NOVEL NEXT Chapter 126: Trials [3]
A tension-ridden silence lingered in the trial grounds as hundreds of participants stood waiting.
The first two trials had ended, and they were brought back from the simulations, back to the large dome.
Then, a calm yet authoritative voice echoed.
"The results of the first two trials are now being displayed. All participants who have passed, prepare for immediate transfer to the third and final test."
"Serin Velinar – Passed"
"Rudo Faelin – Passed"
...
...
"Riven Weaverheart - Passed"
...
"Aria Glimair - Passed"
...
"Kai – Passed"
...
...
A wave of murmurs passed among the participants, as the results were announced
Those who passed were happy, while some grieving on failure, some nervous and excited about the next trial.
"Phew... we made it," said a girl, her blonde hair tied in loose braids swaying lightly with the gentle breeze, while her sharp Emerald eyes scanned through the crowd of participants.
"Yeah," a boy with green hair and yellow eyes replied.
Then he turned his attention back to the crowd, scanning, as if searching for someone.
A sly grin tugged at his lips as he kept his eyes sharp, "Can't wait to face you brother!"
Before giving them anymore time to linger-
Whoosh!
A flash of light.
And they were gone.
Meanwhile, in a large arena packed with people—friends, parents of participants, or just fellow battle- and drama-loving spectators.
Above the seats were several decorated booths, draped in velvet or something equally fancy, likely reserved for VIPs.
Inside one of the booths—
"Yaaaaay! Big Brother made it!"
A young girl jumped from her seat, bouncing in place with her hands raised high.
"Gaaar!"
The little obsidian-colored, blue-scaled Wyrm nearly slipped off her shoulders.
"Oops! Hehehe!"
She stopped jumping and quickly caught the tiny creature in her hands. Raising it above her head, she beamed, "You're happy too, right, Nox?"
The Abyssal Wyrm chirped in response.
"He's just passed the first two rounds, Elina."
A soft voice echoed beside them.
As Elina turned her little head, Liliana smiled gently from behind her porcelain teacup.
"He still needs to pass the third trial if he wants to be selected for the Academy—and he has to rank within the top 200. Otherwise..."
She paused, letting the weight of her words settle on the little girl's shoulders.
"But they didn't say anything like that... did they?"Elina asked, her mood dimming a little.
"No, they didn't,"Liliana replied with a sigh. "They love giving their students jump scares."
Elina slumped.
Liliana chuckled. "C'mon, have a little faith in your big brother. I know he can make it."
Elina perked up again, all her earlier worry vanishing like a puff of smoke.
"Yes! Big Brother is the best!" she declared, plopping back into her seat and turning her gaze toward the giant blue panel hovering over the arena.
Yes.
From the very beginning, the whole tournament had been broadcast across the area, with an overly enthusiastic announcer hyping it up non-stop.
Then Elina turned her head toward Liliana and asked, "Weren't you supposed to be participating?"
Liliana smirked. "Nope. I'm special. Unlike the others, I only have to take one normal written test. I'm getting in through recommendation."
Elina blinked. "Really?"
Liliana set her cup down and puffed her chest proudly. "Yes, really. Isn't your big sis better?"
Elina beamed. "Yeah, Big Sis is better."
Then she smirked mischievously. "But Big Brother is best."
Liliana clicked her tongue in mock annoyance, earning a round of giggles from the little girl and chirps from the tiny Wyrm.
Meanwhile, in another similar booth, two figures sat in silence.
A middle-aged man with striking silver hair, a neatly trimmed beard, and sharp blue eyes was slouched on a plush sofa, puffing on a thick cigarette.
Beside him sat a girl, around the same age as Kai.
Her platinum-silver hair was braided neatly, cascading down her pale shoulders.
She wore an elegant white gown, its smooth fabric catching the soft glow of the ambient light, making her seem almost ethereal.
Her indifferent emerald eyes gazed out at the giant screen displaying the ongoing trials.
"He'll be joining the academy too."
The middle-aged man finally broke the silence, twirling the cigarette between his fingers.
"I know it's what's best for the Empire… but you can decline if you want. You know that, right?"
He glanced at the girl beside him.
She remained quiet for a moment, then finally spoke.
"I know, Father," she said, turning her gaze to him. "But… will they be okay with that? Won't they accuse you for it?"
Then she smiled—softly, carefully—like it was a gesture she'd practiced a thousand times.
"I'm okay with it. I really am."
She turned her head away again.
The man sighed and leaned back, exhaling a plume of smoke as he stared at the ceiling.
