After the written exam, the atmosphere shifted. A tall staff member, wearing a dark Nexus coat, stepped up to speak.
"Applicants, please prepare for your next phase—the physical assessment. You'll be entering an Artificial Dimensional Rift."
The crowd stirred.
"A dimensional rift already?" someone muttered, nervous.
They were guided through the academy's outer buildings until they reached an enormous metallic platform. Above it shimmered a thin rift in the air, glowing like liquid glass. A small hum filled the air, like the world was holding its breath.
"Inside, you'll face a free-for-all survival test. Battle, hide, run—your choice. But only the last 1000 standing will pass." there are 4 different areas for 3000 participants
Everyone grew tense.
Near the front, the five prodigies stood close together. Not like a perfectly united team—but more like people thrown together by fate.
Lucas Dragonborne was stretching lazily, his black hair messy, blue eyes shining with curiosity.
"Heh, wonder will we run into each other," he said, grinning at Kaelith.
Kaelith Vaelthorne, calm and unreadable, had hazelnut-brown hair tied at the back. He was checking the strap of his gloves.
"If we meet, I'll win," he said plainly, but not arrogantly.
Lucas just snorted and gave him a thumbs-up.
Aria Irelith, her bright red hair in a short ponytail, looked up at the rift with quiet awe.
"I've never been inside a simulated rift before... It's beautiful."
She smiled slightly, more excited than nervous.
Ruby Drazmere, her long dark hair in a braid, leaned against her greatsword, arms crossed.
"So... we're really doing this," she muttered.
Beside her, Marcus Corvax, dressed in muted tones, gave a soft chuckle.
"And here I thought we'd get a warm-up first."
Despite their famous names, they felt... real.
Each of them had their own rhythm. They weren't cold, unreachable elites—they were kids, just like the others, standing at the edge of something unknown.
Nex stood toward the middle of the crowd, watching quietly.
So those are the prodigies…
He adjusted his white headphones, the soft music playing barely audible. He didn't feel fear—but a strange calm. The katana on his back felt heavier, almost as if it knew what was coming.
"Random teleportation begins. Prepare yourselves."
____________________________________
Blue light flickered beneath their feet. Students began vanishing one by one, scattered across the dimensional zone.
Lucas smirked as he disappeared.
Aria gave a quick wave to no one in particular.
Ruby exhaled slowly.
Marcus yawned.
Kaelith just vanished.
Then it was Nex's turn.
He closed his eyes.
No simulations. No do-overs.
Just me... and the world watching.
The light took him.
As the swirling lights of the teleportation array faded, a biting chill clawed at Nex's skin.
His boots crunched into thick snow.
Mist veiled the ground, and jagged ice formations pierced the sky like frozen fangs. The world around him was a graveyard of frost and silence—cold, sharp, and merciless.
Cryo Spires…
He looked around, pulling his coat tighter. The wind screamed between the spires, echoing with a haunting howl.
This place wasn't designed for comfort. It was meant to test.
Then, memories from the novel flashed through his mind.
Lucas and Marcus... they were placed in the Iron Ruins.
Kaelith... Ember Wastes.
Ruby and Aria… both in Verdant Hollow.
Nex exhaled slowly, watching the fog of his breath swirl before vanishing into the air.
They're splitting us. Four regions. 3,000 applicants. Only 1,000 will make it through…
The numbers didn't scare him. But the silence did. This place felt like it wanted to swallow him whole.
He placed a hand on the hilt of his sheathed katana, gaze scanning the sharp terrain.
Let's see what this "battle royale" really means…
And with that, he took his first step into the frozen unknown—alone, but not afraid.
____________________________________
The snow crunched sharply under Nex's boots as he stopped, eyes narrowing at the grotesque shape that emerged from behind the frost-glazed rocks.
A mutated E-rank ice beast.
Its claws looked like frozen scythes. Its snarl cracked the stillness.
It didn't see a boy. It saw prey.
And Nex?
He didn't run.
He dropped into a low stance, palm brushing the ground.
10 meters. That's my world.
Nothing more.
The beast roared and charged. Each step pounded like thunder.
He darted left—barely dodging, then rolled toward a broken icicle protruding from the ground.
Touch. Vector applied.
He sent it flying like a bullet toward the beast's face—too fast to dodge.
CRACK!
The beast stumbled, blood spraying from its eye.
It roared again, furious—but blind on one side now.
Nex gritted his teeth and lunged—faster, using vector acceleration on his legs. His knees burned, the pressure insane, but he didn't stop.
He slid under the beast's swiping claw, slapped his hand against a rock, then threw it mid-motion—adding a vector curve mid-throw.
The rock slammed into the creature's leg, knocking it off balance.
Now.
Nex vaulted off the wall, applying a vector to his back to boost forward—straight at the beast's throat.
Katana drawn.
SLICE!
Blood sprayed like steam.
It collapsed.
Chest heaving, Nex stood over it. His fingers ached from recoil. His joints trembled.
I need to use less force next time… or get stronger soon.
But this was victory.
Earned. Brutal. Real.
And Tier One was only the beginning.
____________________________________
( Lucas POV – "Scouting the Steel Grave")
15 minutes before the clash.
The Iron Ruins weren't just ruins. They were a graveyard — of machines, of civilizations, and possibly, of test participants too dumb to plan ahead.
Lucas crouched atop a half-buried, rusted colossus. From this vantage point, he could see at least four routes winding through the skeletal wreckage below. Steam vents hissed. Metal groaned. The whole place felt alive.
He tapped his fingers against the side of his aetherpad, activating the scanning overlay.
"Sector C5—low density. Probably good for movement."
Behind him, Marcus walked silently along a decayed girder bridge, his eyes glowing faintly as he used dark affinity to detect mana pulses beneath the ground.
"Four mana distortions. Beast nests. North quadrant."
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Anything strong?"
Marcus nodded once. "Two D-grade. One C-grade. Last one's unstable. Probably the boss."
Lucas whistled. "Alright, avoid the east for now. We'll loop around."
---
Strategic Mapping
They split up briefly, keeping comms open through enchanted talismans. Lucas moved swiftly, dropping small sensor beacons along key paths — mapping out danger zones, collapsed tunnels, and bottlenecks. He even left a few emergency mana flares in case things went bad.
"I might look like the reckless type," he thought, "but dragons don't charge blind."
He noted the terrain:
High Ridge: Good sniping point, but too exposed.
Collapsed Forge Tunnel: Narrow, perfect for setting traps.
Cooling Chamber: Massive open area, littered with scrap — likely the boss arena.
He returned to Marcus near the ruined forge engine.
"Got most of it mapped. We'll draw the boss here — close quarters, but there's overhead beams. You can shadow-bind from above while I keep it busy down low."
Marcus didn't smile, but Lucas could see the faintest spark of approval in his eyes.
"Not bad. You're more than just brawn."
Lucas grinned. "Thanks. You're less spooky when you're complimenting me."
---
Final Prep
Before heading in, they stopped at a sheltered alcove. Lucas did quick push-ups to warm up his limbs, mana faintly pulsing through his body. Marcus sat still, meditating, absorbing ambient shadow mana.
Lucas cracked his knuckles, the ghost of a smirk on his face.
"Alright, buddy. Let's make this count."
They stepped into the final zone, a cold wind howling through steel bones.
The calm before the storm.