After the purple-haired boy stepped into the room, the metal door slammed behind him.
The moment the sound faded, the corridor fell silent for a while, before the other students began to prepare. Some stood up to stretch their muscles, some practiced casting spells in the air, while others hurriedly read the notes in their hands.
Makoto dropped onto a long bench along the wall and let out a long sigh.
"What do you think the second part of his test is, anyway?"
Rin sat down beside him, leaning back against the bench casually.
"Prolly something like the entrance exam, I guess…"
Makoto nodded weakly like an exhausted man. "Yeah… Probably."
Ardent approached them, his expression showed thoughtfully in his emotion.
"I think I might change the test topic to specialized abilities" "The entrance exam already tested almost everything."
Makoto nodded again, sounding more enthusiastic this time.
"Yeah, that makes more sense!"
"But I don't understand why they make us go in one at the time,"
"No rules, no explanations… nothing about the test at all." Ardent muttered
"Exactly,"
"It's obviously designed to make students anxious." Makoto replied.
Makoto's gaze drifted to the sword sheath strapped to Ardent's side.
"You brought a sword with you?"
"Yes. This sword is—"
Rin yawned exaggeratedly and shook Makoto by the shoulder.
"Alright, enough talking. These things are just straight boring. Let's talk about something more interesting~"
He pointed into the distance. Makoto followed his finger with a puzzled look.
"Look over there. That blonde girl is really cute, isn't she? That long hair tells that she takes good care of it. I heard she's from a noble family, too."
Makoto frowned immediately and brushed Rin's hand away.
"I really shouldn't listen to you in the first place." "And stop pointing at people randomly like a creep, Rin."
Rin scowled. "A creep? You've got it all wrong." "This is appreciation of human beauty, okay? Got it?!"
Just as their conversation ended, the iron door slid open with a harsh creak.
The purple-haired boy who had gone in first staggered out, and collapsed to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably.
"T-This isn't fair!! What's the point of even calling this a test?! Damn it!!"
He kicked the wall with a loud bang, making everyone nearby flinch, then bolted out of the corridor.
The students fall into complete silence. Just a moment later, a weirdly chilling voice rang out from the deadly room. That emotionless voice made everyone raise their goosebumps.
"Alright... Next."
The atmosphere instantly became stressful. Everyone stayed still like a mannequin. Not a single whisper came out from them. Several students stared ahead wide-eyed, as if they were already staring at the end of their journey.
Makoto stiffly froze, despair filling all of his thoughts.
("That was quick… That means he… No, there's no way he passed…)
(I really can't do this…)
Just as his nerves were about to explode like a bubble, a voice spoke beside him.
"Thank you—both of you."
Makoto and Rin turned at them. Ardent stood there, a gentle smile wielding on his face.
He brushed a bit of dust from the hem of his cloak before continuing.
"You've made me relax quite a lot." He smiled at them, a smile completely opposite from the suffocating tension around them.
Calmly, he walked toward the exam room door, passing through the crowd. Before entering, he turned back to them, his gaze steady. Moments later, the iron door slowly closed behind him.
Ardent entered the room, it was a large rectangular space. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all pure white.
The atmosphere was unnaturally empty, as if he had stepped into a different world.
Standing before him was Instructor Apathel, standing calm and motionless.
The instructor slowly opened his mouth. "Alright. I will now explain the rules of the second test."
As he spoke, his hand moved as if reaching for something in his pocket.
Back in the corridor—Only three minutes passed after Ardent entered, the white iron door slid open again, but Ardent did not come out from that room.
"Next!" the professor's voice called out to their students.
Panic spread through the hall. Tension rippled instantly as nervous whispers erupted.
"Hey… where did the guy go…?"
"This place is insane!!"
"D-Don't tell me he's dead in there…"
Makoto jumped to his feet in agitation.
"We need to check that inside real quick!"
Rin grabbed his arm.
"Calm down pal. That pretty boy'll be fine."
"But…" Makoto replied with worry in his tone.
"There's no way he died. If someone passes, maybe they don't come out of the room. Besides… if he really died, I'd probably can feel it." Rin shrugged and smiled casually.
Makoto hesitated, uncertainty flooding his mind, before slowly resuming his seat, anxiety etched across his pale features
"…Yeah. You're probably right."
Rin inhaled deeply, as he stood up he said.
"That's why I'll be the next one to go in."
Makoto stared at him, wide-eyed with disbelief. "W-What do you mean, Rin?!"
