Despite the Academy's massive exam field, a keen ear could still pick out the sounds of destruction echoing across the forest—twisted trees, shattered earth, and the guttural roars of mana beasts as the young but powerful mages unleashed their attacks.
Spells, techniques, and combat styles they've spent the last three years refining through relentless training and simulations.
At one of these battlegrounds, Roger stood boldly in the middle of a clearing, arms folded as he stared at several fox-beasts barking at him from all sides.
"Filthy dogs." Roger scoffed arrogantly, prompting the beasts to pounce… only to be slammed to the ground by an invisible force.
"Gravity Magic…" He uttered, raising one arm as bright green mana glowed in his eyes. "Earth-Bound."
His mana surged, intensifying the gravitational pressure pinning the beasts to the floor until bones cracked loudly beneath their own weight.
"Levi. Now!" Roger ordered sharply.
Instantly, his lackey burst from the bushes and hovered safely outside Roger's spell range.
"Projection Magic…" He muttered, aiming both palms downward. "…Spike Rain!"
Dozens of sharp, red mana rods fired from his hands, raining destruction onto the immobilized beasts and ripping through flesh with brutal precision.
Moments later, Roger released the spell and smirked at the massacred pack before him.
"Too easy." He scoffed.
Suddenly, a distant explosion shook the earth beneath his feet.
"What was that?" Levi asked as he searched the horizon from above, unable to distinguish the source among the countless clashes happening throughout the forest.
But Roger clicked his tongue in annoyance, already suspecting who caused it.
Somewhere among the chaos, one battlefield stood out--twice as loud, twice as violent as others.
Dense trees were splintered apart and scattered, forcing an enormous clearing through the once-thick vegetation.
At its center, thirteen massive Gorbacks—each standing over fifteen feet tall and weighing more than a thousand pounds—had already been reduced to five by just two young mages.
One bleeding Gorback stumbled to its knees, its glowing eyes locked onto Dae, who calmly approached while another lifeless beast collapsed behind him in a pool of blood.
The creature released a furious growl that shook the ground as it raised a massive arm high above him, casting a giant shadow over the young man.
But Dae was already prepared.
Purple electricity crackled violently around his body as he lowered into a stance, crossing his twin blades before his glowing purple eyes.
"Dual Sword Style. Form 4: Static Shear," He whispered.
In an instant, his body flickered.
A thunderclap echoed through the clearing as Dae zipped right past the beast at impossible speed, slicing its upper torso clean apart. Blood and flesh sprayed across the thick grass before the severed remains collapsed heavily onto the ground.
Dae skidded to a graceful stop behind it and flicked the blood from his blades before calmly sheathing them.
"Dope…" Dom muttered from above.
His body hung upside down from a tree branch like a monkey as he watched Dae's attack with obvious excitement before turning toward another approaching Gorback.
With a grunt, Dom swung upward just above the beast's destructive swipe before twisting mid-air and driving his fist into its skull.
The impact obliterated the creature's head instantly, spraying blood and flesh across the surrounding trees.
Before he could land, another massive hand grabbed him midair.
The Gorback tightened its grip with enough force to crush bone--but Dom only grinned.
The beast suddenly howled in agony as Dom forced his way through the grip, snapping several fingers apart before landing lightly on a nearby tree branch.
"Ora!" Dom shouted.
He launched himself forward, grabbed the beast by the arm, and spun the massive creature around like dead weight before hurling it directly into another Gorback below.
The beasts growled as the collision shook the ground beneath them.
Then Dom moved again.
He bounced around the tree trunk before crouching briefly beneath a thick branch and launching himself downward.
His body rocketed through the air and crashed feet-first into both Gorbacks.
The impact tore through their bodies like paper, creating an explosion of blood, shattered wood, and debris that painted the clearing red.
A few seconds later, Dae stepped out from behind a tree that had shielded him from the spray and stared silently at the destruction left behind.
"See?" Dom said proudly as he emerged from the center of the flesh-filled crater. "Five minutes, tops."
He glanced down at his white uniform, which somehow remained mostly clean except for one stain near his side.
"Oh, man." He muttered in disappointment while trying to wipe it off.
Dae simply rolled his eyes before turning his attention back toward the goal.
Ten minutes later…
The two sprinted through the forest, their monstrous stamina allowing them to maintain incredible speed without slowing down.
This time, Dom remained on the ground while Dae followed closely behind.
As they crossed another clearing littered with defeated beasts--likely left behind by other recruits--Dae glanced toward Dom's back, silently recalling the overwhelming raw strength he displayed earlier.
"I'm impressed." Dae suddenly admitted.
"What?" Dom asked while leaping cleanly over a massive boar carcass without slowing down.
"I said I'm impressed," Dae repeated as they dove back into the forest. "Even after all these years, your raw power continues to surprise me."
Dom smirked at the rare compliment. "Thanks." He glanced sideways at him. "Same goes to you, too."
Dae raised a brow.
"Every time I think I'm catching up," Dom explained while dodging a tree on their path. "… you always somehow get even faster. And your sword attack names are cool as hell. All I ever do is punch and kick."
