Chapter 18
The sun blazed high above the courtyard, its golden rays casting long shadows as hundreds of participants stood in tense silence.
A crushing aura filled the air. Tryin, one of the six Head Wizards, stood before five teenagers, his silver hair flowing in the wind as his sharp, predatory eyes locked onto them.
A smirk played at his lips. This will be a lesson for everyone.
"You should've known better," he said, raising his hand.
A terrifying amount of energy surged, crackling around his fist like a miniature storm.
Kaito swallowed hard. "Welp. We had a good run."
"Shut up," Nephis snapped.
"Yeah, we're totally dead," Kaito whispered, already looking for an escape route.
Tryin's face grew colder as he swung his fist down—
The attack lunch forward at an insane speed with destructive power. Blaze and his group froze. Just then –
BOOOOM!
A massive shockwave erupted as a black-robed figure landed right in front of them, muscles bulging beneath his white singlet.
His half-black robe fluttered, revealing his monstrous physique—every muscle sculpted like carved stone.
The moment Tryin's attack reached him, he raised a single palm holding it in place then mutters –
"Devour."
A deep black energy spiraled out, engulfing the attack.
The crackling force of Tryin's power—one strong enough to obliterate dozens of recruits in an instant—vanished as though it had never existed.
A heavy silence fell over the courtyard.
Tryin narrowed his eyes. "Care to explain your actions, Kami?"
The massive man, known as Kami, slowly shrugged. His bored expression never changed.
"I believe this exam is about proving their worth," he said lazily. "Why demolish his hope before he even tries?"
Tryin's gaze darkened, but he said nothing.
Meanwhile, Blaze, who had been one second away from calling the afterlife's customer service, turned toward Kami to thank him—
Only to freeze in place.
A suffocating dark aura pressed down on him.
His heart pounded in his chest as he stared at Kami.
This man… he wasn't normal.
His eyes… were terrifying.
Deep, abyss-like irises seemed to swallow the very light around them.
Just standing near him made Blaze's stomach churn, his body screaming at him to run.
Then Kami looked directly at him.
"You better pass the trial," he said coldly.
Blaze gulped.
Kami's lips curled into a bored sneer. "Or I'll tear your limbs apart myself."
Silence.
"…Huh?"
Kami cracked his neck. "I wouldn't waste my time saving a nobody."
Blaze's mind stuttered.
The guy saved him from being obliterated, only to turn around and threaten him like it was his full-time job.
What kind of twisted sense of logic was that?!
Lucas nudged him. "Blaze, you should probably say something."
Blaze nodded slowly and took a deep breath.
"…Okay, first of all, what the hell?!"
A few chuckles rippled through the crowd.
Kami didn't even blink.
At that moment, Tryin exhaled sharply, regaining his composure. His gaze swept over the other Head Wizards, and he folded his arms.
"Fine," he muttered. "Let's take a vote."
The six Head Wizards—Tryin, Kami, Enax, Charlotte, Willow, and Hannah—stood in silence as the decision loomed.
Charlotte, the stern, no-nonsense woman, immediately sided with Tryin. "I vote no. Zeroes shouldn't be allowed."
Hannah, the kindest of the group, smiled gently. "I vote yes as well."
Tryin gritted his teeth.
That was two votes for yes, two for no.
It all came down to Willow and Enax.
Enax, the fiery wild-haired man, grinned. "You already know my answer. Yes."
Tryin scowled. "Damn it."
All eyes turned to Willow.
A long, tense silence followed.
He scratched his head and muttered, "Sure, whatever."
Tryin's shoulders stiffened. He had lost the vote.
His eyes flickered toward Blaze, cold and unreadable, before he scoffed and turned away.
A loud, relieved sigh escaped Kaito's lips.
"We're alive!" he whispered dramatically, collapsing to his knees.
Lucas sighed. "Barely."
Blaze, still shaken, exhaled sharply. "I feel like I just survived an entire horror movie."
Tryin ignored their antics and turned back to the crowd.
"The trial begins now."
His voice echoed through the courtyard.
Willow, stepping forward, casually explained the rules.
Each team of three must protect their red crystal and destroy others crystal to turn theirs white. Those with white crystal pass will pass the trial.
Five minutes were given to form groups, and chaos immediately erupted as recruits scrambled to find teammates.
Kaito latched onto Blaze like glue. "You're with me!"
Blaze, unfazed, nodded.
Meanwhile, Lucas and Nephis were picking their third member when a black-cloaked figure approached.
White strands of hair peeked from under his hood.
"Let me join you," he said in a calm yet chilling tone.
Lucas immediately scowled. "Not happening."
But before he could outright reject the guy—
"You're welcome," Nephis said.
Lucas snapped his head toward her. "WHAT?!"
"Trust me," she whispered.
Lucas groaned in defeat. "Fine."
A magic formation activated beneath their feet—
And in an instant, they were teleported to Cyclone Forest.
The moment Blaze and his team landed, a strong gust of wind howled through the dense trees. The air smelled of damp earth and lingering magic.
Blaze took a deep breath. "Alright. What's the plan?"
Meanwhile, in Nephis's group, the black-cloaked figure took a step forward.
"Keep the crystal safe," he instructed. "I'll handle everything else."
Before Lucas could object—
The figure vanished.
Not even a trace remained.
Elsewhere, three teenage boys gathered, whispering amongst themselves.
"We need to take down weaklings first," one suggested.
"Agreed, but let's find a—"
A yellow flash of lightning streaked past them.
One of them blinked. "Did you see that?"
"Yeah… it looked like—"
CRACK.
Their crystal shattered instantly.
Their eyes widened in horror.
A figure runs through the forest, lightning flickering across his body. His yellow hair shining brightly, eyes glowing with raw energy.
The boy smiled, glancing at his now-yellow crystal.
"One down, two to go."
Then, in a blur of motion, he vanished again.
Far away, Blaze gripped his own crystal tightly.
He had no idea what they were up against.
But he did know one thing—
This trial… is going to be anything but easy.
To Be Continued…