It didn't take long before the examiner appeared once more in front of the gate of the second test hall.
The students' murmurs stopped at once, and their gazes rose toward him, filled with shadows of tension and worry mixed with hope.
They were all those who had passed the first test, even the twins who had been moments ago immersed in a fierce contest of words. They froze in place and turned their eyes toward him; yet what shone in their eyes was unlike the others.
While the features of the other students trembled and fear was etched on their faces, the twins' eyes sparkled with wild excitement and absolute confidence in their ability to overcome the next stage.
The examiner's voice rang out calm, devoid of any trace of emotion, cold as a night breeze piercing the chest:
"First, you should be proud of yourselves for reaching this stage… but here begins the true test. Success or failure will not be decided by luck, but only by the strength you possess."
The silence in the hall dissolved at once, and emotions became tangled among the gathered.
Some exchanged anxious glances as though searching for comfort in the faces of others, while others clenched their fingers so tightly their joints whitened, and some breathed deeply in an attempt to calm hearts pounding so hard they threatened to pierce their chests.
The faint smell of sweat began to spread in the air, mixed with the heavy humidity of the hall.
In this charged atmosphere, the gazes of Kai and Kira drifted toward Aris.
He was still sitting indifferently, one leg crossed over the other, arms folded across his chest. His eyes were fixed with a strange coldness, devoid of any tension or worry, as though the hum of whispers and restless breaths around him belonged to another world that did not touch him.
The examiner did not fail to notice that. He surveyed all of their emotions, but what truly caught his attention was that calm emptiness that enveloped Aris. A fleeting thought echoed inside him:
"His level of control over his presence and aura… no less than a seasoned expert, perhaps even surpassing some of them. Even the sound of his steps… utterly absent, as though his existence itself were nothing but a mirage."
Aris was not ignorant of the emotions of these young men and women, on the contrary; he understood them more than anyone.
After all, he had gone through harsher trials than all of them combined, if not worse.
He had seen betrayal and treachery, tasted despair to its last drop, and brushed against death when his bones shattered, his flesh was crushed, and his spirit broken.
He had not become cold inside and out except after experiencing all of that, becoming a man driven by hatred, rancor, and vengeance.
Aris had forgotten his last wish before his death… to find true love and trustworthy friends. From the day he was reborn, he decided on one thing only: that this world would move according to his rules.
The examiner spoke as he turned with steady steps toward the inside:
"Now, all of you follow me to the second test hall."
They entered behind him, the sound of their footsteps echoing against the stone floor, accompanied by the rustling of clothes and hurried stomps.
"The first thing you must know is that the second test is divided into two parts: the first to test endurance and physical strength, and the second to test the basics of the weapons you excel at."
The hall was a wide training ground, exuding the smell of iron and oil mixed with dirt and sweat. On one side, metal weights were stacked, on the other, racks full of various weapons, while training dummies occupied the center.
In the middle stood a square fighting ring, surrounded by a circular track meant for running.
The examiner leapt lightly onto the ring and looked down at the young men and women lined up before him.
In a solemn voice:
"Alright, everyone take your places at the starting line."
They moved quickly, the sound of their rushing steps rising as light dust scattered from the floor. Each of them took a ready stance, their breaths quickening, eyes fixed on the examiner as though awaiting the crack of a gun.
He raised his hand and declared:
"When I give the signal you start running, and you will not stop until I mark the end. Get ready… go!"
At the very instant the word "go" dropped, everyone surged forward at full speed, the pounding of their feet echoing against the floor, sweat already splattering across their brows despite the start, and tense smiles appeared on some faces as they tried to seize a better position.
The examiner, watching them with cold eyes, shook his head inwardly:
"The true goal of this test is not winning first place, but testing endurance and the ability to maintain the best condition in battle."
As for Aris, he was running in the middle of the group with a steady rhythm, his steps as precise as a heartbeat, his breathing calm and deep, unwavering.
