The moonlight danced across the silvered rooftops of Grandovale, its shine pooling on the glass windows of the Lunar Dormitory. Inside, silence had finally fallen. Most students were asleep—except one.
Zen sat cross-legged by the window, the cool breeze brushing through his dark hair. His crimson eyes shimmered softly under the night.
> [SYSTEM]: "Another sleepless night, partner? You thinking of monsters, girls, or your unresolved trauma again? Just checking!"
Zen smirked, whispering back, "A mix of all three."
[SYSTEM]: "Relatable. I too fear love and gigantic beasts with sharp teeth. Mostly love though."
He sighed, resting his cheek against the window. "Show me my progress, Nex."
> [SYSTEM – Status Window]
Name: Zen
Race: Human
Class: Swordsman / Mage
Level: 9
HP: 1800
MP: ∞
Strength: 21
Agility: 32.5
Endurance: 28
Magic Power: 31
Intelligence: 22
Perception: 19
Willpower: 32
Skills: Sword Slash, Ice Bloom, Sword Art – Silent End, Skystep Cleave
Locked Skill: [Froze Time] - (Unlock condition: [REDACTED] )
> [SYSTEM]: "You've bulked up nicely, Zen. Almost makes me emotional. If I had tear ducts."
Zen: "Can you show me her status?"
[SYSTEM]: "You asking for Lyra's status? Ohoho~ Somebody's got the hots!"
Zen: "Nex…"
[SYSTEM]: "Fine, fine! Pulling up princess blue-hair now."
---
> [SYSTEM – Status: Lyrielle Caelivara]
Class: Healer / Light Caster
Level: 8
HP: 1785
MP: 245
Magic power: 40
Skills: Light Mend, Purifying Touch, Revitalize, Frigid Chains, Aether Barrier, Radiant Pulse, Healing Light
Traits: Fast Cast, Emotional Link, Observation Mastery
Blessing: ???
Personality Sync: 55% — Flirtatious, Loyal, Sarcastic, Hides Emotions.
[SYSTEM]: "Warning: May cause rapid heartbeat in nearby swordsmen."
Zen chuckled. "You're impossible."
[SYSTEM]: "And you're in denial. We make a great pair."
---
Morning of the Trial
The next morning, the air buzzed with tension.
All selected students gathered in the Celesthall Courtyard, where three towering archways glowed faint blue. Deputy Headmaster appeared before them, his silver cloak trailing with mystic runes.
> "Today, you walk beyond the light. Beyond Eboncrest's safety lies an ancient realm long lost—The Hollow Ring. There, a Trial awaits. Only those with potential will endure it. All others will… falter."
With a wave of his hand, the portals pulsed. Each led to a different zone—unknown, unstable, ancient.
Zen stood with Lyra and Sylvia at his side. Arisella, Fiora, and Elvren waited just behind them. Another team of high-ranking duelists, Tessan, Kaelith, and Yulin, stood in silence, their eyes locked on the portal.
> Lyra nudged Zen. "Nervous?"
Zen: "You're here, aren't you?"
Lyra: "Aw. That's the sweetest half-admission I've heard all year."
Sylvia glanced at them, ice-blue eyes narrowed. "You two should flirt after we survive, not before."
[SYSTEM]: "Sylvia.exe has no chill. Literally."
Zen: "Focus. Nex—can you scan the area inside the portal?"
[SYSTEM]: "Activating Pre-Scan… oh. Oh boy. Zen, there's something pulsing in there… something… alive."
---
Entering the Trial
As the students stepped through the portal, the world twisted. Light vanished. Gravity shifted. And then—
They stood in a vast land of obsidian and crystal, with dark skies split by glowing rifts.
> [SYSTEM]: "Welcome to Trial Map: 'The Hollow Ring'. Environmental hazards: 72%. Survival rate: TBD."
Lyra took a step forward, her heels echoing on the stone. "This place feels… wrong."
Sylvia drew her iceblade. "It's not just the place. Something's watching."
[SYSTEM]: "Confirmed: Entities detected. Level range: 20–35. Status: Aggressive."
Suddenly, shrieks echoed.
From the shadows emerged twisted beasts—creatures of molten rock and venomous vines. The students scattered into formation.
Zen's sword shimmered as he drew it. "Let's move."
---
BATTLE BEGINS – First Encounter
A horde of Shadehounds lunged.
Sylvia summoned a Frozen Wall, halting the first wave. Lyra pushed healing magic toward a student from another team already injured.
> Zen: "System, mark priority targets."
[SYSTEM]: "Marked: Shadehound Alpha – HP 400. Weak spot: Underbelly. Vulnerable to Frost."
Zen sprinted forward, ducking beneath a claw, slashing upward as Sylvia followed with a Glacial Spear, impaling the beast mid-air.
> [SYSTEM]: "Combo! +15 synergy. MVP vibes confirmed."
Lyra laughed as Zen narrowly avoided a second strike.
> Lyra: "You really like playing hero, huh?"
Zen: "Just doing my job."
Lyra: "Then I'm giving you a raise—don't die."
---
Meanwhile – Arisella's Team
Arisella raised her staff, commanding radiant light to blast a dark elemental aside. Fiora's defensive barriers shimmered like wings behind them.
> "Move!" Elvren shouted, a phoenix of fire erupting from his arm, crashing into a towering shadowbeast.
> Arisella: "They're relentless."
Fiora: "But we're not weak."
---
A Rumble
The Trial space trembled. Cracks spread across the blackened earth.
From the deepest chasm rose the mid-boss—
MAGMABLOOD KNIGHT
Ten feet tall, armor forged in lava, with a blade that pulsed with hatred.
> [SYSTEM]: "Target: Magmablood Knight. Rank: Mini-Boss. Weakness: Unknown. Strength: Too Many."
> Zen: "That's our cue."
Sylvia: "Ready."
Lyra: "I swear if you charge without me again—"
Zen: "Then stay close."