The instant Professor Hale's hand dropped, lightning exploded across the arena.
Shin moved first.
Not a step.
A blur.
Electricity cracked along the stone as he closed the distance in a flash, his body accelerating with the violent surge of lightning mana running through his Mark.
His fist shot toward Professor Lethran's chest.
It hit nothing.
Lethran had already moved.
His body shifted sideways with a smooth, almost lazy motion, the way water slips around a stone in a river.
Shin skidded past him.
The watching students gasped quietly.
"That was fast," Mira murmured.
Rei said nothing.
Shin pivoted immediately and attacked again.
Lightning snapped outward in sharp arcs as he lunged forward, striking again and again with explosive bursts of speed.
Each strike should have landed.
None of them did.
Lethran flowed around every attack.
He barely seemed to move.
Just slight shifts of balance.
Small steps.
Shin accelerated.
Faster.
Lightning began streaking across the arena floor as his movements became sharper and more aggressive.
Still nothing.
Lethran avoided every strike with calm precision.
The professor's voice carried over the crackle of electricity.
"You rely heavily on speed."
Shin clenched his teeth.
Lightning surged brighter across his arms.
"Working so far."
Lethran tilted his head slightly.
"Not quite."
Shin lunged again.
Lethran slipped past him effortlessly.
From the outside it almost looked unfair.
A lightning user being outmaneuvered.
Outsped.
Shin landed and slid several meters across the stone.
His frustration finally showed.
"…Tch."
Behind the barrier, Mira folded her arms.
"He's getting irritated."
Rei nodded slightly.
"Yes."
Shin exhaled sharply.
Fine.
If he couldn't catch him—
He would stop him from moving.
Lightning erupted outward.
Not toward Lethran.
Across the arena.
Arcs of electricity shot into the ground and the surrounding air, spreading through the space like a web of flashing energy.
Students stepped back instinctively as the arena filled with crackling light.
Shin's eyes tracked Lethran through the storm.
"Let's see you dodge now."
He launched forward.
The arcs tightened around the battlefield as he closed the distance again, forcing Lethran into a narrowing space.
For the first time, the professor's expression sharpened slightly.
Shin was fast.
And now the arena itself was dangerous.
Lethran shifted again.
Lightning snapped past his shoulder.
Another arc struck the stone beside him.
Then Shin was there.
Closer than before.
His fist drove forward.
For a split second—
Lethran was genuinely surprised.
The attack was good.
Very good.
Too good for a first-year initiate.
But experience moved faster than surprise.
Water surged upward from the arena floor.
It wrapped around Shin's head instantly.
The lightning vanished.
Shin staggered.
The sphere of water tightened around his face, cutting off his air.
His body struggled instinctively, electricity flickering weakly across his arms as he tried to break free.
Three seconds passed.
Four.
Just as Shin's movements began to weaken—
The water collapsed.
Shin dropped to one knee, coughing hard as he dragged air back into his lungs.
The arena fell silent.
Professor Lethran stepped back calmly.
"The match is over."
Shin tried to stand again.
His legs didn't cooperate.
Lightning flickered weakly across his fingers before fading completely.
He collapsed forward.
Before he could hit the ground, someone caught his arm.
Rei.
Shin looked up through exhausted eyes.
"…Did I win?"
Rei considered that for a moment.
"No."
Shin sighed.
"Figures."
He leaned heavily against Rei as the instructors stepped into the arena.
Professor Hale addressed the group.
"Shin Raiga demonstrated exceptional reaction speed and aggressive battlefield control for a Stage One initiate."
Several students glanced toward Shin.
Hale continued.
"However, lightning mana consumes large amounts of energy when used without restraint. His strategy forced his opponent into a restricted space, but it also exhausted his reserves."
Lethran nodded slightly.
"Your instincts are strong," he added. "But lightning is not only speed. It must also be controlled."
Shin managed a tired grin.
"I'll keep that in mind."
Hale turned to the group.
