"Alright, that's enough for today," Chen Ling said, stopping the students from answering any more questions. "Prepare for the Trial of Shadows. I'm sure Mr. Spinazola is already waiting for you."

"Trial of Shadows? What class is this?" Yan asked Jack.

"It's not a class; it's a test given to all students in the left court," Jack explained. "Once a week, on random days, at random times, we gather at the training grounds to enter the Realm of Shadows."

"And what's the test about?" Yan asked, following Jack and the rest of the students out of the class.

"Testing your resilience and mental fortitude. At least, that's what the teachers say. We believe it's more of a way to select the best of us. After all, only a part of the students in the left court will be allowed to enter the central court next year," Jack replied.

"What's the deal with the left, right, and central court?" Yan asked, not having had enough time to familiarize himself with all the information in the guide.

"Everyone starts in the left court after being admitted to the academy. But after the first year, there will be a selection. The best of us will be accepted into the central court, while the rest will continue in the right court. You could say that the central court is where all the prodigies from around the world are gathered," Jack explained.

"Sounds fun," Yan said. "So, our goal in the first year is to become good enough to make it to the central court, right?"

"You make it sound easy, but things are much more complicated. There are many rumors about the central court, so we can't say for sure if they're true or not, but I heard that everyone who gets accepted there graduates as an S Rank," Jack said.

"It's hard to believe," Yan replied.

"I know, but you might not be aware. There are people here in the left court who are already Rank A."

"You're joking." Yan halted his advance.

"I'm not. However, the academy keeps them hidden, and only their mentors know the truth," Jack said.

"They must be older than us then," Yan said, not willing to believe that someone his age could already be Rank A.

"Yan, the academy doesn't accept students older than twenty-three," Jack clarified.

"They could've taken drugs." Yan resumed his walk.

"After the first year, rigorous tests will be taken. If someone took drugs and their development stagnates, they will never be allowed to enter the central court. Even if they reach Rank S," Jack explained.

"How do you know so much?"

"I have an older brother who came here a few years ago. He was the best in my clan, having the chance to study at Eagle Crest Institute, and even Sacred Heart Academy wanted to recruit him," Jack said.

"But those are the two best academies in America," Yan said, surprised.

"Yes, and my brother chose to come here. He never managed to be accepted into the central court, not in the second year, and not even to transfer in the third. And he worked hard, training every single day like a madman. Even the clan gave him the best resources to improve, but he still didn't make it."

"Sorry to hear that," Yan said sadly.

"Don't be. Do you know what he said?" Jack asked. "He said that not entering the central court is the thing he regrets the most. But even with that, he wouldn't choose to go anywhere else. That's why I came here even though I didn't want to in the first place. He said that I would be stupid not to come because only here can I truly understand how grand, amazing, and terrifying the world we live in is."

"Then do you know what makes Azure Academy so special? I know it's called the best in the world, but I never truly understood the full reason for that. From what I know, the Eagle Crest Institute is also capable of producing S Rank exorcists," Yan said.

"Yan, please don't take it as an insult, but you come from a small family, right?" Jack asked.

"Yes. Don't worry, I'm not ashamed of my origins," Yan replied.

"I come from one of the top ten clans in America. I'm telling you this because I want you to understand that I'm not speaking from my imagination but from actual truths," Jack whispered to Yan as they fell behind the group.

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Yan nodded.

"China managed to get ahead of the world and obtain the support of the major powers in Asia because an external entity helped them. The person who became the Dean of the Azure Academy managed to make a contract with a higher spiritual being. Few things are known about this, but apparently, that is why Asia became so proficient in managing the Nexuses. Currently, even students are allowed to form groups and participate in auctions for the rights to explore smaller Nexuses," Jack explained.

Yan looked at his roommate with wide eyes.

"The technology used to identify if a Nexus is explorable and its level of threat has only recently reached other countries. America, for example, is still struggling to understand the concepts behind it. Meanwhile, the Chinese have made a fortune by selling this technology after using it to their heart's content. Most likely, the central court holds secrets beyond our imagination. Even though the students there are from different countries, no one actually speaks a word about what they've learned. But they all maintain connections with each other and act with a different purpose in mind. They definitely know something the rest of the world doesn't."

Yan nodded, lost in thought.

"Yan, what I told you isn't a secret, but it's not something that should be spoken of in broad daylight either. So, I'd appreciate it if you could keep this information to yourself," Jack said.

