Raiden Alaric

"Twenty thousand," Seraphina repeated slowly, like she was testing the words to see if they made more sense the second time. "You died twenty thousand times. In two months."

"Well when you put it like that it makes it seem like I wasn't doing anything else," I said with a wry smile. "I was training and all, but again, I'm sorry I broke our deal."

"And you kept going back," she said, her voice carrying that particular tone people use when they're trying very hard to remain patient. "After being killed. Repeatedly. For months of subjective time."

"Pretty much, yeah."

"All to beat this… thing?" She said.

I nodded, "Yeah."

Seraphina looked between me and Chronos, clearly searching for some sign that this was an elaborate joke. When she found none, her expression shifted through confusion, concern, and what looked suspiciously like the face someone makes when they're trying really hard not to call you an idiot.

Chronos and I shared a knowing look.

She doesn't get it.

"It was really fun and… it was," I said, trying to find words that wouldn't make her think I'd completely lost my mind. "It was... perfect. The first real challenge I've found that could push me without holding back. I've been wanting something that would let me push myself like that with no consequ— w–well I guess there still was but you get what I mean."

How do you explain the rush of finding something that can actually test your limits?

"Most opponents either can't keep up, or they're holding back because they're worried about hurting me, or there are rules and restrictions that get in the way," I continued. "But this? It was pure combat. No mercy, no hesitation, no politics. I could try again and again without worrying about anything."

Seraphina's frown deepened. "Raiden, you nearly collapsed from exhaustion. Dr. Hartwell said your body was on the verge of shutting down."

"I—I can't make any excuses for that," I conceded. "I will admit, I got too carried away…"

I flexed my fingers, feeling the way my aura responded now. Smoother, more controlled, like the difference between driving a beat-up car and a luxury sedan.

"But… everything I experienced in there... it's something I think is more valuable than anything. Training modules aside, that thing I fought‌ gave me more experience than I could ask for at this stage."

"Training that could have killed you," Seraphina said, her voice firm.

I looked at her, seeing the genuine concern in her eyes. The way her hands were clasped tightly in her lap. The tension in her shoulders that spoke of someone who'd been genuinely worried.

She was scared. Actually scared for me.

The realization hit harder than I'd expected. Not just professional concern for her employer, but real worry for someone she cared about.

"Seraphina," I said, my voice becoming more gentle. "I know you were worried. And I'm sorry for putting you through that. But… this is part of who I am. I can't really do anything to deny that fact about me. Not the… nearly killing myself from training part, but becoming enticed by a genuine challenge. That is me."

I gestured toward the training node she still held. "When I find something that can push me to the edge… I can't just walk away from it. It's not in my nature."

She studied my face for a long moment, looking for something I wasn't sure I could give her.

"Even if it means risking your life?" she asked quietly.

Chronos and I shared another look. He clearly gets it.

She wants me to promise I won't do it again. Wants me to say I'll be more careful, more reasonable.

But I couldn't lie to her. Not after she'd spent three days watching over me.

"I can't really give you any guarantees," I said honestly. "Especially since I won't even be home often once I start attending an academy. But I'll try to be smarter about it."

Seraphina nodded slowly, though I could see she wasn't entirely satisfied with that answer.

"Speaking of the academies," Chronos said, pushing off from the wall. "You have a week left before the entrance exams begin. Which means you need to start getting back into mint condition."

He held out his hand, and a small box materialized in his palm, appearing from nowhere.

"Here," he said, handing it over to me.

I opened the box and found a series of pills arranged in neat rows, each one labeled with precise handwriting. Recovery Enhancement, Muscle Restoration, Neural Function Optimization, Sleep Quality Improvement.

"These will help reverse the physical strain from your extended training," Chronos explained. "Your little… entanglement took its toll on you. Even if you're an Ascendant, you still need to take care of your body."

Seraphina leaned over to examine the contents, her expression shifting to something more professional as she read the labels. "I'll take care of this," she said, carefully taking the box from my hands. "Proper dosing schedule, monitoring for side effects, making sure you actually take them."

I started to protest, but she gave me a look that could have stopped a charging bull.

"You just spent three days refusing to come out of meditation," she said firmly. "I'm not trusting you to self-medicate properly."

"I–but—Y–yes ma'am."

Chronos chuckled at my resigned acceptance. "I'll go with you to send you off when the time comes," he said, already moving toward the door. "Make sure you don't get lost on the way to your first academy exam."

He gestured casually, and a portal tore open in the air. "Until then, try not to worry Seraphina again"

And with that, he stepped through and was gone, the portal snapping shut behind him like it had never existed.

I started to get up from the bed, but Seraphina's hand landed firmly on my shoulder, pushing me back down.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked.

"Ummm, to the… meditation… chamber?" I said meekly.

Seraphina's smile didn't reach her eyes. "I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you properly, Master Alaric. Could you repeat that?"

I immediately averted my gaze, suddenly finding the bedsheets very interesting. "I— w–was just thinking I could… lay down for a bit and recover… leaving everything to you."

