The first phase of Lionel Academy's examination was simple in theory—but brutal in execution.
Raw physical strength.
Hundreds of first-year students stood before towering digital weight stations, each machine forged to withstand several tons of force. They weren't ordinary gym equipment; they were military-grade analyzers built to measure lifting power down to the decimal.
For students blessed with strength-based Nexas, this exam was practically a stage designed for them.
And amidst the sea of nervous faces and trembling fists, two names dominated every whisper:
Bam Relic.Astra Noire.
One a brute.One a prodigy.One born powerful.One born transcendent.
And in between them stood a boy born with nothing.
But that part comes later.
Bam Relic — The Natural Titan
"Relic! Relic! RELIC!!"
Chants broke out the moment Bam stepped forward.
Bam Relic was already a legend among first-years. Broad shoulders, thick arms, a fearless grin—he looked like someone carved out of reinforced stone. Rumor said he once crushed an iron training dummy with a single palm strike.
Crack. Crack.He loosened his neck.
"Alright," he muttered, gripping the bar.
The digital weight rose…500 kg… 900… 1200… 1600… 2000 kg.
He tightened his stance.
GRRNNKK—!!
The metal bar bent.The floor shook.The machine let out a warning beep as if begging for mercy.
And then—
SLAM!!
Bam dropped it with a thunderous impact that echoed like a cannon firing indoors.
He exhaled once.
"That's my limit today," he said casually, as if talking about homework.
The crowd exploded.
"Two thousand…?!""He made it look EASY!""He's a monster—no wonder he's top-ranked!"
Bam grinned and flexed once for his cheering fans.
It was a performance worthy of awe.
But not fear.
Fear came from the person who stepped forward next.
Astra Noire — The Girl Who Shouldn't Exist
Silence swept the room.
Every whisper faded.
Every breath halted.
Because Astra Noire walked forward—calm, soft steps, no emotion, no showmanship—but carrying an aura that crushed the air around her.
The Child Blessed by the Gods.A triple-ability user.A phenomenon.
She didn't warm up.She didn't prepare.She simply placed her hands on the same bar Bam struggled with.
She lifted.
1600 kg.1800 kg.2000 kg.
Perfect posture.Perfect control.Her expression didn't change—not even slightly.
It didn't look like she was lifting a mountain.
It looked like she was lifting a bag of feathers.
A murmur, trembling, broke out behind her.
"She's… terrifying.""She isn't even straining.""Forget Bam—SHE'S the real monster."
Astra gently lowered the bar, bowed politely to the instructors, and stepped aside.
No pride.No arrogance.
Only quiet, effortless power.
And because of that—she scared them more.
The Nexasless Boy Steps Forward
Then…
It was Raze Arcwell's turn.
The moment he stepped out, the air shifted again—but not the way it did with Astra. This time, the shift came from confusion. Curiosity. Disbelief.
No glow of energy.No enhanced muscles.No supernatural hum.
Just a boy with a lean frame and a steady heartbeat.
Whispers rose instantly:
"He doesn't have Nexas, right?""Is he really doing this exam?""What's he going to lift? 50 kg?"
Roger cupped his hands and yelled from the back:
"Oi! Raze! Don't break your spine!"
Raze rolled his eyes.
Then placed his hands on the bar.
Deep breath in.Deep breath out.
His form tightened—not with Nexas—but with years of disciplined training.
He pulled.
100 kg.Lift.
120 kg.Steady.
150 kg.No shaking. No struggling.
Just perfect technique and raw will.
He locked the bar overhead and lowered it with control.
Nothing dramatic.Nothing flashy.
But the room murmured in growing surprise.
"He did that without Nexas…""That's insane. That's pure muscle strength.""He beat half the class with no ability?!"
Even Bam blinked in shock.Astra, watching from the side, lifted her eyes for the first time with faint interest.
Raze didn't flex.He didn't grin.He didn't celebrate.
He simply nodded at the instructor and stepped back.
Not victory.
Just progress.
And that made his presence more impactful than any dramatic display.
Instructor's Verdict
The examiner tapped his tablet.
"Strength assessment complete."
A wave of relief washed through the crowd.
He added:
"Tomorrow at 8 AM sharp—Agility test.Prepare accordingly."
Students erupted in chatter.
Agility.Movement.Reaction.
Tomorrow was where true Nexas abilities would shine—where speed-users, flight-users, and element manipulators would dominate.
But one boy wasn't intimidated.
Raze was already stretching, already thinking, already planning.
Roger slapped his back so hard Raze stumbled.
"DUDE! You lifted more than people with ACTUAL Nexas! You're crazy!"
Raze shrugged."I trained for this."
Roger grinned."Yeah, but they don't know that. They're panicking right now."
Raze noticed it too—sideways glances, hesitant glares, the beginnings of respect.
"Good," he said softly.
He looked toward Astra and Bam, the two peaks of this year's batch.
"Tomorrow… I'll make them even more nervous."
And he meant it.
A New Rivalry Takes Shape
As the students left the hall:
—some whispered—some doubted—some admired
But one thing was certain:
No one ignored Raze Arcwell anymore.
He had stepped into their world—not as a victim,not as a joke,but as a challenger.
And tomorrow…the battlefield widened.
The Agility Test awaited.
A storm of speed and power.
And in the middle of it—
A boy born with nothing would carve his first scar into the academy's history.