The door opened with a heavy creak.
Ray stood frozen, excitement swirling in his chest. He slowly closed his eyes and whispered to himself,
"I'm finally here. The training room. I can't believe it… I'm going to meet the people who've trained so many like me—those who fight creatures and meet new faces every day. Just how strong must they be? I just hope I don't look like some clueless kid in front of them... but no matter what, I'll give it my all."
"Oye! Move! Why are you standing here with your eyes closed, you brainless idiot?!"
Ray's eyes flew open, startled.
"What?! Did he just call me brainless?! Is this guy crazy?!"
"Sorry, bro… people like you just show up outta nowhere," the guy muttered.
"Anyway, what's your name?" he asked casually.
"Mine?" Ray blinked.
"Yeah, you! The one standing right in front of me!"
"Ray. My name is Ray. And… I want to become the best sorcerer."
The moment he said that, the surrounding chatter stopped. Silence fell.
Ray looked around, confused.
"Did I say something wrong...?" he whispered.
The boy burst into loud laughter.
"Bro! You're absolutely crazy!"
Everyone around them suddenly broke into cheers and joyful shouts.
The boy clapped Ray on the back, laughing.
"From today, you're my bro! My name's Gen, and I'm also here to become the best. But let's be honest—there's no way you're going to beat me. To be the best, you need a huge heart and a beautiful face—both of which I have, clearly."
He winked.
"But stick with me, and maybe you'll get smarter too."
Ray gave him a doubtful look but chuckled.
"Alright, bro… hehe."
People nearby laughed and started praising Gen. He had a natural charm, and Ray could feel it. He really stood out.
Suddenly, someone stepped up onto the stage. The heavy sound of boots echoed across the room.
"SILENCE!" a deep, furious voice roared.
Ray and everyone else immediately snapped to attention.
"From this moment on, I don't want to hear a single sound. I'm going to take 10 to 15 mins of yours. Listen carefully and understand what I say. If anyone dares to speak in between…"
He looked around, eyes burning.
"…they will be killed on the spot."
Ray gulped.
"Oh god… this guy is terrifying. Is he going to be our trainer? He's nothing like Cyrus sir. This man is deadly serious. I'm already scared..."
Gen, however, looked like he was about to explode with excitement.
"Bro! This guy is SO COOL!! I need to be near him!"
Ray stared.
"Is this guy actually insane…?"
"SIRRRR!!" Gen shouted eagerly.
Ray panicked.
"Shut up, you idiot!" he hissed in a shaky voice.
The man's eyes snapped to their direction.
"WHO DARED TO SPEAK?! I JUST SAID NO ONE SHOULD MAKE A SOUND!"
He looked furious.
"Who was it? Come forward!"
Gen pointed at Ray.
"It was him, sir!"
Ray stared in betrayal.
"Oye! You traitor!"
The man stepped closer.
"Did you not understand me the first time? What's your name?"
Ray, trembling, replied,
"S-sir… it's Ray."
The man's eyes narrowed.
"So… you're the one Cyrus mentioned earlier, huh? That Cyrus... always sending me these misfits. Listen up—if anyone speaks out again, they won't live to speak another word. And you, Ray—if Cyrus hadn't sent you, you'd already be dead."
Ray was now visibly shaken.
The man's voice boomed again.
"From today, your training begins. This is not a place for fun and games. This is war—a fight against death. Your life is not guaranteed. Just because you're alive today doesn't mean you'll survive tomorrow. Here, everyone faces death… and only those who challenge it and win will live to see another day. Yes, even today might be your last day. You will face a glimpse of death. And that glimpse will tell you if you are worthy to live or not."
He stepped forward and raised a finger.
**"Before that, some rules. Listen carefully.
• You are not here to build friendships. If your teammate dies in battle and a clone forms in their place, you must kill that clone before it activates.
• If you die and a clone starts forming of you—you will be killed immediately to prevent activation.
