The next morning, Asteria Academy seemed even busier than usual. Hundreds of new students made their way through the enormous corridors toward the main arena, some nervously discussing the upcoming test with their classmates while others tried to hide their anxiety behind an overly confident attitude. Today wasn't an ordinary school day. It was the day of the entrance exam. Kael walked calmly through the crowd, his uniform perfectly fitted despite the general rush around him. His slightly messy black hair framed his face as usual, while his scarlet eyes quietly swept over his surroundings. Beside him, Noah watched the other students with an amused smile. “I think some of them are going to faint before the test even starts.” Kael glanced around. Several students did indeed look extremely nervous, some clenching their hands while others checked their equipment one last time. “They're afraid of failing.” Noah turned toward him. “And you?” “No.” Noah smiled. “Of course.” After a few minutes, they reached the enormous doors of the main arena. They slowly opened with a deep rumble, revealing a vast circular room whose stands were already filled with professors and upper-year students. At the center of the arena stood a large circular platform surrounded by several magical crystals. Dozens of runes had been carved into the floor, while powerful magical barriers divided the arena into different sections. Kael slowed slightly, his gaze moving methodically from one element to another. He studied the crystals first, then the runes, and finally the barriers, trying to understand the general structure of the test before it even began. Noah noticed immediately. “You're analyzing everything again?” “Yes.” “You know you can just walk in, right?” “I know.” “Then why aren't you?” Kael continued studying the arena before answering in his usual calm voice. “I'm observing.” Noah sighed deeply. “I'm going to stop asking questions.” A familiar voice suddenly came from behind them. “Good decision.” Noah turned around and saw Lysandra approaching them. Her long midnight-blue hair was tied to one side today, revealing more of her very light, almost silver-blue eyes. “Good morning,” she said. Kael gave a slight nod. “Good morning.” Noah looked between the two of them before putting on an amused smile. “You two have become much more polite since yesterday.” Lysandra raised an eyebrow. “We barely know each other.” “Exactly.” Kael sighed. “Noah.” “What?” “Be quiet.” “Alright.” He remained silent for two seconds before continuing with exaggerated seriousness: “That was difficult.” Lysandra let out a small laugh, while Kael simply stared at Noah with an impassive expression. --- The candidates were eventually called into the arena. A man in his forties stepped onto the center of the platform, dressed in the dark uniform worn by Asteria's professors. “I am Professor Edran. I will be responsible for your group throughout the test.” His gaze swept across the students before he continued in a voice loud enough to be heard throughout the arena. “The entrance exam consists of four tests: theory, mana control, aura mastery, and finally, practical combat.” With each announcement, another rune lit up in the air, casting a faint glow over the platform. The professor paused before adding: “However, your final result will not depend solely on your power. Asteria is not only looking for students capable of destroying their opponents. We are looking for people who can understand their abilities, keep their composure, and, above all, make good decisions when a situation becomes difficult.” Kael listened carefully. That part of the speech interested him more than anything else. Power alone wasn't enough. He already knew that. “First test: theory.” --- The candidates were taken into a huge examination room where several rows of desks had been arranged. A sheet filled with questions was placed in front of each student, and the room gradually fell silent when the professor gave the signal to begin. Kael picked up his pen and quickly scanned the first few pages. Mana. Aura. History of Eldoria. Spell structure. Combat strategy. Most of the questions presented little difficulty, and he moved through them quickly without needing to spend much time on his answers. However, halfway through the exam, one more complicated question caught his attention. Explain the fundamental difference between forced mana circulation and natural mana circulation. Kael thought for a few seconds before writing a precise answer, then continued the examination with the same concentration. A few minutes later, he finally put his pen down. When he looked up, he noticed that Noah was still writing and Lysandra hadn't finished either. Kael therefore remained quietly seated, waiting for the allotted time to pass. When the bell finally rang, the professors collected the papers. Noah immediately stretched in his chair. “I thought I was going to die.” Kael looked at him calmly. “It was an exam.” “Exactly.” Lysandra smiled slightly. “You finished early?” “Yes.” Noah stared at Kael suspiciously. “How long?” “About twenty minutes.” Silence followed. Noah eventually placed a hand over his heart. “I hate you.” “No, you don't.” “Yes, I do.” --- The second test took place in a room filled with magical crystals. Each candidate had to transfer a precise amount of mana into a crystal without exceeding the limit displayed by the measuring device beside it. The first student stepped forward nervously and placed his hands on the crystal. The light gradually increased, but when he tried to maintain the required level, the energy became unstable and the crystal cracked. The professor sighed. “Too much mana.” The student immediately went