The moment the countdown ended, the tension that had been suffocating the entire hall suddenly vanished—only to be replaced by something far heavier.
A deadline.
Three days.
That was all we had.
For a few seconds, no one spoke. The noisy crowd from before had turned eerily quiet, as if everyone was trying to process the same terrifying reality at once.
Then chaos erupted again.
Some rushed out immediately, probably to gather materials or secure better preparation spots. Others stood frozen, their faces pale, clearly overwhelmed. A few even started panicking on the spot, mumbling formulas, spells, or theories as if the test had already begun.
I glanced at my group.
Sam looked unusually serious now, the excitement from earlier completely gone. Zoya was biting her nails—a rare sight for someone usually so energetic. Angle… she was calm, but her eyes told a different story. She was thinking, calculating.
Good. At least someone was.
"Alright," I said, breaking the silence between us, "standing here won't help. We need a plan."
Sam nodded immediately. "Yeah… especially you. Bro, your tests are insane."
"Not just him," Zoya added. "Magic isn't exactly easy either. And that pill thing… it sounds suspicious."
Angle crossed her arms. "It's not suspicious. It's controlled awakening. The risk is low—but the outcome depends entirely on the individual."
We all stared at her.
"…What?" she asked.
"You say that like you've done it before," Sam muttered.
Angle didn't respond.
Classic.
I clapped my hands lightly. "Focus. We split preparation based on strengths."
Zoya tilted her head. "Meaning?"
"You," I pointed at her, "focus on magic basics and healing theory. Sam, commerce and that joke of a swordsmanship test—you're basically done there anyway."
"Hey!" Sam protested. "Don't jinx it."
I smirked. "Relax. Even you can't mess up a 20-minute written test."
Zoya laughed.
Sam did not.
"And you?" Angle asked, looking straight at me.
I exhaled slowly.
"I've got three parts—endurance writing, technical design, and combat. So I'll need to divide my time carefully."
"Combat?" Zoya frowned. "Against monsters?"
"Low-level and suppressed," I replied. "But that doesn't mean harmless. Especially if they come in numbers."
Angle nodded slightly. "You'll need efficiency, not strength."
"Exactly."
Sam stretched his arms. "So… where do we start? Library? Training ground? Or…"
He paused dramatically.
"…the bar?"
Zoya smacked him on the head. "Idiot! This is not the time!"
"Ow! What?! Preparation includes mental relaxation!"
I chuckled. "For once, he's not entirely wrong."
They both looked at me, surprised.
"We can't burn out before the test even begins," I continued. "Three days isn't just about studying—it's about managing stamina, focus, and stress."
Angle gave a small approving nod.
Zoya sighed. "Fine… but only after we actually study."
"Deal," Sam grinned.
We decided to head toward the academic district first.
The moment we stepped out of the selection hall, the scale of the academy hit us again. Students were running in every direction—some toward libraries, others toward training arenas, and many toward what looked like specialized preparation zones.
Everyone had the same goal.
Survive the test.
As we walked, I couldn't help but think.
This academy wasn't just testing knowledge.
It was testing adaptability. Pressure handling. Decision-making.
And most importantly…
Resolve.
I looked at my hands.
Eight hours of writing.
Design precision.
Combat execution.
A faint smile appeared on my face.
"Guess it's finally getting interesting…"
Angle glanced at me. "You're smiling."
"Am I?"
"Yes," she replied calmly. "People usually don't smile before something like this."
I shrugged. "Maybe I'm not normal."
Sam snorted. "That, we already knew."
Zoya giggled.
For a brief moment, the tension eased.
But deep down—
We all knew.
The next three days would decide everything.
Credit-
Writer: UrWeeklyWriter