Chapter 55: 55. World academy trials - 1
"Why can I smell another woman on you?"
Tamasya's voice cut cleanly through the quiet interior of the carriage, sharp and direct, carrying an unmistakable edge.
She sat opposite Will, her posture was relaxed but her eyes were anything but that.
They were fixed on him with a penetrating gaze, as if she were peeling away layers of excuses before he could even speak.
The carriage they occupied was unlike anything Will had seen before. Its structure was elegant but strange, crafted from pale crystal-like wood etched with glowing runes that pulsed faintly with power.
The wheels never touched the ground. Instead, the entire carriage floated, carried forward by a pair of unicorns whose horns shimmered with prismatic light.
Their hooves moved through the air as if it were solid ground, leaving ripples of energy behind with every step.
Tamasya had told him earlier that this carriage belonged to a friend of hers, someone influential enough to arrange direct transport to the World Academy examination venue without drawing unnecessary attention.
According to her, it was a way to avoid trouble, questions, and interference from various factions that would love to investigate someone like her.
At the front of the carriage sat the driver.
He was a strange humanoid being with a tall, lean build and metallic wings folded neatly behind his back.
His face was concealed behind a smooth mask that showed no expression, and his movements were precise, almost mechanical.
Will had never seen a race like this on the Aris continent, nor had he encountered any mention of such beings in the novel he remembered.
That alone unsettled him.
He could feel it clearly now. The story was no longer following the novel's path. Too many deviations had already piled up, and this was just another confirmation.
Katherine's kidnapping by demons had never happened in the original timeline. That single event alone had changed several threads of fate.
Will did not know where those threads would eventually lead, but he was certain they would not return neatly to their original paths.
"Did you not hear me?" Tamasya asked again, her voice lowering slightly. "I asked whether you were with a girl."
Her words snapped him out of his thoughts.
Will shifted slightly in his seat, then answered calmly, "No. I wore a scent and changed the color of my hair to disguise myself inside the abyssal node."
He lied without hesitation.
He had no intention of explaining his encounter with Katherine. There were too many questions he could not answer without revealing things that would only complicate matters further.
How would he explain knowing her identity? How would he justify his actions without exposing his connection to the future?
He had neither the patience nor the desire to turn this journey into an interrogation.
He was already exhausted enough.
Tamasya studied his face closely, as if weighing the truth of his words. Her gaze lingered for a moment longer before she finally leaned back.
"Good," she said simply.
Her response came too easily.
Will raised an eyebrow slightly. "But why were you so angry at me smelling like a girl?" he asked, his tone was deliberately probing. "Do you want me to stay single for my whole life?"
Tamasya's expression twitched instantly.
"You are so shameless," she snapped.
Her reaction came fast and Will could practically see the irritation forming behind her eyes. The accusation was half-hearted, though, and there was no real anger behind it.
And just like that, the familiar back-and-forth between master and disciple began.
She mocked his attitude. He teased her reactions. She countered with cutting remarks. He deflected with dry humor.
The exchange flowed naturally, like a routine they had unknowingly developed over months of living together.
Despite the sharp words, there was an ease between them now that had not existed before.
As the hours passed, the banter gradually faded. The carriage continued its smooth journey through the skies, passing through layers of clouds that parted silently before them.
Outside, floating islands drifted at varying heights, some lush with greenery, others barren and jagged.
Eventually, silence settled between them.
Not the uncomfortable kind, but the quiet that comes when words are no longer necessary.
A thought that had been lingering at the back of Will's mind finally surfaced.
"Where will you go once I enter the academy?" he asked.
Tamasya turned her head slightly toward him, waiting for him to continue.
"You can't enter the elite lobby without exposing yourself," Will said thoughtfully. "And the commoner's lobby is obviously out of the question."
The academy was structured rigidly. The elite lobby was reserved for emperors, ancient masters, clan heads, and beings whose presence alone could influence the fate of nations.
The commoner lobby, on the other hand, was for spectators with not much real power or authority. Tamasya belonged to neither category.
To his question, Tamasya smiled faintly.
"There is a place above the elite lobby," she said in a cryptic tone. "I will be there."
Her answer only deepened his confusion.
Above the elite lobby?
Will frowned slightly. He knew the elite lobby already housed the strongest and most influential figures of the world.
Emperors, kings, warriors who had lived for centuries. If there truly was something above that level, then it was not something he had ever read about.
Before he could press further, Tamasya spoke again.
"Will," she said, calling his name directly.
The shift in her tone made him straighten slightly.
"I want you to establish your dominance in the trials," she said seriously. "The whole world will be watching you this time."
Her gaze was steady and unwavering.
"I can't make an appearance right now," she continued, "but I want you to take the lead of this generation."
Will turned fully toward her.
"What makes you think I can do that?" he asked honestly. "There will be dragons, phoenixes, vampires, and countless other races participating. What makes you think a human like me can lead them?"
He was not doubting his strength. He was questioning her certainty.
Tamasya met his eyes without hesitation.
"I trust you," she said calmly.
The simplicity of her answer stunned him.
Will blinked, then stared at her in disbelief. "Who would have thought," he said slowly, "that the woman who nearly killed me a few months ago would be capable of saying something so cheesy."
Tamasya laughed softly.
"I think you are forgetting what you told me before breaking those chains," she replied.
She straightened slightly and mimicked his earlier tone, deliberately lowering her voice in an exaggerated imitation.
