Mira immediately understood.
Pointing her finger toward the path of the beast, she summoned her beast companion.
Her delicate Wind Hare darted forward like a streak of green light, unleashing a concentrated blast of pressurized wind that kicked up loose, slippery gravel directly beneath the boar’s heavy hooves.
The creature’s footing slipped.
It was only a slight loss of traction, but at that speed, it was fatal.
The boar’s straight line charge veered sideways violently, turning into an uncontrollable slide.
It crashed directly into the base of one of the towering, ancient stone statues flanking the arena.
BOOM!!
The massive stone monument cracked at the base and collapsed entirely, burying the armored beast beneath tons of solid rock.
The ground shook so violently that Lyra was nearly knocked off her feet.
A vast plume of dust rose into the air, followed by a sudden, silence.
A second later, the silver bracelet on Lyra’s wrist glowed with a bright, warm light.
+5 Examination Points
Current Score: 15
Mira’s bracelet flashed immediately after.
Current Score: 15
Even Mason’s band updated, a small smile tugging at the corner of his stoic mouth.
Current Score: 16
“We… we actually did it,” Mira laughed nervously, collapsing onto a pile of rubble.
“I actually thought we were going to end up as pancakes.”
“So did I,” Lyra admitted, letting out a long breath.
Myrmor’s voice sounded quietly in her thoughts.
“You relied upon observation and tactical strategy rather than brute strength. Good. You are learning.”
Lyra smiled slightly, looking down at the tiny ant on her shoulder.
“…Thanks.”
“For what?”
“For believing I had figure it out.” Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
“Do not mistake my inaction for faith,” Myrmor replied dryly.
“I merely refused to interfere. There is a vast difference.”
Before Lyra could reply, the earth beneath them violently trembled.
It wasn’t the now common vibration of a beast crashing into a wall.
This was a deep, guttural groan that shook the very foundations of the floating island.
Then it happened again—much harder this time.
In a synchronised manner every single trial beast on the massive battlefield froze in an instant.
The Stone Wolves stopped their attacks, their ears pinning back.
The Shadow Panthers lifted their heads, sniffing the air in sudden panic.
Even far across the plaza, Kael Draven’s enormous Heavenly Dragon Emperor narrowed its golden eyes, turning its head toward the distant, Northern part of the forest.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Everyone could feel it.
At the center of the plaza, the elderly examiner who had maintained a calm, aloof expression throughout the entire test frowned deeply.
“…Impossible,” he whispered.
Another instructor materialized beside him in a flash of blue light.
“Sir? What’s happening to the environmental arrays?”
The old man looked toward the northern mountains, his face draining of all color.
“…The barrier. It has been breached from the outside.”
Without warning, a deafening, metallic explosion echoed across the valley.
The sky itself cracked.
It wasn’t a metaphorical shift in the clouds.
The physical space above them actually fractured, dark, purple-black tears spreading across the heavens like shattered glass.
Students began to scream, panic spreading like wildfire.
“What is that?! Is this part of the exam?!”
“Everyone remain where you are!” the chief examiner bellowed, his voice amplified by mana.
“Instructors, stabilize the teleportation arrays! Get the students out!” Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
The instructors immediately moved, golden magic circles erupting beneath their feet as they tried to force a manual override.
But before they could complete the array settings. the entire world shook violently.
The examination realm was collapsing.
Far beyond the floating mountains…
Hidden inside a subterranean ruin untouched by the light of the sun, a figure wrapped in tattered black robes slowly lowered a blood covered hand.
Before him, a huge ancient stone seal lay shattered into a thousand pieces.
The figure let out a dry, raspy chuckle that echoed off the damp walls.
“So… it begins.”
Back on the crumbling examination grounds, the trial beasts suddenly panicked.
No longer interested in the students, they turned and fled toward the treeline, running for their lives as if trying to escape a predator far greater than themselves.
Kael Draven stood in the center of the shaking plaza, his icy blue eyes fixed on the darkening sky.
“Vradrik,” he asked internally.
“What is it?”
Inside his soul, the golden dragon spoke only three words.
Its voice, usually booming and arrogant, carried an emotion Kael had never heard from the ancient entity before.
Fear.
“Something… has… awakened.”
The earth beneath Lyra’s feet split open.
A column of blinding, crimson light erupted from the rift, shooting straight into the cracked heavens.
Instantly, every single bracelet worn by every applicant flashed a violent, warning red.
Then, for the very first time since they had entered the trial, a cold, synthetic mechanical voice echoed directly in their minds.
[WARNING: Realm Stability Lost.]
[Emergency Relocation Failed.]
[Candidates Have Been Redirected.]
A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the platform as the golden portals of the instructors shattered into dust.
Then, one final sentence appeared in glowing red letters across their vision—one that caused the high-ranking examiners to lose all hope.
[Welcome… to the Forbidden Realm.]