The trial grounds were bustling with energy. Competitors had begun arriving early, each reacting to the looming event in their own way. Some stood silently, mentally preparing themselves. Others engaged in light training, stretching, and going over last-minute strategies. A few paced anxiously, their breaths shaky as they anticipated the grueling trial ahead. The air was thick with tension, a mixture of ambition, fear, and determination.

  Thirty minutes before the trial started, the competitors were led into a large administrative hall. Rows of desks were lined up, and stacks of paperwork sat neatly on each one. Academy staff, dressed in signature black uniforms with golden trim that caught the light as they moved, gave out waivers to every participant.

  Josuke, seated next to Rei, swallowed hard as he read the fine print: "By signing this document, you acknowledge that this trial is extremely dangerous and may result in permanent injury or death. The Academy of Arcane holds no liability for injuries sustained."

  "They can't be serious," Josuke whispered, his voice cracking. His fingers trembled slightly as he gripped his pen. "People might actually die?"

  Rei gave a single nod, his expression unchanged. "They're serious."

  Around them, several participants stood up and walked out, their footsteps echoing in the tense silence. For them, the risk was too great. Others signed without hesitation, the scratching of pens against paper creating a soft symphony of determination.

  Josuke drew a deep breath, his eyes flicking toward Rei. "You're still doing this?"

  "Yes."

  Josuke exhaled sharply, then pressed pen to paper. "Guess I am too."

  Once the waivers were collected, the competitors were guided into an open courtyard. A raised platform stood at the front, where a middle-aged man in a formal Academy uniform stepped forward.

  "Welcome, future sorcerers," he began, scanning the crowd with practiced authority. "We will commence the Academy of Arcane's most rigorous trial in a few moments."

  The announcer continued as Academy cadres moved through the crowd, distributing sealed envelopes to those who had signed waivers. "This is not just a test—it is a battlefield. Only those with the strength, willpower, and intellect will earn their place as licensed sorcerers."

  Josuke tore open his envelope, his eyes widening. Inside was a temporary license marked with his name and Academy ID number, the paper thick and official with gold-embossed lettering.

  "This makes it real," he murmured, running his thumb over the raised lettering. "No going back now."

  The announcer allowed a moment for the reality to sink in before continuing. "This trial will span two days for newcomers. Those seeking your first license will undergo trials on Friday and Saturday."

  His gaze swept across the crowd. "For those who already hold a license, re-evaluation will take place on Sunday."

  A uniformed cadre approached the announcer and handed him a note. The man's composure slipped for just a moment as he read it—his eyes widening slightly, his throat working as he swallowed.

  "I've just received word..." The announcer's voice faltered as he read the note, his eyes widening slightly. "By direct order of Chairman Haikito himself, three individuals are granted immediate honorary licenses." He paused, the silence deafening. "Rei Sato. Kage Endo. And..." another pause, "Ryuu Hanma."

  A wave of shock spread through the courtyard. Eyes darted toward Rei, while whispers spread like wildfire through the assembled competitors.

  "Who the hell are they?"

  "Honorary licenses? That's not fair!"

  "Ryuu Hanma? Wait—THE Ryuu Hanma?!"

  Rei, who was sitting next to Josuke, stiffened. His confusion was evident in the subtle tensing of his shoulders, the slight narrowing of his eyes. Why would Haikito do this? If this was his intention, why make me go through the trouble of coming here?

  The announcer called for Rei, Kage, and Ryuu to step forward and walk up to the stage. Rei hesitated for a moment, his mind racing. He clenched his fists, feeling the weight of everyone's stares. Slowly, he rose from his seat and made his way forward.

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  Kage was already striding toward the stage, cutting through the crowd with purposeful steps. He wore an expensive suit made from the finest materials, tailored to accentuate his lean, dangerous frame. Designer sunglasses shielded his eyes, and his head sported a clean, meticulously maintained buzzcut that emphasized the sharp angles of his face. Each movement exuded practiced arrogance—yet beneath it, something cold and calculating lurked in the set of his jaw, the slight tension in his shoulders.

  As Rei approached, he felt a strong presence radiating from Kage. Not just confidence, but power. It was in the way others instinctively stepped aside, the way the air seemed to chill as he passed. Rei couldn't help but wonder how this imposing figure was connected to his own mysterious circumstances.

  As the murmurs grew louder, the announcer continued, "These three individuals have been selected personally by the Chairman himself."

  The crowd's unrest intensified. Some competitors were visibly angry, others confused. Kage let out an amused yet irritated chuckle before stepping forward, his expensive shoes clicking against the stage floor.