~~"I intend to break these chains."~~"But for that to happen, we both have to trust each other."~~
Her attempt at copying his deep voice only made her sound funnier.
She burst into laughter. "Hahaha! You were much more cheesy than me."
Will groaned inwardly.
He had long since realized that Tamasya possessed an exceptionally sharp memory and an even sharper tongue.
She never forgot embarrassing moments and had a habit of bringing them up at the worst possible times.
"Tsk, tsk," he muttered. "Fine, you win. I get it. I will break everyone in the tournament."
Tamasya smiled, clearly satisfied.
Not long after, the carriage began descending toward a massive floating island. The landmass dwarfed the others they had passed, its edges reinforced with glowing barriers and layered formations of stone and crystal.
Will clicked his tongue as he took it in.
"I want one for myself too," he said openly.
Tamasya giggled at his envious expression.
The floating island before them was none other than the domain of the World Academy.
Chapter 56: 56. World academy trials - 2
"Show them this."
Tamasya extended her hand and placed a lustrous token into Will's palm.
The surface of the token shimmered faintly, runes engraved along its edges reacting subtly to his presence.
The material was unfamiliar, neither metal nor crystal, but something far more refined, as though it had been forged to exist outside ordinary classifications.
She looked at him steadily as she did so. There were no long speeches, no drawn-out instructions. Just a quiet expectation, backed by confidence.
"All the best," she added.
The carriage had already come to a halt at the grand entrance of the World Academy. The area was crowded beyond anything Will had expected.
Thousands of figures moved through massive gates that floated several meters above the ground, their surfaces etched with ancient formations that pulsed rhythmically.
Races from every corner of the Aris continent had gathered here. Humans, beast kin, elves, demons in sealed forms, dragon kin, and countless others filled the space with chaotic energy.
Will stepped down from the carriage slowly, the weight of the moment settling into his shoulders.
The air felt different here, dense in mana, and the bright unhindered sunlight immediately nourished and rejuvenated him. He could feel countless gazes sweeping across the area, some curious, some predatory, while some were indifferent.
Will adjusted his posture, secured the token, and began walking toward the academy gates.
From within the carriage, Tamasya watched his retreating figure. Her eyes followed him closely as he blended into the crowd, his presence slowly swallowed by the sheer scale of the gathering.
A feeling she did not like bloomed quietly in her chest.
Possessiveness.
"He just returned from the abyss," she murmured under her breath. "And now he is entering the academy."
Her fingers curled slightly against the fabric of her robe as a sigh escaped her lips. The desire to remain at his side surged inside her, the feeling was unbidden, sharp and uncomfortable.
She had lived for centuries without such attachments, yet now she found herself struggling to let him walk away so easily.
Her gaze dropped to the small parchment she held in her hand.
"To think he really infiltrated the imperial capital of the Holy Sun Empire," she said softly, disbelief and pride mixing in her tone.
"I had already told you," Shadow's voice echoed calmly beside her, unseen but present, "that he has far more secrets than he lets on."
Tamasya did not reply. She simply continued watching the direction Will had gone, committing the image of his back to her memory before it disappeared entirely.
Once Will had fully entered the academy premises, Tamasya turned her attention back to the carriage.
She met the gaze of the driver, the strange humanoid with metallic wings and a pristine white mask and nodded once.
The driver tightened the reins around the unicorns' harnesses. The creatures neighed softly as their hooves lifted from the ground, and the carriage ascended smoothly into the sky.
The floating island of the academy shrank beneath them as they rose higher and higher.
After several minutes of ascent, the carriage slowed and came to a halt directly in front of a thick layer of clouds hovering above the island like a ceiling.
Tamasya stepped down.
She reached out and touched the cloud gently. It felt solid beneath her fingers and a cool sensation was felt stabling her emotional state.
After sensing something imperceptible, she stepped forward and walked directly onto the air, her figure passed into the cloud layer and vanished from sight.
Tamasya emerged into a small, secluded garden bathed in soft light. The ground was covered in lush green grass that shimmered faintly with runic patterns woven into its blades.
Exotic flowers bloomed in vibrant colors, their petals pulsing with subtle magical resonance. Even the air here felt refined, purified to an extraordinary degree.
At the center of the garden sat a woman on a white cushioned chair, calmly sipping tea from a pristine porcelain cup while looking at a broadcast of the academy.
She was a dragon kin woman, her presence was as much imposing as tamasya herself.
Pure white curved horns adorned her head, while ancient black tattoos traced intricate patterns along the sides of her face. Her eyes were sharp, ancient, and unfathomably deep.
World Academy's Head Principal.
Andrea.
"Have you properly said your goodbyes to your disciple?" Andrea asked without looking up, her voice steady and authoritative.
Tamasya scoffed lightly. "Why would I need to? I will be living with him in his dorm."
Andrea nearly choked on her tea.
She turned slowly, staring at Tamasya with disbelief written plainly across her face. "Seriously?" her expression seemed to say, even before the words left her mouth. "You are actually going to do that?"
Ignoring the reaction entirely, Tamasya walked over and seated herself beside Andrea. She poured herself a cup of tea without ceremony, her movements were casual as though this was her own space.
"Anyway," Tamasya said, taking a sip, "I made contact with Anne."
Andrea froze.
Her cup paused midair. "The Pope didn't stop you?"
A smile bloomed across Tamasya's face, bright and unapologetic. "My disciple did."
