Training For Entry Exams

Atom...?

Dran wiped the sweat from his forehead, forcing a grin.

"Looks like fate is still on my side..."

Birds fluttered in the sky, their cheerful chirping greeting the rising sun. Riden slowly woke up, stretching with a big yawn. He rubbed his eyes, looking left and right, before finally stepping out of bed. Still groggy, he wandered around the room, searching for Dran. It didn’t take long before he found him—in the kitchen, of all places. The kitchen was quite large, filled with the aroma of freshly prepared food. Dran stood among the servants, coordinating their tasks while cooking alongside them.

Noticing Riden peeking from a distance, Dran smiled and gestured at him. "What are you staring at? Come on in."

Riden hesitated for a second before shuffling inside and taking a seat at the dining table. His drowsy eyes darted around, still adjusting to the morning.

Dran chuckled. Though Riden was Taller, and visibly experienceted person, something about his demeanor made him seem like a lost child. "Be patient. Breakfast will be ready soon. Go wash up first and ask the servants for fresh clothes."

Riden nodded quickly before dashing off towards the bathroom.

One of the Butler's—who had been with Dran for years and was the first to find Riden buried under the snow—watched the exchange with a warm expression. For the first time in three years, he saw Dran showing real emotion. he had watched him grow up, and to see this change made her heart swell with happiness.

After a refreshing bath and a change of clothes, Riden returned to the table, scarfing down breakfast with all the grace of a starved animal.

Dran, who was eating at a much more reasonable pace, decided to break the news. "Hey, kid. I’m enrolling you in the academy. Once you’re there, prove your worth and achieve as much as you can. But know this—once I drop you off, we likely won’t see each other again. So, aim to reach ‘Archon’ Sector's as soon as possible. The details will be explained during training, but for now, we have two months to prepare for the entrance exam. I’ll make sure you’re ready."

Riden paused, blinking at Dran. A moment later, he flashed a bright, determined grin. "I'll do whatever you say, Sir!"

Dran exhaled in relief. "Good. Now, let’s finish eating."

The sun had yet to rise, but both Dran and Riden were already awake. Their morning began with a simple breakfast of bread before jumping straight into warm-up exercises: 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 2-kilometer run.

"The warm-up exercises look-likes that one from show i watch" said Arden in the Garden area, see them.

"Master! What’s our first lesson?" Riden asked, bouncing with excitement despite the exhaustion from the warm-up.

Dran had already prepared everything. As the servants arranged the equipment, he explained, "There are three official stages in the entrance exam—or at least, that’s what they tell you. In reality, there’s a hidden fourth stage. The first test evaluates your mental fortitude. There’s no strict requirement to pass, but you’ll need to withstand it to advance. Today, I’ll train you to endure it. The equipment is ready."

Riden tilted his head. "Wait... why is there a giant sofa?"

Dran smirked. "Just sit down and see for yourself."

Despite his confusion, Riden obeyed. Arden attached two pieces of equipment—a pair of holographic glasses and "Airon"-powered earbuds.

Dran’s loyal servant, Arden, leaned in. "Are you comfortable, young master?"

Riden nodded slightly, offering a small, polite smile. Arden, flustered by the response, quickly activated the device.

Riden blinked slowly.

Where... am I?

He looked around. A ruined wasteland stretched as far as the eye could see—cracked ground, shattered buildings, an endless abyss of darkness. The sky above was a swirling mess of unstable energy fields, defying balance. Gravity was overwhelmingly heavy, as if each step carried the weight of one hundred thousand tons.

He glanced down at himself.

His body was in ruins—covered in deep wounds, drenched in blood. One arm was missing. One eye was blinded by a deep slash. His leg barely functioned. It was as if he had been tortured for years.

Pain.

Despair.

HATRED.

Back in reality...

Dran’s eyes darted to the monitor beside Riden. The readings shot up dangerously.

"ARDEN! SHUT IT DOWN! NOW!"

Without hesitation, Arden rushed to power off the machine. He quickly removed the glasses and earbuds.

Dran sprinted toward Riden, shaking him. "Kid! Wake up!"

Riden’s eyes opened, but they were empty. Hollow. As if he had just seen something no human should ever witness.

He trembled violently, his lips moving as he whispered something barely audible.

"Deith... I will kill yo—"

Before he could finish, his body gave out, and he collapsed into unconsciousness.

Dran turned to Arden. "Get him to his room. Take care of him."

As Arden carried Riden away, Dran clenched his fists. "Damn it... I didn’t expect this..."