CHAPTER 56: SHRINKING BOUNDARIES, RISING TENSIONS

Far outside the examination grounds, in a observation chamber lit by the pale glow of runic screens, Zane lounged in his seat—though "watching" wasn’t exactly the right word for what he was doing. The official artifact projection hovered in front of him, grainy and sluggish, the image breaking every few seconds.

"Tch. This thing’s limited," he muttered.

Instead, a faint glimmer pulsed in his eyes—his custom-made lenses, linked directly to one of his advanced insect droids currently buzzing invisibly through the forest below. He’d only tweaked the model that morning to handle live streaming, and while the feed still had its quirks, it was leagues better than the artifact’s outdated projection.

Through the insect’s tiny crystalline eyes, Zane watched the treeline sway... and then saw it.

The supposed "Ron" paused in a quiet clearing, opened a side pouch, and casually counted out fifteen stolen badges with a smirk.

But the real shock came when the boy’s form shimmered, his build narrowing, hair fading into a tawny brown, and leaf-green eyes flashing in the light. A mask dangled from his hand.

"Arin Blake," Zane murmured. "So that’s your game..."

The impostor laughed to himself, clearly pleased with the chaos he’d sown.

Zane leaned back, expression caught somewhere between amusement and annoyance. "This guy is really annoying. Definitely not normal. I’ll... keep an eye on him when I get the chance."

---

The scene flickered away as the insect droid shifted course, and the forest’s shadows deepened.

Somewhere near the centre of the now-shrinking exam zone, Lia and Lirael strode side by side beneath the canopy. Fallen leaves crunched underfoot, the air thick with the faint tang of magic from battles past. Students had tried to ambush them more than once, but monsters and opponents alike had fallen easily to their combined skill.

The test grounds were smaller now—compressed by the barrier’s slow advance—and every step toward the centre meant more danger.

Through the thinning mist of the forest, Lia and Lirael spotted a small but solid figure standing in the middle of the path.

As they drew closer, the details came into focus—he stood a head shorter than most humans, with a stocky, well-built frame that spoke of both natural strength and hours of labor. Thick, tousled chestnut-orange hair framed his youthful, clean-shaven face. A faint dusting of freckles dotted his lightly tanned skin, and his sharp orange eyes followed their approach with a watchful, stubborn determination.

"A dwarf," Lirael said flatly, the single word dripping with disdain.

Lia’s brow twitched. She knew that tone. And sure enough...

The boy’s expression twisted instantly into an ugly scowl. "Typical elf. Think you’re top of the world!"

Lirael’s ear twitched like a cat about to pounce. "Excuse me—?" she snapped, already bristling.

Lia sighed inwardly. Elves and dwarves really don’t get along...

She knew the history. Back when Sylwenora had been weakened by repeated attacks from the Demon Kingdom, they’d tried to join with the dwarves and beastmen in a united coalition. But the dwarves had refused—forcing the Beast King to refuse as well. Even after Sylwenora had clawed its way up to become one of the strongest kingdoms, the sting of that rejection lingered... apparently in both directions.

"What are you doing here?" Lia asked, keeping her voice even.

The dwarf crossed his arms and replied with an exaggerated huff. "Can’t you see? I’m waiting for the exam to end. Are you blind or what?"

Somewhere in the observation chamber, Zane—watching through his insect droid—nearly spit out his drink. Pfft!

Lia’s brow twitched harder. Maybe elves hate them for a good reason after all...

Lia was about to fire back at the dwarf when a familiar voice called out behind her.

"Lia!"

She turned, and her expression instantly softened into a smile. "Ron."

Ron returned the smile, then smirked. "So, you survived easily, huh?"

"Hmph. This much is nothing," she said with mock pride.

Before she could say more, the dwarf cut in with a loud, almost triumphant voice. "So, Aurelian—you finally caught this bastard!" He jabbed a finger toward Ron.

Ron blinked. "...What?"

Aurelian stepped forward, raising a hand. "Calm down, Torren. He isn’t that guy. Someone’s been impersonating him."

Ron nodded. "True."

Torren’s scowl eased, and he gave Ron a look of sympathy. "Poor you... that bastard’s running around in your skin and pulling mischief."

Ron’s eyes darkened into a sinister smile. "And he’ll pay for his mischief."

Torren smirked. "I like your spirit. I’m Torren Durnan."

"I’m Ron."

Torren gave a curt nod.

Lia, still confused, asked, "What happened, Ron? An imposter?"