pale. “Sorry…” “It's fine. Next.” The candidates continued one after another, some succeeding perfectly while others struggled to maintain a stable flow. Then the professor called: “Lysandra Arven.” Lysandra stepped forward without hesitation and gently placed her hands on the crystal. Her mana began to flow with impressive regularity, gradually increasing the light until it reached exactly the required level. She stopped immediately. Not a fraction of mana more. The crystal remained perfectly stable. The professor studied the result before nodding. “Remarkable precision.” Lysandra returned to the others. Noah smiled at her. “It was 96% yesterday. Are you planning to beat Kael today?” “I'm not competing with him.” Kael slightly turned his head toward her. “Good.” Lysandra looked at him, surprised. “Why?” Kael answered with complete seriousness: “Because you'd lose.” Noah's mouth fell open. Lysandra blinked before smiling. “Did you really just say that?” Kael seemed to think for a moment. “It was factual.” Noah burst out laughing. “Oh no. He made a joke without realizing it.” “It wasn't a joke.” “Even worse.” --- “Kael Veyron.” At the sound of his name, Kael stepped toward the crystal and calmly placed his hands on it. He breathed in slightly before allowing his mana to flow. The energy spread with almost perfect precision, without any noticeable loss or fluctuation. The level gradually rose until it reached exactly the limit imposed by the test. Kael stopped. The crystal remained completely still. The professor looked at the measuring device, then raised his eyes. 100%. A brief silence followed. “Remove your hands.” Kael immediately obeyed and returned to Noah. Noah stared at him with an expression of complete despair. “You know what would be nice?” “What?” “If you stopped being perfect for five minutes.” “I don't do it on purpose.” “That's what all annoying people say.” Lysandra smiled slightly. “He's not wrong.” Kael looked at both of them. “You're strange.” Noah placed a hand on his shoulder. “Now you're starting to sound like us.” Kael gently removed his hand. “No.” --- The third test was very different from the previous ones. This time, it was no longer about precise mana control, but about demonstrating the ability to concentrate aura into a training weapon. Noah was among the first to go. He took his two daggers and concentrated his aura around his arms before sending it flowing into the blades. A thin layer of energy surrounded the metal. The professor watched carefully. “Good circulation.” Noah smiled. “Thank you.” “But you're still losing too much energy during the transfer.” Noah's smile immediately disappeared. “Oh.” Kael, who had been watching from a few meters away, murmured: “He's right.” Noah turned toward him. “I didn't need your support.” “I wasn't supporting you.” “Thanks.” --- Lysandra succeeded as well. Her aura might not have been as impressive as her magical abilities, but she possessed excellent control and managed to maintain a stable flow. Then it was Adrian's turn. He stepped forward with the confidence of someone who had always been accustomed to being noticed. After taking a long training sword, he immediately concentrated his aura in his arm. A dark red energy surrounded the weapon with an intensity that caused several students to whisper. The professor examined the result. “Very good power.” Adrian smiled before turning his gaze toward Kael. “Your turn, Veyron.” Kael stepped forward without answering. He took the training sword and closed his eyes for a few seconds to concentrate. His aura gradually gathered in his arm before flowing into the weapon. The blade vibrated slightly as a dark energy formed around the metal. The result appeared. 94%. Adrian then looked at his own score. 89%. His expression tightened slightly. “It's just a number.” Kael calmly put the sword down. “Yes.” Adrian frowned. “Then why are you smiling?” Kael looked at him with his usual expression. “I'm not smiling.” Noah immediately interrupted: “That's worse. That's just what he's naturally like.” Adrian clenched his teeth. “We'll see in combat.” Kael didn't answer. --- The final test began about an hour later. The four students were taken to an isolated section of the arena: Kael, Noah, Lysandra, and Adrian. A magical barrier closed behind them, separating them from the other candidates. Professor Edran appeared on the other side. “Your objective is simple: reach the other side of the arena.” A series of runes gradually lit up beneath their feet. “Simulated creatures will appear as you progress. You must defeat them and continue moving forward.” Noah spun one of his daggers between his fingers. “This looks fun.” Kael gave him a look. “Focus.” “Yes, boss.” Lysandra watched Kael with amusement. “Are you already taking command?” Kael slightly shook his head. “No.” His gaze swept across the area in front of them. “But someone will have to.” Adrian crossed his arms. “I can lead.” Kael turned his eyes toward him. “Then lead.” Adrian opened his mouth to respond, but a huge creature suddenly appeared in front of them. He immediately turned around. “We'll see later.” Noah burst out laughing. “Wonderful.” --- The creature charged with surprising speed. Adrian immediately reacted by launching a magical attack, but the creature dodged, allowing Noah to take advantage of the opening by moving to the side and striking. At the same time, Lysandra cast an ice spell that slowed the creature's movements. Kael, meanwhile, carefully observed the runes carved into the ground. He noticed that some of them activated slightly before each creature appeared. “Three more seconds.” Noah turned his head toward him. “What?” “They're going to appear.” Three seconds later, three