The sun of the following day rose slowly over the city of Iethura… but the light here was not warm. Even the sun seemed to observe the people from afar, completely indifferent.
As for the city streets… they were teeming with crowds. Noble carriages, mages, servants, and thousands of youths gathered before the colossal gates of Aetheron Academy.
Today… was the day of the entrance examination.
Kim stood quietly in the midst of the crowd. His clothes remained simple—black and slightly worn. Even his mere presence felt distinctly different from everyone else.
The nobles stood in closed circles, looking down at the commoners as though they were insects that had drifted into a place where they did not belong. The commoners, meanwhile… avoided raising their heads at all.
Then—a thunderous sound echoed through the sky. A massive magic circle materialized above the academy, and from within it, an old man wearing a long white robe descended. His silver hair reached his waist, and his eyes were as sharp as twin swords.
The moment he appeared, an instant silence fell. Even the nobles bowed respectfully.
> "It is Eldar…"
> "One of the Great Elders!"
> "A monster of ancient magic!"
>
Eldar stood atop the stone platform, looking down at the crowd with blatant contempt.
> "Listen carefully."
>
His voice rippled through the entire square without him even raising his pitch.
> "Most of you will fail."
> "Some will die."
> "And the rest…"
>
He glanced toward the nobles.
> "Might become something worth mentioning."
>
A few nobles laughed arrogantly. As for the commoners, their heads dropped even lower. But Kim merely stood watching in silence, his eyes accurately evaluating the man.
> *Strong. But not wise.*
>
Then suddenly, Eldar raised his hand, and the earth shook. Thousands of pitch-black magic portals materialized behind him.
> "The first trial."
> "The Ghost Forest."
>
Whispers of dread spread instantly.
> "Impossible…"
> "That is a monster zone!"
> "Even soldiers fear entering it!"
>
Eldar, however, smiled coldly.
> "Survival until sunset."
> "That is all."
>
Then, his eyes grew darker.
> "But remember…"
> "The academy has no need for the weak."
>
In the next moment, everyone began entering through the portals. The nobles went first, as always. The commoners were the last to move—some trembling, some weeping, and others trying to force themselves to be brave.
Kim stepped forward calmly. As he passed near a certain noble, the young man intentionally shoved into him with force.
> "Move, you filthy peasant."
>
Kim slowly raised his eyes toward him. A blond youth dressed in luxurious attire, a large family signet ring on his finger, and an expensive magical amulet around his neck.
The youth smiled mockingly.
> "Do you actually dream of entering the academy?"
>
He stepped closer.
> "Your true place is cleaning the boots of nobles."
>
His friends laughed behind him. But Kim only smiled.
> "Strange."
>
The youth stopped.
> "What?"
>
Kim replied calmly:
> "The emptier a human is inside…"
>
He looked at the youth's chest.
> "The more they need their family name."
>
The smile vanished from the noble's face instantly. His friends' eyes widened in shock. How dared a commoner say such a thing?!
The youth stepped forward in rage.
> "You bastard—"
>
But before he could touch him, a chilling aura suddenly manifested around Kim. It wasn't overly powerful, but it was… terrifying. For a single fraction of a second, the noble felt as though he were standing before something that wanted to devour him alive.
He froze in his tracks. Kim quietly walked past him.
> "I advise you not to touch me again."
>
Then, he entered the black portal and vanished.
Kim slowly opened his eyes.
A forest. But it was far from natural. The trees were entirely black, the fog was dense, and the air was thick with the stench of blood. Strange noises echoed from the depths—distant screams and incomprehensible whispers.
As for the sky… it was blood-red.
> "Beautiful."
>
He began to walk calmly, while most of the students ran in pure panic the moment they entered. Some formed groups; others hid. But Kim only observed.
Then suddenly, he heard the sound of crying. He stopped. From behind the trees, a small girl emerged, trembling. Her clothes were torn, and her eyes were filled with tears.
> "Please… help me…"
>
But Kim did not move. He only stared at her in silence. Then, he said calmly:
> "How cliché."
>
The girl froze. In the next moment, her smile vanished entirely, and her face slowly began to crack open. Long black teeth protruded from her mouth, and her eyes turned into bloody voids.
A shapeshifting monster—and a high-ranking one at that. Had it been an ordinary student standing there, they would have died instantly.
The monster lunged toward Kim at a maddening speed, shrieking.
But—it froze mid-air.
Because Kim… was merely looking at it. With empty, calm, and unnaturally terrifying eyes.
Then, he whispered:
> "Kneel."
>
In a single instant, the monster collapsed to the ground, trembling violently as if it had glimpsed something far worse than death itself.
Kim continued walking, entirely unbothered, leaving the monster prostrate behind him… weeping from absolute terror.