The sound of heavy boots hitting stone echoed across the field.
Everyone turned to look.
An instructor walked forward, her long black coat swaying with every step. Her face was calm but serious—like she’d seen war up close. Several other instructors followed behind her, each just as silent.
She stopped in front of the students and scanned their faces.
"This is not a normal test," she said in a firm voice. "This will be a battle royale... but it will feel like a real war."
So students tensed up. Others frowned or whispered quietly.
The instructor raised one hand.
At once, black armor appeared in front of every student. It floated in the air, almost like it was breathing. Dark energy pulsed from it, as if it had a life of its own.
"This armor is new," she explained. "It was made using Wrimms—creatures from the Shadow Dinsion."
She walked slowly between them as she spoke.
"These suits will shape themselves to your body. Just touch them. Give it a bit of Aether."
One student stepped forward and did just that.
The armor lted instantly into a black liquid. It wrapped around him, covering his body like a second skin. When it hardened, it looked like solid night.
It wasn’t bulky. It didn’t glow or shine. It looked like shadow made real.
More students touched their armor. Each one was wrapped the sa way. The armor moved like smoke, but when it settled, it felt strong—like it had always belonged on them.
Zephyr hesitated at first, then touched his armor.
It reacted slowly, like it was testing him. Then it surged up his arm, wrapped around his chest and legs, and locked into place. Dark tendrils coiled around his body like living ropes.
His hood dropped over his head, and a black visor covered his eyes. But he could still see. It was as clear as before, but darker—sharper.
"This is called Wrimmsteel," the instructor said. "It binds to you. Adjusts to your movents. All it needs is a little Aether."
She continued walking.
"There’s more. Each armor has a birthmark—rchant."
So students looked at their hands. A soft glow shone through the armor—an unfamiliar symbol, warm and steady.
"This mark won’t give you strength," the instructor said. "But it will help you. It draws Aether from anything and everything you kill. And if your armor is damaged, it will repair itself."
A few students gasped.
"This... this isn’t hollow anymore," the instructor continued. "These are real Arts. The first breakthrough in generations."
Shock spread through the crowd.
"Real Arts?" "Not Hollow?" "But how...?"
The instructor raised her hand again, silencing them.
"This is only the beginning. The world is changing."
She looked each student in the eye.
"You either beco part of this new world... or be forgotten with the old one."
Silence followed her words. Heavy and deep.
Hollow Arts had always been seen as the limit. Real Arts were considered impossible. The gap between them was too wide.
But now... that gap had been crossed, Humans were advancing again.
None of the students wanted to be left behind.
The instructor nodded slowly. "Good," she said. "Now... prepare for transition."
A strange pressure fell over them like a wave.
Zephyr felt the shift before it even started. The air changed. The light twisted. His stomach turned.
Then everything shattered— like glass breaking in slow motion.
And reford.
When the world settled, Zephyr was no longer standing on grass.
He was now standing on a huge tree branch—so wide it looked like a road. A dull, heavy scythe rested in his hand.
Thick mist floated below. Giant branches stretched above, blocking the sky.
It was quiet. Peaceful, but not safe.
Zephyr looked around.
"...I guess I’ll just take a nap." He muttered. He sat down, placed the scythe beside him, and leaned against the tree.
But before he could rest, sothing shook the air.
A massive Aether presence hit his senses like thunder.
He sat up straight. "Sothing’s over there."
A loud explosion echoed through the forest.
The mist pulled back from the impact, revealing a new area.
A black-haired girl appeared first. She held water in her hand like it was a living whip.
Then another figure jumped in behind her.
A boy with maroon hair tied in braid, the long braid fell from over his head, hiding one of his eyes which was hidden behind an eye patch. The other was sharp, glowing, and reflected the forest like glass.
"To et you this early, my luck must be good". The boy exclad loudly.
"Tsk! That’s bad luck for ". The girl clicked her tongue as the water whip in her hand moved around liked it had a mind of it’s own.
From their words, Zephyr could tell theu knew each other.
