Myre uncorked the small bottle and drank its contents in one gulp.
Almost instantly, a strange sensation spread throughout his body.
"So... this is Ascend."
Warmth flowed through every vein as his muscles grew lighter and his mind became astonishingly clear. It wasn't that he had become stronger overnight. Rather, the potion temporarily unlocked better control over the abilities that had always been hidden within him.
Beng watched him carefully before giving a slight nod.
"The effect is only temporary," he said calmly. "But it should be enough. Now... go."
Myre took a deep breath and walked toward the entrance.
At first glance, it looked like an ordinary portal.
But it wasn't.
It was a tunnel.
A long passage stretched beyond a massive doorway, its floor glowing with a soft white light. Yet the longer Myre stared into it, the more that light seemed to fade. White slowly gave way to darkness, as if the tunnel itself was swallowing every trace of light.
It felt mysterious.
Almost alive.
Myre hesitated for only a moment before stepping inside.
The moment he crossed the entrance, the world around him changed.
The area wasn't completely dark. He could still see where he was going, but everything was shrouded in dim shadows that made the surroundings feel strangely unreal.
After looking around, he realized the battlefield had been built to resemble the academy itself.
Unfortunately...
He had never actually seen the inside of the academy.
Even if the place had been brightly lit, he still wouldn't have known where anything was. The darkness only made the maze-like corridors even more confusing.
Myre continued walking cautiously, listening to the silence around him.
Then suddenly—
something shot past him.
A sharp shard of ice.
It narrowly missed his face.
Myre spun around the instant he realized someone had attacked him.
But before he could even catch a glimpse of his opponent—
Another shard.
It sliced across his cheek, leaving behind a thin line of blood.
"...!"
Myre immediately stepped back.
He couldn't predict the attacks.
He couldn't dodge every projectile.
The darkness made it impossible to clearly see his opponent's face—or even his body.
Yet there was one thing he could see.
The direction of each attack.
If he could read where the next shard was headed, he might be able to anticipate his opponent's movements... and find an opening to counterattack.
Unfortunately...
His opponent never gave him the chance.
Whoever stood before him wasn't reckless.
Every attack had a purpose.
More shards of ice flew toward Myre one after another, forcing him to dodge again and again.
At first, he believed they were meant to injure him.
He was wrong.
Each dodge pushed him farther back.
One step.
Then another.
Without realizing it, Myre had been driven into the corner of the room.
"...A trap."
The attacker suddenly burst forward.
His speed was terrifying.
In a single motion, he drew a dagger and thrust it straight toward Myre's heart.
"I can't predict him..."
Myre's heart pounded violently.
"I can't even read his thoughts..."
"...He's a monster."
Those weren't empty words.
The young man standing before him had been raised as an assassin from the day he was born.
Among his entire clan, he was recognized as the greatest talent of his generation.
No one doubted that he would one day inherit the organization and become its next leader.
Although the organization worked from the shadows, its name was known throughout the world.
They carried out countless secret missions, many of them directly for the academy itself.
What made this young assassin so exceptional wasn't simply his talent...
It was his unwavering resolve.
From childhood, he had been trained to eliminate the elite among elites—aristocrats, military commanders, and individuals whose very existence could change nations.
Once he accepted a target...
He would never stop until the mission was complete.
The source of his power was Ares, the God of War.
Because of that—
people had given him a title.
The Reincarnation of Ares.
Fortunately, the effects of Ascend allowed Myre to react in time.
He caught the assassin's wrist and forced the dagger away from his heart before shoving him back.
"...!"
The assassin's eyes narrowed.
He had underestimated him.
Without wasting another second, he vanished once again.
His speed was overwhelming.
A second dagger flashed into his hand as he closed the distance, launching a relentless barrage of strikes aimed at Myre's vital points.
Every slash was precise.
Every movement was meant to kill.
It wasn't a duel.
It was an execution.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
Myre barely avoided the deadly blades.
One cut grazed his neck.
"...Gh!"
Warm blood trickled down his skin as he staggered backward, breathing heavily.
"If I keep holding back..."
"...I'm going to lose."
