The arena buzzed with tension. After Elena Elsgard’s display, students were hesitant to move. That silence was broken by the confident stride of a new challenger.

A tall, muscular man stepped forward, dark hair slicked back, eyes gleaming with arrogance. His presence radiated entitlement and power.

“This test is nothing,” he sneered. “Watch and learn how real magic works.”

He raised his hands, chanting rapidly. Two separate pillars of fire erupted from his palms — one a twisting serpent of crimson flame, the other a coiling column of scarlet light.

With a sharp motion, he merged the two into a single, colossal inferno. The spell roared like a storm, surging toward the Gatekeepers with destructive force.

Leon’s eyes narrowed. That combination is dangerous… but they should be able to handle it.

The flames collided with the Gatekeepers’ defenses. Sparks flew as molten stone and wind-blade barriers absorbed the fire. For a heartbeat, it looked like Marcus might succeed — and the students gasped.

But then the Gatekeepers advanced, preparing to block him outright. The first flames were repelled, but Marcus, grinning, used the distraction to sprint toward the gate.

He was fast — too fast for most to react. His confidence radiated with every step.

The crowd gasped. “He’s going for it! He’s going to pass the gate without even defeating them!”

Marcus neared the Gatekeepers. One raised a blazing spear; the other a cutting wind blade. Their barriers flared, colliding with Marcus’s momentum. They were fully capable of stopping him.

But just as they were about to strike… Gran Drakov gave a subtle signal. A flick of his wrist, barely noticeable, accompanied by a sharp nod.

The Gatekeepers hesitated — just for a fraction of a second. Enough.

Marcus ran straight through their defensive stance. The Gatekeepers, bound by the signal, did not push him back. To the rest of the students, it appeared as though Marcus had forced his way past the seemingly invincible instructors.

Gasps and whispers filled the arena.

“Did he just… overpower them?”

“No… impossible…”

“Wasn’t that blocked just a second ago?”

Marcus didn’t notice the stares. He reached the gate, touched the massive lock, and stepped through with a triumphant smirk.

Behind him, the Gatekeepers immediately resumed their stance as if nothing had happened. The spell’s defenses reasserted themselves, leaving the other students confused and intimidated.

The arena remained tense. Several students attempted the test after Marcus — some trying to climb the wall, others attempting to bypass the Gatekeepers. One by one, most failed, falling short, blocked, or knocked unconscious.

Hours passed. When Gran Drakov finally shouted the end of the trial, only ten students remained on the other side of the gate. They had survived either by climbing the wall, outsmarting the Gatekeepers, or performing near-perfect magic.

The rest of the students groaned or sat on the ground in exhaustion, their dreams dashed.

Leon observed silently, analyzing the survivors and their techniques. He noted every weakness, every misstep. Knowledge and strategy, not just power, he thought. That’s what passes this trial.

Gran Drakov’s gaze briefly met Leon’s. The old man’s eyes were sharp, unreadable, but a faint hint of approval lingered.