'Shit! What do I do?' Ena thought, desperately trying to keep pace with the three people circling around her, each one matching her speed and strength. She felt the pressure mounting as they closed in.
Ranya then charged at her, swinging her giant axe in a heavy arc that Ena barely managed to dodge. But there was no time to catch her breath—a sudden barrage of arrows rained down toward her, forcing Ena to stay on the move.
Just a few hours ago, she'd had to dodge arrows almost as fast as these, making her reactions feel instinctive now, even if these were quicker. But to her shock, the arrows twisted in mid-air, following her every move despite her dodges.
Ena grabbed an arrows and quickly put her foot on Ranya's axe, Making her unable to pick it up from the ground. Ranya quickly looked up at Ena but before she could even look at her face a kick was launched at her in the face.
'What the hell!?' Ranya thought, wiping the blood from her mouth and locking eyes on Ena, her expression darkening.
Ena, with an arrow in hand, swiftly dodged another barrage by spinning; this time, the arrows didn't come back. Aware of her surroundings, she harnessed the momentum from her spin to launch the arrow directly at Ranya.
Ranya dodged the arrow with ease, but the third guy quickly launched an attack at Ena. She reacted swiftly, grabbing his punch and delivering a solid kick to his abdomen, yet she didn't release his hand yet.
Ena seized his head and forcefully pulled it down to meet her knee, stunning him with the impact. Just then, Juliette charged her bow, launching a volley of arrows toward Ena, believing she had found her blind spot.
Ena quickly noticed the incoming arrows and used the third guy as a shield, absorbing the impact. Juliette, surprised to find herself out of arrows, began to reposition. Ena dropped the unconscious man, leaving only Ranya and Juliette for her to defeat.
'Finally, one down, though that one barely did anything,' Ena thought, panting as she surveyed the room, bloodstains and unconscious bodies scattered everywhere. Ranya stood still, her demeanor calm, while Juliette focused intently on Ena, gathering arrows from the walls and floor.
'One concussed and one distracted. Maybe winning isn't impossible,' Ena thought. She stomped on the handle of the giant axe, sending it soaring into the air. The impact caught both Juliette and Ranya's attention, forcing them to focus on her.
Bodies lifted from the impact, causing the room to tremble slightly. Ena caught the axe by its handle and charged at the dazed Ranya. Gritting her teeth, Ranya quickly moved to create distance between them.
'As long as I keep my distance, she won't be able to attack me. With the axe being so heavy, creating distance won't be a problem—' Ranya thought before unexpectedly tripping over an unconscious body.
'Shit!' quickly regaining her footing, but Ena had already closed the gap. Ena swung the axe at her, and Ranya dodged instinctively. However, she didn't anticipate Ena letting go of the handle, sending it spinning dangerously through the air.
The handle of the axe struck Juliette as she gathered arrows, knocking her out of the fight. Now, only Ranya and Ena remained, their focus locked on each other for the final confrontation.
"Finally just the two of us, and damn was it a pain in the ass," Ena said looking at her.
Ranya's ears were still ringing from the kick, making it hard for her to focus on anything around her. The world spun slightly, and her vision blurred as she struggled to regain her composure.
Ranya attempted to launch an attack, but a sudden force struck her from the left. It was a body that Ena was controlling, adding unexpected weight to her movements and throwing her off balance.
Ena rushed in front of her, quickly closing the distance between them. With no chance to attack or run, Ranya decided to block instead, raising her hands to shield herself in front.
What Ranya didn't expect was for Ena to bypass her hands and strike her shoulder with an elbow. The impact was jarring, likely dislocating her shoulder and leaving Ranya reeling from the unexpected attack.
"I surrender!"
Ranya exclaimed just before Ena could launch another attack. Her voice trembled with the urgency of her plea, desperate to avoid further harm.
She couldn't see it, but she knew her emperor blades were just behind her, aimed precisely at her spinal cord. The realization sent a chill down her spine, heightening her sense of vulnerability in the tense moment.
The chain binding her leg vanished, releasing Ena from her restraints. She felt a sense of relief as the tension in her muscles eased, allowing her to focus on her next move without the weight of confinement holding her back.
"Finally, this test was pure stress, just like the other tests."
Ena said, lifting her foot that had been chained and warming it up. She took a moment to shake off the tension, feeling a sense of relief wash over her as the weight of the restraints faded.
'Especially when I accidentally found and activated the pent stone earlier. Honestly, if Haru ever discovered that I was the one responsible, I probably wouldn't live to see another day.'
'It's like I can already feel his glare,' Ena thought, a shiver running down her spine.
***
"And that's how she got the pent stone and activated it," Kilian said, grinning as he munched on popcorn, clearly entertained by the story. His amusement was evident, making the tension of the moment feel lighter.
Haruo glared at her through the screen, fire igniting in his eyes. He was completely irritated as Kilian continued to explain, his frustration evident in the intensity of his gaze.
