CHAPTER 213: CHAPTER 213

After talking to Kairos, I headed back to the academy, carrying some snacks for Macaron and Glacier. On my way to the dorm, I noticed my friends waiting outside my room.

"We thought you were cooped up in your room, so we figured you couldn’t make it to our meeting earlier," Whitney explained as soon as she saw me.

"Oooh! I didn’t realize you noticed us coming here. What food did you bring?" Rex asked eagerly, trying to snatch the plastic bag full of food meant for Macaron and Glacier.

"These aren’t for you," I said, playfully kicking his butt away.

"Witch," Rex grumbled, rubbing his backside.

"Why are the rest of you here again?" I asked, opening the door, only to realize Glacier was inside.

"Of course, study session!" Rex answered enthusiastically.

"Study session or hangout session?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.

Some of them responded "study," others said "hangout," and Edge simply said, "I don’t care."

While they were answering, I swiftly pushed the door open wider and stepped inside before shutting it in their faces, leaving them stunned.

"Hey!" they all called out in unison.

"You can only enter if you have food to bring," I called out, walking over to where Macaron and Glacier were sleeping.

"Glacier, Macaron," I gently woke them up as they opened their eyes lazily. "The two of you should go to Glacier’s enclosure for a while, okay? My friends are here, and I don’t want them to be shocked seeing Glacier."

"But why also me?" Macaron whined, his voice sleepy.

"I don’t want Glacier to be alone in his enclosure, so make sure to keep an eye on him," I explained.

"No! I don’t wan—" I cut him off by showing him the plastic bag full of their food.

"Of course, master!" Macaron quickly changed his tone. "We could even stay there for a week!"

I handed the plastic bag to him. "Make sure to give the steak to Glacier," I warned.

"Yeah, yeah! We’re going now. Bye, master!" Macaron said, turning to Glacier. "Let’s go!"

Glacier yawned, rubbing against me affectionately before teleporting with Macaron to his enclosure.

Once they were gone, I turned back to the door and opened it slightly. "Did the food arrive?"

"We already ordered it. Now will you let us in?" Angela replied impatiently.

"Sure," I said, opening the door wider and stepping aside to let them in. I headed to the living room and sat down on the couch.

"Where’s that grumpy owl of yours?" Rex asked as he plopped down on the floor, stretching his legs out.

"He left since he doesn’t want to see your face," I shot back, a smirk playing on my lips.

Christian chortled, unable to hold back his laughter. "Burn..." he murmured.

Rex glared at him for a moment before turning back to me with a more docile expression. "Can you please help me with this one?" he said, showing me the same equation that had been troubling him since yesterday.

I sighed, glancing at the paper. "Alright, let’s break it down together."

As I explained the steps, the rest of the group settled in around us, some grabbing snacks while others pulled out their own study materials.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Final Exams

The week for final exams had finally arrived. As always, I breezed through the written exams with ease, but my anxiety was mounting for the physical combat exam. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad would happen again, just like in the previous physical combat exams.

When the time for the physical combat exam came, I found myself staring at the floating structure in front of me: the Sky Tower.

The Sky Tower is a towering construct that looks like a traditional tower from the outside. However, its true uniqueness lies in its internal design: instead of a simple spiral staircase or a straight corridor, the path inside twists and turns like a maze, spiraling upward in a complex pattern. The pathways branch, loop, and sometimes even double back on themselves, demanding careful navigation and quick thinking to find the correct route to the summit. At the very top, an instructor or guardian records the time it takes each participant to reach the peak.

"This will be your physical combat exam! You can enter the Sky Labyrinth by stepping through a portal. Once you go inside, you’ll be sent to a random location. Now line up and enter the portal!" the instructor announced, his voice echoing through the air.

When it was finally my turn, I took a deep breath and stepped into the portal. The world around me faded into darkness, and I felt a strange sensation as if I were being pulled through a tunnel.

Suddenly, I emerged into a dimly lit chamber within the labyrinth. The air was cool, and the walls were lined with intricate carvings that seemed to shift and change as I looked at them. I quickly assessed my surroundings, noting the various paths that branched out before me.

