The trail began gently.
For the first stretch, the path wound through dense forest at the base of the mountain.
Roots.
Packed dirt.
Low branches brushing against shoulders.
It felt manageable.
Almost deceptively so.
Dozens of academy squads moved along the trail in scattered lines.
Some pushed ahead immediately.
Others held back.
Raizen's squad moved at a steady pace.
Not fast.
Not slow.
Controlled.
Early Confidence
Daigo led the group at the front.
"…Okay," he said, stretching his shoulders.
"This isn't that bad."
Akari didn't even look at him.
"You've been climbing for five minutes."
Daigo waved it off.
"Exactly."
"This is easy."
Raizen said nothing.
But his eyes had already moved upward.
The Climb Changes
The forest thinned quickly.
Dirt gave way to exposed stone.
The incline sharpened.
Wind picked up.
Cool air cutting across the slope.
Raizen adjusted his breathing slightly.
Inside his mind, Astra spoke.
"Elevation increasing."
"Wind resistance rising."
"Energy consumption trending upward."
Raizen slowed his inhale.
Then his exhale.
Subtle.
But intentional.
Other Squads
Higher along the slope, several second-year squads were already advancing.
One stood out immediately.
Haruto Kagami.
His squad moved aggressively across the rock face.
Fast.
Confident.
Pushing.
Daigo noticed.
"…Of course he's already ahead."
Akari watched for a few seconds.
"They're moving too fast."
Daigo frowned.
"…You sure?"
Raizen answered calmly.
"Yes."
No hesitation.
No doubt.
Speed here wasn't an advantage.
It was a gamble.
The Narrow Path
Another kilometer passed.
The mountain stopped pretending.
The trail shifted into a narrow path carved into the rock face.
Loose gravel slid underfoot.
Wind howled across the slope.
A misstep here wouldn't just slow you down.
It would end your climb.
A first-year ahead slipped.
His foot lost traction—
He caught the rock edge at the last second.
Breathing hard.
Hands shaking.
No one spoke.
They didn't need to.
Focus
Daigo went quiet.
"…Yeah."
"This part sucks."
Akari stepped carefully.
"Watch your footing."
Raizen moved smoothly behind them.
Each step placed with intent.
No wasted motion.
Inside his mind, Astra continued.
"Footing stability: optimal."
"Muscle fatigue: minimal."
"Breathing pattern: efficient."
Raizen wasn't climbing.
He was managing output.
Instructor Shadows
Far below—
Unseen by most students—
Instructors watched from hidden vantage points.
Ren crouched near a rock outcrop.
"…Some of them are already burning out."
Aran stood behind him.
Silent.
Watching.
"They chose their pace," Aran said.
"They'll live with it."
But his attention remained fixed—
On one squad.
Moving steadily.
Not chasing.
Not falling behind.
The First Collapse
A voice broke the rhythm of the mountain.
"…I can't—!"
A student dropped to one knee.
Then both.
Collapsed.
His squad stopped immediately.
"He's out of breath!"
"He's done!"
Instructor observers moved in instantly.
The student was escorted off the trail.
His squad remained.
Forced to continue.
Slower now.
More careful.
The message was clear.
The mountain didn't forgive mistakes.
The Ridge Break
Another stretch.
Another climb.
Then—
The trail opened.
A wide stone ridge.
Flat enough to stand.
Barely wide enough to rest.
Many squads stopped there.
Breathing hard.
Recovering.
Daigo dropped against a rock.
"…Okay."
"This is officially terrible."
Akari took a small drink from her flask.
"You're still moving."
Daigo pointed upward.
"…Barely."
The Realization
Raizen didn't sit.
He stepped toward the ridge edge.
And looked up.
The summit.
Still far above.
Hidden behind thick storm clouds.
Inside his mind, Astra spoke.
"Remaining distance: approximately three kilometers."
Daigo heard it.
"…Three more?"
He stared upward.
"…Aran is insane."
Akari didn't respond.
Her eyes had already narrowed.
"…Something's wrong."
Raizen nodded.
The path ahead changed.
Narrower.
Tighter.
Funneling upward into a single route.
A choke point.
And then—
Movement.
Figures along the ridge above.
Standing still.
Watching.
Instructors.
Waiting.
Not guiding.
Not helping.
Waiting.
The Truth of the Trial
Raizen's eyes sharpened slightly.
This wasn't just endurance.
It was control.
Pacing.
Decision-making.
Pressure under fatigue.
Inside his mind, Astra confirmed:
"Final phase conditions detected."
Raizen exhaled slowly.
The climb wasn't the test.
Not really.
The summit—
That was where the real trial began.