• As a sorcerer, you must be 100% more alert and faster than any normal human. If you can't do that, then there's no place for you in this community."**
He paused, scanning the room.
"I hope you all at least know the difference between a Clone and a Soul Devourer? Do you?"
He laughed coldly.
"Look at this. Half of you don't even know that. Listen—clones have no weapon within them. But Soul Devourers do. And that weapon is not just limited to what you see—every part of their body can become a weapon. Their bones, their skin—even those can be used. But yes, those are weaker than their original internal weapon."
He walked back to the center.
"Another thing—clones are 10% stronger than the humans they copy. That might not sound like much to you, but that 10% can mean life or death. And Soul Devourers… they have no limit to their strength. Every one of them has a hidden weak point, which they try their best to hide from humans. Each has a different weakness. You'll only find out during real battles."
He continued with authority.
"Now about weapons. You will all receive your first weapon today. These will be basic-level weapons, according to your current strength. As you grow, you will get upgraded weapons. And these weapons are not ordinary—they activate only through your inner potential. Without that, they're useless against clones or Soul Devourers. They can only kill normal humans."
He looked at the crowd.
"Any questions?"
A timid voice rose.
"S-sir… is it really necessary to kill a teammate's clone? I mean, they were our friends once…"
"Oye!" the man shouted.
"If that's how you think, leave. There's no room for love and sympathy here. What's your name?"
"Sam, sir."
The man's voice dropped.
"Sam, with that mindset, you'll be the first to die. Do you have parents?"
Sam replied softly, tears forming.
"No… they were killed… by clones."
The entire room went silent.
The master spoke again, sharper now.
"And yet, you're still speaking of mercy? You should be ashamed. Don't you want revenge?!"
Sam began crying. Everyone around him looked down, deeply moved. Gen took a step forward to comfort him, but—
"STOP," the master said.
"Leave him alone. He's not in his senses now. He'll figure it out on his own—what's right and what's wrong. If no one else has any questions, then let's begin."
He raised his hand.
"Now you'll meet your Grand Enforcer. They will monitor your smallest actions, your progress, and guide your journey. Please welcome—Master Harry. A -rank sorcerer."
A kind-looking man stepped up.
"Hello, new recruits! I hope Master Magnus didn't scare you too much—he's one of our elite members."
"Harry, stop with the compliments," Master Magnus muttered.
Harry chuckled.
"Well, he's not wrong. I used to be an A-rank sorcerer too, but now I train newcomers, so my rank is B. But don't worry, I can still hold my ground."
Master Magnus smirked.
"Enough of that. Let's get started."
Harry nodded.
"Alright, new recruits. In front of you, a weapon will appear. These are chosen based on your current strength and position. And no—you can't change them."
Angry whispers rose from the crowd.
"What?! They haven't even tested our strength yet! How can they judge us like this?!"
"I SAID—SILENCE!" Master Magnus roared again.
"The tiles you've been standing on all this time are no ordinary tiles. They've been detecting your strength and inner potential from the moment you arrived. We don't guess—we know. If anyone has a problem, the door is open. Leave."
People fell silent, whispering amongst themselves.
"These tiles… detect power levels? We had no idea…"
Suddenly, weapons appeared in front of each trainee—different in shape and aura, matching their levels.
"Ready yourselves. We are opening the gate," Magnus announced.
"In front of you, clones will appear—weak ones. You can easily defeat them. We know you've never fought before. But this is the test. This fight will decide… whether you deserve to become a sorcerer or not."
Everyone grew nervous. Panic whispered across the room.
Harry leaned over to Magnus and asked,
"Sir, are you sure this is the right way to start?"
Magnus smiled calmly.
"Yes, Harry. I just want to see how much they value their own lives… and how they act under pressure. Sometimes, our true potential doesn't appear in training—but in sudden moments of fear and chaos. That's what I want to witness."
He raised his hand.
"Open the gate."
Everyone stood frozen, fear in their eyes.
And just like that… the real journey had begun.