Dom knew how brutal the Academy would be from Pop's stories, but nothing truly prepared him for the reality. Lectures overwhelmed the mind, combat sessions shattered the body—but Dom pressed on, fueled by the endurance built through years of Pops' training.
Two weeks later…
In a familiar room, a teen stepped out of the steaming bathroom, towel drying his wet hair. His lean, muscular frame glistened under the dim lights. On the floor, Dom was mid-vertical push-up, counting through gritted teeth.
"571… 572… 573…"
The teen sighed, slinging the towel over his shoulder. "We were told to rest, Dominic. Keep pushing like this, and you'll break down."
Dom smirked, still upside down. "Just because I train doesn't mean I slack off on my normal routine."
The teen narrowed his eyes but said nothing.
"Besides…" Dom grunted, lowering himself, "…should you really lecture me when you sneak out to do extra training yourself?"
The teen flinched, then scowled. "I thought you were asleep."
"You're not the first person I've tricked," Dom said with a tired smile. "I snuck out to train as a kid too. Don't worry—I won't snitch, as long as you don't."
The teen ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "Fine."
Dom resumed his workout. "578… 579…"
As he pushed through the reps, Dom's mind drifted to four months ago, when he first received his acceptance letter.
"Pops?"
Dom approached, shirtless and sweaty.
"You sure you're gonna be okay?" he asked.
Pops exhaled smoke and sighed. "To be honest… I don't know."
Dom frowned. Pops chuckled. "Don't look glum, kid. How I feel doesn't matter. You've got a goal, and you're determined. We've come too far already, right?"
Dom smiled.
Pops' expression turned serious. "I've told you a hundred times how hard the Academy is… but I never told you about the Capital."
"The Capital?" Dom asked, confused.
"The Royal Council," Pops said, eyes darkening. "They're selfish. They smile for the public, but those close know they follow only their own wishes. Knights? They're the ones they send to do the dirty work."
A beat of silence hung in the air as Pops let his words settle.
Dom frowned at Pops. "Why are you telling me?" He asked.
Pops shook the letter in his hand. "Because the Knights are usually the ones they send to do their dirty work."
Dom's expression quickly hardened, his hands balling into fists as the meaning behind Pops' words dawned on him.
"I only heard rumors when I was in the Army," Pops added, his brows knitted in thought. "Even before the war ended, some of those leaders would exploit army forces to obtain different things like land, treasure, or resources. Just for their personal gain."
Pops tapped on his cigarette, knocking out the ashes into the tray beside him.
"With the regulations in the Army now, it was tricky for them to have their way like before… but with a group of mostly untrained monsters," He gave Dom a look. "It'd be easy to pin any mistakes on mages like that."
"Why?" Dom asked, anger flashing.
"Because humans are selfish," Pops said, eyes fixed on the smoke. "And unfortunately, we're ruled by people like them. That's why I didn't want you to join the Knights. You'll help people… definitely. But one day, they'll try to use you too."
Dom's jaw tightened. "If that happens, what should I do?"
Pops sighed. "I don't know. Accepting may go against your ideals. Declining could make you an enemy of the Capital. You'll have to figure it out yourself… but I know you will." He smirked. "Unless you decided to change your mind?"
Dom smiled. "No way I'm giving up."
Pops laughed and tapped his arm. "You're going to be okay."
Dom smirked. "You're going to be okay, too."
Pops froze, then smiled back.>
Back in the present…
Dom grinned at the memory, then groaned as he pushed his aching body up.
"Six hundred," he muttered, flipping backward and landing on his feet.
A shirt flew into his hands. "Oh. There's my lucky hoodie."
"How many times have I told you to stop leaving your clothes everywhere?" his neat, serious roommate grumbled.
"Sorry," Dom chuckled, while his roommate returned to meticulously folding laundry.
Disclaimer: A major component of the Academy's training is teamwork. Therefore, recruits are paired with a partner whose magic type, class, and skills complement their own. Dom is partnered with Dae, a mage whose serious, studious nature contrasts sharply with Dom's carefree attitude.
Dae is a perfectionist: smart, rule-abiding, and a master of dual-bladed combat combined with lightning magic. Meanwhile, Dom's strength lies in his unmatched physical prowess, consistently breaking records in physical training while keeping up with his studies. Despite their clashing personalities, the two have come to respect each other through their shared journey and hard work.
