Kwon Tae-Seong extended his hand towards Leon, "We're currently fighting so I can't shake your hand." Immediately Kwon Tae-Seong twicthed an eye brow, he clenched his hand into a fist sending Leon flying.
"Puah." Leon crashed into a wall, "Oh, so he didn't wanted an hand shake."
Leon grabbed the wall with both his hands, stretched his head forward, "Damnit." Leon thud his head down, "How am I so dense?" He raised his head, only to be surprised by Kwon Tae-Seong.
Mid-air Kwon Tae-Seong grabbed Leon's head while simultaneously kneeing his face.
"Aaghh, I think my nose might be bro-" Kwon Tae-Seong kicked Leon's head, he flew, "Damnit, no time to re-" Kwon Tae-Seong appeared in front of Leon smashed his head into the building he crashed into, the floor Shake, sound erupted as if trying to escape out of the building Kwon Tae-Seong lifted Leon off the broken ground, Leon's feet left the floor, he hung, body swaying left and right, the wall cracked open, Leon flew through.
Yoon-seo arrived, going down on her knees to check on Leon.
"Hey, are you alright?"
"Hey, I can't believe you guys made it."
"Of course, you think we'd miss Leon's first test?
No way!" Leon sister yelled out tapping igyu's back.
"Leon is totally getting whooped out there." Igyu held his head.
Selina, Jin, and Leon's sister sat down near Igyu, watching Leon with the holographic display.
"Yeah."
Kwon Tae-Seong jumped up attempting to punch Leon.
"Force impact." Leon slide backwards, Yoon-seo's hair waved with the wind.
He got up from the ground, Kwon Tae-Seong stopped the punch.
They stared at each other, unblinking, unshaken, unyielding.
Yoon-seo ran towards their center.
"Stop, the test is almost over so there's no need for violence."
Kwon Tae-Seong walked towards her.
"Hey don't you dare touch her."
Leon leaped up.
Kwon Tae-Seong extended his hand, "A female shouldn't look so ruff, you were running right?" He swayed her hair backwards.
He stretched his hand, clenched it into a fist point blank range at Leon's stomach.
"Puaah."
Kwon Tae-seong gripped Leon's face and whirled around. The world became a blur as Leon's body was dragged through the air. The initial momentum died, only to be replaced by an even more devastating force.
Leon's head crashed into the ground, sending a shockwave rippling across the battlefield.
Wind howled outward from the impact, kicking up clouds of dust. Nearby, Yoon-seo hastily held down her skirt as the powerful gust threatened to lift it.
A sword hit Kwon Tae-Seong's arm, followed by a fist blazing with bright red aura.
Baek Geom-Jin and Kang mu-seong struggled to put even a dent on Kwon Tae-Seong's body.
His head tilted upwards from Leon, Kwon Tae-Seong grabbed Baek Geom-Jin's sword and Kang mu-seong's hand, his hands moved fast, a blur to his opponents, their heads bumped into each other.
"Hey, there's only fifty seconds remaining, so are you guys gonna share the flags or what."
The crowd turned to Kwon Tae-Seong's teammates.
A huge boy walked forward, "There is still no order from the boss to do that."
Eyes fixed on flags, the crowd charged.
The huge boy stomped his legs into the ground, his fist squeezed into a girls face, she went straight into a building, blood dripped from her head.
Everyone froze, but breaking through the silence a tiny yet study voice echoed, "and that was only a girl."
"Whoa, that guy's brutal." Leon's sister laughed.
"Hey it's not funny, that girl just got pounded." Selina held her mouth.
Kwon Tae-Seong reached for Leon's flag before his hand got slapped away by Kang mu-seong.
"Buzz off.
The time beeped, the test ended.
Kwon Tae-Seong walked away, he glanced back, "You all got lucky this time."
Aura flared, pressure accumulated, "Well, we will be prepared for you next time."
Kwon Tae-Seong walked away.
The pressure vanished, (How could that guy just stand there with so much aura pressure.) Baek Geom-Jin and Kang mu-seong taught.
Five minutes later.
All the students gathered.
"Well done my students, what a marvelous show that was."
Principal Kim Soo-Han gave a single clap. Though simple, the sound carried across the crowd with surprising authority, causing every eye to turn toward him.
"Here are your placings." Immediately a huge holographic display appeared slightly above the principal's hand.
Leon eyes rolled downwards in attempt of trying to find his teams placing.
Oh four out of twenty five teams?
That's a bit nice.
His eyes finally picked his team.
Baek Geom-Jin, Kang mu-seong, Yoon-seo, and Leon, Team A, placing: fourth.
"Hey, this isn't fair, how is my team last among all the teams who had zero flags, I think my team forth the most."
"Manner less brat, you think I don't know your team cheated?
From now on your team is banned from this test."
Han-kim's face disturbed, furious and enraged he matched towards the gate.
