"The first position goes to Contestant No. 23."
No surprise there. His score was the highest.But something didn't sit right with Avasyu. He had never seen this guy before.
He turned to Ash. "Do you know him?"
Ash's reply was unnervingly calm. "No."
Avasyu frowned. "Oh… then he must be from Class A."
"He's not from Class A either." Ash's voice carried a strange weight.
"Then where—?"
"He's a transfer student. Like you." Ash said.
Avasyu's eyes widened.
"And he just beat you to take first place."
There was something off about the way Ash said it, but before Avasyu could ask, another instructor stepped forward.
"The next exam will be—A Punching Bag."
A murmur spread through the participants."Punching bag? What kind of test is that?"
The instructor continued. "The rules are simple. Each participant will punch this special punching bag, which is connected to a machine that measures punching power."
He gestured toward the bag, reinforced with glowing metallic rings.
"For reference, the average score of a normal golden-eyed individual is 1000. The average score of a human is 100."
Some students exchanged glances.
"The top three scorers will earn one point each."
"The exam will begin in five minutes. Prepare yourselves."
The instructor turned to check his list, but Avasyu barely noticed. His focus was elsewhere.He wanted to see that guy's power.The one who just took first place.
Five minutes later, the test began.
One by one, the participants stepped forward and threw their punches.
The numbers varied—some reached 2000, others hit 1500. The sound of fists striking the bag echoed through the area.
But there was one participant everyone was waiting for.The academy's strongest puncher.
A brute of a student from Class A.
"Contestant No. 34. Your turn."
A giant of a student stepped forward.Six feet tall. Built like a wrestler. His arms were twice the size of Ash and Avasyu's.He had no elemental power. Or if he did, he didn't need to use it.
No charging. No techniques. No fancy moves.
Just raw strength.
The entire field fell silent as he approached the punching bag.
He leaned forward slightly, took a stance—
And then—
BOOM!
The bag shook from the force of the impact.
A single punch.
The numbers on the machine surged upward.
"Contestant No. 34 has completed his attempt. His score is… 9999."
"WHAT?!"
A wave of shock spread through the crowd. Even Avasyu's eyes widened.
That's… almost as high as the Air user's score in the last test!
He turned to Ash in disbelief. But Ash?
Ash was just standing there.Smirking.
As if he expected this.
Before Avasyu could say anything, the instructor called out—
"Contestant No. 15. Step forward."
His turn.
Avasyu exhaled, rolling his shoulders as he stepped up to the machine.
He clenched his fist, feeling the energy surge through him.
He had already activated his first stage, but his control was still unstable—electricity flickered across both of his hands instead of concentrating into just one.
Still, he focused.
And then—
CRACK!
His fist struck the bag, and a burst of electric discharge spread across the machine.
The numbers flickered before settling.
The instructor glanced at the display, then announced—
"Contestant No. 15 has scored… 7563."
Avasyu stepped back, exhaling.
It wasn't bad. It was a solid score.But it wasn't enough.He had lost again.
And for the first time, he started to wonder—
Just how strong is everyone here?
Then the instructor's voice rang out."It is now the turn of Contestant No. 23."
The Air user.
All eyes turned toward him.
Avasyu and Ash were locked in place, watching his every move.
"He has more potential than me," Ash thought.
"He's stronger than Ash… but can he overpower that brute in raw strength?" Avasyu wondered.
Contestant No. 23 stepped forward, his expression unreadable.
He activated his first stage.
The air around him shifted—like a whisper in the wind, like a silent force bending to his presence. It wasn't violent like fire or thunder. It wasn't overwhelming.
It was subtle.Yet everyone felt it.
Like he could change the atmosphere itself just by existing in it.
Then—
WHAM!
His fist struck the bag.
It wasn't like the brute's punch—there was no raw, earth-shaking force behind it. Instead, it was swift. A punch that sliced through the air so fast it barely seemed to register.
But the machine registered it.
The instructor glanced at the screen, then announced—
"Contestant No. 23 has scored… 9001."
A collective murmur rippled through the crowd.
"Wow!"
The Air user had almost matched the academy's strongest puncher.
Ash and Avasyu exchanged glances.
Then, the instructor called out—
"It is now the turn of Contestant No. 14."
Ash stepped forward without hesitation.His confidence had returned.He took his stance.
"First stage of fire."
Heat surged through the air.
"Sparks of Flame."
A burst of fiery energy ignited around his fist. The air shimmered from the heat.
Then—
BOOM!
The impact sent a wave of heat rolling over the spectators. Unlike the Air user's swift strike, Ash's punch was destructive. The entire atmosphere burned with his presence.
The machine whirred, calculating.
Then—
"Contestant No. 14 has scored… 9003."
Silence.
Confusion spread through the crowd.
Ash always topped these tests.
Yet this Air user was standing on equal ground—showing more potential than anyone else here.
Avasyu turned to Ash.
He was smiling.
Not the smirk of arrogance.
Not the grin of someone who had won.
But the smile of someone who had found something to chase.
The instructor stepped forward to announce the final rankings.
"Contestant No. 23 takes third place."
"Contestant No. 14 takes second place."
A pause.
Then—
"And in first place… Contestant No. 34."
The brute's strength had claimed victory.
But something far more interesting had just unfolded.
And Ash knew it.
For the first time in a long time, he had found a challenge worth chasing.
There were still three more tests left for Ash and Avasyu.
The next exam was supposed to be Jumping.
However, in the chaos of the day, everyone had overlooked a crucial detail—three exams had already taken place.
No one realized it until the instructor's voice echoed through the speakers.
"Attention, everyone."
The murmurs died down as all eyes turned toward the instructor holding the mic.
His voice carried a note of apology.
"We sincerely apologize for the oversight. Due to a scheduling error, we ended up conducting three exams today instead of two."
A wave of confusion swept through the contestants.
"As a result, there will be no further exams today."
Some students sighed in relief, while others—like Avasyu—felt restless.
"Tomorrow, we will conduct the final three exams, after which the total physical evaluation will conclude."
Whispers spread through the crowd.
"The results will be officially announced the day after tomorrow."
The instructor took a brief pause before continuing.
"This decision was made after a meeting with the principal and other instructors. We deeply regret any inconvenience caused."
He bowed his head slightly in apology.
"Once again, we appreciate your patience and understanding. That is all for today."
With that, the announcement ended.
The tension in the air dissipated. Some students cheered at the unexpected break, while others quietly left the training grounds, already preparing for the challenges ahead.
Ash and Avasyu exchanged glances.
The day was over.
But tomorrow would be decisive.
And neither of them planned to hold back.