Three years later…
The morning sun bathed the Academy training hall as Johan, accompanied by his soldiers, addressed the third-year recruits—now dressed in the white-and-blue uniforms of Army candidates.
"From 153 to 40," Sergeant Sandra noted, stepping up to Johan. "Better than the previous sets."
Johan snuffed out his cigarette on his palm, eyes narrowing. "It's not over yet," he said, flicking the burnt bud away. Stepping forward, he addressed the recruits with a stern gaze.
"Congratulations to all of you for making it this far. It's been a tough road, but you're standing here, ready for the final step." He allowed himself a small smile. "Not bad."
Cheers erupted from the recruits, one voice shouting, "Hell yeah!" The soldiers stood proud, watching their trainees celebrate. But Johan's sharp eyes silenced them in an instant.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," he said, his tone shifting back to its usual strictness. "Before we let you go, there's the final exam."
With a snap of his fingers, one of the soldiers raised his hand, projecting a large purple mana formation. A circular forest materialized above them, its boundaries clearly marked.
"The exam takes place in this field, owned by the Capital. You'll start at the outer edge," Johan explained as the soldier highlighted various areas with glowing red markers. "Your goal is simple: reach the center."
He paused, letting that sink in. Then, with a wave of his hand, the projection faded.
"Here's the catch. First…" Johan gestured to several soldiers arriving with carts filled with weapons. "You're allowed to choose your weapons. The forest is full of captured mana beasts from past missions. Some of you might not want to fight. You're free to avoid them… or team up with others. It won't affect your score."
A murmur passed through the recruits as some flinched at the mention of beasts. Johan grinned, clearly enjoying their unease.
"But let me make this clear…" His voice dropped with an almost sinister edge. "You'll find the beasts are the least of your problems. Dangerous plants, insects, and terrain will make it hard enough."
The recruits stiffened, their excitement turning to tension.
"Second…" Johan folded his arms, his eyes narrowing as he looked over the group. "You have six hours to reach the center. The field spans 400 kilometers, so it's not going to be easy. You'll need to move fast—and keep yourself alive. But I think you've been trained for this."
Some recruits chuckled nervously, while others exchanged anxious glances.
"Six hours. Got it," one recruit muttered to his partner, Roger Reginald. Roger, now more composed and mature, flashed a cocky grin in response, but the nervous energy in the air was palpable.
"Anyone still in the field after the time is up fails," Johan said, his eyes scanning them all. "The gate will close, and you'll be left behind for the trainers to retrieve."
Johan's voice hardened. "Finally, this exam depends on your ability to work as a team. Only teams were both members make it through the gate will pass. If one of you gets left behind… or worse, your partner dies… It's an automatic failure."
There was a brief moment of silence as recruits exchanged wary looks. Johan met Sandra's eyes, and she stepped forward.
"We won't monitor your progress," she said, tapping a terminal beside two large pillars. "Once you're in the field, you're on your own. The only person you can count on is your partner."
With a few taps on the keypad, the pillars hummed to life, a faint pulse of mana flowing between them.
"You have 15 minutes to select your weapons and gear," Sandra announced.
The recruits rushed toward the carts, weapons in hand.
Exactly 15 minutes later, the pillars flared with bluish mana, creating a swirling portal between them. The lazy, hypnotic whirl of mana drew the recruits' attention as they prepared to step through.
Johan addressed the group one last time. "It's starting. Step forward in the order of your rankings. The top two move out."
Roger's confident grin quickly turned to a sneer of jealousy as he watched Dom and Dae step up.
"Alright," Dom, now 19 years old and standing at 6'1", said with a grin, cracking his knuckles. His lean, muscular frame rippled with power as he stood tall beside his partner.
Dae, now 6'2" with two katanas strapped to his back, calmly walked forward, his expression unreadable.
They stopped in front of the portal, their eyes locked on the swirling light.
"Once inside, you're to wait at your starting point," Johan warned. "We'll give the signal once everyone's in, but we'll know if you disobey. Got it?"
"Yes, sir," they both replied in unison.
They shared a brief look before stepping into the portal. As soon as Dom crossed the threshold, a cold sensation washed over him, only to dissipate as quickly as it came. He emerged into a new world.
