The academy's grand practice hall was massive, its high arched ceilings lined with crystal chandeliers. Magical runes along the polished floors pulsed faintly, storing energy to power today's event: the Monster Simulation Test. First-year students lined the sidelines, buzzing with nerves. This was a test of combat skill, magical control, and strategy.
Mechanical constructs floated in the arena, glowing faintly. They were designed to behave like real monsters: unpredictable movement, elemental attacks, and limited intelligence. Teachers observed from high platforms, prepared to intervene if anything went wrong.
Elian stepped calmly onto the arena floor, golden eyes scanning every construct, every rune on the floor. His fire magic was weak—but precise. He didn't rush. He observed. He calculated.
Lyra was first. Her silver hair shimmered in the light, and her posture radiated confidence. She moved with elegance and precision, her spells slicing through the mechanical monsters with ease. Each strike hit perfectly, leaving a trail of sparks.
Other students followed. Some misfired, some barely touched their targets, while a few displayed decent skill. The arena was alive with flying sparks, flickering lights, and the occasional hum of a successfully struck target.
Elian stood quietly, analyzing every move. He noticed small patterns: the slight lag in a construct's left claw, the way a fire spell rebounded off the arena walls, the timing of elemental pulses. He stored it all in his mind.
Finally, it was Elian's turn. He stepped forward, confident but careful. He released a small spark at a moving construct—weak, but it hit perfectly.
Suddenly, a loud crack echoed through the hall. Sparks flew, circuits overloaded, and the mechanical constructs twisted violently. Their movements became erratic, dangerous, real. Elemental energy shot out in uncontrolled bursts.
Teachers shouted warnings, but it was too late. The controlled exercise had turned into a battle for survival.
A massive construct lunged at Elian, claws crackling with raw, unstable energy. He tried to dodge, but a glancing blow caught his side. Pain shot through him, sharp and burning. He stumbled, his body faltering under the force.
Blood ran down his side, and he realized the strike had been serious enough to cripple him if another hit came. He struggled to rise, gripping the floor for balance.
This could kill me… he thought.
Before he could recover, the construct struck again—this time aimed straight at his chest. Elian froze. There was no time to dodge, no safe route.
At that critical instant, something deep within him reacted automatically. The black-and-white wings of his chest seal glimmered faintly, and a silvery sword of energy appeared in his hand.
The second strike collided with the sword and was deflected. Simultaneously, warmth flooded his chest. His wounds began healing slowly but steadily, the pain fading as if it had never been.
He gasped, golden eyes widening. Why… do I have this power? he whispered silently.
It wasn't full power, only a small surge of his mother's magic, triggered subconsciously. The seal remained mostly intact, hiding the majority of his true abilities.
The hall went silent. Students stared. Teachers rushed forward, trying to process what they had just witnessed. Even distant gods and demons felt the pulse of this extraordinary power.
Lyra stepped closer, silver eyes wide. "He… he survived that?" she whispered.
Whispers spread among students:
"Even a malfunctioning machine couldn't kill him…"
"His magic… it's impossible!"
"I feel… something unusual from him…"
No one understood, but everyone knew something extraordinary had occurred.
Elian collapsed fully, exhausted. He looked at his hands and the faint shimmer beneath his shirt. The sword had disappeared as suddenly as it appeared.
Why do I have this power? he thought, chest still tingling from the surge. Why did it save me…?
He didn't know the answer. He didn't know the limits. All he knew was that something powerful, instinctive, and dangerous lived inside him—something that responded to life-threatening danger without his conscious control.
For the first time, he realized the weight of what was inside him. It wasn't ordinary magic. He was… different.
The child of hope had survived the academy's deadliest simulation. The world around him had taken notice, and even he now understood that this power would change everything.
And the first question forming in his mind was simple but terrifying:
Why do I have these powers?