new creatures emerged from the ground. Noah stared at them in disbelief. “How did you know that?” Kael pointed toward the runes. “They activate before the creatures appear.” Lysandra studied the markings as well. “He's right.” Kael quickly thought through the situation before giving his instructions. “Noah, right.” “Got it.” “Lysandra, cover the center.” “Alright.” Then he looked at Adrian. “You, left.” Adrian frowned. “You're giving me orders?” “Yes.” “Why should I listen to you?” Kael stared at him for a few seconds before answering in his perfectly calm voice. “Because if you keep arguing, the creature behind you is going to attack.” Adrian turned around. Too late. The creature leapt toward him, but Kael immediately raised a hand and cast a spell that knocked it back. Adrian remained silent for a moment. “…Thanks.” Kael simply nodded. The battle continued as the four students made their way across the arena. For the first time since the beginning of the test, Kael truly had to rely on the others. Noah was fast and unpredictable, Lysandra possessed remarkable precision, and Adrian compensated for his lack of discipline with impressive power. Their styles were completely different, but Kael gradually began to understand how to make them work together. Noah drew the creatures toward him while Lysandra immobilized them, allowing Adrian to land the most powerful attacks. Kael, meanwhile, watched the battlefield and coordinated their movements so that they never got in each other's way. They advanced like this, step by step. Then a much larger creature appeared in front of them. Its body seemed to be made entirely of simulated magic, and its appearance caused the runes surrounding the arena to vibrate. Noah stepped back slightly. “That wasn't supposed to happen.” Kael stared at the creature carefully. The runes surrounding it weren't the same as those used for the previous creatures. They were more complex. “No.” Lysandra moved beside him. “You think it's stronger?” “Yes.” Adrian summoned another blade of fire in his hand. “Then let's destroy it.” The creature charged. All four attacked simultaneously, and the impact of their combined powers made the magical barrier tremble. Kael gathered his mana and launched a spell directly at the creature. But the moment his attack struck it… something changed. For a fraction of a second, Kael felt as though his mana had simply disappeared. A strange pressure formed in his chest, and his eyes widened slightly. That feeling again. The creature suddenly stopped. Its magical body distorted as though something had interrupted its very structure. Then it disappeared. Silence fell over the arena. Noah looked at Kael in confusion. “What did you just do?” Kael stared at his own hand. “I don't know.” Lysandra slowly stepped closer. “Your spell…” She hesitated for a few seconds before continuing. “It disappeared.” Kael slightly clenched his fingers. He knew this sensation. He had felt it before in the mana room and in the library, every time he had approached that mysterious symbol. But this time, it wasn't the symbol. It was him. Something inside him had reacted. Before he could think any further, the professor's voice echoed across the arena. “Group three!” The barrier opened. “Test over.” The four students stepped out of the evaluation area. Noah immediately moved closer to Kael. “Are you alright?” “Yes.” “You sure?” “Yes.” Noah hesitated before finally nodding. “Okay.” Lysandra, however, continued watching Kael. She had seen his expression when his spell disappeared. For only a second, there had been something in his eyes that she had never seen before. It wasn't exactly fear. But it was something close to it. --- Behind the professors, Darian Valcroix hadn't moved. His gaze remained fixed on Kael, then shifted to his hand and finally to the remains of the simulated creature. Another professor approached him. “Did you see that?” Darian remained silent. “Veyron's spell caused a mana interruption.” “Yes.” “Is that possible?” Darian slowly closed the file in his hands. “Normally, no.” The other professor frowned. “Then what was it?” Darian watched Kael walk away with Noah and Lysandra. “An anomaly.” But deep down, he knew that word was wrong. This wasn't a simple anomaly. He knew that sensation. He had already seen it six years ago, on the night Kael's parents died. Darian tightened his fingers slightly around the file. He wasn't supposed to be able to use it this early. He finally turned away. He had to warn someone. --- In the corridor, Noah walked beside Kael, his hands behind his head. “You're really not going to tell me anything?” Kael continued walking without even turning his head. “About what?” “What happened in the arena.” “I don't know what happened.” Noah remained silent for a few seconds before sighing. “You're bad at lying.” Kael stopped. Noah stopped as well. The two looked at each other. “I'm not lying.” Noah sighed again, but eventually smiled. “Okay.” He resumed walking before adding: “But if you find something, tell me.” Kael stared at him for a few seconds before nodding. “Yes.” Lysandra, who had been walking a few meters behind them, caught up without asking a single question about what had just happened. She simply looked at them before asking: “Are you two coming to eat?” Noah looked at Kael. “See?” Kael frowned slightly. “What?” “That is the real priority.” Kael looked at Lysandra, then at Noah. After a brief silence, he simply answered: “Alright.” The three of them continued down the corridor, unaware that at that very moment, somewhere inside Asteria, a message was already being sent. The power has manifested. Kael Veyron is no longer merely an heir. He has become a problem.

The Entrance Exam