His eyes slowly changed.
The hesitation disappeared.
"So be it."
"I'll fight seriously."
The atmosphere around him shifted.
A dark, oppressive aura spread throughout the battlefield.
For the first time...
Even the assassin hesitated.
It wasn't because of Myre's strength.
It was because the presence standing before him felt like something far more terrifying than a human.
For a brief moment—
Myre himself looked like a monster.
He slammed his foot into the ground.
Cracks spread across the floor, shaking the entire corridor.
The sudden impact stole the assassin's attention for only a fraction of a second.
That was all Myre needed.
He closed the distance instantly and struck him square in the chest.
The assassin stumbled.
His grip loosened.
Without hesitation, Myre snatched one of the daggers from his hand.
Then...
He copied him.
The assassin's stance.
His grip.
His footwork.
Even the way he wielded the dagger.
"...He copied me?"
For the first time since the battle began, genuine shock appeared on the assassin's face.
"...There's no way I can win."
He slowly lowered his remaining dagger.
"I surrender."
The corridor fell silent.
Myre released him immediately.
The assassin stared at him for a long moment before speaking.
"...Who are you?"
"I've never met someone like you."
"My name is Myre."
A faint smile appeared on the assassin's face.
"...Nex."
"I don't know why you spared me."
"But since you chose not to kill me..."
"Let's work together."
"I've been inside this academy before. I know the layout, the best places to hide, and where we're most likely to find the other participants."
After a brief pause, Nex looked at Myre with curiosity.
"I have a question."
"...Did you copy my fighting style?"
Myre nodded honestly.
"Yeah."
"I can copy."
Instead of looking frightened...
Nex laughed quietly.
"Then keep copying me."
"I've spent my entire life fighting."
"If you're going to imitate someone..."
"Make sure it's someone strong."
He glanced at the dagger now resting in Myre's hand.
"You can keep it."
"It's a legendary weapon."
"It was custom-made just for me..."
"...but I'm giving it to you."
Myre looked at the dagger in surprise.
"...Are you sure?"
Nex simply turned around.
"Consider it an investment."
Without another word, the two of them headed toward the first floor together.
After descending to the first floor, the two of them suddenly heard the sound of metal clashing.
Someone was fighting.
Nex immediately grabbed Myre's shoulder.
"Hide."
Without asking any questions, Myre followed him behind a nearby wall.
The two silently observed the battle unfolding before them.
At first, Myre was simply watching another participant...
Until he recognized him.
"...Knox?"
His eyes widened in surprise.
Knox moved with incredible agility.
Every attack aimed at him missed by the smallest margin, as if he already knew exactly where his opponent would strike.
His opponent extended both hands.
Thick vines burst from the ground, twisting through the corridor like living snakes, attempting to bind Knox where he stood.
Knox didn't panic.
With a simple wave of his hand—
Flames erupted.
The vines burned to ashes before they could reach him.
At the same time, several blazing spear-like projectiles formed behind him and shot forward one after another.
Long-range magic.
That was Knox's specialty.
Combined with his extraordinary agility, he could effortlessly maintain distance while avoiding both close-range and ranged attacks.
However...
His greatest strength wasn't magic.
It was experience.
Long before entering the academy, Knox had trained in martial arts.
His movements were calm.
Efficient.
He never wasted energy.
Frustrated, his opponent let out a furious scream.
"Would you stop dodging already?! You're seriously getting on my nerves!"
Knox simply smiled.
He didn't answer.
The enraged student charged forward with everything he had.
"...Too predictable."
Knox stepped aside at the last possible moment.
His fist shot upward—
Overhand.
CRACK.
The student collapsed instantly.
A clean knockout.
"...He's awesome."
Myre couldn't hide the admiration in his voice.
Beside him, Nex glanced over.
"...You did it again."
"Hm?"
"You copied him."
Myre blinked.
"...I didn't even notice."
"But... yeah."
"I guess I did."
Nex stared at him for a few seconds before quietly muttering,
"...What kind of monster are you going to become if you keep developing like this?"
He quickly shook his head.
"...Forget it."
"I think he noticed us."
