Chapter 9 – The Second Trial

After the first field trial ended, Hadin Academy buzzed with chatter. Students swapped stories about fighting monsters—some with pride, others with shivers. Some had shown exceptional talent, while others had barely survived.

For Zareen, the trial left both scars and lessons. He could not forget Lira’s cold glare or the biting remarks from other students. Yet he also remembered Mira’s quiet words, the ones that had given him the strength not to give up.

That night, in their dorm room, Gino listened to Zareen’s story with unusual seriousness.

“So that’s how it went,” Gino said when Zareen finished. “Lira has a reputation for being arrogant. Forget her. What matters is that you survived.”

Zareen lowered his head. “Surviving doesn’t mean being useful.”

“Wrong!” Gino snapped, pointing at him with a pen. “Survival is the first step to becoming useful. Remember this, my rival: if you give up, I lose my motivation too.”

Zareen sighed. As irritating as Gino could be, there was truth in his words.

---

The Announcement of the Second Trial

A week later, the long bell rang three times again. All students were summoned to the main hall. This time, Master Ardian himself stood at the front to deliver the news.

“Children,” he said loudly, his deep voice filling the hall, “since you have completed the first field trial, it is now time for the Second Trial: Fortress Defense Simulation.”

The hall erupted in murmurs. Some students’ faces lit up with excitement, while others turned pale.

“In this trial,” Ardian continued, “each group will be stationed at a defense post. Your task is simple: withstand waves of monsters for a full hour. If you endure, you pass. If not, you fail.”

“What kind of monsters?” one student asked nervously.

“Constructed monsters,” Ardian explained. “Illusions created by instructors—but make no mistake, the damage they deal will still hurt. The pain is real, even if the injuries vanish after the test.”

Zareen swallowed hard. So this won’t be just one goblin like last time… It’ll be attack after attack?

---

Preparing for the Trial

The groups were the same as before: Zareen, Lira, Dovan, and Mira. Upon hearing this, Lira groaned loudly.

“Why am I stuck with you again?” she muttered, glaring at Zareen.

Dovan rested a hand on her shoulder. “Drop it, Lira. We should focus on strategy.”

Mira nodded. “Exactly. This trial isn’t about who’s strongest—it’s about who can hold out the longest. We need teamwork.”

Lira crossed her arms but said nothing more.

---

The Simulation Begins

The day of the trial arrived. Students were led to a massive arena shaped like a stone fortress, complete with small watchtowers. Each group was assigned a position along the walls.

When the starting bell rang, the sky above the arena darkened. Thick black mist rolled in, and from it emerged dozens of monster silhouettes—black wolves, goblins armed with crude weapons, and even several winged beasts circling overhead.

“Battle formation!” Lira barked.

She launched a blazing fireball that exploded among the goblins, scattering them. Dovan followed with slicing gusts of wind, cutting down several of the flying creatures. Mira raised a shimmering blue barrier, shielding them from a volley of goblin arrows.

Zareen stood frozen, his staff shaking in his hands.

“Zareen!” Mira shouted. “We need an extra shield—now!”

He took a deep breath and focused. Lavender light flared from his staff, forming a thin barrier in front of Mira. Fragile as it was, it held long enough to block a small attack.

“Good!” Mira encouraged him. “Keep it up!”

---

Mounting Pressure

Minute after minute passed, and the monsters kept coming in relentless waves. Lira’s flames began to weaken, Dovan was drenched in sweat, and Mira strained to keep her main barrier intact.

Zareen continued casting his lavender shields, even as his arms shook with exhaustion. His barriers cracked often, but every time he managed to summon another, Mira could focus on strengthening the main wall.

Then, without warning, a phantom troll appeared—towering twice as tall as a man, wielding a massive club. The ground trembled with each step.

“This is insane!” Lira yelled. “A troll at the second trial?!”

Dovan launched a blast of wind, but it barely slowed the monster. Lira unleashed a powerful flame burst, yet the troll pushed through, smashing Mira’s barrier until it splintered.

“It won’t hold much longer!” Mira cried.

Zareen’s heart pounded. If this keeps up, we’ll all fail…

---

The Light Awakens

In desperation, Zareen shut his eyes. He recalled Ardian’s advice: Even the smallest shield can save lives—if you know when to use it.

He thought of Gino’s challenging grin, Mira’s reassuring words, and even Lira’s cruel remarks. All of it mixed together, boiling like fire in his chest.

He raised his staff high and shouted, “Light—protect us all!”

For the first time, his lavender light flared brilliantly. The barrier that appeared was massive, enveloping the entire group like a dome. When the troll’s club slammed into it, the shield shuddered violently but did not break.

Students in nearby posts turned to look, astonished.

“Was that… Zareen?!” someone whispered.

Even Lira stared at him, her eyes wide with disbelief.

---

The End of the Trial

The monsters kept attacking, but with Zareen’s new barrier, the group endured until the final bell rang. The dark mist dissolved, and the arena fell silent.

All four of them were drenched in sweat and panting hard. Mira smiled with relief. “We did it…”

Dovan clapped Zareen on the shoulder. “Well done. Without that shield, we wouldn’t have made it.”

Lira stayed quiet for a long moment before finally muttering, “I… misjudged you.” Her face turned red, though whether from embarrassment or frustration, no one could tell.

Zareen simply nodded, too exhausted to speak.

---

Night in the Dormitory

That night, Gino greeted Zareen with a grin so wide it nearly split his face. “I heard the news! You created a giant barrier, huh?”

Zareen gave a faint smile. “I’m not even sure how I did it.”

“Perfect!” Gino laughed. “That means you’re starting to find your potential. I can’t wait for the day we face off for real—as true rivals.”

Zareen sighed, though this time it was with a lighter heart. For the first time, he didn’t feel like dead weight. He had truly contributed.

And maybe, just maybe, his path as a wizard had only just begun.