The grand palace, towering over the Bloodrose Academy, was reserved for only the highest figures of authority. Seated upon the royal balcony, overlooking the vast academy grounds, sat King Aramir himself, his piercing red eyes scanning the hundreds of students below.
Beside him, his two sons, Damion and James Murderthrone watched with a mix of boredom and anticipation. Damion, draped in his long red cloak, leaned forward slightly, while James, the more carefree of the two, adjusted the golden ornaments on his coat, eyes lazily drifting across the arena.
At the King's right hand stood Cassius Ceresy, Sanatria's strongest soldier and one of the only three Purple Neba users on the continent. He remained still and ever-watchful, his presence alone suffocating, a reminder of his absolute power.
One chair remained empty.
In front of them, Ramires, the esteemed director of the academy, took a step forward onto the platform, his voice booming across the academy grounds.
"Welcome to the first test!" His words echoed, silencing the crowd instantly.
"Strength and power! What will the new Nebas show us today? Surprise us, and earn your place in the world's greatest academy!"
The students roared in response, excitement and anxiety crackling in the air like static.
Then, he paused.
His expression grew more serious as he continued, his voice lower but carrying weight.
"Now… before we begin, let me address the most important matter of the day."
The crowd fell silent again.
"Today, we have an unexpected and unprecedented visitor." He let those words sink in before speaking the name that sent a shockwave through the academy.
"The Monarch of Sarodenly himself… Magma Rodelyan."
A deathly silence followed.
And then, chaos.
Gasps. Whispers. Stunned disbelief.
"What?!" someone shouted from below.
"The Monarch of Sarodenly?! That can't be real!"
"How? The six continents never cross paths! How did he even get here?"
Even among the nobles seated in the royal section, there was confusion. Damion's eyes widened in shock, James stiffened, his usual carefree attitude vanishing, and even Cassius narrowed his golden eyes slightly.
Only King Aramir remained calm, his expression unreadable.
James turned to him quickly, his voice hushed but urgent. "Father… is this true?"
Aramir didn't answer. He simply gazed forward, waiting.
And then, he appeared.
From the sky, a figure descended.
Magma Rodelyan landed before Aramir, stepping onto the grand platform with effortless grace.
Majestic.
His dark bronze skin glowed under the sunlight, his golden robes embroidered with ancient Sarodenly symbols shimmered, and every inch of his form radiated sheer dominance. His long black braids cascaded behind his broad shoulders, and his piercing golden eyes scanned the academy like a god looking down upon mortals.
He was huge, as tall as Aramir, just as imposing and powerful.
His mere presence sent waves of pressure across the entire academy. Students felt their legs weaken, some instinctively stepping back.
Even Dune, Ned, and Atlas, who had faced death countless times, felt an unnatural chill crawl down their spines.
"I-I can't breathe…" Ned whispered.
Atlas clenched his fists. "This guy… just being near him is making my body freeze up."
Dune remained silent, his teeth clenched. His instincts were screaming. Around them, students were breaking into frantic whispers.
"A Monarch is here? Do you guys understand what that means?!"
"This is insane! Rulers don't leave their continents! This… this has never happened in history!"
"If he's here, does that mean Sarodenly is planning something?"
"Or is he just that powerful that he can do whatever he wants?"
Among the chaos, one voice spoke up.
"THIS! is the strongest person in this entire arena right now."
A heavy realization sank into everyone present. Even in an academy filled with nobles, prodigies, and high-ranking officials, Magma Rodelyan's presence overshadowed them all.
Magma's golden eyes swept over the vast sea of students, his gaze like molten fire, intense, unshaken, and utterly consuming. He finally spoke, his voice deep and commanding, each word dripping with weight.
"So… this is the so called 'greatest academy in the world'?" He let the words settle, his tone carrying neither mockery nor praise, just pure, cold curiosity. "That's quite the claim."