Her expression shifted to a real smile, warm but with just a hint of satisfaction at my surrender. "First is recovery enhancement while getting you properly fed and hydrated. We're going to undo weeks of you treating your body like it's optional."

I sighed heavily, already seeing how this week was going to go.

I'm in for a long week.

Chronos Elior

The portal deposited me directly into Selena's lab, where I was greeted by the familiar sight of organized chaos. Multiple holographic displays floated in the air, each one showing different data streams, graphs, and readouts that painted a comprehensive picture of Raiden's recent training session.

Selena sat hunched over her primary workstation, completely absorbed in the flood of information. Her lab coat was wrinkled, her green hair was disheveled and falling loose around her face like she'd been running her hands through it all night, and there was what appeared to be a small puddle of drool on her desk where she'd been leaning too close to one of the monitors.

A mountain of empty energy drink cans piled on the ground beside her. I'm assuming that a trash bin is underneath it somewhere.

"Selena," I said, announcing my presence.

She didn't even look up, too busy scribbling notes at a speed that would have impressed a court stenographer. "Chronos! Perfect timing. You need to see this data. It's absolutely incredible what happened during his final session."

Her stylus moved frantically across her tablet as she continued taking notes, occasionally pausing to zoom in on particularly interesting sections of the readouts.

"The aura density fluctuations alone are unprecedented for a Green Rank," she continued, her voice carrying that manic energy that always accompanied her most exciting discoveries. "And the neural activity patterns... I've never seen anything like it."

I walked closer, studying the data displays with interest. "Show me the evolution of his aura."

Selena's eyes lit up as she gestured to one of the larger holographic displays. "This is where it gets really exciting. Look at this progression over the past month."

The display shifted to show a time-lapse visualization of Raiden's aura signature, starting from his initial training sessions and progressing through his recent obsessive period. I watched as the energy patterns became increasingly complex, more refined with each passing day.

"At the beginning of his training, his aura density was typical for a newly awakened Green Rank," Selena explained, pointing to the early readings. "Around 1.8 for density with relatively simple energy flow patterns."

She gestured to the most recent data, and I had to admit I was impressed. "But look at this. By the end of his final session, his density had jumped to 4.2 and the quality improved dramatically. I know he's Green Rank Tier 1, but these readings suggest someone much more advanced."

"Impressive," I murmured, studying the patterns. "So he's close to Blue Rank?" I paused, frowning at the implications. "Wait, that can't be right. It's too soon, too fast. What's the issue here?"

Selena shook her head, her expression shifting to something more puzzled. "That's exactly what I've been trying to figure out. In a normal sense, yes, he should be approaching advancement. But that doesn't seem to be the case for him."

She pulled up additional data, highlighting specific readings. "I think that seal fundamentally changed how his aura developed. It's like a muscle that was forced to work under extreme resistance for years. Now that it's free, it's stronger and denser than normal, but it could be misleading."

I studied the readings more carefully, beginning to understand her concern. "You think the numbers don't tell the whole story."

"Exactly. His aura reads as advanced, but I can't tell how his actual rank progression is going." She gestured to the complexity patterns. "The density is there, the control is there, but something about his foundation is... different."

I chuckled, a theory forming in my mind. "Sounds like he's a walking sleeper build."

Selena blinked at me. "A what?"

"You know… like at the gym. Someone could be wearing a hoodie and be look skinny but they're really a buff guy… agh nevermind. Someone who looks unassuming on the surface but is actually far more capable than they appear," I explained. "There's a change that him being sealed for so long created this compressed, highly trained aura foundation. Now that he's Awakened, he's now able to do what the rest of us do. Like only doing push-ups and squats for years, and then he got a gym membership."

Selena nodded enthusiastically, then suddenly spun around in her chair to face me directly. "I need to see Rai-Bear again. I want to do a deep resonance scan on him."

"A deep resonance?" I raised an eyebrow. "That's pretty invasive."

"I know, but the surface readings aren't giving me the full picture," she said, her excitement building again. "I'm not high enough rank to be able to tell at a glance what's really going on with his advancement." She paused, then gave me an innocent look that was anything but innocent. "Unless you would like to share the details?"

I chuckled at her transparent attempt. "Nice try."

"Worth a shot," she said with a grin before continuing. "A deep scan will let me see exactly how far his advancement has developed. I can get a real idea of where he actually is versus what these numbers are telling me."

She pulled up another display, showing comparative data. "Actually, I want to bring in that Sol guy too. The one who's been training with him. They're both Green Rank, both have similar training timelines, but completely different backgrounds. Sol could serve as a baseline for normal development."

"You want to compare them side by side?"

"Exactly!" Selena's eyes practically sparkled with research fervor. "Sol represents normal Green Rank progression. Rai-Bear represents... well, whatever this unique development path is. If I can scan them both with deep resonance, I can start to understand exactly if his advancement is any different or if it's just his aura itself."

I considered this, weighing the benefits against the risks. "Deep resonance scans aren't exactly comfortable. Are you sure it's necessary?"

Selena waved it off dismissively. "I'll have them sign a waiver."

