The Gravity Villain's Silent Return

A/N: This chapter was quite challenging to write, so I'm not entirely sure it's error-free. However, I'll make sure to review it in the next day or so to ensure it's easy to read. Please bear🧸 with me! 🙏 Also, I'd love to engage with readers, so if my book aligns with your tastes, feel free to leave a comment. I'll be sure to respond anytime I can. :}

Chapter 13: Trial Room Connections

"Hold up!"

Ain turned around to see Sophie rushing out of the inn.

"I thought you'd already left," he said, his expression puzzled.

"I only gave you a phone. In what way, shape, or form did that suggest I was leaving?" Sophie retorted sharply. "Besides, I planned on using you as leverage—uh, I mean, protection. After all, you're still my 'boyfriend,' even if it's just in name."

"Ah, right. I forgot about that." Ain scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Anyways, I got a map of the entrance exam area. Not sure how the innkeeper managed to get it, but it seems legit."

"It does look legit," Sophie said, examining it closely as she pulled it towards her. "However, there are over a hundred exam grounds, so we might not necessarily get lucky using it. That said it wouldn't hurt to snap a picture, just in case."

Shutter Shutter

After Sophie took the picture of the exam grounds Ain asked.

"So, how do we get to the exam grounds?".

"To get there, we just need to show our trial number at the gate," Sophie explained. "After verifying it with the details we submitted, someone will guide us to the portal that leads to our designated exam grounds. But, we might get separated since we have different trial numbers. Mine's 2134 by the way."

Ain nodded thoughtfully. "Alright, that sounds simple enough. Since my trial number is 2341, I guess it's pretty much guaranteed we'll end up in different exam grounds."

Sophie shrugged. "Maybe. Or maybe not. Either way, we'll figure it out when we get there." She folded her arms and leaned slightly closer to him. "Just don't die out there, okay? Being a 'widow' on the first day would be annoying."

"Very funny," Ain replied with a smirk. "Let's get going."

The two made their way through the bustling streets, the morning sun casting long shadows on the cobblestone roads. Dozens of other examinees were scattered around—some confidently chatting in groups, while others stood alone, nervously clutching their belongings.

Sophie glanced at the crowd. "It's kind of amazing, isn't it? All these people, each hoping to pass the entrance exams and change their lives. Too bad most of them won't make it."

Ain frowned. "What do you mean?"

Sophie gestured around. "The exams are designed to weed out the weak. Out of everyone here, only a handful will actually pass. It's a numbers game, and the odds aren't in our favor."

"Thanks for the pep talk," Ain muttered sarcastically.

"Hey, I'm just stating the facts," Sophie replied with a grin. "But don't worry—I have a good feeling about us. Well, about me, anyway."

Ain rolled his eyes but said nothing.

As they reached the towering gates leading to the examination area, a stern-looking official in a black uniform stood waiting. He held a clipboard and was flanked by two guards. The official raised his hand to signal them to stop.

"Trial numbers," he said curtly.

Sophie stepped forward confidently. "2134," she said, handing over both her and Ain's identification slips.

The official glanced at the slips, then consulted his clipboard. After a brief moment, he nodded. "Confirmed. You will proceed to Portal A-7. Wait over there until you're called."

Sophie turned to Ain. "See? Easy."

Ain stepped forward next. "2341," he said, pointing to his identification slip in the official's hands.

The official scanned the slip and cross-checked it against his list. "Confirmed. You will proceed to Portal D-4. Wait by the marker until further instructions."

Ain and Sophie exchanged a glance.

"Well, looks like this is where we part ways," Sophie said, her tone light but with a hint of unease. "Try not to cause trouble, okay? And if you die, don't go haunting me."

"I'll try," Ain replied dryly. "Good luck out there."

Sophie smirked, then turned and headed toward her assigned portal. Ain watched her for a moment before making his way to the area marked for Portal D-4.

The waiting area was crowded, filled with other examinees who looked just as anxious as he felt. Some were fidgeting nervously, while others stood quietly, their faces set with determination. Ain took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves.

A loud chime echoed through the air, signaling the start of the portal activations. The exam was about to begin, and there was no turning back.

Bim. Bim. Bim. Bim. Bim. Bim. Bim. Bim. Bim.

A/N: Switching to first person mode

Alright, it seems the portals take way longer to transport than I expected. As I stand here, I'm surrounded by 15 other people in a white, room-like structure. I can also see several other similar white structures around us. I'm not complaining, though—this gives me time to strategize.

