Jihoon tightened the strap on his cloak, fingers brushing against the worn fabric. The material was a gift from his father—a man who'd passed away three years ago—and still carried the faint scent of old incense. His mind drifted back to that final memory:
" Sometimes, son, surviving isn't about being the strongest. It's about adapting when everyone else is busy dying stupidly."
Truly inspirational parenting.
"Survival Orientation: Commencing. " A booming voice echoed through the arena, vibrating in their bones. Its commanding tone demanded obedience.
Jihoon glanced up at the voice booming over the speakers, a grimace pulling at his lips. The booming voice sounded like it was straight out of Dragon Ball Z—the kind of voice that announces the start of an epic tournament or a fight to the death.
[Objective: Secure points through combat and environmental survival.]
[Warning: Bottom 10% will be permanently sealed.]
[Top 5% will earn access to Restricted Archives and Personal Mentorship.]
Jihoon's throat tightened. The silence felt suffocating. It was always like this before the storm. 'No pressure,' he muttered, the words barely a whisper, as if the universe might be listening. He ran his fingers over the dragon scale embedded in his chest. The heat pulsed against his skin, a fleeting reminder that maybe—just maybe—he wasn't as alone as he felt. But as the labyrinth shifted, the doubt crept in—Am I really ready for this? He shook the thought off, but the question lingered.
Ren, standing beside him, adjusted his cracked goggles—salvaged from his time in the Underground Labs. His scarred hands twitched nervously as he replied, "Pressure is an illusion. Death, however, is not."
Evan remained silent, as always. His sharp gaze scanned the surroundings, but then his eyes lingered on Ren for a moment, watching his trembling hands. Without a word, Evan adjusted his pace, moving just slightly ahead, as if creating a buffer. A quiet, protective gesture, one that felt far more dangerous than any blade.
Jihoon had learned long ago that Evan's silence often spoke louder than words.
A sudden rumble shattered the tension. The ground beneath them shook violently as towering walls of obsidian twisted and reformed, creating a labyrinth that pulsed with ominous blue light.
"That," Jihoon muttered, staring at the shifting structure before them, "is either an aggressive obstacle course or a demonic stomach."
A deafening roar split the sky. Without warning, the students were flung into the maze, scattered like leaves in a hurricane.
The Living Labyrinth: Worse Up Close
"The labyrinth pulsed unnervingly beneath his feet, its walls shifting and breathing. Jihoon paused for a moment, a chill running down his spine. The place didn't feel like it was simply alive—it felt like it was watching them."
Its walls pulsed with sickly blue light, undulating like veins pumping mana-infused blood. The ground beneath Jihoon's feet seemed to breathe, rising and falling in slow, deliberate motions. His Adaptive Resonance flared instinctively, the rare ability to mirror magical signatures flooding his system with information.
"This place…" Ren whispered, awe and terror mingling in his voice. His hands moved through intricate gestures, weaving spells of entropy and chaos. "The magical chaos levels are insane. It's like someone took pure dragon magic and gave it a mind of its own."
Evan's eyes narrowed. "I've seen something like this before," he said, his tone grim. "But it was… much less friendly."
Jihoon felt the fragment of ancient dragon scale embedded in his chest flare to life. Its heat spread through his body like wildfire, pulsing in sync with the labyrinth's dark rhythm. It wasn't just an object anymore—it was part of him. And he could feel its energy pulling from the walls around them.
"This is bad," Jihoon muttered, his voice laced with tension. "But we're not just fighting each other. We're fighting this place."
Crisis 1: Mana Storm and an Unexpected Beast
Minutes into the trial, the first crisis hit—a Mana Storm .
A violent cyclone of raw magic tore through the labyrinth, warping walls like they were made of paper. Paths twisted and reformed in an instant. Jihoon's Resonance flared in his mind, the raw power of the storm coiling around him like a web spun by a frenzied spider. His heart raced as the labyrinth seemed to close in on him, the air thick with the scent of ozone and impending doom.
A crystalline predator erupted from the wall with a deafening crack, shards of stone spraying like shrapnel. Its six razor-sharp legs scraped against the ground, emitting a metallic screech that sent chills down Jihoon's spine. Its jaw snapped open, revealing rows of jagged teeth dripping with liquid mana.
"Well, that's not ominous," Jihoon watched the creature's razor-sharp legs scrape the ground, his lips twitching with a grimace. 'Great. First giant glowing spiders, now flying toasters with grudges. What's next?
Before the beast could strike again, Jihoon moved. Lightning Step surged through him, the air snapping with electric tension as his body blurred forward. His heart thundered in his chest, a chaotic rhythm, and the ground beneath his feet felt like it was miles away. The beast's snapping jaws barely missed his heels. He hit the ground hard, adrenaline pumping through his veins like molten lava—too close. Way too close.