"I understand. Don't worry, I'm good at keeping secrets. Besides, I'm not interested in such faraway things at the moment; I'm more focused on my next steps. You mentioned that even students can explore Nexuses?"

"Yes, the rights for exploring Nexuses are sold every day at auctions. Some of them can yield rich rewards, while others can be extremely dangerous places. It all depends on luck. The academy considers exploring Nexuses as training and even encourages this activity by offering discounts," Jack explained.

"Have you ever participated in an exploration?" Yan asked.

"Once. With Klaus, Stefano, and three others. We spent twenty thousand credits to buy a Rank D Nexus, and after entering it, we realized it was just a plot of land with a few rocks on it—a world fragment, as people call it. We managed to sell the few rocks we collected for less than four thousand credits before giving the Nexus back to the Resource Gathering Association to close it. It was a nice experience," Jack said.

"Considering your background, it shouldn't be a problem for you to buy more Nexuses, right? Why stop after exploring just one?" Yan asked.

"Because we decided to wait for the new tech to be implemented. Exploring low-level Nexuses at the moment is a time-consuming, money-burning gamble. You can find something valuable only after exploring a few empty Nexuses. But the Resource Association announced the implementation of a new tech that will help better identify the quality of the Nexuses, not just the threat level," Jack said.

"But I read some information saying that a small Union managed to make a fortune after exploring a filthy rich Rank C Nexus," Yan said, referring to reports presented by Silver.

"That's true, but nobody talks about the millions of credits spent on empty or low-value Nexuses. That's why it's a gamble, and we don't plan to waste precious time and money on the hope of making more money. Some students prefer that type of activity for gaining more experience. But my group will wait a few more days for the new tech to be used, then we'll go full power. By the end of the year, we plan to even form a long-term Union. But that depends on everyone's interests."

"I see."

"The Resource Gathering Association also has a program where they accept freelancers to explore the Nexuses that remain unsold. Most of them are low-level and empty, but if you want to gain some experience, you can give it a try," Jack said.

"I'll think about it," Yan replied.

If he really was in desperate need of money, he would most certainly do that. Otherwise, he would prefer to invest his time in training. If what Jack said was true, then he could probably use some tactic to earn himself a spot in a team of students. If that didn't work, he'd have to change his approach. In any case, Yan thought it was a good idea to have a first experience with the Nexuses without spending money.

On the enormous training ground, the students were as numerous as locusts. They formed groups and chatted joyously, keeping a considerate distance from the center where a man stood below a metallic construction.

When the time arrived, the man opened his eyes, scanning the students as he took a deep breath.

"For those who came late and don't know who I am, I have bad news. I will not introduce myself, and I will not repeat the rules. For those who were here from the start, the rules remain the same. Get ready and do your best. If any of you die, it is not the Academy's problem," the man said, placing a hand on what seemed to be a command board and infused it with his SE.

The metallic structure executed a full rotation. The cylindrical pieces rearranged themselves like the vertebrae of a metallic creature, forming two identical circles that gravitated around an invisible center. From that center ignited a blue light that grew in size, almost as if being pulled by the gravitating circles. Slowly, a black mist formed in the center of the blue energy as the gate became wider. The whole process stopped when the gate reached the size of a small house.

"Enter!" the man cried, and the groups of students moved according to his command.

"Let's go," Jack said, taking the lead.

"New guy, be careful not to remain there forever," Damian mocked Yan before he and his group got in line to enter the portal.

"You should listen to him," Jack warned. "Your mind will be assaulted, and you will feel lost. You'll have to find your way through the chaos and guide yourself with your will."

"Exactly. Once you enter, you will be alone. And if you don't remain conscious, you won't be able to get out," Klaus said, approaching Yan from the side.

"I understand. Thank you for telling me," Yan replied.

"We're all exorcists; we have to have each other's backs," Klaus said. "Good luck!" He placed a hand on both Yan and Jack's shoulders before taking his leave.

"Glad to see there are good people here," Yan remarked.

"No exorcist can pass a certain level if his heart is not pure. Klaus has received guidance from an S Rank since he was little. Some things are integrated into his being already," Jack said. "Also, Teacher Spinazola looks like a cold and indifferent person, but he does that to train us. If a student can't find his way out, he will always enter to rescue them."

"That's reassuring," Yan said.

"Yeah, but don't expect a good score if that happens."

Yan nodded, preparing to step through the portal.