The final test....

The tension in the air thickened as the last match of the second round ended. The remaining candidates stood in the massive hall, waiting for the final stage to be announced. Among them, Raze stood quietly, observing the excited chatter of other contestants.

That was when a voice filled with arrogance rang out.

"How did you qualify for the first round, you lo---" the girl in an expensive robe stopped herself from cursing, though her disdain was obvious.

Raze turned toward her, scratching the side of his head in confusion. "I don't know who you are."

The girl's face twisted in disbelief. "You don't remember me? How can you not remember me? I'm royalty! People live to see me!"

Raze blinked, still not recognizing her. "Still rings no bell."

The girl scoffed. "Oh, you poor bastard. We met at the Element Check Test. You had no element. I remember it perfectly."

"Ohhh, right. You were there. Sooo?" Raze said with a shrug.

"What do you mean 'so'?! How did you pass?!"

"I just trained hard. Hehe!" Raze grinned.

Her face turned red with irritation. "What?! Whatever, it's not like you can pass this one."

Raze smirked. "Let's see. Best of luck to you, too."

The girl huffed. "I don't need luck. I am royalty! I could enter the Royal Academy normally, but I wanted to prove myself!"

"Okay… good for you."

Her anger flared again. "Don't you have any manners?! How dare you talk to me like that? I am royalty! Bow your head in my presence!"

Raze yawned. "Yeah, whatever. Ima just go find my brother."

"Yes! Better go away!"

The Final Test is Revealed

Raze weaved through the crowd, eventually spotting Keal standing in the corner, watching the final duel.

"Hey bro, the fights are about to be over. The final test will start soon."

Keal nodded, his sharp eyes locked onto the ongoing battle. Moments later, the last match concluded, and an official stepped forward.

"All selected candidates, form a line! You will now proceed to the final stage!"

The group was led through a large corridor into another grand hall. The air felt different here—heavy with magic. At the center of the room sat an elder, his long beard flowing down to his waist. Rows of seats were arranged before him, meant for the participants.

"Please, take a seat." His voice was deep, commanding yet calm. "You are just one step away from entering the Royal Academy."**

Everyone sat down, eager to hear what the last test would be.

The elder looked at the young candidates and spoke with a knowing smile. "This final test will determine your willpower and resolve."

The hall fell into silence.

"You will face what you fear the most," the elder declared. "A magic spell will cast you into a realm where your greatest fear takes shape. Whether it is a monster, a memory, or a weakness—whatever you fear, you will battle it here. This will determine your fearlessness and your determination to become a true warrior of the Royal Academy."

Many of the students stiffened at the announcement. Some had faced wild beasts before. Some had endured harsh battles. But facing their own fear? That was something different.

The elder raised his hand, and a vast formation of glowing runes spread across the floor.

"The test begins now."

In an instant, a wave of magic surged forward, and one by one, the students lost consciousness

When Raze opened his eyes, he found himself standing in an empty void.

No sound. No wind. Nothing.

Then, a figure stepped forward from the darkness.

Raze froze. His heart pounded in his chest.

It was himself.

But not the confident, battle-hardened Raze of today. No—this was the weak, powerless Raze from before. The one who had been laughed at, ridiculed, and dismissed as worthless.

The weak Raze looked at him with hollow eyes. "You don't deserve this power."

Raze clenched his fists. "Tch. I was hoping for something more challenging."

The weak version of himself took a step forward. "You know it, don't you? That no matter how much you train, you will always be that same powerless child."

Raze narrowed his eyes. "That child is dead. I killed him the moment I decided to walk this path."

The weak Raze smirked. "Then prove it."

In an instant, the weak version lunged at him, a pathetic excuse of an attack.

Raze didn't hesitate. He threw a single punch—his fist wreathed in a deep purple halo, dark and seemingly endless.

BAM!

The weak Raze shattered like glass, disappearing into nothingness.

"One second." Raze sighed. "Was that supposed to be hard?"

Before he could say anything else, the void collapsed—

And he was back in the hall.

The Elder's Shock

The elder's eyes widened as Raze appeared almost instantly, long before anyone else.

Murmurs spread among the guards standing there.

"He returned already?!"

"Impossible… It's only been a second."

Most students would take minutes, even hours to overcome their greatest fears. Yet, this boy had done it instantly.

The elder's gaze lingered on Raze, intrigued.

"Interesting… This one has no fear of himself."

Raze stretched his arms and yawned. "Well, that was easy. Guess I'll wait for Keal."

One by one, students began returning from their trials, some pale and shaken, others relieved but exhausted. Keal was among the last to come back, his body crackling with lingering lightning energy.

He glanced at Raze, surprised. "You're already here?!"

Raze smirked. "Yeah. My fight was over before it even started."

Keal raised an eyebrow. "Hah, show-off."

Soon, the elder stepped forward once more.

"The final test is complete! Now, we shall announce the results."

A massive board lit up in the air, listing the names of those who had passed.

One by one, the top-ranked students appeared.

at the top there was - Rank 1: Raze 

Near the very top -Rank 7: Keal

Keal smirked, satisfied with his placement.

there was silence

Some students whispered among themselves. "Wait, how did someone who don't have element even pass? but he came first"

But the elder's gaze was sharp. He knew better. it wasn't an insult. It was a mark of someone… different. Someone whose potential was unpredictable.

Raze, however, didn't care about any of that. He simply grinned.

He had made it.

His life in the academy was about to start

Then he asked Kael what kind of test he had.

suddenly Kael darkened and an image of Raze surfaced in his mind!!!