Aiden felt it before he saw it.
That pressure.
Not physical.
Not killing intent.
Attention.
He lay on the training floor, chest rising and falling unevenly, sweat and blood mixing beneath him.
The lights overhead flickered once.
Then again.
The System's interface bled into his vision—slow, hesitant, like it didn't want to be seen.
[OBSERVATION INTENSITY: INCREASED]
[SURVEILLANCE NODE: ACTIVE]
"…So you are watching," Aiden murmured.
Kade stood near the wall, arms folded, eyes narrowed at the ceiling.
"Don't talk to it," he said quietly. "That only makes it curious."
Aiden let out a dry laugh.
"Little late for that."
A new presence stepped into the Irregular Wing.
Footsteps—clean, confident, out of place.
Every Irregular in the corridor went silent.
Aiden forced himself to sit up as three academy officials entered.
Not Overseers.
Evaluators.
They wore white-trimmed cloaks—rank above instructors, below execution authority.
One of them glanced at Aiden and frowned.
"That's him?" the man said. "He looks… ordinary."
Kade didn't move.
"He's not."
The woman beside the man activated her tablet.
"Aiden Vale. Level Zero. Error classification. Survived Floor Guardian contact."
Her eyes flicked to Aiden.
"You should be dead."
Aiden shrugged weakly.
"Yeah. People keep saying that."
The man stepped forward.
"We're here to test a hypothesis."
The System flared red:
[MANDATORY EVALUATION INITIATED]
[HOST COMPLIANCE: REQUIRED]
Kade's jaw tightened.
"You're pushing too fast," he warned. "He's not stable."
"That's precisely why," the woman replied.
The floor beneath Aiden lit up.
Runes activated—clean, controlled, unlike the brutal chaos of the trial grounds.
A Simulation Ring.
Aiden's stomach dropped.
"…What kind of test?" he asked.
The man smiled thinly.
"To see if an Error can grow without permission."
The System chimed coldly:
[SIMULATION LOADED]
[OPPONENT COUNT: 3]
[OPPONENT RANK: D+]
[LIMITER: MAINTAINED]
Aiden's hands clenched.
Three opponents.
All stronger than him.
No system support.
Kade met his gaze.
"Remember," he said. "Move first. Think later."
The simulation formed.
Three figures stepped out of the light—
Irregular enforcers. Volunteers.
They didn't look hesitant.
They looked eager.
"Begin," the Evaluator said.
The first attacker lunged.
Aiden moved.
Not fast.
Not strong.
Early.
He stepped inside the strike, slammed his shoulder forward, and felt bone collide with bone.
The attacker grunted.
The second came in low—
Aiden jumped back a fraction of a second before the sweep, barely staying upright.
The third punched.
Aiden blocked.
His arm screamed.
But he didn't fall.
The System flickered wildly:
[UNEXPECTED BEHAVIOR]
[PREDICTION FAILURE]
Aiden breathed hard.
He wasn't winning.
But he wasn't breaking.
Minutes passed.
Every hit hurt.
Every dodge cost breath.
Then—
Aiden slipped.
The first attacker's knee drove into his ribs.
Pain exploded.
He crashed to the ground.
The System pulsed—
—and stopped.
No warnings.
No countdown.
Nothing.
Aiden pushed up on shaking arms.
The Evaluators leaned forward.
"…He's still moving," the woman whispered.
Kade smiled.
"Because he stopped asking for permission."
Aiden staggered to his feet.
Blood dripped from his chin.
He looked at the three attackers.
"…My turn."
The System trembled.
[ANOMALOUS DECISION DETECTED]
Aiden stepped forward.
Not fast.
Not strong.
But unafraid.
The simulation ring tightened around them.
And somewhere deep inside the sealed mark—
Something stirred.