The day of the exploration test arrived.

  Students gathered in the great hall, their faces tense with anticipation.

  For most, this was their chance to prove themselves worthy of the tour.

  The great hall shimmered with expectation. Rows of students sat before sleek devices, eyes darting nervously as the test began.

  The silence was heavy, broken only by the soft hum of the machines.

  Minutes passed, and the tension dissolved into confusion. The questions were simple—far simpler than anyone expected.

  By the time the test ended, the hall buzzed with distrust. Students filed out, muttering under their breath, caught between relief and disappointment.

  “This was supposed to decide the tour slots,” one whispered.

  “Too easy,” another scoffed.

  But the truth was different: the test wasn’t about competition.

  It was a measure of basic understanding, a way to ensure everyone had grasped the foundations.

  Because of that, every student had earned the right to join the tour.

  Aarna, sharp?eyed and thoughtful, understood the real motive. She didn’t linger in the crowd.

  With her new friend Laxsi at her side, she slipped away, already thinking ahead.

  She knew the school wasn’t testing knowledge—it was testing readiness.

  WINI, however, stood apart. While others grumbled, he wore a quiet smile.

  For him, the test had revealed something unexpected.

  Not in the questions themselves, but in the way they connected to the fragments he had been chasing.

  Hints of that mystery—the one that had always stirred inside him—had surfaced.

  He whispered to himself, voice cool and steady, “Ha… finally, I got something.”

  A few students overheard and chuckled. “He’s happy because the test was easy,” they assumed.

  But Aarna, glancing at him for a brief moment, sensed something else.

  She didn’t hear his words, but she saw the look in his eyes—not relief, but discovery.

  It unsettled her, though she said nothing.

  WINI ignored them all and returned to his room, exhaustion pulling at him.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  He lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling, then reached for his communicator.

  “Let’s call Mom,” he murmured. “See how she’s doing.”

  The screen flickered, and his mother’s gentle face appeared.

  “Hi, Mom,” he said softly. “How are you?”

  “I’m good, son. How is the school?” she asked, her voice warm, carrying the comfort of home.

  “It’s good, Mom,” WINI replied, though his tone carried a quiet weight.

  “Do you miss me, son?” she asked, smiling faintly.

  “Yes, Mom… a little,” he admitted. “But I don’t know why I always feel like I’m with you, even though I’m so far from home.”

  Her smile deepened, tender and knowing. She had expected those words.

  “It’s common for a son to feel that way,” she said gently. “Let me know if you need anything. I’ll send it.”

  WINI nodded, his heart lighter. For a moment, the mystery faded, replaced by the simple warmth of a bond distance could not weaken.

  He ended the call, whispering, “Okay, Mom. See you.”

  The screen dimmed, and with a quiet sigh he drifted into sleep, her voice lingering in his mind.

  Late that night, the door creaked open. Gonad, his roommate, slipped inside, returned from emergency leave.

  Seeing WINI asleep, he moved quietly, careful not to disturb him, and collapsed onto his own bed.

  Morning light spilled across the room. WINI stirred, rubbing his eyes, and noticed Gonad already awake, a broad smile on his face.

  WINI stretched lazily. “What’s up, Nad? You look… unusually happy. Something happened?”

  Gonad chuckled, his eyes bright. “Yeah, WINI. You know why I went home, right? It was because of the upcoming event. You know my family. I wanted to learn how our family heads handled things back when they were in my place.”

  WINI frowned slightly, waking up fully. Right… his full name is Gonad Valtoris, he remembered. The Valtoris family—one of the powerhouses of the Indus continent. When it comes to endurance and resilience, they’re like juggernauts.

  Gonad sighed. “I already knew nothing external can interfere with awakening and that it’s based on lineage. But still, I wanted to know how they felt back then.”

  His voice dropped to a mutter. “Instead of explaining anything, my father just threw me into training. Our family training. And this time he doubled it. All endurance. Ha… it still hurts.”

  WINI glanced at him, noticing the stiffness in his movements, but said nothing.

  “Oh, and I heard something this morning,” Gonad continued. “When I went for a walk, I ran into a few others who’d gone home, like me. Students from other families. Only a few went, but they all came back looking disappointed, so I guess they got the same answer.”

  He leaned closer, lowering his voice. “And one more thing. I heard some of the top families transferred new students here. Is that true? People say at least three came.”

  “How would I know?” WINI replied, shrugging. “Though I do remember the teacher welcoming someone new to our class. A transfer student. Don’t know much about them.”

  “Ohho, then I’ll finally get to see that transfer today,” Gonad said, grinning. “I’m curious to know which family they’re from.”

  WINI shifted the topic. “The test was mandatory, right? What happened to yours? You didn’t attend.”

  Gonad groaned. “Ha, don’t remind me. That was the worst situation ever. They made me take a make?up exam when I got back. Toughest exam of my life. I’m pretty sure half the people in that room failed.”

  WINI smirked and held up his communicator, the tour list glowing on the screen.

  “Looks like you received a different test from the teachers—a punishment test for skipping the real one,” he said.

  Gonad grabbed the device, scanning the names. His confidence collapsed. “What??? How is this possible? Everyone passed the test? Even students from other departments? No one failed?”

  “Don’t look so miserable,” WINI said. “The test was easy. I think they planned to move the tour to one day before the event. Since both are happening in the same place, they just wanted everyone to qualify.”

  Gonad exhaled, shoulders relaxing. “That makes sense. Even the so?called small fry in our academy would look like geniuses in an average school.”

  “Alright,” WINI said, slipping the communicator away. “Let’s get ready and go to class.”

  “Yes, let’s go.” Gonad’s grin returned. “Today’s the first day, right?”