Wang Hui's small face tightens as tension gathers across his features, his fists clenching so hard that the knuckles turn pale while faint veins rise along his thin arms, revealing just how much pressure he is placing on himself at this moment.
Around him, the voices of other boys and girls his age drift into his ears, some whispering while others speak openly, all carrying the same conclusion that he will not be able to enter the academy, and each word seems to press down on his heart like an invisible weight.
From behind him, a boy speaks with a tone filled with bitter certainty, saying that there is no chance for poor people like them to enter the academy, and as murmurs of agreement ripple through the group, that same boy continues by declaring that after the test he plans to sell himself to a wizard family so that he can at least have a chance to become a wizard in some form.
Hearing this, Wang Hui's fists tighten even further, the tension in his body rising to the point where the veins along his arms become more pronounced, as if his entire being is resisting those words and refusing to accept that kind of future.
His mind drifts back to what his aunt had told him before he came here, when she calmly explained that he did not need to worry about failing the test because she had already made an arrangement with the Mu Family, ensuring that after his failure he would become their servant, a path that had been decided for him long before he even took the test.
At that time, filled with confidence and youthful determination, he had declared that he would pass the test and repay his uncle and aunt for raising him over the past ten years, believing firmly that his effort alone would be enough to change his fate.
Now, however, after seeing the results of the first two tests, it feels as though cold water has been poured over that burning confidence, extinguishing it and leaving behind only uncertainty and doubt that begin to creep into his thoughts.
He imagines his aunt looking at him with disappointment or even mockery, and he sees himself in the future wearing the clothes of a servant, bound to the Mu Family with no way out, a life that stretches endlessly before him without hope or change.
Shaking his head forcefully, he tries to push those thoughts away, refusing to let that imagined future take hold of his mind, because he knows that if he accepts it even for a moment, then it may become real.
"I cannot become a servant," he tells himself silently, his gaze lifting toward the location of the final test as his legs begin to move forward, each step slow but deliberate as if he is walking against an unseen current.
"I need nine more points to reach twenty," he calculates, his breathing becoming heavier as he tries to steady himself while repeating in his mind that even if he does not reach twenty, there might still be a chance for him to find another path.
With a fragile yet stubborn resolve forming in his eyes, he steps into the tent for the final test, determined to face whatever awaits him inside.
Inside the tent, he sees a wizard sitting behind a table, writing furiously without even lifting his head, the scratching sound of the pen echoing in the otherwise quiet space and making the atmosphere feel even more oppressive.
Without looking up, the wizard speaks in a casual tone, asking whether Wang Hui had iron tied to his legs, clearly referring to his late arrival, yet showing no real concern for the reason behind it.
Wang Hui opens his mouth, intending to apologise for being late, but before he can speak, the wizard continues indifferently, telling him that it does not matter and instructing him to sit on the chair and place the ring on his head.
Following the instructions, Wang Hui walks over to the chair where a large metal ring is mounted on a pole beside it, sits down carefully, and adjusts his posture as he prepares himself for what is to come.
Taking a deep breath, he repeats to himself over and over again that he can do it and that he will enter the academy, using these words to strengthen his resolve as much as possible before the test begins.
With his determination hardened, he lifts the ring and places it on his head, feeling it adjust automatically to fit tightly around him, as if locking him into place for the trial ahead.
The wizard finally glances at him briefly before stating that the test will begin after he counts to three, and Wang Hui nods in response, bracing himself as much as he can.
"1… 2… 3… Start."
The moment the test begins, Wang Hui feels an intense force slam into his mind as if someone has struck his head with a heavy blow, causing him to grit his teeth instantly while gripping the armrests of the chair with all his strength.
At first, the pressure remains constant, allowing him to endure it with effort, but soon it begins to increase steadily, each passing moment adding more weight to the invisible assault on his mind.
Despite the pain, he refuses to scream, choosing instead to hold on silently, his body trembling as sweat pours down his face while his grip on the armrests tightens further.
Su Yang, the wizard overseeing the test, finally begins to observe him carefully when the mental strike reaches six points, noticing that the boy continues to endure despite the obvious strain on his body.