"That's not what I asked."

"Details, details," she said, already turning back to her displays. "Just bring them both over when Rai-Bear is better recovered. I was about to break into his home and take that node myself."

I snorted. "You have no room to talk about obsession, considering you once spent nearly twelve years researching one rift collapse that happened inside a food truck."

"That was completely different!" Selena protested, spinning around in her chair to face me with indignant eyes. "It was my favorite food truck! They had the best Korean-Mexican fusion in three realms, and when a rift collapse destroys something that perfect, you investigate thoroughly!"

"Twelve years, Selena."

"It was a very complex collapse!" she insisted. "The dimensional instability interacted with the kimchi fermentation process in ways that had never been documented before. That research led to three major breakthroughs in understanding micro-dimensional fluctuations!"

"You remain banned from that district for 'excessive investigation of a resolved incident,' which was attorney jargon for 'She created her own quarantine zones and conducted unsupervised tests.'"

"The ban was lifted last month," she said defensively. "Mostly."

I rolled my eyes and gestured for a portal to open. "I'll bring them both over in a few days."

"Make sure you do!" Selena called after me as I stepped toward the swirling energy. "And bring them before they need to leave for the exams!"

I waved dismissively and stepped through the portal, leaving her to her obsessive research.

—

A few days later, I unceremoniously tossed Rai through a portal into Selena's lab. He tumbled forward, arms windmilling as he tried to catch his balance, just as Sol came flying through behind him and crashed into a stack of equipment boxes with a loud clatter.

"Chronos!" Rai protested, spinning around to glare at the closing portal. "Is it always going to be you throwing me through the portal when we're going to Sele—"

"Rai-Bear!" Selena's delighted squeal cut him off as she practically launched herself from her chair. She caught him in an enthusiastic embrace before he could finish his complaint, immediately fussing over him like a mother hen.

"Oh, you look so much better! Your aura feels stronger too. Are you eating properly? Sleeping enough? You're not pushing yourself too hard, are you?"

"Selena, I'm fine—" Rai started, but she was already running her hands along his arms, checking for any signs of strain or injury. Then started licking her lips as her eyes glowed while tracing his aura channels.

"We'll see about that once I get some proper readings," she said, her research enthusiasm kicking into high gear. "Sol! Perfect timing, you look wonderful too. This is going to be such a fascinating comparison!"

Meanwhile, Sol was extracting himself from the pile of boxes with a groan. "You know Rai, I didn't think you literally meant we were getting thrown through a portal. Next time I'm walking," he muttered, rubbing his shoulder.

Sol chuckled at Rai's predicament, shaking his head as he watched Selena begin dragging his friend across the lab. "So she is real," he said with obvious amusement. "I thought you were just schizophre—"

His words cut off abruptly as an invisible force wrapped around his ankles and yanked hard, sending him sliding across the smooth lab floor.

"What the—" Sol's eyes went wide as he was dragged toward whatever scanning equipment Selena had in mind. His hands shot out, desperately grasping for anything to halt his momentum. "Rai! Help! It's got me!"

"Help you? Help me!" Rai called back, his own fingers scrambling for purchase on a nearby desk edge before Selena's relentless pace pulled him away. "Ah fuck she's drooling! Help!"

"Please! I don't have my whistle with me!" Sol protested, trying to dig his heels into the floor. It didn't help. "Chronos have mercy—" He grabbed onto a chair, which promptly started sliding along with him. "—please save your beloved disciple's friend! He needs the training I'm sure but spare me!"

"Hey fuck you! I want to be helped too!" Rai shot back, his voice strained as he attempted to brace himself against a doorframe. Selena's pull was stronger. "Release me woman! Release me!"

"Less talking, more cooperating!" Selena called cheerfully over her shoulder while dragging Rai by his ankle. "The scanning chamber is perfectly safe, and I have so many questions about your advancement! This is going to be such good data!"

Sol made one last desperate grab for a heavy equipment rack, managing to wrap his arms around it. For a moment, he thought he'd found salvation.

Then the entire rack started sliding across the floor with him.

"I'm sorry!" Sol yelled frantically, watching in horror as expensive-looking instruments rattled ominously on their shelves. "I'm sorry for laughing at you! I didn't think you were telling the truth!"

"Oh, you thought I was lying?" Rai called back, a hint of wicked amusement creeping into his voice despite his own predicament. "Well, if we're lucky, she's not gonna poke us with anything."

"Poke us?!" Sol's voice cracked slightly as the rack finally came to a stop against another piece of equipment, leaving him stranded and still being pulled toward whatever scanning torture Selena had planned.

"Oh god… I've never been in this chamber before," Rai said with a grim tone. "Chronos! The Oath! The Oath should be compelling you to save me!"

I shook my head, "Nope, nothing is happening so you're perfectly safe." I gave him a thumbs up.

"YOU LIAR!" He turned to Sol, "Sol quick, use your sword skills to cut the fabric of reality!"

"Oh, why didn't I think of that? Let me just advance a few times and grab the nearest sword." Sol protested, though his grip on the equipment rack tightened noticeably.

