Morning came quietly.

  The air today was cold. Birds had already started migrating to warmer lands, and the leaves on the trees were slowly shifting from green to amber. The season of Autumn has started.

  Students emerged from their towers, heading straight toward the training ground. Quiet chatter filled the air as they moved in groups.

  Calum and John stepped out as well, walking side by side among the crowd.

  In the ground.

  Professor Gazeff stood at the center with his hands clasped behind his back, quietly watching as the first-year students gathered.

  When everyone had assembled, he spoke.

  "Good. If I remember correctly, there are one hundred forty-six first-year students, divided among five houses."

  His tone shifted. Turning cold.

  "So let me ask you a question."

  The training ground went silent.

  "Has anyone here ever killed someone?”

  The question hung in the air, heavy and unanswered.

  A wave of unease spread through the crowd. Students exchanged shocked glances with each other. Their eyes widened open.

  “…,” Gazeff asked again. “Anyone?”

  But no one answered.

  Gazeff let out a sigh, clearly disappointed,

  then picked up a wooden sword and tossed it in front of the students.

  Thud

  The students stared at it. Confused?

  What is this man doing?First, he asked a strange question, and now this.

  Gazeff snickered at their reaction and asked.

  “Do you know why the kingdom established this academy? …. Why, every year, children like you are taught magic?.... And why isn't anyone from the royal family here?”

  He paused, giving them a moment to absorb what he had said.

  “Hehe… the answer is simple. You are all here to become warriors or mages for the kingdom—and die for it….And the royals?

  The whole kingdom exists for them. They are protected at all times while everyone else dies on the battlefield.”

  He looked around slowly.

  “Tell me, don't you think this is unfair?”

  The ground fell into complete silence. No one dared to speak.

  But then—

  Edrin stepped forward, confidence clear on his face.“No sir,” he said firmly. “It is not unfair, this is our land and we die to protect it. And the royals, they fight for it in their own way. ”

  Gazeff raised one eyebrow while John and the others looked at Edrin in shock.

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  “So,” Gazeff said coldly, “you believe it’s not unfair. Are you so LOYAL…that you’re ready to die in their place?”

  Edrin nodded without hesitation.

  “Then pick up the sword and attack me,I have spoken against them.”

  Immediately, Edrin grabbed the wooden sword. “ Hyaaah.”He lunged forward, his strike aimed at Gazeff's shoulder.

  But with one hand, Gazeff stopped the strike without effort. “You pass.,” His tone softened slightly. "What is your name, son?"

  Edrin bowed. "I am Edrin Warden, sir."

  "Ah... Warden." Gazeff placed a hand on Edrin's shoulder. "I understand now."

  He gestured toward the back. "Go sit."

  Edrin nodded and walked away, taking a seat quietly.

  Gazeff then turned to the rest of students, his voice turning cold again.

  “ And the rest of you, have failed.”

  Gasps. Whispers rippled.

  "However." He pointed to the weapon rack. "I'll give you one last chance. Pick any weapon you like. Attack me, one by one. If you impress me, you pass. If not—never come here again.”

  The students’ expressions darkened when they heard his warning. No one wanted to hear the word fail. They rushed to pick up weapons and attacked one by one.

  “Pass.”

  “Fail. You fail.”

  “Get out.”

  “Pass.”

  After a brief moment, Selena stepped forward. Since she was a girl, Gazeff seemed a little gentler and lenient.

  Selena attacked with a sword, using the same pattern as Edrin.

  After the exchange, Gazeff asked, “Your name?”

  “I am Selena Warden.”

  Hearing that, Gazeff looked at Edrin, his gaze asking silently if she was his sister and Edrin nodded in understanding.

  “Pass. Go sit in the back.”

  Selena thanked him and stepped away.

  Next was John holding a wooden spear.

  “Yaaah!” he shouted as he attacked.

  But unlike the others, he aimed for Gazeff’s legs.Gazeff jumped back, dodging it, then counterattacked.

  John froze due to this, eyes shut tight, unsure what to do next. But nothing happened.

  “You pass. Go to the back.”

  John opened his eyes and saw Gazeff wearing a soft smile.

  After that, students continued passing and failing until only three were left.

  While two students looked nervous, clearly hoping someone else would go first.

  Calum walked forward, a wooden sword held loosely in one hand.The other two sighed in relief. Gazeff stood straight and signaled Calum to attack.

