Reaching the white room, the woman halted abruptly at the entrance and pointed towards the two instructors standing in the center.
"Go to them, and don't dawdle."
Kairos nodded in response, his expression neutral, but his mind churned with unspoken thoughts. As he made his way toward the two figures, he took a moment to glance around the room. It was truly white—immaculately so.
Even the glass wall that allowed other students to observe the proceedings was masked as a solid white surface, blending seamlessly with the rest of the room. However, their murmurs, hushed conversations, and occasional bursts of laughter seeped through, reminding him that he was still being watched.
'They probably designed it this way to increase the pressure... to make one feel exposed, insecure...' Kairos mused, suppressing a gulp.
At last, he stood before the two instructors. Dressed in pristine white coats and trousers, their presence exuded authority and mystery. Their faces were obscured by masks that covered the lower halves of their features, an intentional precaution in a world where vendettas and assassinations were commonplace. The anonymity was a necessity to avoid becoming targets of revenge.
One of the men took a step forward. "Child, place your hands on the rock pillar. Concentrate on it. Do nothing else. Everything will work itself out."
Kairos listened attentively, his expectations tempered. He had imagined the summoning process to be more intricate—perhaps involving a ritual, a test of will, or even pain. But if all he had to do was touch the rock, he was fine with that.
He inhaled deeply and took slow steps forward as he was directed to the stone pillar. Standing before it, he could feel the cold gnawing at his fingers even before making contact.
'This is it. The moment where my life and destiny will be decided. Will I remain insignificant... or will I rise above?'
A sudden weight pressed on his chest. The pressure, once distant, now sank its claws into his very being.
But what the heck!
Kairos let out a slow, measured sigh before placing his palm firmly on the pillar's icy surface. The moment his skin made contact, a foreign warmth surged through his body, igniting his nerves like a slow-burning fire. The sensation traveled through his veins, creeping towards the very hand connected to the pillar.
Then, the change became visible.
Wisps of dark smoke, intertwined with ethereal blue streaks, began to spill out of his form, swirling around him like an unearthly mist. The energy grew in density, shifting and coiling like a living entity before finally taking shape.
"What in the—!"
"How is this even possible?!"
The astonished gasps from the officials cut through the room's silence. Kairos instinctively turned his gaze toward them, eyes wide with alarm. Had something gone wrong? Had he made a mistake?
But instead of dismay, their faces bore sheer disbelief—an awe-stricken expression that sent a confusing chill down his spine. Their eyes darted back and forth between him and the tablet in their grasp, no doubt monitoring his summoning process.
"How is he able to harness this much mana?! What is this child...?"
Kairos' breath caught in his throat. His gaze shifted back to the manifestation before him, and for the first time, he truly saw it.
A beast, as large as a fully grown rhinoceros, stood towering over him. Yet, it resembled a wolf—its dark fur rippling as though made of liquid shadow. Its mane flowed like spectral flames, undulating in a manner unnatural to the laws of nature. White sparks of energy crackled from its muscular limbs, its piercing eyes glowing with an intensity that sent shivers down Kairos' spine.
"What the hell is that?!" The instructor who had led him in adjusted her glasses, as if doubting her own sight.
Outside the glass, the students murmured louder. Some were too stunned to speak, others pressed against the glass wall in an attempt to get a better look at the extraordinary sight.
The tension gradually eased, giving way to reverence.
Then came the words that sealed his fate.
"You may look away from the wall now," one of the officials instructed, stepping forward to clasp Kairos on the shoulder.
"Congratulations. You have made a legendary summon."
Kairos' heart nearly leapt out of his chest. A legendary summon.
The highest tier of summoning. The pinnacle of power.
Would this be the turning point? Would his life finally take the trajectory he had always dreamed of? Would riches, recognition, and honor follow him from this moment onward? Would he be celebrated by factions and rulers alike?
But...
"Wait, sir! There's something wrong."
The official holding the tablet suddenly raised a hand, his brows furrowed in deep concern. His colleague, sensing the urgency, stepped forward to investigate.
Kairos' body tensed. He observed their expressions, the way their eyes flickered between the data displayed on the tablet.
Their expressions darkened. Then, one of them shook his head.
Kairos' fingers curled slightly.
Something was wrong.
The official hesitated before finally turning toward him, his tone gentler than before.
"You... have failed to awaken a legendary summon. I'm sorry."
For a fleeting moment, silence reigned.
Kairos stared at him, processing the words that had just been spoken.
Failed?
Had he misheard?
The murmur from the upper lobby escalated into whispers and chuckles. Some of his peers had already caught wind of the change in announcement, and they wasted no time ridiculing him. Laughter echoed through the chamber—mocking, merciless, piercing through his pride.
"Is that so?"
The instructor froze.
Kairos' lips curled into a faint smile.
It wasn't the smile of someone who had accepted failure. Nor was it the smile of someone defeated.
No.
It was something else entirely. Something unidentifiable. Something unsettling.
And then, just as quickly as it had appeared, it vanished, his expression neutral once more.
The official brushed aside his unease and proceeded with the remaining tests. Though Kairos had been denied the legendary rank, he still possessed a summon of extraordinary power.
And with that, his test was complete.
But within Kairos' mind, only one thought burned with fierce clarity.
'Failed? Is that really what you think?'
A storm had begun to brew within him, and soon, the world would come to understand the truth.