Elba stood in line, waiting for his turn for the exam, feeling a growing mix of anxiety and curiosity. As he stood there, he couldn't help but observe the people around him. There were all kinds—some had sharp fangs poking out from their lips, while others had ethereal beauty, so striking it was nearly impossible to describe. However, those rare individuals, the ones with otherworldly beauty, were only one or two among the crowd.
Suddenly, a man with a massive sword strapped to his back stepped in front of Elba. The man was so tall that Elba had to tilt his head back just to meet his gaze. With a menacing glare, the man grunted, "Kiddo, move aside," and shoved Elba without a second thought. Elba stumbled but managed to keep his balance, narrowly avoiding falling to the ground. He sighed, suppressing his frustration. Starting a fight before the exam wouldn't do him any good, so he let it slide and found a new spot in line.
The nerves in his stomach only tightened as he noticed people returning from the exam, many of them beaten and bruised. The ranks they aimed for determined the difficulty, but it seemed each test left its mark. The anticipation was building, and the tension in the air grew thicker by the moment. Then, the murmurs of the students around him turned into excited shouts and whispers, snapping Elba out of his thoughts.
Looking over his shoulder, he saw Ignis making her entrance. But she wasn't alone. She was holding hands with a boy whose presence was overwhelming. His silver hair shone from afar, and his deep, abyss-like purple eyes radiated power. It was obvious to Elba that this boy was no ordinary student—he was another one of those big shots. The moment he appeared, even the rowdiest students fell silent, their heads bowed as if terrified to meet his gaze.
Elba watched in confusion as even the man who had shoved him earlier—a guy clearly aiming to be an instructor—lowered his head in submission to the boy. Doesn't he have any shame? Elba thought bitterly. He's here to become an instructor, and he's bowing to a student?
Lost in his thoughts, Elba barely noticed the glares being shot his way. Some students started whispering, others mouthing silent warnings. "Oi, oi, keep your head down," they seemed to urge him. But Elba, stubborn as ever, didn't see the point. Why should I bow to him? he thought, standing firm. I'm not in debt to anyone.
Then, Ignis gave him a subtle finger gesture, urging him to follow the crowd and lower his head, but something in Elba snapped. He clenched his jaw, refusing to submit. He wasn't about to bow to someone just because everyone else did.
The boy with silver hair noticed, and with a smirk that made Elba's blood run cold, he approached. As he drew closer, Elba's body betrayed him—his muscles tensed, his heartbeat quickened, and a wave of fear washed over him, freezing him in place.
"It's better to listen to others," the boy said in an emotionless tone, his face expressionless but his words carrying an undeniable weight. After a brief pause, he added with a sly grin, "Very well… see you later, boy."
As he walked away, hand in hand with Ignis, Elba stood there, frozen in a mix of confusion, anger, and a touch of fear. His mind was racing, struggling to process what had just happened.
The chapter ends with Elba still standing in line, his body tense, his thoughts spiraling, wondering just what he had gotten himself into.