"E-Excuse me! Can I still take the exam?" Noah shouted from the other side of the room, catching everyone's attention. He wiped the corner of his mouth from the saliva accumulated from running, trying to steady his racing breaths.
Silence fell over the hall, all eyes fixed on the latecomer. Glares of disgust and judgment pierced Noah's chest, but he ignored them—he was already used to it. He didn't expect anything to change. That was when Rael broke the silence.
"The exam hasn't started yet. No need to shout," Rael said in mild surprise. Noah's cheeks flushed slightly with embarrassment, but he covered it up, cleared his throat, and officially entered the hall, walking between the crowds. They made way for him as if he were a plague they wished to avoid.
"Who is this boy?" Rael asked, puzzled, turning to Noctis.
"…I don't know, but the exam hasn't started yet. Don't make a fuss about him," Noctis said, his black eyes like whirlpools, fixed intently on Noah. Then he turned away, giving his back to everyone, and took two steps forward.
"I'll go first," Noctis said while yawning, not even bothering to cover his mouth. Then, with a snap of his fingers, a black slit tore through the air like a wound, its edges glowing like embers in the darkness. The void wasn't empty—it was living darkness, writhing like heavy smoke, streaked with fleeting purple flashes as if the portal itself were breathing.
The students gasped in shock. Some shivered with excitement, others with fear, realizing the exam had begun. Noctis stepped inside, as if the portal were a dark mouth that swallowed him whole. Once he entered, he vanished from sight entirely, leaving only the portal.
"Is… is that his skill?!" one student exclaimed, stunned.
"All right, line up. Don't push each other, and enter slowly. If I catch anyone causing trouble, you'll fail immediately," Rael said lazily, looking more disappointed than tired, as if waiting for something to ignite his interest.
After a few minutes, all the students lined up. Some in the back had scattered, sitting on the ground or leaning against walls, patiently waiting to enter last. Noah did the same, separating from the line to find a corner alone in the hall.
He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, silently watching the line before lowering his gaze to the system screen in front of him.
[Name: Noah Grace
Age: 18
Race: Human
Level: 7
Epithets: None
Strength: 15
Speed: 18
Agility: 16
Intelligence: 24
Luck: 12
Active Missions: None
Skills: "Influence Field (S-Rank)", "Foresight (C-Rank)"]
"After defeating the herd of spiritual bulls, my stats must have evolved… maybe I'll be fine in the ESS," Noah thought anxiously. Even if his stats were higher, he would still be nervous. Even the top students at the High school felt anxious about the exam. It all came down to one thing—its nature.
The ESS, or Elite Student Screening, is a globally recognized test by the "ISC", conducted once a year in each high school. Students are exposed to realistic simulations of Sentinels work. The exam isn't just about passing or failing; it's a battle for survival. Only when students face mortal danger do their talents truly shine, awakening their real potential. Universities send representatives to scout these unpolished gems, but the chance of being chosen is less than 11%. Over the years, talents had dwindled instead of increasing, making it a high-stakes gamble for both sides: the students proving themselves for a successful future as Sentinels, and the representatives betting everything on their chosen few.
"Will I be okay?… maybe… what are my actual chances anyway? Just because I have a strange system, I've gained overconfidence. Who do I think I am, really?… maybe… the Door is still open… if I leave before anyone notices—" Noah's confidence waned with every thought. He snapped out of it when he saw someone approaching. Raising his head, he saw who he least expected: Liam, walking toward him.
"Liam—?" Noah's eyes widened as he whispered, his voice breaking like a trembling breath, but he stopped himself. How pathetic he must have seemed. He was supposed to hate Liam for what he had done, but seeing him approach made a spark of hope light up in his eyes—before it quickly dimmed.
Liam raised his eyes to meet Noah's, stopping a few steps away. His hands were clasped behind his back, fidgeting to hide his nerves, but his face betrayed him. His sapphire-blue eyes trembled, lips pressed tight, unsure what to say. He hadn't thought much when approaching; he only wanted to warn Noah. Liam was about to speak when Noah interrupted.
"What do you want?" Noah asked, his cold voice stabbing Liam in the chest, like a bucket of ice poured over his head. Liam didn't expect such a cold reception, and felt embarrassed, yet he couldn't show his weakness.
"I… I wanted to warn you about something," Liam finally said, his voice shaky but quickly regaining composure.
"A warning?" Noah repeated in surprise, turning fully to him, all ears.
