Chapter 86 – The First Trial

The training ground fell silent as students and upperclassmen took their positions. The tension in the air was thick, crackling with mana and anticipation.

I stood across from my opponent, the third-year student who looked more like a seasoned warrior than a student. He loosened his shoulders, his mana flaring ever so slightly. The strength difference was evident.

Instructor Reinhardt stood between us. "No killing blows. Anything else is allowed. The fight ends when one of you surrenders, is incapacitated, or I step in."

His gaze swept across us, then he raised his hand.

"Begin."

The moment the word left his lips, my opponent moved.

Fast.

His body blurred as he lunged forward, closing the distance between us in an instant. A straight punch, reinforced with aura, came hurtling toward my face.

I sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the impact, and countered with a quick slash of my dagger.

Clang!

He deflected it effortlessly with a mana-coated arm, barely reacting to my attack. His grin widened.

"Oh? You're not bad."

I didn't respond. Talking was unnecessary.

Instead, I flicked my fingers, and three small daggers shot toward him using Telekinesis.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

He swatted them away with ease, then retaliated with a powerful roundhouse kick. I ducked, but the sheer force sent a gust of wind whipping past my hair.

My black eyes locked onto him. I need to end this quickly.

I exhaled, my mana shifting.

Aura Control – Reinforcement.

A crimson glow enveloped my limbs as I enhanced my speed and power. In an instant, I dashed forward, my dagger aimed at his ribs.

He blocked—

But I was already behind him.

His eyes widened in shock.

Shadow Step. A footwork technique designed for rapid repositioning.

Before he could react, I struck.

Lunar Severance.

A single, precise slash cut across his torso, tearing through his mana defenses like paper.

Blood sprayed. Not deep enough to be fatal, but enough to stagger him.

The crowd gasped.

I didn't stop. Pressing forward, I sent a barrage of dagger strikes toward his exposed side.

His aura flared as he desperately blocked, his movements growing sloppier. His initial confidence was gone, replaced with irritation.

"Tch…!" He growled, leaping back to gain distance. His breathing was uneven. "You…what the hell was that footwork?"

I didn't answer. My body remained loose, prepared to move again.

For a moment, we stared at each other. Then, his expression hardened.

"I admit, you're better than I thought." His mana surged, his aura intensifying. "But this ends now."

Oh?

I braced myself as his muscles tensed. His speed was about to increase.

Reinhardt's voice cut through the air.

"Enough."

Both of us froze.

The instructor stepped forward, arms crossed. His sharp gaze lingered on my opponent's bleeding torso, then shifted to me.

"You pass."

The crowd murmured. Some looked surprised. Others, wary.

My opponent clicked his tongue but nodded. "Tch… Fine. I lost." He turned and walked away, clearly frustrated but not reckless enough to argue with Reinhardt.

I exhaled slowly, lowering my dagger. My aura dissipated.

Reinhardt studied me for a moment before addressing the class.

"Learn from this," he said. "Your ranks mean nothing if you can't handle real combat."

His gaze flickered toward me once more. There was something in his eyes—curiosity, perhaps.

Then, he turned away.

"Next fight."

The fight had ended quickly. Almost too quickly.

My opponent, a third-year student, was D rank—nothing extraordinary by academy standards. In a five-year course like this, the average student was expected to be at C rank upon graduation. The strongest ones even reached B rank or higher before leaving.

Yet, despite the clear difference in experience, I had won.

Not because of overwhelming power.

Not because of a massive skill gap.

But because he underestimated me.

From the very start, he treated me like an easy win—a mere first-year, someone unworthy of caution. His arrogance made him careless, and that cost him the fight before it had even begun.

Had he taken me seriously from the start, things might have played out differently.

I exhaled, relaxing my stance as I moved back to where the others stood.

The main cast, the so-called "protagonists" of this world, were watching closely.

Leonhardt Valerian grinned. "Not bad, Alden. You made it look easy."

Seraphina Everfrost, arms crossed, remained silent but gave a small nod. Her icy-blue eyes held a flicker of interest.

Alicia von Rosenheim scoffed. "Hmph. Of course, he won. He wouldn't be in S-Class otherwise."

Reynard Faulkner chuckled. "But that move at the end was nice—quick and precise. Not bad at all."

Luca Ashenpaw's silver-furred ears twitched. "He's fast. And precise. I like it."

Sylvara Nightwhisper, the elven prodigy, observed quietly, her emerald eyes filled with contemplation.

Elena Brightwind, the saintess candidate, smiled softly but said nothing.

Instructor Reinhardt continued calling up students for their duels.

One by one, the main cast stepped forward.

Leonhardt Valerian's Match

Leonhardt faced off against a burly second-year student, easily deflecting attacks with precise swordsmanship. His Emerald Wind Swordplay flowed like a storm, cutting through his opponent's defenses effortlessly. With a final wind-infused slash, he secured victory.

Seraphina Everfrost's Match

Seraphina's battle was cold and brutal. She conjured ice spears mid-air, launching them with pinpoint accuracy. Her opponent, a fellow second-year, barely lasted a minute before surrendering under her relentless barrage.

Alicia von Rosenheim's Match

Alicia's flames roared across the training ground. Her battle was the most explosive—fire spells engulfed her opponent, forcing them to yield before real injuries could occur.

Reynard Faulkner's Match

Reynard vanished into thin air. His opponent never even saw his movements. In a mere ten seconds, he appeared behind them, a dagger pressed against their throat. Victory.

Luca Ashenpaw's Match

Luca fought like a beast. His movements were primal, raw, and unpredictable. He overwhelmed his opponent with relentless attacks, claws slashing through mana shields like they were paper.

Sylvara Nightwhisper's Match

Sylvara was a walking storm. Her nature magic flowed seamlessly, vines trapping her opponent before they could react. A single spell ended her match.

Elena Brightwind's Match

Elena, despite being a healer, was no pushover. Using a mix of divine magic and defensive techniques, she forced her opponent into a battle of endurance. In the end, they collapsed from exhaustion, unable to keep up with her relentless pace.

—

As the fights concluded, Instructor Reinhardt nodded approvingly.

"Good. You've all proven that you deserve your place in S-Class. But don't get arrogant."

His sharp gaze swept across us.

"Strength means nothing if you let your guard down. Learn from today."

His words weren't just for the ones who lost. They were directed at all of us.

The real training had only just begun.

—

To Be Continued…