Rumble… Rumble…
Mr. Lee's brow furrowed.
"Where is he…?"
"And why is the gate disappearing all of a sudden?"
What if....
He shook off the thought.
No… impossible.
He continued searching for Tia, but the dungeon was collapsing far faster than he expected.
Then he saw Tia.
Lying on the floor.
Clothes torn, blood smeared allover it
Unconscious.
Mr. Lee's expression tightened.
His steps quickened instantly as he made his way to him.
Then he pulled out his communicator.
"Guide 13. Mission accomplished. Target secured."
He crouched beside him.
Tia lay there, unharmed. Not a single injury beyond the torn clothes.
The white gate…
Had vanished.
A brief static crackled through the communicator.
"Guide 13, confirm. The white gate has disappeared?"
Mr. Lee's gaze remained on Tia.
"Confirmed."
A pause.
"Return immediately for debrief."
"…Understood."
He lowered the communicator slightly.
His eyes swept over Tia once more.
Blood stains, torn clothing, and clear evidence of a monster attack.
"What the hell happened in there?" he murmured.
Then his eyes fell on the black stick clutched in Tia's hand.
Without thinking, he grabbed it and tossed it aside, thinking it was just garbage.
Then bent down and lifted Tia into his arms.
This kid..
His gaze lingered for a brief moment.
No external injuries…
I'll need a full report on this.
******************
The bright morning light streamed through the curtains.
Tia fluttered his eyes open.
A small yawn escaped as he sat up slowly.
What a terrible dream…
I was almost killed by that monster…
No… never. Not me. I'd never do something so reckless.
He rubbed his face, still dizzy from sleep.
I should clean up before Mom gets back…
He stood and shuffled to the bathroom.
Letting the tap run, he cupped water in his hands and splashed it on his face.
Once. Twice. Three times.
With the fifth splash, he turned off the tap and grabbed a towel nearby.
Then he picked up his toothbrush.
Slowly, his eyes shifted to the mirror.
A pause.
His jaw dropped.
"No… no… no… this can't be real," he muttered, staring at the torn clothes on the floor.
How is this possible?
How did I get home?
If not for the clothes, he would have sworn the entire dungeon ordeal was just a dream.
But the pain… it had felt far too real to be an illusion.
The letter…
He patted his pockets.
Nothing.
Quickly, he dashed to his room, searching every corner.
Still nothing.
"Argh! Where's that damn letter?!"
Exhausted, he collapsed onto his bed.
"Ouch…"
He immediately jumped up.
It felt like he had slammed into a wall.
"What the…?"
He flung the blanket aside.
"What is this garbage doing here? I thought I—"
"Ming Ming!"
The door burst open.
His mom strode in, interrupting his thoughts.
Quickly, Tia grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around himself.
"It's 12 PM already. Get up!" she said firmly, hands crossed over her chest.
"Ma… you should've told me you were coming in before barging in…" he said, half-joking.
"I'm an adult, you know. What if I were naked?"
"But you aren't, right?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Ehh… mm," Tia said, smiling awkwardly.
"Anyway, hurry up and come down now," she said, turning to leave.
Phew… that was close.
But where in the world did I keep the letter.....
*******
Down in the Living Room...
"Ming Ming! Come quickly!" his mom called, rushing toward the screen.
"The International Bureau is live! You know what that means—they're announcing the Evolution Exam results and academy admissions!"
Tia froze mid-step.
Evolution Exam… scores… academy admissions…?
He sank into the sofa, expression unreadable.
Well the results will still be the same as before'
The broadcast began with a sudden flourish of graphics, the Bureau's emblem glowing on the screen.
A voice rang out, crisp and official:
"Greetings, students and viewers around the world. The Evolution Exam results are now live. Today, we celebrate the most outstanding awakeners of this year."
Tia felt his pulse quicken.
Outstanding awakeners…?
The screen shifted. A list scrolled slowly . Names. Scores. Rankings.
Then—he froze.
"Xu… Tia…?"
His name appeared at the very top of the written exam leaderboard.
Not just top ten.
Top five..
His jaw dropped.
No… no way… this has to be a mistake…
The camera zoomed in on the Bureau announcer.
Congratulations to the top scorer, Joshua Bassett for the evolution exam, achieving the highest score in the overall exams, and securing a place among the top five overall in the Evolution Exam. You have earned a direct admission to Sky High
*********
And finally
"Congratulations to Tia Xu, achieving the highest score in the written exams, and securing a place among the top five overall in the Evolution Exam. You have earned a direct admission to Sky High Academy, the number one academy worldwide."
Tia's mind went blank.
Sky High Academy… number one worldwide…?
This is… real?
The announcer continued, oblivious to the disbelief in Tia's eyes:
"Successful students will receive an official email from their respective academy. Please check your accounts. And now, we return to today's headlines."
Congratulations ming Ming
You did it... See i told you everything would be fine she said a warm smile placed on her lips
Bing!
Tia's mom glanced down at her phone.
"Tia, something came up at work. I have to go. There's food in the fridge—make sure you heat it up. And keep the door closed."
With that, she left, the door clicking shut behind her.
Tia blinked, staring at the TV with a blank expression
Did they get it wrong?
Is this some kind of mistake?
Then—a buzz from his phone.
He picked it up with trembling hands. The screen lit up:
Greetings, Tia Xu,
Congratulations on your exam. Sky High Academy has decided to give you a chance to spread your wings. We expect your presence at school on Monday. A guide for safety purposes will also be provided.
Tia's eyes widened.
He leaned back, gripping the sofa.
It's… real. It's really real.
A strange mix of disbelief, excitement, and pride surged through him.
I… I really did it…
For the first time in a long while, a small, genuine smile curved his lips.
I made it in..... I did it .....