Andrea stared at her, utterly dumbfounded. "Your disciple again? Who the hell is he? First, he frees you from the Prison of Gods. Now you are telling me he infiltrated the Holy Sun Empire?"
"not just that, he also went inside the abyssal node and came back in one piece"
Tamasya's expression shifted into one of unmistakable smugness.
Before Andrea could continue with the shocking discovery, realization struck her like a hammer.
"Wait," she said sharply. "How many days ago did he go to the holy Sun Empire?"
"Three days ago," Tamasya replied. "Why?"
Andrea's face darkened.
"Three days ago," she repeated slowly. "The demonic cults attacked the imperial palace of Holy Sun. Light God's legacy statues were destroyed. Soldiers were turned into abominations.
The entire church's forces have been mobilized, now they are after the demonic cults."
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Color drained from Tamasya's face.
"Tell me, Tamasya," Andrea said gravely. "Is your disciple colluding with demons?"
Tamasya shook her head instantly. "No. Shadow says he is clean. And elements do not lie."
At the mention of Shadow, Andrea's gaze softened slightly. Still, a trace of suspicion lingered.
"After this is over," Tamasya said firmly, "I am going to have a serious talk with him."
Andrea chuckled quietly. "Let's see how well your disciple performs in this tournament."
Before either of them could continue, the space rippled violently.
A third presence arrived.
A delicate woman clad in flowing eastern robes appeared, her attire was elegant and serene. And her aura was immense, rivaling both Tamasya and Andrea, yet it carried a gentler undertone.
Yue Qinglan.
The Divine Seer of Riverdale.
Andrea clicked her tongue. "I can't believe they call you an ancestor in Riverdale. You dress like a teenager."
Ignoring the mockery entirely, Tamasya rushed forward and wrapped Yue in a tight embrace.
"I missed you so much, Yue," she said.
Yue returned the hug with a soft smile. "I missed you too, Tamasya. You can't imagine how excited I was to meet you again."
While the three friends were having a reunion, far below, within the sprawling domain of the World Academy, the trials were about to begin.
Chapter 57: 57. World academy trials - 3
A massive crowd of candidates from countless races stood within a colossal arena that stretched so wide Will could not immediately see its boundaries.
The sheer scale of the structure made his breath catch for a moment. Tier upon tier of stone seating rose into the sky, carved with an architectural precision that reminded him strongly of ancient Rome from his previous life.
Wide arches, layered colonnades, and towering spires surrounded the arena, each surface etched with old runes that pulsed faintly with suppressed power.
The ground beneath his feet was smooth obsidian stone, reinforced by formation arrays so complex that he could not sense their depth.
Will stood among the sea of bodies, his posture was relaxed but his senses were alert. Around him were beings of every race.
Towering titans whose shadows alone covered dozens of people.
Slender elves with calm expressions. Dwarves with their sneers.
Beast folk with twitching ears and tails that betrayed nervous anticipation.
Vampires looking bloodthirsty, phoenix kin radiating heat, and even a few dragon kin whose mere presence made those around them nervous.
It felt less like an entrance exam and more like the gathering point before a continental war.
After verifying the token Tamasya had given him, Will had been allowed direct entry into the arena.
He was fully aware that this was not the case for most of the candidates present. The majority standing here had clawed their way through multiple stages of brutal selection.
There had been theoretical examinations designed to eliminate those lacking foundational knowledge.
Aptitude tests, Talent evaluations that exposed hidden potential or confirmed mediocrity.
Many of those standing here had bled, broken bones, and sacrificed years of preparation just to reach this stage.
And yet, a very small portion of them had entered through recommendations.
Will knew the number clearly.
At most, a hundred candidates or a bit fewer, had arrived here directly through recommendation letters issued by the top 100 alumni of the World Academy.
These alumni were monsters in their own right. Each one was a figure capable of influencing nations, wars, and political balances.
Will did not know Tamasya's exact standing among them.
But he knew enough.
She was somewhere within the top twenty honored ranks.
Those rankings were never revealed to the public. The World Academy deliberately concealed them to prevent chaos.
Publishing such information could destabilize entire empires overnight. Alliances would shift. Assassinations would be planned. Wars would be sparked simply because someone ranked above another.
The academy did not want such unnecessary disturbances.
Will slowly scanned the crowd, his eyes moved calmly as he searched for a familiar presence.
However, he could not find it.
The arena was simply too large, and the number of candidates too overwhelming. Thousands of individuals packed together could easily form a small city if given land and time.
Naturally in such a crowded place disagreements happened but before anyone could showcase their auras, they were quickly suppressed by academy enforcement formations.
Despite the presence of recommended students, no special treatment had been given to them.
Everyone stood together.
No elevated platforms, no preferential seating and no separation from the common crowd.
The World Academy enforced equality within its domain with absolute authority.
Here, the sons and daughters of emperors stood shoulder to shoulder with commoners.
Bloodlines carried no weight unless proven through ability. Titles meant nothing unless backed by strength.
The academy's professors feared no one.
They did not need to.
Any single one of them was powerful enough to overturn empires if provoked.
Will found this deeply reassuring.
His gaze shifted toward the empty central stage at the heart of the arena. It was vast, circular, and reinforced by layers of spatial formations.
He knew someone would soon appear there to announce the rules of the entrance trial.
He already knew the nature of the trial.
A forest filled with monsters.
But knowing something and witnessing its official declaration were two very different experiences.
While waiting, Will allowed his attention to wander. He examined the academy's grand spires rising beyond the arena walls, their designs almost perfectly matching the descriptions he remembered from the novel.
