates.


    In the dive, the Fang-girl had been thrown off and I expected her to experience a rough fall, but she merely did a forward roll as she landed, diminishing the potential pain she would¡¯ve experienced. I can¡¯t imagine it would¡¯ve been a pleasant experience nonetheless, but it was much better than landing straight.


    As the Duobeast fell, the summoners must¡¯ve recognized our flames, but they let it fall regardless. Our torches were small, but our position near the centre of the arena provoked more people to join with the movement, and hence we provided a concentrated thermal assault.


    Still, that would not be enough in itself to fully damage the creature, and thus I watched with awe as one of the other members of Fang-Girl¡¯s team had climbed to the top of one of the Duobeast¡¯s legs. Pulling out the Shifter¡¯s other fang from his cloak, he thrust it upward into the softened underbelly and the Duobeast tremored with anguish.


    Snapping its leg up in a kicking motion to squash the attacker reflexively, it accidentally pounded against itself while the boy tumbled off it to escape. Unfortunately, Fang-Boy wasn¡¯t as successful as his female counterpart as he rolled across the ground in pain.


    In the meantime, I decided it was time to act. They¡¯d never made the method of assessment clear, so perhaps we were being judged qualitatively rather than through a series of hurdles. I hadn¡¯t expected so, considering the first challenge and the high number of applicants, but it was true that two professors were observing us and hence I couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility.


    Bearing that in mind, I motioned to Kali and Yahruji. Naomi had been with us the whole time, but she still seemed injured and I didn¡¯t want to push her too hard.


    Together, we leapt onto the feet of the Duobeast. To my surprise, Naomi followed our lead, and I shook my head a little. Placing my torch against the feet of the beast, I jumped to exploit the kick-reflex and thus allowed it to catapult me upward.


    Soaring into the air with the other three, we shifted to land on its back. Landing with a discomforting crack, I immediately scorched its back with the vigorous flame while Yahruji and Kali helped burn across the back and tail.


    In juxtaposition, Naomi was far bolder. My eyes widened a little as I watched her clamber across the head of the beast. Replicating Fang-Girl before her, she slashed down with the bottom of the torch to blind the beast.


    Working to support her, I flipped my torch to cut down too. My grip was awkward due to the flame close to my hand, but I bit my lip to deal with the pain as Naomi must¡¯ve been working ten times harder.


    Dropping from the tusks, Naomi lunged downward to the Duobeast¡¯s open mouth and directed the flame towards its tongue. Clamping its jaws shut around her figure, I felt apprehension wash through me for a second as the Duobeast engulfed her.


    My fear proved to me for nothing, though, as she thrust the sharper side of the torch out through the beast¡¯s lips. That, combined with the sustained weakening it had experienced throughout the battle, finally finished it off.


    As it dropped to the floor with a rapid crash, it nearly squashed some of the crowd beneath as they flung their bodies to escape it. In turn, Kali and I slid off the beast a little ungracefully as Yahruji cleanly stepped off it.


    Pulling apart its limp jaws, Naomi stepped out, covered in blood and saliva. To be honest, she looked disgusting, but I was more impressed than revolted.


    ¡°As I said, this challenge was all mine. A lady never goes back on her word,¡± Naomi winked, panting as the victory went straight to her head.


    ¡°Fair enough, I think you¡¯ve earned it considering you have to live with that stench for the rest of this challenge,¡± I nodded, feigning a gag to tease her as she furrowed her eyebrows aggressively.


    Watching the Duobeast disappear into a ray of light as the summoning was concluded, I couldn¡¯t help but feel inspired. I couldn¡¯t wait to form my first Duobeast after qualifying.


    Yes, I would qualify - Nothing would stop me from that. After these two, or perhaps three challenges, there can¡¯t nearly be as many candidates left. Only fifteen teams in our arena had qualified, and of those, I could see at least twenty or so people lying unconscious from the battle with the Duobeast.


    Besides, I couldn¡¯t assume every team had full numbers. As horrific as it sounds, I could only spot two teammates of Fang-Girl, Fang-Boy included. That would imply their fourth member didn¡¯t make it to that stage. I shuddered slightly at that thought but brushed it off at the same moment.


    If the other three arenas were like ours, then there must be around 160 or so candidates left. That was a very shaky approximation but also cause for optimism.


    As a passageway opened up across the other end of the room, presumably by a pistol mechanism, I clenched my fists.


    Of those 160, I would make the top 64. No doubt about it.

 Chapter 7 - The CMA Examinations... Examination?

    "Woah, Naomi, you were totally amazing!¡± Kali beamed as she pat Naomi on the back. Naomi, for her part, took it in stride as she twirled her hair like a princess.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say too much or it¡¯ll go to her head,¡± I grumbled, albeit she had a right to grow an ego after her triumph. She was daring and I had been wrong to underestimate her just for her injury, especially after growing up to know how skilled she was.


    ¡°You jealous that I¡¯m getting all the praise and you¡¯re not?¡± Naomi punched me on the shoulder with a teasing tone as I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°Just watch and see, I¡¯ll one-up you on the next one,¡± I accepted her challenge. I was working my hardest to qualify anyway, so winning an additional bet on top of that was a bonus.


    Stepping closer to the tunnel, all the teams amalgamated into a crowd of about 40 as we prepared ourselves for whatever new tribulation would appear.


    ¡°We should take a breath, first. I know you¡¯re all excited, but it¡¯s important to stay calm,¡± Yahruji reprimanded as we lingered at the entrance of the passageway. ¡°If the stakes are continuing to rise, as the theme so far, then we don¡¯t know what horrors await.¡±


    And correct he was, for the next challenge was the most horrible yet - A written examination?!


    Just kidding. Academics and examinations were my specialities, and thus I nearly yawned as I explored the new room.


    The examination room was far more comfortable than the others. With affectionate, gentle orange lighting and a complete absence of antagonistic monsters, it was a perfect change of pace.


    Lining up desk by desk, the applicants assembled with a mixture of reactions.


    ¡°A written test? Waah, how is this meant to help our fighting?¡± Complained a dopey looking boy with floppy brown hair, and I had to resist the desire to insult him. Seriously though, what kind of question was that? How could you effectively fight an opponent if you knew nothing about them?