"Well hurry it up!" Rai was then tossed into the chamber and held down by Selena's aura. "Ah, wait, I'm new to this! I don't think I'm into this kind of play!"

Sol followed soon after next to him. "Play?? Wait no, wait I'm saving myself!"

The chamber door sealed shut with an ominous hiss, and immediately two large pillars began rising from the floor. Selena's aura released them both. Yet they still remained on the ground as if they were still held down.

A smaller pillar slowly shot up from the floor directly beneath him, bumping him out of the way.

"Ow," he said casually, rolling over to the side with complete acceptance of his fate. Then he paused, then got up after realizing he wasn't being held down anymore. Sol quickly followed suit, both of them brushing off dust and looking around the chamber warily.

The pillar stopped rising when it reached about waist height, revealing a smooth, crystalline orb embedded in its top that pulsed with a soft blue light.

"Sol, put your hand on the scanning orb," Selena instructed, her voice taking on that professional researcher tone that somehow made everything sound both official and vaguely threatening.

Sol stared at the orb like it might suddenly sprout teeth. He reached out slowly, his hand trembling slightly as he approached the glowing surface, clearly expecting it to do something horrible the moment he made contact.

Meanwhile, Rai quietly shuffled over to the far corner of the chamber, pressing his back against the wall as if trying to put as much distance as possible between himself and whatever was about to happen.

"It's not gonna bite you," Selena said with exasperated amusement. "Stop being a pussy and just touch it already."

Sol finally pressed his palm against the orb's surface. For a moment, nothing happened. The crystal remained a steady blue glow, no explosions, no screaming, no sudden death.

"Oh," Sol said, visibly relaxing. "That's... actually not bad."

Meanwhile, Rai remained firmly planted in his corner, eyeing the proceedings with deep suspicion.

Selena moved to a command console near the wall and placed her own hand on a smaller orb embedded in the surface. She pressed a series of buttons with practiced efficiency, and suddenly a light began blinking on the display above Sol's pillar.

Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

Sol immediately tensed up again, a visible shiver running through his body as something clearly changed with the scanning process.

"There we go," Selena said cheerfully, studying the holographic display that materialized in the air. "Perfect readings."

Sol removed his hand from the orb and backed up, hugging himself. "I feel violated."

The display showed a detailed diagram of Sol's aura structure, his Aether Core glowing a steady green in his solar plexus indicating his rank. The diagram also showed his aura channels mapped throughout his body like a complex circulatory system. At the top of the display, clear text read: GREEN RANK - TIER 1.

Below that, a stream of numerical data scrolled past: "Aura Density: 1.9 on advancement scale, Core Capacity: 847 units, Channel Efficiency: 73.2%, Purification Index: 2.1..."

Selena waved dismissively at the numbers. "Ignore all that numerical garbage. Numbers are meaningless when it comes to this stuff. They're just there because the Association loves their bureaucratic nonsense."

I raised an eyebrow from my position against the wall. "You? You don't care about numbers?"

"Numbers aren't significant in this area," Selena replied with a shrug. "Are they cool to look at? Sure, but they mean nothing in the grand scheme of things. Someone might have an aura density of 3.4 yet they can't do shit because they have no technique or finesse."

I nodded thoughtfully, and both Sol and Rai found themselves nodding in agreement as well.

Selena turned her attention to a different reading on the display. "Now this percentage, 17.3% progression through Tier 1, that's reasonable for someone at his level."

"Oh so now numbers are okay?" I said with amusement.

She waved me off dismissively and didn't bother explaining herself. "Rai-Bear, your turn. Touch the orb."

Rai reluctantly left his safe corner and walked over to the pillar, placing his hand on the crystal orb with obvious resignation.

Selena repeated the process, pressing the same sequence of buttons on her console. The light blinked again, and this time a new holographic display materialized above Rai's pillar, showing his aura structure and data.

The numerical readouts were significantly higher: "Aura Density: 4.2 on advancement scale, Core Capacity: 2,847 units, Channel Efficiency: 91.7%, Purification Index: 3.8..."

Selena waved those aside just as dismissively as she had Sol's. "Same garbage, different numbers."

But when she looked at the rank and tier progression, her expression shifted to something more interesting. The display clearly showed: GREEN RANK - TIER 1, with a progression percentage of 8.3%.

Sol immediately lifted his chin with a smug expression, clearly pleased that his 17.3% beat Rai's 8.3%.

Rai promptly flipped him off.

"Perfect!" Selena exclaimed, her eyes lighting up as she studied both displays side by side. "This confirms my earlier thesis completely. Look at this data comparison."

She gestured excitedly between the two holographic readouts. "Rai-Bear has significantly higher raw numbers across the board. His aura density is more than double Sol's, his core capacity is triple the size, and his channel efficiency is nearly twenty points higher. By every traditional metric, he should be advancing faster."

Her voice took on that manic research enthusiasm again. "But Sol is progressing through his tier at twice the rate despite having 'inferior' baseline measurements. This is exactly what I was telling you earlier. The numbers are misleading because they don't account for the unique foundation development."