"I think Blake has assigned someone to kill you," Liam said cautiously, expecting some reaction—fear, worry, discomfort. Any reaction would reassure him that Noah would be careful or leave. But Noah's expression remained icy, unmoved.
"So?" Noah asked.
"W-What do you mean 'so'?! Y-You'll be killed! You have to leave!" Liam stammered, his stomach twisting with tension. His mind jumped to the conclusion that Noah wanted this to happen, that he wanted to end his suffering. If anything happened, Liam would blame himself forever.
"Why are you telling me this?" Noah asked coldly, sharply.
"I-I mean… I just want to help you!"
"Help me?… If you really wanted to help, shouldn't you have told the authorities? The principal, or even the teachers, that someone is after me? No. If you truly wanted to help, shouldn't you have told someone from the start what was happening! No, forget it… If you really wanted to help, why fake your friendship with me from the beginning? Why plan this big scheme to get the attention of a few girls? Is this your plan too? Assign someone to kill me just to 'save' me and appear as the hero you dream of being? What the hell do you actually want?"
Liam froze, shocked, taking a step back in anxiety. Regret gnawed at him, and the last thing he needed was Noah reminding him of everything he'd done. Yet this time, he truly wanted to help, to save the life of the boy he wanted to call 'friend' one last time.
"I-I… I really want to help you… I'm—" Liam tried to answer before hearing Rael calling both of them. He turned his head to see all the students had vanished. Everyone had left quickly. Not even a few seconds had passed since.
"Move, or I'll leave you behind," Rael called, annoyed.
Then Liam felt Noah's hand on his shoulder. He turned, but Noah had already moved past him toward the portal.
"I don't need your concern or help. I won't let you appear as the hero this time, so disappear from my life if you care even a little about me," Noah said, releasing Liam's shoulder and stepping toward the portal. He paused in front of it for a few seconds, observing its edges. Even the light seemed to burn like embers before being swallowed. He took a deep breath, stepped through, and vanished from sight.
"Damn!" Liam cursed under his breath, clicking his tongue, before following Noah into the portal. He didn't seem frightened or hesitant about the swirling darkness, stepping directly through. Rael was left alone in the hall.
"Finally," Rael whispered, about to step into the portal himself when he heard the hall's gateway burst open loudly. He turned to see a girl with long red hair. From her attire—sunglasses and a sun hat—he assumed she was a tourist.
"Who the hell are you?!"
———
On the other side of the portal, Noah walked out, exhaling deeply as he reached the other side. He raised his eyes to the place: it was filled with students, some whispering, some trembling at the site's awe.
A massive stone gateway stood before them, its edges jagged. Stone columns bore carved statues, and huge cracked stone urns were scattered around. Human heads carved from stone piled atop each other inside the urns, some cracked, others intact, hair writhing like snakes, mouths open, hollow eyes staring.
The ground was paved with dark, uneven stones, worn by countless feet, filled with cracks holding moss and dried feathers from the strange crows silently circling overhead. The air was thick with dampness and dust. The only light came from scattered torches along the columns, casting interlacing shadows on the walls like massive, slowly moving arms, while the wind whistled through the cracks, startling students whenever it howled.
Noah stood in awe, gazing at the surroundings. Beside him, Liam emerged from the portal. He had no time to focus on Noah before freezing at the scale and grandeur of the place, staring with wide eyes and an open mouth. Noah walked away quietly, noticing Noctis near the portal.
Noah leaned against a wall; its cold stone slapped him with its chill but he quickly adjusted. After a few seconds, Rael stepped through the portal into the current side, looking around. Unlike the students, he wasn't surprised—he had seen grander sights as an A-rank Sentinel. He noticed Noctis nearby and approached him.
"You're late. Where the hell have you been?" Noctis asked, annoyed.
"I was guiding someone," Rael said calmly. Noctis knew these expressions all too well.
"That bastard doesn't even know who he guided!" Noctis thought angrily, gnashing his teeth before calming down and taking a deep breath.
"It doesn't matter. Let's start the exam," Noctis said.
"All right… what was the exam again?" Rael asked, puzzled. Noctis might have been angry if he knew himself.
"I don't know. Weren't you told?"
"No."
They looked at each other in silence for a few minutes, tension mounting. They had led students to a strange place without knowing it themselves. Was this…
"Did we just kidnap those kids?!" both thought in panic.
Then everyone heard laughter nearby. They turned to see an old man emerging from the portal, likely in his sixties or older, stroking his long white beard, dressed in an elegant long white robe and a short white hat letting his graying hair fall. It was a familiar old man: the principal of Ronchel High, Mr. Percival Fenwick.