Rin grinned and headed toward the door.
"Don't worry. I'll be waiting inside."
The door shut immediately as Rin stepped in the room, leaving Makoto alone outside.
Five minutes have passed. That door creaked open again. and yet, no one came out.
But this time, the silence and anxiety were replaced by strange excitement, bubbling among the students.
"So that guy passed, huh? Let's hurry and go in!"
"Yeah!!"
"I'm ready!"
Makoto remained in place, lost in his own thoughts.
("What if Rin can't do it either…?")
("What if neither Rin nor Ardent are inside…?")
His thoughts spiraled until he failed to notice the other examinees entering one by one.
Only a handful ever came back out.
He kept staring at the floor, drowning in worry until.
"Alright! You! the last one!!"
The loud call finally snapped Makoto out of it. He looked up in disbelief.
There was no one left.
("When did I end up sitting here alone…?")
His legs trembled as he stood, as if his body itself resisted entering. His face was pale with anxiety.
As Makoto stepped inside, the world around him shifted—a kaleidoscope of reality transformed the dull walls into the vibrant rooftop of a weathered building.
Back when he studied in the upper world, he and his friends used to eat lunch on the rooftop. It was a quiet place few people knew was open, and they were usually the only ones there.
The memory felt warm. A gentle breeze brushed against the railings.
That atmosphere always made him relax, filling him with the warmth of nostalgia, easing his worries.
Makoto set his lunch box down beside Kenta and Ryo, who were already eating their meal.
"You guys never wait for me," Makoto grumbled, pointing at them.
"Well, whose fault is it for chatting with Rena all the time?" Kenta teased with a grin.
"Please, cut it out," Makoto said dejectedly. "She probably thinks I'm a weirdo now."
"You're hopeless with girls, Makoto," Ryo chimed in, shaking his head in disapproval. "Better than being called a pervert by the demon Midori."
At that moment, the rooftop door creaked, pulling their attention.
Reina stepped through, her lunch box clutched tightly in one hand. With wide eyes, she scanned the expanse until they fell upon Makoto and his friends.
"S-Sorry to interrupt you," she said shyly, then quickly turned back toward the door.
"Wait, don't go yet!" Makoto called, springing to his feet.
"If you don't mind… you can come eat with us?"
Ryo quickly packed up his lunch.
"If you get a chance, take it. Pretty sneaky of you."
He rushed off, followed by Kenta.
"Wow, creepy Makoto's pretty quick," Kenta muttered jealously.
"Let's take a walk, Ryo."
"If Makoto does anything weird, scream as loud as you can," Ryo added before leaving.
Reina laughed softly and walked toward Makoto.
Makoto blinked.
The rooftop faded away like a mirage, replaced by the same white room Ardent had seen.
Professor Apathel's voice sliced through the silence.
"What's wrong?"
The door behind Makoto vanished in an instant, leaving only the professor looming behind him.
("What… just happened…?")
("No, I must just be too stressed…")
He exhaled slowly. "It's nothing, sir."
("Just focus on the test.")
He slapped his cheeks hard.
("Focus, Makoto!")
The professor smiled coldly and pulled an object from his pocket. It's a simple click pen.
"Alright. I'll explain the test."
Makoto nodded and looked at the pen.
"You have five minutes. I will hold this pen in my left hand. If you can make it drop from my hand, you pass." "You can use magic or anything else. I will not attack first, but I will defend myself appropriately."
("Sounds easy… but if it were that simple, that purple-haired guy wouldn't have run away.")
"The final decision is mine," the professor continued.
"So don't hold back." "Any questions?"
Makoto remained silent, and his fists tightened.
("So people who come out after two or three minutes… they succeed early?")
("Then it must really be easy!")
("No!, focus. Think of a plan.")
Makoto tried to come up with a plan, but suddenly he remembered something.
It reminded him of that fateful day. The day he had discovered how to manifest a gear with Reina, just after their first session together.
"Reina, I'm already bored! No matter what I do, that stupid gear just won't appear!" Makoto groaned, flopping onto the sandy ground in exasperation.
Reina looked down at him in concern. "If you're feeling stuck… maybe you need to know how to cast elemental magic."
Lying there, Makoto let his eyes drift around the training field. "But you said it usually takes people a year or more to use elemental magic…"
She shook her head gently. "That's not true, Makoto. You've already managed to create a gear." "Two weeks is more than enough time for you to master elemental magic ."
With that, Makoto stood up. "Well, if you believe that, then I'll give it my all!"
