He raised his arm, water swirling around him as he began the motions for Tsunami. Predictably, the puppet before him mirrored his movements, summoning a massive tidal wave. But at the last moment, Tavin smirked—he had faked it. The puppet, however, had already committed to the attack.
Right behind Ronan, another puppet prepared to strike, its cold, lifeless eyes locked onto him. As the enormous wave rushed forward, Ronan activated Shadow Step, vanishing in an instant and reappearing behind the puppet. With a blazing Flame Fist, he struck hard, sending the puppet hurtling into the incoming tidal wave.
Orin, on the sidelines, had his own target. He stood beside a puppet, hands swiftly forming the signs for Stormcall Javelin. His opponent, like all the others, copied him exactly. Just as the puppet's javelin crackled to life, Orin smirked, dodging at the last second. The puppet's attack shot forward—straight into the puppet that had just been slammed by the tidal wave.
"Now!" Ronan yelled.
Orin capitalised on the moment, unleashing a powerful Stormcall Javelin at the disoriented puppet. The crackling bolt of lightning speared through the air, striking its target with a thunderous impact, momentarily stunning the opponent.
Ronan wasted no time, quickly forming a series of hand signs. "Back now!" he commanded.
Tavin and Orin leapt away as Ronan unleashed Firestorm Barrage. A flurry of fireballs shot forward, colliding with the three puppets in a fiery explosion. The blast was so strong that even Ronan, Orin, and Tavin were knocked backwards, sliding across the ground.
Gasping for breath, the trio regrouped. Their stamina was nearly depleted, their bodies aching from exertion. Ronan, panting, collapsed onto the ground. "Alright… They're down. Finally."
As they started to celebrate, a metallic scraping sound cut through the air. Their smiles froze.
Slowly, they turned their heads.
The puppets were still standing.
Not only that, but they looked completely unharmed.
Ronan and Tavin spoke in unison. "Are you kidding me?!"
The three scrambled to their feet, instinctively taking defensive positions. But this time, the puppets didn't attack. Instead, they extended their hands, and three objects materialised in each one of their palms—one scroll and a single mana recovery potion. The items floated toward them, stopping just within reach.
The puppets turned and walked away, vanishing into the mist.
Tavin picked up one of the scrolls, examining it. "What just happened?"
Orin snorted. "I think we just got rewarded for getting our asses kicked."
Ronan sighed, rubbing his temples. "We don't have much time. Drink the potion, and let's head back."
As they descended the mountain, the eerie silence of the battlefield gave way to their casual banter.
Tavin furrowed his brows. "Hey… Ronan, Orin. Do you feel like you recognise the mana controlling those puppets but can't quite place it?"
Ronan nodded. "Yeah, there was definitely something familiar about it."
Orin clenched his fists. "I have a vague idea who it could be."
Ronan and Tavin exchanged glances. "Who?"
Orin scowled. "That old man… Arnold."
Ronan groaned. "No wonder. There was no real malice in those attacks."
Tavin blinked. "Wait—you mean the old man who oversees Mindward Tower?"
Orin huffed. "Who else? He's the only one with absolute authority here."
Ronan waved a hand. "Whatever. At least we got some rewards out of this."
Tavin quickened his pace. "Hurry up. If we don't make it back by morning, we're dead."
Ronan shivered. "Don't remind me. Every time Ms. Rose gets angry, it feels like she'll chew us alive."
A mischievous grin spread across Orin's face. "Speaking of Ms. Rose, Ronan, didn't you say you liked her?"
Ronan nearly tripped. "What?! I said I liked her red hair!"
Orin elbowed him playfully. "Ohhh, you liked her red hair, huh? Or was it something else? Maybe her—"
Before he could finish, Ronan smacked the back of Orin's head. "Idiot! When did I ever say that?!"
Tavin grinned. "Hmm… I've suspected for a while—you're into older women, aren't you?"
Ronan threw his hands in the air. "Hey! Hey! Don't lump me in with creepy perverts! I just said she's beautiful. And her red hair is striking! That's all!"
Ronan smirked. "Oh, really? As if you two don't complement any girls yourselves? Should I remind you—"
Before Ronan could finish, Orin and Tavin lunged at him, covering his mouth.
"Don't say it!" they yelled in unison, toppling onto the ground with him.
Ronan struggled beneath them, muffled protests escaping. Finally, they let go, and he sat up, rubbing his jaw. "What the hell, man?! I was joking!"
Orin burst into laughter. "Yeah, well, we're not taking any chances."
Tavin wiped a tear from his eye. "Alright, let's get moving. Unless you want to see Ms. Rose as a—"
Ronan groaned. "Don't say it."
"—boiled octopus," Tavin finished with a smirk.
A beat of silence.
Then they all burst into laughter, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten as they continued down the mountain.
