To Guide Chaos

Chapter 1: The Trial Academy

Chapter 1: The Trial Academy

I can feel the strain permeating through my whole body. My back aches, my legs tremble, my eyes blur, and my mind drifts in and out of focus. It’s been three days since I was diagnosed with the condition that comes before awakening – the beginning of Hell.

We, the remnants of the Ruined World, call it “The Trial”.

In this monster-infested world, strength is not a luxury but a necessity. The Remnant of the Ruined World doesn’t forgive weakness. The Trial gives us hope to survive this cruel world, as well as death if we cannot manage to survive the trial it dishes out.

As in the remnants saying: “Failing the trials means you are not suitable for this ruined world.”

I was lucky.

Or at least, that’s what everyone says.

I was born into the Lys Clan – a prestigious clan of powerful Espers, so I received all the training that I will need to survive the Trial.

From the moment I could walk, I was trained to fight, to kill and to survive. All for this moment. All for my awakening as an Esper that can be of use to my family.

It was lucky of me, but at the same time, it also brought no small amount of pressure and stress on my shoulders. Especially in the case of our family branch.

I was born as the 837th member of the Lys Clan and was expected to be an Esper with the same firepower as my grandfather who died on a North of Ruin Expedition. My father, though an Esper, was not an outstanding person and died on his first expedition. My mother, who’s my only remaining family member now, is a guide – quiet, simple, and has a gentle temperament, totally unsuitable for a kind of ferocious family, Lys Clan is.

It was not surprising that our family branch was often openly ostracized and mocked for being useless. That’s why it became my responsibility to be of use to our family. This is what I need to do to continue to receive the Clan’s monetary support and protection in this godforsaken world.

“837th of the Lys Clan!” A sharp voice shook me out of my thoughts when the Front Receptionist of the Trial Academy called out my name.

I sluggishly stood up from my seat and went to the Reception Desk. When I arrived, a beautiful woman with blonde hair, slicked back, and has bright red lips greeted me with a bright smile.

“Good day! 837th of the Lys Clan. This is your ID. This stores your allowance from your Clan, which you can use to purchase food, weapons, etc. This serves as your identification card as well, so do not lose it,” she enthusiastically explained and handed me a Card.

I glanced down at it.

Identity: 837th of Lys Clan

Age: 16 years old

Designation: --

Fractals: 10,000,000

Aside from my personal details, the ID also contains a picture of me.

837th of the Lys Clan. Yeah, that’s me. I have no name yet because it is the Trial that gives us a name. As the scholars explained: “The Trial gives us the name, power, and fate that we deserve Sometimes I wonder what my name would be. Like any other remnants, I also wonder what name, power, and fate I deserve.

I also sighed at the Lys Clan’s financial capability. I almost got cross-eyed by the zeros. 10 million fractals. I bet that would be enough for me and my mom to escape that hellish clan, but no, if we ever dared to escape, the Clan will hunt and kill us. I cannot help but sigh again.

“This is your dorm key, the Academy map, and the handbook,” the receptionist continued to hand me a bunch of things and smiled again.

“Welcome to the Trial Academy! May the Trial favor you kindly!”

I nodded, “Thank you!” I replied, steady, albeit faint because of my condition right now. Yeah, may the Trial favor me kindly. I really hope so.

I stuffed everything in my bag so as to not lose it and dragged myself and made my way to my first class. Since I entered the Academy late, I had already fallen behind. It was a shame that I triggered the Trial a bit later than others and I still need the knowledge I needed to be in my best condition in order to survive the Trial.

As I arrived at my designated classroom, the room was already filled.

I saw the other Trial challengers in the room, some were around my age. Some are nervous or excited and some look broken, barely holding on, just like me, because of the strain of the Trial.

No one paid me any attention. All are focused on themselves.

Good.

Unnecessary attention only gets you killed faster.

I slipped into an empty seat at the back just in time as the instructor arrived and started the lesson immediately.

Without wasting a second, he activated a device and a projection powered by a medium-sized fractal was displayed for us.

