Supreme Warlock System : From Zero to Ultimate With My Wives-Chapter 274: Only One Winner

Warlock Ch 274. Only One Winner

Damian let out a slow breath. ’Yep. Definitely not going to be easy,’ he thought.

The murmurs in the hall rose as the officials stepped forward, their robes billowing slightly from the lingering magical energy in the air. The anticipation thickened, a silent weight pressing down on the room as the Sanctum official, an older magus with a deep voice and sharp eyes, cleared his throat.

"Attention, all exam participants," his voice carried through the chamber, cutting through the noise. "The Rank S exam will begin shortly. Once it starts, no participants will be allowed to leave. If any of you wish to withdraw, now is your final chance."

Silence.

No one moved at first, but then a few hesitant glances were exchanged. One warlock—a younger man who looked barely old enough to take this exam—fidgeted before stepping back toward the exit. A second later, another participant followed. A few more hesitated, shifting on their feet, but ultimately, no mass exodus occurred.

Damian smirked to himself. Expected.

The official continued. "The trial will be divided into three segments. The details of each trial will be revealed once the exam begins. You will not be given time to prepare between them."

Another round of murmurs rippled through the hall. Some participants looked uneasy, gripping their weapons or adjusting their robes as if already regretting their decision to stay.

"As always, the Sanctum does not guarantee the safety of any participant." The official’s tone was cold, almost indifferent. "Injuries, curses, or even death are possible outcomes. Should you choose to remain, you do so at your own risk."

This time, a few more people walked away.

Damian remained relaxed, arms crossed over his chest, watching as the weaker-willed ones made their exit. He didn’t blame them. This wasn’t a test for the faint-hearted.

Then the official dropped the real bomb.

"This year," the man said, his voice heavy, "only one participant will pass."

The reaction was instant.

A wave of shocked whispers filled the chamber. Some voices raised in protest. Continue your adventure at novelbuddy

"What?! Only one?!"

"That’s insane!"

"There’s always at least three or four who make it through!"

"I came all this way for this?!"

Damian’s smirk widened as he leaned toward Cassius, his voice low enough that only the warlock beside him could hear. "Reminds you of the past, huh?"

Cassius barely reacted, only exhaling slightly. "Yeah… back then, there was only supposed to be one who passed."

Damian hummed. "And yet, somehow, we both did."

Cassius gave him a side glance. "Because we were too damn stubborn to let the other win."

Damian chuckled. "Some things never change."

The officials waited patiently for the murmurs to die down before continuing.

"There is no negotiating this rule," the older magus stated. "This year, only one rank S position is available. If you wish to step down, the door is still open."

This time, no one moved.

The ones who had already decided to leave had gone. The ones who remained were either desperate, foolish, or strong enough to believe they could win. Maybe a mix of all three.

Damian’s gaze flickered toward Selena. She stood tall, unmoving, her expression unreadable. If she was rattled by the announcement, she didn’t show it. But her knight, Alric, was clearly unhappy. He leaned in to whisper something to her, but she merely shook her head slightly, her resolve clear.

Cassius muttered, "So much for trying to keep a low profile."

Damian shrugged. "Not like we had a choice. This was always going to get messy."

A different Sanctum official stepped forward. "With that, we shall begin preparations for the first segment. All participants will follow the attendants through the designated passageway."

Damian straightened as the large doors on the far side of the chamber creaked open.

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"Well," he murmured, "let’s get started."

Cassius smirked. "Try not to die."

Damian shot him a grin. "I won’t."

And with that, he stepped forward into the unknown, just like he had done all those years ago.

The doors shut behind them with a resounding boom, sealing them inside the vast, dark chamber. Shadows stretched long across the polished stone floors, and the only source of illumination came from dimly glowing runes inscribed into the walls. The energy in the air crackled, thick with latent magic, a warning of what was to come.

Damian stood among the other participants, arms crossed, his gaze flicking over the crowd. The tension was almost palpable. No one spoke, though their eyes darted toward one another with wary glances. Everyone here understood what was about to happen—this was no ordinary test. This was a culling.

A voice echoed through the chamber, amplified by magic.

"This is Segment One. The Abyssal Labyrinth. It will test your survival and resource management."

A murmur rippled through the participants. Some shifted uneasily, others squared their shoulders in preparation.

The voice continued, unfazed. "Your objective is simple. Escape the labyrinth while collecting five sigils. The sigils are held by abyssal creatures that roam the maze. Each of you begins with nothing. You must find your own resources, fight your own battles, and secure your own sigils. Those without five sigils at the end of the round will be eliminated."

Damian frowned slightly. ’So they really are forcing direct competition… Figures.’

"The deeper you go, the more dangerous the monsters and traps become. The exit will only appear once half of the participants have been eliminated."

That was when the real uproar began.

"What?!"

"Half?!"

"They want us to kill each other off?!"

"This isn’t a damn test! It’s a death match!"

Damian barely flinched as voices rose in outrage around him. He just sighed, rubbing his temples. ’Of course, they made it brutal. Rank S isn’t for the weak, after all.’

Among the chaos, his gaze flickered toward Selena. The fae princess stood motionless, her posture perfectly poised despite the clear hostility brewing in the air.

Damian frowned. ’Why is she even here? A princess willingly stepping into something this brutal? Either she’s reckless, or she has a damn good reason.’

Before he could think too much about it, the ground beneath them began to glow. The magic circle spanning the floor pulsed ominously, and Damian immediately recognized the signs.

Teleportation magic.

"Damn," he muttered, just as the floor beneath him vanished.