The morning of the fourth day arrived cloaked in a strange, reddish hue.
The skies above Mysterious Academy shimmered unnaturally, as if the heavens themselves were holding their breath. Floating above the academy grounds, the artificial sky dome slowly shifted into a deeper gradient of crimson, painting the clouds like spilled wine.
Somewhere within the administrative towers, an emergency alert chimed.
Magical Veil Detected. Atmospheric Condition: Hunter's Moon.
This was not an omen of danger. Not exactly.
Rather, the Hunter's Moon was a rare atmospheric event caused when Mysterious Academy's floating landmass passed through a fragment of a magical leyline storm—remnants of ancient world mana still drifting in the upper realms.
It didn't occur often. And when it did, it usually meant one thing.
Combat beasts grow unstable.
---
Observation Dome – Subtle Chaos
"The Hunter's Moon?" Nova's voice rose in delighted surprise as she looked out through the dome's panoramic window. Her teal eyes reflected the ominous sky. "How exciting."
Lily's expression was much less amused. Her fingers tapped sharply against the edge of her seat, her pupils narrowing. "This is a bad sign. Magical creatures go rabid during it."
"And yet…" Kaelen Raventhorn, Vice Headmaster, stood at the far edge of the chamber, arms folded beneath his long cloak. "The trials have not been suspended."
All heads turned to the man in the center of the balcony—calm, composed, holding a cup of tea as if nothing were wrong.
Aaron Aetherwyn.
He gave the sky a thoughtful glance and let out a quiet hum. "So this is the Hunter's Moon."
Nova smiled. "You're familiar with it?"
Aaron nodded. "Yeah… the atmosphere reminds me of tomato soup."
Lily closed her eyes slowly. "That's not—"
"I like soup," Aaron continued wistfully. "And this weather's kind of nice. I think it'll help the students focus. Nothing like pressure to build resilience."
The instructors around them nearly choked.
Pressure?
This weather would push mid-tier beasts into frenzy. It was the worst time for student combat.
But none dared question Aaron. His aura had already silenced greater mages.
Lily scowled and muttered under her breath, "He has no idea how terrifying he sounds."
---
Combat Field Alpha – Fear Before the Fight
A thin, pale boy stood just inside the arena entrance, legs trembling. The crimson sky overhead made his silver hair look bloody.
From the stands above, he spotted Aaron seated with arms folded, eyes sharp and unreadable, staring directly into the field.
The boy collapsed.
"I—I forfeit!"
He ran from the field before the beast was even summoned.
Aaron blinked. "Was he feeling unwell?"
Lily pinched the bridge of her nose. "He looked into your eyes for half a second."
"Oh," Aaron murmured, frowning. "Do I need to blink more?"
Nova cackled behind him. "No, darling. You need to blink less. The fear is part of the charm."
---
Combat Trial – Rye Grell
The next match opened with minimal fanfare.
A short, wiry teen named Rye Grell walked into the arena. No enchanted cloak, no flashy stance, no noble sigil. Just worn boots, a dagger, and rope hanging from his belt.
His opponent: a flame-lizard troll hybrid—agile, dangerous, and one of the fastest combat beasts introduced in this section of trials.
Aaron tilted his head. "That kid looks underprepared."
Kaelen murmured, "Let's see what he does."
The match began.
Instantly, Rye darted sideways—not toward the beast, but toward a jagged wall section. He kicked up a loose stone, flung it over the beast's shoulder, then sprinted the opposite direction.
The beast spun to chase the noise.
Aaron narrowed his eyes. "Misdirection."
Lily leaned forward slightly, intrigued despite herself.
Rye circled the arena rapidly, tossing stones, setting simple trip ropes, and luring the beast into chaotic patterns. Eventually, it got tangled. The boy lunged—plunged his dagger into the beast's exposed neck—and rolled away before it could counter.
The beast staggered.
Down.
Complete silence followed.
Aaron blinked. "He's clever."
He didn't realize he'd said it aloud.
All instructors froze.
Axel, scribbling in a shadowed corner, turned pale. He just wrote:
"Aaron labels threat as 'clever.' Increase distance. Eliminate if needed."
Meanwhile, Rye Grell stared up at the balcony and slowly backed out of the arena, assuming he'd just been marked for destruction.
---
Combat Trial – Velis Noxen
Next was a quiet, silver-haired girl named Velis Noxen.
Her file marked her as an orphan from the Obsidian Marshes—region known for old necromantic bloodlines.
Her opponent: a steel-tusked hellboar.
Velis stepped forward, raised her hand, and calmly cast a forbidden shadow bind—binding the creature's legs in dark chains without chanting.
No emotion. No words. Just perfect execution.
The boar was subdued in under ten seconds.
Lily's eyes narrowed. "That's… not first-year level."
Aaron said softly, "She reminds me of someone I knew…"
Everyone turned slowly.
Kaelen whispered, "She's… from the Netherblood line, isn't she?"
A nearby instructor dropped his clipboard.
Nova's voice was teasing, but her stare was serious. "And who does she remind you of, Aaron?"
He replied honestly, "My cat. Midnight. She was quiet but efficient. Kept bringing me dead birds."
