Chapter 24
The atmosphere was thick with anticipation as Akira returned to her group, her head bowed in defeat. Her friends attempted to console her, their words well-intended but ultimately failing to lift her spirits. She clenched her fists, frustration simmering beneath her composed facade. This was supposed to be her moment—to prove herself. And yet, she had failed.
Moments later, Kaito, the normally carefree and mischievous spirit of the group, stepped forward. Today, his demeanor was uncharacteristically serious, his brow furrowed in deep thought. He approached Hannah, the green-haired head wizard of the Green Department, with an air of quiet determination.
"May I inspect the egg?" Kaito asked.
Hannah raised an eyebrow but nodded, handing him the small green egg, its surface pulsing with faint magical energy. Kaito gingerly turned it over in his hands, examining it with an intense scrutiny none had expected from him. Some of the spectators exchanged glances, their skepticism evident. Was he stalling? Or did he actually have a plan?
Then, without warning, Kaito's fingers brushed a particularly sensitive spot.
FOOM!
A sudden burst of flame erupted from the egg, singing his fingers.
"Ouch!" Kaito yelped, hopping back, his hands flailing wildly. The onlookers burst into laughter, the tension in the air breaking as they watched his exaggerated reaction. Even Akira, despite her gloom, couldn't help but crack a small smile.
Kaito, rubbing his scorched fingers, shot a mock glare at the crowd. "Do I look like a comedian to you?" he muttered, though the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.
Without missing a beat, he conjured a makeshift glove from his earth magic, layering it over his hands to shield them. He pressed his fingers gently against a specific spot on the egg, his face contorting in pain as the heat intensified. Yet, he didn't flinch.
Then, in a flash of green flames, the egg transformed into a pristine white sphere. Without hesitation, Kaito crushed it with his bare hand. The silence that followed was deafening.
Hannah's smile widened as she turned to the assembled contestants. "And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you shatter a Level 2 Enchanted Egg."
A murmur rippled through the crowd as realization dawned. Enchanted objects always had a weak link—a single point where their magic was vulnerable. Kaito had found it and exploited it with pinpoint precision.
Hannah regarded Kaito with newfound respect. "Your ingenuity has impressed me. As a reward, you may request one thing, and I shall grant it."
Kaito didn't even hesitate. He turned to Akira, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Help her pass this trial."
The sincerity of his request left everyone stunned. Akira's eyes welled with tears, her lips trembling as she looked at him. Gratitude and relief flooded her heart.
Hannah was silent for a moment before nodding. "You passed," she declared firmly, her voice carrying an air of finality.
Turning back to Kaito, she added, "Join the Green Department after you complete the other trials. Your resourcefulness will take you far."
Before anyone could respond, a commanding voice sliced through the moment.
"Enough talking. It's time for the third trial."
All eyes turned toward Charlotte, the leader of the Purple Nicroshade Squad and headmaster of the Purple Department. Dressed in a flowing deep purple cloak, her piercing silver eyes swept over the contestants like a storm on the horizon. The air grew heavy with unspoken tension.
Blaze and the rest of the remaining contestants stood rigidly, their gazes locked on Charlotte. The first two trials had tested their endurance, their combat abilities, and their magical prowess. They had fought against indestructible eggs, braved harsh terrains, and demonstrated their control over mystic arts. But something about Charlotte's gaze told them the hardest part had only just begun.
Minutes later, they found themselves seated inside a vast, dimly lit hall. Desks were lined in perfect rows, creating an eerie contrast to the battlefield-like challenges they had previously faced. The grand chandeliers flickered above, casting ominous shadows along the stone walls.
A thick silence settled in.
Then, a sharp voice shattered it.
"What the hell are we doing here?!"
All heads turned to the outburst's source. Kaito had shot to his feet, his chair screeching against the floor. His wide black eyes darted between the parchment in his hands and the others around him, as if seeking confirmation that this was some kind of cruel joke.
Blaze peered down at his own paper and felt his stomach drop. The sheet was filled with rows of complex, arcane questions—most of which might as well have been written in an alien language. He turned to Lucas, the usually composed intellectual of the group, and even he was gripping his forehead in frustration.
From the front, Hannah chuckled. "You're wicked, Charlotte. Why give them something this terrifying?"
Charlotte simply shrugged. "They must understand what they're getting into."
Meanwhile, Kaito's dramatic meltdown continued. He jabbed a finger at one of the questions, his face a mask of betrayal. "What kind of twisted monster came up with these?!"
He read aloud: 'If a Rune Master of the Seventh Tier uses a runic sigil to summon a Sable Drake under a quarter-moon's influence, how many cycles will it take before the binding tether destabilizes?'
He whirled around, eyes wild. "WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!"
No one had an answer. Some stared at their papers in horror. Others, like Lucas, tapped their pens against their desks in silent suffering. A brown-haired boy groaned and slumped forward, his forehead hitting the desk with a loud thud.
"I'd rather fight another beast than do this…"
A petite red-haired girl raised her trembling hand. "U-Um… Miss Charlotte, are we allowed to use reference materials?"
Charlotte's lips twitched—perhaps the closest thing to a smile she had ever given. "No."
The girl visibly deflated.
Kaito, fuming, grabbed his pen and aggressively scribbled on his paper. His first answer? "The answer is: WHO CARES? The Sable Drake should take a nap and leave me alone."
Blaze stifled a chuckle. The irony of warriors and mages, who had survived deadly trials, now reduced to panicked test-takers was almost comical.
A burly young man leaned toward his neighbor. "Hey, uh… do you know what a 'runic tether equilibrium' is?"
His neighbor, without looking up, muttered, "If I did, do you think I'd be sitting here sweating bullets?"
Suddenly, a loud bang made everyone jump. Kaito had slammed his pen down with such force that it bounced off the desk. "This is a crime against humanity! We trained for years to fight, to survive, and now you're telling me we have to—" he gestured wildly at the test, "—do wizard math?!"
Hannah patted his back, laughing. "Where's that fearless attitude now?"
"Fearless?! I'd rather charge at a wyvern than do this!"
At the back, one student had simply given up, arms folded as he dozed off.
Charlotte straightened. "Anyone caught sleeping will automatically fail."
The snoring stopped instantly.
Blaze took a deep breath. This was just another trial, another challenge. He had survived worse. He had faced powerful foes, pushed past his limits. This was just another battle.
As he turned to Lucas, who was finally writing with a pained expression. "This is going to be difficult."
And so, the hardest trial began, the nightmare had truly began.
To be continued.