    ¡°Mm, I¡¯m not sure if my grammar¡¯s good enough for this,¡± Kali murmured apprehensively.


    ¡°Oh, are you not fully literate in Rajanese?¡± I asked, because her spoken language was flawless.


    ¡°Right on the money - I picked it up through practice with speakers, not through formal training, so I¡¯m not as familiar with writing.¡± She began, and I think she must¡¯ve misinterpreted my nod as one of judgement as she quickly shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot, though! It¡¯s my third language, so give a girl a break¡­¡± Kali sighed, prompting a hearty laugh from Yahruji.


    ¡°Now why exactly are you laughing?¡± Kali turned on him, raising her eyebrows like an executioner. ¡°Remind me again Ruji, how many languages do you speak?¡±


    That wiped the smirk off Yahruji¡¯s face, and he clicked his fingers. ¡°Anyway, enough time wasting, let¡¯s get prepared..¡±


    ¡°Such a cop-out, how classic,¡± Kali complained, laughing as she sat on the nearest desk. In turn, Naomi, Yahruji and I sat down.


    The first pages were blank, and I was tempted to flip the pages early as there were no examiners present. However, that idea swiftly escaped my mind as I heard a loud wince in pain behind me.


    Gazing back, I saw a set of pages had exploded in the boy¡¯s hands - He jumped from his desk to avoid the flames, but they seemed concealed in the charred pages as he looked down in shock.


    ¡°What¡­ What the hell am I meant to do now?¡± He asked, to no one in particular, with a sour expression.


    As if to answer his prayers, the female Summoner from earlier entered the room. With a generous bust disguised by her cloak, long blonde hair and popping blue eyes, I focused my gaze on my desk to avoid any distracting thoughts. Well, that and an inevitable scolding from Naomi.


    ¡°Welcome to the Third Official Stage of the CMA Entrance Examination, otherwise known as the Examination stage.¡± She said, and I don¡¯t think I was the only one who felt they could¡¯ve perhaps come up with a more creative name to avoid the repetition.


    ¡°From now, you have thirty-five minutes to complete the written examination on your papers. I¡¯d advise you to spend 20 minutes on the first section, 10 minutes on the second section and five minutes on the final section. Anyone who talks or attempts to cheat will be disqualified on sight, with no excuses. Good luck.¡±


    With that, she waved her hand, announcing the beginning of the examination. I could hear the applicant with the burned papers calling out to ask her a question before stepping towards her at the front of the room.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    I then heard a rough slap, followed by an empty silence, and flicked my eyes back to my paper. The first few questions were a breeze - I¡¯d spent the vast majority of my childhood days either sparring or studying with Naomi, so the first marks were automatic.


    I answered questions on key figures from the Human-Shifter War, older historical facts about the world before the Shifter invasion, techniques of cultivation, and assigning different skills to their linked rune. Ultimately, I was confident I¡¯d scored perfectly in the first section.


    The second section required a longer, extended written response. It was a short essay, and I felt myself wondering how Kali would fare. Though I didn¡¯t know her too well, I hoped she¡¯d succeed. This part of the test was undoubtedly partially designed to be another barrier to block off foreign applicants.


    The title was, ¡°To what extent should hunting the Condemned Children be considered the greatest priority in the war effort?¡±


    It was an interesting title and one that naturally led itself to a balanced argument. On one hand, it was irresponsible to ignore the huge hordes of current Shifters which roamed the planet. However, it could be more convincingly argued that it was important to tackle the Condemned Children first to stop the flow of future Shifters into our realm.


    I was fairly proud of my narrative, with the ultimate conclusion that it was more important to tackle the roots of the issue than its symptoms.


    Finally, the third section. With only five marks, one per minute, I had expected it to be easy. However, I was completely lost.


    ¡°Considering the dimensions of an average Azurian longsword, what would be the iron requirements of a 5-man Azurian division?¡±


    That was completely incomprehensible. There was no way that could¡¯ve been expected knowledge, and yet the next three questions were equally ridiculous.


    The final question was completely random, too - It asked for the name of the Professor judging them, but they hadn¡¯t worn a name badge or anything of the sort, nor introduced themself, so it was completely pointless.


    I gulped, tempted to see if the other candidates were struggling the same way, but I resisted the urge to prevent myself from coming across as cheating.


    Instead, I stared dully at my paper, searching my mind for anything I could use as a hint. The dimensions of an Azurian longsword¡­? I considered comparing its size in my mind to a Subajuran dagger, but it was useless. Not only would it be a grossly inaccurate estimate, but I had no idea how much iron each one needed for production.


    Shaking my head, I prepared to scribble down a random guess when I heard a quiet noise.


    ¡°800 khar,¡± The voice whispered, and I looked down to find it. I couldn¡¯t make it out clearly, but then I saw it; a tiny, feline creature the size of a spider. From its shadowy appearance, it was clearly a Shifter.


    I was tempted to crush it there and then, or alert the Professor, but I paused. It spoke in Rajanese, a human language, and what it had said was a little mysterious.


    As if to emphasise its right to life, the Shifter continued, ¡°It¡¯s 800 khar. The next answers are Noble Rajamuku, Ryouzan Kamio, Xuan Yazhua and Dr Amuri Senang.¡±


    I carefully pried my eyes away from the bug-like cat, trying my best not to arouse suspicion as I compared his responses to the questions. The answers seemed to be in the right format, and it would¡¯ve been hard to randomly make up numbers that fit. Specifically, I recalled hearing the name Xuan Yazhua before and so I felt confident they were right in that question at least.


    Not to mention the name ''Ryouzan Kamio''. That name would be scarred into my mind for the rest of my life.


    I was running out of time, so I transcribed the answers of the Shifter. His voice was gentle and warm, befitting his cat demeanour, adding more to my confusion as I wrote, ¡°Why are you helping me?¡±.


    My plan assumed he was able to read, considering he was able to produce answers, and luckily that was a correct assumption. ¡°Hm, just think of it as a favour. I owe you one, that¡¯s all.¡± He murmured, and I think tried to smile, though his body was far too small to make it out.


