Aren stepped out of the corridor—
—and froze.
The stadium stretched endlessly before him.
Massive.
Towering.
Overwhelming.
Rows upon rows of seats rose into the sky, filled with people. Occultists. Officials. Spectators.
Thousands of eyes.
Watching.
Waiting.
The ground beneath his feet was cracked, worn—
like it had seen countless battles before.
Aren slowly exhaled.
"…So this is Phase Three."
A loud BOOM echoed across the arena.
He turned.
Another candidate had just been thrown across the field—crashing into the wall.
Gasps erupted from the crowd.
A voice thundered through the stadium.
Aren's gaze lifted.
High above—
On an elevated platform—
Figures stood.
Silent.
Watching everything.
Their presence alone was suffocating.
The air felt… heavy.
Different.
"…Those are the higher-ups," Aren muttered.
Even from this distance—
He could feel it.
Their Vana.
Overwhelming.
Like standing beneath a collapsing sky.
Some candidates hesitated.
Some trembled.
Some turned back.
But Aren—
Aren stepped forward.
Calm.
Observing.
Analyzing.
Monsters roared from the far end of the arena.
Chains rattled.
Gates creaked open.
One by one—
Creatures were released.
"This is insane…" someone whispered.
"No… this is the real test," another replied.
Aren narrowed his eyes.
Not fear.
Not hesitation.
Just focus.
So this is how they test us…
A faint grin appeared on his face.
"Good."
The ground trembled again—
But this time…
It wasn't fear.
It was anticipation.
The stadium was loud.
Too loud.
Cheers.
Shouts.
Screams.
It all blended together—
Into noise.
Rorin stood still in the middle of it.
Unmoving.
Unbothered.
"…What is this?" he muttered.
A monster roared in the distance.
Someone got slammed into the ground.
The crowd reacted.
But Rorin—
Didn't care.
His eyes were fixed on the arena floor.
Blank.
"…An exam?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"…This is supposed to be difficult?"
A staff member shouted from afar—
"Candidate 8468! Move forward!"
No response.
"Hey! I'm talking to you!"
Still nothing.
Rorin blinked slowly.
"…Ah."
He stepped forward.
The moment Rorin stepped into the arena—
Something moved.
Fast.
A massive figure lunged toward him.
BOOM—
A heavy strike slammed into his gut.
The impact sent him flying across the field.
Dust exploded as his feet dragged against the ground—
…and stopped.
Rorin stood there.
Unshaken.
He slowly lifted his head.
The creature towered before him.
Nearly ten meters tall.
Its head curved like polished metal, reflecting the sunlight.
Its stance—tight.
Controlled.
Like a trained fighter.
Rorin stared at it.
Blank.
"…Is this it?"
The monster lunged again.
A fist tore through the air—
Rorin moved.
Their punches collided.
CRACK—
The shockwave rippled outward.
The monster froze for a split second.
Rorin tilted his head slightly.
"…Weak."
He grabbed its arm.
Tight.
Unmoving.
The creature struggled.
Too late.
Rorin grinned faintly.
"Mark."
The monster trembled.
Panic.
It tried to pull away—
It couldn't.
Rorin's eyes sharpened.
-STRIKE-
The creature was send flying across the arena in an instant. Leaving no traces of its existence.
Then…
The arena fell silent.
Rorin released his grip.
"…Next."
-
Aren walked forward.
The arena was chaos.
Occultists clashed against monsters—
Some alone.
Some in groups.
Suddenly—
The ground trembled.
Aren stopped.
A distant roar echoed.
Then—
People started running.
A crowd rushed toward him.
"MOVE!"
They pushed past him.
Some stumbled.
Some fell—
But still got up.
And kept running.
Aren's eyes narrowed.
"…What is that?"
The rumbling grew louder.
He turned.
And saw it.
A massive figure approached.
Towering.
Its body was covered in thick, shell-like armor.
Each step cracked the ground beneath it.
It stood upright—
Like a knight.
Slow.
But unstoppable.
"Hey, kid!"
Aren turned.
It was Belon.
"Don't panic."
"Give it everything you've got."
"There are pro Yeagers watching. They'll step in if things go bad."
Aren looked back at the monster.
A small smile formed.
"…Alright."
Another candidate stepped forward.
"You think you're tough!?"
Vana surged through his arm.
He charged—
BOOM—
The sound echoed across the arena.
Aren's eyes sharpened.
"…What?"
The monster didn't move.
Not even a scratch.
The attacker froze.
Slowly—
The monster raised its arm.
The candidate's eyes widened.
"Crap—"
CRASH—
The monster's fist slammed into the ground.
The arena shook.
The candidate was gone.
Aren's head snapped around—
"Be careful!"
A Yeager stood at a distance, holding the rescued candidate.
The boy trembled.
Barely breathing.
The Yeager carried him away.
Then—
Silence.
The monster turned.
Its gaze locked onto Aren.
Step.
Step.
It approached him.
Aren's heartbeat spiked.
Stay calm…
Stay calm…
There has to be a way.
The monster stopped right in front of him.
Towering.
Watching.
Aren closed his eyes.
Think…
Think, Aren.
The air trembled slightly.
The monster raised its fist.
Then—
Aren's eyes snapped open.
"…Got it."
The fist came crashing down—
Aren dashed back at the last second.
The ground shattered beneath him.
He moved forward instead of away.
Jumped—
And landed on the monster's arm as it rose.
His eyes locked onto it.
A crack.
Right at the shoulder joint.
"…There."
Vana surged through his fist.
He struck.
CRACK—
The armor shattered.
The monster roared—
Its arm tore apart, hanging uselessly.
Blood sprayed across the arena.
Its head slowly turned.
Rage burned in its eyes.
It pulled back its remaining arm.
And swung.
Aren leaped—
Over its head.
He landed on the opposite side.
Another crack.
Another weak point.
He didn't hesitate.
One strike—
The second arm split apart.
The monster staggered.
It roared wildly—
Then threw its entire body forward.
A desperate attack.
Aren slid to the side—
The massive body crashed into the ground.
It couldn't move.
Its arms—gone.
Its balance—broken.
Aren stood still.
Breathing steadily.
His eyes lifted.
The head of the monster.
Exposed.
He clenched his fist.
Cold Vana surged.
He moved—
One final strike.
CRACK—
The monster's head rolled across the arena floor.
The monster collapsed.
"—ELIMINATED."
The announcement echoed across the arena.
Aren stood still.
Something felt… wrong.
His breathing grew heavier.
Tight.
Suffocating—
Like he was drowning.
His eyes widened.
What is this…?
—
In a blink—
They were there.
Six figures.
Surrounding him.
Aren froze.
"…The higher-ups…"
One of them stepped forward.
"Nice fight…"
A pause.
"…boy."
Aren's eyes darted around.
Pressure filled the air.
Something wasn't right.
Then—
A hand tapped his shoulder.
—
Darkness.
From across the arena—
Rorin watched.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
The higher-ups…
Moving personally?
For that guy?
"…Weird."
He took a bite of his chocolate.
Chewed slowly.
His gaze didn't leave Aren.
"He's not strong…"
"…But he's not normal either."
The moment the higher-ups surrounded Aren—
Rorin's expression changed.
Slightly.
"…Interesting."
—
Drip.
Aren's eyes slowly opened.
Darkness.
Cold water touched his feet.
Chains clinked as he tried to move.
He was restrained.
"…Where…"
His voice cracked.
"…Where am I…?"
Silence answered him.