The second test at Astra High School began with a dark turn. Paul was joined by his usual companions: Felix, Joseph, and Deborah. Their destination? A haunted house—one of the oldest and creepiest buildings used for magical training. The house loomed under a blood-red sky, its windows shattered, and its wooden walls groaned under the weight of time. Vines with thorns crept up the cracked stone steps, and whispers echoed from within, though no one had yet entered. The air smelled of dust, decay, and hidden death.
As they stepped inside, Felix clung tightly to Paul, his hands trembling. "Bro, this place is cursed, I'm telling you," he muttered, his eyes darting around. The floorboards creaked with every step, and flickering lanterns cast twisted shadows across the peeling wallpaper. Some portraits on the walls seemed to watch them, eyes moving ever so slightly.
Paul, visibly irritated, shoved Felix off him. "Are you afraid of the dark?"
Felix quickly recomposed himself, puffing out his chest. "No! I was just trying some of my tricks, you know? Testing my senses."
Paul stared at him like he was a walking embarrassment.
Suddenly, Joseph knelt by a dusty hallway, observing a footprint burnt into the wooden floor. The smell of scorched magic filled the air. "This isn't ordinary," Joseph said, frowning. "The monster that did this... it's high-level. We need to be careful."
Deborah stepped forward, her laughter echoing like broken glass. Her eyes gleamed with excitement. "Finally! A high-level monster! I've been waiting for something interesting."
She turned to the group, smiling maniacally. "I don't work with groups. You guys slow me down."
With a flick of her hand, she vanished in a flash of flame.
Felix gasped. "She disappeared?!"
Paul stood calmly. "I knew she would. This is a points-based test. Everyone's trying to score high solo."
Joseph stood and turned to them. "My magic grants me the powers of an eagle: sharp vision, enhanced reflexes, and wind manipulation. I'll be fine on my own."
He sprinted off, wind swirling around him as he disappeared down the corridor.
Felix looked at Paul. "Maybe... I'll work solo too?"
Paul raised an eyebrow. "You're trying to ask me to team up with you because you're scared."
Felix grinned nervously and nodded.
Paul didn't reply. He just walked ahead. Felix followed quickly behind.
---
Elsewhere in the haunted house, other groups faced their own challenges. Some defeated monsters through teamwork, some got injured, while others managed to slay creatures solo. Screams, chants, and magical explosions echoed throughout the house.
Back with Paul and Felix, they roamed through long twisting corridors. Suddenly, Paul stopped.
"Don't move," he said. "We're trapped in a time loop."
Felix blinked. "What? How do you know?"
Paul pointed at an old photograph on the wall. A portrait of a legendary magician, hand raised mid-spell. "This is the fifth time we've passed this painting. And look—this chair is back to its original position."
To confirm, Felix ran into a nearby room, spun around and returned to the hallway—only to see Paul again.
His face fell. "We're dead. We're so dead."
He paced frantically. "We'll rot in here. Time loop? We're cursed!" He started muttering prayers, lost in panic.
Paul stood still, deep in thought. "Why would the school put students in this kind of danger?"
Then he remembered: before the test began, he had seen a group of healing spellcasters preparing inside the campus. It now made sense. The school expected injuries—maybe even death.
Suddenly, Paul's eyes narrowed. He grabbed Felix and pulled him close.
The ground cracked open, and a hulking monster emerged. Its flaming eyes burned with rage, its breath hot as fire. Chains clung to its scorched body.
"I WILL KILL YOU! I WILL KILL YOU! FOR TRAPPING ME HERE! I WANT TO BE FREE!" it bellowed.
Paul's eyes widened slightly. This wasn't just any monster—it was a prisoner. A magical creature, locked in an underground prison.
"This isn't a test zone," Paul murmured. "It's a monster prison. The school sent us into an actual containment unit. That's insane."
Felix trembled beside him. "We're going to die! Paul! This thing's massive! Let's just say our prayers—"
The monster lunged.
But Paul didn't flinch. His eyes turned pitch black, swirling with ancient symbols. As the monster locked eyes with him, it screamed, experiencing thousands of deaths simultaneously in its mind. It froze, whimpering, and saw itself in a black void.
Paul walked toward it slowly. "Poor creature. I'll end your pain."
He touched its head, whispering a spell. Reality flickered.
The monster's body exploded—blood splattered everywhere.
Paul stood, untouched.
Felix stared in disbelief. "W-what just happened? Is it... dead?"
Paul ignored him. He whispered an incantation, and the blood on him peeled away into the air.
Felix dropped to his knees. "You're not human. You're like... a god."
Paul turned to him coldly. "I'm not a god. Remember that."
"Then what are you?" Felix asked.
Paul leaned in, voice like ice. "Don't tell anyone what you saw. If you do—"
His eyes flickered with deadly energy.
Felix nodded quickly.
In his mind, Felix thought: Paul... he's the one. He'll guide me in the ways of magic.
Paul simply walked away.
---
The time loop spell lifted. Joseph and Deborah arrived, shocked to find the monster dead.
Felix's clothes were bloodied.
"You did this?!" Deborah gasped.
"No way," Joseph added. "That was a high-level monster!"
Felix opened his mouth—but then he smiled and nodded. Praise flooded over him. Deep down, he knew Paul was the real hero.
---
Back at the school grounds, the haunted house dissolved into air. The second test had ended.
Spectators cheered. Healing mages moved quickly, restoring injured students. Cheers filled the arena.
Then came the third and final test: introducing their powers.
A magical fantasy system analyzed each student's ability and ranked them.
100 - 70: High-level
70 - 40: Low-level
40 - 20: Lower level
20 - 1: Degraded
Each student stepped forward. Flames, lightning, wind, beasts, illusions—each student displayed their powers to cheers and applause.
Then it was Paul's turn.
He walked to the platform, stared at the system, and slowly conjured a small bubble of water.
The crowd went silent.
Then—laughter.
"A water bubble?! That's it?!"
"Yo, is that magic or a kid's trick?!"
"Even toddlers do better than that!"
The system glowed:
Magic Rank: 11
More laughter.
"This guy's a joke! After all that cool guy vibe!"
"Should've stayed home!"
Felix frowned. Why didn't he show his real power?
Paul stepped off the platform, silent.
---
Meanwhile, far below the school...
In the Underground Magic Prison, a separate realm held terrifying magical criminals. The prison floated over a dark void, chained by glowing runes. Energy barriers pulsed with ancient incantations.
Guards in enchanted armor patrolled, their eyes sharp and spells always ready.
Inside one of the deepest cells sat Argus, chained and suppressed by forbidden spells. His cell pulsed with ancient magic, multiple locks rotating every few seconds.
He smiled.
"I'm ready."
Suddenly, shadows moved.
From a portal above, a squad of assassins dropped silently into the prison. Dressed in enchanted black robes, they moved like smoke.
One whispered, and the anti-magic shield flickered. Another chanted, canceling the spell barrier.
Guards reacted too late.
Fire and lightning erupted. Wind blades sliced throats. Poison spells melted armor.
Screams echoed.
One assassin used a sound-dampening spell. Another used shadow teleportation, appearing behind a group and stabbing them with cursed blades.
Blood sprayed the glowing floors.
Finally, one assassin approached Argus's cell. He placed a glowing key into the final lock.
The cell door opened.
"The boss is waiting," he said.
Argus stood slowly. Magic burst from him in a spiral.
He smiled. "Let's burn the world."
---