*****
Clank—!
The sharp ring of metal against metal echoed through the dense, virtual forest.
Leaves trembled from the force of the clash, scattering in the artificial wind.
The faint glow of the VR interface flickered in the air, barely visible amid the intense combat unfolding beneath the towering trees.
A boy with short brown hair stumbled back, his sword barely holding against the overwhelming force of the strike.
His breath came in short, ragged gasps as he tried to steady himself.
"Hey! Stop it! Like we said—we’re on your side! We formed an alliance!"
He shouted, desperation creeping into his voice.
His opponent—a tall figure with long jet-black hair—remained eerily calm.
His eyes were cold, calculating.
The way he held his sword showed no sign of stopping.
Swish—!
Another strike came down fast and merciless, forcing the brown-haired boy to raise his weapon in a desperate block.
Sparks flew as the blades scraped against each other.
"...And?"
The black-haired boy’s voice was devoid of emotion, laced with an unsettling indifference.
The brown-haired boy gritted his teeth, frustration boiling over.
"What do you mean, ’And’?! We’re on the same team! We already agreed to work together!"
A dry chuckle escaped the black-haired boy’s lips as he tilted his head slightly.
"Who formed it?"
The brown-haired boy blinked, confusion momentarily breaking through his panic.
"What?"
"Who formed the alliance?"
The black-haired boy repeated, his grip on his sword tightening.
"And why should I believe it?"
The brown-haired boy hesitated.
He wasn’t sure how to answer that.
The alliance had been hastily agreed upon when the situation had become desperate.
With Team 1 and Team 2 scattered across the jungle battlefield, uniting seemed like the best course of action.
But had they really taken the time to ensure that everyone was on the same page?
A smirk tugged at the corner of the black-haired boy’s lips.
"Exactly."
Without warning—Swish!
He lunged again.
The brown-haired boy barely managed to parry, his arms shaking from the impact.
"Damn it! Listen to me!"
The black-haired boy remained relentless, his movements precise and controlled.
His next words cut through the air like a blade.
"This combat training doesn’t have any team leader."
The brown-haired boy’s heart pounded in his chest.
He’s serious.
There was no hesitation in the black-haired boy’s attacks, no sign of acknowledgment towards the so-called alliance.
"You’re really going to do this?!"
The brown-haired boy shouted, trying to backpedal.
"Of course."
Clank!
Another powerful strike sent him skidding backward.
The black-haired boy finally stilled, lowering his sword just slightly, but his piercing gaze never wavered.
"A battlefield isn’t decided by words alone. If you want to prove you’re an ally—"
His smirk widened.
"—then survive."
The brown-haired boy swallowed hard, realizing that the alliance meant nothing if he couldn’t hold his ground.
His heart pounded as he tried to scramble away, but his body refused to respond.
His arms trembled from exhaustion, his legs felt like lead, and all he could do was watch as the long-haired boy, Nox Sillon, advanced toward him with slow, deliberate steps.
Nox’s blade gleamed under the artificial light of the VR world, its edge reflecting the blue hue of the simulated sky.
His eyes were devoid of hesitation, empty of mercy.
"Die,"
Nox muttered, raising his sword above his head.
His voice was calm, almost indifferent, as though he were swatting away an insect.
"Go out from the combat training and let us get a point."
The brown-haired boy’s breath hitched.
Is this it?
He squeezed his eyes shut as the blade came down—
Swish—!
Clank—!
A sharp metallic sound rang through the air.
The impact of steel against steel sent shockwaves through the ground.
A new voice—smooth yet commanding—broke the tension.
"Aren’t you going too far?"
The brown-haired boy’s eyes snapped open.
A figure stood between him and Nox, gripping Nox’s sword with his bare hand.
His deep red eyes were calm yet piercing, his white hair slightly tousled by the breeze.
Even with Nox’s blade pressing against his palm, he remained unflinching.
Nox’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"You’re…?"
The figure tilted his head slightly before releasing Nox’s sword and adjusting his posture.
His presence alone exuded an overwhelming sense of authority.
The brown-haired boy’s breath caught in his throat.
"You’re the ranked 1 of the 1st year… Lyrium Blackwood, right?"
Lyrium didn’t respond immediately.
Instead, he remained still, his gaze locked onto Nox like a predator analyzing its prey.
Then, with a subtle movement, he activated his skill.
’Activate Skill – Peek at You.’
A faint, transparent blue screen materialized before Lyrium’s eyes.
[Skill: Peek at You]
[Name: Nox Sillon]
[Age: 17]
[Element: Water]
[Attributes:]
[Sage Limit: EX]
[STR: C+]
[SPD: D]
[AGT: D]
[STM: C]
[MP: 587/900]
[Character Description: Too Long, Unavailable]
Lyrium’s eyes flickered slightly as he processed the information.
’Nox... So he was that Nox...’
A faint smirk formed on Lyrium’s lips, though it was barely noticeable.
Nox Sillon—his name had surfaced a few times in discussions, but no one had really paid him much attention.
He was one of those individuals who lurked in the shadows, neither excelling in public displays nor actively seeking recognition.
However, his stats told a different story.
Sage Limit: EX.
That alone was enough to put him in a completely different category.
Lyrium shifted his stance slightly, rolling his wrist as if loosening up.
"You were about to kill him,"
He stated, his voice calm but firm.
Nox remained silent for a moment before lowering his sword slightly.
"He’s an opponent. Eliminating him benefits my team. Isn’t that the point of this training?"
Lyrium chuckled softly.
The source of this c𝓸ntent is frёeweɓηovel.coɱ.
"Maybe. But I don’t remember the instructors saying that we had to kill each other to earn points."
