Principal Percival stood before the gate, hands clasped behind his back, his sharp, precise eyes scanning the surroundings. His presence alone brought a sense of calm and reassurance to the students' hearts. Merely having him there granted them enough strength and courage to face the test. His gaze then fell on Rael and Noctis, making them flinch in panic, standing at attention like soldiers under intense stress.
"G-good afternoon, Principal… P-Percival Fenwick," Rael said, placing his hand on his forehead in a soldier's salute. Noctis glanced at him from the corner of his eye, his tense expression twisting into one that silently asked, What the hell is this fool doing?—which, truthfully, was exactly what he was thinking.
Percival let out a suppressed chuckle at Rael's naive gesture, speaking in a gentle tone as he stroked his graying beard:
"No need to worry. I'm only here to assist."
Both Rael and Noctis exhaled in relief. Their stiff shoulders relaxed, and the knot of anxiety in their stomachs loosened.
"A-are you really here just to supervise? The council didn't request this, right?" Noctis asked cautiously.
"True, I am here to supervise, but not because of the council. The ESS test is important, so I'm here to ensure nothing goes wrong."
"Then why are we even here in the first place?" Rael murmured, annoyed, though he didn't dare speak too loudly, knowing the principal's intentions weren't malicious.
"Very well, let's begin the test," the principal said, turning toward the students. He glanced at the stone gate behind them before lowering his eyes again.
"Some of you may have already guessed this place. This is the Daedalus Labyrinth."
Shock rippled through the crowd. Some gasped in excitement, others in terror, but the most common reaction was fear. Many froze in place, which was understandable—this was a labyrinth designed for S-rank Sentinels. Even they feared it. Some compared it to the Dicems' level; others claimed it was even more formidable.
The first to break the silence was an ordinary student, with sharp features and black hair, one of those desperately hoping to succeed and secure their future. His voice came out in a stunned, almost numb tone:
"Why the hell is a labyrinth of this rank a test for children?"
Such a statement awakened the fear lurking in every student. It confirmed to them all that this place was real—and no joke.
"P-principal, there must be some mistake," another student stammered.
"He's right. We'd die just from the idea of being inside the labyrinth, let alone facing whatever's in it!" another added.
Percival chuckled lightly, finding their reactions both amusing and absurd. Indeed, a labyrinth of this rank could crush every student, and even standing before its gate would sap their life from sheer pressure. So why were these students foolish enough to panic?
"Calm yourselves. This place isn't the actual labyrinth you think it is—it's merely a replica."
"A-replica?"
"Yes. This is just a copy of the real location, weakened to suit students. The labyrinth has been reduced in size by about a hundredfold, and the monsters' ranks lowered to between D and C, with the labyrinth boss set at rank B."
The students exhaled in relief. A labyrinth with these specifications could be completed. Yet, despite this news, some still voiced concerns.
"Wait, this is still dangerous. The best students here haven't even reached C-rank. How are we supposed to finish the test?" one objected.
"There's no need to kill the boss to succeed. Those seeking success need only gather enough Merit Points."
"What kind of system is this that keeps appearing every second, old man?!" Noah thought irritably, but his eyes met Percival's for a moment—as if the principal had read his mind—forcing him to look away and feign interest elsewhere.
"Merit Points are earned through actions. Kill a monster, gain points. Take the correct turn, earn points. Exit the labyrinth, earn points. I don't know the criteria of universities or their representatives, but if you kill thirty monsters, success is guaranteed," Percival explained calmly.
"T-thirty monsters?!"
"I want to go home…"
"No need to worry. As I said, Merit Points aren't tied to monsters. You can avoid them and search for the exit. Your success rate will decrease, but it's the easiest way. And don't fear for your lives. These two brave souls and I will save you if anything happens."
"Will we be monitored?" Noah wondered aloud, forgetting he was thinking aloud, drawing attention and causing a momentary embarrassment.
"Yes, Mr. Grace. You will be monitored. You must have noticed the crows hovering above. They are like cameras, recording everything and transmitting it to the representatives' room to evaluate each of you—and to alert us if you fall into danger," Percival explained.
Noah looked up, noticing the crows in the sky. But as he observed them, he realized their movements were odd. They weren't crows—they were shadows with sharp wings, flying swiftly, their eyes glowing a faint ruby. He glanced at Noctis for a moment.
"Is this one of his abilities?" he wondered, recalling the dark portal Noctis had created, but his curiosity shifted elsewhere. The crows above left no feathers—just shadows trailing as they moved. Looking down, he noticed dry feathers scattered in the cracks of the floor.
"Where did these feathers come from?"
Percival clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention back.
"Let the test begin!" he declared. The labyrinth gate suddenly swung open, its dragging doors screeching and roaring violently, forcing the students to cover their ears in pain.
The sound of the gate is like screaming, Noah thought, his heartbeat quickening. Indeed, the gate's opening sounded like a woman screaming in agony, a high-pitched shriek that sent chills through their bodies. But what unsettled them most was the countdown—it marked the start of the exam, a test that would decide their fate in a world where everyone aspired to be heroes like those in their childhood stories. Success in this test meant their lives.
