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Levi assumed from the way everyone stared at him that he must have been the last to arrive. He observed the scene for a moment longer, then quietly joined the others standing around the platform.

Slowly, the man on the platform stirred, his eyes opening lazily.

"This is so tiring~" he muttered, sounding more bored than anything else. Rising to his feet, he shuffled to the edge of the platform.

"You brats, get on the platform. Stay there for five minutes, and you pass," he declared before flopping down on the ground, seemingly done with his effort.

All the students, Levi included, blinked in disbelief. Was that really it?

Before anyone could ask questions, another man stepped forward. Younger and well-dressed, he seemed to command more respect than the scruffy one, though he acted as if the unkempt man was his superior.

"Good morning, students. I am Orion, assistant to Instructor Valerius. I will be overseeing your trials," he introduced himself smoothly.

The group exchanged puzzled glances, their attention turning to the so-called instructor, Valerius. Silence hung in the air for a moment until a strange scratching sound broke it.

Instructor Valerius... was scratching his ass!

The students frowned, doubt creeping in.

Were they in the wrong place?

Was this really the famed academy of The Favored Ones?

Suspicion filled their eyes, but Orion, unfazed, quickly continued.

"There will be five rounds of assessments. Each one is based on elimination. You fail, you\'re out. There\'s no second chance. Got it?" he explained, his tone brisk and to the point.

Despite their confusion, everyone nodded.

"Alright then. The first test is simple. You see this platform?" Orion gestured toward it.

"Just get on the platform. You can sit, stand, lie down—whatever you want. Stay on it for five minutes, and you pass."

The group exchanged uncertain glances. It couldn\'t be that easy, right?

Levi, along with the others, instinctively knew there had to be more to it. Five minutes on a platform? There had to be a catch.

But even though everyone felt suspicious, there wasn\'t much choice.

After a moment of hesitation, one of the girls, a tall, lean figure with striking red hair, stepped forward. Her expression was set in determination as she confidently approached the platform.

The other boys, as if embarrassed by her boldness, scrambled to follow, rushing to avoid looking cowardly.

Levi, however, sly as ever, waited until the last second, watching their reactions as he quietly stepped onto the platform as well.

But the moment their feet touched the dark surface, an immediate change swept through the group.

Every face on the platform twisted in confusion, then discomfort.

Levi felt it, too.

A wave of pressure hit him, slow at first, like an invisible weight that pressed down on his shoulders.

His legs felt heavier, the air around him suddenly thick and hard to breathe. He could see it in the others—strained expressions, small beads of sweat forming on their brows.

Levi\'s mind raced.

\'So this is the trick.\'

It wasn\'t about fighting or some elaborate task - the first test was just about endurance.

The platform was testing their stamina as well as their willpower to stay standing under what felt like a growing force.

He could feel it now that some time had passed - the longer they stood there, the heavier the pressure became.

Orion, standing on the ground below, watched them carefully, a slight smirk tugging at his lips.

"You\'re all feeling it now, aren\'t you?" he said, voice calm but laced with amusement.

"That pressure? It\'s a magical field woven into the platform. The longer you stay, the stronger it becomes. It tests your body, but more than that, it tests your mind."

One of the boys to Levi\'s left, a stout figure with short brown hair, let out a groan. He wobbled slightly, knees buckling under the growing strain.

His eyes darted around in panic, as though hoping for some escape. "Five minutes… that\'s impossible!" he gasped.

"Five minutes of mental pressure, if you can\'t handle this, you\'ll never survive here in the academy," Orion replied coldly.

The red-haired girl gritted her teeth, her muscles visibly straining. Despite being a girl - she had a healthy muscle mass and considerable strength behind them.

Levi paled in comparison when it came to just muscles.

Despite the pressure, she was holding her ground.

Levi watched her out of the corner of his eye, admiring her strength, but he wasn\'t about to get distracted.

\'Focus.\'

That was all he needed to do. Levi closed his eyes, ignoring the outside world, ignoring the others\' struggles, and concentrated on steadying his breath.

It wasn\'t only muscles that mattered - after all, t wasn\'t just a physical test.

It was a mental one too.

And compared to this pressure, Levi had been through worse before.

\'Comparing this to the Lunacy of the Black Wing - it\'s laughable.\'

Levi thought.

Another minute passed, and one of the other boys collapsed, the pressure too much for him. He clutched his chest, panting on the floor of the platform. Orion looked down at him, disappointed.

"You\'re out."

Just as he said - invisible hands clutched the boy and threw him out of the platform!

Now Levi understood why there was sand all around the platform!

The boy. However, stared in disbelief, but he was quickly escorted away by two academy officials.

The remaining students watched in grim silence, their resolve hardening. None of them wanted to be the next to fail.

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