The sky stretched endlessly over the Pacific, painted in shades of gold and deep blue.
Kaiden leaned against the window of the airship, his breath fogging the glass as he stared down. The ocean below shimmered like liquid crystal, calm yet endless. Somewhere in the middle of that infinite expanse was his new home — The University of Flow Arts.
He still couldn't believe it.
Six months ago, he was just some regular guy trying to figure out how to survive training without breaking every bone in his body.
Now? He was flying to a floating island of warriors.
The airship shook slightly as it began to descend. The hum of the engines filled the silence, and Kaiden felt his pulse quicken. "Okay… okay, deep breaths," he muttered to himself. "It's just school. A school with people who can slice buildings in half… totally fine."
The loudspeaker buzzed.
"Attention, new students of the University of Flow Arts," said a calm but commanding female voice. "We will be landing shortly. Please remain seated until further instructions."
Kaiden tightened his seatbelt. Out the window, the island appeared — massive, lush, and impossibly beautiful. Mountains curled around the island's edges, rivers glowed faintly like threads of silver, and at its heart stood a sprawling structure that looked like a fusion of ancient temple and futuristic fortress.
The University.
---
When the airship doors opened, warm sea breeze hit Kaiden's face. The air smelled like salt and rain — alive.
He stepped out onto a wide landing platform along with hundreds of other students, all wearing the same stunned expression he had.
"Whoa…" Kaiden whispered, eyes wide. "This place looks like something out of an anime opening."
A girl next to him snorted. "You're not wrong. I half-expect someone to start singing about destiny any second now."
Kaiden grinned nervously. "If someone starts glowing, I'm running."
The crowd moved together, guided by staff members in dark blue uniforms. Everyone was herded into sleek, silver buses with tinted windows. Kaiden found a seat near the back, clutching his duffel tightly. The bus began to move, and the cityscape outside unfolded like a dream — smooth marble roads, floating lanterns powered by Flow energy, and towering spires engraved with glowing runes.
Some students chatted excitedly about their training. Others sat in silence, focused and unreadable. Kaiden, meanwhile, was trying to look calm while his brain screamed, You don't belong here! You didn't even take the test!
He looked around — most of them were probably prodigies, people who'd trained for years, maybe even since childhood.
He had six months. Six months and a fluke.
The bus slowed, then stopped at the base of a massive archway engraved with golden letters:
THE UNIVERSITY OF FLOW ARTS
"Where the soul finds its rhythm."
Kaiden swallowed. "Yup. Definitely a main-character-level place."
---
Students poured out of the buses and into a massive open plaza surrounded by marble columns. At the center stood a large stage with several instructors dressed in white uniforms, each wearing badges with glowing symbols — different Flow emblems.
The crowd buzzed with energy, whispers spreading fast. Kaiden could feel it too — the anticipation, the tension, the adrenaline that made the air hum.
Then, a man walked onto the stage.
He looked older, maybe in his fifties, but his posture was straight as a blade. His eyes were sharp — not the kind that just looked at you, but the kind that looked through you. The murmurs died immediately.
"Welcome," the man began, his voice carrying easily across the courtyard. "I am Instructor Gael Orven, one of the senior evaluators of this academy."
Kaiden's heart dropped the moment he heard evaluator.
"Evaluator?" he muttered under his breath. "Wait—evaluate what exactly?"
Gael continued. "If you are standing here today, it means you have been selected from thousands across the world. But—" his tone hardened, "selection does not mean acceptance."
Kaiden blinked. "Wait, what?"
The instructor's words echoed through the plaza like thunder. "Before you may officially enter the University, there remains one final examination."
The crowd collectively gasped. Kaiden froze. Final exam?
What exam? Nobody told me there was an exam!
Gael's gaze swept across the crowd like a hawk. "For those unaware — this final test will determine who among you truly possesses the resolve to walk the path of Flow."
Kaiden's brain short-circuited. Resolve? Bro, I barely packed my toothbrush!
"Beyond this gate," Gael continued, pointing toward the forest-covered mountains in the distance, "lies the Trial Path. Your task is simple: reach the central tower on the far side of the island. Those who arrive within three hours will be accepted as official students. Those who fail…"
He let the silence drag, his eyes narrowing.
"…will be sent home immediately."
Gasps spread through the crowd. Kaiden's stomach twisted. "Sent home? Just like that?"
The instructor's expression didn't soften. "You may use your Flow, your weapons, or your instincts. Work alone or in teams — the choice is yours. But remember, this is not a game. The Trial Path is alive, unpredictable, and unforgiving."
Kaiden's throat went dry. He leaned toward the girl beside him. "Wait, is this… normal?"
She shrugged nervously. "I thought the final exam was written, not like—a literal survival mission?!"
"Same,"Kaiden muttered. "Yuki and Leonardo didn't tell me anything about this… Of course they didn't. They never tell me the scary parts!"
Gael raised his hand, and the air itself seemed to still. "Those who do not wish to continue may leave now."
