What did it feel like to lose a piece of your own soul?
Surprisingly, despite everything Michael had faced since his awakening, he had never truly known that sensation.
Not until now—here, in the most unexpected place—did he experience it for the first time.
The examination's protections extended only to the students themselves. Anything else, even their summons or contracted beasts, was left vulnerable.
And the students, too, were often dragged to the brink before the system pulled them out. Even Instant death wasn't uncommon.
This was the supernatural world. Nothing was absolute. That was why the academy's trials were held in the Land of Origin, a place where true death could be ignored.
Of course, for what candidates lost, the academy would try to compensate—if they passed. But anyone stepping into this path who still expected safety or fairness had only themselves to blame.
The supernatural world was, at its core, cold.
