The trial grounds were packed with anticipation. Seven hundred and fifty eager participants stood in the vast arena, eyes locked onto the towering holographic screens floating above. The air vibrated with nervous energy as competitors made their final preparations. Some adjusted their gloves with trembling fingers, others cracked their knuckles with forced confidence, while many stood frozen in place, faces pale with anxiety. The weight of the moment settled over them like an ominous cloud.

  A raised platform at the front of the arena caught the light dramatically. There stood the Trial Announcer, dressed in the Academy's signature black and gold robes that gleamed under the harsh floodlights. He lifted a single hand, and the murmurs of the crowd hushed instantly.

  "Welcome, competitors, to the first trial of the Academy of Arcane." His voice, amplified by sorcery, echoed throughout the grounds. "This is not a simple test. This is the first step toward proving you belong in a world of true warriors."

  He surveyed the sea of applicants, his expression betraying nothing. "The rules are simple. Of the seven hundred and fifty of you, only two hundred and fifty will be selected as anomalies."

  A ripple of tension moved through the crowd. Josuke shifted his weight from one foot to the other, swallowing hard.

  "You will know if you are selected when your temporary license begins to glow," the announcer continued. "To defeat an anomaly, you must either incapacitate them or take their license." His eyes narrowed. "If you are not selected, you must defeat one to advance."

  Several competitors exchanged uneasy glances. What had seemed like a test of skill was becoming a battle for survival.

  "The trial will last exactly one hour." The announcer's words cut through the tense silence. "Anomalies who remain undefeated automatically advance."

  He paused, letting his next words sink in. "And those who defeat two or more other anomalies will skip the second trial entirely, advancing directly to the final test."

  Competitive fire ignited in many eyes at this announcement. A shortcut to the end—for those willing to hunt rather than hide.

  "If you fail to defeat an anomaly within the hour..." The announcer's voice lowered ominously. "You are eliminated."

  The word 'eliminated' seemed to echo longer than it should have, hanging in the air like a death sentence.

  A giant digital timer appeared above the trial grounds, currently frozen at 60:00, its red numbers stark and unforgiving. Next to it, the words SELECTING ANOMALIES... flashed in bright gold text, pulsating like a heartbeat.

  Names began populating the screen one by one, and corresponding licenses began to glow with ethereal light. No matter where they stored their license, an intense glow emanated from those chosen, bathing nearby competitors in golden luminescence.

  Competitors watched in eerie silence, some praying they wouldn't be selected, others desperately hoping they would be. The anticipation was a physical presence, thick enough to cut with a knife.

  Josuke's face tightened with anxiety, his usual bravado replaced by genuine fear as he awaited his fate. Sweat beaded on his upper lip as he whispered prayers under his breath.

  JOSUKE HOSHINO – ANOMALY

  The words appeared on the screen, and immediately his license began to emit a warm golden light. Josuke's eyes widened before his face twisted into a cocky grin, relief washing over him in a visible wave.

  "Hell yeah." He reached into his pocket, pulled out a small bottle of caffeine pills, and popped one into his mouth with a shaking hand. The bitter taste spread across his tongue as he swallowed it dry. "All I gotta do is stall for an hour. Easy. Easiest test ever."

  He patted the bottle in his pocket, his confidence returning. "Once these kick in, they'll never see me coming."

  The selection continued until two hundred and fifty names had been highlighted in gold, each announcement sending ripples of either relief or dread through the assembled competitors.

  The Announcer raised his hand once more, the movement deliberate and dramatic. "Competitors, prepare yourselves. The trial will commence in exactly one minute."

  Observation Room – Rei & Kage

  From a private, elevated chamber overlooking the trial, Rei sat in silence as he watched the events unfold. The room was furnished with plush chairs and monitoring equipment, a stark contrast to the spartan arena below. Kage leaned lazily against the railing, his arms crossed, his eyes flicking over the list of selected anomalies displayed on a screen before them. He barely looked interested, checking his phone occasionally with an air of practiced boredom.

  "Tch. This is a waste of my time," Kage muttered, the words barely audible over the hum of the monitoring equipment.

  Rei observed him quietly, noticing how Kage's apparent disinterest didn't match the sharp intensity in his eyes whenever he glanced at the arena. Something about the assassin's posture suggested he was analyzing the competitors, cataloging strengths and weaknesses with professional detachment.

