As the final seconds of the assessment ticked away, the battlefield remained chaotic. Some students had grown more aggressive, pushing themselves to the limit, while others had been utterly incapable of handling the pressure. A few had barely managed to scrape by, using sheer luck to avoid being "killed," but there was no hiding their clumsy movements and lack of awareness. The ones who failed the worst were those who hesitated—those who, even against mere illusions, couldn't bring themselves to attack without second-guessing.
Then, in an instant, everything vanished.
The towering maze walls flickered out of existence. The holographic demons disintegrated into nothing. The once-crowded battlefield was now just an open training hall, with exhausted students scattered around, some panting heavily, others standing in silence.
Darius, Garrick, and Vance returned, stepping forward with their assessments.