Dae's eyes narrowed slightly. "They're not just names…"
"Yeah, yeah, I know." Dom waved dismissively. "They're disciplines passed down by your master. Focus, honor, tradition--all that stuff."
Dae clicked his tongue in annoyance, making Dom grin even wider.
Several minutes passed before Dae spoke again.
"Why are you doing this?"
Dom glanced at him curiously.
"The Academy. That excessive training. Becoming a knight," Dae's sharp eyes studied him carefully. "What's your goal?"
Dom slowed slightly to match Dae's pace. "What's with you today?" He teased. "You're way chattier than usual. Don't tell me you're already gonna miss me before we graduate?"
Dae scowled immediately. "Never mind." He scoffed and ran ahead.
"Oh, come on! Don't be like that!" Dom chuckled as he easily caught up beside him. "My goal is to surpass the Emperor and become the greatest hero in history."
Dae turned to him, expecting another joke.
But Dom's smile this time was completely genuine.
"You're serious?" Dae asked, raising a brow. "I thought you just kept saying that as a joke."
"No joke," Dom confirmed as they arrived at a wide river.
They both leapt, their bodies whistling over the rushing water, just as two monstrous fish burst from the watery depths, their massive maws threatening to swallow them whole.
But with a quick slash from Dae's blades and a thrust of Dom's foot, the beasts were reduced to chunks of flesh and blood that stained the water red while the two calmly continued forward.
"Any reason?" Dae asked, sheathing his blades.
"Hmm…" Dom mumbled in thought, glancing upward as the trees above blurred past him. "At first… it was just a childhood dream. Like any other Monarch fan. But when I was ten,"
His eyes darkened, a dark memory resurfacing.
"… some lunatic killed a few boys I used to play with in front of me. Then tried to kill me, too."
Dom suddenly skidded to a stop before leaping into the trees, narrowly avoiding a large venomous snake lunging from the bushes.
In the same instant, Dae sliced its head off and rejoined Dom in the branches without breaking stride.
Despite the ugly memory of Elon's attack and the sickening feeling that came with it, Dom smiled faintly as he remembered how it ended.
"A knight saved me and took out the bad guy." He said, facing forward again as they continued to leap across the trees with unbroken speed. His smile widened slightly as Anthony's grin resurfaced in his memory. "I guess after that… it stopped being just a dream…"
For the briefest moment, Dae's gaze softened as the image of an old man surfaced in his own mind.
"So… you're doing it for admiration, not ambition." He said quietly as he dropped back to the forest floor.
Dom swung from a branch, hanging upside down with folded arms while thinking over the words. "Maybe," He muttered before straightening himself and landing beside Dae.
"Hm. That's not what I expected from you." Dae admitted thoughtfully.
Dom frowned. "Just what kind of messed-up image of me do you have in your head?"
Dae's eyes sharpened. "You're loud, arrogant, and unpredictable." He said bluntly, earning an amused laugh from Dom. "But…" He added, turning toward him with a more serious stare. "…you're dangerous."
Dom's laughter slowly faded once he noticed how cold Dae's expression had become.
"Do you know why I stopped Roger from attacking you the first day we met?" Dae asked as they emerged in a surprisingly beautiful clearing.
"Uh…because he was an annoying prick who needed humbling and you're a rule-obsessed weirdo?" Dom guessed with a teasing grin while brushing his fingers across the flowers they sped past.
"It's true that I respect the rules, but in that instance, they were just an excuse. I stopped him…" Dae answered sharply, his expression growing colder. "… because you could've killed him."
Dom rolled his eyes. "I wasn't going to go that far."
"But you could've…" Dae pressed, drawing a curious look from Dom. "I can tell…that you've killed someone. Far before the Academy forced us to during training."
Dom's expression finally darkened.
A memory he'd tried to bury clawed its way back to the surface--an evil night sometime between discovering his affinity and entering the Academy, with enough malice to make his memory of Elon seem mild.
The color drained from his face as the image flashed across his mind.
A dark room.
His younger self gasping for breath.
Blood soaking his trembling fists.
And a broken, butchered remains of a man lying at his feet… a life he himself had single-handedly snuffed out by pure rage…and overwhelming regret.
Dae noticed the shift immediately, silently confirming his suspicion.
Then Dom looked at him again, his blue eyes seemed cold… almost threateningly. "So … you think I'm some kind of monster." He muttered.
Dae met his stare without flinching. Almost as if he carried his own darkness buried deep within him.
"I'll admit," Dae commented, "…the thought has crossed my mind before…"
Dom looked away with a conflicted frown.
Then Dae faced forward again, focusing on the path ahead.
"But now I know you're just a man chasing a respectable goal,"
He glanced back at Dom one more time, his expression softer than before.
"I wish you good luck."
Dom's eyes widened slightly at the faint smirk on Dae's lips--one of the few he'd seen in their three years together.
"So?" Dom asked, his grin returning. "What's your goal?"
Dae's small smile vanished almost instantly.
"My goal…" He muttered, hesitating for a brief moment before shaking his head and returning to his usual frown. "It's none of your business."