The campfire crackled softly as the group settled down for the night. The tension in the air was subtle but unmistakable. Andera glanced around before turning to Kellan.
"Kellan, do you know where they went?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.
Kellan shrugged. "Not really. They never mentioned where they were going."
Elias scoffed, crossing his arms. "Hah! That's good. They'll fail the exam tomorrow. I won't have to tolerate them in the next training session. Although..." He smirked. "I do feel a little sorry for Tavin. He shouldn't be hanging around with Orin and Ronan."
Amelia frowned. "Hey, hey, don't drag Orin into this with Ronan."
Elias let out a mocking chuckle. "Birds of a feather flock together, Amelia. One loser always finds another."
Amelia rolled her eyes. "And what are you?"
Elias merely smirked, his expression gleefully malicious. "Good night. Tomorrow's going to be a good show."
The group eventually turned in for the night, the embers of the fire flickering as the cool night settled over the camp.
Morning arrived with golden light filtering through the trees. Outside the camp, Andera stood with the others—Amelia, Elias, Eldrin, Kellan, and Selyra—her gaze darting around.
Kellan sighed. "They still haven't returned."
Just then, three instructors—Mr. Alaric, Mr. Arnold, and a younger man approached. The young man, tall with an air of quiet authority, surveyed the group before his sharp eyes landed on Andera.
"Andera? Where is Tavin?"
Andera hesitated, shifting uneasily. Before she could respond, Elias sneered. "Oh, he's just hanging out with some losers."
Mr. Alaric frowned. "If they don't return by the time…"
"They won't," Elias interrupted confidently.
Ms. Rose arrived just in time to hear the last exchange. "Good morning, everyone." Then, with a glance at Mr. Arnold, she added, "Good morning, sir."
Mr. Arnold and Mr. Alaric nodded in return. "What's going on? You all seem tense."
Elias smirked. "Orin and the others still haven't returned."
Ms. Rose's expression darkened. "What?!"
Mr. Arnold remained calm. "We still have some time before the exam. Why don't we head to the exam area? If they don't arrive on time, we'll discuss it afterwards."
Ms. Rose let out a frustrated breath but nodded. "Fine. Let's go."
When they arrived at the exam grounds, they found a surprising sight—Ronan, Orin, and Tavin lying under a tree, fast asleep. Their clothes were covered in dust, and dried blood-stained parts of their sleeves and collars.
Andera gasped and rushed toward Tavin, shaking him awake. "Tavin! What happened?!"
Tavin blinked groggily and sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Good morning… sir?" He turned toward the young man standing before him and blinked in surprise. "Brother?"
The young man—his cousin—folded his arms, his face unreadable. "I came to check on my little brother and sister, see how you were doing. But I never expected you to embarrass me like this. I'm truly disappointed in you, Tavin."
Ronan stretched with a groan, cracking his neck. "Is it morning already? Felt like I just blinked."
He turned and froze at the sight of everyone standing before them. With an awkward chuckle, he straightened. "Uh… good morning, sir. Good morning, ma'am."
He reached over and poked Orin. "Wake up, man."
Still half-asleep, Orin mumbled, "Old man, if I find you, I swear I'll beat you to—"
Ronan smacked him lightly. "Wake up, or we'll be dead."
Orin jolted awake and, without thinking, punched Ronan in the arm. "What the hell was that for?!"
"Look around," Ronan replied.
Orin turned, saw the group staring at them, and immediately straightened. "Ah, good morning, ma'am. Good morning, sir."
Ms. Rose crossed her arms, her face set in stone. "Is this some kind of joke to you?"
Mr. Arnold sighed. "It's fine. They're here now. Let's continue with the exam. If they fail, you can scold them all you like."
Ms. Rose's eyes narrowed. "If they fail, this is the end for them. I won't waste my time teaching students who can't take this seriously. Are you sure you want to continue?"
Ronan nodded firmly. "Yes, ma'am,"
Orin smirked. "I'm in."
Tavin opened his mouth to speak, but his cousin cut him off. "Are you sure you want to continue this exam, Tavin?"
Tavin met his cousin's gaze, unwavering. "Yes, I want to continue."
Ms. Rose exhaled sharply. "Fine. I will call each of you by name and assign you a task to evaluate your mana control."
She turned to the gathered students. "This exam will test your ability to withstand and control mana under extreme conditions. Each of you will stand in a high-mana zone, where I will provide a structure. Your task is to replicate it using your magic while enduring the overwhelming mana pressure.
"The test lasts ten minutes. With each passing minute, the mana pressure will increase. Those who endure for six minutes pass. Those who last eight minutes are among my best students. And those who last the full ten minutes will be rewarded by Mr. Arnold."
A hush fell over the students as the weight of the exam settled in. The challenge was clear, and now, there was no turning back.