Four days passed like nothing. And after what felt like forever… the awaited day finally arrived.
Haru, Ivan, and Akari stood before a massive, old-fashioned building surrounded by tall stone walls covered in moss. The iron gate before them, rusted at the edges yet still solid, stood like a witness to hundreds of tests before. The place was eerily quiet—much quieter than they expected. But inside… it was alive.
As they stepped through the gate, a vast open courtyard unfolded before them. The ground was earthy, scattered with large, randomly placed trees. In the center, over 350 people had gathered, all here for the same reason: the test. Some stood silently, others chatted confidently, and a few laughed loudly as if it were just another day.
Haru stood still for a moment, scanning the crowd. His eyes flicked from face to face. "That's… a lot of people," he muttered, tension clear in his voice.
Akari raised an eyebrow. "Didn't expect this many. Most of them probably don't stand a chance." Her words were calm, almost cold—but inside, she was just as anxious.
As for Ivan… his eyes were locked on one person.
Sitting atop a massive tree branch at the edge of the courtyard was a lone figure. White hair like snow. Pitch-black eyes. His gaze was void of curiosity, emotionless. He wasn't watching anyone. He wasn't even alert. He was just… waiting.
Noticing Ivan's gaze, Haru turned in the same direction, but before he could ask, a thunderous voice echoed across the courtyard.
"Welcome, applicants!"
A tall man with dark skin stood atop a moss-covered stone platform.
He stood proudly on the square platform near the front. The courtyard around them was circular, enclosed by a two-meter-high stone wall. Behind that wall loomed the great building—its doors shut, windows dark, and walls crawling with creeping plants.
The ground beneath their feet was uneven, littered with gravel and stones, with roots stretching in from the surrounding trees. To the left stood a massive tree whose branches spilled over the wall, and to the right, a narrow, crumbling path led upward. Beside it, a low stone opening—like the entrance to an ancient tunnel—barely visible from afar.
The man's voice cut through the silence. "You're here because you wish to join the Reikon Corps and fight the Ashin… correct?"
He paced slowly through the crowd, eyes scanning without blinking.
"But the truth is… ninety-nine percent of you will fail."
Murmurs spread. Anxiety gripped the air.
"The first test… has already begun."
He pointed toward the stone opening on the right.
"From the moment you stepped inside, the countdown started. You have sixty seconds to reach the end of the corridor."
Everyone turned—just as the gate behind them slammed shut with a deafening clang. The tunnel entrance now the only escape.
"The last fifty to arrive… will be eliminated."
No one was given a chance to argue.
Ten seconds of stunned silence—then chaos erupted.
The crowd surged like a wave toward the tunnel. Screams, shoving, falling bodies—feet trampling over others. Panic reigned.
Haru grabbed Akari's hand. "Run! Don't look back!
Akari nodded, breathing heavily, dodging others as she ran beside him.
Ivan took a deep breath and followed, his eyes briefly flicking back to the white-haired boy in the tree before focusing ahead.
Behind them, the boy opened his eyes slowly… but didn't move.
The metal barrier lifted, revealing a long stone corridor dimly lit by faint shafts of light from the ceiling. It was narrow—barely enough for two people side by side. The floor uneven, booby-trapped by nature itself.
As the gate rose fully, the crowd stormed in like a flood.
Elbows clashed. Bodies crashed into walls. One boy slammed his head against the stone and collapsed, while another fell and was crushed beneath running feet.
"Out of my way!"
"This is survival—no room for the weak!"
"Every man for himself!"
Ivan, Haru, and Akari tried to stay together, but the human tide tore them apart.
Ivan moved forward swiftly, weaving between others with practiced grace—silent, focused, efficient.
Haru stumbled on a loose stone and fell. Akari quickly reached out and pulled him up. "No time to fall!"
"Thanks…" he muttered, noticing Ivan already far ahead.
"Guess… we're each on our own."
Screams, dust, pounding footsteps. Only one goal: reach the end first.