The scale, however, far exceeded anything the text had conveyed. Seeing it with his own eyes made him realize how limited written descriptions truly were.
Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted.
The murmurs died down almost instantly, as though someone had placed a heavy hand over the crowd itself.
Will raised his head looking towards the figure that had appeared.
the figure of a professor had appeared on the main stage.
He wore robes of black and gold, the standard attire of World Academy professors.
The fabric shimmered faintly, layered with defensive enchantments and authority seals. The humanoid man stood tall, his posture rigid and formal.
He was Phoenix kin.
Currently in humanoid form, but unmistakable nonetheless. Heat radiated subtly from his body, distorting the air around him.
His eyes burned with arrogance, a trait common among phoenixes. Like dragons, they were creatures of immense pride, and clashes between the two races were frequent, each constantly seeking to prove superiority.
The man cleared his throat.
"Ahem. Attention, please."
His voice was dull, serious, and completely devoid of warmth. Mana amplified it effortlessly, ensuring every candidate heard him clearly regardless of distance.
"This year's entrance academy is a bit special," he continued, his tone unchanging. "The number of students who have qualified the exam has exceeded ten thousand, unlike last time."
A ripple passed through the crowd. Shock, excitement, and fear mixed together.
"But rest assured," the professor said coldly, "the World Academy will only admit the top 500 brightest stars. The rest can compromise somewhere else."
The words struck like a hammer.
Quite literally.
Several candidates turned pale. A few weaker ones spat mouthfuls of blood as their mental fortitude cracked under the pressure of his words.
There was no encouragement, No attempt to motivate, No speeches about honor or glory.
Only blunt dismissal .
The professor looked almost bored.
"Any more questions before I leave?"
The arena erupted.
"HUH???"
Confusion spread rapidly. He had not explained the trial at all.
Minutes passed as the crowd hesitated, unsure whether speaking out would be punished.
Finally, a massive young titan raised his hand. His body towered over those around him, muscles tense as he gathered courage.
The phoenix professor gestured lazily. "Speak."
"Umm... Professor," the titan said carefully, "can you tell us something about the trial?"
The professor blinked, then chuckled faintly.
"Oh. My bad. I forgot."
At that moment, the crowd realized something important.
This man did not care.
He had been forced into this role.
"You will be dropped into a forest inside the academy," he said casually. "The forest contains monsters ranging from F rank to SSS rank."
A sharp intake of breath echoed through the arena.
"The domain is special," he continued. "If you die, you will be revived outside the forest. However, you will be immediately disqualified."
Silence followed.
"Since the highest recorded rank among your peers is A rank," he added, "an adjustment has been made. Monsters above A rank will not initiate attacks unless provoked."
A transparent screen appeared before every candidate, listing point values.
"F rank monsters are worth one point," the professor explained. "Each rank increase multiplies points by five. E rank monsters are worth five points. D rank, twenty-five. C rank, one hundred twenty-five. B rank, six hundred twenty-five. And so on."
Murmurs erupted again as the big screen behind them showed a points table
F --> 1
E --> 5
D--> 25
C --> 125
B ---> 625
A ---> 3125
S ---> 15625
SS --> 78125
SSS --> 390625
"Special weapons are not allowed," he said flatly. "Standard weapons will be issued at the start of the trial."
"Points will be tracked by the domain itself. No manual intervention. No complaints afterward."
"No potions or special artifacts are allowed. Professors will be observing at all times. Violators will be disqualified immediately."
"The trial will last one day"
He paused.
"Any more questions?"
A vampire candidate raised his hand.
"Sir," the vampire asked calmly, "are we allowed to kill each other?"
The phoenix professor raised an eyebrow.
"At the World Academy," he replied coldly, "we believe betrayal is the gravest sin."
"If you kill a candidate, or even show intent to do so, you will be disqualified."
The vampire did not back down.
"What if another person starts stealing your kill?"
The professor's gaze sharpened.
"Then," he said evenly, "you have to kill your target before them."
The arena fell silent once more.
Chapter 58: 58. World academy trials - 4
"If there are no more questions, I would like to declare the commencement of the trial,"
the Phoenix professor said in an absolutely bored tone, as if he were announcing the end of a dull lecture rather than the beginning of one of the most important events in the lives of thousands.
He swept his gaze across the colossal arena once more. Not a single hand rose.
The candidates stood frozen, some with clenched fists, others with tight jaws, and many with eyes burning with anticipation or fear.
"Good," he said flatly.
Then his voice rose just enough to carry unquestionable authority.
"COMMENCE THE TRIAL."
The moment the words left his mouth, the arena erupted, not with sound, but with light.
Thousands of figures vanished simultaneously in flashes of spatial distortion, pulled away by the academy's domain formations.
To the audience, it looked as if the arena itself had swallowed them whole.
The spots where the candidates had stood were suddenly empty.
In their place, massive floating projection screens rose into the air, forming a circular array that surrounded the entire arena. Each screen flickered briefly before stabilizing, displaying different regions of the forest domain where the trial had begun.
At the same time, a raised platform ascended smoothly above the central stage.
Two figures appeared atop it, brimming with energy that contrasted sharply with the lethargic presence of the Phoenix professor earlier.
"~HELLOOOO~ LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!"
The voice boomed across the arena, lively and exaggerated, instantly cutting through the tension.
"CALL ME JACK!"