I instinctively used my Gift, trying to see through the walls to map out the labyrinth. But before I could get a clear picture, a sudden flashbang exploded before my eyes, blinding me with a bright, searing light. "Arghh! Fuck!" I shouted, squinting and blinking rapidly as my vision blurred. The tower’s magic or structure seemed to prevent me from fully using my Gift—like an invisible barrier blocking my sight beyond a certain point.

As I struggled to regain my focus, the flickering torches along the walls suddenly burst into bright light, illuminating every corridor and pathway in the chamber. The shifting carvings on the walls paused as if caught in a moment of stillness.

Then, a holographic image materialized on the wall before me:

"Begin the climb. The fastest to reach the top will be the top one."

With my Gift rendered useless inside the labyrinth, I realized that certainly some of the others’ as well was gone. Everyone would be relying solely on their instincts, experience, and quick thinking now. That leveled the playing field in a way, but it also meant I had to be extra cautious.

I decided to move forward, walking carefully along the pathways, scanning for any signs or clues. Soon enough, I spotted a narrow bridge stretching across a deep chasm. It connected to another pathway ahead. The bridge looked unstable and rigged with traps. It was obviously a trap, but I looked around and saw no other options. The only way forward was to cross the bridge.

I stepped and walked halfway through the bridge when suddenly, without warning, axes swung down from hidden mechanisms on either side of the bridge, aiming straight for me.

Reacting swiftly, I dodged to the side, feeling the rush of wind as the blades narrowly missed. The axes retracted just as quickly as they appeared, leaving me standing on the trembling bridge, adrenaline surging through my veins. I took a deep breath, steadying myself, but as I took another step forward, I sensed something was wrong. The moment I shifted my weight, a faint click echoed beneath my feet.

Suddenly, the bridge beneath me snapped in two. My eyes widened in shock as I tumbled downward, plummeting onto a rough, uneven platform below with a jarring thud.

While I was scanning the surroundings, I saw another figure fall from above—someone else caught in the same trap. Instinctively, I stepped aside just as the person landed beside me, both of us battered but alive.

’Why am I so out of luck these days? Why did it have to be Edge?’ I groaned inwardly, frustration bubbling up.

"What are you groaning for?" Edge asked, brushing himself off as he stood up.

I shot him a quick glance, then responded with a strained smile. "I fell down—that’s why I was groaning from the pain." I managed a crooked grin, trying to mask my annoyance.

"Don’t smile; my eyes hurt just by seeing you," Edge shot back, rolling his eyes as he walked forward.

The smile I was wearing quickly turned into a frown as I flipped him the middle finger when he suddenly turned around. I quickly hid my hand behind my back. "What are you doing?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What?" I said innocently, trying to play it cool.

"Let’s go find the exit," Edge said, his tone bored as he started to move away from the platform.

I raised an eyebrow at his sudden motion. Seriously, he wants me to accompany him? Doesn’t he hate me?

"Witch," Edge muttered in annoyance, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Okay! I’m coming!" I said, hurriedly following him while keeping a careful distance between us.

As we navigated the dark, twisting corridors of the labyrinth, the silence between us was thick but not uncomfortable. I kept my eyes peeled for traps or sudden danger, while Edge moved with confidence ahead of me.

Eventually, we found ourselves standing in front of a heavy stone door.

"I guess we need to find a way to open this door," I murmured, scanning the area for any hidden switches or mechanisms. After a moment, my eyes caught a faintly glowing lever concealed in the wall. I reached out and tried to pull it. Nothing happened. I pulled again, but still, no response. I tried pushing and pulling for a few more minutes, frustration mounting, before finally giving up. I scratched my head in annoyance.

"Is this lever broken?" I muttered silently.

"Let’s pull at the same time," Edge suddenly suggested, looking at me with a faint smirk.

I turned to see that he was also holding a lever on the opposite side of the door. My jaw dropped. He didn’t even bother to inform me? This spoiled brat.

I prevented myself for cursing at him and instead forced a smile on my face. "On three... two... one!"

We both pulled the levers simultaneously. There was a loud grinding noise as the stone door began to shift, slowly creaking open to reveal a dimly lit passage beyond.