Chapter 12: The Gauntlet Trial Begins
The day broke cold and silver, with clouds forming ancient runes in the sky above Apex Academy. From every tower, courtyard, and cultivation chamber, students emerged to witness the most brutal selection trial in the academy's history: The Convergence Gauntlet.
Tory Vale stood at the edge of a floating stone arena. Beside him, Jim flexed his arms, sparks crackling through his skin. The top thirty stood on isolated floating platforms—each destined to enter a gauntlet constructed from three realms of power: Illusion, Elements, and Temptation.
Hovering high above, Headmaster Ryven's voice echoed across the sky.
"The Gauntlet Trial will begin now. You will face:
1. The Mind Mirror – Your fears, doubts, and illusions.
2. The Collapse Fields – Chaotic elemental zones testing your raw power and survival.
3. The Temptation Path – Illusions of your deepest desires or regrets. Survive, and you will be qualified for the World Space."
He gestured toward a swirling vortex of crimson, blue, and white energy.
"Enter."
---
Phase One: The Mind Mirror
Tory stepped through the rift.
Darkness.
Then—his body froze. Not by force, but by memory. He was back at the orphanage.
Jim lay dying. The matron cried. Jason laughed while flames consumed everything.
Tory reached out—his hands turned to ash. The sky fractured.
> [System Alert: Illusion detected. Temporal override activated. Neutralizing.]
His vision cleared. The nightmare faded like ink in water. He stood within a glass chamber, alone.
"This is your strength," the illusion said, echoing his own voice. "You destroy everything you touch."
Tory stepped forward and slashed the reflection in half. It shattered into light.
He passed.
---
Jim stood in a lightning storm, surrounded by dead beasts and screaming orphans. His elemental power turned on him, refusing to obey.
He roared, "I won't be your puppet!"
He grasped the storm with bare hands. Lightning obeyed.
He passed.
One by one, others fell. Over a dozen were knocked unconscious, emotionally shattered. Only 22 remained.
---
Phase Two: Collapse Fields
They emerged into a realm of exploding landscapes. Ice continents melted into lava seas. Lightning forests clashed against tornado-filled skies.
Jim grinned. "Now we're talking."
Each student was assigned a zone.
Tory entered a gravity well surrounded by warping space. His own element pushed back against it.
> [Gravity Core Stabilized. Space Folding Activated. Dimensional Flow Engaged.]
Tory dashed between warps, redirecting a volcano's collapse into a tornado basin. He used the terrain like a blade.
Jim stood at the center of a wildfire and rode a wave of magma, cutting through enemy illusions with his five-element spear.
Kael Zeyvorin was not far behind, using thunder clones and shadow illusions.
Selia Aeloria froze a lightning storm mid-burst with a single breath. "This is trivial," she said calmly.
When it ended, only 16 remained.
---
Phase Three: Temptation Path
Tory stepped onto a glowing bridge with endless stars below. At the far end stood a boy.
White hair. Soft eyes. A life without the orphanage. A family. Peace.
"No death, no pain," said the illusion. "You can stay here. We can go home."
Tory's hand trembled.
Then he clenched his fist.
"That boy died the day I awakened."
He shattered the illusion with a whisper.
Jim faced the vision of a kingdom—crowned, praised, beloved.
He let the crown fall.
Selia faced her mother's smile.
Kael faced his long-dead brother.
Ten passed.
---
The Selected
The ten students stood before Ryven and a circle of instructors, including two Saint Realm mentors.
The selected were:
1. Tory Vale (Male) – Rank 1
A quiet orphan with white hair and an unknown system. Proficient in space, gravity, and time elements. Currently Lord Realm Stage 4.
2. Selia Aeloria (Female) – Rank 2
A calm noble girl from the Aeloria Clan, known for her extreme elemental control, especially ice. Keen intellect and spiritual perception.
3. Jim (Male) – Rank 3
Tory's best friend. Known as the Elemental King with six elemental affinities. Courageous, loyal, and skilled in close combat.
4. Kael Zeyvorin (Male) – Rank 4
A bold, aggressive noble with lightning and shadow elements. Highly competitive and deeply suspicious of Tory.
5. Nyria Thorne (Female) – Rank 5
A spear wielder with wind and flame affinities. Known for her battlefield awareness and burst speed.
6. Vynn Dalas (Male) – Rank 6
A silent strategist who uses spatial folds and poison arrays. Comes from a lesser noble family with ancient beast contracts.
7. Mira Greyson (Female) – Rank 7
A dual-inscriber and alchemist who blends rune constructs into real-time battle formations.
8. Torr Valek (Male) – Rank 8
A heavy-type cultivator wielding crushing strength and body reinforcement techniques. Known for being unstoppable in duels.
9. Eline Vos (Female) – Rank 9
A rare charm-path cultivator with mental illusions and spirit song arts. Dangerous in prolonged battles.
10. Grath Nomir (Male) – Rank 10
Wields metal and magnetic force. Specializes in multi-weapon manipulation and reinforcement techniques.
Saint Instructor Talien stepped forward. "You are now eligible to enter the World Space."
But before anyone could breathe in relief, Ryven raised a hand.
"However," he said, "You may be challenged."
Gasps followed.
"Only by students of your year. Only those who ranked in the top 50 of the entrance exam."
Immediately, 14 students stood forward.
---
Challenge Accepted
The ground split into multiple dueling platforms. Every selected had to face a challenger.
Jim faced Raken Yorr, a brute of molten rock and fury.
Selia faced Lisel Ardwin, a blade dancer.
Kael faced two at once.
Tory's challenger was a silent youth named Marn, who had scored 11th place. He held no fame, but had a weapon forged from skyfire ore and carried a forbidden inscription technique.
"I don't like loose ends," Marn said. "And no one comes out of nowhere like you did."
Tory activated his ash-silver blade.
"No one who matters stays a nobody forever."
They clashed.
Reality bent.
The crowd fell silent.
Time flickered.
Tory ended the battle in one slash.
---
Aftermath
All ten retained their positions.
Ryven nodded. "You have all passed. In five days, you will enter the World Space, alongside upper years from second, third, and fourth levels."
"But make no mistake," he warned. "The World Space is not fair. Not fixed. And not merciful."
Tory looked at the sky.
Far above, the Transcendents of Celestial Fang were watching.
> [System Notice: Reality Lock remains stable. Time Signature Clean. No detection imminent.]
Jim clapped him on the back. "Guess we're ready, huh?"
Tory nodded. "Almost."