    I didn¡¯t know if I could trust him, but I had no choice as the Professor called for us to stop writing. After haphazardly scribbling to cover my messages to the Shifter, I dropped my pen.


    Clapping her hands, the Professor garnered the attention of the entire body before nodding. ¡°Well done, everyone. As I¡¯m sure a lot of you are probably curious, my name is Dr Senang. It¡¯s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.¡±


    So the Shifter was right. I wasn¡¯t sure if I was surprised, but I was grateful nonetheless.


    ¡°I have to go for now, but please bear this in mind. Your next challenge will be the final one, an Obstacle Course. In one part, you will be faced with a choice to go left or right. Make sure you pick left.¡± The Shifter said, before jumping off my desk. I attempted to follow it with my gaze, but it was as if it had entirely disappeared.


    My attention was returned to my papers in front of me for a second as they produced a gentle green glow.


    ¡°These papers have been marked by the ¡®Conditional Designation¡¯ rune, and thus are self-marking. Anyone who scored under 50% will have their papers burned.¡±


    My eyes flicked across the room at Xiao, Ann, the Fang Team and my team before locking eyes with Naomi. By the confident grin on her face, I wasn¡¯t too worried for her.


    All at once, I heard a series of explosions like that of a firework. Across the classroom, ten or so examinations had burst into self-contained eruptions. The candidates looked angry, disappointed or upset, but they knew it was too late.


    I could tell some of them were planning to protest, but it only took one look at the boy from earlier to prevent them from doing so. The boy who¡¯d tried to cheat earlier was lying in a ball next to the Professor, having been knocked unconscious by merely one brutal slap.


    Turning her head away from them, the Professor snapped her fingers.


    ¡°Congratulations on those of you who passed! Those who didn¡¯t, stay behind. Everyone else, feel free to walk on to that door beside me, for your final challenge: An Obstacle Course!¡± She smiled enthusiastically, as the never-hesitant crowd surged towards the door.


    Everyone I had recognized had passed, which I was glad about, but I was not thinking about that.


    No, as I stepped through the door with my hint in mind, my mind was consumed by the mystery of the talking Shifter and the ¡®favour¡¯ he owed me for.

 Chapter 8 - Time Is Closing In

    Someone was sprinting. My vision of what lay ahead of the crowd remained obscured, but I could tell one thing for sure - No matter what it was, I needed to act fast. Normally, I would prefer to linger behind and observe the cause of the panic. However, the first race down the stairway had already proved these challenges were time-sensitive.


    Thirty bodies moved seemed to surge as one across the passageway and into the dark, dilapidated room which lay across it. My eyes flickered behind me; I was near the back, but I maintained a position ahead of five or so others.


    I still couldn¡¯t tell why as our jogging turned to flat-out running, but I began to get a hint from the funnel-shaped tunnel we found ourselves in. With each step I took, the walls were caving in more and more to create a narrow, funnel-like structure.


    I could only imagine that narrowing got worse as we went on, considering I began to see the crowd among me diminish into a nearly straight line in front of me. The ceiling sloped downward, the floor sloped upward.


    The sensation of being in a tunnel brought back memories I¡¯d have rather forgotten. I felt claustrophobic and trapped as we continued, with no direct end in sight. Although there had once been dim torchlight to guide us, now we ran in the pitch black.


    ¡°Hey, is it just me or are the walls caving faster?¡± A boy called out behind me, and I instinctively went to turn my head; that was a mistake. Looking behind me, I could see the walls pouncing on the applicant furthest behind us.


    I kept running, but my eyes were glued to the girl at the far back. The floor had pushed up to trip her over, the ceiling suddenly falling just centimetres above her as she lay on her back.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong? Why¡¯re you making the face?¡± The boy asked, and I could tell his dark hazel eyes were nervously darting my face.


    ¡°Just¡­ don¡¯t look behind you,¡± I murmured, before flipping my face back to the front and surging forward.


    I could hear him beginning to mutter something in response, presumably out of confusion or fear, but he was interrupted as a scream flooded the entire, never-ending corridor.


    Damnit. If the walls were moving faster at the back, then that meant this queue we were in would be extremely dangerous for my position.


    Even worse, I could hear the person ahead of me panting heavily - We¡¯d been running at high intensity for a few minutes now, so I could imagine it was beginning to push some of the less fit candidates to their limits.


    Normally, I would¡¯ve asked if they were alright or ignored them and moved fast. But, as they panted, they began to slow down so their body could continue to accommodate their demands.


    Continuing to run at my highest speed, I could see a sharp push down in the tunnel ahead. Running would no longer be an option at that point, and thus I could only imagine people had taken to crawling.


    If we got to that point, I would be stuck behind the slow runner ahead of me for the rest of the tunnel. That would be extremely hazardous, and my fears were punctuated by the sound of another piercing scream filling the air.


    I highly doubted they were killing candidates like this - Letting the mass of initial applicants fight to the death with Shifters was one thing, but these were the ¡®cream of the crop¡¯ that remained after a series of challenges.


    In this total war with the Shifters, the Imperial Army needed to conserve as much manpower as possible, so I heavily doubted they were letting talented applicants die like this.


    And yet¡­


    I couldn¡¯t help but worry that was merely my justification to avoid the cruel reality of the situation. If that were the case, then being left behind would not only bring an end to my lifelong goal but my life as well.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    I couldn¡¯t let that happen. If I really needed to, I could pull at the boy in front of me and bring him to the ground, hopping over him to continue running. As we got closer and closer to the ceiling drop, the option became more and more rational, more and more tempting in my mind.


    However, I couldn¡¯t. As much as I wanted to, I couldn¡¯t sacrifice another for that purpose. If I had to, absolutely, then yes. But right now, I still had time - There were still two more behind me, and I hoped to hell they would be able to keep up before the walls got to them.


    Perhaps that was too optimistic. As soon as I¡¯d emptied my mind to focus, I heard a third scream. The situation was getting direr and direr, and I was running out of options. So I shouted. I urged and begged those ahead of us to hurry up.