Ron nodded, but Aurelian stepped in before he could speak. "It started in the snowfields. My men surrounded him—well, someone I thought was him—because my badge and several others were stolen. He fought like a completely different person, fast as lightning and throwing sparks with every step. We were certain it was Ron until I saw his movements up close. That’s when I realized... it wasn’t him at all. Someone took his face, his build, everything."

Ron folded his arms. "And I didn’t even know it until they accused me."

Aurelian gave Lia a pointed look. "The fake was dangerous. He even eliminated the archers I sent after him."

Ron coughed lightly, eyes shifting away for a split second. "...Right. He eliminated them."

Then he straightened, voice turning dry. "So, yeah. You could say I’m not exactly thrilled."

Aurelian nodded in agreement. "And I’m not exactly pleased either."

Lia’s eyes narrowed in thought, then widened slightly. "I think I know who that is."

Ron turned to her. "Who?"

"It’s Arin Blake," she said.

Before anyone could speak again, a voice rang out above them.

"Yes—it was me!"

A boy dropped from the sky, landing with a dramatic thud. His tawny-brown hair caught the sunlight, and his leaf-green eyes sparkled with mischief as he grinned. "Arin Blake, at your service."

Ron stared at him, then muttered to Lia without looking away, "See? I had a feeling I wouldn’t like this guy."

As Arin Blake landed, grinning like he owned the place, several other students rushed in from the trees.

The moment their eyes fell on Ron, voices erupted:

"There he is!"

"Give us back our badges, you thief!"

Before anyone could lunge, a loud voice boomed through the air:

["Attention, examinees: The exam has entered its final phase. From now on, the boundary barrier will shrink every thirty seconds by two meters on all sides. All team-ups are now dissolved."]

A tense silence hung for just a heartbeat, then every student’s gaze turned calculating.

Aurelian stepped forward, his voice cutting through the crowd. "You heard them. Last phase. We all have to fight for first place now... and for the record, the real culprit behind your missing badges—" He pointed at the tawny-haired boy with leaf-green eyes. "—is him."

Arin’s smirk deepened. "Guilty as charged." And with that, he spun on his heel and bolted.

It was like the announcement had ignited the forest. Weapons clashed, explosions rang out, and the barrier’s shimmering walls pulsed inward. Those unlucky enough to be kicked past its edge vanished instantly—eliminated.

From his seat, Zane leaned forward, grinning under his breath. "Now it feels like a proper battle royale."

Ron caught Lia’s gaze, gave a small nod, and tore after Arin. Lia smirked back at Lirael. "Let’s fight."

"Gladly," Lirael replied, her hands already glowing with magic.

Aurelian glanced after Ron. He’s going straight for Arin. If I can’t get first, I’ll settle for second. But before he could move, a blur of motion made him twist aside—just in time to avoid a cleaving strike from a heavy battle axe.

Torren Durnan stood there, grinning. "We teamed up to catch the badge thief, sure. But he’s gone now... so let’s fight."

Aurelian’s lips curved into a dangerous smile. From his size-reducing pouch, he drew a massive greatsword and slung it over his shoulder.

Torren’s eyes widened. "You look like some dignified noble... and that is your weapon?"

"Less talk," Aurelian said, stepping forward, "more fight."

The two clashed, their blows shaking the ground.

—

Meanwhile, some distance away, Ron finally closed in on Arin. The thief stopped, turning with a cocky grin.

"You ready?" Ron asked.

"I am," Arin replied. "My first boss."

"...What?" Ron blinked, thrown by the choice of words.

Arin didn’t explain. Instead, he drew a long spear from his pouch, lightning crackling faintly along its shaft as he sank into a fighting stance.

Ron smirked and pulled out his own spear. His magic flared—red-orange energy roaring around him. "I’m gonna beat the hell out of you for your little prank."

Arin’s eyes sparked yellow, thunder dancing across his form. "We’ll see."

Back in the observation chamber, Zane leaned closer to his lens feed, eyes narrowed. "First boss? This kid’s very suspicious..." Then he grinned. "Beat the hell out of him, Ron! Don’t disappoint me, kid!"

--

Ron’s grip tightened around his flaming spear, the red-orange aura roaring to life until it looked as if the weapon itself had been forged from molten fire.

Arin answered in kind—yellow sparks leaping wildly along his spear’s shaft, the air around him buzzing with a sharp, crackling electricity.

Neither spoke.

They charged.

The ground tore beneath their feet, flame and lightning colliding with a blinding flash as spear met spear. The impact sent a sharp shockwave rippling outward, rattling leaves and kicking up dust.

Both fighters sprang back in perfect sync, flipping through the air before landing exactly where they had started.

They grinned at each other.

This was going to be fun.