The waiting hall felt emptier than before.
Large gaps separated the remaining children, silent reminders of those who had already failed. Some sat on the floor, resting. Others stood rigid, staring ahead as if afraid to relax.
Ethan leaned lightly against a marble pillar, breathing slowly, letting his mana settle. His legs still felt weak from the maze, but the trembling had faded.
Soon, knights returned.
"The remaining candidates will proceed to the second trial."
They were led deeper underground.
The chamber they entered was enormous—a vast domed hall carved entirely from pale stone. The ceiling curved high above them, etched with layered runes that faintly glowed. The floor was marked with dozens of circular arrays, each one different, each one dense with inscriptions.
In the center of every circle stood a short stone pedestal.
Hiro stepped forward.
"This is the second trial," he announced. "The Weight of Mana."
A hush fell over the hall.
"This trial measures three things," Hiro continued. "Basic Mana capacity. Efficiency. And use of mana under pressure."
The instructors' eyes moved across the children.
"You will each stand within a rune circle. Once activated, the array will apply increasing pressure directly to your mana core."
A few children stiffened.
"This pressure does not affect the body," Hiro said. "It affects your mana itself. The more unstable your mana becomes, the more dangerous this trial will be."
He paused.
"If at any point you wish to stop, kneel and place your hand on the ground. Doing so counts as a pass. Collapsing from mana exhaustion counts as failure."
The children were guided to separate circles.
Ethan stepped into his assigned array.
Across from him, another boy entered the circle opposite.
He looked about Ethan's age, slightly taller, with silver-gray hair tied loosely at the back. His amber eyes scanned the chamber calmly, without fear. The mana around him felt dense, steady—controlled.
The boy noticed Ethan looking and gave a small, easy smile.
"Guess we both made it past the maze," he said quietly.
Ethan nodded. "Yeah."
"I'm Kael," the boy added. "Kael Virex."
"Ethan," he replied. "Ethan of Nox."
Kael's eyes lit up slightly.
"Nox? That's impressive. I have heard lots about your people"
Before Ethan could respond, the runes beneath their feet ignited.
A deep vibration rippled through the chamber.
At first, the pressure was subtle—like standing underwater, mana flowing slower, heavier.
Ethan inhaled and adjusted his breathing.
Around the hall, reactions varied.
One child immediately knelt, pressing a hand to the ground as if afraid of what was coming. Another tried to push mana outward, only to wince as the pressure pushed back harder.
The weight increased.
Ethan felt it press against his mana core, compressing it inward. His chest felt warm, almost tight. He focused, circulating his mana evenly, refusing to let it surge.
Across from him, Kael stood relaxed, shoulders loose.
"You feel it yet?" Kael murmured.
"A little," Ethan said.
"Same. Don't fight it too hard," Kael advised. "Let it settle."
The pressure deepened again.
A sharp gasp echoed as one child stumbled and collapsed. Knights rushed in, dragging them clear of the circle.
Sweat began to bead on Ethan's forehead. His legs tensed, instinct urging him to kneel—but he resisted, slowing his mana flow instead of forcing it.
Minutes passed.
The pressure grew heavier, denser, like gravity pulling directly at his core.
Several children dropped to their knees, hands pressed firmly against the stone, breathing hard.
Kael's expression tightened slightly now, but he remained standing.
"You're doing good," Kael said quietly, glancing toward Ethan. "Most people panic here."
Ethan nodded, jaw clenched.
The runes brightened.
Ethan's vision blurred for a moment as his mana pulsed unevenly. He steadied it, forcing calm over instinct.
Across the chamber, only a handful of children remained standing.
Finally—
Hiro raised his hand.
The runes dimmed.
The pressure vanished instantly.
Ethan staggered forward, catching himself before he fell. He sucked in a deep breath, his mana settling rapidly.
Kael exhaled sharply, then laughed under his breath.
"Wow," he said. "That was rough."
Knights rushed to assist the collapsed children.
Hiro's voice echoed through the hall.
"Trial Two is complete."
Ethan straightened slowly.
Kael stepped closer, offering a hand.
"You okay?"
Ethan hesitated, then took it. "Yeah. Thanks."
Kael grinned.
"Looks like we're still in this together."
As they walked toward the exit, the weight of the trial still lingered—but for the first time, Ethan didn't feel alone.
As they walked toward the exit, the weight of the trial still lingered—but for the first time, Ethan didn't feel alone.
"How disappointing," said Hiro. "All of you are just trying to resist it through pure strength. To actually pass this trial easily, the best method is to use Stage 3 of Physical Mana."
After Hiro finished explaining how to perform the trial more efficiently, all the children were told to return to their rooms and rest, as the final trial of this test would take place tomorrow.
Hiro added, "The better you perform in the last trial, the better your reward and rank will get."
In this world, people are ranked as follows: F, D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS. Only one person has ever been awarded an X.