Chapter 8:Tests

The evaluations began promptly after lunch. Students filed out of the dormitory and made their way to the training grounds. The area was a large, open field with various stations set up for different tests. Each station had its own purpose—measuring speed, strength, agility, and intelligence.

Caius felt a mix of anticipation and anxiety. He had spent the morning trying to mentally prepare himself, but his body still felt weak and uncooperative. He knew that his physical condition would make it difficult to perform well.

The first station was a speed test. Students were required to run a short, timed course. Caius took his place at the starting line, trying to ignore the whispers and stares from his classmates.

"Ready, set, go!" the instructor shouted.

Caius sprinted as fast as he could, but his body quickly grew tired. His steps felt heavy, and he struggled to keep up with the others. By the time he crossed the finish line, he was among the last to complete the course. The instructor recorded his time with a slight frown.

"Next up, the strength test!" the instructor announced.

At the strength station, students had to lift and carry heavy weights. Caius approached the weights with determination, but his arms felt weak and shaky. He managed to lift the weights, but only barely. His performance was far below the others, and he finished with one of the lowest scores.

The third station was the agility test. It involved navigating an obstacle course filled with hurdles and balance beams. Caius moved carefully through the course, but his lack of strength and agility made him slow and unsteady. He struggled with the balance beams and stumbled frequently, finishing the course well behind his peers.

Finally, there was the intelligence test. This was a written test assessing problem-solving and strategy. Caius did relatively better here, though he was still anxious. The questions were challenging, but he managed to answer most of them correctly. However, his overall performance in the physical tests had already affected his ranking.

As the day went on, it became clear that Caius was consistently at the bottom of the rankings. His physical weaknesses were taking a toll on his overall performance. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't keep up with the stronger, more agile students.

After the evaluations, Caius felt exhausted and frustrated. He sat down quietly as his classmates chatted excitedly about their results and the upcoming classes they hoped to join. Derek, who had done well in the evaluations, threw a smirk Caius's way.

"Looks like someone's struggling," Derek said mockingly. "I guess some things never change."

Caius ignored him, focusing instead on his own thoughts.

As the students headed back to the dormitory, Caius stumbled into the bathroom of his dorm, his legs shaking, heart pounding. He leaned on the sink, staring at his reflection in the mirror. His face was pale, and sweat dripped down his forehead, mixing with the water he had splashed on his skin. His breathing was ragged, his chest rising and falling quickly.

For a moment, he just stood there, his hands gripping the sides of the sink as if he could hold himself together. Slowly, as the seconds passed, his breathing started to calm down. The panic that had seized him during the evaluations faded, but the frustration stayed.

After a few more deep breaths, Caius stood up straight, wiped the sweat from his face with the back of his hand, and stared at his reflection. He clenched his fist so hard his knuckles turned white.

"I'm damn weak," he muttered under his breath, his voice trembling with anger at himself.

He hated it. Hated feeling like this. No matter how much he tried, his body just wouldn't keep up. He had failed again. Last place, as always.

---

Meanwhile, outside the dorm, the other students were gathered, laughing and chatting loudly. Derek, standing in the center of his group of friends, was grinning from ear to ear. He threw his arm around one of his buddies, his voice dripping with mockery.

"Did you see Caius during the evaluations?" Derek sneered, earning chuckles from the others. "That guy looked like he was gonna pass out any second. Probably crying his eyes out in the bathroom right now."

One of Derek's friends snorted. "Yeah, bet he's staring at himself in the mirror, all teary-eyed, wondering why he's so weak."

"Wouldn't surprise me," another one chimed in. "Always the last one. Pretty boy doesn't belong here. He should stick to wearing dresses and makeup. Maybe he'd win something there."

Derek laughed harder, shaking his head. "It's pathetic. If he keeps this up, he'll be kicked out before the next evaluation. Might as well save everyone the trouble and leave now."

They all burst out laughing again, not caring if anyone else overheard them. To them, Caius was just an easy target, someone who never fought back.

Caius sat down on the cold bathroom floor, leaning his back against the wall. His head tilted back, resting against the smooth surface. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the noise from outside, the laughter, and the whispers. He just wanted to escape, even for a moment.

As he breathed in deeply, memories from his past life started to flood his mind. Back then, he had never felt weak—not even once. He was born strong, gifted.

He remembered the day he was born alongside his twin sister, Seraphina. The midwives and mages had gasped in awe when they checked his mana count as a newborn. It was beyond extraordinary, an unheard-of amount of power for a baby. Meanwhile, Seraphina had none. No mana at all. He could still see the looks on their parents' faces—the pride they had in him and the disappointment in his sister. It wasn't fair, but that's how it was.

From childhood, he was treated with the best care, given the finest education, and trained by the greatest grandmaster mages in the kingdom. He was tortured by their intense training, but it shaped him into a true prodigy. By the age of 10, he had mastered every spell they taught him, becoming the youngest mage to ever achieve such feats. People called him a genius, a born prodigy. Everywhere he went, people whispered his name with admiration and respect.

At 13, he went on his first mission. It was a dangerous one, but he completed it flawlessly. It was also during that mission that he met Theodore. Theodore had been a warrior, trapped and cornered by enemies. Caius had saved him, using his powerful magic to wipe out the attackers.

Theodore had been grateful, and they became friends quickly. Theodore was always there, supporting Caius, pushing him to become stronger, and standing by his side through all the challenges. Caius rose through the ranks rapidly, and by the age of 21, he had achieved the rank of Grandmaster Mage.

That was also when his relationship with Theodore changed. They were no longer just friends. Over time, their bond had deepened into something more. Theodore became his lover, his confidant. Together, they were unstoppable. Caius had everything he could ever want—power, respect, and love.

But now, sitting here on the bathroom floor, Caius felt none of that. He was no longer the powerful mage he used to be. In this new life, he was weak, struggling to even keep up with the other students. It was a bitter pill to swallow, and he felt that old fire of frustration burn in his chest.

He opened his eyes slowly, staring blankly ahead. The memories of his past life were painful reminders of how far he had fallen. But even so, he wasn't ready to give up. Not yet.

The next day, the evaluations continued, and once again, Caius found himself falling behind. His body felt weaker than it ever had before. Every time he ran, lifted weights, or tried to use any skills, it was as if he was moving in slow motion. Meanwhile, the other students seemed to breeze through each test, laughing and enjoying themselves.

Derek never missed a chance to make things worse. He kept throwing insults at Caius, making fun of how slow and weak he was. Each day, Caius's anger toward Derek grew. It wasn't just the insults—there was something about Derek that made Caius' blood boil.

Some of the other students started to wonder how long they would be staying at the Ordinus Training Center. The gates were locked, and the guards seemed to be everywhere, watching every move. There was no way to leave, not even for a short break. Director Alaric hadn't explained why they couldn't leave or when the evaluations would end. But most of the students didn't care. They were enjoying the food, the nice rooms, and the fact that the evaluations were easy for them.