Almost on cue—
"Hey!"
A familiar voice echoed through the corridor.
"Myre! Is that you?"
"...Well."
Nex sighed.
"So much for staying hidden."
The two stepped out from their hiding place.
Unlike Myre, who casually walked toward Knox, Nex remained alert, his hand resting on the dagger at his waist.
Knox laughed the moment he saw them.
"Myre... you're actually with Nex?"
"That's a rare sight."
"Hahaha!"
"Don't laugh."
"Alright, alright."
Knox raised both hands in surrender.
"I just never thought I'd see Nex forming an alliance."
He looked back at Myre.
"Which means..."
"You must be stronger than I thought."
Before anyone could continue the conversation—
A loud voice echoed throughout the entire examination area.
"Attention, participants."
"Half of the examination time has passed."
"Fifteen minutes remain."
Knox stretched his shoulders.
"Looks like it's time for me to go."
"I doubt I can beat the two of you together."
But before anyone could take another step—
A deep, distorted roar shook the entire building.
The floor trembled beneath their feet.
Everyone instinctively turned toward the source of the sound.
And then...
They saw it.
A gigantic monster.
The three of them froze.
None of them could understand what they were looking at.
Fear clouded their minds.
Instinct screamed only one thing.
If they failed to defeat the monster... they would die.
...
Only one person didn't understand the situation.
Myre.
He could sense the tension around him.
Knox's expression had turned serious.
Even Nex, who had remained calm throughout every battle until now, looked unusually tense.
"...What's wrong with them?"
Myre slowly raised his head, trying to find the source of their fear.
And then he saw it.
Not a monster.
Not a demon.
Not a beast.
Just...
An angry young man.
"...That's it?"
He couldn't understand why everyone else looked so horrified.
Meanwhile...
Nex and Knox exchanged a quick glance.
Neither of them intended to retreat.
Knox moved first.
Several blazing spears formed behind him before shooting toward the raging figure one after another.
At the exact same moment—
Nex disappeared.
His movements were so fast they almost blended into the darkness as he circled behind the target.
Their coordination was flawless.
One distracted.
The other attacked.
Watching them, Myre immediately understood what they were trying to do.
Without thinking—
He copied Nex's movements.
His body sprinted toward the opposite side, perfectly completing the formation.
The enraged figure roared.
He wildly swung at whoever stood closest.
But he couldn't catch anyone.
Every attack missed.
Knox kept firing from a distance.
Nex relentlessly pressured him from behind.
Myre adjusted his movements each time he copied Nex, slowly becoming part of their rhythm.
The longer the battle continued...
The more openings appeared.
"...Now!"
The three moved at the same instant.
Roots burst from the ground beneath the raging student, wrapping tightly around his legs and arms.
Before he could tear them apart—
A layer of ice rapidly spread across his body.
Nex had frozen him in place.
For only a single second.
But one second was enough.
Knox raised his hand.
The largest flame he had summoned so far condensed into a massive spear.
It pierced through the air like a falling comet.
BOOM!!
The impact echoed throughout the battlefield.
Smoke filled the corridor.
Silence followed.
...
When the dust finally settled—
The figure collapsed onto the ground.
None of them moved for a few seconds.
Then they slowly approached.
"...Wait."
Knox frowned.
"...That's..."
"A student?"
Nex's eyes narrowed.
"...Impossible."
Myre looked between the unconscious boy and the other two in confusion.
"...What are you talking about?"
"I've only seen an angry student this entire time."
The two of them turned toward him.
"...What?"
"You... didn't see the monster?"
Myre shook his head.
"No."
Without another word, he lifted the unconscious student onto his shoulder.
"We should take him back to the professors."
Neither Nex nor Knox objected.
As the three of them walked toward the exit, Nex remained unusually quiet.
Something about this felt terribly wrong.
He had sensed traces of a strange drug lingering within the student's body.
Someone had done this deliberately.
But why?
And for what purpose?
He wanted to keep thinking.
He wanted answers.
Yet the exhaustion from the battle weighed heavily on his body.
"...Later."
For now...
Surviving the examination came first.