"AND CALL ME DIANA!"
"WE ARE HERE TO MAKE THIS EVENT EXCITING!!"
Their voices overlapped in a practiced rhythm, although they had no idea what they were saying,
yet their enthusiasm was infectious as they gestured wildly toward the massive screens behind them earning loud cheers from the audience.
"In light of the upcoming trial," Jack continued, "we will be accompanying you for the entire journey!"
"Every ambush, every monster kills, every desperate escape," Diana added with a grin, "we'll be watching it all together!"
Both of them were fourth-year students of the World Academy, working under Professor Morgan—the Phoenix professor who had just abandoned the role of host with clear relief.
He had delegated the task to his students without hesitation.
And judging by the crowd's response, it was the right decision.
Cheers erupted from the audience.
The previously oppressive mood lifted as excitement surged through the stands.
Jack spread his arms dramatically. "Now then! Let's not waste any time. The trial has officially begun!"
***
Meanwhile, far from the roaring arena, within the academy's elite lobby, the atmosphere was far more restrained.
A series of private rooms hovered in a separate spatial layer above the arena, each designed to host figures of power who preferred discretion to spectacle.
These rooms were isolated from one another, shielded by privacy formations so refined that even gods would find it difficult to pry.
In one such room, Sword Saint Klaus sat calmly beside Emperor Dalton of Riverdale.
"Where is elder sister?" Klaus asked casually, sipping his tea.
Dalton glanced sideways, his expression thoughtful.
"Ancestor is with the principal, I believe. I will never understand why you insist on calling her your elder sister, and even more puzzling is why she allows it."
Klaus chuckled softly. "Some habits die hard."
Despite their public personas, the two men addressed each other without titles here. Once, long ago, they had sat in the same classroom, competing, arguing, and surviving the brutal standards of the World Academy together.
"Unfortunately," Dalton said after a brief pause, his tone turning serious, "I could not find the divine physique holder in time. Otherwise, we would have used your academy recommendation slot for him and built friendly connections early."
Klaus smiled faintly.
"Bad news for you, Aurelius," he replied. "I already have a disciple. I gave my recommendation slot to him."
Aurelius Dalton froze.
He almost spat the tea from his mouth. "You had a disciple this whole time?" he demanded, staring at Klaus. "Tell me, who is the lucky man?"
Klaus leaned back, clearly enjoying the reaction. "You will see him during the trial. Calm yourself."
Aurelius leaned closer, eyes gleaming with curiosity. "So you are telling me that we already know who will take first place this year?"
Klaus's smile turned wry. "If a certain someone does not appear, then yes. He is very likely to claim the first position."
That only made Dalton more restless.
Before he could press further, a knock echoed through the room.
Both men turned.
The door opened, revealing a human knight clad in heavy golden armor with silver engravings. His posture was rigid, disciplined, and imposing.
"Cardinal Nichole," Aurelius greeted, standing up. Klaus followed suit.
Nichole was not just a cardinal. He was the acting army general under Pope Winston of the Holy Sun Empire.
As the three settled into their seats, Nichole spoke without preamble.
"I am here to accompany the Saint," he said sharply, "while he graces the rest of the poor candidates of this trial with his holy teachings."
His lips curled slightly in disdain.
"I have also come as the flag bearer of the Holy Sun Empire to discuss our cooperation against the evil, disgracing demonic cults."
He spoke in a single breath, his tone laced with barely contained fury. Veins pulsed at his temples.
Dalton and Klaus exchanged brief glances but did not comment on his emotional state.
both Riverdale and church had a common enemy.
That alone was enough.
***
Meanwhile, in another secluded chamber of the elite lobby, the atmosphere was entirely different from the loud excitement of the arena below.
The room was calm, insulated by multiple layers of soundproof and anti-spying formations.
Soft ambient light illuminated shelves filled with ancient grimoires and floating spell arrays that slowly rotated in place, reacting faintly to the presence of their occupants.
Tower Master Cynthia of the Mage Tower sat upright on one side of the table, her posture composed but her eyes sharp.
Across from her sat the Elven Empress, her long emerald hair flowing freely over a gown woven from enchanted leaves and silver threads.
Despite her regal appearance, her hands trembled faintly as Cynthia spoke.
"...and that is how I found her," Cynthia finished quietly.
"never had I ever expected her to be at a slave auction, hidden among hundreds of broken souls. countless spirits invisible to mortals were clustering around her uncontrollably. That was when I knew."
The Elven Empress closed her eyes for a brief moment. When she opened them again, moisture glistened along their edges.
"So she survived," she whispered. "All these years... she survived."
Cynthia nodded but spoke in a grim tone "Barely. Whoever erased her memories was very thorough. If not for her innate resonance with spirits, I would have never caught sight of her."
The Empress clenched her fingers together. "The elves will not forget this debt" she said firmly. "Nor will we forgive those responsible."
Cynthia inclined her head slightly. "Seraphine is strong now. Stronger than even she realizes. But the scars of her past run deep in her heart."
Silence settled between them, heavy with unspoken grief and restrained fury.
***
In another room, tension filled the air.
The Emperor of the Babylon Empire, a towering beast folk with leonine features and eyes like molten amber, sat opposite the Dwarven Emperor of the Stone-Forged Empire.
The table between them was reinforced with rune-etched steel, designed to withstand accidental bursts of aura from either side.
"My daughter is not weak," the Babylon Emperor said slowly, his voice was serious but laced with warning.