    I began to think my words had reached listening ears, as the boy ahead of me began to accelerate, but my train of thought crashed. Something far more severe took priority.


    I felt a hand on the back of my shirt, and then a strong pull, before another hand slammed against my upper back, throwing me into the person ahead of me. I smacked into them with enough force for us to both collapse, as the boy trampled over our backs, with the mere whisper, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡¯? Did he seriously think anyone would accept such an apology after being sacrificed?


    I didn¡¯t truly blame him. No, I had thought similar thoughts, and he was in an even more lethal position than I was. But did that make me forgive his action? Not even remotely. Being justified is not equal to being moral.


    Clambering to my feet, I wanted to push forward and leap across the boy ahead of me. But, I knew I couldn¡¯t do that. First, I stepped over him, because I wasn¡¯t that selfless. But second, I twisted to stretch out my hand to the boy I¡¯d fallen into.


    I could tell from his face that he was exhausted. He looked healthy and strong, like every remaining applicant, but conditions like these were rough for even an athlete. His orange hair flopped across his forehead as his eyes rose to mine, tired and worn out.


    Yet, there was a sense of endurance as he rapidly picked my hand, pulling himself up. I suppose survival instinct must¡¯ve played a part, but there was something else in his eyes. A sense of duty, I suppose.


    I gazed up at the walls behind us, trying to gauge how much time we had left, but the sight was anything but reassuring. The walls were emerging towards us, seconds from swallowing us whole, as I poured my heart into escaping.


    After a few metres, we reached the ceiling drop and I descended to my knees. I grimaced. I hated this feeling of crawling; I¡¯d done it a thousand times in home-training with the Commander and Naomi, but I could never get the sour taste of the first experience out of my mouth.


    Looking forward, I couldn¡¯t even make out the boy who¡¯d pushed us to the ground, which wasn¡¯t the most reassuring sign about our predicament.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, you can do it¡­ Keep up, man.¡± The shaky voice called out behind me, perhaps sensing my discomfort or just wanting to urge me along for his own safety. Regardless of the motive, it did motivate me.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I called out, my hands and knees tearing away at the surface to force myself to keep going.


    ¡°Makuro,¡± He panted, ¡°Angkat.¡± I heard him pause for a second, trying to regain his breath as he struggled to push his body to his limits and utter his Azurian name. ¡°You?¡± He asked. Clever, saying ¡®what about you¡¯ would¡¯ve taken more effort.


    ¡°Shinsato Katsuro, let¡¯s get through this together.¡± I nodded, as I felt my body begin to give out. My legs were feeling like jelly, my lungs bursting.


    The fact that around twenty-six people ahead of me were all coping with this just demonstrated the sheer insanity of the quality of applicants. Each and every one of these people would be a great member of the army, but for some reason, the government was insistent on less than half of them even enrolling in the CMA.


    Makuro didn¡¯t respond, but that was probably wise as we had to conserve each bit of our energy. Finally, I let out a rough gasp as my whole body seized up. I couldn¡¯t make it much further.


    But then I saw it; a torchlight on the other side. It was so close.


    I crawled closer, my arms slamming roughly against the stone ground. Five metres. Four. Three. Two. One.


    ¡°We¡¯re so close, let¡¯s fucking go, Makuro!¡± I called out, as I heaved my body through the end of the tunnel, lifting myself out with a sigh of relief. We¡¯d actually made it, thank god. For more than a few moments, I had thought those would actually be my last moments.


    ¡°Makuro, c¡¯mon man, you¡¯re nearly there,¡± I called out again; he¡¯d been right behind me, so I figured he should have already been out, but there was still no sign of him.


    As I waited, I looked out at the next stage - There was a gigantic pit in front of me. I peered down it, but all I could see was perpetual darkness. It was like a void, waiting to swallow you up. Terrifying. Stepping back, I spotted a large stairway on the other side. I guess it was time for a decision.


    But first, Makuro. I was getting a little bit uneasy about how long it was taking, so I looked back towards the wall where the tunnel ended. Or¡­ Huh?


    I stifled a gag. Looking at a truth I didn¡¯t want to face, I felt a deep sickness rising throughout my body. No, it was impossible. There was absolutely¡­. there was absolutely no way¡­


    I was facing a full wall.


    The tunnel opening was gone.


    Makuro Angkat was gone.

 Chapter 9 - Aquatic Hell

    The void below was endless. I was lucky to have been born with good vision, but even the sharpest squinting of my eyes failed to produce even a single distinguishable feature in the pit below. Still, I knew I had to jump.


    Looking up across the stairway, I assessed the other option one last time. Effectively, this dilemma was between the safer, slower option of the stairs or the faster, riskier option of the pit.


    This was, naturally, a test. The issue was finding out what it was testing. On one hand, it could be a test of valour - If one was truly brave, they¡¯d leap down the pit fast enough and gain time against those who took the stairs.


    Alternatively, though, it could be a test of reasoning. Although the pit might theoretically be faster, it could also just be a trap. At the bottom of the darkness, there was no guarantee of a soft landing - In fact, it could be the CMA¡¯s method of weeding out foolish candidates.


    I had initially leaned towards the pit because I doubted they would want to cull any more candidates. Yes, my reservations regarding the CMA¡¯s willingness to kill talented students had been diminished, but the cost-benefit analysis swayed heavier and heavier towards costs the further the applicant pool was whittled down.


    Another main reason for that thought had been my perception of the stairs as the ¡®Safe¡¯ option. However, upon further thought, I may have been wrong. The steepness of the stairs, as well as their volume, would undoubtedly make their option a cardiovascular challenge and risky in its own right - One wrong step down a long stairway like that could have significantly disastrous consequences. If I remember correctly, a certain green-haired swordsman lost their childhood friend through a malevolent staircase.


    Unluckily, or perhaps luckily, the idea of choice was an illusion. I have forced myself to ponder the options to provide some justification, but in reality, I was set on the pit from the beginning. I was in last place among the group, and this challenge had already proven to be a time trial in multiple ways, so the fast travel of the pit was the only real option.


    And so¡­ I jumped.