“Wow, what kind of invention was that?!” a boy with a lollipop blurted out in admiration.

Another challenger laughed, “Useless! You don’t know that device?! It’s a projector powered by Fractals, it can display information based on the ---" he explained, but the instructor clapped, his light clap almost left our ears ringing for a long time.

Through the back seat, I can see several students flinching because of the instructor’s light clap.

The sound wasn’t loud, but it rang in my ears like thunder and the whole room immediately fell silent.

“Listen!” the instructor started strictly.

My body flinched in pain but I smiled slightly. Interesting. So, this is the power of an Esper. I also want to possess such power after the Trial. I want to prove myself, break away from the Lys Clan, and protect my mother from any harm.

I desire such power.

No –

I need it!

“You only need to remember one thing,” he stared at us with a deadpan expression, his gaze sweeping across the room.

“Surviving the Trial is a must. Failing the Trial means you are not suitable to be in this ruined world,” he slammed his palm on the mahogany table.

“It is a cruel truth but one we all live by,”

No one contested what he said.

No one argued.

No one dared.

Of course, we all knew that truth long before we came to learn how to read.

Yet, the instructor sighed, “It’s ironic that the Trial is only the beginning of our suffering…”

“…and some of you won’t live long enough to experience that.”

A heavy silence settled over the room and for some reason a chill crawled down my spine.

The instructor continued the lesson, “…Espers are individuals who are much more physically stronger than unawakened people. They are also known to possess supernatural abilities,” he raised his hand, and a rock began forming on his palm.

As if to show us a sneak peek of what an Esper can do. A glimpse of what awaited us.

With a casual wave of his hand, the rock that was starting to form crumbled into dust.

“Espers are powerful – but dangerous to themselves and the people around them without their guide. Using their powers causes strain in both their body and their mind…”

He paused.

“… in the worst case scenario, they can go insane and kill people around them,” the instructor’s words hung heavy in the air.

A few students shifted uncomfortably.

One girl in the front hugged herself tighter while someone beside me cursed under their breath.

Fear.

Yeah, it can spread quickly in a place like this – the Trial Academy, where the hell of the Trial can descend on us Challengers anytime, anywhere.

“And that’s where the importance of a Guide presents itself,” the instructor went on, as if indifferent on the fear spreading in the hearts of the challengers.

The instructor shrugged, “You see, I’m an Esper so I can’t teach you complex knowledge of guiding. But at its core, a Guide stabilizes an Esper – calming them down and preventing them from going insane… or rampaging.”

The instructor continued speaking, but my focus drifted – not because I wasn’t listening.

Because of my rigid training since childhood, I can feel – someone’s eyes were focused on me.

My senses are alerting me of danger!

A strange chill crawled against my skin.

I frowned and glanced around the room, but everyone looked the same as before – though more scared and tense now than earlier.

Except –

There was one person.

Near the window.

He sat quietly, his posture straight, hands resting loosely on the desk.

Still.

While everyone else looked like they were barely holding themselves together, he, on the other hand, looked relaxed.

His skin was pale – almost like death itself. His hair, a raven shade of black, caught the faint light from the window but instead on shining, it looked like even sunlight couldn’t touch him.

And his eyes –

For a brief moment, they met mine. They are in a blood shade of red.

I couldn’t help but freeze. I cannot explain it – but all I saw was emptiness in his eyes.

He didn’t react, and he didn’t look away as if wanting to draw me into his empty eyes.

“… Pay attention,” the instructor’s voice cut in sharply and awakened me from my reverie.

I quickly looked away, forcing myself to focus on the instructor.

For some reason, I had a feeling – that person…

... was not normal.

“Alright,” the instructor clapped his hands once. “That’s enough for today –"

The lights flickered.

Once.

Twice.

Then –

Everything went dark. I can't see anything.

The silence was deafening.

And then –

I suddenly hear a voice. Cold. Mechanical.

“Trial Initiation in Progress.”

I didn’t know it yet – but this was the last moment I would feel something close to peace.