There is a big difference between someone who is strong—
and someone who has never been tested.
Xavier L'Amour belonged to the second category.
At least,
until that day.
---
"The first practical test will begin tomorrow morning."
Professor Orpheus Vale's voice echoed through the hall.
The old man stood straight with his hands behind his back.
His eyes swept across the entire room.
Stopping for a fraction of a second on Caelum.
Then—
on Xavier.
"All students will enter the Simulacrum Forest."
Some students immediately tensed up.
Others looked excited.
"That forest contains real monsters,"
he said flatly.
"If you die in there—"
He paused.
Did not smile.
Did not joke.
"You die."
Silence.
No one laughed.
---
That night—
Xavier couldn't sleep.
He lay on his dorm bed.
Staring at the ceiling.
The room was small.
But sufficient.
He was always satisfied with sufficient.
"…Monsters, huh."
He muttered softly.
He had met monsters before.
And he survived.
Not because he was strong.
But because he—
Xavier let out a breath.
Luck.
Always luck.
Always.
And for some reason—
it was starting to feel annoying.
---
Morning came too fast.
The Simulacrum Forest stood before them.
Dark.
Silent.
Too silent.
As if the forest—
was alive.
"Enter,"
the Professor said.
No countdown.
No signal.
The students began to enter.
One by one.
Xavier followed.
Hands in his pockets.
As usual.
---
The first ten minutes—
nothing happened.
Just trees.
Roots.
And shadows.
Xavier started to relax.
"Yeah, maybe it's not that bad—"
GRRRRRR—
That sound.
From behind him.
Low.
Deep.
Hungry.
Xavier froze.
Slowly—
he turned around.
And saw it.
A Direfang Wolf.
Two meters tall.
Black fangs.
Red eyes.
Tier 2 monster.
A monster that—
should not exist in a beginner test area.
"Oh."
That was all that came out of Xavier's mouth.
"Oh."
The wolf lowered its body.
Ready to pounce.
Xavier calculated.
Distance:
Too close.
Speed:
Too fast.
Chance of winning:
None.
Chance of survival:
…
…
…
Run.
His body moved.
Without thinking.
Without hesitation.
He ran.
The wolf chased him.
The ground shook.
His breath burned.
Branches tore at him.
But the wolf got closer.
Closer.
Closer—
His foot caught on a root.
His body fell.
The ground slammed into him.
Hard.
He turned around.
The wolf was already in the air.
Its jaws open.
Ready to end everything.
And for the first time—
Xavier knew.
He was going to die.
Really die.
No coincidence.
No miracle.
No—
CRACK.
The ground collapsed.
Beneath the wolf.
The monster's body fell into a hidden pit.
Wooden spears pierced its body.
Black blood sprayed.
The monster screamed.
Then went still.
Silence.
Xavier stared.
Frozen.
His breathing was irregular.
"…Hah."
He laughed.
Weakly.
In disbelief.
"Heh…"
His hands trembled.
He almost died.
He really almost died.
And again—
he survived.
Because of a trap.
A trap that—
he could not possibly have known was there.
Lucky bastard.
Yeah.
That was him.
---
"But."
That voice.
Calm.
Cold.
From behind him.
"That trap wasn't set for you."
Xavier turned around.
And saw him.
Caelum Argentis.
He stood there.
Uninjured.
Not tired.
Not anything.
His eyes looked at the pit.
Then—
at Xavier.
"If you had stepped one meter to the left,"
he said flatly.
"You would be the one dead."
There was no emotion in his voice.
No mockery.
Just facts.
And those facts—
were sharper than any insult.
Xavier smiled.
As usual.
"Yeah. But I didn't step to the left."
Silence.
Caelum stared at him for a few seconds.
As if trying to understand something.
Then—
he turned around.
And walked away.
"…"
Without a word.
Without looking back.
But as he left—
he said one thing.
Softly.
Almost like a whisper.
"Luck doesn't always come."
Xavier stood still.
Alone.
In front of the pit.
In front of his death—
that failed to happen.
For the first time—
those words
felt like a warning.
Not an insult.
---
Deep inside him—
something moved again.
Still small.
Still weak.
But—
alive.
And for some reason—
it felt like
it was waiting.
Waiting for something.
Waiting for—
the day when
luck
would not come.