chapter 4
(a little disclaimer this chapter is a bit worse and a bit smaller than the rest because i had this chapter ready yesterday but forgot to upload it then today i accidentally deleted it and i had to rewrite by my memory leaving a few pieces missing i think so it won't be as hight quality)
'I somehow ended up 7th, which is incredibly crazy. Like, if a random like me was 7th in the Hardest Academy, are all the other people just brain-dead or something?'
'Like seriously, I won by just running around a weird-ass creature. Where's the "hardest" in that?'
'If it's this easy to beat challenges, imagine when I actually unlock any power. I'll be unstoppable.'
"Hey, did you hear? I heard 3rd place, Lila Rowen, won against that beast with only one fire spell."
I didn't even know who said that. My ears were busy eavesdropping as I tried to pretend I wasn't scanning the crowd like a paranoid squirrel. The hall was loud with chatter. Whispers, laughter, nervous pacing. Everyone had seen the leaderboard. Everyone knew who the top ten were now.
Top 10 Ranking – Trial Two Results:
1. Reed Halden – 980 pts
2. Michael Flash – 942 pts
3. Lila Rowen – 927 pts
4. Riven Clade – 905 pts
5. Sera Moon – 889 pts
6. Kai Dorsen – 877 pts
7. Aster – 850 pts
8. Leo Vane – 833 pts
9. Noah Dale – 812 pts
10. Ellie Fenn – 799 pts
You have achieved Rank 7 in Trial Two.
Awarding Combat Affinity Preview: Beginner.
System Note: Congratulations on surviving with your limbs intact. Your nonexistent affinity for mage has been noted.
Yeah, thanks system. Great to know I'm not cut out to be a wizard. Not like I'd planned on it… okay, I kind of did.
But more importantly, I was ranked 7th. I wasn't supposed to be. There were kids here who had trained their whole lives for this, and I beat them by playing tag with a warg. That said more about them than it did about me.
I leaned against the stone wall near the edge of the trial chamber, pretending to look cool while actually trying to calm my shaking hands.
Reed Halden.
He was the guy who clapped for me. I hadn't seen his match, but from what I'd gathered, he was fast—scarily fast. Some even said he didn't cast spells. Just dodged, moved like lightning, and made the warg knock itself out.
Michael Flash wasn't far behind. The guy literally used lightning magic. Not just some sparks—actual chained bolts of electricity, weaving them mid-dodge to blind and zap the beast.
Then there was Lila Rowen. Fire magic. One spell. One shot. Done.
What the hell kind of monsters were they?
I opened the system window in my head again.
---
[SYSTEM MENU]
Status | Skills | Quests | Inventory | Shop | Affinities
---
I clicked into Affinities.
---
[AFFINITY OVERVIEW]
Combat: Beginner (Preview)
Magic: Unawakened
Defense: Unrated
Strategy: Locked
Charisma: Locked
---
Magic unawakened. Defense unrated. Strategy locked. Charisma locked.
So I was basically a well-dressed rock with legs.
Great.
I switched to Status.
---
[STATUS – ASTER]
HP: 60/100
Stamina: 35/100
MP: 5/10
Strength: 6
Agility: 8
Intelligence: 7
Willpower: 9
Luck: ???
---
Luck was still a mystery. I felt like I was gambling every time I opened a door.
My stats weren't impressive. Barely above average at best. But… I was ranked 7th.
I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. Maybe the next trial would be magic. That'd be fun. Failing miserably while others shoot fireballs and I throw pebbles.
Or maybe a defense trial. Like tanking hits? I wasn't built for that either.
A short buzz of magical energy rolled through the room. I opened my eyes.
Headmaster Vallon had returned.
He raised one arm and immediately the noise dropped to silence.
"In one hour, Trial Three begins," he announced. "Until then, rest and prepare. You've all done well. Some of you have surprised us."
His eyes briefly lingered on me.
Creepy.
"Trial Three," he continued, "will assess your magical potential. No weapons. No potions. No assistance."
Yup. Magic.
I had 5 MP. I didn't even know how to use it. Could I just… shout fireball and hope something happened?
No one seemed concerned. They were already pairing off, discussing strategies, or showing off minor tricks. A spark here. A flame there. A summoned rock the size of a fist.
I sat back down, back to the wall.
"Yo. You're Aster, right?"
I looked up.
It was Kai Dorsen. Sixth place. Light blonde hair, tan skin, bright eyes. The kind of guy who looked like he should be in a surfing competition, not an elite magic academy.
"Yeah," I said.
He gave a nod, then sat beside me like we were best friends.
"You're weird."
"Thanks?"
"I saw your trial. You didn't use magic. Didn't even punch it. Just ran."
I squinted. "Is that… admiration or insult?"
He shrugged. "Little of both."
Then he looked serious. "Reed noticed you too."
I blinked. "Reed Halden?"
Kai nodded. "He doesn't clap for people. He noticed something."
"That I'm a coward?"
Kai grinned. "Maybe. Or maybe you've got something hidden. I dunno. Just thought I'd say hi. Good luck with the magic test."
He stood and walked off before I could say anything.
Hidden? I didn't even have magic yet.
But… the system had quests. I hadn't checked those yet.
---
[QUEST LOG]
[Main Quest]: Survive Orientation Week (2/5 Trials Complete)
[Sub Quest]: Unlock a Magic Skill before Trial Three
[Hidden Quest]: ???
---
A magic skill… before Trial Three. I had one hour.
"Cool," I muttered. "No pressure."
I stood, stretched, and scanned the area.
Time to figure out how to awaken magic.
Or die trying.
…probably die trying.
.