Even then.
A bead of sweat trickled down her cheek as the nervousness she had been holding back started to take root.
She had known from the beginning that the academy was ho to so of the most talented individuals of their generation, but seeing it firsthand was sothing else entirely.
The gap between them and this senior-this untouchable figure-was far greater than she had anticipated.
Her brother had warned her.
Riley had told her that his generation of students was particularly special, even calling them a "golden generation."
But no matter how much information she gathered, no amount of preparation could have prepared her for this.
Watching the senior-his effortless movents, the way he controlled the flow of the fight without breaking a sweat-made her realize just how wide the chasm was between herself and these students.
The young man on the stage might be even stronger than her brother for all she knew.
Trying to keep her composure, Reina decided to distract herself while she still could.
After all, soon enough her na would be called, and she'd be facing the very sa senior on stage who had just decimated his opponent.
The tension in her chest was building, but she needed to keep herself calm before her nerves got the better of her.
"So, Vanessa... is your examination over already?" Reina asked, turning to her newfound companion in an attempt to focus on sothing other than her impending match.
Vanessa, who had been watching the matches with the sa calm smile she always wore, nodded gently.
"Yes, my na was called rather early, so my fight ended sooner than most. Am I bothering you by being here, perhaps?"
Reina quickly shook her head, her expression softening into a small smile.
"No, not at all. Actually, I was curious..."
Since mage departnt students held their exam in a much more secluded area within the gigantic training grounds Reina couldn't see what had been going on, on their side of the
exams.
She glanced down at Vanessa's robes, which appeared pristine-barely a wrinkle or sign of wear, much less any damage from battle.
That alone caught her attention, knowing that fights between mages were usually destructive affairs, full of explosions, energy blasts, and magical collisions.
"How did your exam go?" she asked, genuinely intrigued. "I an, how did your test go? If it's not too much to ask, of course."
Vanessa tilted her head, her smile deepening as she saw the curiosity in Reina's eyes. "Oh, I won," she replied nonchalantly, her tone light as if the victory had been nothing worth ntioning.
Reina's eyes widened in disbelief, her eyebrows shooting up.
"Eh?.... You're kidding, right?"
It wasn't that she doubted Vanessa's strength-she had no reason to-but the fact that Vanessa looked completely untouched and unbothered by what should have been a difficult battle was more than a little surprising.
Fights with seniors were ant to push first-years to their limits, and yet Vanessa seed like she'd just strolled through it effortlessly.
Vanessa chuckled softly, shaking her head.
"Not at all. Though the senior I fought was a fairly tough opponent, I still won."
She paused, a playful gleam flickering in her eyes.
"I actually got pretty lucky, to be honest. My opponent could've easily been soone like the Golden Mage or the Frost Princess, and I'm just glad they weren't part of the seniors chosen to test us."
Though the schedule for the practical examination tests within the academy had been unexpectedly changed to take place before the grand opening ceremony, the essence of the test remained unchanged.
Its purpose was still clear: to evaluate the first-year students and determine their class placents, ranks, and ultimately, their future trajectory within the academy.
It was a trial designed to push them to their limits, forcing them to face powerful seniors in combat-an almost impossible task ant to inspire and humble them all at once.
For most first-years, defeating a senior was a distant dream, sothing to strive toward but not realistically achieve on their first attempt.
The seniors, after all, had years of experience and training under their belts, and the gap between their power levels was evident.
But the fact that Vanessa had won her match against a senior so early on was nothing short of astounding.
It ant that she was almost guaranteed a place in the academy's prestigious top 10 rankings within her departnt and year.
Class-A and a coveted spot in Killian Hall-the elite dormitory reserved for the academy's best students were practically hers already.
Reina couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions as she processed this.
Pride for her new friend, Vanessa, certainly-but also a twinge of jealousy.
It wasn't that she resented Vanessa's success; it was more the weight of her own insecurities bearing down on her.
Glancing back at the senior she was about to face, a cold shiver ran down her spine.
The towering figure of her opponent seed to radiate confidence, his sharp eyes and
powerful stance intimidating her from even this distance.
Her heart thudded loudly in her chest, and she swallowed nervously, her palms slightly damp
with sweat as she clenched her fists.
'I just hope I do well enough...'
"Reina Hell, please co to the stage."
The sound of her na echoed across the training grounds, and Reina felt her heart skip a
beat.
This was it.
Her hand instinctively gripped the handle of her blade, its familiar weight offering a sense of security, albeit a fleeting one.
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Reina nodded to the test proctor, a stern-looking professor dressed in flowing robes, his gaze sharp as he observed the proceedings.
She stepped forward, passing through the shimring barrier of the magical forcefield that encased the stage.
