"Vayne Desmund."
A quiet ripple passed through the arena.
She stepped forward.
White hair shimmered under the sunlight, falling like silk over her shoulders. Her face—flawless, almost unreal—drew the eyes of nearly every student present.
A few even blushed.
But—
Those who had seen her previous duel…
Didn't react the same way.
Professor Nox's gaze sharpened.
He remembered it clearly.
Her fight against Lia Heartly.
Ten seconds.
That was all it took.
And the worst part—
No one had seen her move.
Even him.
A veteran of countless battlefields…
Hadn't understood what happened.
His eyes lingered on hers.
Those eyes—
Cold.
Empty.
Wrong.
_____
She feels more dangerous than Leon Ardent.
On the sidelines, Chrono narrowed his eyes slightly.
…So it's her.
Something about her presence didn't sit right with him either.
The duel began.
But unlike Leon—
Vayne didn't move.
She simply stood there.
Still. Silent.
Watching.
Nox tilted his head slightly.
"…Hmm. Is that overconfidence?"
No response.
"…Or are you planning something?"
Silence.
Not even a change in expression.
Nox's eyes narrowed.
"…Very well."
A faint grin formed.
"I'll come to you. Brace yourself."
He stepped forward—then vanished.
A burst of speed as he closed the distance instantly.
His strike cut through the air—
But—
Vayne wasn't there.
"…What?"
She had already moved.
No—
Not moved.
Shifted.
Nox turned—
Another strike.
Another miss.
Then another.
And another.
Each attack faster than the last.
Sharper.
More precise.
But it didn't matter.
She dodged everything.
Effortlessly.
Like she already knew where every strike would land.
At times, she didn't even fully dodge—
Just slightly tilted her body.
A step.
A breath.
A minimal movement.
Enough to avoid everything.
And when she did respond—
It wasn't to attack.
It was to guide.
A light parry.
A small deflection.
Like—
A parent correcting a child's form.
The arena slowly fell silent.
This wasn't a fight.
It was control.
Nox's expression changed.
For the first time—
Irritation flickered.
His mana rose.
F Rank…
C Rank…
B Rank.
The pressure in the arena increased.
Students stiffened.
But—
Nothing changed.
Not even a little.
His attacks still missed.
His movements still felt read.
His breathing grew sharper.
What… is she?
His eyes widened slightly.
For the first time in a long while—
Confusion.
No—
Something deeper.
Unease.
He tightened his stance.
Then I'll—
His aura began to rise again.
Higher.
Closer to A Rank—
"Professor."
Her voice cut through everything.
Calm.
Soft.
Beautiful.
Yet—
It froze him.
He stopped.
Slowly, he looked at her.
She hadn't changed expression once.
"Five minutes are up."
Nox blinked.
"…What?"
He glanced down at his watch.
And froze.
Time…
Had passed.
Five minutes.
Just like that.
"…Oh."
A quiet exhale left him.
"…Yeah."
Silence swallowed the arena.
For a moment…
No one spoke.
The arena, once filled with noise and chatter, had fallen into a suffocating silence.
Then—
"S-she… was toying with him…"
A student's trembling voice broke through.
Another swallowed hard.
"What… the hell was that…?"
Eyes remained locked on the arena.
On Vayne.
Because everyone had seen it.
Not power.
Not overwhelming force like Leon.
No—
Something far worse.
Control.
A chill ran through the crowd.
Some students instinctively took a step back.
Others avoided looking at her altogether.
Because now they understood—
This wasn't someone they could measure.
Not with ranks.
Not with logic.
At the center of it all, Vayne simply turned—
And walked out of the arena.
Calm.
Silent.
As if nothing had happened.
As if what she had just done…
Was completely normal.
On the sidelines, Leon's confident expression had faded slightly.
His brows furrowed.
For the first time—
He felt it.
A rival… he couldn't read.
Nearby, Chrono's silver eyes narrowed, the faint ticking within them almost imperceptible.
…She's dangerous.
Not just strong.
Not just skilled.
But something else entirely.
Something… wrong.
And at the center of the arena, Professor Nox let out a quiet breath, rubbing his neck again.
"…What kind of monsters did they send me this year…?"
But deep down—
He already knew.
This generation…
Wasn't normal.
____
"Next… Liam Veridian."
A shift in the atmosphere.