"She has hunted A-rank monsters since before she came of age. Yet this... thing incapacitated her."
He slammed a clawed hand onto the table. "And it did so while emitting the aura of a C-rank creature."
The Dwarven Emperor leaned back, his thick arms crossed, beard braided with metallic rings that glowed faintly with enchantments.
"I have heard similar reports," he replied gravely. "strange mechanical constructs, possessing weird capabilities."
"The demonic cults are the most likely culprits. Only they possess the willingness to violate natural laws of this world so openly."
The Babylon Emperor's eyes narrowed. "You believe this is one of their strange and cruel experiments?"
"I do," the Dwarven Emperor answered without hesitation.
"They already developed pills that forcibly raise a cultivator's rank by one level. The pills are Crude and unstable, but they provide them an undeniable edge."
He exhaled heavily. "If they have now succeeded in embedding that principle into artifacts or autonomous weapons, then the balance of power will shift faster than any faction can react."
***
Will might not know this yet.
But his actions had not merely caused faint ripples in the storyline.
They had shattered the script entirely.
System was right when it said that the direction of fate remained unchanged no matter the magnitude of disruption. Certain events would still occur. Certain figures would still rise. Certain calamities would still descend.
However, both Will and the system had overlooked one crucial detail.
The speed at which fate moved was not fixed.
and speed mattered.
When pushed slowly, even the sharpest blade could be stopped.
But when pushed fast enough, even a leaf could cut through steel.
And fate had begun moving at a rate Will could never anticipate.
Chapter 59: 59. World academy trials - 5
Will appeared inside the domain alongside thousands of other participants, his boots sinking slightly into the soft grass beneath him.
The environment was immediately different from the arena outside. The air felt quiet; the suffocation of the crowd was not present.
Tall trees stretched upward, their canopies interlocking to block much of the sunlight, while patches of golden rays filtered through gaps and illuminated the forest floor.
An unfamiliar prompt materialized in front of Will's vision, hovering silently, waiting for his acknowledgment.
He recognized it instantly. This was the autonomous function of the academy's domain, the same mechanism described in the novel. It was simply a projection made by an illusion array that hovered above the space of this realm.
It was an artificial realm made by legendary space mages centuries ago; its control right now was in the hands of the entrance exam committee.
The prompt requested that he choose one weapon.
Will did not hesitate.
"A sword," he said calmly.
It was the weapon he trusted most, the one that aligned with his instincts and long years of training.
A moment later, a sword materialized in his hand.
It was plain, unremarkable in appearance, and forged from ordinary steel. There were no engravings, no runes, and no special aura surrounding it.
Its information followed immediately inside him.
The sword would not break inside the domain. It would not chip or dull. Its sharpness would remain at a basic, consistent level.
This was the only weapon he would receive.
Will weighed the sword in his hand, testing its balance. It was serviceable but uninspiring. He understood the academy's intent clearly.
This trial was not about artifacts or external advantages. It was about skill, judgment, adaptability, and survival.
Around him, he could see participants that were a few miles away; they were already reacting. Some tested their weapons with swings. Others panicked slightly, gripping their equipment too tightly.
A few stood still, clearly trying to process the sudden shift from the crowded arena to the isolation of the forest.
Will ignored them.
He already knew how this ranking battle unfolded in the original story. The domain was massive, far larger than what most participants would expect.
The monsters were distributed unevenly, with higher-ranked creatures concentrated in specific regions. Those locations were not random.
They followed a pattern influenced by terrain, mana density, and geo-formations deep within the land.
That knowledge was one of his greatest advantages.
However, even with foreknowledge, he faced a limitation.
The map was enormous, and he did not know his exact starting position. Without that, blindly rushing toward a remembered location could waste precious time or lead him into unnecessary danger.
He needed to know his location.
Will had activated his Heaven-Piercing Archer talent instinctively, and he could see quite far away.
He scanned the surroundings, searching for any elevated terrain. Hills, ridges, or even tall rock formations could give him a reference point.
After a brief search, he spotted a low hill rising above the surrounding trees a short distance away.
"That will do," he muttered.
He began walking toward it at a steady pace, conserving energy; since sunlight wasn't present, he would like to be careful.
In a domain like this, recklessness often led to early elimination.
***
Meanwhile, on a different corner of the domain, Ethan stood alone with a sword in his hands.
The forest around him was similar in appearance, yet the feeling it gave off was different.
The mana in this region felt far heavier, more concentrated, as if the land was made for conflict.
Ethan exhaled slowly, his grip tightening around the hilt of his blade as he adjusted his stance.
He sighed quietly.
Since his awakening, his growth had been steady but not without frustration.
The omni-affinity he had obtained allowed him to awaken affinities to all common elements once his exposure reached a sufficient threshold.
At first, the potential of that ability had thrilled him. He had envisioned himself mastering multiple elements, becoming a versatile swordsman.
His first choice had been storm affinity, the same as his master Klaus.
Ethan had trained relentlessly in storm-ridden regions. He had climbed mountains during violent tempests, endured torrential rain and thunderous skies, and practiced his sword arts under conditions that would have broken lesser cultivators.
He believed that immersion would naturally lead to awakening.
It did not.
No matter how hard he trained, the affinity never manifested.
Klaus eventually intervened, pulling him back from the mountains before his obsession caused irreversible harm.
Klaus had explained patiently that storm was a rare element. Awakening it required more than effort. It demanded immense luck as well; Ethan had laughed at the irony after all his talent was anything but that.