"Today's evaluations are complete."
The students relaxed slightly.
"Tomorrow we will begin structured combat training. Each of you has demonstrated strong potential, but potential alone is insufficient."
He paused briefly.
"Dismissed."
Rei shifted Shin's arm over his shoulder.
"You cannot walk."
"I can absolutely walk."
Shin took two steps.
His legs immediately failed.
Rei caught him again.
"…You cannot walk."
Shin groaned.
"This is humiliating."
Rei began guiding him toward the exit.
"You attacked a Stage Two instructor."
Shin sighed.
"Worth it."
The two disappeared down the corridor toward the dormitories.
Behind them, the arena lights dimmed slowly as the instructors finished dispersing the remaining mana in the air.
The first day of the Ascendant Program had ended.
And every instructor present had noticed the same thing.
This year's students were not normal initiates.
Not even close.
The training hall emptied slowly as students dispersed across the academy grounds.
Rei helped Shin out of the building and down the stone path leading toward the dormitories.
Shin managed a few steps on his own.
Then his legs stopped cooperating.
Rei caught his shoulder before he could fall.
"You cannot walk," Rei said.
"I can."
Shin tried again.
His knees buckled immediately.
Rei adjusted his grip and redirected them toward a nearby courtyard.
A large tree stood near the center of the open space, its branches casting wide shade across the stone path.
Rei guided Shin down against the trunk.
Shin leaned back, breathing slowly as the last traces of lightning flickered weakly across his fingers.
His Mark dimmed gradually.
For a while neither of them spoke.
Rei sat beside him, watching the courtyard quietly.
Shin stared at the ground.
"…I almost had him."
Rei glanced sideways.
"No."
Shin exhaled sharply through his nose.
"I know."
Silence returned.
The academy grounds were calmer away from the arena. Only distant footsteps and quiet voices drifted across the courtyard.
Eventually Shin lifted his head slightly.
"He wasn't even fighting seriously."
"No."
Shin leaned his head back against the tree again.
"…Annoying."
Footsteps approached across the stone path.
Rei noticed first.
Four figures stepped into the courtyard.
Mira walked at the front, hands tucked casually into her jacket pockets. Elira followed close behind her, staying half a step back like she preferred.
Valen walked beside them.
Cassian trailed slightly behind.
They stopped when they noticed the two under the tree.
Mira tilted her head.
"You two escaped early."
Shin didn't respond.
He was still breathing slowly, recovering.
Cassian looked between them.
"Collapsed already?"
Shin opened one eye.
"Lightning drains energy."
Cassian scoffed quietly.
"Convenient explanation."
Rei said nothing.
Cassian's gaze shifted toward him instead.
"Then again, someone without a Mark probably wouldn't understand exhaustion from actual combat."
Mira sighed.
"Cassian."
He ignored her.
Valen stepped forward slightly, his attention on Shin.
"You forced him to react," Valen said.
Shin looked up.
Valen crossed his arms.
"A Stage One pushing a Stage Two instructor that far is unusual."
Shin held his gaze for a moment.
"…Still lost."
Valen shrugged.
"Everyone loses to instructors."
Elira had stopped a few steps away from the tree.
She looked at Shin briefly before speaking.
"You fought well."
Her voice was quiet.
Shin gave a small nod.
"Thanks."
Mira dropped onto the grass nearby.
"You nearly electrocuted half the arena," she said. "People were backing away from the barrier."
"That wasn't intentional."
"Sure it wasn't."
Shin didn't bother arguing.
Rei remained leaning against the tree, watching the group silently.
Cassian glanced around the courtyard before speaking again.
"So this is the academy's elite selection."
No one answered.
Cassian continued anyway.
"At least some of you are competent."
Valen looked toward him.
"That includes Rei."
Cassian's eyes narrowed slightly.
"The anomaly?"
"Yes."
Valen's tone remained calm.
"Professor Hale observed him personally."
Cassian studied Rei for a moment.