The medic team ruched students left and right.
"Alright now for the second test you shall all fight goblins." The principal's voice echoed through the speakers.
Students faces change, murmuring erupted.
"Goblins? How."
"Yeah you're right, I taught those are only seen in dungeons."
"Yeah gates."
"All right all right, everybody just calm down, and let me explain."
The murmuring gradually died down.
"Good. Now that you're all quiet, let me explain."
The students attention shifted back to the principal.
"You see, during dungeon breaks, we don't simply exterminate every monster we encounter. Some are captured and contained for research, training, and situations like this. That's how we obtained the goblins you'll be facing today."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"For now, get some rest and prepare yourselves for the next trial. And try not to get yourselves seriously injured. Our mages need their rest too, you know."
A few students chuckled.
With that, Principal Kim Soo-Han stepped down from the platform and walked away.
Moments later, the DJ took his place.
"Alright, folks! You heard the principal."
He spread his arms dramatically, looking between the audience and the students.
"Audience, students..."
He paused, waiting for the crowd's anticipation to build.
"...enjoy your break!"
A wide grin spread across his face as he started the music.
The speakers roared to life.
The entire arena trembled with energy.
"Oh, so you are here too Hakai?"
"Yeah Leon."
"Whoa mum and dad too?"
"Oh, come here my boy." Selina rushed to huge Leon.
Leon stepped forward, Jin-Sung knelt down to huge Leon.
"My boy, you've gotten so strong in such a short time."
"Hey Leon." Leon's attention shifted towards Igyu.
"Why aren't you using your stance, or did you forget?"
"Yeah, sort of.
I need to get to my team now."
"Leon you need to eat this first."
Leon turned, he spotted a brown package.
"What's in there mum?"
Selina brought a burger out of the package.
Leon quickly grabbed it, his face grew bright pink, he smiled, "Thanks mum."
Leon walked towards the test zone.
He tried looking for his teammates stretching his head through the crowd.
"Leon." A voice ran through his ears, he turned right only for his eyes to spot Yoon-seo.
"Oh, it's only you Yoon-seo?"
"Yeah."
"Where are the others?"
Yoon-seo lifted her hands tilting her head, "I don't really know."
"Ok, umm, I think we should just wait for them now."
"Ok, let's split up and look for them, we'll all regroup here."
Yoon-seo nodded, "Ok."
The noise of the arena gradually faded as students dispersed across the resting area.
Some celebrated their victories.
Others nursed bruises and injuries.
A few sat in silence, replaying their mistakes in their minds.
Leon slowly walked through the crowd, his hands tucked into his pockets. The battle with Kwon Tae-seong still lingered in his thoughts.
Every movement, every strike, every overwhelming display of strength replayed
itself over and over in his head.
I'm still weak.
The realization stung.
A familiar voice pulled him from his thoughts.
"Leon."
He turned.
Yoon-seo stood a few meters away, her long dark hair swaying gently in the breeze. A faint smile rested on her face
The two began walking side by side, eventually finding a quieter area beneath the shade of a large tree overlooking the arena.
For a moment, neither spoke.
The sounds of music and cheering drifted through the distance.
Then Yoon-seo broke the silence.
"So... any idea where our teammates are?"
Leon shook his head.
"None.
I've looked where I can."
His gaze wandered toward the crowd.
"There are hundreds of students here. Finding them isn't going to be easy."
Yoon-seo nodded.
"The next stage worries me more."
Leon's expression became serious.
"The goblins?"
"Not just the goblins."
Yoon-seo crossed her arms.
"We don't know how many there are, how strong they are, or what the rules are. More importantly..."
She paused.
"We don't know how the teams will be deployed."
Leon understood immediately.
If the academy scattered them across different locations...
Finding their teammates before engaging the enemy would become a challenge of its own.
The two fell silent.
After a few moments, Leon spoke.
"If we're separated..."
Yoon-seo looked at him.
"We regroup."
Leon nodded.
"Exactly."
"Not that location anymore?"
"Oh that?" Leon paused in taught… "No."
"Nearest high ground?"
Leon nodded, "nearest high ground."
"Signal?"
Leon thought for a moment.
"Three flares."
Yoon-seo smiled.
"Simple"
A brief silence followed.
The wind blew through the branches above them.
Then Yoon-seo glanced toward him.
"You know..."
"What?"
"You were pretty reckless back there."
Leon rolled his eyes.
"And you weren't?"
"At least I wasn't getting my face planted into the ground."
Leon's eye twitched.
Yoon-seo burst into laughter.
A small smile appeared on Leon's face despite himself.
For the first time since the test had begun, the tension around them eased.
Yet both of them understood the truth.
The first stage had merely been an introduction.
The real challenge was about to begin.
And somewhere among the crowd, their missing teammates were
preparing for it as well.