Even before he stepped forward—
People straightened.
The Veridian name alone carried weight.
Liam walked into the arena calmly, rolling his shoulders slightly as if this was nothing more than routine.
Nox exhaled quietly.
"…Another one."
The duel began—
And from the very first second—
It was overwhelming.
Liam didn't hesitate.
Didn't test.
Didn't wait.
He moved.
The ground cracked beneath his step.
Raw force.
Every strike carried weight that didn't belong to a first-year.
Nox blocked—
And felt it.
A faint sting in his arm.
"…You're not holding back at all, huh."
Liam replied his voice calm and confident.
"Why would I?"
His attacks only grew heavier.
Faster.
More brutal.
Unlike Leon's brilliance—
This was dominance.
Pure, crushing power.
Nox raised his level almost instantly.
F… D…C-
And still—
He was being pushed.
Not outplayed.
Not outmaneuvered.
But forced.
Forced to respond.
"…Enough."
The match ended early.
Because continuing it—
Would've meant escalation beyond an exam.
Liam walked out like it was nothing.
"Rina Emberheart."
Fire answered her name.
A faint heat spread through the arena as she stepped forward, crimson hair swaying like flames.
Her eyes burned with focus.
The moment the duel began—
Fire erupted.
Controlled.
Precise.
Every movement of hers left trails of heat, forcing Nox to constantly reposition.
She didn't overpower him—
She cornered him.
Controlled the space.
Forced mistakes.
"…Good," Nox muttered, dodging a burst of flame.
"Very good."
A strategist.
By the end—
The arena itself was scorched.
And she passed.
"Nia Veridian."
A quieter reaction this time—
But no less tense.
If Liam was overwhelming—
Nia was refined.
Elegant.
Every movement was perfect.
No wasted motion.
No excess energy.
Her strikes flowed like water—
Smooth.
Connected.
Unbreakable rhythm.
Nox watched carefully.
"…Two monsters from the same bloodline…"
She didn't need power.
She didn't need flash.
Her control alone earned her victory.
___
"Next… Lia Heartly."
A few students perked up.
"She's the mage, right?"
"Yeah… the one who lost to Vayne…"
Lia stepped into the arena, her grip tightening slightly around her staff.
Her heart was racing—
But her eyes…
Were steady.
I won't freeze this time.
Across from her, Nox watched calmly.
"A mage, hm?"
"Begin."
The moment the signal was given—
Lia moved.
No hesitation.
Her staff glowed faintly as mana gathered instantly.
"Flare Bolt."
A burst of fire shot forward—
Nox sidestepped.
But before he could fully reposition—
Another spell followed.
"Wind Push."
The air shifted, forcing his movement.
Then—
"Ice Bind."
The ground beneath him froze.
Nox's brows lifted slightly.
"…Chaining spells?"
Not raw power.
Not overwhelming force.
But timing.
Planning.
Control.
Lia didn't stop.
She kept moving.
Casting.
Adjusting.
Every spell flowed into the next—
Not giving him space.
Not letting herself freeze.
Her breathing grew heavier.
Sweat formed on her forehead.
But she didn't stop.
Keep going.
Nox increased his level slightly—
Testing her.
And instantly—
The pressure changed.
Her spells began to break faster.
Her timing slipped—just a little.
But she adapted.
Switched elements.
Changed angles.
Bought herself seconds.
Then more seconds.
The students watched closely now.
"…She's not winning…"
"…but she's holding on…"
Time passed.
Four minutes.
Then—
Five.
"Stop."
Lia froze.
Her staff still raised.
Her chest rising and falling rapidly.
For a second—
She didn't process it.
"…I… passed?"
Nox looked at her, a faint nod.
"You did."
No grand praise.
No exaggerated reaction.
But his tone—
Held acknowledgment.
Lia's shoulders dropped slightly.
Relief flooding through her.
A small smile formed on her face.
Not victory—
But proof.
She had improved.
She had endured.
And as she walked out of the arena—
The students didn't laugh this time.
Some even nodded.
Respect.
Quiet, but real.
And then—
A pause.
Just a slight one.
But enough.
"…Carl Vane."
The name felt heavier.
Different.
Carl stepped forward slowly.
No confidence.
No aura of dominance.
No elegance.
Just… silence.
The students whispered.
"Isn't he…?"
"Yeah… his father…"
"…recently…"