She pointed at Rai's display with obvious excitement. "His... unusual development history created this compressed, highly efficient aura system that reads as advanced but follows completely different progression rules. It's like comparing a finely tuned race car engine to a massive freight train engine. They're both powerful, but they operate on entirely different principles."

Now it was Rai's turn to adopt a smug expression, clearly pleased with being compared to a high-performance race car.

Sol shot him a middle finger in response.

"He's probably going to stand out if there are some who are talented in reading aura signatures," I agreed, studying the readouts with interest. "Those numbers don't match his tier progression at all."

Selena nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! Anyone with decent aura reading skills is going to take one look at him and think something's off. His signature is going to scream 'advanced' while his actual rank says 'novice.'"

Knock knock knock

We all turned to see Rai tapping on the chamber glass with his knuckles. "Can I get out yet?" he called through the barrier, his voice slightly muffled.

—

I was already moving toward the portal when I realized Sol was walking beside me alone. Turning around, I spotted the problem immediately.

Rai was trapped in Selena's arms, held against her like an oversized teddy bear while she gently petted his hair with obvious contentment.

"Damn harlot," Sol muttered, walking back over to them. He grabbed Rai's arm and started trying to pry him free. "Let him go!"

"No," Selena hissed, tightening her grip and pulling Rai closer protectively. "He's mine!"

Sol hissed right back at her, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"There's a spray bottle in the cabinet over there," Rai said helpfully, his voice muffled since his face was pressed against Selena's chest.

"Don't make me get the spray bottle," Sol threatened, pointing toward the cabinet Rai had indicated.

"We literally only have a day left until they need to leave for the exams," I interrupted. "He needs to pack his things."

Selena's expression shifted to a dramatic pout, her lower lip jutting out as she looked down at Rai with obvious reluctance. After a long moment, she slowly loosened her grip and let him go, though her hands lingered as if she might snatch him back at any second.

Raiden Alaric

Chronos pulled up to the Ascendant Association's traversal branch, and I found myself staring out the window. The place was huge, way bigger than I'd expected. Massive stone arches stretched overhead, and there were these blue glowing crystals built right into the walls that gave everything an otherworldly feel. However, the thick roots growing right through the stonework, weaving between the arches as if the entire structure had been built around a massive tree system, really caught my attention.

This place looks like someone took a castle and mixed it with a space station.

"So Elysium first, then Atlantis, then Ne-No-Kuni?" Sol asked from beside me as Chronos navigated through the entry checkpoint.

"That's the plan," I confirmed, watching the other groups of prospective students making their way toward the gate structures. "Three weeks at each academy."

"Wonder what the entrance exams will be like," Sol mused as we passed under one of the massive archways.

"Probably combat trials," I said. "Oh, and you can just stay at my place near each academy. Seraphina already made all the arrangements."

Sol gave me a flat look. "You just casually mentioned you have houses near all three academies."

"Oh God.... I did, didn't I? Oh no! Am I gonna start looking into overpriced watches and high end clothing brands?!"

"Hey, don't worry," Sol said, patting my shoulder consolingly. "I'll hold you back from all that. If you ever do buy anything ridiculous, just give it to me for safekeeping."

I stared at him. "You just want me to buy you things."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Sol replied with completely fake innocence.

—

After following a bunch of signs and getting lost twice, we finally found the right portal area. There was a big stone archway in the middle of the room that wasn't doing anything yet, and maybe twenty other people our age hanging around waiting.

I checked my watch and felt my stomach tighten slightly. "Portal opens in about an hour. Exam starts at noon."

Sol let out a massive yawn beside me. "Six in the morning," he complained, rubbing his eyes. "Who schedules anything at six in the morning? This is cruel and unusual punishment."

I gave him a sympathetic look. "I get it, man. But I've been trained to wake up early since I was a kid. Can't really do anything about it now." I shrugged. "Sucks to suck."

"Thanks for the support," Sol muttered sarcastically.

Chronos appeared beside us with three breakfast burritos wrapped in foil, handing one each to Sol and me before taking a bite of his own. "Figured you'd need fuel for the exam."

"Any idea what we're walking into?" I asked, unwrapping the burrito gratefully.

Chronos chewed thoughtfully. "No leaks this year, but there's a good chance they'll stick to their pattern. Combat, survival, and hunting, they rotate every year. This year should land on hunting."

Sol's eyes immediately brightened, his earlier exhaustion forgotten. "Hunting?"

I looked at him curiously. "You seem excited about that."

"I've been hunting for years," Sol said, actually looking energized for the first time this morning. "Living alone, you learn to supplement your food budget however you can."

I nodded, then Sol looked around and frowned. "Wait, where's your stuff? Don't you have anything packed?"

I sighed. "Seraphina had everything sent to my place there."

Sol held up his duffel bag with an exasperated expression. "Why couldn't I get that luxury? I've been lugging this thing around since four in the morning."

"I didn't even think about it," I said, feeling genuinely bad. "Sorry, man."

