ready or not....

The moon hung high in the sky, casting a silver glow over the training grounds. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and damp soil, evidence of the relentless training that had taken place for weeks. Raze wiped his forehead, his breath heavy as he finished another round of exercises. His body was sore, his muscles ached, but deep inside, he felt stronger than ever.

Still, something was bothering him.

"Akeno, show me my mana progress. How much have I gathered for the next level?"

A soft hum filled the air as the system responded, and a glowing interface appeared before him.

[Mana Progress: 17/100]

Raze stared at the numbers, his brows twitching in frustration.

"What?! After all this training and absorption… only seventeen?" He clenched his fists, his voice laced with disbelief. "Are you serious?"

Akeno remained as emotionless as ever. "Yes."

Raze let out an exhausted sigh. His body had become significantly stronger, but his mana growth was painfully slow. He had spent hours meditating, drawing mana into his body, practicing control, and yet, the progress was so little. He wasn't expecting to leap to the next level overnight, but this was ridiculous.

At the very least, he was getting better at controlling mana. Before, it had been nothing more than a vague force within him, something unstable and difficult to grasp. Now, he could move it more precisely, and for the first time, he could wield basic elemental magic like Kael.

That was progress, but it still wasn't enough.

Across the training grounds, Kael was pushing himself just as hard—if not harder.

For years, Kael had taken his magic for granted. Unlike Raze, he had been born with mana, gifted with an affinity for Light and Lightning. He had never needed to struggle to absorb mana; it had always been there, flowing naturally through him. But after watching Raze's brutal training, something inside him changed.

He wasn't satisfied anymore.

He had always relied on raw talent, never feeling the need to refine his abilities. But seeing Raze push himself every single day, struggling and suffering just to improve, made Kael realize something—he was wasting his potential.

That was something he could not accept.

So, for the first time in his life, Kael started truly training.

He focused entirely on controlling his elements, pushing his abilities to their limits. His light magic became sharper, his control over lightning more refined.

When his mana ran dry, he sat down, closed his eyes, and absorbed mana naturally through meditation, allowing it to slowly refill his reserves. Then he would get up and start again.

Hours passed like this. Days blurred together.

Neither of them rested.

Neither of them slowed down.

Their bodies ached, their minds screamed for a break, but they pushed through.

Tomorrow was the Royal Academy Test.

Their fate would be decided in the capital city, where the strongest young talents from across the land would gather. There would be no second chances. They either passed… or they failed.

Raze sat down on the ground, catching his breath. His shirt clung to his body, drenched in sweat, but he didn't care. His thoughts drifted to what Akeno had told him earlier, about how the stronger a mage became, the harder their path would be.

"As you grow stronger, the path toward the next height gets even steeper. Your lifespan will increase, but those around you—your family, your friends—will age and die long before you. A mage must be strong not only in body and soul but in mind. You must be prepared for loss."

That thought stuck with him.

Was this really the price of power?

Would he really have to watch everyone he cared about wither away while he kept growing stronger?

He shook his head, pushing the thought aside. No. He wouldn't let that happen. He wasn't training just for himself. He was going to become strong enough to protect the people he cared about. He wouldn't let them die before their time.

He had to grow stronger. No matter what it took.

Kael seemed to be thinking the same thing. Across the training ground, he clenched his fists, staring at his own hands as sparks of lightning danced across his fingertips. He had always thought of himself as strong, but now, he realized just how far behind he truly was.

If he wanted to stand alongside Raze… if he wanted to reach even greater heights… then he had to catch up.

The first step was passing the entrance test.

The second step?

Becoming strong enough that neither of them would ever have to fear losing anyone again.

The first rays of dawn broke over the horizon. The world was waking up, but for Raze and Kael, this was the moment they had been waiting for.

The Royal Academy Test was tomorrow.

They stared to move in the night to reach the capital till the morning.