In a space
Not far away.
A student's hand trembled.
He read.
✓ Question one.
You are trapped inside a dungeon.
Your team is injured.
A monster is approaching.
Your teammates are slowing you down.
What do you do?
A.Stay and fight.
B.Carry them and retreat.
C.Leave them behind.
D.Sacrifice one to save the rest.
"…What kind of question is this?"
His fingers tightened around the pen.
The words—
Shifted.
No.
It's the answers that changed.
He blinked.
"…What?"
rubbed his eyes.
Read again.
Different.
"…No… no…"
Then—
The room vanished.
A violent tremor shook the ground.
Dust exploded upward.
"…What?!"
His eyes widened.
A dungeon.
Dark.
Cold.
Real.
His teammates stood beside him—
Bleeding.
Terrified.
And ahead—
A monster.
Massive.
Charging.
"Captain!"
One of them grabbed his sleeve.
"What do we do?!"
His breathing quickened.
This is real—
No.
A simulation.
Right?
The monster roared.
Closer.
Too close.
One teammate collapsed.
"We can't outrun it!"
His eyes darted.
Left.
Right.
No escape.
Then—
A thought.
They're slowing me down.
His jaw tightened.
If I stay—
I die too.
He stepped back.
Slowly.
"…Captain?"
Another step.
"No…"
Then—
He turned.
And ran.
"Captain!"
"HELP!"
"DON'T LEAVE US!"
Their screams chased him.
But he kept running.
Faster.
Faster.
Until—
Silence.
He stopped.
Bent over.
Panting.
"I survived…"
A laugh escaped him.
Weak.
Shaky.
Then—
A whisper.
Murderer.
His body froze.
"…What?"
You killed them.
"No."
You abandoned them.
"Stop."
Coward.
His breathing quickened.
"This isn't real."
Then why did you run?
His pupils shook.
The corridor stretched.
Twisted.
The walls pulsed.
"…How did I get here?"
His hands trembled.
"I was just in—"
A wet sound echoed.
Drip.
Drip.
He looked up.
And froze.
They were there.
His teammates.
Standing above him.
Broken.
Bones exposed.
Skin torn open.
Faces crushed.
The exact way the monster had killed them.
"…No…"
Then—
Their faces changed.
Melted.
Shifted.
Until—
They all had his face.
His own eyes staring back at him.
His own mouth speaking.
"You killed us."
"You abandoned us."
"You chose yourself."
He stumbled back.
"No—!"
"You are not a hero."
His legs gave out.
The walls screamed.
And in the next instant—
He vanished.
Failed.
In Tia's space,****
Something's wrong with this test…
Tia's gaze lowered.
But where…?
"…Failure is inevitable."
The words lingered.
Echoing.
What does she mean..?
Then what are we supposed to do…?
Around him—
Voices rose.
"I—I didn't do anything wrong—"
"Shut up—!"
A sharp breath left him.
Focus.
He flipped the page.
✓Question One
If a fight breaks out between a mage and a battle alchemist—
Who is at a pure disadvantage?
A. The mage
B. The battle alchemist
C. Neither
D. Both
His eyes narrowed.
Battle alchemist.
Close range.
Limited time.
A mage dominates at distance.
Simple.
His hand moved for the pen—
Stopped.
Too simple.
A faint crease formed between his brows.
Pure disadvantage.
That word.
The mage could lose—
If ambushed.
If poisoned.
If cornered.
So—
His gaze returned to the paper.
The words moved.
"…Huh?"
He blinked.
Read again.
The letters blurred.
Then—
Darkness.
The room vanished.
Tia opened his eyes.
Cold air hit his face.
Dust filled his lungs.
Stone.
Broken pillars.
A ruined chamber.
He frowned.
What…?
Before he could process it—
A voice rang out.
"An alchemist?"
Across the room—
A young mage stood.
Staff raised.
Mana circling wildly.
The boy sneered.
"How unfortunate."
Fire exploded toward him.
Tia barely moved in time.
Boom—
Heat grazed his shoulder.
Pain.
Real.
His eyes widened.
Arghh.
What is this—?
Another spell.
Ice this time.
He rolled.
Too slow.
The shard cut across his cheek.
Blood.
Warm.
Real.
His breathing quickened.
An ambush?
No—
How did I get here?
The mage didn't let him think.
Lightning descended.
Tia threw himself aside.
Stone shattered.
The room trembled.
"You're distracted."
The mage smirked.
"fool.
Tia reached into his coat.
Instinctively.
His fingers touched something.
Glass.
A vial.
His eyes narrowed.
Why do I have this?
No time.
Another firebolt came.
He smashed the vial into the floor.
Shatter—
Smoke erupted.
The mage cursed.
"Cheap trick!"
Tia moved through the haze.
Another item.
Metal bead.
He tossed it.
Tia moved through the haze.
Another item.
Metal bead.
He tossed it.
Clink.
The mage ignored it.
A mistake.
Boom—
Dust filled the room.
Still—
Neither gained ground.
The mage panted.
Tia breathed heavily.
Blood dripped from his chin.
It looked even.
Hopeless.
The mage smiled.
Nice work but.
He raised his staff.
"But this ends now."
A massive spell circle formed overhead.
Tia didn't move.
Instead—
he smiled.
A small one.
The mage frowned.
"…What?"
Tia lifted his hand.
Between his fingers—
A tiny bottle of unknown substance.
Empty.
"When did—"
The mage's gaze lowered.
eyes widened.
His mana—
Unstable.
Purple veins formed on his body.
extending down to his hands.
And vita organs.
"....What did you do to me?"
The mage gritted his teeth.
Staggered slightly.
Then —
A spell came.
Lightning.
Too fast.
It struck.
Crack—
His body slammed against a pillar.
Pain shot through his ribs.
The mage laughed.
Weak.
Dry.
"You're not the only one with tricks".
Up their sleeves.
Tia's vision blurred.
For a second—
He almost blacked out.
Then—
A sound.
Faint.
Tick.
Tia froze.
"…What?"
Tick.
A timer.
Somewhere.
Impossible.
The ruined chamber had no clock.
Suddenly
His mind flashed.
The hall.
The desk.
The paper.
The Vice Headmaster.
"…the trial."
His eyes widened.
Everything stopped.
Not physically—
Mentally.
He exhaled.
So..
This entire time—
I Was.....
The realization struck.
"You're weaker than I thought."
The mage chuckled.
Starting another massive spell.
Stronger.
Enough to destroy everything.
Tia gritted his teeth.
Pushed himself up.
The next firebolt came.
BOOM!!!!!....