Reluctantly, Ethan had abandoned the pursuit.
After careful consideration, he chose the Light element instead. His decision was not rooted in faith or devotion to the church.
Light was one of the most effective elements against demonic energy, and demons are the ones he wants to go against the most.
Once the choice was made, Klaus spared no expense.
Light-based elixirs, rare treasures, and healing specialists were brought in. Light-based items were used on him, and the healer cluelessly used light spells on his body.
After two grueling weeks, the breakthrough finally came.
He awakened an SSS-rank affinity to light.
Even Klaus had been stunned by the rank of the awakening.
Ethan accepted the praise quietly, but deep inside, he knew the truth. The success was not a coincidence.
It was his talent.
----------------
Heaven-Favored Probability
Chance and probability subtly bend in the host's favor.
Fatal outcomes are frequently averted.
Key moments tilt toward success.
Misfortune rarely occurs without hidden benefit.
----------------
Although the talent somehow didn't work when he wanted to awaken the storm element, it still worked the next time.
Ethan had deliberately downplayed the talent's true nature to his master. He told Klaus that it slightly increased his luck, nothing more. He never mentioned its rank nor its deeper implications. This was his secret, one he intended to keep.
Now, inside the trial domain, he infused his Tempest Sword Art with the light element. The combination was imperfect; the Light element and the technique were not fully compatible, but it was still superior to using raw mana alone.
His cultivation had reached A-rank, supported by countless resources and careful guidance.
As he moved forward, cutting through underbrush, a familiar image surfaced in his mind.
"I wonder how he is doing?" Ethan murmured.
The thought lingered longer than he expected.
He shook his head and refocused as he noticed a trail of footprints pressed into the soil ahead. They were large, deep, and uneven.
These were monster footprints that he had been following for quite some time now.
A low growl echoed suddenly.
Grrr...Grrr...
Ethan spun around and raised his sword, shifting into an alert stance.
A pack of A-ranked wolves emerged from the shadows; their eyes glowed faintly with malice. They circled him slowly as saliva dripped from their sharp fangs.
Ethan exhaled once, steadying himself.
"So it begins," he said quietly.
Outside the domain, the arena erupted with noise.
Massive screens hovered above the audience, each displaying different regions of the trial.
Cheers, gasps, and excited murmurs filled the air as spectators tracked their favored candidates.
"Well, well," a commentator's voice boomed enthusiastically, "looks like one of the participants has found himself in quite a precarious situation!"
The camera zoomed in on Ethan's position.
In the elite lobby, attention shifted instantly.
Nobles, rulers, and powerful figures leaned forward, their eyes fixed on the screen. Ethan stood at the center of the image, surrounded by wolves.
His talent's effects, Aura of Heavensand Heaven's Reward, were subtly active.
In the silence that followed, several spectators exchanged glances.
"That boy," someone muttered, "he doesn't look afraid."
Another replied, "Well, he is just foolish enough to think he could take on a whole pack of those wolves."
The trial had only just begun, but the stakes were rising already.
-------------
Note:
Aura of Heavens
The host emanates an aura of providence, making their impression favorable to others. Demons instinctively hate this aura.
Heaven's Reward
All major calamities and trials converge toward the host's destiny. Upon passing a trial, the heavens reward the host suitably.
Chapter 60: 60. World academy trials - 6
A huge B-ranked minotaur collapsed against the jagged rock face with a thunderous impact that shook the ground beneath it.
Dust and fractured stone burst outward in a wide ring as the colossal body slammed down, its massive weight pressing cracks into the terrain.
The monster's jaw had been completely dismantled, not torn apart by claws or sliced by a blade, but crushed inward by a single, overwhelming ramming force that had struck it directly in the face.
The Minotaur's eyes were still open, frozen in disbelief.
Moments earlier, it had charged forward with absolute confidence, believing that its size, strength, and rank placed it far above anything it could encounter in this forest.
It had roared in challenge, lowered its horns, and committed fully to the attack.
That confidence had cost it its life.
Smoke slowly rose from the broad, clenched fist of Prince Gaelion as he stood over the corpse, his arm still extended from the punch he had delivered.
The skin of his knuckles glowed faintly, residual energy rolling off them in slow waves. He did not breathe heavily.
He did not show excitement. His expression was calm, almost indifferent, as though crushing a monster of that level was nothing more than routine.
Gaelion straightened his posture and rolled his shoulder once, the sound of bone shifting like stone grinding against stone. He glanced down at the Minotaur again, then away, already losing interest.
Gaelion was the prince of the Titans and the sole heir of the Skybreak Empire.
Among his people, strength was not something that needed to be announced.
It was proven through action. From the moment he had entered the trial, his objective had been singular and unchanging.
Domination.
He was not here to be in the top 5; he was here to be the absolute top ranker, #1.
***
Far to his south, the forest told a very different yet similar story.
The air there was silent, unnaturally so, as if even the insects had chosen to flee.
The ground was soaked in blood to such an extent that the fallen leaves had already changed color, their original greens and browns replaced by deep, rusted crimson.
Broken branches littered the area, snapped by violent impacts. Scattered corpses lay strewn across the forest floor; their wounds were deep and fatal.
At the center of this grim scene sat Katherine Nightreign.
The princess of the Blood Veil Empire rested upon a throne constructed entirely of bones, arranged carefully into a structure that resembled a royal seat.