'How grateful I am… to have such a sweet girl like her.'
His fist slowly clenched.
'If only it wasn't for them… If only I was strong enough…'
Another sigh escaped him, his eyes softening as an old, bittersweet memory rose to the surface.
'I really wish you were here right now, Christina.'
The man turned to look at the girl again."Lira…" he called, his voice fond.
She didn't turn—just hummed in response.
He hesitated, then spoke again, voice lower this time."If that bastard tries anything by force… tries to invoke his so-called rights as your—"
But before he could finish, she cut in.
"No need to worry, Father. He won't be able to do anything… No one will."
He sighed and fell silent.
Lira, however, kept her gaze fixed on the massive screen before them. Her expression didn't change—calm, unreadable.
But just as she spotted a black-haired youth walking calmly through those strangely familiar surroundings.
Her lips twitched—just slightly.
Barely noticeable.
But she smirked.
Really.
******
Whoosh!
One moment they were standing in the large dome.
The next, they were all gone—ripped from the trial grounds and deposited into a shadowy, fog-laced forest.
Trees towered like skeletal giants, vines draped over cracked stone ruins.
Dozens of participants scattered throughout the environment.
No signs, no paths, no instructions.
Then a loud voice boomed through the entire forest.
"Welcome to the third and final trial—
Your objective is to retrieve one of the Ten Spirit Tokens hidden throughout the forest.
Only those in possession of a token will advance to the next phase of the academy."
"Beware: traps, illusions, and summoned creatures lie in wait. There are only ten tokens, but over eight hundred of you here.
Those who collect even a single token and keep it until the end of the trial will be automatically selected for the academy, regardless of their overall performance.
You can collect more than one token, even take them from your opponents.
Remember, the academy won't accept the weak. We need only strong, sharp, cunning students.
Killing is allowed—but don't worry, the marks on your forearms are protective talismans they will instantly teleport you away if you take a serious hit. You all have the time limit of two days. As the timer stops, you'll be teleported outside."
Kai's gaze dropped to his right arm, where a deep obsidian orb glowed faintly.
Then the voice boomed again.
"Don't forget, you are being observed. Don't make a fool of yourself. Your public image will also factor into your overall assessment score.
Alright, that's enough. NOW, BEGIN!"
---
Elsewhere, a muscular youth with ash-blond hair and tribal tattoos cracked his knuckles and looked around, already hearing movement.
"One of ten tokens, huh? Guess I just need to take someone else's if I can't find one."
He smirked and moved ahead. A spear was slung across his back, and beside him floated a glowing wolf spirit.
----
"Haaa!"
A girl with ocean-blue hair tied in twin braids clenched her fists, trying to keep her breathing steady.
"Okay… no time to panic. Think. Outwit. Outsmart. Stay low."
A sleek horned otter-like creature named, chirped on her shoulder.
"You are right Thistle… we're not done yet."
---
A bulky teen wiped his palms against his trousers, glancing around. His axe gleamed at his back, and his armored gauntlets were warm against his skin.
He didn't like this.
A forest was unfamiliar terrain for a brute-force warrior like him. Still, he gritted his teeth.
'A token, at least. I have to prove I'm not just another muscle-head from the Ironheart clan.'
He pushed forward, hacking through vines, unaware of the shadow that briefly flickered through the canopy above him.
---
A green haired girl with pointed ears moved like a wisp among trees, her twin daggers tucked into her sash.
Her crimson eyes swept across the forest floor.
And a Riverwake Serpent currently gliding beneath the earth's surface, sensing vibrations, which seemed to be her beast.
"A token," she whispered to herself.
Her gaze flicked toward the sky as a panel began hovering.
"Tch. Already?"
----
About half an hour later...
Kai was walking as his usual self, hands tucked in his pocket.
Vex padded beside him, ears pricked.
Then suddenly—
Whiiir!
A trap snapped above him, vines twisting in the air like whips.
Kai rolled beneath, blades flashing, and slashed clean through midair.
He landed on one knee, breath calm. "Nice try."
Suddenly Stormoen launched forward—growling low.
Then Kai saw it.
Another participant, eyes wild, had nearly snuck up behind him.
A boy wielding a glaive.
Kai didn't blink.
Just smirked.
Whoosh!
In one fluid motion, he stepped behind the boy, slapped a pressure point behind his ear, and watched him crumple unconscious.
Thud!
"Not today."
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I really apologize for the inconvenience.
I had exam so I couldn't edit earlier.