    An icy breeze pushed back against me as I disappeared, free-falling into the abyss. Staying alert, I glanced around constantly for anything identifiable or distinguishable as the drop continued further and further.


    Just how deep did it go? I¡¯d been falling for a while, far longer than to have reached the floor of any human compound, and it felt like I was being swallowed whole. Surely this must be the end¡­?


    And still, I fell. The more I thought about it, the more surreal this whole experience had been. The CMA had teleported us, somehow without the work of known runes, to a huge compound. We¡¯d been forced to fight live Shifters and a gigantic Duobeast, crawl through a squeezing tunnel and jump down to our potential deaths.


    It was nothing like I had expected. Fighting each other, or an examiner, sure. But beasts and summoned monsters? Although Naomi and I had experienced drill training for years, some of the other candidates had probably never even laid eyes on a Shifter.


    This trial was hell. But I suppose it had been designed that way. And as if my thoughts had been heard, I made out something beneath me. A navy blue, moving force. Water.


    Studded with jagged boulders and spinning haphazardly, it felt as if the water was taunting me as it waited to devour its next prey.


    Soaring through the deep blue, I dived deeper and deeper into the lagoon I¡¯d dropped into. The water was turbulent, with strong waves pushing rightward every few seconds. I was overcome by the strong, desperate urge to gasp for air. I wanted to. I had to. No, I needed to.


    Yet I wouldn¡¯t.


    When in deep water, you¡¯re fighting your instincts more than the water itself. With that in mind, I was tempted to float; letting the water guide me, hoping it would bring me to the surface before I was unable to restrain my breath any longer.


    But I knew the challenge would never be so easy. I was deep under, and I wouldn¡¯t be able to hold my breath much longer. I had to escape now, while I still had enough oxygen in my lungs to push, and a sufficiently clear mind to avoid surrendering to panic.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    It was so dark that it was difficult to even see which direction was up. Remembering a small piece of advice the Commander had once given me, I released a small bit of air from my nostrils and mouth. Watching them closely, I figured out their direction of movement and steeled myself.


    I sliced through the water with my left arm, driving it back as my right arm simultaneously made its mark. My arms and legs were already exhausted from the long crawl, but I pushed them even further. This whole challenge was designed to test and overcome limits, and I needed to pass the challenge.


    Thrusting my streamlined body through the water, I drove my arms upward with a mixture of exasperation and anger. My chest heaved and my lungs began to burn once more as I tore through the lake like a bullet.


    I threw my arm directly into a boulder. It smashed against it with a loud, painful crack as a wave of electric pain flooded my senses. It continued to quiver as I pulled away from the rock, running out of options - My only choice was to push harder with my left arm, giving my damaged right arm just enough time to recover before using it, even in its weakened state.


    Continually releasing bubbles to check I was on target, I felt my body reach its true limit as I began to freeze up. Even just a single stroke was difficult, and yet I was being continually pushed back by the rough waves.


    After a huge torrent of water submerged me deeper, I decided to make a final desperate effort. Keeping my eyes shut, I embraced the emptiness and kicked as fast as I could underwater, propelling myself to the surface.


    As soon as I reached the top, I had to jump leftward to avoid another sharp rock, landing in a small unobstructed area in moments of serenity after the last wave.


    I spluttered hard, recapturing my breath as I finally broke the surface. Making sure to keep treading water as I slowly drifted in the direction of the waves, I scoured my surroundings for an escape. Naturally, above me was the pit, but there was something else.


    Just past the opening of the pit, there was a long rope hanging down with a large net behind it. Presumably, I¡¯d have to pull myself out with that rope and leap to the net for safety. Seemed easy enough.


    What a joke. The rope was a long distance away, and I was too tired to even push back against the strong waves blowing me in the opposite direction. I had honed my body to possess strong stamina back at home, and yet these waves battered me like I was nothing.


    I felt like I was going to die here. I was all alone, with only the cold water for company, as I was brought closer and closer to unconsciousness.


    But¡­ I couldn¡¯t give up.


    There was no way that I could let myself fail here, let alone die. I wouldn¡¯t be able to make it through the icy water, no doubt about it. My right arm hurt too much to strain it any further, and my left arm was exhausted.


    However, my legs were a different story. Yes, they were tired. But they weren¡¯t shattered like my arms. And in a case like this, better a weak shot than nothing at all.


    I braced myself for the next wave, keeping my eye on the target - As I¡¯d expected, I was carried along with the wave and thrown at a small boulder. Luckily, I had expected it and threw my legs out in front of me to minimize the damage. Using the momentum, I thrust my body forward like a seal to latch onto the top of the boulder and pull myself up with my left arm. My right arm coiled around it for support as I stepped onto the shaky surface of the boulder.


    It was risky, but I had no choice. I leapt to the next rock, sighing heavily in relief at the successful landing. Compared to the malicious current, the boulders were the lesser of the two evils so I sprung from rock to rock.


    It was surprisingly more efficient than I had expected, and I took great care to maintain my balance as I hopped onto the next boulder. I had gotten much closer to reaching the rope - Just two more jumps. It should¡¯ve been easy enough since I¡¯d jumped so many before.


    It wasn¡¯t. Landing on the penultimate rock, I could immediately tell it was unstable as it began to shake beneath my weight. Instinctively, I leapt forward to escape it and land on the final rock, but naturally, the boulder swung backwards in response, destroying the flow of my jump.


    As a result, I landed just short of the final boulder, crashing roughly against it as I winced in pain. I tried to pull myself up, but I was ambushed by another wave as I slammed back into the penultimate rock. It felt like hope had been so close, just to slip away so easily.


    Lunging forward with my head tilted slightly, I managed to hug the side of the final boulder. Jutting out of the azure water, it provided an ugly, messy sight to match its ugly, brutish nature. However, I could not hate it despite its evil as it was the only option I had left.


    Using the same method as before, I swung my left arm upward and dragged my tired body towards the top. The first time, I was slammed back by a wave. The second time, my arm gave out before I reached the top.


    But finally? I managed to make it, nearly convulsing in response to the shock of the cold water and the anguish brought by the sharp edges of the rocks. Still, this was no time for pity. My key was here.