Nova laughed so hard she nearly fell off her seat.
The rest of the staff believed Velis was the rebirth of a shadow monarch.
---
Combat Trial – Saria Vonn
Noble-born, third daughter of the Vonn house.
She walked into the ring determined to leave a mark.
She overcharged a spell—a flame lance infused with wind mana—and tried to launch it directly into the beast's skull.
The spell misfired.
It exploded mid-air, fragments raining toward the audience.
Gasps.
Panic.
Then—
Aaron frowned and lightly tapped his teacup to stabilize it.
That tiny motion unleashed a controlled burst of pressure from his aura that dispersed the explosion particles in mid-air—like popping soap bubbles with invisible force.
Silence.
Saria looked up, eyes wide. "I… I've been saved."
She bowed deeply toward Aaron, eyes glistening. "Thank you, Grandmaster."
Aaron blinked. "Who?"
---
Elsewhere – Axel's Spiral Continues
While the trials moved forward under the eerie crimson sky, one particular participant sat in a shaded corner of the spectator platform, scribbling furiously in a leather-bound notebook.
Axel Myrravelle.
His face was pale. His hands trembled.
On the open page were dozens of scrawled contingency plans, each one more deranged than the last.
> Plan A: Maintain calm. Smile. Act unremarkable.
Plan B: Fake magical exhaustion. Request healer.
Plan C: Cry. Convince observers I'm just a "sensitive soul."
Plan D: Use disguise scroll. Pretend to be someone else.
Plan E: Die temporarily. Use potion of deathlike sleep.
He underlined Plan E twice.
"I looked into his eyes," Axel whispered, staring at Aaron from a distance. "He's not human."
His friend sitting next to him—another commoner who had joined the exam with high hopes—patted his shoulder awkwardly. "You're overthinking. He's just quiet."
"Quiet?" Axel hissed. "Quiet is how death walks."
His eyes locked on Aaron again.
The man sat on the balcony, watching with calm detachment. His long coat fluttered in the windless air, tea never spilling, posture perfect.
Just then, Aaron sneezed.
A nearby statue cracked down the middle.
Axel shrieked and scribbled,
> Confirmed: His breath cracks stone.
---
Observation Dome – Lily's Suspicion Grows
Back in the observation dome, Lily sat with arms crossed and jaw tight. She wasn't afraid—Lily Virelith was never afraid—but she was frustrated.
Aaron hadn't said a word to her since breakfast.
Not that she cared.
Obviously.
It's not like she wanted him to acknowledge how well she'd handled the logistical chaos of the morning. Or how she'd personally stabilized three injured candidates when the medical teams were late. Or how she'd warded the arena herself while most instructors hesitated under the Hunter's Moon.
She didn't want praise.
She just wanted him to say something.
Instead, he watched the matches like a monk studying clouds. Calm. Distant. Silent.
"What is he thinking…?" Lily muttered.
Nova leaned toward her with a knowing grin. "You like him."
"I will burn you alive."
Nova only giggled. "So feisty. Just admit it. Our dear Aaron's mystery aura gets to you."
Lily refused to answer. Mostly because she was wondering what he was thinking.
Aaron, at that moment, was thinking about tomato soup.
---
Combat Trial – Kirin Zecht
The next combatant was one of the few who walked into the arena without fear.
Kirin Zecht, a fourth-generation battle-mage with noble lineage from the Western Highlands. Tall, blonde, confident, carrying a long staff carved with storm runes.
He bowed slightly to the audience, then summoned a crackling spear of lightning to his side. The air hissed with static.
His opponent: a frost-scaled basilisk—lethal with its breath and armored hide.
Aaron observed quietly.
Kirin didn't waste time.
He launched into combat with fluid, disciplined strikes, weaving fire into lightning for elemental overload. His movement was elegant. His expression calm. His power: controlled.
But midway through the battle, Kirin's eyes flicked up—just for a second—to the balcony.
To Aaron.
And then—he stumbled.
Just slightly.
His next spell misaligned and singed his sleeve.
He won the fight anyway, but the slip was noted.
Kirin bowed again before exiting, sweat trailing his brow.
Nova whispered, "Even he's shaken."
Aaron tilted his head. "Did he trip on something?"
Kaelen sighed. "Not quite."
---
Closing Matches of the Day
A few more students fought before sunset.
Some succeeded through grit and courage. Others failed spectacularly. One student cast a spell and accidentally turned himself into a duck. Another ran screaming from the ring after the magical beast simply sneezed.
Aaron thought they were all quite brave.
He didn't realize his subtle nods and soft remarks were being treated like prophecies.
By the time the final match concluded and the healing teams were deployed, rumors had already spread.
> "If Aaron Aetherwyn nods at you, your soul has seven days left."
"If he blinks slowly, it means he respects your power—but also your funeral is tomorrow."
"They say he drinks tea brewed with phoenix tears."
Aaron stood at the edge of the dome, stretching his arms.
"I hope tomorrow is less stressful," he said aloud.
Below, several students fainted.
Lily stared at him. "Why would you say that?"
Aaron blinked. "Because I'm tired?"
Nova snorted, "You just declared war on tomorrow."
---