Dozens of students stood around him, panting, bleeding, their faces pale and eyes hollow. Some collapsed onto their knees, their bodies shaking uncontrollably. Others clenched their fists, silent but visibly disturbed.
Then there were the ones who didn't move at all.
They sat, staring at nothing. Eyes empty. Breathing shallow.
Zero had seen this before—shellshock. The ones who had broken. The ones who had lost their grip on reality, unable to process what they had just experienced.
Then he heard the wailing.
Screams.
Some students curled up into fetal positions, sobbing. Others clawed at their own skin as if trying to tear away something that wasn't there. A boy near Zero trembled, whispering over and over:
[Student]: They were in my head… they were in my head… they were in my head…
Another girl stood frozen, blood trailing from her nose as she murmured incoherently. Her eyes were unfocused, her body stiff, her hands twitching violently.
Then—
A loud clap echoed through the hall.
Dr. Aaron stood at the podium, his skeletal face motionless, his empty sockets scanning the room. His presence alone was enough to silence the remaining cries.
His voice was devoid of warmth, colder than the grave itself.
[Dr. Aaron]: Congratulations to those who survived.
His words sent a chill through the air. The way he said it—without emotion, without even a hint of acknowledgment for the suffering around him
[Dr. Aaron]: The first trial was simple: survive for one hour in the Death Continent of Australia. Many of you succeeded. Many of you… did not.
His gaze swept over the catatonic students—the ones who had broken.
He didn't sigh. He didn't shake his head. He simply looked at them, then turned away, uninterested.
[Dr. Aaron]: For those of you still standing, you now have a choice.
Two buttons appeared on a floating panel before each student—one green, one red.
[Dr. Aaron]: Press green, and you stay. Press red, and you leave. There is no shame in retreat.
A pause. Then his skull tilted slightly, the hollow sockets in his face somehow… amused.
[Dr. Aaron]: Of course… if you stay, the trials will only become more complex. The horrors you faced today? They were merely a taste. A warm-up. A welcome gift.
Some students flinched.
Others paled further.
[Dr. Aaron]: Make your choice.
Zero barely hesitated. He knew how this worked. The more he struggled, the better the rewards. The harder the game, the greater the payoff.
He slammed the green button without a second thought.
One followed immediately after him, grinning.
Rose pressed it too, muttering,
[Rose]: Like hell I'm quitting now, If that narrow-eyed freakish thing did it way can't I?
Charly laughed—a wild, almost insane sound.
[Charly]: Bring it on, Why leave when the fun hasn't ended?
His finger jabbed the button like he was daring the academy to try and break him again.
One by one, others followed, though some hesitated, staring at the red button, their hands trembling.
And then—click.
A handful of students pressed red.
The moment they did, their bodies shimmered, and in an instant, they were gone.
Zero frowned.
[Zero]: Where did they—
[Dr. Aaron]: Expelled.
His voice cut through the air like a scalpel.
[Dr. Aaron]: They will not return. Not to this academy. Not to this world.
A heavy silence followed.
Zero's eyes narrowed. Wait. Not to this world? What the hell did that mean?
One clicked her tongue.
[One]: Well… that's ominous.
Dr. Aaron stepped forward, his bony fingers tapping on his podium.
[Dr. Aaron]: The rest of you have chosen to continue. Good.
The air grew heavier, as if the room itself understood the weight of their decision.
[Dr. Aaron]: Your next trial begins soon. Prepare accordingly.
With that, he vanished.
The students looked at each other, the tension thick in the air.
Zero exhaled. He wasn't sure what was coming next then The air shifted.
Zero's vision blurred. Then, in an instant—
The floor beneath him changed.
He landed with a solid thud on polished stone. Around him, several other students stumbled as they reappeared in the same place. The air was thick with the scent of metal and old blood.
A massive circular arena stretched before them, its walls high and lined with jagged iron spikes. The ceiling above was shrouded in shadow, with eerie blue flames flickering along the edges of the arena. The space felt ancient, heavy with the weight of countless battles fought here before.
At the center stood their opponent.
A towering iron doll, six-armed and motionless, its massive frame gleaming under the dim light.
It held a variety of weapons—each hand gripping something different. A greatsword, a spear, a serrated dagger, a warhammer, a spiked chain, and a curved scythe.
It wasn't alive. But Zero knew, just by looking at it, that didn't matter.
It was built for one thing.
Combat.
Zero inhaled deeply, then exhaled.
He turned his head, scanning the weapon racks along the side of the arena. Various weapons were lined up—some simple, some exotic, all deadly.
He walked over and grabbed a sword. A simple blade, well-balanced, nothing fancy.
