Cedric Vale stepped into the crystal-lit corridor.
His practice sword remained sheathed.
His expression was calm.
Almost relaxed.
Yet...
Every member of Squad Seven instinctively became alert.
Eric lowered his stance.
"So..."
"It’s really happening."
Cedric smiled politely.
"It appears so."
Noah stepped forward.
Keeping himself between Cedric and the squad’s banner.
"You came alone."
"I did."
"Your squad?"
Cedric glanced behind him.
"They’re elsewhere."
Eric frowned.
"You expect to beat all five of us?"
Cedric answered honestly.
"No."
"I expect to understand you."
The corridor fell silent.
Luna whispered,
"I don’t trust him."
Damien nodded slightly.
"Neither do I."
Cedric slowly unsheathed his wooden practice sword.
"I’m not here for your banner."
That made everyone pause.
"No?"
"No."
He pointed the sword toward Noah.
"I’m here for you."
The blue beacon continued glowing above Noah.
Cedric looked at it briefly before returning his attention to Noah.
"One duel."
"If I win..."
"You tell me how you became this strong."
"If you win..."
"I’ll leave."
Eric immediately stepped forward.
"Forget it."
"We’re in the middle of an assessment."
Cedric nodded.
"A reasonable response."
He lowered his sword.
"I’m not forcing you."
"I simply dislike unanswered questions."
Noah looked at Cedric for several seconds.
He didn’t sense arrogance.
Or hostility.
Only...
Curiosity.
Then...
Sophia suddenly spoke.
"Noah."
He glanced back.
She gave a tiny shake of her head.
Not because she doubted him.
Because she doubted the timing.
Damien added quietly,
"Our mission comes first."
Noah nodded.
Then looked back at Cedric.
"My answer is no."
Cedric didn’t react.
"You refuse?"
"I do."
"I won’t risk my squad’s assessment..."
"...to satisfy someone’s curiosity."
For several moments...
Neither moved.
Then...
Cedric smiled.
Not mockingly.
Genuinely.
"...Good."
Eric blinked.
"...Good?"
Cedric sheathed his sword.
"I’ve been watching you since the rankings."
"I wondered if your success had made you reckless."
"It hasn’t."
He gave Noah a respectful nod.
"You made the correct decision."
Before anyone could respond...
A whistle echoed through the maze.
One long.
Two short.
Cedric’s expression changed.
"My squad."
"They’re calling."
He stepped aside.
"Our paths will cross again, Blackwood."
"I look forward to that duel."
This time...
There was no challenge in his voice.
Only certainty.
As Cedric disappeared into another corridor...
Eric stared after him.
"...He’s even weirder than Cain."
Luna shrugged.
"At least he didn’t attack."
Noah remained thoughtful.
"He was testing something."
Damien nodded.
"And you passed."
The squad continued toward the exit.
The beacon above Noah continued to pulse every few seconds.
It was only a matter of time before another squad found them.
Ten minutes later...
The corridor opened into a massive circular chamber.
At its center stood a stone bridge leading toward a pair of enormous bronze gates.
Beyond them...
Daylight.
The exit.
Eric grinned.
"We made it!"
"...Not yet."
Damien’s voice was low.
He pointed toward the bridge.
Three squads already occupied the chamber.
Each carried their own banner.
Each had stopped advancing.
Because only one squad could cross the narrow bridge at a time.
One squad noticed Noah immediately.
"The blue beacon."
"They’re here."
Another student pointed.
"They still have their flag."
Within seconds...
Every squad in the chamber turned toward Squad Seven.
The room became deathly silent.
Eric sighed dramatically.
"...I knew it was too easy."
Luna drew her practice daggers.
Sophia tightened her grip on her staff.
Damien calmly unsheathed his blade.
Noah looked around.
Three squads.
Fifteen students.
One narrow bridge.
Fighting here would waste time.
Possibly eliminate everyone.
He took one step forward.
Then...
He did something none of the other squads expected.
He lowered his weapon.
"We all want the same thing."
Noah’s voice echoed through the chamber.
"To finish the assessment."
One of the opposing squad leaders scoffed.
"So?"
"So fighting here only helps the squads behind us."
Silence.
Several students exchanged uncertain glances.
Noah continued,
"One squad crosses."
"Then the next."
"No ambushes."
"No cheap shots."
"We all make it out."
A muscular student laughed.
"And why should we trust you?"
Before Noah could answer...
A calm voice came from another squad.
"Because..."
Cedric Vale stepped into the chamber from a side corridor.
"...he just refused to abandon his own mission for a duel."
The chamber grew quiet.
Cedric looked at the other squad leaders.
"If Blackwood gives his word..."
"I believe he’ll keep it."
One by one...
The tension eased.
Weapons slowly lowered.
Not because Noah was the strongest.
But because...
Someone respected by everyone else had vouched for him.
Damien glanced sideways at Noah.
Very quietly, he said,
"...That’s leadership."
Far above the maze...
Professor Ingrid watched the scene through a crystal screen.