  Rei said nothing, his usual detached expression unchanged as he returned his attention to the preparations below.

  After a long silence, Kage finally turned toward him, the movement casual yet somehow predatory. "Alright, kid. Time to cut the bullshit." His voice darkened, the casual tone giving way to something more dangerous. "What's your deal? I know why Haikito is wasting my time with this circus. What's your connection to the Academy?"

  Rei, still watching the screen, responded simply. "I'm here to learn more about Mr. Haikito. I had no interest in the Academy before him, but I was hoping to earn my license and discover my concept." His voice remained monotone, revealing nothing of his inner thoughts.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  A silence fell between them, heavy with unspoken tension.

  Then—

  Kage burst into laughter. It was a short, sharp laugh, filled with incredulity and barely contained rage. The sound cut through the room like a blade. His amusement faded as his expression twisted into frustration, his perfect features contorting with disbelief.

  "Are you serious?" His voice dripped with venom, each word precisely articulated. "Haikito gave you an honorary license with no concept?"

  Rei finally turned to meet his gaze, dark eyes meeting the hidden eyes behind Kage's designer sunglasses. "Seems like it. He even knew my nickname of the Vessel."

  Kage's eye twitched visibly as a shadow passed over his expression. His fingers curled into a fist, his designer rings catching the light. The air around him shifted as his shadow twitched unnaturally beneath his feet, stretching and contracting like a living thing.

  Kage gritted his teeth, the muscle in his jaw jumping. "I signed a contract," he muttered, mostly to himself. "I failed my assassination on Haikito, and he—"

  A memory resurfaced—Haikito standing over him, voice calm yet absolute.

  "In time, I will call upon you to train a sorcerer called 'The Vessel.' Only then will you understand why."

  The memory faded. Kage's fist clenched tighter, his expensive rings digging into his palm. "—prophesized that I would train you for six months." Kage stood up, his tailored suit rustling with the motion, his aura becoming more threatening, filling the observation room with a suffocating pressure. "If I honored my deal—I would finally get my chance at revenge, and clear my name in MY community." He exhaled sharply, closing his eyes briefly before opening them again, brimming with frustration. "But now I find out that the kid I'm supposed to train has nothing?"

  His fingers curled into a fist, the air around them shifting as his shadow twitched unnaturally, elongating across the floor.

  "Show me your concept before I get even more pissed, Vessel."

  Rei remained still, his face impassive despite the growing danger.

  Kage's breath slowed. His eye twitched. "...Oh, you're serious."

  Then, in a heartbeat, his shadow shot forward. Rei barely dodged as the shadow slithered across the floor, missing his ankle by inches. The darkness moved with unnatural speed, like liquid in reverse gravity. He sidestepped another tendril before rolling back into a defensive stance, his movements precise despite his apparent lack of training.

  "Oh no, Vessel," Kage sneered, stepping forward, his expensive shoes clicking against the floor. "You don't get to just stand there and be useless." His shadow snapped again, forcing Rei to leap backward, the air displacing around him with a soft whoosh. "If I have to waste six months of my life on you, then you'd better prove you're worth the damn time."

  Kage's shadow tendrils expanded, taking an unnatural form. The darkness began molding into a grotesque humanoid figure—fingers gnarled and elongated like claws, cracking as they flexed with sickening pops. Rei now realized this wasn't just Kage. This was a 2v1.

  Rei narrowed his eyes, his body shifting instinctively as Kage's assault continued, the air growing colder around them as the shadows deepened.

  The Battlefield – The Trial Begins

  The digital clock struck 00:00.

  The trial had begun.

  The arena erupted into chaos. The air crackled with released energy as hundreds of competitors launched into motion simultaneously. Concepts activated across the battlefield—fire spiraling, water bending, earth rising, metal twisting—creating a kaleidoscope of destructive power.

  Some competitors froze in place, paralyzed by fear. Others charged forward with battle cries, their bodies wreathed in activated concepts. The weak-willed hesitated, their feet rooted to the ground, eyes darting frantically from side to side as they searched for escape routes.

  Josuke had a different plan.

