# LIMITLESS ASCENSION
## Chapter 2: The Academy Test
Fifteen years later.
Jayden stared at the massive gates of Nexus Academy, fighting the urge to grin like an idiot.
*I'm actually here.*
The Academy rose before him like something out of a fantasy game five towers spiraling into the clouds, connected by floating bridges that defied physics. Hundreds of kids his age crowded the entrance plaza, all waiting for the entrance exam.
"Move it, Beggar."
Someone shoved past him. A kid in expensive armor, sneering.
Jayden's right eye flickered. Red and black bled through his normal brown iris for a split second just long enough to see the kid's next three steps, the position of his feet, the weakness in his stance.
*Could trip him easy.*
But he didn't. He just stepped aside.
"Sorry," Jayden said with an easy smile.
The kid paused, thrown off. Then scoffed and walked away.
*Still works.*
The aura blessing. Fifteen years and he still wasn't used to how well it worked. People just… liked him. Trusted him faster. Even when they wanted to be assholes, something made them hesitate.
It was useful. Also kind of depressing when he thought about it too long.
"Attention, applicants!"
A woman's voice boomed across the plaza. She stood on a raised platform late twenties, sharp eyes, wearing the black and gold uniform of an Academy instructor.
"I'm Professor Vance. The entrance exam begins now. You'll be tested on three things: combat ability, essence control, and tactical thinking." She pointed to the gates. "Beyond those doors is the Testing Ground. Survive for one hour. Defeat essence beasts. Protect the crystals in your starting zone. Top one hundred scorers get admitted."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"Oh, and one more thing." Her smile turned cold. "PvP is allowed. If you think stealing someone else's crystals is easier than hunting beasts, go for it. We don't coddle the weak here."
Jayden's pulse quickened.
*PvP on the first day. Of course.*
"You have five minutes to prepare. Then the gates open."
The crowd exploded into motion. Some kids pulled out weapons. Others formed groups immediately nobles gravitating toward each other, commoners eyeing everyone with suspicion.
Jayden stood still, hand drifting to the short blade at his hip. Nothing fancy. His dad had forged it for him last year.
*I'm Beggar rank.* The lowest of the low. Barely able to sense essence, let alone use it properly.
But he had Omni.
And his parents had spent fifteen years teaching him to fight without relying on flashy powers. Real combat. Dirty, efficient, brutal.
"Hey."
Jayden turned. A massive kid stood behind him easily six foot five, built like a boulder with a friendly face.
"You look like you know what you're doing," the kid said. "Wanna team up? I'm Marcus. Marcus Garrett."
*Same name as Dad. Weird.*
Jayden's eye flickered again. He saw Marcus's stance grounded, solid. No openings. The kid was strong. Really strong.
But more importantly, his smile was genuine.
"Jayden Cross." He stuck out his hand. "Yeah, let's do it."
Marcus's grin widened. "Awesome. Fair warning I'm kind of a tank. Strong but slow."
"I'm fast but weak."
"Perfect."
The gates rumbled open.
"BEGIN!"
The crowd surged forward. Jayden and Marcus moved with them, entering a massive arena that looked like a twisted forest trees with black bark, glowing moss, and crystal formations jutting from the ground.
"There!" Marcus pointed at a cluster of crystals fifty yards ahead. "That's our zone!"
They ran. Jayden's eye pulsed, tracking movement in his peripheral vision. Three kids were already heading for the same spot.
*Gonna be a fight.*
They reached the crystals first. Marcus planted himself in front, cracking his knuckles. Jayden circled behind, blade out.
The three kids skidded to a stop two boys and a girl, all wearing matching guild emblems.
"That's our zone," the lead boy said. Novice rank, maybe. Fire affinity, judging by the flicker of flames around his hands.
"We got here first," Jayden replied evenly.
"Don't care." Flames erupted. "Move or burn."
Jayden's eye flickered.
Time slowed.
He saw the fire blast's trajectory before it launched. Saw the second kid pulling a knife. Saw the girl chanting ice affinity, area attack.
*Three seconds until they attack. Marcus can tank the fire. I take the knife guy. Dodge the ice.*
"Marcus, left!"
"On it!"
The fire blast launched. Marcus stepped forward, essence flaring around his arms earth manifestation, crude but effective. Stone gauntlets formed, and he slammed his fists together.
The fire splashed against rock.
Jayden moved right, blade low. The knife kid lunged exactly where Omni predicted. Jayden sidestepped, slashed upward caught the kid's wrist, not deep but enough.
The knife clattered.
"Shit!"
Ice spikes erupted from the ground. Jayden twisted, Omni showing him the safe spaces between each spike. He flowed through them like water.
Marcus charged the fire kid, too fast for someone his size. One punch. The kid went down hard.
The girl stopped chanting, eyes wide.
"W wait "
"Leave," Jayden said quietly.
She ran. The knife kid scrambled after her. The fire kid groaned but crawled away.
Marcus laughed, breathing hard. "Dude. You're way better than Beggar rank."
"I get that a lot."
They defended the crystals for the next hour. Five more fights. Each time, Jayden's eye gave him the edge seeing attacks before they came, reading opponents like open books, moving with impossible precision.
Marcus tanked. Jayden dodged and struck.
They didn't lose a single crystal.
When the horn blared, signaling the end, they were both exhausted but grinning.
Professor Vance stood at the exit gate, scanning a glowing tablet.
"Jayden Cross and Marcus Garrett. First place. Forty seven crystals defended, twelve beasts defeated, zero crystals lost." She looked up, eyebrow raised. "Impressive for a Beggar and a Novice."
"We work well together," Jayden said.
"Clearly." She tapped her tablet. "You're both admitted. Dorm assignments will be posted tonight. Welcome to Nexus Academy."
Marcus whooped, slapping Jayden's back hard enough to nearly knock him over.
As they walked toward the main building, Jayden caught sight of another student watching them from across the courtyard.
A girl with silver hair and cold blue eyes. Ice affinity, definitely he could feel it even from here.
She looked at him like he was a puzzle she intended to solve.
Then she turned and walked away.
*Great. Already made an impression.*
His right eye pulsed once, faintly, and for just a second he saw her future movements saw her turning back to glance at him one more time.
And she did.
Jayden looked away, heart pounding.
*This is going to be interesting.*
**End of Chapter 2**