Both our phones buzzed simultaneously with notifications. I glanced down at the screen: "Portal Entry - Group 3 - Report to Gate Immediately."

"That's us," Sol said, shouldering his bag.

Chronos gave us a casual wave. "Good luck. Try not to die on the first day."

"Thanks for the confidence boost," I called back, but before we could walk away, he caught my eye.

"Remember what we talked about," he said quietly.

I nodded. Keep the Origin under wraps. Everyone knew Origins existed, but that didn't mean I should go around advertising mine. I'd been careful about it so far, and I wasn't about to start getting sloppy now.

Sol walked beside me, and we joined the small group of other prospective students gathering at the gate.

—

The moment we stepped through the portal, I felt like I'd been punched in the face by pure wonder.

We were standing on what had to be the most beautiful island I'd ever seen. The architecture was incredible. Massive domed buildings with gold and blue details that caught the sunlight, elegant bridges spanning between structures, and water features that seemed to flow impossibly upward in some places.

Holy shit. This place makes my mansion look like a garden shed.

"Welcome to Elysium Academy!"

The voice boomed across the entire plaza with perfect clarity, enhanced by aura to reach every corner without strain. I looked up to see a figure descending toward our group on what appeared to be a floating stone platform.

I quickly sent out a subtle aura pulse to get a read on him and immediately regretted it. The guy was Nexus Rank.

Note to self: don't piss off the dwarf… yet.

"I'm Instructor Ironbeard," he announced as his platform touched down, his voice carrying the weight of absolute command even though his tone remained conversational. "Yes, that's my real name. My father named me. Why would he name me such a thing you ask? In my village, we had a small tradition of being named after a notable achievement that our parents did. In this case he had accidentally smelted iron ore into his beard."

He stroked his own impressive beard with a rueful expression, and despite his imposing presence, there was genuine humor in his eyes. "Never said they had to be positive things that were notable... alas, I'm cursed with this name. My father, on the other hand, is laughing his ass off."

A few chuckles rippled through our group, though they were more nervous than genuinely amused. Even Sol was smiling, though he kept glancing at Ironbeard's ornate robes with obvious respect.

"Anyway, I'll be giving you the tour before your examination begins. As you can see, the entire island is our academy. What you're looking at here is just the central plaza."

He gestured toward the magnificent buildings spread out before us, with their towering domes and ornate stonework that seemed to blend classical architecture with something almost divine.

"Follow me, and try to keep up. We have a lot to cover before noon."

Instructor Ironbeard began walking at a steady pace, his ornate robes flowing behind him as candidates automatically formed a respectful line behind his commanding figure. Our group of twenty had grown significantly as other portal arrivals joined us. I could see at least sixty people now, with more groups still arriving from other gates scattered around the plaza.

"As I mentioned, this entire island is Elysium Academy. We're currently floating about fifty miles off the coast of Greece, though our position shifts with the Mediterranean currents."

He gestured toward the largest building, its blue and gold dome gleaming in the sunlight. "That's our main hall, where we conduct ceremonies and large gatherings. The real heart of Elysium lies in our philosophy."

We walked along a marble pathway lined with perfectly maintained gardens, passing fountains that seemed to flow upward in defiance of gravity. Other tour groups were visible in the distance, being led by different instructors toward various parts of the academy.

"Other academies specialize in pure combat or raw power. Elysium focuses on balance. Here, you'll learn to harmonize your aura across multiple disciplines. Combat, healing, strategy, diplomacy."

Sol raised his hand tentatively, clearly mindful of Ironbeard's authority. "Why the emphasis on diplomacy?"

Ironbeard's expression grew more serious, his natural command making the answer feel like an important lesson rather than casual conversation. "Power without wisdom is destruction, young man. Elysium maintains political neutrality precisely because we train mediators and peacekeepers. Our graduates often find themselves bridging conflicts between realms rather than winning them."

We approached a series of interconnected buildings with different architectural styles. "These are our specialized halls," Ironbeard explained, his voice carrying the pride of someone representing a truly prestigious institution. "The Healing Sanctuaries teach medical esoteric arts and aura-based recovery techniques. The Strategy Pavilions focus on everything from battlefield planning to economic warfare. The Combat Amphitheaters blend traditional martial skills with aura enhancement."

Through large windows, I could see students inside practicing. In one building, a girl was carefully mending what looked like a practice injury with glowing hands while an instructor watched. Another building had students hunched over complex tactical maps, moving pieces around like some kind of advanced war game. The combat area had people sparring with weapons that shimmered with contained aura.

"We rotate students through all disciplines regardless of their intended specialization," Ironbeard continued as we passed a beautiful garden where students sat in meditation circles. "A healer who understands combat can protect themselves. A warrior who grasps strategy can lead armies. A diplomat who knows both can prevent the need for either."

The tour continued past residential halls built into terraced hillsides, libraries with impossibly tall shelves that seemed to extend into clouds, and workshops where the sound of hammer on metal rang out as students forged their own weapons and tools.

"Our goal is to make you complete rather than simply powerful," Ironbeard said as we completed our circuit back toward the central plaza, where even more groups of prospective students were gathering. "Which brings us to your examination."