  "Alright, game plan." He inhaled sharply, scanning the crowd with sharp eyes, pupils dilated from the caffeine pills coursing through his system. His heart hammered in his chest, almost painful in its intensity. "Find an anomaly, knock 'em out, take their spot, find another one, and skip the second trial. Quick and easy."

  His confidence lasted exactly three seconds.

  A wet, sickening sound rang out, cutting through the cacophony of battle.

  A young competitor, barely 17, was lifted into the air—impaled through the stomach by a jagged spear. The blood-slicked weapon jutted from his back, gleaming crimson under the arena lights. His body twitched as if his brain hadn't yet realized he was already dead, eyes wide with shock and confusion.

  The metallic scent of blood filled the air, sharp and nauseating.

  Josuke's stomach dropped. His cocky grin disappeared instantly, replaced by a sickly pallor.

  Reality set in like a sledgehammer to the chest, knocking the air from his lungs.

  This wasn't a game.

  This wasn't just a test.

  This was survival.

  Josuke crouched behind a broken stone pillar, heart pounding like a war drum. The rough surface dug into his back as he pressed himself against it, trying to make himself as small as possible. The distant sounds of battle—screams, explosions, the clash of weapons—created a nightmarish backdrop to his racing thoughts.

  "Survive," he whispered to himself, the word becoming his mantra. "Just survive."

  But survival wasn't as simple as hiding. Already, competitors were actively hunting the anomalies, drawn by the golden glow of their licenses. Josuke had removed his from his pocket, tucking it under his shirt to minimize the telltale light, but he knew it was only a temporary solution.

  He peeked around the pillar, scanning the battlefield with growing desperation. The arena had transformed into a warzone—bodies already littered the ground, concepts clashed in deadly displays of power, and the stench of blood hung heavy in the air.

  A spear impaled another anomaly a few feet from him, the sharp end piercing clean through their chest with a wet, tearing sound. Blood splattered across the dirt, some drops landing on Josuke's shoe. The poor bastard barely had time to react before they crumpled, lifeless.

  Josuke's breath hitched, catching in his throat. Everything about this trial—this slaughterhouse—was suddenly suffocating. The air felt too thick to breathe, filled with dust and the iron scent of blood.

  He clenched his fists, willing himself to focus. "Okay, okay. Think, idiot. How do I survive this?"

  His first plan was to knock out a weak opponent and skip straight to the third trial. It was a great idea when he thought everyone would be playing by the rules.

  But one minute in, and people were already dying.

  He swallowed hard, his throat dry. That plan was officially scrapped.

  New plan: Hide. Stall. Outlast the chaos.

  Then, as he peeked around the broken pillar again, he saw her.

  A girl—long flowing hair, soft violet eyes, and a smile so sweet it felt like honey. Her porcelain skin seemed to glow even in the chaos, untouched by the surrounding carnage.

  She wasn't fighting.

  She wasn't even hiding.

  She stood in the open, looking calm. Unbothered. Her dress fluttered slightly in the breeze, unstained despite the bloodshed around her.

  Josuke immediately froze, his instincts screaming danger.

  She smiled warmly. "Oh my, aren't you adorable?" Her voice was melodic, each word dripping with sweetness.

  His guard shot up. "Uh... who are you?"

  The girl giggled, stepping closer. The scent of expensive perfume wafted around her, intoxicating and alluring. "Oh, darling, that's no way to speak to a lady. My name is Mya."

  Josuke didn't move.

  There was something off about her. Too perfect. Too calm in the midst of such violence.

  Then—her fingertips grazed his wrist.

  And suddenly, Josuke's mind blurred.

  His breath hitched. His heartbeat skipped. His body felt... warm. Unnaturally warm.

  A foreign feeling seeped into his thoughts, taking root and spreading like poison.

  "She's so beautiful..."

  "Her eyes... mesmerizing..."

  "I want to..."

  His entire willpower cracked, splintering like glass.

  Something was controlling him. His thoughts weren't his own.

  His body wanted to move closer, kneel, obey.

  Mya's smile grew. "That's a good boy." She traced a finger down his jawline, her touch leaving a trail of warmth.

  Josuke was trapped. His muscles refused to obey him, his mind clouded with thoughts that weren't his own.

  He had never felt so helpless in his life.