As the pressure rises to seven points, Su Yang considers that if the boy stops now, he might still recommend him to a wizard family, since although the academy is the best place for learning, other paths still exist for those who show potential.
However, Wang Hui does not stop, even as the mental pressure increases further, reaching eight points and causing blood to begin flowing from his nose, his body showing clear signs of reaching its limit.
Inside his mind, the pain becomes overwhelming, as if his head is being crushed repeatedly, making it difficult for him to think or even breathe properly, and for a moment, the thought of giving up begins to form.
He feels as though he is suffocating, as though death is approaching, and just as he is about to open his mouth to surrender and end the suffering, his consciousness suddenly collapses into darkness.
Without a word, without a cry, Wang Hui loses consciousness, his body going completely still as the pressure of the test reaches its limit and his mind can no longer endure the continuous assault.
Darkness surrounds him.
Time passes, though he does not know how long.
When he opens his eyes again, everything feels distant and hazy, and the first thing he sees is a white ceiling above him, unfamiliar and quiet, while a faint humming sound fills the air around him.
He turns his head slightly and realises that he is lying on a bed, with a thin tube connected to his arm, through which energy-infused liquid slowly flows into his body, restoring his strength.
The memory of the test crashes back into his mind.
The pressure.
The pain.
The moment he lost consciousness.
A thought forms immediately,
He failed.
Tears well up in his eyes, and before he can stop himself, they begin to fall as he clenches the blanket, his body trembling as he imagines the disappointed face of his uncle and the future that awaits him as a servant.
Just then, he notices a figure sitting beside the bed.
His uncle.
His face looks tired, yet filled with concern.
Seeing that expression, Wang Hui's tears fall even harder, as he believes that the sadness he sees is proof of his failure.
"I… I'm sorry…" he says weakly, his voice breaking.
Before he can say anything more, his uncle leans forward and pulls him into a tight embrace.
"You foolish child," his uncle says gently, his voice warm.
"Why are you crying?"
Wang Hui freezes.
Then his uncle continues, "You passed."
The words feel unreal.
Wang Hui pulls back slightly, staring at him in disbelief.
"You passed the test," his uncle repeats with a faint smile.
"In a week, you will enter the academy."
For a moment, Wang Hui cannot react.
Then relief floods through him, overwhelming everything else, and he begins crying again, but this time not from despair, but from joy and release.
After resting for a few hours, he is discharged and returns home to his village, which lies outside the city.
News of his success spreads quickly.
That night, the entire village gathers.
They celebrate.
Laughter, food, and voices fill the air as everyone congratulates him because he has become the first person from the village to enter a Wizard Academy.
The next day, something unexpected happens.
Invitations arrive.
One after another.
From various wizard towers.
Some from nearby.
Some from distant regions.
They offer him positions as a disciple.
Some even promise that the tower master or a Second Stage Wizard will take him personally as a student.
More surprisingly, instead of asking for resources, they promise to provide him with money and support.
His aunt is overjoyed and urges him to choose one of the towers, believing it to be a safer and more immediate path.
But Wang Hui refuses.
His resolve does not waver.
He chooses the academy.
Weeks later, he steps through its gates.
The beginning of his journey truly starts.
For the first six months, all students attend general classes, where they learn history, meditation, and the fundamental knowledge required to become a wizard, building a foundation before choosing their path.
At the same time, they must select two elective subjects.
After six months, a test will determine their progress.
If they pass and are fortunate, an Official Wizard or higher may accept them as a disciple, or they may continue advanced studies in those subjects.
If they fail, they must pay to continue learning.
Among the many options, Wang Hui chooses Basic Elements and Runes.
He had considered choosing Blood as his second subject, since his elemental resonance is only four, and he knows that refining a beast bloodline could increase it.
But he cannot decide which element to follow.
Fire.
Water.
Earth.
Wind.
All four have the same resonance.
Unable to choose, he decides instead to study them further.
To understand them.
To feel them.
Only then,
Will he decide on his path?