The energy tingled against her skin as she crossed over, a clear reminder that this was not just a simple test but a high-stakes trial where the difference between victory and failure would be felt keenly by everyone watching.
As she took her position, her eyes locked onto the senior standing before her.
His presence alone was overwhelming-tall, with jet-black hair and golden eyes that seed
to pierce right through her.
It was like he could see into her soul.
The aura he emitted was suffocating, and up close, the weight of his experience and power
bore down on her like a heavy cloak.
Outside the forcefield, his presence had been intimidating enough, but now, inside the
barrier, the sensation was magnified tenfold.
Reina swallowed hard, her nerves threatening to overtake her.
'This is your mont. Don't lose yourself.'
She forced herself to take a deep breath, steadying the racing of her heart.
Despite the fear gnawing at the edges of her confidence, she couldn't afford to falter here.
Not when so much was riding on this.
She shook her head slightly, clearing away the doubts clouding her mind.
Then, with as much composure as she could muster, she bowed toward the senior in front of
her.
"It's an honor to face you, senior. Please, don't hold back!"
"You are...."
The young man's expression shifted, his golden eyes narrowing slightly as he took her in.
He mumbled sothing under his breath, though Reina couldn't quite make out what it was.
Was that... surprise?
There was sothing in the way he looked at her, like he recognized her-or maybe he'd
heard of her.
But Reina couldn't afford to let herself be distracted by such thoughts. She needed to focus entirely on the battle ahead.
"Start!" the professor's voice rang out, cutting through the tension.
In an instant, mana flared within Reina, igniting like a wildfire coursing through her veins. There was no ti for hesitation, no ti to second-guess her strategy.
She had already decided that the only chance she had was to go all out, to hit hard and fast
before her opponent could overwhelm her.
A prolonged fight would only lead to her inevitable loss. She knew that much.
Her only option was to pour everything into one decisive strike.
With a sharp inhale, she launched herself forward like a bullet.
Her speed was blinding, the world around her blurring as she focused all her mana into her
legs and blade.
She could feel the air whipping past her, her heart pounding in sync with each powerful step
she took.
Her blade glead in the light, a silvery streak as she swung it toward her opponent with all
the strength she could muster.
"SHIIINNNGGG!!!"
The sound of Reina's blade slicing through the air echoed across the stage, a sharp, cutting
whistle that silenced the onlookers.
Her blade shimred with a silver gleam, forming a perfect arc aid directly at the senior
standing before her.
Everything had happened so quickly, almost too quickly for her to register the movent.
But just as she prepared for the inevitable clash her heart pounding in anticipation—it
didn't co.
Her eyes snapped open, confusion flooding her mind.
FWOOSHHH!!!
A gust of wind burst from the force of her attack, rippling through the air and sending a
powerful shockwave across the stage.
Dust and loose debris swirled around them in the aftermath, and the pressure from her strike dispersed outward, brushing past the barrier around the arena.
The cold steel of her sword had stopped-just milliters from the senior's neck.
She had stopped.
Reina blinked, her heartbeat still thundering in her chest as the reality of the mont sank in.
She hadn't missed.
No, her strike had been true.
But the senior standing in front of her hadn't moved.
His sword was still sheathed at his waist, untouched.
Both of them stood frozen, locked in an unexpected stillness.
The senior's golden eyes were wide with surprise, and for a split second, his composed,
almost indifferent deanor had cracked.
His gaze t hers, and Reina could see the sa shock mirrored in his expression.
"What are you doing, Senior?" Reina asked, her voice breaking the silence.
She was still breathing heavily, trying to understand why he hadn't even drawn his sword.
Her blade hovered dangerously close to his neck, but he hadn't reacted. He hadn't even
flinched.
"I..." the senior hesitated, his gaze flickering to the sword inches from his throat.
He looked uncharacteristically awkward, like he was struggling to find the right words. "I
didn't want to hurt you?"
Reina's brow twitched.
She tightened her grip on her sword, lowering it just enough to glare at him. "Are you underestimating right now, Senior?" There was an edge to her voice, her
irritation seeping through.
She'd poured everything into that attack, and yet he hadn't even bothered to defend himself.
Did he really think that little of her?
The senior imdiately raised his hands in surrender, eyes wide as he shook his head.
"No, no, not at all!" His voice was rushed, almost panicked, as if realizing how his words had
co across. "You were just... so pretty. you see... so... what I an is uh-"
Reina froze, her mind grinding to a halt.
'What?'
Her heart skipped a beat, and heat rushed to her cheeks as his words registered.
Her grip faltered on her sword, and she felt her face flush an intense shade of red.
"Huh...?"
Reina blushed in confusion wondering what was going on here, the sa question resonated
towards everyone who watched the scene, unfold as well:
What is going on here?
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