No one moved. Not one student.
Kaiden looked around — all of them had that look in their eyes. Determination. Fear. Ambition.
He clenched his fists. His pulse pounded like a war drum in his ears.
"Then the trial begins…"Gael's voice dropped low, like a storm about to break.
"…now."
---
The massive gate creaked open, revealing a forest so dense it almost swallowed the light. The second Kaiden stepped inside, the air shifted — thicker, heavier, humming faintly with Flow energy.
The ground beneath him glowed faintly with runic patterns that faded as he walked. Branches rustled, birds screeched overhead, and distant rumbling hinted that something else was moving deeper within.
"This… doesn't look like a normal forest,"Kaiden muttered, drawing a slow breath. He tightened the strap of his duffel, scanning the area.
Other students ran ahead, some activating their Flow techniques right away, bursts of light, water, flame, and shadow illuminating the woods.
Kaiden just stood there, frozen for a moment. Okay… you can do this. You trained for six months. You have Zephyr. You can do this.
He crouched low, feeling the faint current of wind around his fingers. "Piercing Gust…" he whispered, channeling mana. A thin stream of wind shot forward, slicing through the nearest leaves. "Still works," he exhaled in relief. "Alright, baby steps."
Then, a scream tore through the forest — someone ahead had triggered a trap.
A wave of sharp stones erupted from the ground, scattering students. Chaos followed — some dodged, others countered with their Flows, while a few weren't so lucky.
Kaiden ducked behind a tree, heart racing. "Okay… so definitely not a regular exam!"
He peeked out, eyes wide, as more traps activated — vines whipping out, energy bursts flaring from the ground. Every step forward could kill him.
He thought back to Yuki and Leonardo — how easily they'd moved in battle, how every strike they made was controlled, deliberate.
I have to move like them… trust my instincts.
He took a deep breath, then bolted forward.
Wind gathered around his feet, pushing him just enough to glide between traps. He wasn't fast like Yuki, but he was fluid, his movements carried by the Zephyr's gentle precision. Leaves whirled around him, slicing through snares before they could touch him.
For a moment, it actually felt… good.
Natural.
Like the Flow was breathing with him.
"Okay, okay!" he grinned. "Maybe I got this—"
A shadow loomed ahead. Kaiden froze mid-step.
A creature emerged — tall, humanoid, made entirely of black stone and glowing runes. Its chest pulsed like a heartbeat. It wasn't massive like the beast from Italy, but it radiated danger.
Kaiden's pulse spiked. His grip on the dagger tightened.
It's just one monster. One. You can handle this. You trained for this.
The creature's eyes flared red. Then, it lunged.
Kaiden dodged, barely avoiding the massive swing that splintered a nearby tree. The shockwave nearly threw him off his feet. He rolled, gasping.
"Okay, definitely not a normal monster!"
He darted behind it, channeling wind. "Piercing Gust!"
The thrust hit the creature's side — but it barely staggered. It turned, striking again, faster than he expected. The blow grazed his shoulder, sending pain flaring down his arm.
"Damn it—!"Kaiden hissed, clutching his wound. He looked at the dagger — it wasn't enough. He needed something more.
The creature roared, charging again.
Kaiden closed his eyes for half a heartbeat, inhaling. The memory of Lorenzo's voice echoed in his head.
"The blade only answers when your will is clear."
When his eyes opened, the air around him stirred — soft at first, then sharp. The Zephyr within him pulsed, responding to his resolve.
He stepped forward, wind spiraling around his arm.
"Zephyr Flow…" he whispered.
"Second Form — Silent Sever!"
The air grew unnervingly still. Kaiden's stance lowered, his hand tightening around the hilt as faint green wisps swirled along the blade.
No sound. No warning. Just calm.
Then—
Snap.
A single motion. The blade moved faster than sight, slicing through the wind itself. A faint green shimmer trailed behind the arc — a crescent of compressed air so sharp it left no echo.
The air sliced outward in a flash.
The creature froze mid-lunge — its claw just inches from Kaiden's face.
Then cracks began to bloom across its body, glowing faintly like shattered glass under moonlight. Its runes flickered once… twice… then went dark.
Thud.
The body split apart silently, the pieces scattering as the green shockwave rippled through the air, flattening the grass in a perfect circle around Kaiden.
He exhaled, the world catching up to his motion — the faint whoosh of displaced air arriving after the strike was already done.
A quiet technique.
A clean execution.
Kaiden fell to one knee, breathing hard. The forest was quiet again — except for his pounding heart.
He stared at the fallen creature. "…I actually did it."
But then, a rumble echoed deeper ahead. The ground trembled, trees shaking violently.
Kaiden looked up — his expression twisting into shock.
From the shadows, dozens of glowing red eyes appeared.
More stone beasts.
And all of them were turning toward him.
His voice caught in his throat. "…You've gotta be kidding me."
The clock was still ticking.
Three hours.
And this was just the beginning.