The clash of blades

"I am ready whenever you are," Rin said, gripping his wooden sword.

Min-Soo was already in his fighting stance, both of them poised, wooden weapons in hand, eager to test their strength against each other. The sun cast a warm glow on their skin, while the stillness of the courtyard amplified the soft rustling of leaves from a nearby tree.

Seeing Rin's relaxed posture, Min-Soo wasted no time. He lunged forward, striking without warning. Rin barely managed to react, raising his sword in time to block. The sharp crack of their wooden blades echoed through the empty courtyard.

Rin's jaw tightened as he steadied himself, breath controlled, adrenaline surging through his veins. His lips curled—not quite a smirk, not quite a snarl—like someone who had just evaded a deadly blow.

Rolling his shoulders, he grinned. "Nice. That attack caught me off guard, but now I won't hold back. May the strongest among us win." His eyes sharpened, the playfulness fading into pure focus.

Min-Soo smirked. "You sure about that? The fight is only getting started, so don't boast yet. You barely blocked my last attack." He shifted his weight onto the balls of his feet, his wooden sword angled forward, ready for another strike.

Rin chuckled, adjusting his stance. "Let's see if you can catch me off guard again."

The moment stretched between them, thick with anticipation. Then, like a coiled spring snapping free, Rin moved.

He lunged at incredible speed, his blade cutting through the air in a clean arc toward Min-Soo's neck—an attempt to secure an early victory. But Min-Soo was faster. With a sharp parry, he knocked Rin's sword aside. The impact sent a shiver up both their arms.

Taking advantage of Rin's brief moment of imbalance, Min-Soo swung his sword in a sweeping arc toward Rin's ribs.

Rin twisted just in time, dodging the blade with a sharp pivot. Still, he felt the slight graze of the wooden edge against his side. Realizing he was at a disadvantage, he countered instantly, closing the distance once more with precise footwork.

Their swords clashed in rapid succession—each strike a test, each movement a conversation between instinct and skill.

Min-Soo grinned between breaths. "You weren't joking about getting serious."

Rin didn't waste time responding. Instead, he pressed forward, shifting his weight and attacking with renewed ferocity. His blade became a blur, slashing relentlessly, driving Min-Soo back. Their wooden swords screamed in protest as splinters flew into the air.

Yet, despite the relentless assault, Min-Soo held his ground, weaving between strikes with effortless precision. Then, spotting an opening, he feinted left, baiting Rin's guard open.

Rin barely managed to leap back, but Min-Soo was already moving, following through with a powerful overhead attack. Rin raised his sword to block, but the sheer force drove him to one knee on the ground. His breath came in inconsistent gasps.

Min-Soo stood over him, resting on his sword. "You've got good skill," he admitted. "But you're predictable."

Rin's grip tightened. Predictable? He refused to accept that.

With a sudden burst of movement, he surged forward, using his lower position to slip past Min-Soo's guard. His body arched upward, forcing Min-Soo to step back. Seizing the moment, Rin pressed the attack, his strikes relentless.

Min-Soo, however, was just as skilled. He met Rin's assault head-on, parrying each blow with precise timing. Then, with a desperate twist, he locked their blades together. They stood inches apart, sweat trickling down their faces, breaths heavy, eyes locked in silent challenge.

Despite the intensity, there was no real malice—only a test of strength, a contest between equals.

After a final, breathless clash, they stepped back.

Min-Soo wiped his brow, exhaling sharply. "One of these days, I'm actually going to defeat you."

Rin laughed, tossing him a water bottle. "Keep dreaming."

---

Unbeknownst to them, someone had been watching.

Park Ji-Hyun, a fellow applicant, stood at a distance, brow raised in confusion. Her lips parted slightly, unable to comprehend what she had just witnessed.

"Isn't this the guy with no skill or abilities? No mana?" she muttered under her breath. "Or is he hiding his strength?"

She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Rin's strength was on par with the other Hunters taking the examination. If he truly had no mana, then how?

Wanting confirmation, she activated Arcana Eyes—a skill that allowed her to see the mana flow of others.

Her eyes glowed faintly as she focused on Rin.

Nothing.

No mana flowed through him.

Her confusion deepened. "Maybe he hasn't awakened his skill yet… but his physical abilities alone put him on par with other Hunters. Interesting."

She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I should keep an eye on him. He has strong potential."

With that decision made, she turned away and left the courtyard, careful not to be noticed.

---

At the Director's Office

Meanwhile, in a dimly lit office, a smooth, artificial voice spoke, its tone consistent and unwavering—like an AI system.

"Sir, the combat assessment has been completed. Would you like me to separate the participants into groups? And before I proceed, should I disqualify Rin Hammock, who has been reported to have no skill or mana?"

The director sat comfortably in his chair, fingers resting against his chin in thought. His expression remained calm, unreadable.

After a pause, he finally spoke.

"No need to disqualify the kid yet. People like him make the competition fun to watch." His lips curled slightly in amusement. "Ensure that Princess Deokan and Min-Soo are in the same group. As for the 'No-Skill' kid, put him in the same group as Seung-Ho. I think that will make things… interesting."

"As you wish, Director," the AI replied. "Shuffling the other students into their respective groups now."

A quiet hum filled the room as the system began processing the assignments.

---

The Group Announcement

Later that day, the students were summoned to the main hall.

A large screen displayed the finalized group assignments. Rin scanned the list, his expression unreadable as he located his name.

Min-Soo stood beside him, arms crossed. "Looks like we're split up."

"Yeah," Rin muttered. His eyes landed on another name in his group—Seung-Ho. He didn't know much about him, but the whispers around the hall told him enough.

A formidable opponent.

Min-Soo nudged him. "Don't get yourself killed, 'No-Skill Kid.'"

Rin smirked. "No promises."

And with that, the Hunter's Examination was about to truly begin.