    As if reaching for the dove¡¯s branch, I jumped one final time to grab onto the rope.


    Looking down at the aquatic hell I¡¯d escaped, I closed my eyes.


    I¡¯m sorry, Makuro, for overtaking you when we were both pushed over.


    But I have to survive.

 Chapter 9 - Solo Survival

    Panting. I was panting. My hair was messy, my hands were sore on the rope and my throat was burning.


    But I was alive. I had pushed through that aquatic hell and reached this branch of hope, and I couldn¡¯t stop now.


    The rope had swung wildly as I leapt towards it, so I had clutched it to ensure my victory wouldn¡¯t slip from between my fingers. I reached up with my left arm, pulling my body alongside it as I gazed up to my goal.


    There was a small circular gap in the ceiling to climb up through, and it seemed to be hooked to a roof of its own. Therefore the aim was most likely just to reach that point, and discover the accompanying challenge.


    There couldn¡¯t be much more. I knew there couldn¡¯t. Because I knew I would succeed here, but I also knew my right arm wouldn¡¯t last much longer.


    That¡¯s right. As I continued to slowly crawl up with my left arm, I realized that all my pondering had been at least partially a subconscious attempt to ignore that reality. My left arm was getting sore itself, considering how much I was relying on it, and if I didn¡¯t accelerate then there was a good chance I¡¯d slip off the rope entirely.


    Icy torrents and jagged boulders lay beneath. Glancing downward, a small part of me had hoped that the conditions would¡¯ve changed. However, the world would never be so kind. From what I could tell, the environment only changed, like in the cave, to punish us.


    There was no more time for hesitation. I was already behind, and I couldn¡¯t let myself succumb to failure after pushing my body so far. I threw my right arm upward, snagging the rope and clambering up as a wave of electric pain flooded my senses.


    ¡°Damn,¡± I murmured, unwilling to admit my frustration any further. I was isolated - No one was around to hear me scream, yet I still refused to complain more than a simple ¡®Damn¡¯. Ha, pride can be a stupid thing.


    The rope fought back as I assailed it. Its rough surface rubbed up against my calloused hands and each tug brought forth abhorrent pain in each arm. My core was strong from training with the Commander, yet the climb was unrelenting.


    And yet, I climbed.


    I continued to push myself through that pain, locking my eyes on my target as each brutal pull brought me one step closer. Or, one crawl closer, at least.


    By the time I was able to reach out and feel the cold stone of the ceiling walls, my body was at its breaking point. For the third time today. Fortunately, I knew I was close.


    Swinging my legs up to use the wall for support, I walked vertically across the cylindrical nightmare as a small ledge emerged in the distance. The new, much closer target was re-invigorating and I dragged myself towards it.


    The rope was slightly too far away. Jumping directly to the ledge would be too risky. Resultantly, I devised a plan.


    Bracing my legs to pull myself closer to the wall, I pushed hard from my feet to thrust the rope in the other direction. Like I¡¯d hoped, I was able to bounce off the wall, maintaining the momentum as I swung back and forth like a jungle creature.


    My pendulum motions continued for a few moments until I became comfortable, and then I brought myself to rest. Looking up at the ledge, I kicked hard and glided with the rope before springing upward.


    Both hands slammed hard against the top of the surface. Thank the Suns. Still, my grip was shaky. I didn¡¯t have time to think, so I let my body take over as I instinctively began to pull myself up.


    However, I hadn¡¯t realized just how exhausted I was. As my chest lifted up, so close to being able to land safely, my right arm gave out. It snapped back. I flew downwards, moments from slipping back into the abyss as my left hand tightened its grip.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    My fingers were beginning to ache as I tried to lift my right arm back up. However, as anticipated, my efforts bore no fruit.


    Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I searched my mind for another option. And then it came to me - I just needed to adapt my rope swinging strategy.


    Twisting my body uncomfortably, I pushed my back and feet against the wall as I slowly pushed up with my left arm. My whole arm was shaking as I raised myself, and I felt like my fingers would give up at any second.


    And yet, I pushed.


    At the precise moment my body reached the sufficient height, I threw myself back to land cleanly on the platform. I winced from the impact of my back against the unforgiving surface, but it was the smallest price I could pay considering the situation.


    Once again, I was panting. Looking up at the dull, rocky surface, I felt my whole body tremor from a mixture of fatigue and relief. Just how much more would we be forced to do?


    Regardless, I had made it. With no one to help me, I had made it. With no one to support me, I had made it. With no one waiting back for me, I had made it. I, Shinsato Katsuro, could succeed on my own.


    Unfortunately, I had no time for thinking. No time for recovery, either. I shakily stood up, testing my stability on both legs as I turned to explore my new location.


    Although it was a race, I had made sure to at least get some rest. In a situation like this, it¡¯s important you approach each new challenge with some energy left in the tank.


    The small ¡®room¡¯, if you could even call it that, was barren. Any signs of danger, or hints regarding the next challenge, were absent. In their place lay a single lever.


    Stretching my limbs and giving myself another second to catch my breath, I wrapped my hands around the head of the lever and pushed.


    To my surprise, there was no sudden monster. No sudden drop, either. Instead, the wall merely split in half, each side pushing out to reveal a wooden staircase behind it.


    Taking my chances, I cautiously descended the stairs. Flickering my eyes left and right, I couldn¡¯t see anything until I just about reached the bottom. Although somehow, despite all my precautions, they managed to see me first.


    ¡°Katsuro!¡± A feminine voice called out in relief.


    Matched with the hazel eyes, warm auburn hair and wide smile that filled my vision, it felt like Deja Vu of a situation which had occurred a thousand times before.


    ¡°Naomi... Why are you back here?¡± I called out, knowing the answer in my heart. I could see it from her tired, concerned expression.


    ¡°I¡­ I was waiting for you, obviously! Did you seriously think I¡¯d leave you behind?! C¡¯mon now, don¡¯t worry me like that anymore.¡± Naomi replied, her usual energy filling her lungs as she reprimanded me for my slow speed.