His tone turned cold again as he suddenly sprinted ahead.
Dom stiffened in disbelief before groaning in frustration.
"Oh, come on! I just told you mine!" He shouted while accelerating after him. "This is why we're not really friends. You need to let me in, bro!"
Dae clicked his tongue, electricity crackling around his body as he increased his speed even more, widening the distance between them just to ignore him.
What's his problem? Dom thought irritably as he burst forward again.
Four hours into the exam…
The chaos that once echoed across the forest had gradually faded.
Some recruits triumphed against the mana beasts, slaying monsters powerful enough to destroy towns.
Others chose survival, avoiding unnecessary battles to focus solely on reaching the goal.
And the rest… didn't survive…
Dom and Dae had prioritized constant movement without stopping for food or rest, but even their monstrous stamina was beginning to wear down.
"Seriously," Dom grumbled through the rushing wind, beating his rapidly moving body, "… we've slept in the same room for three years, and I still barely know anything about you."
Dae sighed, wiping sweat from his brow. "Just give up. I'm not here to make friends."
Dom rolled his eyes. "None of us came for that. Doesn't mean we can't be friends anyway. What if we somehow end up in the same Knight division?"
Dae laughed dryly. "Very unlikely."
Dom glared at him. "You're a real Grinch. You know that, right?" He asked.
Dae smirked faintly. "And you're-"
He cut himself off once he sensed something, his boots skidding sharply against the ground as he came to a sudden stop.
"Huh? I'm a what?" Dom said, stopping just ahead of him.
But when he turned, the playful mood vanished instantly once he noticed Dae's cautious stare.
That's when he felt it too.
The forest had gone silent.
Too silent.
Every hair on Dom's body stood on end as a horrible sense of deja vu washed over him.
Something dangerous was nearby.
Without hesitation, he vaulted into the trees, landing lightly on a thick branch for a better view.
Below, Dae scanned the area carefully before his eyes narrowed at a massive claw mark gouged deep into a nearby tree trunk. He traced the grooves silently, analyzing their depth and size.
"This way!"
Dae looked up just in time to see Dom suddenly dart forward through the trees, chasing after something he'd spotted from above.
Dae immediately followed.
Seconds later, they burst into a massive clearing-- and froze at the sight before them.
Bodies littered the ground… humans and beasts alike.
Blood and torn flesh painted the battlefield like a grotesque canvas while the air reeked of death and the silence weighed on them like a graveyard.
"Fuck…" Dom whispered as his eyes scanned the corpses, taking in the individual identities of the fallen recruits before stopping abruptly.
His pupils widened at the sight near his feet.
Dae followed his gaze and saw the severed head lying among the book-soaked grass.
"David…" Dom muttered, fists tightening as he recognized one of the friends he'd trained beside for years.
While Dom struggled to suppress his anger, Dae studied the battlefield carefully, noticing the expressions of terror frozen on many of the recruits' faces.
"Were they working together?" He asked quietly.
Dom forced himself to calm down with a deep breath. "Probably," He muttered, jaw clenched tight. "With this many mana beasts, I can't blame them."
Still… something felt wrong.
As his eyes swept across the corpses, he noticed the repeated claw wounds carved into both recruits and beasts alike.
Almost as if one creature had slaughtered everything here by itself.
"David's pair was our third, right?" Dae asked, noticing the same pattern. "And with this many pairs grouped together… it's hard to believe they lost this badly, unless…"
Dom nodded slowly, silently coming to the same conclusion as he recalled the last obstacle to this exam… the ten A-class beasts.
But before he could answer, movement caught his eye.
A bloodied figure weakly crawled across the ground, dragging himself through torn flesh and shattered debris.
Dom's eyes widened.
"Sam!" He shouted, sprinting forward immediately.
Once Dae approached, Dom had already placed the injured recruit on his lap, quickly recognizing him as David's partner, Sam.
Sam's eyes fluttered open, recognition sparking faintly through the haze of pain as he focused his blurry gaze on the young man holding him.
"D-Dom?…" He muttered weakly.
Dom frowned at the deep wound bleeding through Sam's side. As he tore off part of his pants to wrap around it, he asked, "What happened, Sam?"
Sam's gaze drifted toward the sky as fragmented memories resurfaced through his exhausted mind. "Dave found a group…they were surrounded… so we tried to help… then—"
His voice suddenly broke.
His eyes widened in terror as the memory finally returned in full.
With a sharp breath, he grabbed Dom's arm tightly.
Dom frowned at the sudden grip. "Wha-"
"You need to go. Now." Sam warned desperately, cutting him off. "It… it might still be here. It'll kill you!"
Dae raised a brow as Sam began hyperventilating, his fear visibly consuming him.
"Hey. Hey." Dom said calmly, gripping his shoulder. "Just take a deep breath and tell us what happened."
Sam opened his mouth to elaborate--
--Then froze.
His pupils dilated at the shadow now standing behind Dom and Dae.
The two mages turned instantly… and their stunned gaze locked onto two glowing red eyes staring silently at them from only a few feet away.
A low, wet clicking hiss now echoing through the once silent clearing.