Ena was taken aback as a door suddenly materialized out of thin air. She took a moment to calm herself before steeling her resolve to move on to the next test.
"Looks like she's entering the fourth test. Let me check which one she got."
Kilian said, clicking his wrist twice to make a hologram appear in front of him.
"Oh damn, she's unlucky. Meh, let's see what she does here."
Kilian glanced back at the hologram, grabbing another handful of popcorn as he settled in to watch.
"What did she get? The way you're reacting is making me curious too."
Kilian shrugged in response, glancing back at the hologram.
"I don't know, guess you'll just have to watch."
"At least give me some popcorn, i haven't eaten anything the past 10 hours"
Kilian grabbed pop corn from his mana storage and gave it to haruo.
"How'd you even do that?"
"Oh that? Heh, I have a popcorn maker in my mana storage."
Haruo stared at Kilian in disbelief, his expression a mix of confusion and curiosity as he continued munching on popcorn. The idea of a popcorn maker residing in mana storage seemed almost too absurd to comprehend.
"What? you said you mana storage is only limited to small items?"
"Not necessarily, also she's about to start the test lets see what she does" Kilian replied before pointing at the screen.
Ena wandered through the void, surrounded by an endless stretch of black. There was no sign of the door from earlier—only an unsettling emptiness. Despite the absence of light, she could see clearly, her instincts alerting her to the unknown challenges that lay ahead.
'What exactly is this test supposed to be?' Ena thought, spinning around to survey her surroundings, trying to figure out what to do in this endless void.
To her surprise, the ground began to shake violently beneath her feet, but it didn't startle her too much; she had experienced something similar just moments ago during the earlier before the test.
As the structure took shape from the ground, Ena adjusted to the shifting surface beneath her. The uneven formation made balancing a bit of a challenge, but she quickly steadied herself, finding it less difficult than she'd initially expected.
She glanced down, steadying herself as the ground shifted. Feeling balanced, she looked back up with a sense of relief, only for her expression to falter into unease at the sight before her.
It was her manor, just as she remembered it, though shattered and hollowed as it had been the last time she saw it. Every detail was the same, down to the smallest remnants.
"Wow, that's some serious bullshit for a test, don't ya think?" Haruo exclaimed.
"Don't blame me; I wasn't the one who created the tests here. Blame the branch leaders," he replied.
"Besides, there's a good reason why this is a test. Some divisions require strong mental fortitude, so the branch leaders designed this test to gauge how candidates will react to it," Kilian said, his expression shifting to one of seriousness.
"Don't worry; this test isn't meant to heal any trauma. It's designed to see how she'll react. After the test, memories can be erased and replaced with new ones upon exit, but if she does heal, she'll get to keep that experience."
"Think of it as a pop quiz that teachers spring on you unexpectedly," he said, his expression lightening as he returned to a more playful demeanor.
***
Ena walked through the ruins of her former home, each step echoing in the empty space. Broken stones, splintered wood, and even old toys once tucked away in the attic lay scattered across the floor. She steadied herself, the spark of anger evident in her eyes.
As she continued forward, each step seemed louder, echoing through the silence. She paused, feeling a sudden chill that made her glance behind. A sense of being watched crept over her, but when she turned back around, everything had vanished.
Suddenly, a child version of herself appeared right where she'd just looked. She couldn't take her eyes off this figure—or whatever it was. Her younger self was playing, her father chasing after her with laughter. The memory surfaced, vivid and unsettling, a distant fragment from years ago.
The void around her transformed into a lush, grassy field, complete with a blue sky and old, familiar buildings. Monkey bars, a slide, and playground equipment dotted the area.
Her father appeared, spinning her younger self around, their laughter filling the air. The scene looked untouched, capturing a memory as vivid as it was haunting, leaving Ena caught between her past and the eerie reality of the test.
'I remember this... Back then, I had a fight with my father in public. I was pouting, crossing my arms, furious because he wouldn't buy me avocado bread. To cheer me up, he decided to chase me around'
Though recalling the memories felt sweet, a creeping sensation settled in. It was as if she was intruding on a moment that belonged to someone else, despite it being her own memory.
The vividness of the scene contrasted sharply with the emptiness she felt, creating an unsettling dissonance as she watched her younger self, joyfully unaware of the pain that would follow.
As he spun her, the scene shifted to another memory of her father reading her a bedtime story. Ena felt a blush creep onto her cheeks, recalling the warmth of that moment, though it contrasted sharply with the emotional distance that had developed between them.
'I remember this too. It's embarrassing to see since I'm all grown up now, but it's still a precious memory.'
Her blush quickly faded, replaced by a tightening anxiety in her chest. The warmth of the memory shifted to discomfort.
'Again, it feels like I'm intruding. Its my memory why am i the one intruding?'
Ena clenched her fist, looking a bit more frustrated than before.
"Let me tell you the legend of the blindfolded noble," her father said.