He took a step forward, slow and deliberate, the ground beneath him seeming to tremble under his presence.
"I have seen empires fall and kings beg in trials for life. I have watched warriors shatter their own limits, only to realize they were still nothing in the grand scheme of things." He narrowed his golden eyes, scanning the faces below him. "So tell me… what exactly will Sanatria's new generation show me today?"
The entire arena felt like it had frozen. Even the wind had died down, as if the very air itself feared interrupting him.
Then, Magma turned toward King Aramir, the faintest smirk curling on his lips. There was something challenging in his gaze, not hostile, but undeniably dominant.
"It seems I have stolen all the attention… Are you okay with this, Aramir?"
The academy fell into a suffocating silence. His words weren't just casual banter. They were a test. A challenge.
But Aramir did not falter.
The King simply leaned forward, his massive hands resting against the red armrests of his throne. His blood-red eyes locked onto Magma's, unreadable and unwavering.
"A man who feels the need to steal attention was never meant to have it in the first place."
The nobles around them stiffened. Cassius remained unmoving beside the King, his sharp golden eyes flickering between the two rulers, ready for anything.
Then, Magma chuckled.
A low, rumbling sound, as if he were entertained rather than offended. Without another word, he turned, stepping back toward his seat beside Aramir, his golden cloak flowing behind him. He draped an arm over the throne's side lazily.
Cassius narrowed his eyes. Magma had arrived alone. No guards. No escorts. That meant only one thing, he was confident enough to stand before anyone, unchallenged.
Cassius exhaled slowly. Did Magma truly believe there was no one in Sanatria who could match him?
For the first time in years, a thought crept into Cassius' mind, if I fought him… could I win?
And with that, the first test was about to begin.
As Ramires raised his hand, his entire body glowed with a fierce orange light. The ground trembled beneath him as a massive platform erupted from the earth, flames of orange dancing wildly around its edges.
At its center burned a green Neba Circle, its flames flickering ominously.
Dune, Atlas, and Ned exchanged glances. They had seen this before. Cadogan had shown it to them once, a powerful construct designed to measure raw strength and Neba output.
The students around them stiffened, eyes narrowing in focus. Some clenched their fists, others exhaled slowly, mentally preparing for their turn.
Ramires spoke, his voice booming across the courtyard.
"Here's how you will be judged. Step forward and strike the circle, first, with your normal strength. Then, activate your Neba and unleash your power."
He gestured toward the large glowing screen on the wall, shimmering with blue Neba energy. The names of participants would appear there, their scores displayed for all to see.
"Your total score will determine your placement."
– Top 25 will earn a spot in the prestigious S-Class.
– 25 to 50 will be placed in A-Class.
– 50 to 75 in B-Class.
– 75 to 100 in C-Class.
"Only one hundred of you will pass." Ramires' voice grew sharper. "The rest will have to wait another year."
Before he could continue, Magma Rodelyan suddenly stepped forward.
"This is pointless."
The air grew heavy. Every student turned toward him, their anticipation shifting into silent dread.
Magma's golden eyes swept over the crowd, cold and calculating.
"Why measure physical strength without Neba?" His voice was smooth, yet it carried an undeniable weight. "A human's natural strength is meaningless. Neba is what makes us powerful."
He let his words hang in the air before stepping forward slightly, his bronze skin glowing under the sunlight.
"If you want to see their true worth, make them unleash everything. Their strongest attack, their most destructive ability. That is what matters."
Silence.
Even Ramires, usually confident in his authority, hesitated. Magma's gaze was sharp, commanding, unyielding.
Ramires turned toward King Aramir. The king, calm as ever, gave a slight nod.
Ramires exhaled, then looked back at the crowd.
"…We will follow Magma's decision."
A wave of tension and excitement spread through the students. Some grinned, eager to show their true power. Others swallowed nervously.
Dune sighed. "Well… it really doesn't matter to me." He then glanced at Ned, who was not happy with Magma's statement.