  "Tch. How annoying." His voice carried just enough venom to silence some of the murmurs, the words dripping with disdain. His smirk faded as he tilted his head toward the announcer, who continued calling for Ryuu to step to the stage. "You must be incompetent beyond belief if you think Ryuu Hanma has any business with this Academy. Ryuu is a legendary name that shall not be wasted in your pathetic breath."

  The announcer blinked in confusion, his professional demeanor cracking slightly. Before he could respond, Kage continued.

  "He's not coming," he stated plainly, a hint of something like respect coloring his otherwise dismissive tone. "You're wasting your time."

  More whispers spread through the crowd. Some older competitors recognized the name Ryuu Hanma and reacted with disbelief or fear, their faces paling visibly. Others, unfamiliar with him, looked on in confusion, exchanging puzzled glances.

  Then—Kage's expression darkened, his playful smirk replaced by something deadly. The temperature around him seemed to drop several degrees, creating a pocket of cold that made those standing nearby shiver involuntarily.

  He took a step forward. "And as for you, Haikito..." He exhaled sharply, his irritation turning into pure hostility. His shadow beneath him seemed to writhe independently of his movements, stretching and contracting like something alive and hungry. "I can't wait to kill you for this insult."

  The moment those words left his lips, the crowd erupted.

  Shouts of outrage filled the courtyard. Some competitors stepped forward in anger, their emotions overriding their common sense, faces red with indignation.

  One particularly aggressive competitor—a fire sorcerer, his arms already blazing with heat that distorted the air around him—stepped forward, eyes filled with fury. "You dare threaten the Chairman of the Academy?!"

  Without warning, the fire sorcerer charged at Kage, his flames intensifying with every step, casting dancing shadows across the faces of the onlookers.

  The crowd held its breath.

  And then... he stopped.

  Not by choice.

  A chilling aura washed over the battlefield. The fire sorcerer's body locked up. His flames flickered and died. The premonition of death swallowed his mind.

  His eyes widened in horror as he realized he couldn't move, his body frozen mid-stride.

  Gasps filled the courtyard as people noticed Kage's foot resting on the man's shadow, the connection between them almost visible in its intensity.

  Kage hadn't even moved.

  The silence was deafening. The air itself felt heavier, as if gravity had increased around them. A crushing pressure descended, making it difficult to breathe.

  The competitor shuddered, his breathing ragged, as if he was staring straight into the abyss.

  Kage clicked his tongue, sighing as if he were bored by the entire encounter. "You're already dead," he murmured, his voice carrying a casual finality. Then, with a flick of his foot, he released the shadow.

  The fire sorcerer collapsed onto his knees, drenched in sweat, barely able to breathe. His face had drained of all color, and his limbs trembled uncontrollably.

  The audience was frozen in place, many backing away instinctively.

  No one else stepped forward.

  The announcer, clearly shaken, cleared his throat. His voice wavered slightly before he regained his composure. "Ahem... W-With that, we will proceed... to the first trial stage. As for you two gentlemen, follow the cadre to the next room where you can watch the trial unfold."

  From the back of the crowd, a woman observed the proceedings with clinical interest. Mrs. Inosuke's weathered hands clutched her evaluation clipboard, her knuckles white with tension. Unlike the others, her gaze wasn't fixed on Kage—it was on Rei.

  "That boy," she murmured, her voice barely audible even to herself. "Something's not right. I've never sensed a reading like his before." Her fingers traced the anomalous patterns in her preliminary data, patterns that defied explanation. In forty years of evaluating potential, she had never encountered anything like it.

  "I need to investigate this further," she decided, making a note to conduct a full evaluation at the earliest opportunity. Whatever this Rei was—he was something beyond her experience. And in her long career, the unprecedented had never brought good fortune.

  At the top deck, veteran heroes leaned against the railing, scouting the fresh talent with appraising eyes. Their conversations were hushed but animated, hands occasionally pointing toward particularly interesting newcomers.

  A heavy-set man with a thick beard gestured toward where Rei and Kage had been standing. "Honorary licenses? In all my years, I've never seen Haikito pull that stunt."

  A woman beside him narrowed her eyes, her voice low with concern. "It's not the licenses that worry me. It's the mention of Ryuu Hanma."

  "You don't think he's really..." the man began.

  "I hope not," she cut him off. "For all our sakes."

  Meanwhile, in his office at the Academy, Haikito sat watching the event unfold on a massive screen. The blue glow from the monitor reflected in his piercing eyes. He leaned back in his chair, smirking slightly.

  He said nothing.

  He didn't need to.

  The pieces were already in motion.