The bones were clean, stripped of flesh, and polished by magic and blood control ability until they gleamed faintly in the dim forest light.
Her posture was relaxed, one leg crossed over the other; her presence radiated a cold, elegant authority that made the surrounding space feel oppressive.
Several vampire individuals knelt before her, their heads bowed low, their bodies trembling despite their inherent pride and strength. None of them dared to meet her gaze.
"We could not find any blue-haired human, Your Highness," one of them finally spoke, his voice shaking despite his efforts to remain composed.
The words hung heavily in the air.
They had failed.
They all understood what that meant.
They remained kneeling, their breathing shallow, hearts pounding as they waited for judgment. They did not plead. They did not offer excuses. They knew better.
The only thing they could do now was hope that their lives would be spared after this trial ended.
Katherine did not react immediately.
Her crimson eyes remained fixed ahead, unfocused, as though she were looking at something far beyond the forest.
One slender finger glided slowly along the sharpened edge of the dagger resting in her hand. The motion was deliberate, almost absentminded, as if she were tracing the edge of smooth butter rather than a blade capable of slicing steel.
The dagger itself was pristine, its surface etched with ancient vampiric engravings that pulsed faintly with dormant runes.
After a few moments, she exhaled softly.
Without turning her head, she lifted her other hand and made a small dismissive gesture.
The kneeling vampires vanished instantly, dissolving into shadows as though they had never existed in the first place.
No footsteps sounded, and no sound was made.
Silence returned.
***
Deep beneath the surface of the Aris Continent, far removed from sunlight and civilization, a dark underground labyrinth stretched endlessly through ancient stone.
Within one of its vast chambers, a massive, organized formation of hooded individuals stood in perfect order.
The group was enormous, consisting of almost every race imaginable. Humans, beasts, elves, dragons, titans, and hybrids stood shoulder to shoulder.
Their auras varied wildly, ranging from A-rank to terrifying SSS-rank presences. The pressure they emitted warped the air, making it difficult to breathe for anyone unprepared.
At the center of the formation stood their leader.
He was a tall dragonoid, his body covered in dark, hardened scales that reflected faint torchlight.
Several parts of his face were pierced with black metal rings, each one etched with demonic symbols.
His eyes were calm, disturbingly so, as if everything was under his control.
His voice echoed through the chamber.
"With the blessing of Demon Lord Amon," he intoned, his tone steady and loud, "we, the Cult of Amon, swear under the name of the Abyss that we will fulfill the purpose of our lord."
The entire formation repeated the decree in unison, their voices merging into a single, reverberating chant that shook the chamber walls.
Beside the leader, a shadow hovered.
It wore a dark robe that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it, its form indistinct and constantly shifting.
"The right moment is about to begin," the shadow said quietly. "The space will be sealed. Any interference from outside will be stopped by us."
The dragonoid nodded slowly.
"We must crush this golden generation before it matures," the shadow continued. "If it is allowed to grow, it will become a headache even for us. May Amon watch over you."
***
Meanwhile, Ethan was still fighting.
Sweat clung to his skin as he swung his sword again and again; his breathing was growing heavier with each exchange.
He had been dodging the wolves' attacks for what felt like an eternity. The pack moved with frightening coordination, their bodies blurred as they shifted positions.
And moreover, they dodged his strikes as if they could see the future.
Ethan gritted his teeth.
"This is getting tiring," he muttered.
He jumped back two full steps, creating some distance between himself and the pack.
His grip tightened around the sword as mana surged through his body. His stance lowered, muscles coiled like a drawn bowstring.
"Tempest Sword Art: Second Form,"
"Thunderclap Sever."
The moment the words left his lips, a thunderous, light-infused shockwave erupted outward with Ethan at its center.
The ground beneath his feet cracked violently as compressed air and mana detonated in all directions.
The wolves froze mid-movement.
Their bodies convulsed violently as the shockwave tore through them, shattering internal organs and rupturing mana pathways.
Several were flung backward, crashing into trees with bone-breaking force. Others collapsed instantly, twitching on the ground as blood spilled from their mouths.
The radius of the attack engulfed nearly the entire pack.
Outside the domain, the audience erupted.
Gasps and shouts rippled through both the common and elite lobbies. Many spectators had been convinced Ethan would be disqualified moments earlier.
Now, the shock of his counterattack spread like wildfire.
In the elite lobby, Emperor Aurelius shouted in excitement audibly and turned sharply toward Sword Saint Klaus.
Klaus merely smiled, his expression smug and unbothered.
Nearby, Cardinal Nicholas swallowed hard, a single bead of sweat rolling down his temple as the implications of what he had just witnessed settled into his mind.
That attack alone revealed more than enough.
Many of the powerful figures present understood immediately who stood behind Ethan.
And it wasn't just him.
This generation was overflowing with prodigies. Heirs of ancient masters. Successors of major empires. Bearers of terrifying talents that appeared once in a millennium.
All of them gathered at the same time.
Some called it the Golden Generation.
Others called it the Great Shift.
But one person knew its true name....
**
"The Age of Gods," Will murmured quietly as he looked up at the sky.
Dark clouds rolled in overhead, thunder rumbling ominously. The air grew heavy, charged with impending danger.
Suddenly, the clouds parted.
A massive presence descended from above.
A huge SS-ranked Thunder Roc dove toward him at terrifying speed, lightning crackling across its wings.
Its shrill cry tore through the air, making it clear that its intent was not friendly.
Will tightened his grip on his sword.
And smiled