After passing through the gate, Kyriel found himself in the heart of a titanic arena, accompanied by several hundred other apprentices from all the cities of the Geboku Kingdom. In total, 560 apprentice swordsmen from the kingdom's 56 cities had converged on this spot.
The arena stood like a colossus of stone and iron, a vast circular enclosure whose stands rose in concentric circles toward the heavens. Every seat was packed: thousands of spectators, flocking from the four corners of the kingdom, formed a human tide vibrating with cheers, shouts, and frenzies. The air seemed to pulse, saturated with a fiery energy mixed with exaltation.
In its center, the sandy ground stretched like a battlefield ready to burst into flames. With a radius of five hundred meters, the arena offered a vast space where the tests would take place. The cheers were of an almost stormy fervor. The spectators, holding their breath, were waiting for only one thing: for the tests to begin.
"This arena is gigantic... I never would have imagined the exam would take on such proportions," Kyriel declared, his voice filled with admiration.
"Wow... Some of them really have killer faces... A warm atmosphere guaranteed!" Benjamin called out, standing at his side.
"If you're scared, it's best to give up now," Bertrand replied, standing a few meters away from them.
"To tell the truth, I may be scared... but give up? Never," Benjamin replied firmly.
"And you, Kyriel, what are you feeling right now?" he continued.
"All I feel is burning excitement!" Kyriel replied, a broad smile on his lips.
"Since this morning, I've felt different... As if an immense force was dormant within me, without me being able to identify it. It started the moment I was hit by my older brother's attack... But what exactly happened?" he mused, his gaze fixed on Bertrand.
"Hey, Kyriel, look at that guy with his eyes closed... Where does he think he's? In a teahouse?" Clé called out, putting an arm around his shoulders.
Kyriel was about to reply when an unknown apprentice with sparkling golden hair passed behind them. The aura he exuded instantly silenced all conversation. An extraordinary pressure emanated from him, crushing the surrounding atmosphere. This apprentice was none other than Larva Leventis.
"What a monster..." exclaimed Khey, his gaze fixed on Larva, who was advancing with a steady step.
"Yes... and he's not the only one," replied Kyriel, observing another apprentice a few meters ahead of them.
The crowd's cheers intensified. Perched high in one of the grandstands, twelve silhouettes could be seen seated on seats separate from those of the rest of the spectators: they were the twelve division commanders. Each of them radiated an aura of extraordinary power.
Higher still, a raised platform dominated the arena. Six royal thrones were arranged there, but only five were occupied. On each sat a being whose mere presence created an impression of immeasurable power: the five divine kings, who had come in person to preside over the competition.
Suddenly, the crowd fell silent. Silence fell like a veil as one of the divine kings rose to speak:
"Dear apprentice swordsmen, inhabitants of the Geboku Kingdom, honorable division commanders, and illustrious divine kings, today, under the gaze of the heavens, the Student Swordsman Promotion Tournament begins. On this vast circle of sand stand apprentices from every city in the kingdom, whether they are swordsmen, mages, summoners, or shadow masters… You represent the elite of our nation. Let us begin without further ado with the first test."
He continued, in a clear and commanding voice:
"This test is simple: an obstacle course. Only the first sixty to cross the finish line will advance to the next test. The others must forever abandon the hope of one day becoming student swordsmen."
As soon as these words were spoken, sparkling crystals appeared in front of each of the 560 candidates.
"These crystals, which you now hold, must be placed on a stele after a thousand-kilometer course," he continued, as a gigantic portal opened in front of the participants.
"Upon crossing this portal, you must run straight ahead until you reach the end of the course, where you will find a stele. You will place your crystal there. Be aware, however, that creatures with varying elemental affinities will try to block your path. Anything goes. If you manage to place your crystal on one of the 60 available stele, you will be immediately teleported here and considered the winner of the test."
He paused, letting the murmurs of concern spread among the candidates.
"The goal is clear: bring back your crystal, place among the top 60, and you will qualify. Fail... and you will be eliminated." If your crystal breaks, you will suffer the same fate.
At the announcement of these rules, a shudder ran through the crowd of competitors. Running a thousand kilometers, protecting their crystal, evading attacks from hostile creatures... the difficulty seemed insurmountable. Kyriel felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead.