As the gate opened and the screech faded, many students didn't wait for further instructions. They surged forward—some with eager excitement, some pushed by others, some intending to lag behind. But the moment they stepped into the labyrinth, excitement turned to fear, tension to caution. A cold frost seemed to slap their faces, the air thick as if a deadly creature were breathing down their necks. The labyrinth breathed and exhaled, as though digesting intruders and preparing its defenses.
Some of the exceptional students realized this and tried to retreat, but it was too late. Those at the front, when they looked back, saw only a solid gray wall behind them, cracked and overgrown with moss, worms inhabiting the crevices. A wide, impenetrable wall blocked any retreat—even climbing it was impossible, as its top seemed to extend to the ceiling.
"W-what is this?!" a student cried in fear.
He wasn't alone. Seconds later, he could hear the screams of his companions—their pleas for help and despair echoing through the walls.
"Where the hell am I?!"
"Where did everyone go?!"
"Where have you disappeared to, friends?!"
"Where am I?!"
Outside the labyrinth, a small group of cautious students remained behind—those who prioritized caution over haste. Among them were Liam, Blake, and Noah. They heard the principal's laughter and turned to him in shock. Even Rael and Noctis looked stunned.
"I forgot to mention—the labyrinth rearranges itself every few minutes, making forming a team nearly impossible," the principal said, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.
"What?!" one student exclaimed.
"I see some of you are still here. Well then, what are you waiting for? You have six hours to complete the test. The clock has started," he added, his tone laced with mockery.
"Six hours?! Are you joking? I've heard that discovering even twelve percent of the real labyrinth took three years! Even with a reduced size… isn't six hours too little?!" Noah thought anxiously. Ahead, Blake and his group followed closely, his expression calm but confident. This caused the rest of the students to rush into the labyrinth, vanishing into its darkness.
Noah gritted his teeth, clenching his fists until the pain grounded him. Like the others, he sprinted toward the labyrinth, leaving Liam behind. Liam watched him silently, noticing his worried, terrified expression, which irritated him.
"That idiot… damn it!" Liam thought before rushing after Noah. Before thinking twice, he jumped and grabbed Noah's waist, propelling him toward the labyrinth.
"What—?!" were Noah's last words before the darkness swallowed them both. Immediately after their entry, the gate slammed shut with a gust of wind strong enough to throw anyone back—but for the others, it merely rustled their clothes.
The wind died down. Silence enveloped them. The last scene they saw was Liam clinging to Noah as they entered the labyrinth—a sight that would shock anyone.
"What the hell was that?" everyone thought, confused and bewildered.
---
Inside the labyrinth, Noah felt the cold ground beneath him. Ahead, the corridor was swallowed by darkness, leading to an abyss. Anxiety—and perhaps fear—gripped him, if not for Liam holding onto his waist.
Noah clenched his teeth in anger and shoved Liam away, sending him tumbling to the ground. He hadn't expected a positive reaction, but he was determined to explain his reasoning.
"Noa—" Liam began, only to be cut off.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Noah shouted, furious. Liam's eyes widened, shocked by the venom in Noah's gaze.
"I-I'm trying to help you—"
"I told you I don't want it! What the hell is wrong with you?!"
"M-my fault? What's wrong with you? I told you—you'd be targeted, killed! I'm only trying to protect you!" Liam yelled, brushing dust off his clothes.
"You're weak. You can barely protect yourself from Blake—let alone a professional killer—" Liam began, only to be struck again by Noah, this time in the face, sending him crashing back down.
Liam lay on the ground, stunned. He had never been struck by Noah before—the same boy who had never raised a hand against Blake, who had tormented him for years, now hit the one person trying to protect him.
A strange warmth filled his nose. He touched it and saw it covered in blood—bleeding lightly. He looked at Noah again, who remained standing.
"And would I have needed protection if that bastard hadn't done what he did to me? I don't need help from a wretch like you! I'd rather die than be protected by you! Just get out of my face… please…"
"Noah…" Liam whispered softly, reaching out as if to kneel, when both heard a faint thud behind them.
A massive figure approached, its footsteps shaking the ground. Emerging from the shadows was a strange creature, standing three meters tall, muscles taut beneath thick, red fur. Its twisted horns interlaced like gnarled branches. Hollow black eyes leaked streams of blood. Its scarred and battered body revealed bone through ripped flesh, a deep wound on its face exposing its cheekbone. Heavy hooves pounded the ground with each step, and its ragged breathing overpowered their hearts' racing.
"Minotaur!" Liam exclaimed, startled.
The Minotaur raised its head, sniffed the air, then focused on Noah and Liam. Blood and saliva dripped from its mouth. Using its long red tongue, it wiped its lips, forming a sinister grin stretching ear to ear. Its body trembled with joy, finally sensing easy prey after days—or perhaps months—of hunger. It lunged at Noah.
"Noah!" Liam screamed in terror, pushing himself to pull Noah away.
Then, Liam felt an unusual thickness around him—a transparent field enveloped the corridor. In an instant, Noah vanished from his sight. He hadn't moved so fast; he had simply disappeared. Immediately, a sound of impact echoed. Liam looked at the Minotaur, only to be shocked.
Noah stood atop the beast's chest, pressing his foot against its heart, causing the creature to roar in pain and fear.
"W-what the hell am I seeing?!"
The first Hour of The test, Has begun