The air trembled as the floating gates of the academy flared open, revealing a fractured horizon. What lay beyond was a vast, desolate land — the Abandoned District, one of the deadliest zones under government supervision. Once a thriving city before the Cosmic Rupture, it now existed as a scar of chaos — buildings half-swallowed by nature, streets torn by glowing fissures of unstable Essentia.
A thousand whispers of energy drifted through the wind. Students stepped through the gate, one by one, their uniforms shifting from pristine white to the dusty shades of ruin. Darius stood at the threshold, arms folded behind his back, his expression unreadable.
"You are now inside the first trial ground," he announced, his voice echoing through their communicators. "Your objective is simple — locate and integrate with an Ether Beast's bloodline fragment. Your watches will display beast tiers and their energy patterns. Do not engage beyond Tier 2. Survive, observe, and adapt."
As the gates sealed behind them, the sound of mechanical locks echoed like a verdict.
The students began forming groups naturally — corporations flocking to their own, sect disciples gathering in quiet confidence, elite family heirs scanning the terrain with disdain. Only five stood apart — ordinary-born students with no banners behind them.
Among them, Jiro adjusted the strap of his katana, its polished black sheath reflecting the strange blue hue of his core mark pulsing faintly beneath his collarbone. Beside him stood Arisa, a slender girl with a pale scar across her wrist and sharp eyes that never stopped scanning. Her sword rested across her back, the handle wrapped in faded red cloth.
"We should move," she said softly. "The longer we wait, the more ground the others cover."
"You sound like you've done this before," Jiro replied.
"My family tried to survive in places worse than this," she said, her voice tightening. "They didn't make it."
Darius's voice crackled through their watches again.
"Form your groups. Once you enter, the gates will remain closed. I'll be monitoring your vitals from here. Remember — instincts matter more than strength."
Groups began shouting, arguing, and organizing. Jiro and Arisa found themselves standing apart again — unchosen, unnoticed. Jiro looked around, exhaled, and began walking toward the deeper part of the ruins
"Where are you going?" Arisa asked, following him.
"I… don't know,"he muttered.
The blue mark on his chest burned faintly as they moved. The air thickened — and soon, their watches beeped.
[Warning: Ether Beast Detected – Tier 2 – Shadowclaw Variant.]
A guttural growl echoed from the shadows. From a broken highway ramp above, a black figure leapt down — the Shadowclaw, a beast whose body shimmered like liquid smoke. Its claws scraped the ground, leaving trails of light that hissed against the broken earth
"Run," Arisa hissed, unsheathing her blade.
"No," Jiro said, tightening his grip on the katana. "If we run, it'll chase."
He moved first — his blade slicing through the mist-like hide, only for the beast to reform. The Shadowclaw's tail whipped forward, crashing into the wall beside him. The ground cracked. Jiro was thrown backward, tumbling down a slope. Arisa leapt toward him, slicing the beast's leg to slow it down.
The Shadowclaw roared — its cry warped the air. Rocks shattered, and Jiro fell deeper, the earth giving way beneath his feet.
He hit cold stone and rolled to a stop, coughing as dust filled his lungs. His katana clattered beside him, its blade humming faintly with residual energy. Above, he could still hear Arisa's battle cry — then the deafening silence that followed.
The dim glow of his watch illuminated the rocky slope he had tumbled down. He wasn't fully inside a cavern — just outside the mouth of one, where the air grew warmer and thicker with energy. He could feel something alive beyond the darkness, deeper within the cave.
A strange pulse echoed faintly from inside — rhythmic, like a heartbeat. His core mark glowed in response, flickering a deep blue.
Jiro took a hesitant step toward the shadows, his instincts pulling him closer.
"What… is this place?" he muttered under his breath.
Deep inside the cave, far from sight, a faint crystal-blue light pulsed once — as though something ancient had stirred.
Above, Arisa stood over the fallen Shadowclaw, her sword dripping with black ichor. She breathed heavily, blood running down her arm. The beast's fragment shimmered before her, vibrating with unstable energy. She reached out, merging it with her essence — and her eyes widened as pain surged through her veins before she collapsed, fainting beside the dead beast.
Far away, Darius's gaze lingered on the pulse readings of two students on his monitor.
"So it begins…" he murmured. "They've already crossed the threshold."
The trial had only just begun — but destiny had already shifted its course.
—----