*****
’Damn it, I am in so much trouble’. Roland was part of her squad, and she knew just how powerful he was.
He ca at her fast.
Two short daggers glead in his hands, curved and jagged like fangs. She tightened her grip on her whip of water, feeling the pressure dance around her wrist.
"Gale Step."
His body blurred, cutting through the air with a burst of wind. She twisted to the side, barely dodging a sweeping strike aid at her throat.
He was fast—too fast.
She slamd my foot down. "Water Surge."
A burst of water exploded from under her, launching her back just in ti to dodge his second blade.
She spun my wrist. The whip flowed like a ribbon, then snapped.
Crack!
He blocked with both daggers, skidding back a step. But only one step.
He grinned. His breath was slow. Controlled.
Aquarium—Twin Pressure Tide
She invoked her first Art.
The whip thickened, pulsing with deep pressure. She felt it in her palm— the twin forces of push and pull, like the ocean current. She lashed out again.
He dodged the first strike. She dragged the whip back like a hook. The second strike curved behind him— then pulled forward violently.
It should’ve hit.
But he was gone.
Dragon’s breath— Gasping Breath.
I heard the wind twist behind . He was moving faster than before— twice as fast. His first art functioned in a way that as long as he held his breath, he could beco infinitely faster along the duration of ti.
He struck again, this ti from the side. She blocked with my whip, but her shoulder still felt the sting of his blade grazing it.
Each ti he inhaled, he moved faster.
He ducked under my next strike, then rolled past her e. A dagger cut across her ribs. She winced and fell back.
He wasn’t just fast. He was building speed.
She leapt backward.
Exploding Water Clones. Her second art.
Water shaped itself into two copies of her, each holding a whip. They charged ahead—one from the left, the other from the front.
He paused, confused for a mont.
’Good’.
The first clone exploded.
The second one cracked with sharp pressure and burst— right in front of him.
The mist covered everything. She her breath.
Silence.
Then—
A sharp gust of wind tore the mist apart.
He erged from it, coughing hard.
He had stopped breathing. As long as he stopped inhaling or Breathed out, he lost the boost in speed.
’Finally’.
His speed dropped instantly, his knees bent slightly from the sudden crash of exhaustion. She rushed forward.
"This was My chance".
her whip slashed down with everything She had— only for him to vanish again.
Dragon’s breath—Wormhole. His second art.
Wind bent, he beca part of it.
He reappeared behind her. She turned, too slow.
His kick landed on her stomach. She flew back, slamming into the tree bark. her armor absorbed so of the blow, but She still gasped for breath.
This guy... he wasn’t just skilled. He was dangerous.
She rose again, blood running down her lip, he twirled his daggers casually.
"You done?" he asked.
She didn’t answer.
Instead, She pressed her palm to the misty air around her. The water responded. It gathered, thick and heavy.
No choice.
’i have to use it’.
She took one step forward and let the energy flow.
"Aquarium—WATERFALL
Her third art.
The entire realm shook.
Water exploded into the air— first as mist, then as a roaring wall that dropped from the branches above like it ca from the heavens themselves.
It was wild. Hungry. A crushing mass of liquid force, thick enough to drown sound.
It tore bark from trees, split branches, and flooded the area with blinding pressure.
He looked up, stunned. He couldn’t run, then him raise both hands.
Dragon’s breath— Unnerving Gale!"
The air scread.
A massive tornado twisted up from behind him, eting the waterfall in midair.
The two forces crashed— wind against water, roaring in a battle that split the sky above the forest.
The wind howled, circling perfectly under his control.
The waterfall broke apart into rain, then mist, then nothing.
"What— . She couldn’t believe it,she was expecting the terrain to get destroyed even if he had countered, how the hell did he just cancel out her attack.
’Unless it was his attribute’. That was the only explanation to the scene that had just happened.
He stepped forward through the falling mist, not even winded.
"Was that your third art". He asked.
She didn’t answer, she looked tired, she was hurt. But she was at Delta rank and if that was all she could offer, she could as well commit suicide.
Roland eye sparkled under his braid.
"I like this. Let’s keep going."
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