He cared nothing for a childish competition for the lead, for he understood perfectly the purpose of this test. And since the examiner had not specified the duration of the run—it could be a minute or five, a quarter of an hour, or even a whole hour—he prepared accordingly.
Unfortunately, most of the students failed to notice this, and therein lay the trap many had fallen into.
Fifteen minutes passed, and still the signal had not come.
Signs of fatigue began to appear; labored breathing, chests heaving rapidly, sweat soaking their clothes and sticking to their backs, their faces flushed with strain, their bodies trembling.
Those who had dashed at high speed from the start saw their pace collapse.
Yet no one stopped, they pressed on running until half an hour passed.
By then the situation worsened further; some lost the ability to continue and collapsed to the ground, gasping as though swallowing the air itself, while others staggered, barely dragging their heavy feet.
Those who had burned their energy at the start ended up on the dirt, drenched in sweat.
But Aris, who had kept to the middle all along, found himself gradually advancing until he was in the lead, followed by Kai, then Kira.
After forty-five minutes the examiner finally announced the end of the test.
The result… was catastrophic. Out of fifty, only three remained.
First was Aris, who seemed as if he had just returned from a stroll; his breathing calm, expression steady, clothes dry without a drop of sweat.
After him came Kai, his body drenched in sweat so that his clothes clung to his skin, yet he still held himself together.
Then Kira followed, panting hard, drops of sweat falling from her brow to the ground, her face pale but her eyes still burning with determination.
The examiner stepped forward with steady strides and looked at Aris, Kai, and Kira with calm eyes that carried a hint of appreciation.
He spoke in a low yet clear voice:
"Well… at least the result wasn't bad for this group."
His voice held a trace of pride at the end, for the emergence of three from commoners within the batch he oversaw, and their possession of talent and the potential to enter the elite classes, was an achievement in his career that would earn him a fitting reward.
But there was another reason behind that feeling… he too was of common birth, and seeing geniuses rise from among them brought him a special kind of joy.
Then he added firmly:
"Alright, the three of you have qualified for the second part."
His voice spread through the hall like a thunderbolt striking their ears, and everyone froze in shock.
As soon as they heard that Aris and his two companions had passed, they realized they themselves had failed… but none dared to protest or even raise their voice before the examiner.
Kai and Kira felt overwhelming euphoria and indescribable joy coursing through their veins.
But suddenly, Aris broke the silence with a calm voice:
"And what about them?"
All eyes turned to him at once as he gestured toward the other students.
The examiner smiled faintly, then said:
"Well… let me explain. They too have passed, but your paths are different. The three of you will undergo the elite test, while they will face the regular test… is that clear?"
Everyone understood then and nodded silently.
Aris already knew this truth, but he spoke only to end the matter quickly and proceed straight to the second part of the test.
After that the examiner pointed to two corridors; one leading to the elite classes, the other to the regular classes.
It was a decisive moment, as though life itself were drawing a path for each one… except Aris, who had become the one to write his own path by hand.
He moved forward with confident steps, Kai at his right and Kira at his left, following without hesitation.
It didn't take long before they arrived at the hall of the second test.
There stood a supervisor in a neat uniform, and once she confirmed their identities, she spoke in a haughty tone full of arrogance, clearly of noble birth:
"To have reached this stage despite being commoners… that is a rare achievement. But do not forget you are entering the elite test."
Aris did not spare her a glance, as though she didn't exist at all, while Kai frowned in displeasure and Kira stuck out her tongue mockingly as they passed her without a word.
Before a grand gate adorned with symbols, Aris felt a hidden current of energy seeping from behind it, a force that weighed down the air around him and sent a faint shiver across his skin.
The scent of cold metal mixed with a mysterious fragrance crept into his nose, while the gleam of the gate under the light made the place feel all the more majestic.
He smiled faintly and said in a voice carrying a subdued excitement:
"Looks like this won't be boring after all…"
He slowly extended his hand, pushed the heavy gate with steady strength, and at once a brilliant white light burst forth, nearly blinding their eyes, engulfing them all.