[Congratulations, Student Rank 3, Lucas Darkheart, you have been selected as a candidate for the Multi-Academy Tournament.]
[Read more…]
I stared at the notification for a few seconds longer than necessary, thumb hovering over the screen.
A faint smile tugged at my lips.
"…I didn't fail."
It wasn't relief exactly.
More like confirmation.
All the calculations, the risks, the adjustments—I hadn't misstepped far enough to be disqualified.
That was enough.
"Attention!"
The sharp, hoarse voice cut cleanly through the morning air.
I blinked once and locked my phone, slipping it into my dimensional storage without another glance. By the time I looked up, my posture had already straightened.
We stood in formation on the training field—around thirty of us, all dressed in light exercise gear. The early morning breeze brushed faintly against my skin, cool but not uncomfortable.
In front of us stood a man who looked like he'd been carved out of stone.
