Selection Exam

The sun had only just begun to rise above the golden banners of the academy when the announcement was made.

"Next! All students must participate in the Final Duel Selection!"

One by one, students gathered at the open training ground. The towering arena brimmed with excitement and tension. Around its edges stood the elite....a circle of master-class warriors, mages, and professors, each observing with a sharp eye.

This was not just a test. It was judgment of whether they will get accepted in the Academy or not.

The rules were simple. Win, and a master might take you in as a student or apprentice. Lose... and you would be eliminated from the school. No second chances.

Renji stood at the edge of the dueling ground, arms crossed, gaze lowered. He still felt the sting of being called "classless" just hours ago. The laughter still echoed in his mind, but he refused to let it break him.

No....

He had to win.....

He had no class. No flashy awakening. No overpowered skill. But he had something more brutal, more grounded—combat instinct and discipline.

And now, he had to prove it.

"Next duel!" one of the professors called out.

"Renji... versus Luke of House Daren!"

Whispers erupted in the crowd.

"Wait, that's a noble…"

"He's a Rank C Elementalist. He has a deadly element which was Ice! Renji's gonna get wiped!"

"Isn't Luke the heir of a baron family?"

Renji narrowed his eyes. His opponent walked in with a smirk, head high and arrogance written all over his face. His pristine robes fluttered, and his golden crest gleamed.

"Tch. They're letting garbage into the academy now?" Luke scoffed. "You should've stayed on the farm, bumpkin."

Renji didn't speak. He just walked forward and cracked his knuckles.

A silence fell over the arena. The moment was heavy. Even the masters were watching closely. He had to prove his worth and it was a pleasure for Renji to do as they say.

"Begin!"

Luke mana surged instantly. He lifted his hand and formed a jagged shard of ice. Crystals formed rapidly into a swirling spear.

"Ice Spear!"

He aimed for Renji's chest, ready to end the duel with a single clean spell. It will be a quick fight to begin as well as to end.

But then... Renji crouched and with the opponent's ice projectile was coming near his face, he sidestepped and watched it glide through the air in a semi slow motion.

Boom!

Renji stepped like never before. The ground caved in to his step and then he propelled towards his enemy.

Renji vanished from sight. No aura. No spell. Just a blur of motion and a shockwave of force that came from his step.

In less than a blink, he appeared before Luke and drove his fist deep into the noble's abdomen.

BOOM!

The air exploded out of Luke's lungs. His mouth dropped open. He gasped, stumbled back, but couldn't recover.

Renji didn't stop.

He gripped the noble by the collar, hoisted him up, and slammed him hard into the tiles.

THUD!

Dust flew. The ground cracked beneath Lark's body. His eyes rolled. He had passed out.

The duel was over...it was only a few seconds. Even the ice spear has yet to land on the barrier of the arena.

Bang!

The ice spear landed and then a stunned silence engulfed the arena. The cracks on the arena tiles was evident but still, disbelief was in their eyes. It was too fast that made them hard to cope up.

The masters stared, some mouths half open. Students gawked in disbelief.

"He… won?"

"Did you see that speed?"

"No aura! No class! No magic! What the hell was that?!"

Even the Head Professor stood up from his seat.

Renji stood still, chest heaving, sweat rolling down his temple. He looked down at his hand. His knuckles were slightly red, but that was it. He had done what he had to do.

Still, there was no applause. No cheers.

He turned, ready to walk away, fully expecting the school to cast him out anyway. They had made up their minds about him already. To them, he wasn't worthy. He was just a nameless, powerless boy.

But then....

"Wait!"

A tall man with robes of obsidian and silver stepped down from the stands. His presence was suffocating. His eyes sharp like daggers.

It was Master Klien, renowned Master and leader of the Obsidian Guild.

"I have a request," Klien said as all eyes turned to him. "Let this one be taken under my guild."

The Headmaster raised an eyebrow.

"As a student?"

Klien shook his head.

"As an errand boy. Let him carry crates. Clean our blades. Fetch our scrolls."

The audience burst into laughter.

"So that's it after all?"

"He'll just sweep floors."

"Fitting for a classless runt."

Renji remained silent. His fists clenched to the intensity of the situation. He was expecting another insult but Klien's next words silenced the crowd.

"Let him be my errand boy, and I will personally see if his fists can speak louder than fate. Let no man insult him, I and the Obsidian guild will personally come at you. As he was an Obsidian guild member now. If you insult him, you insult our banner."

A heavy pause.....

The Headmaster finally gave a reluctant nod.

"Very well. Renji... you are selected under the Obsidian Guild."

Renji blinked. His breath caught in his throat. He had been selected!

Not as an apprentice, no...not yet. He had to prove his worth to become an apprentice. With that he went to greet his teammates. He was not selected with flying colors but a door had opened. It was a chance for him to begin his journey.

He bowed his head, clenched his fists, and whispered under his breath. "I'll make them remember my name. Even if I have to start from the bottom."

The crowd was still stunned. The nobles looked insulted with the results. "Even a trash classless nobody would get selected?" They protested. But Klien just smirked.

He turned to leave and spoke without looking back...

"Finally! I am selected!" He shouted. It will be his ticket to prove his Martial arts were the best and could beat them all!