  From the back, Edrin and John started cheering.“Calum, you can do it!”

  Gazeff also heard it and thought, Maybe he’s their friend.

  The fight began.

  Calum sprinted forward, sword held in one hand, tip pointed toward the ground.

  “Tch, tch,” Gazeff frowned internally. (This kid doesn’t even know how to hold a sword while attacking.)

  But just before reaching Gazeff, Calum twisted his wrist and brought the sword up from below, aiming straight at the professor’s side.

  Gazeff had already noticed the shallow attack and moved his sword to block it.

  However, Calum's sword suddenly changed its direction, like a fish slipping away, and aimed straight for the professor’s neck.

  “Huh.”

  Gazeff raised his right eyebrow. His sword moved again, fast, and blocked it.

  Clang.

  Instantly, Calum squatted down and attacked the legs, just like John had.

  “Huek—”

  Gazeff jumped back and counterattacked.

  But his sword touched nothing because calum was no longer there.

  Then—

  THWAK

  A wooden sword struck Gazeff’s face, and Calum had thrown it.

  Seeing this the whole training ground went silent. Everyone stared with their mouths open.

  Calum stood a few meters away, unarmed now, watching calmly. "Sir," he said, almost teasingly. "What if it had been a real sword?”

  Gazeff heard those words and straightened his posture. His eyes shone with interest.

  “That was unexpected,” he said. “What is your name?”

  Before Calum could answer—

  A voice shouted from the crowd. “Sir, he cheated! He cheated! When you dodged, he threw his sword at you!”

  Gazeff's head turned slowly toward the speaker. His gaze was ice.

  "Cheated?" His voice was dangerously quiet.

  He looked back at Calum, then at the fallen sword. "In a real battle, there are no rules. Sit down.”

  The student tried to argue but a single glare from professor Gazeff was enough to shut him up.

  Silence

  Gazeff looked back at Calum once more.

  “You pass. Now tell me your name.”

  “It’s Calum Warden sir,”

  Gazeff blinked.“Another Warden…” He shook his head, clearly surprised, “Your family is really something else.”

  A few students glanced at Edrin and Salena, then back at Calum, their expressions changing slightly. Gazeff nodded once.“Go. Sit at the back.”

  Calum then joined others.

  While the professor was busy with the last two students, everyone behind him kept staring at Calum, surprise clear on their faces.

  Even Edrin and Salena looked shocked.

  Calum sat beside John. Where mimi was also present. And Edrin behind.

  Edrin leaned forward, “What? You actually won against Professor Gazeff. Calum, why didn’t you tell me you were this talented?”

  Salena nodded beside him. “Yeah?”

  Calum just smiled, scratching his back of the head. “Hehe, the sword actually slipped from my hand…,” but no one believed this lie.

  Then John beside him whispered in his ear, “Thanks, brother. I passed because of you.”

  Meanwhile, a few girls nearby glanced at the Warden brothers and began whispering among themselves, impressed by their skills

  Soon after, Gazeff returned and stood in front of those who had passed. His eyes briefly swept over Calum and Edrin before he spoke.

  “A total of ninety-five students have passed.

  Now listen carefully. I’ll tell you the rules.”

  The ground fell quiet.

  “First, you may challenge anyone here to a duel, but only if the other person agrees and all fights will happen in the arena.”

  “Second, once you become a second-circle mage, the use of magic is forbidden here.”

  But just then Mimi raised her hand, confused. “Sir… what do you mean by second circle? Can we use first-circle magic here?”

  Gazeff looked at her for a moment, clearly surprised by the question.

  Before he could answer, Edrin spoke up."Mimi, let me explain. Those in the First Circle can't use external magic at all. Only after reaching the Second Circle does magic become usable outside the body.”

  Mimi’s face turned red. She quickly bowed. “I’m sorry, sir. Thank you,” she added, looking at Edrin.

  Around them, students started whispering.

  “No one told us that…” “Why can’t we use magic…?”

  Gazeff’s voice cut through the noise.

  “Shut up.”

  Silence spread instantly.

  “Good,” he said. “Now all of you—start running.”

  After saying that, he turned and walked away.

  The students first stared at his leaving figure, then began running aroun

  d the large training ground in wide circles.

  ___________________________________

  Author's note : Maybe this novel of mine has picked your interest so I am not asking for anything but a small review, it will help me a lot.