"Time is up."
Instructor Shaylo's voice cut through the murmurs of the resting students, amplified by an arc-tech.
"The break is over. The Top 50 candidates from the Combat Showcase proceed to the Simulation Hall immediately for the Third Phase: Trials. The rest of you will wait here until your batch numbers are called."
Mirana opened her eyes, exhaling a breath of purified arcana. She stood up gracefully, dusting off her uniform, and glanced a few seats to her left.
Ryn was still asleep, his head tilted back against the wall, completely unbothered by the announcement.
'He really is sleeping,' she thought, a faint flicker of amusement crossing her eyes.
She stepped forward, intending to wake him up as a small courtesy. However, just as she moved toward him, a blur of motion cut in front of her.
Another figure was faster.
Asher Leonhart.
Mirana paused, her hand hovering in mid-air, as the golden-eyed boy stepped between them. He didn't look at her; his focus was entirely on the sleeping boy.
"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty," Asher chuckled, reaching down and shaking Ryn's shoulder with his hand. "Unless you want to be disqualified for napping."
Mirana watched for a second, then lowered her hand. Since someone close to him was handling it, she didn't need to interfere. She turned and walked toward the designated exit, missing the sharp, calculating glance Asher threw at her retreating back.
Ryn groaned, his left eye cracking open lazily.
"...Is it already my turn?"
"Yeah, they called for the Top 50 now," Asher grinned, stepping back to let him stand. "Let's go."
Ryn sighed, pushing himself up with a groan. He stretched his back, hearing a satisfying pop.
As they merged into the stream of students heading toward the corridor, Asher nudged him lightly.
"Congrats on Top Two, by the way," Asher said, his tone light but his eyes observant. "Though, looking at your face, I can see that you don't like it that much."
"Well, that too," Ryn grumbled, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "But I didn't get there by myself, so..."
"I heard what happened," Asher nodded in understanding. "Mirana did it, right?"
Ryn didn't answer, which was answer enough.
"But who cares about that?" Asher laughed, slapping Ryn on the back. "I am sure you guys had a deal or something. A win is a win."
"Yeah, but that wasn't included," Ryn replied dryly. "I just wanted a passing grade. She dumped a few thousand extra points on me just to mess with the rankings."
"She probably just wanted to make sure her driver got paid," Asher joked. Then, his expression turned slightly sheepish. "At least you did better than me. I only got Rank 10 this time."
Ryn raised an eyebrow. "Rank 10? You?"
Asher scratched his cheek. "Yeah... after we got separated, I was hunting alone. But then some things came up... I had to help someone out of a mess. Ended up wasting a lot of time on that."
Ryn nodded, not intending to inquire any further. It sounded like a hassle, and he wasn't interested in the details of Asher's heroics.
"Well, Top 10 is still amazing," Ryn muttered.
"True," Asher smiled.
By the time they finished talking, the corridor was mostly empty. They were the last ones to arrive at the massive double doors of the Simulation Hall.
The atmosphere shifted as they stepped inside.
It was a massive, sterile chamber lined with rows of sleek, metallic devices. Arcana-Link Pods. They looked like futuristic, white capsules with glass lids and glowing blue runic circuits.
"Batch 1, find your assigned pods!" Shaylo's voice echoed across the hall.
As Ryn walked toward his designated pod, he felt the weight of heavy gazes landing on him. Ilene Vance, Marcus Ren, and even Draven Blackwood were staring daggers at his back, whispering among themselves. They were trying to figure out who this unknown "Rank 2" was and how he was connected to Mirana.
The rest also had similar thoughts, with most thinking he was just lucky.
Ryn pretended to be completely oblivious. He yawned, scratched his head, and walked straight past them without making eye contact.
He found Pod #02.
He looked at the soft, padded interior and the reclining seat.
'I have to lie down for the exam?'
His eyes lit up.
'Finally. A test I can respect.'
"Good luck," Asher called out from Pod #10 nearby.
"Goodnight," Ryn corrected him.
He climbed in, settled into the cushions, and closed his eyes as the glass lid hissed shut above him.
[System Initializing...]
[Neural Link: Establishing...]
[Candidate: Ryn Dale]
[Registered Division: Support]
[Loading Scenario...]
The world turned white.
_________ ____ _
Deep within the Academy's central command center, the air hummed with the quiet drone of cooling fans and the soft tapping of holographic keyboards.
There were two main monitoring rooms, each staffed by five senior professors tasked with overseeing the safety and evaluation of the students.
In Monitoring Room 1, the atmosphere was tense.
Instructor Shaylo stood at the center console, her arms crossed, her sharp gaze flicking between the five massive central screens displaying the feeds of the current Top 5 rankers.
On Screen 5, Ephina Nightshade was moving like a phantom. The environment was a dense, foggy swamp; it was a "Monster Hideout" scenario. She was blending perfectly into the gloom, scouting the enemy numbers without triggering a single trap. Her movements were fluid, professional, and deadly silent.
On Screen 4, Ilene Vance was displaying exemplary leadership. Her scenario was "Riot Control." She was standing in the middle of a chaotic street, her dual rapiers glowing with starlight as she directed a squad of NPC guards, suppressing the threat while ensuring the safety of the perimeter.
On Screen 3, Magnus Vermillion was locked in a desperate struggle. Sparks flew as his blade clashed against the massive greatsword of an Armored Black Knight. Behind him, a group of cowering civilians huddled in a burning church. Magnus was fighting ferociously, using his body as a shield to block every stray attack that targeted the innocents. It was a textbook heroic performance.
On Screen 1, Mirana Dume was facing a nightmare. She stood in the center of a ruined plaza, surrounded by dozens of cloaked figures. A group of injured civilians lay behind her. The situation looked hopeless, yet Mirana stood tall, lightning crackling dangerously around her fingertips as she prepared to unleash devastation.
And then... There was Screen 2.
Shaylo's eyes drifted to the second screen, and her left eyelid twitched involuntarily.
'This guy...'
'He still has the nerve to sleep?'