A few minutes passed before the headmaster made his way to the center of the stadium. As usual, he was fully clothed in white. Once atop one of the stages, he looked at the students and said, “As you all know, this is the exam to improve your class. Today, we’ll test D class students. If you’re in a higher class, you can watch from the stands.”

He took a piece of paper from a pocket and glanced at it. “This time, the test will be a… tournament! Each of you will fight one versus one. Only who manages to rack up five wins will proceed to the next class! While there can be an exception if the opponent was far too strong, remember that a single loss means getting disqualified!”

“With that said…” The headmaster grinned. “Let’s start!”

He called several names, and twenty students soon walked to the squares. They started fighting. Cracks formed in the rings as the students clashed with clangs and booms, each throwing an attack after another. Meanwhile, some students in the stands took notes as others ate as they watched.

But seeing the fights, Himo yawned. He sat on one of the many benches at the sides of the stadium. 

Soon, two hours passed.

His former sparkling eyes had dimmed and turned into yawn after yawn. System, this is boring.

[Wasn’t the user excited just a few hours ago?]

I want to fight… not watch others fighting. He rolled his eyes. If they were at least strong, it’d be at least a bit enjoyable…

The voice of the headmaster sounded from afar. “And the winner is Yezir Zexil! He is the first to pass to class C! Congratulations!” He gave a round of applause and continued, “As for the next fight… Rayer Sarem versus Shu Himo!”

“Oh!” Himo’s eyes lit up. He just called me, right? Right?

[Apparently.]

Yes! He leaped to the empty stage with a smile.

Soon after, Sarem walked on the stage. “We meet again.” He smirked as he brandished his sword. “I trained harshly for all this month. Now, I am ready for the showdown.” He pointed his sword to the child. “Draw your scythe, Shu Himo. I won’t let you step on me like the last time.”

Himo raised an eyebrow but didn’t reply. He just stared at the headmaster as if urging him to give the start.

Sarem frowned and tightened his grip on the sword.

The headmaster eyed Himo for a second and then announced, “Rayer Sarem versus Shu Himo! Start!”

Sarem crouched and tilted forward. He jumped straight to Himo—his sword lounged forward. But, while Himo brandished his violin, he stopped just short of reaching him. With a foot planted on the ground, he morphed his momentum into a whirl and replaced the sword’s lounge for a roundhouse kick.

“Not bad!” Himo’s eyes lit up. ”But…” He skipped backward. The burst of air from the kick jolted his snow-white hair, and he closed up to him yet again. “You’re not the only one who has trained!” Grinning, he placed a palm on Sarem’s torso.

Before Sarem realized it, he found himself etched on the shattered walls of the stadium. “Mons… ter…” The pain from his torso overwhelmed him and he passed out, falling to the floor.

The headmaster’s lips twitched. While a few teachers treated the injured student, he stared at Himo with widened eyes. Do you really need to bully the other students this much?

Before that gaze, Himo frowned. It’s not my fault if he's weak!

The two stared at each other in silence. While students and teachers wondered if they had gone crazy, they acted as though they could speak with their eyes. Several seconds passed before the headmaster crossed his arms. “Fine. Considering your strength, you will be promoted to class C without additional fights.”

His announcement silenced the whole hall.

Himo grinned. I won!

“Please wait a moment!” A teacher darted to the stage. Several teachers followed him. “This is the Celestial Trinity Academy! How can such an exception be allowed?”

The headmaster rolled his eyes and pointed at the passed out Sarem. “You want more students to end up like that? It’s clear that his strength is way above D-class. Additional fights are pointless.”

The teachers quieted down. They glanced at each other, and, after a few moments, relented their demands.

Himo, seeing that, walked down the stage. Just as he was about to leave the stadium, the next announcement of the headmaster rooted him in place.

“The next fight will be… Ren Goren versus Aura Azusa!”

Himo’s eyes returned to the rings. Meanwhile, a student—Goren—walked atop the ring.

Soon enough, Azusa walked out of the crowd of students. The students in the stands stood in a marveling silence, while the D-class students stared at her as though she were their biggest enemy. As she stepped on a ring, she looked at the headmaster.

“Headmaster, I don’t want to waste time by fighting weaklings—I’ll show a little spell to skip the next fights!”

Another problem child! Are you competing with him now? The headmaster sighed. “Do as you wish. As long as you prove yourself worthy, I’ll accede your request.”

“Very well!” She smiled and waited for the signal. She didn’t spare a glance at her opponent.

Seeing her confidence, Goren frowned. He had seen her introduction in the assembly of the previous month. Is she acting, or… Shaking his head, he cast those thoughts away and drew out his greatsword—an oversized mass of metal as huge as a person.

Few moments of silence separated the two, interrupted only by an announcement. “Ren Goren versus Aura Azusa! Start!”

As soon as those words left his mouth, everything stopped. Azusa's sole presence bent the atmosphere of the stadium. The fights paused, the students froze, and the teachers stared at her. Her bloodlust rooted every student to their place—even teachers felt threatened by it. For some reason, whether they were students or teachers, angels shivered more than any other race.

The headmaster grimaced, but he didn't speak.

"Well then..." A demon-like smile grew on her lips. The gems on her boots brightened slightly as her feet parted from the ground. She was flying. Flying above all others, looking down on everything.

"Since you wish to challenge me, I hope you'll show you're worth it."

She raised a hand and began her chant.

“Fall from the highest dark into our lowest dark. Thy simple shape shall overthrow any complexities, thy simple weight shall crush any defense, and thy simple flames shall send terror into the strongest of the hearts.”

A crack appeared in mid-air just above her. A dark shadow filled its insides, showing an unknown far away. The crack widened, widened, and widened even more.

“Slam and crush those in your path until nothing stands as them—Meteoryte!”

The crack exploded as a room-sized meteor darted out of it. Surrounded by fire, the boulder blasted air in its descent.

Goren paled. His legs crumbled and he fell to the floor—before that meteor, he was but a prey. He ordered his legs to move, move, and move, but, as though they were heavier than the world itself, they didn’t budge. Tears swelled from his eyes as the impending doom seemed certain. Yet, a bright white shielded the attack in front of him.

It was the headmaster. Frowning, he blocked the meteor with a palm. The stone cracked in countless pieces, so he waved a hand—they vanished.

Only then did the students breathed anew. Even the teachers stood in silence, thinking about the possible destruction her spell could’ve brought.

Seeing that, Azusa slumped her shoulders. “I earlier said to not bother me if you’re unworthy…” She shook her head and grew a smirk. “If you can’t even block that, why didn't you surrender from the start?”

Goren diverted his eyes to the ground.

While the headmaster announced her victory, she stepped down from the ring. She gave a last glance at the students, and, seeing their terrified expressions, she sighed and walked away. Once in front of an exit portal, however, she felt someone’s gaze. She turned around and her eyes widened slightly—a student was grinning. His black eyes lacked fear and showed only excitement toward the coming fights.

Letting out a hidden sweet smile, she left the stadium.