"By its not like he is going to die for real?"
The brown-haired boy, still on the ground, felt a shiver run down his spine.
The air between Lyrium and Nox was tense—so thick it was almost suffocating.
It was as if two completely different forces had just collided, and the impact was slowly spreading through the atmosphere.
Nox sighed, his grip on his sword tightening slightly.
"So, what now?"
He asked, tilting his head.
"You want to fight me, too?"
Lyrium didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he simply smirked.
"That depends."
Nox raised an eyebrow.
"On what?"
Lyrium took a step forward, his presence becoming even more suffocating.
"On whether you still think you can win."
For the first time, Nox’s smirk faltered just slightly.
"I don’t care if you are 1st rank or not Lyrium Blackwood."
*****
"We can start now,"
Alicia announced, her voice clear and unwavering.
She sat on a different chair than before, her posture poised yet slightly tense.
The room was dimly lit, a contrast to the bright and immersive battlefield playing out in the Virtual Reality simulation before them.
Around her, various faculty members observed the twenty students engaged in combat, their expressions ranging from curiosity to stern focus.
A man in a lab coat, no older than twenty-nine, adjusted his round spectacles and stepped forward.
His wristband glowed faintly as he raised it, his fingers moving over its surface with practiced ease.
"Alright, let’s begin."
Click—!
At the press of a button, the holographic screens before them shifted, the battle scenes unfolding in real time.
The simulated forest terrain was vast and unpredictable, shadows weaving between trees as students clashed in combat.
Alicia’s gaze remained fixed on the screens, scanning every movement, every formation.
Her fingers curled slightly, her unease growing.
’I don’t know if they’ve convinced the teams to form the alliance or not…’
Her lips pressed into a thin line.
’We don’t have much time, the real test begins now.’
Her eyes darkened as she turned her attention away from the screen and toward the far side of the room.
There, lying motionless on a metallic bed, was an individual with deep red eyes and stark white hair.
The cold artificial lighting made his features appear even paler, almost lifeless.
His breathing was steady but shallow, his expression unreadable even in unconsciousness.
Alicia’s fingers tightened around the armrest of her chair.
She didn’t like this.
Not one bit.
Whatever was coming next… it wouldn’t be as simple as a mere combat simulation.
*****
(Lyrium’s POV ->)
A Battle of Strength and Wits
The weak tremble.
The strong dominate.
That’s how the world works, isn’t it?
I watched the brown-haired boy lying on the ground, his body broken, his spirit even more so.
His eyes were filled with the kind of fear I had seen too many times before—the kind that belonged to those who had already accepted their defeat.
It was pathetic.
And yet, I couldn’t exactly blame him.
Nox Sillon stood over him, his sword raised high, his expression as indifferent as ever.
His movements were calculated, efficient, and most importantly—merciless.
"Die,"
He muttered, as if killing another student meant nothing to him.
"Go out from the combat training and let us get a point."
That’s all this was to him—a game.
A simple equation where eliminating an opponent meant a better chance of victory.
I get it.
But I don’t like it.
The sword came down.
Swish—!
Clank—!
I moved before I could even think.
Instinct, maybe.
My hand shot out, gripping the edge of Nox’s blade with my fingers.
Sparks flew as steel met flesh, but I ignored the sting.
"Aren’t you going too far?"
I asked, my voice calm.
I could see the surprise in his eyes, even if he tried to hide it.
"You’re…?"
I let go of his sword and adjusted my posture.
Behind me, the brown-haired boy was still gasping for breath, staring at me like I was some kind of savior.
I wasn’t.
I met Nox’s gaze, reading his expression, his stance, the tension in his muscles.
"You’re the ranked 1 of the 1st year… Lyrium Blackwood, right?"
A title.
A meaningless one, in my opinion. Rank didn’t determine strength—actions did.
Instead of answering, I activated my skill.
Activate Skill – Peek at You.
A translucent blue screen appeared before my eyes.
---
[Skill: Peek at You]
[Name: Nox Sillon]
[Age: 17]
[Element: Water]
[Attributes:]
[Sage Limit: EX]
[STR: C+]
[SPD: D]
[AGT: D]
[STM: C]
[MP: 587/900]
[Character Description: Too Long, Unavailable]
---
Sage Limit: EX.
Now that was interesting.
Most students in this academy had Sage Limits between A and SS+. Anything above that? A rarity. EX was practically unheard of Excluding Silas and the other main cast.
So, Nox had been hiding this?
But why didn’t I read about him in the novel before?
I glanced at him again, my interest piqued.
He wasn’t just some nobody trying to climb the ranks.
He was someone dangerous.
Someone who didn’t mind getting his hands dirty to reach the top.
I could respect that.
But I wouldn’t allow it.
"You were about to kill him,"
I stated, testing his reaction.
Nox didn’t even flinch.
He simply lowered his sword slightly and shrugged.
"He’s an opponent. Eliminating him benefits my team. Isn’t that the point of this training?"
I chuckled softly.
"Maybe. But I don’t remember the instructors saying that we had to kill each other to earn points."
The brown-haired boy twitched behind me.
Did he think I was doing this for him?
He was mistaken.
The air between me and Nox thickened.
He was analyzing me now, just as I had analyzed him.
A silent war of wills.
Nox finally sighed.
"So, what now?"
He asked, tilting his head.
"You want to fight me, too?"
A challenge.
I smirked.
"That depends."
His eyes narrowed.
"On what?"
I stepped forward, letting my presence expand.
He felt it.
The weight of my aura pressing against him, suffocating him.
"On whether you still think you can win."
For the first time—his smirk faltered.
*****