The soft grass beneath his feet was a stark contrast to the hard concrete of the training hall. He squinted up at the bright sky and grinned widely at the scene before him.
"Dope," Dom muttered, taking in the massive trees that stretched far into the distance, their towering forms creating a canopy that filtered the sunlight. The sounds of the wild filled the air.
Behind him, he heard a distortion. He turned to find Dae stepping out of the portal, the swirling light vanishing behind him. Their eyes met.
"This must be the field's boundary," Dae observed, eyes scanning the perimeter.
Dom nodded, already on the move. "That means we're heading straight ahead."
Dae followed suit, his movements precise and focused. The two stood with the other pairs, all spaced evenly along the boundary. Then, as the last pair took their place, a deep bell rang through the field.
The recruits were off.
One hour later…
Dae sprinted across the grass, his legs a blur, his speed a testament to his training. The wind whipped around him as he moved with precision, his form cutting through the terrain like a living lightning bolt.
Above him, Dom was a blur of motion, leaping from tree to tree with an almost unnatural speed. His body seemed to glide through the air, flipping and twisting effortlessly as he kept pace with Dae below.
"Not bad!" Dom called down, his voice carrying over the forest.
"Is everything a joke to you?" Dae shouted, frustration lacing his voice.
Dom's grin widened. "Just keeping things interesting," he called back, landing effortlessly on the next branch. "Can't be all work and no play."
Dae shook his head, eyes scanning the forest ahead. "Stay focused. We can't afford to fail."
Dom laughed, his voice carrying mischief. "Relax. I've got this."
The forest stretched before them—a vast, wild expanse filled with unseen dangers. But for now, it was just Dom and Dae—partners, testing their skills and teamwork in a world that would push them to their limits.
Dom's laughter rang out as he leapt forward, eyes scanning the thick undergrowth. "I thought they said there'd be mana beasts to fight! We haven't seen any yet!"
Dae raised a brow. "Sounds like you're itching for a fight," he remarked dryly.
Dom smirked. "Wouldn't be any fun if we just ran from start to finish."
Dae rolled his eyes but increased his pace, his body now gradually closing the gap to Dom. "Just keep your guard up. One mistake, and we--"
"Relax. I always keep my—" Dom froze mid-step, his instincts screaming. Two hostile eyes locked onto him from the shadows.
With a single powerful kick, Dom propelled himself off the branch, narrowly dodging a massive gorilla-like beast with glowing pink stripes ripping through the tree branch in a single swipe.
At the same time, Dae pivoted and leapt aside, evading another attack. His boots skidded across the forest floor as he took a defensive stance, scanning the area. More gorilla beasts emerged from the trees—monsters strong enough to crush smaller trees and snap larger ones.
Dom landed behind Dae, their backs instinctively covering each other.
"Are you happy now?" Dae said, gripping his blade handles tightly, his expression a mix of irritation and focus.
Dom's grin widened, excitement gleaming in his eyes. "Hell yeah. I've always wanted to see a Gorback up close."
The beasts growled and advanced slowly, muscles rippling, eyes locked on their targets.
Dae drew his twin katanas, sunlight glinting off the blades. "We can't waste too much time," he warned, sliding into a battle-ready stance.
"I know," Dom said, cracking his knuckles as he dropped into a low fighting stance. His fists glowed with navy-blue mana, aura leaking around his body.
The Gorbacks lunged. Two of the largest charged simultaneously.
Dae's violet aura surged outward, sparking like electricity cascading over water. With a blur of speed and precision, he blitzed forward, his electrified blades slicing clean through the first Gorback's arm. The severed limb hit the forest floor with a bone-crunching thud, the beast shrieking in agony.
The second Gorback roared, swinging a massive fist at Dom. The impact ripped into the ground, sending debris scattering in a mini whirlwind. Dom smirked as the Gorback's strike slowed, his left hand holding the massive hand with ease.
"Nice," he muttered. He raised his right fist, crackling with navy-blue mana.
"My turn," he growled, hurling his fist into the Gorback's massive arm.
The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the creature's limb like water, shattering bone and sinew into fragments. The beast screamed, staggering back, and the pack hesitated, fear flickering in their eyes.
Dom's cocky smirk never faltered. "Who's next?" he taunted, cracking his neck as the remaining Gorbacks bared their teeth and charged once more.