Since this is the entrance exam for a HERO academy, they're probably going to test us on leadership, teamwork, priorities, and, of course, strength. My goal is to be put in A-class, so I'll aim to demonstrate the strength of a B-class hero and the intelligence of an A-class hero. At least, that's the plan.

Naturally, I won't be using my gravity manipulation abilities. I'll also need to tone down my battle intent, due to Sophie's battle intent as an aura swordsman being rated lower than mine at 2 stars, Although my class is a mage. In simpler terms since a persons class reflects one's strongest ability, if I display an aura surpassing Sophie's—who is likely to rank in A or B class as a mage—they might place me in S-class, which would attract far too much attention.

As for leadership, I plan to take a more passive role, demonstrating only the bare minimum in terms of saving lives or managing priorities, naturally while working together with teammates I would also play a passive role. Which concludes the most full proof strategy out of the numerous strategies I could devise.

Now, enough with the planning—it's time to identify potential power players. First things first, how many people are in my... let's call it, "trial room" I count 1,2,7,9,11,17. Alright, there are 17 people in total, and 5 of them appear to be friends. However, none of them give off any strong vibes, so I don't think they're worth paying much attention to. As for the remaining 10, they seem to have been separated from their usual groups, but it doesn't matter. Their strength will most likely place them around D or E class.

That said, there's one individual in the corner who seems to be more powerful than he lets on. Since he caught my attention it's might be worth probing him a bit—Using my perception ability I started probing him 'It appears that he's an Arcana user' I thought to myself. The last Arcana user I encountered was Roove, whose ability was quite cumbersome. Unlike Roove, though, this individual doesn't have a trace of mana. Instead, he has significantly more Qi than the other basic forms of Ether with the sole exception of Arcana. If I were to estimate his aura core composition, it's approximately 70% Arcana, 28% Qi, and 2% aura.

He might be a power player as such it wouldn't hurt to establish a connection, with that in mind I decided to approach him.

Making my way towards him, I kept my demeanor neutral, not wanting to give away my intentions. Observing him carefully as I approached, my eyes noted the subtle shifts in his posture and the way his green eyes flickered ever so slightly in my direction. It seemed like he wasn't oblivious to my scrutiny, which was both impressive and intriguing.

Clearing my throat I took a moment before speaking. "Hey," I began casually, "I noticed you're here alone. The others seem to have their groups, but you appear to be in your own world. Mind humoring me?"

His eyes met mine, and for a brief second, I felt as if he was assessing me, much like I had done to him. The silence between us stretched a little longer than I expected, but finally, he nodded slightly, almost imperceptibly.

"Sure," he said, his voice low but clear. "I'm not much of a talker.

Leaning at the corner across him, I kept my body language relaxed and nonchalant. It was important not to seem overly eager or inquisitive, as that might raise suspicion. I needed to establish a connection without revealing too much about myself whilst learning more about him.

"So, what's your name?" I asked, keeping the tone light.

He glanced up at me, sizing me up for a moment before responding, "Kai. You?"

"Ain," I replied, offering a small, friendly smile. "I've been watching the other candidates. It looks like this is going to be an interesting exam."

Kai didn't immediately respond, but I could tell that he was listening. I needed to proceed cautiously, gathering more information about him without pushing too hard.

"Are you here for the long haul?" I asked, trying to gauge his intentions and where his strengths truly lie.

This time, he looked at me directly, his expression still unreadable. "I plan to make it to the top. What about you?"

I nodded, matching his intensity. "Same. Might as well aim for the best, right?"

There was a brief pause as the words hung in the air. His answer was ambiguous, but the undercurrent of determination in his tone confirmed that he wasn't someone to be underestimated. I knew then that this was someone worth keeping an eye on—and, if possible, aligning with.

The tension between us seemed to lessen as we exchanged a few more pleasantries. I didn't press him for too much personal information, and in return, he seemed to appreciate my subtlety. We were both playing the same game, but neither of us had fully revealed our cards.

As I stood up to leave, I gave him a respectful nod. "Well, it's been good talking. Hopefully, we'll both make it through this."

Kai returned the nod, a small flicker of something in his eyes. "Good luck, Ain. I'll see you around."

With that, I walked away, my thoughts already spinning. Kai was definitely a potential ally—or at the very least, a powerful player to watch. He might not have revealed everything about himself yet, but I was confident that this was just the beginning.

As if on cue, a loud voice, coming from what sounded like a speaker, began to announce, "MY NAME IS OWEN NILE, B-CLASS HERO RANKED 384. I WILL BE THE ONE TAKING YOUR ENTRANCE EXAM. BE GRATEFUL, AS YOU ARE FORTUNATE TO BE MEETING ME."