Rei returned the look without interest.
Cassian turned away first.
"Tomorrow will be more interesting."
Shin slowly pushed himself upright.
Rei steadied him automatically.
"I can walk now," Shin said.
Rei watched him.
"…Maybe."
Shin managed two steps.
Then stopped again.
"…Give me a minute."
Mira laughed quietly.
"Lightning prodigy."
Shin ignored her.
The group lingered under the tree for a moment longer, the tension of the arena slowly fading from their shoulders.
Tomorrow the Ascendant Program would begin its real training.
And every one of them knew the same thing.
Today had only been the introduction.
The courtyard had settled into a quiet rhythm.
Wind moved softly through the branches above them, scattering shifting shadows across the stone.
Shin had finally managed to sit upright without swaying.
Progress.
Footsteps approached from the far path.
This time the group noticed immediately.
Three figures walked toward the courtyard from the upper academy buildings. Their uniforms were similar to the initiates', but the design was slightly different, marked with thin silver threading along the shoulders.
Upperclassmen.
They slowed when they noticed the group gathered under the tree.
One of them spoke first.
"So these are the new Ascendant selections."
His voice carried mild curiosity rather than hostility.
Mira glanced up.
"That obvious?"
The student shrugged slightly.
"The arena was loud."
His eyes moved across the group.
Shin.
Valen.
Cassian.
Mira.
Elira.
Then finally—
Rei.
He paused slightly.
"…Interesting."
Cassian straightened a little.
"What is?"
"The rumors."
Another of the upperclassmen stepped forward slightly, arms folded.
"The unmarked student."
The attention shifted naturally toward Rei.
Rei didn't move.
Didn't speak.
He simply sat where he was.
The first upperclassman studied him.
"So the professors actually selected you."
Cassian gave a quiet laugh.
"Professor Hale seems to enjoy strange decisions."
Mira shot him a look.
Valen spoke before the moment could stretch further.
"The selection wasn't random."
The upperclassman looked at him.
"You sound confident."
Valen didn't hesitate.
"I trust the instructors."
A small pause followed.
Then the third upperclassman, who had been silent until now, spoke.
"Confidence is useful."
His gaze moved across the six students.
"But the Ascendant Program is not a prize."
"It's pressure."
Shin leaned slightly against the tree trunk again, arms resting loosely on his knees.
"…Good."
The upperclassman looked at him.
"You're the lightning user."
Shin didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
Lightning mana still flickered faintly across his fingers.
The student nodded once.
"Your match was impressive."
Cassian frowned slightly at that.
The upperclassman continued.
"For a first year."
Mira smiled faintly.
"That 'for a first year' part keeps coming up."
"It will continue to."
The first upperclassman gestured loosely toward the academy buildings.
"You'll understand soon enough."
His attention returned briefly to Rei.
"If the instructors chose you," he said calmly, "then you'll have to prove why."
Rei nodded once.
Nothing more.
The upperclassmen exchanged brief glances.
Then the one who had spoken first turned away.
"Come on," he said to the others.
"No point standing around."
The three of them walked back toward the academy paths.
The courtyard fell quiet again.
Mira stretched her arms behind her head.
"Well," she said.
"That was welcoming."
Cassian scoffed.
"They're just third-years."
Valen glanced toward him.
"They're still stronger than us."
Cassian didn't respond.
Shin looked toward Rei.
"…You noticed something."
Rei nodded slightly.
"They were observing."
"Obviously."
"No," Rei said quietly.
"Not us."
Shin frowned slightly.
"Then who?"
Rei looked toward the academy building above the courtyard.
On a distant balcony, Professor Hale stood with another instructor.
Watching.
Rei leaned back against the tree again.
"They were confirming something."
Shin followed his gaze.
"…Great."
Above them, Hale turned away from the balcony.
"Interesting group," the instructor beside him said.
Hale nodded once.
"Yes."
He glanced once more toward the courtyard below.
"Very interesting."