The center of maze...

Raze stepped into the massive circular plaza at the heart of the labyrinth, his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings. The moment his feet touched the stone floor, a soft hum of energy rippled through the air.

He was the first to arrive.

The grand plaza stretched wide, ancient carvings glowing faintly beneath his feet. The towering stone walls of the labyrinth loomed behind him, enclosing the space in an eerie silence.

He let out a slow breath.

"Made it through..."

But there was no time to relax.

One by one, others began to arrive, some battered and bruised, others barely standing. The plaza, once empty, was now filling with dozens of competitors.

Then, at number seven, Kael stepped in.

The moment he entered, whispers spread like wildfire.

"Wait… lightning?!"

"And light? That's unheard of!"

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Rare elements appearing back-to-back?

But when they glanced at Raze, they barely spared him a second look.

"Who's the first guy?"

"Dunno. His mana presence is weird, but... he didn't seem anything impressive."

"No element? Must be a fluke that he got here first."

Some of the older candidates chuckled.

"Poor guy. He's going to get crushed in the next round."

Raze didn't react. He simply cracked his knuckles. They'll know soon enough.

Before the discussions could continue, a deep voice echoed through the plaza.

"Congratulations," a robed elder announced, floating in mid-air. His presence alone commanded silence.

"You have successfully completed the first trial," he continued. "But now, the true test begins. Welcome to Stage Two—the Arena of Might!"

The ground rumbled.

The entire plaza began shifting.

The Arena Forms

Stone slabs rose from the ground, forming floating battlefields of different sizes. Some had jagged rocks, others were smooth dueling platforms, and a few even had floating islands.

"This test is simple," the elder mage continued. "To move forward, you must prove your strength. Win your battle, and will be selected. The ones defeated can also get selected if they seem potent."

The moment he spoke, numbers appeared above each participant's head.

Raze looked up. Number 11.

Kael glanced at his. Number 7.

Different matches.

Kael exhaled. "Looks like we won't be fighting each other."

Raze smirked. "Would've been too easy if we did."

Kael chuckled but quickly turned serious.

This was a tournament-style test.

They had to win.

A holographic display appeared in the sky, showing the match-ups.

[Match 1: Raze vs. Cedric Stormblade]

A floating arena rose from the ground, pulling Raze and Cedric onto its platform.

His opponent, Cedric Stormblade, was a tall, muscular fighter with a massive battle axe. His aura radiated mana, but he frowned slightly, as if unsure of what kind of magic Raze even had.

"You don't have an element?" Cedric scoffed. "Then this will be quick."

Raze simply rolled his shoulders. "You'll see soon enough."

A loud gong rang.

The battle had begun.

Cedric lunged forward, his axe glowing with storm energy. He swung with monstrous force, a massive arc of energy tearing through the air.

BOOM!

The ground shattered beneath the impact, but Raze was already moving.

He stepped forward, raising his fist—a faint, deep purple halo surrounded it, flickering like a dying star.

He twisted his body and punched forward.

CRACK!

The air exploded as his fist met Cedric's axe, and in an instant, a deep, dark shockwave blasted outwards.

Cedric's eyes widened in horror as the force ripped through his body, sending him skidding backward.

"What… was that?!"

The crowd gasped.

They had never seen this before. His mana felt deep, endless, like staring into a void.

But Raze wasn't done.

He dashed forward his fist still glowing with the eerie purple halo and struck Cedric square in the chest.

"Get Out."

Cedric's body flew off the arena, crashing into the barrier.

The match was over.

The elder mage raised his hand. "Winner: Raze."

The crowd exploded with murmurs.

"H-How did he…?"

"He didn't use any element, but that power…"

"What IS he?!"

But Raze simply stepped back, unfazed.

"Too easy."

As Raze walked away from his platform, another match was called.

[Match 3: Kael vs. Valen Frost]

Kael stepped onto the battlefield, his silver-haired opponent standing opposite him.

Valen's eyes glowed with mana. "A Light and Lightning user… how rare."

Kael simply nodded. "Let's fight."

The gong rang.

Instantly, Valen raised his hand, freezing the battlefield in solid ice.

Kael's foot slipped slightly, but he quickly adjusted, golden light wrapping around him, countering the cold.

"Let's see how you handle this."

Valen thrust his arm forward, sending sharp ice shards flying.

Kael didn't dodge.

Instead, his hand sparked.

BZZT!

A bolt of pure lightning erupted from his palm, vaporizing the ice mid-air.

The crowd gasped.

Lightning was already rare, but controlling it with such precision was almost unheard of.

Valen frowned. "Tch… not bad."

Kael smirked. "Try this."

He raised both hands—two bolts formed instantly, crackling with energy.

With a swift motion, he threw them forward.

BOOM!

The bolts struck Valen's ice barrier, shattering it instantly.

The ice mage staggered back, shocked.

But Kael was already above him.

Another bolt formed in his hand—this one larger, more unstable.

"Let's end it."

Kael released it.

The sky flashed as the bolt crashed onto Valen's chest, sending him flying.

Winner: Kael.

The crowd erupted into thunderous whispers.

First an unknown power.

Now a dual-element Lightning and Light wielder.

This year's candidates… were monsters.

The Next Stage Awaits

Both Raze and Kael stood victorious.

But the test wasn't over yet.

The third and final stage was about to begin.