Ironbeard gestured for all the groups to gather closer. The crowd had grown to easily a hundred people now, maybe more. "Today's exam is called the Hunt for the Aetheric Quarry. You'll be tracking and hunting Aetherbeasts in a specially designed hunting ground called the Aetheric Glade."

Sol perked up immediately, his earlier exhaustion completely forgotten. I could practically see his ears prick up like a hunting dog.

"The exam has three phases," Ironbeard continued, his voice carrying clearly across the assembled candidates. "Tracking, Pursuit, and Confrontation. You'll be hunting five types of Aetherbeasts: Aetheric Hares, Boars, Wolves, Bears, and Wisps. Each Aetherbeast has different point values based on difficulty."

He held up a bracelet that looked like it was carved from crystal and inscribed with glowing runes. "You'll each wear a Protective Sigil Bracelet that monitors your condition and teleports you out if you take too much damage. When you kill your quarry, you'll need to find their aetheric cores. That's where their aura is concentrated. The bracelet has spatial storage that will hold the cores and keep track of your score."

So a safety net, and our score keeper.

"The Aetherbeasts range from simple Hares worth twenty points to Wisps worth two hundred. The more challenging the Aetherbeast, the higher the reward."

Sol was practically vibrating with excitement now. "This is perfect," he whispered to me. "This is exactly what I'm good at."

I nodded absently, but something else caught my attention. "What about other candidates? Are we working alone?"

Ironbeard's eyes glinted with amusement. "Primarily, yes. But here's where it gets interesting. You can form groups of up to three people, and you're allowed to steal cores from other candidates through non-lethal combat or stealth. Stolen cores keep their original point value, plus you get a fifteen percent bonus."

Now that got my attention. Sol noticed my sudden interest and grinned.

"There's the predator," he said quietly.

Stealing from other candidates? And I can work with Sol? Now we're talking.

"The exam duration is twenty-four hours," Ironbeard continued, "but here's the important part, you'll be entering a managed rift. The Aetheric Glade exists in an accelerated timestream. While you experience a full day inside, only four hours will pass in our reality."

A rift? An actual rift?

I felt a grin spreading across my face. I'd heard about rifts but never been in one before.

Sol and I exchanged relieved glances. We had to be at the next academy in two days, so burning a full day would have been cutting it close.

"The rift is completely controlled by Elysium," Ironbeard explained. "We can monitor everything that happens inside and extract you if necessary. The time dilation also means your bodies won't experience the full physical strain of twenty-four hours of activity."

That's... actually pretty convenient.

"Now, you can still sustain injuries inside the rift," Ironbeard continued. "But don't worry, we have healers on standby to take care of any and all injuries once you're extracted."

Someone in the crowd raised their hand. "What if someone has... malicious intent? Tries to seriously hurt other candidates?"

Ironbeard's expression didn't change, but there was something cold in his eyes. "If someone wants to waste an opportunity to attend this academy by going on a 'killing spree,' then they have bigger issues than we can help them with."

Note to self: don't piss off the dwarf. Seriously.

"You'll need to reach the central Nexus at the end to submit your cores, or you lose half your points."

He held up a bracelet that looked like it was carved from crystal and inscribed with glowing runes. "These bracelets will monitor your condition. They glow blue when you're safe, yellow when you're approaching your damage threshold, and red when you're about to be teleported out. If you get eliminated, you lose fifty percent of your points but keep what remains."

A girl near the front raised her hand. "What counts as too much damage?"

"Sustained attacks from Bears or Wisps, multiple hits from other candidates, prolonged trap exposure," Ironbeard explained. "The system is designed to get you out before any permanent harm. Think of it as a very aggressive safety net."

"One more thing," Ironbeard added. "If your bracelet is removed for any reason, you have a thirty-minute window to put it back on. If you don't, an instructor will come retrieve you. We're monitoring the entire rift, so we won't lose track of you."

So stealing cores means transferring them between bracelets. That makes sense.

Sol leaned over to me. "Want to team up? Your combat skills and my hunting experience could work well together."

"Obviously," I replied. "Just the two of us should be fine."

Ironbeard clapped his hands together. "You have thirty minutes to form your groups and receive your equipment. The Glade entrance will open at noon sharp. We'll provide basic weapons before you enter the rift, nothing fancy, but functional. Any questions?"

With that settled, Sol and I found a spot to sit on one of the marble benches while everyone else scrambled around looking for teammates. I watched the chaos unfold in front of us.

The crowd was way more diverse than I'd expected. There were elves with their pointed ears and elegant movements, a few dwarves built like brick walls, some beastkin with animal features ranging from fox ears to what looked like scales, and even a couple of people I couldn't immediately identify. One girl had these weird crystalline patterns running along her arms.

"So I've hunted rabbits and deer mostly," Sol said, settling back against the bench. "Rabbits are fast but predictable once you know their patterns. Deer are smarter, but they spook easy if you're not careful with noise. Wild boar though? Those things are aggressive. You don't want to corner one unless you're ready for a fight."

