Will of the Battlefield

Thane, by the time the second trial ended, had become one of the rare few monsters in others’ eyes.

The monster who shatters the dreams of others not by destroying them but by creating a very high standard.

The third stage was about pain tolerance. This stage frightened people the most.

Candidates were led into a massive hall filled with strange rune formations. Many looked nervous.

The bald instructor spoke. "Pain is unavoidable for warriors. Broken bones, wounds, burns, and exhaustion.

If pain alone defeats you... you will die on a battlefield."

Nobody argued. The blessed runes activated. Candidates entered individual testing circles.

Then the pain began, no physical damage occurred.

The runes directly inflicted pure, explosive pain on the candidates without a way to defend against it.

Candidates immediately screamed, some fell over. Others gritted their teeth.

The trial continued escalating, the intensity increased every minute. Many participants surrendered.

Thane stood quietly inside his circle.

He found the first level was unpleasant, the second was annoying, and the third became uncomfortable. By the fourth level, candidates everywhere were collapsing.

The fifth level began. The hall echoed with screams, only dozens remained.

The judges observed carefully. A woman judge pointed toward Thane. "He hasn’t moved."

"Indeed. The giant remained standing still as if nothing happened," said another.

The sixth level activated.

Several surviving candidates lost consciousness.

Thane gritted his teeth.

The seventh level, only ten candidates remained.

One judge frowned. "Does he not feel pain?"

Of course he did. Thane simply had a different perspective.

Growing up with Eudora had created unusual standards.

Compared to being repeatedly thrown through swords and hammers by his older sister, this wasn’t that impressive. Then the eighth level began.

The test went on. The judges merely wanted to see the limits of Thane.

Only three candidates remained. The judges looked genuinely shocked now.

The giant teenager was still standing, calmly with his eyes closed.

The ninth level, the final candidate besides Thane, collapsed.

The hall became silent, only one person remained standing. Thane.

"Activate the tenth level," a judge said.

"Are you insane? Do you want to kill this kid? What we are doing is already not allowed," the other judge refused.

The instructors and judges stared at Thane.

Thane looked around, releasing a big, deep sigh. "Am I done?"

The bald instructor slowly nodded. "...Pass."

After a moment of relaxation, the call was heard.

The final stage of the first trial arrived, there was not enough time for relaxation.

It was time to test stamina.

By now, less than ten percent of the original candidates remained.

Thousands had entered, barely hundreds survived.

The trial took place upon an enormous circular track surrounding the academy grounds.

The rules were simple.

Run. No abilities, no pressure. Run until you cannot.

Candidates immediately began moving, the pace started manageable.

Hours passed as the pace increased.

By that point, candidates dropped out one after another.

The surviving participants grew fewer and fewer.

Thane continued running, his breathing remained steady.

He thought he would fail this test, but his giant frame moved surprisingly efficiently.

The instructors began watching him constantly.

Most large warriors exhausted themselves quickly, they expected the same from Thane as well.

The giant seemed born for endurance. As evening approached, fewer than a hundred candidates remained.

And slowly the number dropped into two digits.

The judges looked increasingly interested. One candidate collapsed, then another.

Soon only five remained. Then three and eventually, two.

A lean runner from the countryside and Thane.

The crowd cheered, both had become the final survivors.

The other candidate pushed forward desperately.

His legs trembled, his lungs burned, and his vision was blurred.

Meanwhile, Thane was sweaty. He was gasping for air, but his running was not hindered.

Finally, the other youth collapsed and the race ended.

Silence spread as every eye turned toward the giant teenager.

Thane stopped running and raised his hand.

"Can I get some goat milk?"

The entire stadium erupted into laughter, even several judges smiled.

Above the field, the representatives of the Top Ten Academies exchanged meaningful looks.

A monstrous physique, absurd strength, ridiculous endurance, exceptional stamina, and inhuman pain tolerance.

One judge quietly wrote something onto a document.

"Candidate 774. Priority Observation."

Far below, unaware of the attention he had attracted, Thane was already wondering whether the academy cafeteria served meat.

The Body Trial ended just as the sun began to sink beyond the western walls of the academy grounds.

The eliminated candidates were escorted away, some dejected, others angry, and a few simply relieved that the torture known as the Body Trial had finally ended.

The successful candidates, meanwhile, were guided toward temporary dormitories built specifically for the examination period.

The academy complex was enormous. Entire districts existed solely for students.

Rows of dormitories stretched across the northern section of the grounds, while large dining halls and various training facilities occupied the center.

As the exhausted candidates settled down into their assigned rooms, a single announcement echoed throughout the academy.

"The Second Trial will commence tomorrow morning."

The news started murmurs across the vast section. While some candidates returned to their rooms to rest, others gathered in groups to discuss strategies.

Many began speculating about what the next trial would involve.

Thane, however, was not concerned. He was only hungry.

The dining hall was enormous.

Long wooden tables stretched from one end of the chamber to the other.

Hundreds of candidates filled the room.

The atmosphere was lively.

After surviving the Body Trial, everyone felt somewhat accomplished.

Many candidates exchanged stories, others exaggerated their performances, a few openly lied.

Thane sat at a table near the center. A mountain of food occupied his side of the table.

Several candidates nearby stared. One eventually gathered enough courage to ask, "How many plates is that?"

Thane looked down and counted. "Twelve."

The candidate blinked. "Twelve?"

Thane nodded. "I was hungry."

The nearby group fell silent. A moment later, one of them laughed, and soon the entire table joined in.

Unlike many physically gifted candidates who acted arrogant after the trial, Thane remained surprisingly approachable.

He joked easily, shared food when asked, and answered questions honestly.

Before long, a crowd had gathered around him.

Most wanted to hear about his ridiculous Body Trial performance.

"Three hundred twelve points in strength?" One candidate looked horrified. "How?"

Thane shrugged. "I punched it," stating the obvious.

Several people groaned. "That’s not an explanation."

Another candidate laughed. "I saw him during the endurance trial."

"You did?"

The youth nodded. "He yawned."

The entire table erupted into laughter.

Someone pointed accusingly. "You monster."

"I thought my spine was breaking."

"I nearly passed out."

"You yawned."

Thane scratched his head. "I was tired."

The candidates looked like they wanted to throw bread at him. A few actually did, and the giant laughed.

For the first time all day, the pressure of the examinations disappeared.

The atmosphere became warm, relaxed, and friendly.

Then the laughter died.

Several candidates suddenly looked toward the entrance as they became nervous. The room’s atmosphere noticeably shifted.

Thane blinked. "Hm?" He turned.

A large group had entered the dining hall. Their clothing immediately attracted attention.

Black uniforms trimmed with silver. A silver wolf insignia embroidered upon their chests.

The symbol was recognizable even to commoners.

The Drevlorn Dynasty.