"Jihoon!" Ren shouted, weaving his hands through frantic gestures to stabilize the chaotic energy. Jihoon barely had time to react when Evan moved—a flash of silver—and the beast collapsed mid-air, bisected cleanly, its body shattering like glass. Evan wiped his blade without a glance, his gaze meeting Jihoon's. The unspoken message was clear: More are coming. Jihoon nodded, barely catching his breath. "Great. I've officially joined the monster slaying club."
"Okay," Jihoon gasped, still catching his breath, sweat trickling down his forehead. That was too much… 'New plan. Never, ever separate.' He grinned despite the overwhelming fear. It was the only thing that made sense in this hellhole.
Ren stumbled, sparks crackling from his fingertips. 'Entropy magic and moving targets don't mix. Let's just not get eaten, okay?' His breath was ragged, his body trembling like a puppet on fraying strings. 'I'd rather not be dinner for a giant glowing spider.
The Unlikely Alliance Forms
The labyrinth wasn't just attacking them. It was testing them, forcing them to confront each other's strengths and weaknesses. Individually, they would have been shredded. But together?
Together, they had a chance.
Ren's entropy magic—chaotic and unpredictable—helped stabilize the environment long enough for them to keep moving. Evan's precise strikes kept them safe, his blade cutting down every threat that came too close. Jihoon's adaptability—his uncanny ability to mirror both magic and movement—was the glue that held them together.
"Let's keep moving," Jihoon said, his voice steady despite the adrenaline pumping through his veins. "We survive together, or we don't survive at all."
Ren grinned despite the strain on his face, wiping the sweat off his brow. ""I wasn't expecting to survive this long. What are we, geniuses now?" Ren grinned, though exhaustion painted his face. "Geniuses? Probably not. But I'll take 'lucky' any day." Jihoon rolled his eyes, trying not to trip over his own feet as he jogged along. "Lucky? Dude, we're not geniuses—we're just too stubborn to die.
"Bro, we're basically budget Team 7, but nobody's allowed to be Sasuke."
But yeah, I'll take 'lucky'... and maybe a new pair of shoes after this hellhole."
Emotional Energy and the Power of Cooperation
Hours passed, and the labyrinth seemed to grow more malevolent, feeding off their fear and aggression. Jihoon watched as a group of students fought for survival—only for the labyrinth to collapse behind them, consuming both victor and victim alike.
"Okay, here's the deal," Jihoon said, watching the chaos unfold. "The more you fight, the more it fights back. It's like this place has an emotional radar. Keep stressing out, and it gets stronger. Basically, this labyrinth is like a toddler on a sugar rush. A toddler who wants to see you dead. Great, right?"
Jihoon absorbed Evan's words, nodding silently. As calm as Evan was, Jihoon couldn't help but feel the weight of his training. Control. Survival. Jihoon clenched his fists, feeling the weight of his father's teachings—surviving wasn't about strength, it was about not letting the chaos swallow you whole. 'Yeah, I get it,' Jihoon thought, trying to steady his breath. 'Keep it together, Jihoon.'
Jihoon wiped his brow, the bitter laugh escaping his throat. 'So, we just bottle up our terror and hope we don't get eaten, huh?' He looked around, the absurdity of it all settling in like an old, uncomfortable sweater. 'Funny... this chaos feels way too familiar.
"'Yep,' Evan replied simply, his voice a steady, humorless counterpoint to Jihoon's exasperation."
"Perfect," Jihoon muttered, stepping carefully around the wreckage of the last encounter. "Just perfect."
Chapter 13: The Ambush at Twilight – Coming Soon…
📝 Author's Note:
Hey legends, real talk for a second—
We're getting views (which is AMAZING and thank you ❤️), but a lot of you are lurking quietly without dropping a follow, a like, a comment, or even a tiny review.
And that's totally okay if you're shy! No pressure at all.
But—if you're enjoying Jihoon's wild journey even a little bit,
a quick comment, a review, or even just hitting that follow button really helps me more than you know. 🐉✨
It tells the algorithm dragons, "Hey, this chaotic mess is worth watching."
And it tells me that you're out there, surviving Dragon Academy alongside Jihoon.
Even just a "🛡️ still alive" comment would make my day.
Thanks for being here. You're awesome. 🖤
Now back to the chaos—
🎤 Jihoon's Reaction:
"Translation:
• Writer: Please leave a comment, it gives me emotional mana.
• Me: PLEASE VALIDATE MY TERRIBLE LIFE CHOICES SO I CAN KEEP BEING DRAGGED THROUGH MAGICAL DEATH TRIALS WITH DIGNITY.
Seriously though. You reading this? You breathing? Congratulations, you're officially part of the cursed squad now. Hope you've packed your sense of humor, because you're about to watch me stumble my way through more magical deathtraps. Trust me, it'll be a wild ride. You might even laugh… or cry. Either one works
Congratulations, you're officially part of the cursed squad now.
Might as well drop a comment before the next boss fight eats us both."