One instructor frowned.
"They’re... negotiating?"
Professor Ingrid folded her arms.
"Exactly."
The instructor looked confused.
"But they could eliminate each other."
"They could."
She smiled faintly.
"...Or they could realize that winning doesn’t always require fighting."
Professor Astrid, standing beside her, watched Noah with quiet approval.
"He never tried to become the leader."
Professor Ingrid nodded.
"...Which is exactly why the others are already following him."
The chamber remained silent.
Three squads.
Three banners.
One narrow bridge leading to the exit.
No one moved.
Finally...
A girl wearing the insignia of Squad Nine lowered her spear.
"...He’s right."
Her teammates looked at her.
"If we fight now..."
"...someone else will simply take our banners."
One by one...
Heads nodded.
The muscular student who had laughed earlier clicked his tongue.
"Tch."
"I still don’t like it."
He looked at Noah.
"But..."
"...I’ll take the deal."
Cedric stepped back against the wall.
"I’ll observe."
Eric raised an eyebrow.
"You really aren’t going to interfere?"
Cedric folded his arms.
"I gave my word."
Noah looked around the chamber.
"Then let’s do this."
He pointed toward the nearest squad.
"You arrived first."
"You cross first."
The leader blinked.
"...Really?"
"You earned it."
The students exchanged surprised glances.
Nobody had expected Noah to willingly give another squad the advantage.
Professor Ingrid watched from the observation room.
A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
"He understands."
Professor Astrid nodded.
"He values trust more than position."
The first squad crossed the bridge.
No one attacked.
No one betrayed them.
When they reached the bronze gates...
A crystal above the doorway flashed.
Squad Three
Assessment Cleared
The gates opened.
The squad disappeared into the sunlight.
Nothing happened.
No ambush.
No trick.
The second squad looked relieved.
"Our turn."
They crossed safely.
Another flash.
Squad Nine
Assessment Cleared
Only Squad Seven and Cedric’s squad remained.
Cedric gestured politely.
"You first."
Noah shook his head.
"You’ve waited long enough."
Cedric smiled.
"You’re stubborn."
"So I’ve been told."
Cedric chuckled quietly.
Then he led his squad across the bridge.
As they reached the gates...
He looked back once.
"Our duel."
"Don’t forget."
Noah smiled.
"I won’t."
The gates opened.
Cedric disappeared.
Only Squad Seven remained.
Eric let out a dramatic sigh.
"We’re actually doing this peacefully."
Luna smirked.
"Don’t jinx it."
They stepped onto the bridge.
The blue beacon above Noah finally disappeared.
The leather case holding their banner felt lighter somehow.
Halfway across...
Sophia stopped walking.
"...Wait."
Everyone turned.
"What is it?"
She frowned.
"I sensed..."
She looked behind them.
"...Nothing."
Eric laughed.
"You scared me."
"I could’ve sworn..."
Before she could finish...
The chamber trembled.
RUMBLE...
The stone bridge shook violently.
Cracks spread across its surface.
Professor Astrid immediately stood.
"That’s not part of the assessment."
Professor Ingrid’s smile vanished.
"It shouldn’t be moving."
Deep beneath the maze...
Something awakened.
Not a monster.
Not a trap.
Something...
Ancient.
A low sound echoed through every corridor.
Not loud.
Not threatening.
Almost...
Like a sigh.
The same metallic chime Noah had heard when entering the maze returned.
Clang...
This time...
It was followed by words.
So faint that only Noah heard them.
"...Still... waiting..."
Noah’s eyes widened.
He stopped in the middle of the bridge.
"...Did you hear that?"
His teammates looked at him.
"Hear what?"
The voice faded.
As if it had never existed.
The trembling ceased.
The bridge became still once more.
Professor Ingrid’s communication crystal suddenly crackled.
An anxious instructor’s voice came through.
"Professor!"
"We’ve checked the maze’s monitoring system!"
"What is it?"
"...There’s..."
A pause.
"...There’s an unexplored section beneath the eastern wing."
Professor Ingrid frowned.
"Impossible."
"The original blueprints don’t show anything there."
"...They do now."
The room fell silent.
Outside the maze...
The bronze gates opened.
Squad Seven stepped into the sunlight.
A crystal above the entrance shone brightly.
Squad Seven
Assessment Cleared
Students waiting outside applauded as another team completed the trial.
Eric stretched his arms into the air.
"We did it!"
Luna smiled.
"Without losing anyone."
Damien looked toward Noah.
"...And without losing ourselves."
Noah smiled faintly.
But his thoughts remained elsewhere.
On the bridge...
On the voice.
On the words.
Still waiting.
He looked back at the ancient maze one last time.
For a brief moment...
He could have sworn...
One of the weathered stone statues inside had turned its head toward the exit.
When he blinked...
It was motionless again.
Far beneath the academy...
In a chamber untouched for centuries...
Dust drifted through the darkness.
A single iron door stood sealed by countless chains.
One of the chains...
Had developed a hairline crack.