"What is Death?"
The moment Shin saw the question, his hand froze.
"Death? What does it even mean?" he thought, staring blankly at the page. Around him, pens scratched the surface of sheets furiously, chairs creaked, and the sound of students muttering could be heard all the way.
He closed his eyes, drifting into the empty void of memory.
"I was dead not so long ago… but I didn't recall feeling anything. Just emptiness."
He exhaled slowly, sweat coming from his temple.
"In my life, I had killed countless people. Fragile, fleeting things. They all vanished without resistance, without consequence. No one wept for the next day, the world continues move on. So what did their lives amount to?"
When he opened his eyes again, the paper before him was still empty.
The bell rang. Chairs scraped as everyone handed in their sheets. Some wore confidence, some shaking in nervousness. In the Midst of all, Shin's face carried nothing at all.
***
"Rei, why are you smiling?" asked the bespectacled examiner, his glasses shining with curiosity.
"It's nothing," Rei replied, though his grin widened. In his hand, he held Shin's blank sheet, only a name written neatly at the top: Shin.
"Hmm… interesting. The mighty Rei is smiling? That's rare," he teased.
"Shut it. I want a favor, Sebel," Rei said, with his gentle tone. He slid a slip of paper over to him.
Sebel glanced at it, two names written there. His grin turned sly.
"Oh, looks like someone caught your eye." He paused "Very well… I'll make them a pair for the practical."
Both smiled, and stepped out toward the next chamber of the exam—
The Arena.
***
"This is the second phase of your test," Rei announced with his sharp commanding tone. "You will all be separated into pairs of two." he added
Sebel called out the names of each pairs one by one until only two were left.
"Shin and John, will be the last pair." he smirked, reading the names.
"Looks like we're together in this," John grinned with a bright smile.
"Yes, looking forward to being your partner," Shin replied politely, try to look normal.
The bell rang again, this time louder, starting the second phase, as the first pair stepped into the arena through a giant iron gate— on a wide dusty ground, resembling a gladiator's ring, all others are above in the audience section watching them.
From the far gate came a loud rumble. A heavy bellow echoed through the walls, shaking the arena, as an angry bull charged out, its horns standing, big, sharp, and shining, twice the size of a normal one.
"Defeat the bull" Rei announced, sitting on a bernada. "Without killing or severely harming it," he added, his voice sharp and cold.
"Oh...., Shin, it's really—" John froze mid-sentence, his eyes catching Shin's face, a devilish smile on it, his heart skipped. "Shin~" he mumbles, afraid to utter any words.
***
Barely two minutes passed, and the first pair stumbled out quickly, injured, they were carried toward the medics for treatment in a rush. Others hesitates, watching the outcome.
"Too rough for those kids, isn't it?" Sebel muttered, a worried look on his face.
"A Magi must learn restraint," Rei said firmly. "Anyone can kill, but not everyone can hold back." His tone carried a hint of excitement.
"Then why do you look so eager? Is it because of those two?" Sebel teased.
Rei ignored him and raised his voice once again.
"Next pair, Shin and John."
***
Shin and John stepped into the arena. In front of them stood an angry bull, snorting and kicking its legs in anger.
"Do you have any plans?" John asked, excitement shining on his face instead of fear.
"No," Shin replied, calm and composed.
The bull charged, lowering its head to strike with its horns.
"Wall!" John shouted. A thick wall of earth rose from the ground, taking the hit with a heavy crack.
Shin glanced at him with slight amazement.
"So he can control the earth's crust itself," Shin thought, his eyes begin scanning the arena.
"Can't you just create a cage?" Shin asked, wondering.
"No, I can't do more than a wall with my current mastery," John admitted, a hint of disappointment in his voice.
"It's alright. I have a plan— could buy me a minute," Shin said, his eyes locked with focus.
"Very well," John nodded, not hesitating for a second.
The bull slammed into the walls again and again, while John poured all his stamina into holding it back.
"I can't hold much longer!" he shouted.
Shin closed his eyes. "What does the system consider a weapon?" he whispered.
[Weaponizer Activated]
A voice echoed in his ears. The broken chunks of wall around them began to float, drawn up by Shin's will.
As the bull shattered the final wall and lunged forward, Shin waved his hand. The chunks of stone swarmed around it, like following a set of trails, locking the beast in place without a single wound.
The crowd fell silent. John froze in shock—just like everyone else.
"That's why you're so eager for this boy, isn't it?" Sebel muttered, side-eyeing Rei's satisfied smile.
***
They walked towards the exit. Both breathing heavily, totally exhausted. "Are you a Metal Mahyer?" John asked, in curiosity.
"Y-yes," Shin replied cautiously. "Cool, that was Weaponizer skill right?" He was overjoyed to meet a Metal Mahyer.
"So… Weaponizer is a skill of Metal Mahyer?, that's why John could guess it," Shin thought, recalling the system screen. "But then… what does the path of Executioner mean?" he wondered.
***
The sun finally set as the last pair completed their trial.
"Everyone can leave now. After judging everyone of you, your letter of acceptance—or rejection—will be delivered to your residence written," Sebel announced, his voice echoing through the arena.
Everyone begins leaving, breath of tiredness in air . "It's been a rough day isn't it"John Smiled.
"If you weren't here, I don't know what would've happened to me," he laughed, throwing his arm around Shin.
"It was a team effort," Shin replied with a faint smile, though his eyes betrayed unease. When John waved goodbye with his usual cheer, Shin didn't return it—he simply turned and walked away.
Through the streets, the night was cold and still. Shin's thoughts weighed heavily.
"He's definitely suspicious of me, that man," he muttered, rubbing his temple. His steps slowed, and the mist swallowed him whole. "I need to do something…" the voice fades.
***
Dawn broke, washing the land in warm light. Shin wakes up, his body heavy from another sleepless night. His hair all messed up. He gazed towards the door.
On the floor lay a letter, slipped from beneath. "So fast!," he whispered, tearing it open. Inside an letter, on which written, in bold letters, it read:
Congratulations. You have been accepted as a Royal Duty Officer of the kingdom. Report in before evening.
Shin's expression barely shifted. Only a crooked smile crept across his lips. But then he noticed another folded slip tucked inside the envelope.
At the top was a name—Rei Limer—with a short note scrawled beneath:
"Meet me today after reporting."
Shin's eyes narrowed, his lips stretching into something sharper than a smile.
"Things are about to get interesting...."