***
Long before everyone's awakening, long ago when gods and beasts roamed the land, there was a nobleman with black hair and strikingly beautiful eyes. He possessed such exceptional beauty that even men, beasts, and gods alike adored him.
But the most captivating thing about him was his eyes; they resembled shining red rubies, piercing through the darkness. Although he was born without any abilities, his eyes possessed a unique power: the ability to see through everything. However, this gift only served to overwhelm him.
He was trapped in agony whenever he opened his eyes, so to avoid being overwhelmed, he asked a goddess for something to restrain this ability. In response, the goddess blessed him with a blindfold.
The blindfold had no color; it was neither white nor black, an illogical object that shouldn't exist in the mortal realm. However, he didn't care and hurriedly took it. As he put it on, a color manifested—black. Just black. It had no pattern or unique traits; it was simply a piece of cloth.
The pain was gone, but he could still see with the blindfold on—mana, the presence of people, and even their thoughts. Despite this, he was grateful for it, as it was the only thing that spared him from agony. His beauty remained concealed.
What he didn't know was that the goddess had tricked him. Deeply in love with him, she had her own desires. "In return for the blindfold, you must give your life to me!" she declared.
The nobleman was terrified; he did not want to be bound to the goddess. In a desperate attempt to escape, he tried to remove the blindfold and give it back to her. But it was no use—it was embedded in his very skin. Feeling trapped, he fled from the goddess's grasp.
Furious, the goddess cursed him, declaring that with each reincarnation, misfortune would follow, ensuring that he would die at the moment of his birth. She laughed, knowing that despite his attempts to escape, he remained bound to her, forever her soulmate.
The nobleman fled, leaving everything behind. Regret consumed him, and his cries echoed across the world. His tears flowed like rivers, giving rise to new lands and shaping the world in ways unimaginable.
But as he wept, a woman stumbled upon him. She was his complete opposite—mean, arrogant, selfish, and cold. Yet, despite her harsh demeanor, she became the reason he finally stopped crying.
She didn't comfort him, but her mere presence was enough. The nobleman, fascinated by her, followed her everywhere she went. She didn't share his feelings and would often say:
"Go away!"
But he didn't listen; instead, his fascination deepened. After many months spent by her side, he finally realized he was in love. From that moment on, he would flirt with her, trying to win her heart. Though he faced constant rejection, their bond grew closer.
After years of rejection, the girl finally accepted him. In that moment, the string that bound him to the goddess was severed and tied to her instead.
Furious, the goddess split the universe in two, separating the nobleman and the girl. But that didn't stop him. He leapt, and so did she, both crossing the vast divide of the sundered universe to reach each other.
At last, his blindfold loosened and fell away. The agony vanished as he looked upon his soulmate directly. Together, they held hands, and in that final gaze, both passed from this world, united.
The universe remained divided for a thousand more years until, at last, it merged once more—and humanity awakened.
***
"Now, I told you the legend, so off to sleep," her father said, tucking her in.
"You've got school tomorrow—or kindergarten—either way, it's time for bed."
"But I don't wanna! I wanna stay home!" Mini-Ena protested, scrunching up her face. Her father leaned in, giving her a soft kiss on her forehead, and almost like magic, a yawn escaped her lips, her eyes growing heavy with sleep.
After quickly making her fall asleep, her father turned off the lights. But his expression changed; no longer warm, it turned dreadful, devoid of any comfort or love, leaving her with an unsettling feeling.
A sudden gust of wind made her blink. When Ena opened her eyes again, she was in a memory of a picnic with her father. The warmth of the sun and laughter surrounded her, but a nagging feeling reminded her that she was just a spectator in this cherished moment.
"Hey, Dad, if I were a boy, what would my name be?" Ena asked.
He paused, a bit taken aback by her question.
"It'd be Ryu. That's the name your mom always wanted to give you if you were a boy. She was really extra about it, always saying how perfect it sounded."
He chuckled, swirling his finger to ignite the wood beneath the pot as they sat outside. Sunlight filtered through the trees, and the scent of simmering soup mingled with the fresh air. He glanced at Ena, enjoying the warmth of their shared moment.
He paused, the flickering flames reflecting in his eyes as he thought back.
"She was just like you, a troublemaker. We met when we were kids running around like a mouse. I'll save the rest of the story for later; the soup is ready."
The memory vanished after he said that, replaced by a new one that emerged, bringing back familiar details from a moment long forgotten and buried deep within her mind.
Each memory heightened her anxiety, leaving her to question whether that version of herself was truly her. She struggled against the feeling of intruding, even as her emotions insisted otherwise.
'I love these memories, but every time I look at them, they feel disorienting. My mind isn't usually this weak, so it must be the test,' she thought putting her hand on her forehead.
She took a deep breath and focused on the new memory. As she did, her expression dulled, the warmth of nostalgia quickly evaporating, replaced by a sense of unease that settled in her stomach as the unsettling moment unfolded before her.
"What a cruel test."