However, I quickly realized the announcement wasn't coming from a speaker when I saw him standing on a white podium positioned in the center of all the trial rooms. He had grayish long hair, appeared to be in his late forties, and wore an orange-colored suit with a black tie.

He stood with an exaggerated posture, one hand pointing at the crowd of aspiring students while the other rested confidently on his hip. His sharp, angular face twisted into a grin that exuded arrogance. Owen Nile's voice boomed again, "THIS IS A DAY YOU SHALL NEVER FORGET! YOU WILL TELL YOUR GRANDCHILDREN THAT YOU MET THE LEGENDARY OWEN NILE. BUT BE WARNED—FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION!"

The crowd around me muttered in hushed tones, some awed by his presence, others visibly annoyed by his grandstanding. I, however, remained unimpressed. My gaze lingered on him, and my mind went into overdrive analyzing his demeanor.

B-class hero ranked 384... I mused, masking my smirk. For someone barely above the middle of the rankings, he sure likes to puff himself up.

Owen continued, unfazed by the lackluster reactions. "TODAY, YOU WILL BE TESTED ON YOUR ABILITY TO THINK, FIGHT, AND SURVIVE. ONLY THOSE WITH THE GUTS AND SKILL WILL MOVE FORWARD. REMEMBER, THIS IS A SCHOOL FOR HEROES, NOT DREAMERS!"

His words hung in the air like a challenge, his grin daring us to respond. I remained stoic, calculating how best to handle whatever trial awaited us.

A loud beep echoed through the arena, followed by Owen raising his arms theatrically. "AND NOW, LET THE ENTRANCE EXAM BEGIN! YOU HAVE EXACTLY TEN MINUTES TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF INDIVIDUALS IN YOUR ROOMS TO TEN. ONLY THEN WILL YOUR FIRST TEST BE REVEALED."

As soon as Owen's announcement ended, a mechanical hum filled the room. The walls began to shift, and what had been a floating, medium-sized open space rapidly transformed. Panels slid away to reveal weapon racks, obstacles, and shifting terrain. The once-sterile, white room had been a facade, concealing a dynamic and hazardous environment beneath.

Invisible barriers separated each section of the original rooms, ensuring no premature clashes between participants in one area and another.

The tension in the air was palpable. Everyone in the room tensed, their eyes darting around to size each other up. Most were gauging their competition, while a few looked visibly panicked. Above us, a digital display blinked to life, initiating a ten-minute countdown. Beside it, another screen showed the participant count for our room: 17/17.

"Reduce the number of participants..." I assessed quickly. This was an elimination round.

The key wasn't brute strength. Winning would require patience, efficiency, and above all, discretion. Recklessness would waste energy and attract attention. My plan was simple: stay inconspicuous, neutralize threats quickly, and avoid revealing my true capabilities.

Kai, however, had a different approach. He was already on the move, his steps silent yet purposeful. He blended seamlessly into the chaos as the first clashes erupted. His movements were precise and measured, like a shadow biding its time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

I stayed back, keeping my distance as the chaos unfolded. Nearby, a group of five had already banded together, started chasing after an isolated participant. Their strategy was predictable—overwhelm the weakest link to secure an easy elimination.

Unfortunately for them they couldn't have been more wrong. Because their supposed weak link they were chasing after was Kai.

In a blur, Kai countered with a sudden burst of energy. The wave of aura sent three attackers sprawling, while the remaining two hesitated, unsure of their next move.

Interesting, I mused, observing him. A low-powered energy burst. Efficient and controlled. Not bad.

Before I could analyze his technique further, a figure lunged at me—a young man wielding twin tonfas, his face set in forced determination.

His movements were clumsy, his technique unrefined. It was obvious he had no real strategy. His decision to target me felt almost insulting, but I wasn't about to refuse the challenge.

With minimal effort, I sidestepped his sloppy attack, sweeping his legs out from under him in a single motion. As he collapsed to the ground, I delivered a swift but controlled haymaker to his solar plexus. He gasped for air, completely incapacitated.

To ensure he stayed down, I crouched beside him and delivered a precise chop to the side of his neck, rendering him unconscious.

The digital display above flickered, updating the numbers. The participant count in my room dropped from 15 to 14.

I glanced back toward Kai, who was still holding his ground. Two more opponents had engaged him, but he dismantled them with the same calculated efficiency as before. His movements were deliberate and fluid, as if this skirmish was nothing more than an exercise.

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