Date: Week 1 — "Evaluation" Period
Location: Arcanum Academy — Central Grounds
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They called it the "Evaluation Period."
But it was war.
Thirty days. No rules. No mercy.
This Academy doesn't coddle.
They don't separate prodigies from the rest. They grind everyone together until the weak break and the strong show their cracks.
And still they smile, sipping tea behind their crystal observation spheres.
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The first day was theory.
Simple enough.
But by the second, it began.
"Practical examination," they said.
We were teleported to a mock cliffside battleground, surrounded by summoned constructs — stone beasts with metal claws and blinding speed. They moved like nightmares that forgot they were supposed to sleep.
A girl screamed.
Another student jumped off the cliff just to escape.
One teacher noted:
> "Excellent. Ten points for survival instinct."
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I stood still.
Counted the spawn intervals.
Memorized their attack rotations.
By the end of the test, I walked out untouched.
When asked how I did it, I said:
> "They respond to fear.
So I gave them none."
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On the third day, I met Riya.
She was bleeding. Not badly, but enough.
Still standing, still grinning. Like a sunflower smiling under lightning.
> "You're Nitsuo, right?" she said, panting. "You're the one who beat the simulation with zero mana use?"
"Correct."
"Cool. I nearly exploded it by mistake. Want to team up?"
I didn't answer.
But I nodded once.
Later, I'd find out she scored second-highest in that test. Behind me.
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