The morning sun barely broke through the clouds.
Koi Ren slept deeply, exhaustion anchoring him to the bed. His arms, back, and legs throbbed, reminders of Watashi's relentless training the night before. Every mark told a story of endurance and survival.
Watashi stood silently at the door, arms crossed, observing. He said nothing. He simply waited.
Minutes passed.
Then suddenly—
"WAKE UP! NOW!"
Koi shot upright, gasping, every muscle screaming in protest.
"Ugh… you said I could rest…" he muttered, rubbing his eyes.
Watashi's cold gaze pierced him.
"I said survive. Get up. Today, school and your first trial await."
Koi groaned, swinging his legs off the bed. He felt every scar, every bruise, every ache from yesterday's ordeal.
This is nothing, he thought. I will endure.
The Academy Courtyard – Transformed
By the time Koi arrived, the entire academy had gathered. The courtyard had changed into a massive battlefield simulation. Broken walls, shifting platforms, mist curling around jagged stone. Arcane energy hummed faintly in the air.
Aearis Valen's voice cut through the tension:
"Today begins your first trial. You will face a challenge unlike anything you have known. Three students from each grade will be chosen to advance. These choices will not be given—they must be earned."
A hush fell across the crowd.
Koi gripped Koru, feeling the familiar weight of his sword on his back. No elemental powers. No shortcuts. Only his training, his will, and his determination.
The Trial Begins
The gates of the arena opened.
Aqua Mizuno floated forward gracefully. Water shimmered around her arms, sensing the arena's traps and reacting instantly. She moved like a river, avoiding hazards effortlessly.
Rin Ketsuki stepped in next. Her scythe pulsed with blood energy. She danced through the battlefield, slicing obstacles and cutting a path with eerie precision.
Koi stepped cautiously into the fog. Every trap was a test: stone spikes shot from the floor, swinging blades swung from broken pillars, and the ground shifted unpredictably. His body ached, but he focused.
Patience… control… focus…
He ducked beneath a blade, rolled under a swinging log, and slid across a trapdoor that almost swallowed him whole. His arms throbbed with pain, every movement a reminder of Watashi's training.
I can do this… I must.
A roar echoed through the arena. Koi looked up. A massive stone construct, shaped like a twisted warrior, emerged from the mist. Its eyes glowed faintly as it advanced toward him.
He tightened his grip on Koru. "Let's see what I've learned."
Koru split into Ko and Ru, and he readied himself.
Testing Limits
Minutes stretched like hours. Koi dodged, rolled, parried, and struck. Each obstacle forced him to think, to move, to adapt.
Aqua passed him silently, glancing back. "Keep going. You can do it," she whispered, her calm focus almost reassuring.
Rin smirked. "Not bad, swordsman. You might last longer than I expected."
Koi's chest heaved. Sweat, blood, dirt—he was covered in it all. And yet, he pressed forward.
The battlefield itself seemed alive. Walls shifted, floors collapsed, and elemental traps tested him in ways he hadn't anticipated. And still, step by step, he moved closer to the center.
The Unexpected Encounter
Suddenly, movement in the mist. Confident, familiar steps.
Koi froze.
From the shadows emerge DAICHI IWAMOTO