Chapter 29
The air was thick with tension.
The students had witnessed something unbelievable—a true display of power from Enax, the Leader of the Red Inferno.
"He's… insanely strong," someone muttered, still in shock.
"Really, really strong," another voice echoed.
The trial continued, but the results remained the same for most:
Failure.
"You failed."
"You failed."
"You failed."
It was becoming a chant at this point.
Enax stood tall, unfazed as student after student tried and failed to break his Earth Shield or survive his Fire Punch. His tone was calm but brutal, each failure met with an expression that practically said, Why did you even try?
But among the sea of crushed dreams, there were those who succeeded.
Raiden Hailo, the great heir of the Hailo Faction – Passed with ease. His earth-based attacks were powerful, and his speed let him narrowly avoid being knocked out.
The black-robed figure – Mysterious but deadly, his attacks had precision and force.
The unique yellow-haired boy – Managed to pass, though his yellow lightning attack left Enax visibly impressed.
Lucas & Nephis – Both scored 14 points, proving their combat ability was on another level.
Akira – Surprised everyone by scoring 12 points, thanks to her unique water abilities, which countered Enax's fire to some extent.
Then there was Kaito.
He had almost passed—scoring 11 points.
Kaito, upon hearing his score, was already walking away, sighing in defeat. But then—
"You pass."
Kaito froze mid-step. "Huh?!"
Enax smirked. "You may not have reached 12 points, but you show promise. You'll be a valuable resource for the academy."
Kaito blinked. "So you're telling me…" His voice trailed off before he grinned like an idiot. "I got a free pass?!"
Lucas groaned. "Unbelievable."
"Life is unfair," one person muttered.
"HAHAHAHAHA! SUCK IT, LOSERS!" Kaito danced around dramatically, rubbing his "free pass" in everyone's faces.
"Enjoy your victory," Enax said, amused. "Because you'll suffer more later."
Kaito's celebration instantly stopped. "...Huh?"
The students laughed, but the mood quickly shifted when the next person stepped forward.
Blaze stepped forward, his expression unreadable.
His sharp gaze locked onto Enax's Earth Shield. A quiet tension rippled through the courtyard—like the air itself was holding its breath.
Unlike the others, Blaze wasn't nervous.
He was calculating.
Enax's shield was strong, but it wasn't indestructible. He had seen the way it absorbed impact—how it flexed before dispersing force. But every defense had a threshold. Every structure had a breaking point.
And Blaze was about to find it.
The moment Enax signaled the start, Blaze moved.
BOOM!
A burst of blue lightning ignited around him, crackling like a storm caged within his body. His speed blurred—too fast for the naked eye. One moment he was standing still, the next—
CRACK-THOOM!
His Feral Lightning Strike collided with Enax's Earth Shield.
The sheer force of the impact shook the ground. Dust exploded outward, forming a cloud around them. A shockwave pulsed through the courtyard—students flinched, some even shielding their faces.
Then—CRACK!
A jagged fracture snaked across the surface of the shield.
A heartbeat of silence.
Then—uproar.
"What?!" a student shouted.
"He cracked Enax's shield!" another voice echoed in disbelief.
The "Zero" had damaged one of the academy's strongest defenses.
Enax himself blinked, staring at the fractures on his shield. Then, ever so slightly, he nodded. "Not bad," he muttered. "Eight points for attack power."
The students whispered fervently, their eyes flickering with something new—respect? Fear? Whatever it was, Blaze felt it shifting. The way they looked at him was different now.
But the real challenge wasn't over.
Now, it was Blaze's turn to defend.
Exhaling slowly, he raised his arms, his breathing measured.
Then—something strange happened.
Deep blue lightning surged over his body, crackling with raw energy. The arcs of electricity weren't wild or uncontrolled—they solidified, layering over his skin like a living barrier.
A murmur swept through the students.
"What… is that?" someone whispered.
"A lightning barrier… like the first guy!" another muttered.
Enax smirked. "Let's test it out."
He stepped forward, raising his flaming fist. The fire roared, consuming his entire forearm like a living beast. The sheer heat made the nearby students step back instinctively.
Then—he struck.
BAM!
The collision was a small explosion. Fire met lightning in a violent clash of elements. Sparks and embers rained down as the force rippled outward.
Most students expected Blaze to be blasted away.
They expected him to crumple—flung across the courtyard like a ragdoll.
But—he didn't fall.
He staggered. His feet slid backward, carving marks into the ground. His muscles trembled from the sheer force pressing against him.
But he didn't collapse.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Enax withdrew his fist, his expression unreadable. Then, after a moment—he nodded.
"You've passed," he declared.
Blaze sighed in relief, his lightning-like armor disappearing away.
But just as he thought it was over—
Enax's voice cut through the air like a blade.
"...But what I find most suspicious," he said, his fiery gaze locking onto Blaze, "is how you—someone with zero magic affinity before—suddenly developed a lightning ability within a day."
A heavy silence fell over the courtyard.
The students turned to stare at Blaze.
For the first time, Blaze's face betrayed emotion.
Slight hesitation.
A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead.
The question was clear.
Just how did Blaze—someone with no elemental affinity, someone who was written off as a Zero—suddenly wield lightning like he was born with it?
And more importantly—
Would he tell the truth?
Before the tension could escalate further, a deep, rough voice cut through the noise like a blade.
"Enough."
The crowd went silent as a man stepped forward. His presence alone commanded attention. Kami, the headmaster of the Black Department.
"Everyone has their secrets," he said. "You cannot expect someone to reveal everything about themselves just because you're curious."
Kami turned his attention to the other headmasters. "Besides, the trial is over. He passed. Are we really going to waste time questioning how he did it?"
The other headmasters exchanged glances but remained silent. Kami was right.
Blaze exhaled slightly.
Nephis let out a quiet sigh of relief. "Well, that was close."
Kaito walked up to Blaze, arms crossed. "You do realize this isn't over, right? People don't just forget things like this. You're gonna be watched."
Before Blaze could respond, a loud voice rang through the courtyard.
"Alright, everyone, it's time for the final trial!"
A man stepped forward—a figure radiating authority and power. Tryin, leader of the White Dragon Squad and one of the academy's headmasters.
"Those of you who have made it this far should be proud. But your journey is not yet over. The final trial will determine whether you truly belong here."
A murmur rippled through the students.
Tryin continue. "Prepare yourselves. Because this trial… will be unlike anything you've faced before."
Blaze clenched his fists.
Whatever was coming next... it was going to be brutal.