Reina's eyes widened slightly in surprise before she nodded with encouragement. "Alright then! Let's start with the basics!"
"Got it!" Makoto replied.
She stepped closer, a serious glint in her eyes. "But before we dive in, there's something important I need to tell you."
Before Reina could finish, the professor's voice boomed through the air. "One minute has passed!"
Startled, Makoto jolted upright, but rather than panic, a confident smile spread across his face. Without hesitation, he sprinted toward the professor.
In a swift, practiced movement, the professor leapt back just as something erupted from the ground beside Makoto. A cone-shaped high around a meter spike shot upward.
("What the?! Is that Professor Apathel's magic?")
("No… this feels different—it's a gear?")
Before he could speculate any further, a violent tremor coursed beneath him. Hundreds of spikes pierce through the ground, shooting toward him like a relentless barrage of arrows.
"Damn it!" He leaping out of the way. But the spikes followed him, as if they could read his movement.
As they closed in, a brilliant light flared from Makoto's hand. It's his gear he had manifested. With a swift motion, he swung it, deflecting the incoming rain of spikes.
The instructor's eyes widened in astonishment. "A gear?, Oh… Impressive. As expected of a recommended student."
Makoto didn't listen to what he's saying. Dodging a larger spike, and charged directly at the professor. "Tch. What a waste of time."
In response, several massive spikes appeared in front of him, forming a jagged wall designed to block his path completely.
("These spikes are annoying!")
He tried to slip around the side, but another layer of spikes formed, encircling him in a deadly cage.
He knocked the smaller ones aside, but this time. THUD! One of the spikes slammed into his body with brutal force, knocking him backward against the spiked wall. It didn't pierce him, but the impact left him reeling.
"Oh right!" Makoto said.
With fierce resolve, the cage of spikes crumbled, he was able to see the professor once more. The fallen spikes disintegrated around him like gravel, as Makoto was about to stand.
"Two minutes have passed!" the professor announced.
Makoto was exhausted, the sword hilt in his hand starting to dissolve. The professor observed him. "Looks like you can't maintain it for long."
Yet, Makoto grinned. He raised his right hand, gathering mana with focused intensity. He cast a small fireball like Rena's one in his palm and launched straight at the professor.
"That's far too weak," he replied dismissively.
"I never said I was trying to hit you!!" Makoto shouted back.
("Elemental magic requires clear mind to cast…") He quickly strategized. ("I just need to make him distracted first!")
Several small fireballs shot forth in rapid succession, creating a dazzling display in the air. As the fireballs flew, he noticed the spikes rising from the ground beginning to vanish one by one.
("Just as I thought!")
Makoto rushed forward, determination pushing him forward with each stride. The professor dodged the barrage effortlessly, his movements fluid and unhurried.
But as the spikes began to behave erratically, erupting without direction, a chill crept up Makoto's spine. The instructor, finally realizing the shift, narrowed his eyes.
A massive cluster of spikes burst forth from the ground, exploding upward all at once, darkening his vision.
In that desperate moment, Reina's voice echoed within him. ("From what I've seen, Makoto… you can cast spells incredibly quickly.") The heat of determination flared within him. ("But maintaining them is where you struggle.")
The fireballs starting to disappear, he charged straight toward the spikes, ignoring the imminent danger. ("Even so…")
He leapt high, aiming directly at the sharp points meant to skewer him, his gaze locked on professor Apathel.
("You're quick-witted, sharp, and incredibly smart.")
The spikes slammed into him with the force of a battering ram, sending him crashing through the air as if he'd been struck by a speeding carriage. But he dared not falter.
As he sailed through the air, his left hand ignited in a blaze of fire. In his right, mana gathered, condensing into tiny droplets of water. With a powerful swing of his right arm, he scattered the water into the air.
The professor stared in shock as he asked, "What are you doing?"
Makoto lunged forward defiantly, snapping his left hand out to meet the oncoming spikes. "You'll see!"
With a roar, he accelerated the flames, sending them spiraling out. The water vaporized instantly, transforming into thick steam that enveloped the space and obscured the professor's view.
("Thank you, for always guiding me, Reina!")
Makoto rushed to the left side of the professor, pouring the last of his remaining mana into his left hand.
A broken blade burst forth, flying straight toward the hand holding the pen.
("I'll prove it myself")
("That I really can do this!")
CLANG!
The sound of metal colliding rang out. Followed by something dropping to the floor.
The steam slowly began to clear, revealing what lay ahead.