In the growing darkness of the tunnel, morals, friendships, and values vanished. Only one thing remained:
Survival.
Their footsteps echoed off the walls as though the tunnel itself was watching, counting their breaths, measuring their fear.
Fatigue crept in. Fear grew stronger.
Akari was gasping for air, soaked in sweat, but she pushed on. Haru, a step ahead, turned back occasionally to make sure she was still behind him.
Suddenly, a guttural voice roared from behind.
"Move aside, trash!"
A hulking teen smashed two others into the wall. One hit his head and passed out; the other screamed as he rolled away—only to be trampled seconds later.
No one stopped. No one cared.
Haru turned and shouted, "Are you insane?! This isn't a deathmatch!"
Akari yanked his arm. "Forget it! If we stop—we're out!"
Gritting his teeth, he turned forward again. Swallowed his anger. Kept running.
Ivan was already far ahead, using his lean frame and agility to slip through gaps. A shadow among chaos.
Then—a muffled cry.
A small girl had fallen, pleading for help. No one stopped. Ivan looked at her, just for a second.
Then closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry…" he whispered. And stepped over her.
From far ahead, a glimmer of light appeared.
"The door! We're almost there!"
Hope flared again. Everyone pushed harder.
Back at the tree, the white-haired boy opened his eyes fully.
He leapt down lightly, walked calmly toward the tunnel—just as the gate began to lower again.
He entered just in time.
And the moment he did… something changed.
The air grew heavier. The light dimmed.
Those who saw him… stopped running.
They knew—instinctively—that he was not like the rest.
A dark aura trailed behind him. Unseen, but felt.
He didn't run. He walked. Steady. Straight. His eyes cold, unblinking. Alone, yet commanding.
At the front of the tunnel, the countdown began.
"Thirty…"
"Twenty-nine…"
Haru and Akari pushed forward with all their strength. The light at the end now a trap, closing slowly.
Ivan reached the exit first, sliding between two others and collapsing on his knees outside, gasping. He turned back.
Dozens still inside. Racing against time.
"Fifteen…"
"Fourteen…"
"Move it!" someone shouted.
No one listened. All desperate.
"Six… Five…"
Haru screamed: "Akari—jump!!"
The gate was almost down. Light was fading. The gap closing.
Akari's foot twisted—she grimaced in pain but didn't stop.
Without thinking, Haru spun, grabbed her arm, shielded her with his body, and charged forward.
"Hold on tight!!"
With a final leap, they crashed onto the threshold—just as the gate slammed shut behind them. The metal brushed Haru's coat as it sealed with a boom.
They collapsed, gasping. Shaking.
Ivan stood nearby, catching his breath. He chuckled lightly. "Didn't think you'd actually make it."
Haru's eyes widened. His voice rose: "Are you kidding me?! You left us behind at the worst moment!" He stepped closer, fists clenched. "I thought we were a team… but you chose yourself."
Ivan looked down. Then spoke softly: "I had no choice. If I stopped… I wouldn't have made it. I'm sorry. Truly."
Haru hesitated. The anger burned, but Ivan's words weren't defensive or sarcastic—just honest.
He exhaled slowly. Turned away. "Next time… don't leave me."
Akari approached, resting a hand on Haru's shoulder. "Now's not the time for blame. We made it."
Then… a quiet sound behind them.
They turned.
There he was—the white-haired boy—standing by the wall, completely calm. No sweat. No wounds. No dust on his clothes. As if he hadn't even run. As if he'd never moved at all.
Haru whispered, "When… when did he even pass us?"
Ivan simply stared.
And then the dark-skinned man spoke again, his deep voice slicing through the tension:
"Don't celebrate yet… the test is far from over."
Silence fell aga
in. Eyes widened. Breaths quickened. Some could barely stand. Others collapsed from exhaustion.
The man raised a hand and pointed forward.
"The next test… will be very different."
End of Chapter