The airship pierced through layers of black mist.
Valier stood at the viewing deck, hands resting on the railing as the clouds parted.
The island emerged slowly.
A jagged landmass suspended above a sea of dark mana, its edges broken and uneven like a crown forged in violence. Dense forests blanketed the lower regions—trees so tall and thick they swallowed light. Mountains rose sharply from the earth, fractured and scarred, their peaks hidden behind swirling fog.
He could feel it.
Mana.
Heavy. Ancient. Alive.
Below, something massive moved through the canopy. A roar echoed faintly, distant but powerful enough to vibrate through the airship's hull.
"This is…" someone whispered behind him.
The Demon Academy.
Not a school.
A proving ground.
The airship descended toward a colossal stone platform carved directly into the island's side. Dozens of vessels arrived simultaneously, unloading students from every corner of Pandemonium.
Noble crests gleamed.
Commoners stood tense.
Some stared in awe.
Others trembled.
Valier stepped onto the platform.
The moment his boots touched stone, he felt pressure press against his chest—not hostile, but testing. As if the island itself acknowledged his presence.
He smiled faintly.
"So this is it."
---
They were led into a vast amphitheater carved into the mountain's heart.
Thousands of students filled the terraces. At the center stood a raised obsidian dais engraved with ancient sigils.
A figure waited there.
Tall. Slender. Still.
The Headmaster.
His hair was silver-white, falling straight to his shoulders. His eyes—one crimson, one gold—scanned the crowd with cold precision. He wore a long black mantle layered with countless sigils, each one pulsing faintly with authority.
When he spoke, he did not raise his voice.
He didn't need to.
"Welcome," he said.
The word echoed unnaturally, carried by mana itself.
"You stand on the island of Nox Academy. Those who fail here will not be remembered. Those who succeed will shape the next war."
Silence.
"You are not students yet."
A pause.
"You are candidates."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
The Headmaster raised one hand. The noise died instantly.
"Admission consists of three tests."
Behind him, massive sigils ignited in the air.
---
#First Test: Mana Aptitude
"Your control, capacity, and stability will be measured."
Crystals rose from the ground—dozens of them.
Students stepped forward one by one.
A common demon pressed his hands against the crystal. It flickered weakly.
"Score: 62. Passing."
The relief on his face was immediate.
A noble followed. The crystal flared bright crimson.
"Score: 91. Excellent."
The difference was unmistakable.
Valier stepped forward when his name was called.
The crystal pulsed once—
Then surged violently.
The sigils strained. The stone beneath cracked slightly.
A hush fell over the amphitheater.
The Headmaster's eyes narrowed.
"Score: 96," he said. "Stable."
Whispers erupted.
---
#Second Test: Mental Discipline
"You will resist pressure. Panic disqualifies."
The air thickened.
Mana descended like a crushing weight. Some students dropped to one knee immediately. Others screamed, clutching their heads.
A common girl collapsed entirely.
"Fail," an examiner announced coldly.
Valier stood still.
The pressure pressed against his mind, probing, testing for fractures.
He exhaled slowly.
And endured.
"Score: 94."
A few nobles glanced at him now.
Carefully.
---
# Third Test: Mock Battle
The Headmaster gestured.
"The final test is combat."
A massive gate opened behind the dais, revealing an expansive arena—terrain shifting, walls rising, obstacles forming.
"You will fight simulations, constructs, or each other."
A pause.
"Your total score determines placement."
Sigils ignited again.
---
# CLASS PLACEMENT
Tier C: Minimal combat access
Tier B: Standard combat curriculum
Tier A: Advanced combat authority
"Fail combat," the Headmaster said calmly,
"and you will leave this island."
Some students swallowed hard.
A common boy barely scraped past the second test earlier now trembled visibly.
"This is insane," he muttered.
A noble scoffed nearby.
"If you can't fight, you shouldn't be here."
---
Names were called.
Some failed immediately.
Some barely passed, collapsing in relief.
Then—
"Valier Sabnoryx."
He stepped forward.
The arena gate opened wider.
"Proceed."
Valier rolled his shoulders once and walked into the arena, the stone sealing behind him.
The terrain shifted.
Opponents materialized.
Blades hummed beneath his skin.
Somewhere above, instructors watched.
And from a distant cliff, unseen—
A pair of crimson eyes followed him closely.
Valier smiled.
"Let's begin."
---
End of Chapter
---