In an instant, flames burst beneath Beatrix's feet, launching her forward like a rocket. Her body blurred, and to most of the teenagers watching, she vanished from sight. The glowing markers along the track lit up one after another, barely able to register her movement before she reached the end.
BEEP!
The timer locked in her result. The officer glanced at his tablet, a smirk forming on his face.
"Three seconds flat. Another record."
Gasps rippled through the line of students.
"No way…" one boy muttered.
"She's unreal…" another whispered.
Felix elbowed Raze lightly, grinning. "Man, we're really in for it, huh? She's setting the bar way too high."
Raze said nothing, his gaze fixed on Beatrix as she stepped off the track. Her expression hadn't changed. Calm. As if what she'd done was nothing special.
'So this is what it looks like when someone trains from birth with their awakening…' Raze thought, his hand curling slightly.
'If the Emberfalls are this strong, what about the others?'
The officer raised his voice. "Beatrix Emberfall, your tests are complete. Outstanding performance."
He turned back to the line. "Next!"
A short, timid boy stepped forward, his movements stiff.
"Hurry up!" the officer barked. "We don't have all day!"
"Y-yes, sir!" the boy stammered.
The test began.
He activated his awakening—a basic form of telekinesis. Loose stones and debris lifted from the ground and shot toward the robots.
He managed to destroy two, but before he could finish the last one.
BEEP!
Time was up.
The boy lowered his head, cheeks flushed, as the officer waved him toward the next station.
"Wait," the officer said, holding up a hand. "I'll repair it first."
He pulled a device from his belt and connected it to the damaged pillar. With a few taps on his tablet, faint light traced the cracks. The broken surface mended itself, stone knitting back together until the pillar looked almost new.
Murmurs spread through the group.
Even Raze stared. "This tech…"
"Yeah," Felix whispered. "That's insane."
"Go on," the officer said.
The boy struck the pillar with all his strength.
A faint crack appeared.
"That's it?" the officer muttered. "Pathetic. You'd be dead on the battlefield."
The boy stepped aside, shoulders slumped.
Raze watched quietly.
'So this is the standard.'
"Next!"
Before Felix could step forward, he slipped behind Raze and gave him a quick shove.
"Sorry, bro," Felix whispered, grinning. "Go on. Show me what you've got."
Raze stumbled forward, catching himself. He shot Felix a look, but Felix only shrugged.
The officer's gaze swept over him. "Hurry it up, kid!"
'Damn it…' Raze cursed silently as he stepped onto the field
.
Then—
A familiar sound echoed in his head.
[You have received your first quest]
[As a half-ling, you must learn not to make a fool of yourself before becoming a full-blooded member of the God Slayer Race.]
[Complete the tests without receiving a low grading level.]
[Reward: 100 EXP]
Raze stared at the notifications.
'How am I supposed to do this without an awakening?'
The ground cracked open in front of him.
A combat robot burst forth and charged.
Raze moved instinctively, sidestepping as it rushed past. The machine skidded, sensors flickering as it searched.
Then it found him. It charged again.
Raze steadied his breathing.
'I have to pass. I can't embarrass myself.'
He shifted his stance, waiting.
'Now.'
He darted aside and swung.
CLANK!
Pain shot through his knuckles, but sparks burst from the robot's side. He didn't stop. His other fist drove forward, punching straight through its head.
The robot collapsed in a heap of sparking metal.
"One down…" Raze muttered.
Two more robots erupted from the ground.
They split apart, circling him.
Raze lunged forward, trying to slip through but they closed in. One arm spun into a drill and shot toward him.
He braced himself.
A hand seized the drill mid-spin.
The machine screeched as it died.
"This test is over," the officer said flatly. "Two minutes."
Raze lowered his head, fists clenched.
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
"Told you."
"No awakening, no chance."
Felix didn't laugh.
He watched Raze carefully, eyes narrowed—not at the failure, but at how he'd moved. The timing. The grit.
'He's not normal,' Felix thought.
And for reasons he couldn't explain, he wanted to know more about Raze Zaden.