Five days.
That was the time given before the final round of the tournament—a brutal test of endurance, survival, and strength.
The five finalists—Cassian, Kaito, Aika, Ren, and Subaru—were granted four days to rest. Wounds were mended, mana replenished. But Cassian Lionheart did not rest.
Each night, he vanished from the Academy under moonlight, slipping into the outer reaches of the Whispering Forest, where the air was thick with raw, untamed mana. There, beneath the stars, he trained in silence—drawing energy into his Second Circle, forging strength in solitude.
Each morning, he returned just in time to meet Felicia in the cafeteria. She never asked why his eyes were tired or his hands calloused. She only smiled and passed him a warm cup of tea.
> "You've changed," she said one morning, gently. "But not in the ways that matter."
Cassian said nothing. But he looked at her just a little longer than usual.
---
Day Five
The final trial had arrived.
Cassian stood before the shimmering gate at the forest's edge, his golden blade strapped to his back, his expression calm.
Felicia walked up to him quietly, her hands folded in front of her robes.
> "Good luck," she said softly. "And… try not to scare the world again."
Cassian smirked.
> "No promises."
A horn blared. The gate cracked open with a rush of wind.
And the five champions vanished into the trees.
---
The Trial: 72 Hours of Survival
The Whispering Forest was darker here—older. The canopy above choked out the sun, and the air carried the scent of blood and moss.
Cassian moved like a shadow, golden eyes sharp.
Within minutes, the underbrush exploded.
Two massive beasts lunged forward—monstrous bears, thick with muscle, with crimson eyes that glowed like coals.
> "Redfang Direbears," Cassian muttered. "And they're fast…"
The first swipe came in a blur—Cassian ducked, his shoulder pauldron sparking under the claws. The second bear came in from behind.
He spun.
Steel met flesh in a flash of golden light.
The battle raged for two hours, a grueling contest of speed and precision. When it was over, both Direbears lay still, their eyes dimming. Cassian stood over them, panting, his blade dripping with poison-tinged blood.
He collected the vital parts—fangs, claws, and mana cores—and pressed onward.
By nightfall, twenty beasts had fallen to his blade.
He found a clearing, made a fire, and carefully prepared a simple meal from foraged meat.
> "Definitely not cooking Direbear," he said aloud, eyeing the purple-streaked flesh. "I'd rather die with dignity."
---
Meanwhile
Not far away, Aika Shirogane stumbled through the forest, sweat clinging to her skin beneath her armor. Her silver-haired summon—Fenris, a great spectral wolf—limped beside her, its form flickering.
She hadn't eaten all day. Her mana reserves were low, and summoning magic had its cost.
Then, the growl came.
Another Redfang lunged from the trees.
"Fenris, go!" she shouted.
The wolf roared and met the beast in mid-air. Their clash shook the ground.
Aika raised her barrier just in time to block a stray strike—but the shockwave knocked her back, and pain seared through her leg. When the dust settled, Fenris had vanished, and the monster lay dead.
But Aika could barely move.
Blood ran down her thigh as she limped through the underbrush. Her stomach twisted with hunger. Her vision blurred.
Then—she saw it.
A flickering fire in the distance.
> "Please… let it be real."
---
The Encounter
Cassian heard the approach—uneven footsteps, heavy breathing.
He rose silently, kitchen knife in hand, eyes sharp as glass. He pressed himself behind a tree, muscles tensed.
The figure stepped into the firelight.
He lunged.
> "HAA—!"
> "W-WAIT—!"
A scream echoed through the clearing. Cassian froze mid-strike.
Aika stumbled back, eyes wide.
> "Cassian?!"
Her stomach growled. Loudly.
She clutched it, face flushed in embarrassment.
> "I—I'm sorry! I smelled food and…"
Cassian blinked. Then sighed.
> "You're lucky I don't cook with poison."
He led her to the fire and poured a bowl of hot soup.
> "Eat slowly. It's hot."
Aika sat, cradling the bowl like it was gold.
> "I'm Aika Shirogane. Second Year, Class S. Rank 1."
> "Cassian Lionheart. First Year."
She smiled faintly.
> "Yeah… I know. Hard not to. You're kind of a wildfire right now."
She shifted—and winced.
Cassian knelt beside her.
> "You're bleeding."
> "I'll be fine—"
> "Hold still."
From his satchel, he drew antiseptic, clean cloth, and bandages.
Aika stared as he cleaned the wound with quiet precision.
> "You… carry all this?"
> "Always. You never know."
She looked away, cheeks pink.
> "People don't usually treat me like I need help. They just assume I don't."
> "Even strong people bleed," Cassian said. "Doesn't mean they have to bleed alone."
Aika looked at him—truly looked—and her heart beat just a little faster.
> "Thank you… Cassian."
---
From the Shadows
Unseen in the treetops, two cloaked figures crouched in silence. Their mana signatures were sealed, their presence masked.
One of them held a bone-white mask, fingers curling over its edge.
> "The lion and the silver priestess," he murmured.
> "What now?" the second asked.
> "Let them rest. Let them shine..."
He slid the mask over his face, the eye slots glowing faintly.
> "...Before we extinguish the light."
The wind whispered through the trees, cold and still.
The real trial had yet to begin.