He didn't need fancy. He needed efficiency.
As he stepped forward, preparing for battle, the iron doll's eyes flared to life—cold, mechanical light burning in its sockets.
Then—
It moved.
Fast. Unnaturally fast.
The six-armed doll shifted into a battle stance, weapons raised. Its metal body whirred, gears clicking into place, its joints grinding as it prepared to strike.
The duel had begun.
The moment the iron doll shifted into a battle stance, the other students rushed forward, realizing the trial wasn't a solo duel—it was a team fight.
Zero adjusted his grip on his sword, taking note of the students beside him. There were about six in total, each wielding different weapons, their expressions ranging from determined to outright terrified.
One of them stepped up beside him—a towering figure with crimson-hued skin, jagged tusks, and golden reptilian eyes. He carried a massive Warhammer in one hand, a heavy shield in the other. His sheer presence alone radiated raw power.
Grant, a Dragon-Blooded Orc.
[Grant]: Alright, listen up! This thing isn't just some mindless golem. It's a war construct. That means it adapts. We can't just hack at it blindly, or we're dead.
Zero nodded, keeping his eyes on the iron doll as it slowly began analyzing them, its six arms twitching.
[Zero]: So, got a plan, or are we winging this?
[Grant]: Both. I'll tank, you look like you're fast, so strike when it leaves an opening. The rest of you—watch each other's backs and don't fight alone. We mess up even once, and it'll tear us apart.
Before anyone could respond—
The iron doll attacked.
It moved like lightning.
One moment, it stood still. The next, it lunged, its greatsword swinging in a downward arc—straight at Zero.
Zero barely had time to react—but his [Northern Demon Swordsmanship] kicked in. His body moved on instinct, his sword clashing against the iron doll's greatsword with a deafening clang. The sheer force rattled his bones, but he held his ground, sliding back slightly from the impact.
It was fast. Almost as fast as he was.
Before the iron doll could follow up, Grant slammed his shield into its midsection, forcing it back with sheer brute strength.
[Grant]: Move! We need to cripple it before it adapts!
Zero wasted no time. He weaved backward, his fingers already moving as he chanted a curse under his breath.
[Curse of Withering]—applied.
[Curse of Slumber]—attempt failed.
[Curse of Rust]—partially applied.
Dark, crackling energy wrapped around the iron doll's joints, slowing its movement slightly—but not enough to fully disable it. It twitched, adjusting. The six arms rotated with unnatural fluidity, and before Zero could warn the others, it switched tactics—
Two arms held defensive katanas, one prepared to counter, while the other four wielded a mix of polearms and axes, ready to tear through their formation.
[Zero]: Damn it—this thing really does adapt.
Thinking fast, Zero threw a vial from his coat—a nasty little concoction he had prepped in advance.
[Rust Poison].
The vial shattered against the iron doll's chest, releasing a dark red mist. The metal screeched as corrosion spread across its surface. The rust seeped into its joints, weakening its mobility.
[Grant]: Nice! Keep it up—everyone, focus fire on the weakened spots!
A mage in the group immediately followed up, summoning a gale of wind to push the rust deeper into the iron doll's structure. Another student—a beastkin wielding twin daggers—darted in, slashing at the weak points.
The iron doll staggered, its movements faltering.
Zero grinned.
It was time to finish this.
[Demonic Frenzy: Precision Mode]—Activated.
His entire body surged with controlled power. He dashed forward, sword flashing—aiming straight for the iron doll's exposed core.
[Chapter end]
[Long live Austin Australia]
"You, son of Austin, risen from the ashes of the faithless, have knelt before the sacred temple of your father. In your hands, you have held the fate of the world, a fate sealed by the blood of false gods and the ruins of those who defied him. You have slain the impostors, the ones who called themselves rulers, only to be crushed under the weight of your vengeance.
You have torn down the demons who once butchered your father, and in the name of Austin Australia, you have scorched their kind from this world. The undead, twisted by heretical magic, were no match for your wrath. They too fell, their defiance swept away by the power of the one true Austin Australia.
Now, you stand as the Avatar of Death, taking the mantle of your father with unwavering resolve. You are no longer just his heir, but his embodiment—a living testament to the supremacy of Austin Australia. And with the name Austin Australia the Second, you will claim dominion over all realms.
Your eyes are fixed upon distant lands—lands yet untouched by his divine will. The faithless dwell there, waiting to be turned, to be molded by your power. And so, you will march onward, to conquer, to subjugate, to turn more souls in your father's name. The world will bend, and the realms will bow, for Austin Australia's legacy shall never be forgotten.
And with every step, the world shall remember: The true god has risen again."
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