"You idiot!" Lia snapped when Zaros answered a question incorrectly, despite having practiced it with her the day before.

  Zaros leaned back with his hands casually behind his head and let out a carefree laugh. "Sorry, I forgot."

  "Ugh, Kael, hold me back," she hissed, narrowing her eyes with theatrical fury. "If you don't, I swear I'll strangle this brute! I wasted my entire afternoon tutoring him, and for what?!”

  Her voice rose with each word, and finally recognizing the danger, Zaros ducked behind Kael’s shoulder like a child seeking shelter. Kael couldn’t help but grin at the absurdity of it.

  "Okay, I'm sorry," Zaros admitted quickly, hands raised in surrender. "But I solved most of the other questions. With full points on the swordmanship exam, I should pass anyway.”

  He turned to Kael, eager to steer the conversation away from Lia’s wrath. "What about you? You Chroniclers have another test tomorrow, right?”

  "Yeah," Kael replied, leaning against a stone pillar. "I only know its name: Labyrinth of Twist."

  “An intriguing name,” Lia said, her irritation fading into curiosity.

  "Exactly!" Zaros exclaimed, his grin returning. "Sounds like an exciting adventure."

  Kael gave a small shrug. "We'll see. We'll receive more precise information after the practical test."

  As they walked along the academy’s shaded path, the conversation softened. Birds chirped in the distance, providing a stark contrast to the tension of that morning. Zaros kicked a loose pebble down the path while Lia tucked a strand of her red hair behind her ear.

  Kael turned to her. “Did your family try to contact you again?”

  “Yeah,” she sneered, her voice tightening. "But I turned them down. I still can’t forgive them for using me for their own benefit.”

  "That's understandable," Zaros said quietly, guilt flickering over his face. "I still feel bad that I said I couldn't help—"

  "It's okay," she interrupted, her tone softening. "I don’t blame you. I guess I had a guardian angel watching over me."

  Her gaze slid toward Kael, and a gentle smile curved her lips.

  Kael said nothing. He closed his eyes and leaned back against the pillar, letting the warm summer breeze wash over him.

  “I sometimes wish time would just stand still,” he murmured. "Just like this moment."

  "That would be great." Zaros agreed, his usual bravado replaced by a rare quiet.

  ...

  The next day, the clang of steel and the sharp commands of the instructors echoed through the training grounds. Sunlight struck the polished blades as students took their turns in the dueling ring one by one.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  When his name was called, Kael stepped into the circle, sword in hand. His grip was steady, but a faint tension ran through his arms. Instructor Turin faced him with his usual stern expression and no trace of indulgence in his eyes.

  The duel began with a flash of movement. Turin lunged with practical precision. Kael blocked the first two strikes, but his reactions lagged by fractions of a heartbeat. Sweat clung to his brow, and his muscles burned with each parry from weeks of preparation.

  He tried to counterattack, but his footing slipped on the polished floorboards. In that split second, Turin’s blade tapped his chest. Decisive and clean.

  Kael stumbled backward and hit the ground, breathing hard.

  "Four points," Turin said flatly, lowering his weapon.

  Kael stared up at the cloudless sky above the arena ceiling, his jaw tightening.

  “I have to say I’m disappointed,” Turin continued, his tone cutting but measured. "After your fight against Liam, I thought you were a rough diamond that just needed polishing. But Astra was right. It was only luck.”

  With that, he turned and walked off the stage, his boots echoing like gravel.

  Great, Kael thought bitterly as he pushed himself upright. At least I cleared his suspicions about my power.

  "Students, gather here!" a voice called across the arena.

  The crowd assembled in neat rows beneath the podium. Professor Jade stood above them, list in hand, her gaze sweeping over the students like a hawk.

  Names were called one after another. Some students exhaled in relief, while others stared at the ground, pale. When her eyes found Kael, he met them steadily.

  "Student Kael... pass," she announced, her voice as neutral as ever.

  A wave of emotion swept through the students: joy, frustration, and quiet sobbing. Kael’s eyes scanned the crowd until he spotted Astra leaning casually against the wall. Of course, her name had been called first. When she caught his gaze, she gave him a small, knowing smirk.

  Is she proud that I passed? he wondered, uncertain how to read her.

  "All students who failed the exam must leave the arena grounds immediately and collect their belongings," Jade declared. "Starting tomorrow, you are prohibited from entering the academy again.”

  The words struck like hammer blows. Some froze in disbelief; others lowered their heads in silent grief. A few turned away with clenched fists and burning eyes.

  Most of the students dispersed slowly, heads hanging low. Only fifty remained on the training grounds, huddling together and whispering nervously.

  Professor Jade stepped forward once more, her posture straight and her voice unwavering.

  "Now, dear remaining students," she began, "congratulations on passing the exams. You have earned the right to participate in the Labyrinth of Twist.”

  A murmur rippled through the crowd.

  "This particular labyrinth," she continued, "has only twenty exits. Which means...only twenty of you will make it through."

  "What?! We've gone through all this, and we can still be expelled?"

  "Exactly," Jade snapped. "And don't interrupt me again!"

  Silence fell like a blade.

  "You will all begin at the labyrinth’s center. The goal is simple: reach one of the exits. Survive its dangers, overcome its traps, and defeat any opponents who stand in your way. Fighting is not prohibited. If you want to eliminate competitors early, you’re free to do so.”

  Her eyes hardened. "Students who are eliminated must remain where they fall. We professors will strictly supervise the examination and punish anyone who breaks the rules. But don’t worry; this labyrinth has its own security mechanism that protects you from lethal danger and ensure that you stay where you were eliminated.”

  Her lips curved into a smile, but it carried no warmth.

  "That's all. You are dismissed.”

  The crowd dispersed, engaging in hushed conversations. Some students whispered strategies while others exchanged anxious glances. The weight of what lay ahead settled on everyone like a heavy cloak.

  Kael turned to leave when Astra passed by him, her steps light and deliberate. As she moved past him, she leaned in close, her voice barely audible:

  "Good luck," she whispered. You’ll need it.”

  He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "You don't have to tell me that," he muttered.

  She didn’t reply; she just kept walking. Her presence lingered in the air like a challenge.