But the voice thundered again:
"I'll add one last detail... This year, we will reward both student swordsmen and master swordsmen. All those who finish the race among the top sixty will be immediately promoted to student swordsmen. But those who reach the third and final test will be able to obtain the approval of the deities present here and join one of the twelve divisions as Master Swordsmen. Your destiny is in your hands."
Then, turning to the stands, he concluded:
"And for you, dear spectators, we have prepared these giant screens so that you can follow every moment of this competition."
Immediately, the crowd erupted into screams of excitement, ready to witness one of the most perilous trials ever seen in the history of the selection.
When Kyriel heard the words "master swordsman," a wave of excitement washed over him, dispelling all fear. Before him finally lay the possibility of realizing his dearest dream.
But other candidates did not share this enthusiasm. The majority, seized with dread, saw this announcement as an insurmountable challenge. Worried murmurs rose from all sides:
"A double promotion?"
"Student swordsman then master swordsman in the same exam?"
"The difficulty of such a test is beyond imagination..."
Only a handful of participants seemed to remain impassive in the face of the thunderous words that still echoed.
As fear settled over the crowd of candidates, the master of ceremonies' voice rang out again, powerful as a thunderclap:
"Let the test begin... GO!"
The apprentices immediately began to move, each mobilizing their talents and their Art to gain the advantage from the start.
Only one of them remained motionless. Sitting on the ground, arms crossed and mouth open in a long yawn, he seemed overcome by profound disinterest.
"How boring... Why run? I'd rather sleep here," he said wearily, arousing the astonishment of several competitors who turned to stare at him.
"Is this guy... an idiot?" one of them muttered.
Suddenly, a thunderous voice, rising above even the din of the stands, burst out:
"Larvaaaa! If you don't run and win this race, you won't have anything to eat tonight!" shouted an old man, clearly exasperated by his disciple's indolence.
These words seemed to electrify Larva, whose body tensed imperceptibly.
"No need to be so cruel, old man... I'm going to win your ridiculous race," he replied, sounding a little less apathetic.
The participants were about to enter the gate in front of them when a voice suddenly rang in their ears:
"Time Manipulation Art: Time Freeze."
Standing at the back of the crowd, Larva had spoken these words. The next moment, everything seemed to freeze. The spectators, the apprentices... nothing moved. Time had just stopped.
The only ones who seemed unaffected by the time freeze were the twelve division commanders, still seated in their stands, the old man who had shouted at Larva, the five Divine Kings seated on thrones overlooking the arena, and a handful of individuals scattered throughout the crowd.
"A Time Freeze Art of such high skill... and with such range!" mused one of the commanders. "If I hadn't perceived the attack in advance and placed a Skin Art around my body, I would have been frozen in place."
"Who is this young boy?" thought another commander, intrigued, while a slight smile played on the lips of one of the five Divine Kings.
Taking advantage of her time freeze, Larva set off towards the portal and arrived in front of it. How boring... he thought, when suddenly, voices rang out behind him.
"A time freeze? Pathetic," William Moreti said, moving forward despite the technique.
"Freezing time itself with my ice... Now that's interesting," Jessica Yuki replied, also unharmed.
"You should have invested more energy in your spell... I think you underestimated us, lemon head," Iris Brown mocked, who also seemed able to move freely.
"If I hadn't sensed the blow coming, I would have been trapped like the others," Anderson Thomas said calmly.
"Now that's getting interesting..." Thorne thought, a mischievous smile on his lips, no longer affected by the time freeze.
"May this ordeal end quickly, so I can finally feed my dear family," Wraith Lion murmured thoughtfully, as if unaware of the situation.
"Well! It seems there are a few exceptions... Maybe I won't be bored today," Larva said, smiling, as she observed the few apprentices able to resist her spell.
But this resistance was nothing compared to the feat that followed.
"But... who is this young man who crossed the portal and is running at such prodigious speed? It seems he wasn't affected by the other one's spell!" exclaimed a spectator, pointing at the giant screen where the silhouette of a boy appeared, flying like the wind.
This boy was none other than Kyriel St. Patrick. Not only was he immune to the effects of Larva's spell, but he had also outpaced all the other resisters.
"Impossible... I didn't even see him pass in front of me," thought Larva, amazed.
At that moment, the seven other apprentices still standing rushed forward in turn and crossed the gate at full speed.