The only thing giving me a sliver of hope right now is that she's here to be a spy.
Which means no massacres. Not yet.
The Academy has one of the Pillars of Dominion standing guard. And as long as the Dean hasn't left, she'll keep her claws sheathed. She has to. Even monsters know when to behave—when something scarier's watching.
But still… every passing minute feels like the noose is tightening.
From what I remember from the ruined novel, she's one of the main reasons Cale's life turned into a nightmare carnival. Not just dangerous—she is the antagonist of Arc Two: The Prisoner of Time.
That arc turned the Aegis Class into a blood smear inside a dungeon. Half of them died. Most of Cale's friends didn't make it out.
The architect of that hell?
Sylvanna Nightshade.
The 68th-ranked demon of the Outside.
Sigh.
When I try to picture the future, all I see is smoke, blood, and graves. I'm not aiming to stop every tragedy—I'm not playing god. I just want to be strong enough to live how I choose. Maybe protect a few people who end up mattering…
Saving the world? That was emo bastard's job.
I'll help him just enough to make sure he gets his happy ending—because if he doesn't, I'm probably screwed too.
"Everyone, gather with your group. I'll brief you on the rules of this practical test."
Instructor Aurelia's voice cracked across the teleportation platform like a whip, echoing off the obsidian tiles with cold precision. The air tasted faintly of metal and ozone.
Alright. Decision time.
Do I play the ambitious cadet and chase a rank good enough to stick close to the protagonists? So I can keep my dorm nearby and my eyes open?
Or do I vanish into the background—quiet, forgettable. Extra. Safe. Stay off the radar of the demon… who's on my team.
Before I can answer myself, someone steps forward.
Elara Thalen.
She moves like silk drifting in water—silent, fluid, too composed. A calm ripple in forest.
"I'm Elara Thalen. Cadet, Sixth Rank. I'm happy to have you on my team."
Her voice is soft. Too soft. Like wind brushing over glass. Too perfect.
How... sweet.
If only they knew what's coiled inside her—what's waiting to bloom into catastrophe.
Now it's my turn.
And honestly? I've got nothing.
No surname. No noble lineage. No flashy rank. Just a bad feeling and a worse future.
I step forward. The air feels too clean, too sterile. Like the moment before someone starts screaming.
"I'm Lucifer. Cadet, Rank 9001. Please take care of me."
Silence.
The kind that tastes like dry air and judgment.
Their expressions say everything.
How the hell did this guy get into Aegis Class?
Honestly?
I'm wondering the same thing.
Elin Frost and Aren Frostmere—both demi-humans. Wolfkin. They introduced themselves after me. Ice magic specialists—solid offense, sturdy defense.
Princess Elena—spirit magic user. Also a healer. Technically, the most important one here. She can do it all—attack, defend, restore. A walking cheat code.
And me? I don't really know how to say it, but… I'm not good at anything.
My attack power's trash. Defense? Worse. I can only support. So yeah, I guess I'm the support type. Not that the role has limits, but it's not like anyone's expecting much from me.
---
The rules were simple enough.
Instructor Aurelia's voice cut clean through the stale morning air, sharp as broken glass.
"Each of you has a smart bracelet from the Academy. It tracks health, movement, and combat performance. When you step onto the Teleportation Platform, you'll be sent to the test zone—The Garden of Eden."
Nice name. Pretty lie.
More hunting ground than paradise.
"You and your team must survive there for 24 hours. You earn Fate Points by killing monsters. D-rank earns 10. C-rank earns 20. B-rank gets you 40. The strongest monster in the area is A-rank."
She read the lines like she was reading a shopping list.
Then her voice shifted—barely. "Don't worry about dying—if you're in real danger, staff will intervene. But if your team doesn't survive the full 24 hours, you lose everything. No matter how many Fate Points you've earned, if even one teammate is eliminated…"
A pause. Just long enough to feel like a warning.
"…you all fail. No second chances. Stick together. Your team's total Fate Points will decide your final rank."
Right. Because nothing says "elite education" like tossing kids into a monster-infested hellhole and calling it a pop quiz.
Still… nothing's changed from the novel. Except the location.
Why shift the test site?
Are they trying to cull the top cadets early?
The Garden of Eden—a trap wrapped in flowers. Gorgeous on the surface, but cursed underneath. Worse still… it hides a forbidden dungeon.
Most people don't know what this place becomes.
They don't know it's the birthplace of something terrible.
---
After thinking it over, I decided—I have to protect Princess Elena.
Because once she gets hurt… the demon sleeping inside her wakes up. And that only ends one way: disaster.
"Hey. You'll listen to me during the test. If you can't do anything, don't become a burden."
Aren's voice dripped frost. His fox-like ears flicked, as if trying to soften the blow.
What the hell?
Is he serious?
I wanted to punch him—just one clean hit—but I held back. Not worth it. but he is not wrong though?
"Mr. Aren, please be mindful of others' feelings. That was too harsh. Apologize."
Elena—sweet, gentle, wrapped in royal manners. She always tries to be kind. As a princess from the Elven Domain, she hasn't seen much of the world. Just eighteen by Elven standards, which means she's basically a child in their timeline.
Still... hearing her speak like that hits differently.
Because I know what she becomes.
The things she did in the novel weren't just tragic—they were monstrous. Not her fault. The demon inside her is pure evil, twisting her into a vessel for its cruelty.
She's the third most tormented character in that whole cursed story.
"Don't talk to your teammates like that, Aren," Elin, the other twin, cut in coldly. "I'll say it once. Apologize—or die by my hand."
What the hell?
Are they all crazy?
How am I supposed to survive this test?
Tension crackled in the air like an incoming storm. I had no plan. If even one teammate drops, my ranking dreams go up in smoke.
Fuck my life.
"Everyone, prepare according to your team number. Proceed to the Teleportation Platform," Instructor Aurelia called out, her voice cold but with a faint trace of concern in her expression.
Guess it's time.
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Author's Note:
If you enjoyed the chapter, please leave a comment and a Power Stone! Your support means a lot to me.