    ¡°Did you hurt yourself? Or did the others just overtake you and you decided to wait back for my support?¡± I teased, uncomfortably. As much as I did enjoy the warmth that filled me from her concern, I wanted her to reject it.


    ¡±After someone waited and let so many other people go ahead of them just for you, I wouldn¡¯t be so rude,¡± Naomi rebutted, ¡°I was actually quite near the front, but you hadn¡¯t caught up so I was beginning to get a little worried. I wanted to go back down the rope to check for you, but the walls were shut.¡±


    Following her motion, I looked back to the top of the staircase. Taking a step up towards it, the truth confirmed Naomi¡¯s words. The top had been fully closed off, so there was no way of getting back.


    A disgusting feeling bubbled up my throat. For all my talk of independence, I had held Naomi back. For all my talk of doing it alone, I had forgotten how much Naomi had always been here for me. I silently apologized, knowing she would never hear it or even have heard the offence in the first place.


    ¡°Well, no witty comeback?¡± Naomi murmured, ¡°I¡¯m disappointed. You must really be tired,¡± As she spoke, a thought must¡¯ve flashed to her mind because she tilted her head, ¡°Wait, you¡¯re all good, right? You¡¯re not injured?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, just a bit of a sore arm. Compared to the Commander¡¯s training, this is light work,¡± I joked, trying to relieve the tension as I looked across to the next stage of the challenge.


    There were two big doors - One red, one blue. The left one, red, was decorated with an intricate pattern of five stars surrounding a Shifter. The right one, blue, was decorated with the logo of the Celestial Military Academy.


    ¡°It¡¯s a choice?¡± I questioned, and Naomi nodded.


    ¡°Mhmm; Both of the doors open to empty corridors, but once you get inside, the door locks behind you for the next person. So I have no idea how each of them turns out. I was thinking of taking the blue one - Most people did before us, at least.¡±


    Choosing the blue door made sense. With a clear CMA branding, it seemed like the natural choice since we were attempting to open a door to that future.


    Yet, wasn¡¯t that too obvious? It could easily be a bluff. The Shifter sign might indicate a fight in that room, one I wasn¡¯t too ready to handle, but the attitude of the exam so far seemed to encourage that kind of brutality.


    As much as I respected Naomi¡¯s opinions, we were both far behind now. If we took the blue door, we¡¯d maintain that backwards position. If it was like the pit and the stairs, this could be a chance to get ahead.


    ¡°Do you trust me?¡± I tilted my head.


    ¡°...Pretty serious question, but yeah, of course. Why?¡± Naomi replied curiously.


    ¡°Then we¡¯re taking the red door.¡±


    Just as Naomi was placing all her trust in me, I was placing all my trust in that Shifter.


    Please don¡¯t let me down, little guy.

 Chapter 10 - The Final Challenge

    Burning.


    It felt like we were burning - With each step we took, the heat only pierced deeper into our bodies. After opening the red door, we¡¯d been greeted by nothing more than an empty corridor which we¡¯d been forced to travel through since the door swung shut behind us.


    In comparison to the dark paths of before, the method of blinding this time was a thick smoke which seemed to appear from nothing. It grew ever-thicker the further in we went, and my weakened lungs were already beginning to suffer while I restrained the urge to gag.


    ¡°Are you sure this is the right way?¡± Naomi called out, swiping at the fog in front of her eyes as she stormed on from behind me.


    ¡°You said you trusted me, so keep your word,¡± I affirmed - I had no way of knowing if we¡¯d taken the right path or not, or if I¡¯d condemned us to a fate of melting. But there was no point being pessimistic - The way back was locked shut, so the only option was to keep going.


    ¡°Still¡­ It¡¯s getting hard to see, and I think I¡¯m gonna start choking if these fumes don¡¯t disappear pretty soon.¡± Naomi began, picking up the pace as we jogged through the long stretch. ¡°You know, if it gets any thicker, I might lose sight of you. It¡¯s probably better if we keep each other close.¡±


    With those words, I felt a soft hand wrap itself around mine. Ha, if it made her feel more reassured, I guess I didn¡¯t mind. I wasn¡¯t the biggest fan of physical contact, but I can only imagine the discomfort of being alone somewhere here far surpasses my own concerns.


    ¡°Guess you¡¯re right,¡± I nodded as I tried to shake off the growing feeling that we were being cooked like fish on a fire. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up. This corridor can¡¯t last forever, but neither can we¡­¡± I tried to make light of the situation as Naomi nervously laughed behind me.


    ¡°Hey, Katsuro¡­ What¡¯s the most important thing to you?¡± She asked, catching me a little off-guard. This wasn¡¯t exactly the time to ask a deep question like that.


    So, I shrugged it off with a simple truth. ¡°To save humanity.¡± I began, watching as she rolled her eyes with annoyance.


    ¡°You¡¯re always so grandiose¡­ Don¡¯t you ever think it¡¯s alright to prioritize things a little more personal? You¡¯re not the prince or anything, you know?¡± She hit back, earning a stern glare from me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to be a prince to know what I need to do,¡± I gritted my teeth, ¡°I will save humanity, there¡¯s not a single doubt in my body. But¡­ to do that, we have to pass this examination. And quite frankly, I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re asking such an introspective question when this heat¡¯s about to reduce us to ashes,¡± I laughed, trying to shrug off the question and focus on the task at hand before she gave a reply I desperately did not want to hear.


    The trouble with these challenges wasn¡¯t their physical tests. Not that those weren¡¯t ridiculous themselves, but more that there was a much bigger threat. The fact that we had absolutely no way of knowing how, or even if, each challenge was solvable.


    Picking up the pace, we soon fell silent. The only sounds leaking out came from the occasional cough as the smoke overwhelmed us. The feeling that your skin might melt is a horrible one, but I couldn¡¯t help but remain calm.


    Perhaps that¡¯s the effect of putting your body through so much in such a short span of time? I must¡¯ve been desensitised to the difficulty as all I could think about was the upcoming goal. I blinked rapidly as my thoughts blended with reality; I could finally spot an opening.


    Carved in at a decent height on the left side of the wall, it would¡¯ve been easily overlooked by most considering the intensity of the smoke and the speed at which we travelled. Fortunately, I¡¯d been looking out for hints like that.


