A sudden shift in the air sent a wave of heat across the field—like fire.
Avasyu knew what that meant. If it was fire, it had to be Ash.
He turned slightly to his left. Ash was there, moving forward. He had activated his first stage as well, but something was different. His speed. It was unnatural—effortless yet faster than Avasyu's own, as if time itself bent in his favor. While Avasyu pushed himself to his limit, Ash advanced with ease, each step extending the distance between them.
Before long, the ten-second timer ran out, and the race came to a halt. The results were about to be announced.
What followed, however, was unexpected.
The top three runners from the first race all belonged to Class A. The instructor's voice rang across the field as the rankings were declared.
"Third place in the first race: Contestant Number 2."
A student with golden eyes and black hair stepped forward.
"Second place: Contestant Number 6."
Another golden-eyed student, this one with brown hair, took his place.
"And first place: Contestant Number 7."
The final victor had golden eyes as well, but his hair was yellowish.
Avasyu narrowed his eyes. There was something oddly familiar about them, but he couldn't quite place where he had seen them before.
Ash appeared at his side. "Do you remember those three?"
Avasyu frowned. "No… should I?"
"They're the ones you met on the first day." Ash replied.
Recognition hit him. "Oh! Yeah, now I remember."
He scoffed. "I thought they were just bullies."
"Maybe, but they're good at what they do." Ash smirked.
Avasyu clicked his tongue. "So they each get a point, huh?"
The instructor's voice cut through their conversation as the second race results were announced.
"Third place: Contestant Number 13."
A girl with golden eyes and blue hair stepped forward.
"Second place: Contestant Number 15."
Avasyu clenched his fists. "Ugh. Second again."
"And first place: Contestant Number 14."
Ash let out a laugh. "Haha! First again."
He turned to Avasyu, amusement glinting in his eyes. "How does it feel, Number Two?"
Avasyu shot him an annoyed look. "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up."
Ash chuckled. "Relax. You still have five more exams to beat me."
Then, as if struck by an idea, he grinned. "Actually, let's make this interesting."
Avasyu raised an eyebrow. "Go on."
"If you manage to beat me—even once—within the next five exams, I'll tell you a secret." Ash said.
"Just one?" Avasyu asked, wary of the conditions.
"Not just any secret." Ash's smirk deepened. "Not a normal one, not even an abnormal one."
He leaned in slightly, his voice lower but tinged with excitement. "I can't tell you what it is yet… but trust me."
"It's a big one...."
All six contestants from Race Against Time now had one point each in their accounts—an important step toward qualifying for Class S.
But their day wasn't over yet.
Each contestant was allowed to participate in only two exams per day, meaning the top six still had one more challenge ahead.
For their second test, Avasyu and Ash had chosen Throwing with All Might.
As the announcement echoed across the training ground, confirming that the ball-throwing exam would begin in ten minutes, the two made their way toward the designated area. A crowd of participants had already gathered, waiting for the instructor.
Ash and Avasyu stood among them, arms crossed, eyes scanning the field.
Soon, the instructor arrived. Without wasting time, he began explaining the rules.
"This test is called Throwing with All Might."
"The rules are simple." His voice carried across the field. "Each contestant will be granted a ball. However, this is no ordinary ball—it is infused with magic."
"Your task is to throw the ball with all your strength. However, the ball must hit that circular plate over there." He gestured toward a large, metallic plate fixed onto the outer wall of the training hall. "It doesn't matter where on the plate it lands, as long as it makes contact."
Avasyu squinted. "Wait… isn't that the spot where we made a massive hole during our fight?"
Ash smirked. "Looks like it."
The instructor continued. "The plate is not just for target practice. It is designed to analyze the force of impact upon contact and will convert that force into a numerical score."
Murmurs spread through the group as the participants tried to process the information.
Then the instructor added, "Oh! I almost forgot an important detail."
The crowd fell silent again.
"The ball is designed to explode upon sudden forceful impact."
A few contestants visibly tensed at the word explode.
"This means you must throw with maximum strength—enough to make the ball detonate upon contact. The greater the impact, the higher your score."
A sharp tension filled the air as the competitors processed the challenge ahead.
The instructor glanced at his watch. "That's all for the rules. The exam begins in five minutes. Get ready."
He took a step back, then added, "Good luck, everyone."
Both Ash and Avasyu were still processing the rules when Ash finally spoke. "Hmm... I think I get it now."
Avasyu nodded. "Yeah, me too."
"We have to throw the ball at the plate with full force. But it's not just about strength—we need to throw it at just the right speed so that it explodes on impact."
Ash leaned in slightly, whispering, "Exactly."
Five minutes passed.
The instructor returned, holding a list of contestant numbers and names. The exam was about to begin.
One by one, the instructor called out the participants. Each contestant stepped forward, received a ball marked with their designated number, and took their shot.
The results varied.
Some balls never exploded—their throwers failed to meet the required speed, timing, or resistance.
Others detonated prematurely, bursting mid-air due to excessive force, a miscalculation of the ball's resistance.
But a few managed to strike the plate with perfect precision, setting off a strong blast upon impact.
There were fifteen contestants in total.
And now, it was finally Avasyu and Ash's turn.
The instructor looked at his list and called out, "Contestant No. 14."
"Step forward and take your ball."
Ash then stepped forward.His turn had come.