The next day, whispers spread across the academy.
Tower Entry Trials – Advanced Division were opening early this year. Only the top 50 students would be chosen. It was a surprise announcement, and tension flooded every classroom.
For everyone else, it was a chance to shine.
For Lohan, it was a test run for vengeance.
---
Training Grounds – Combat Evaluation
"Next duel—Lohan Ardyn versus Cairn Dreyl."
The crowd chuckled. Some even booed.
Cairn was a D-rank warrior with solid mana control and an ego bigger than the training hall. Lohan was known for… well, nothing.
But when they stepped into the ring, something shifted.
Cairn smirked. "Don't worry, I'll go easy."
Lohan didn't answer. He activated his system silently.
> [Skill Equipped: Windflame Slash (B-Rank).]
[Passive: Combat Memory (EX) Activated.]
The whistle blew.
Cairn lunged forward with a heavy blade, boosted by mana. His attacks were fast and aggressive—but to Lohan, it was all slow motion.
One step left. Duck. Twist. Cut.
In three seconds, Lohan dodged five swings and grazed Cairn's arm with a sharp, blazing arc of wind and fire.
The crowd gasped.
"What the hell—?!"
> [Victory: Duel Complete.]
[New Title Unlocked: Hidden Blade.]
[Reputation slightly increased.]
He didn't wait for cheers or praise. He simply walked away.
Winter, watching from the stands, smiled faintly.
Justine, watching from far above through a divine mirror, clenched her jaw.
---
Later That Night
In a dream, Lohan stood at the base of the Tower again.
It loomed in the dark, its gates sealed, its floors alive with memories.
But something was different.
He wasn't alone.
A shadowy figure stood next to him—the ghost of his old self, bloodied and grinning.
"You're late," the ghost said. "Time to start killing gods again."
---