**Chapter 48: The Crucible**

The Celestial Proving Grounds stretched before Ibukun—an obsidian pitch under a sky choked with storm clouds. No crowds. No cheers. Just twenty-three elite prospects and three stone-faced League evaluators.

Nyx's final words echoed in his mind: *"They're not judging your feet. They're judging your mind."*

Jay-Jay's hologram materialized as Ibukun laced his boots. *"Scouts say Yuvan rejected the last twelve trialists. Dude's got a reputation for—"*

*"Quiet,"* Ibukun thought. The System's display pulsed:

**>> TRIAL PARAMETERS LOADED

>> OPPONENT ANALYSIS: 87% PRIOR MATCH FOOTAGE ACCESSED

>> RECOMMENDED PLAYSTYLE: CONTROLLED AGGRESSION <<**

The evaluator's horn sounded.

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### **First Test: The Silent Match**

No whistle. No spoken rules. The ball simply appeared at center circle.

Ibukun moved first.

His first touch sent the ball rolling toward Kaelis—but a hulking defender from Ironforge Academy intercepted with a crunching tackle. Clean. Brutal. *Message sent.*

**>> PHYSICALITY THRESHOLD EXCEEDED

>> ADJUSTMENT: INCREASE GROUND COVERAGE BY 1.5 METERS <<**

Ibukun adapted. Short passes. Constant movement. Letting opponents think they had him contained—until the 38th minute, when he spotted the gap.

A feint left. A razor through-ball. Lysander's finish was academic.

1-0.

Master Yuvan's datapad glowed as he recorded something.

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### **The Trap**

Second half. The evaluators changed the game.

Without warning, the pitch's gravity doubled. Three "injured" trialists were replaced by fresh legs. Ibukun's lungs burned.

**>> PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS: 89% OF THRESHOLD

>> QI REDISTRIBUTION: PRIORITIZE LOWER-BODY STABILITY <<**

Then came the real test.

A loose ball rolled toward Ibukun. Vorgh—the same enforcer from Stormborn—lunged with studs raised. Not a tackle. An *assassination attempt.*

Ibukun's body moved before his mind processed the threat.

**>> EVASION PATTERN DELTA-3 EXECUTED <<**

His sidestep was so smooth Vorgh's kick only grazed his shinpad. The evaluators' eyes sharpened.

*Too smooth.*

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### **The Evaluation**

After ninety grueling minutes, Yuvan approached. His voice was a glacier.

*"Your anticipation is... unnatural."*

Ibukun kept his breathing even. *"Film study."*

*"No."* The evaluator's gloved hand tapped his own temple. *"You see things before they happen. Like someone's whispering in your ear."*

Jay-Jay's hologram froze.

Ibukun smiled. *"Or maybe I'm just better than your usual trialists."*

A beat. Two. Then—

Yuvan snorted. *"Arrogance suits you."* He handed Ibukun a crystal chip. *"Report to Lunar Ring Station in 72 hours. Try not to embarrass yourself."*

The chip bore the Celestial League's crest.

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### **Nyx's Revelation**

She waited at the private shuttle bay, her gold-threaded cloak flaring in the engine wash. *"Told you they'd bite."*

Ibukun tossed the chip at her. *"What did you promise them?"*

Nyx caught it without looking. *"Nothing you wouldn't have given anyway."* She leaned close, her perfume drowning out the scent of ionized air. *"But we have a problem. Valentina's been talking to League investigators."*

Jay-Jay's hologram materialized, uncharacteristically grim. *"She's got no proof about the System, but—"*

*"But they'll be watching,"* Nyx finished. *"Which means no more miracles. Just... calculated excellence."*

The System's final readout pulsed in Ibukun's vision:

**>> TRIAL COMPLETE

>> PERFORMANCE: 94% OF PROJECTED OPTIMUM

>> WARNING: FUTURE SCANS WILL REQUIRE GREATER CAUTION <<**

As the shuttle doors closed, Nyx's last words lingered:

*"Welcome to the big leagues. Now the real game begins."*

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