PAID

Noa and Helena stood outside the training hall, nervously waiting for their turns. Moments ago, their instructor had announced the exam rules:

The promotion exam would be conducted as a closed combat simulation against the black-armored figures inside the hall. Magic usage was unrestricted. Principal Olette and Vice Principal Wilson would oversee each match from the stands, combining their evaluations with scores from the black-armored figures and the respective class instructors to determine the final grades.

To ensure fairness, each black-armored figure would participate in at least one to three matches. The young dragons drew lots to determine their opponents.

Helena glanced at the number on her slip—1309.

It indicated she would be facing the black-armored figure labeled 1309.

“A number starting with 1… I’ll probably be up pretty early,” Helena murmured, her brows furrowing as her nervousness showed.

She was far more anxious than during the events in the Demonic Moon Forest. Back then, she had been paired with Noa. Having a close friend by her side had provided a sense of security that words couldn’t describe.

However, this promotion exam followed the traditional format—one-on-one duels. The isolation made Helena’s nerves get the better of her.

Just as her unease reached a peak, a small, warm hand gently rested on her cold, trembling one.  @@novelbin@@

Startled, Helena turned her head to see Noa smiling at her.