    ¡°Hey, Naomi, over here,¡± I motioned up to the wall. Initially, Naomi began to voice her annoyance that I¡¯d broken our hand contact, but her lips quickly curled into a smile.


    ¡°How¡¯d you even see that? Tall people really are lucky,¡± Naomi complained, in a light-hearted tone that didn¡¯t exactly befit the situation.


    ¡°It¡¯s too high for you to jump up to,¡± I muttered, as much to myself as to her, as I leaned forward and bent my back to provide her with a step-ladder. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°Such a gentleman,¡± She grinned. Unfortunately, her attempt at messing with me was undermined by her rough spluttering as smoke engulfed us. Hopping onto my shoulders, Naomi easily lifted herself up to the top of the gap and glanced towards it.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re nearly there,¡± Naomi sighed with relief as she stretched her arms out expectantly from above the ledge.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I smiled as I leapt up, grateful for her support considering my right arm was far too weak to pull myself up on my own.


    ¡°Like you said before, no time to rest. Let¡¯s get going,¡± Naomi wiped her hands as she helped me to my feet on top of the ledge.


    In front of us was a short passage, with a row of rings at the top. At the very end lay a door titled ¡®FINAL¡¯, and it was that godly sign that empowered me to keep going. Similarly, the walls held some small circles which were presumably symbolic.


    Naomi reached to climb up the ladder, preparing herself to swing across the room. Neither of us questioned the choice - Although the ground looked relatively harmless, they wouldn¡¯t have added that extra challenge of the rings unless the former had problems of its own.


    Unfortunately, I was about to find out - With my poor condition, I wouldn¡¯t be able to traverse the rings so my only option was to travel across the floor.


    ¡°Hey, c¡¯mon up,¡± Naomi urged, resting at the top of the ladder with an expectant expression. ¡°I know your arm¡¯s a little sore but I get a bad feeling about going straight across such an empty ground¡­¡±


    I ignored her warning.


    Like before, this was just another false choice. Besides, ignoring Naomi was a hobby of mine so I could always pretend I just hadn¡¯t heard her later. To do that, I had to make the most of my chance now.


    ¡°Here goes nothing¡­¡± I threw a rock from my pocket across the ground, seeing if it would detect any traps. Nothing happened, so I applied some light, tentative pressure on the ground with my feet. ¡°Still nothing, huh?¡±


    ¡°Katsuro, listen! It¡¯s not worth it, there might be more serious traps you can¡¯t see!¡± Naomi¡¯s words fell on deaf ears as I sprinted across the platform. As I had anticipated, the circles on the left and right walls began to release rapid arrow strikes.


    It was why I¡¯d positioned myself in the middle, and maintained a careful view of the shooting spots. Glancing at them as I leapt like a hurdler, I noticed they had a blunt edge laced with a luminous purple solution. The blunt edge meant the likelihood of a lethal strike was much lower, but I was kind of curious why they would decide only now to choose a non-lethal option. Unless the solution itself was the deadly part, of course.


    Not that I should really focus on that. I nimbly bounced across the floor, encouraged by the sound of Naomi¡¯s frantic warnings as each arrow shot.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, just focus on making it across!¡± I urged; Although she¡¯d had a longer rest, she¡¯d gone through the same challenges I had with an even earlier injury back against the first Shifter. I knew she could handle herself, but the idea of her falling and getting distracted because of me was not one I was prepared to stomach.


    I couldn¡¯t afford to look back and see if she¡¯d actually listened, but the regular sounds of flesh against rings were reassuring. I was about three quarters across, with the end finally within my grasp.


    Until the floor fell through.


    As I jumped across, the floor disintegrated beneath my feet. Huge swathes of land sunk instantaneously, leaving just two thin beams across the ground. I was just teetering on the edge of one as the rest of the ground fell away.


    I wanted to crouch. Lowering my centre of gravity would be perfect, but of course, I had no such luck. The arrows continued to fire, so I had no choice but to continue running forward on the narrow beam. My sense of balance was not perfect, but I¡¯d trained my core stability to the point where it was just barely manageable.


    Until the beam began spinning.


    At first, it was a slow, barely-noticeable shift. And then it began to fully rotate. Even walking would be tough on its own but sprinting and even jumping were practically impossible. I stretched my arms out to either side for balance as I carefully tread forward, watching Naomi pass me from above from the corner of my eye.


    ¡°We¡¯re so close! Just keep on going!¡± Naomi begged as she descended gracefully from the final ring to the ground in front of me, waiting for my arrival.


    The ground was roaring with fervour. The beam was spinning with ferocity. The arrows shot with fury.


    And yet, I reached the end.


    With one final, desperate leap, I threw my body forward like a cannonball to smash haphazardly into Naomi. We staggered towards the wall as a collective, sighing and panting with relief as we watched the beam collapse into nothing.


    I hadn¡¯t realized it at first, the adrenaline and shock clouding my mind, but I soon felt it. Naomi¡¯s arms wrapped tightly around my body as I pulled her close to me, staring into her delicate hazel eyes. They complimented her pretty face and a warm smile to create a picture I wish I could save forever.


    ¡±We made it. We finally did it. Dad would be so proud,¡± Naomi whispered, still catching her breath as she gracefully twirled a strand of her hair. It was obviously messy because of the trials, but for some reason, I couldn¡¯t help but think it suited her even more than her usual style.


    She was right. I had made it. I¡¯d made it through each and every trial, and I couldn¡¯t give that up now, even for such a heartwarming moment.


    ¡°The Commander won¡¯t be proud of us unless we actually qualify. We¡¯re in a race, so let¡¯s save the hugging until we¡¯ve actually made it.¡± I laughed it off, but my tone was marked by enough severity that she got the hint, reluctantly pulling her arms back.


    For the first time in a while, I let myself truly smile as I pushed open the door titled ¡®END¡¯, my childhood friend right by my side.


    Looking back, perhaps I was too naive.


    I didn¡¯t know all those trials were just a warm-up for the final show.


    No, I didn¡¯t know the true cruelty of the academy.