He looked over at me. "What about camping experience? Surviving outdoors for extended periods?"

My expression darkened a bit. "Chronos dropped me off in a jungle for a week when I was sixteen. Had to learn things the hard way." I shrugged. "I'm still pretty grey in some areas though, so I hope you can fill me in."

Sol nodded and started going over basic survival stuff, finding water, reading animal tracks, setting up shelter. I filled him in on what I knew about combat and aura usage. Between the two of us, we felt pretty confident.

"Time's up!" Ironbeard called out, his voice carrying easily across the plaza. "I can see some groups are small and others are even going solo. That's fine, you can team up during the exam if you want. Just pair your bracelets together."

He held up one of the crystal bracelets again. "These bracelets do more than just monitor your health. They keep track of your score, your current location in the rift, and your group members if you have any. The safety monitoring is just one function; they're essentially your lifeline to us."

So they can track everything we do. Good to know.

He gestured toward a path that led away from the central plaza, winding through carefully maintained gardens toward what looked like a more secluded part of the island. "Follow the marked path to the Rift Chamber. You'll receive your equipment and final briefing there before entry."

Sol and I fell in line with the other candidates as we began moving. The excitement in the air was palpable, nervous energy mixed with anticipation as groups chatted quietly about strategy while walking along the marble pathway.

"Nervous?" Sol asked as we passed under another ornate archway.

"More like excited," I replied honestly. "First time in a rift. You?"

"Same. I've heard stories, but..." He shrugged. "Never thought I'd actually get to experience one."

The path gradually led us away from the grand architecture of the main academy toward a more natural section of the island. Ancient trees lined the walkway, their branches creating a canopy overhead that filtered the sunlight into dancing patterns on the ground.

After about ten minutes of walking, we crested a small hill and I stopped dead in my tracks.

Holy shit.

In the valley below us stood a massive stone archway, easily fifty feet tall and carved with intricate sigils that pulsed with soft light. But what dominated the entire scene was the rift itself. A swirling vortex of energy contained within the arch's frame.

The rift filled the archway. Purple energy swirling in constant motion, with electricity crackling along the edges. The center had a bright glow that shifted between different shades, and the whole thing hummed loud enough that I could hear it from here.

It's like staring at a storm trapped in a doorway.

"Magnificent, isn't it?" Ironbeard's voice came from behind us. He'd somehow appeared near our group without any of us noticing. "Rifts are subspaces, pocket dimensions that exist parallel to our reality. This particular rift has been carefully cultivated and maintained by Elysium for decades. But it's not my job to give you all the details about rifts. Get accepted and take a class on rifts."

He walked past us toward the archway, his ornate robes flowing behind him. "The Aetheric Glade exists in a space roughly the size of a small island. The environment inside has been designed to provide optimal hunting conditions while ensuring candidate safety."

Sol whistled low beside me. "That thing looks like it could tear you apart just by touching it."

"The entry process is perfectly safe," Ironbeard called back, apparently having heard Sol's comment. "The rift's energy field only activates once you're properly equipped with your protective bracelet. Without it, the rift simply won't allow you passage."

As we got closer, I could see other academy staff setting up equipment stations near the archway. Weapon racks held basic swords, bows, daggers, and staves. Another table was covered with the crystal bracelets Ironbeard had shown us earlier.

"Form lines at the equipment stations," Ironbeard commanded, his voice easily carrying over the excited chatter of the candidates. "You'll be issued one weapon of your choice, one emergency ration pack, and your protective bracelet. The ration will sustain you for the full twenty-four hours if needed, though I recommend hunting for additional food sources if possible."

I looked at Sol. "Sword for you, obviously?"

"Obviously," he replied, already moving toward the weapon racks.

I paused, looking at the weapons myself. My first instinct was to just rely on my fists like I always did, but something made me stop.

Wait. I'm going to be hunting actual beasts. And possibly fighting other candidates who will have weapons.

The realization hit me that punching a wild boar or bear might not be the smartest approach, no matter how good my hand-to-hand combat was. I needed reach, and I needed something that could actually penetrate hide and fur.

"Spear," I said, reaching for one of the longer weapons. "It's basically the only weapon I've actually used before."

Thanks to Illya's little… challenge.

The spear felt familiar in my hands, solid wood shaft with a well-balanced steel point.

Sol selected a well-made sword with a comfortable grip, giving it a few practice swings to test the balance. "Good choice on the spear. Reach advantage against pretty much everything we'll be facing."

The rift continued to swirl hypnotically as we waited in line. Up close, I could see that the energy patterns weren't random. There was a rhythm to them, like watching a controlled storm. The sigils carved into the archway pulsed in sync with the rift's fluctuations, and I realized they were probably what kept the whole thing stable.

This is really happening. We're about to enter an actual rift.

When our turn came, Sol selected a well-balanced hunting bow and a quiver of arrows, while I chose a simple but well-made sword with a comfortable grip. The staff member helping us was an elf with blue-tinged skin who efficiently fitted us with our crystal bracelets.

"These will activate the moment you step through," she explained, adjusting the bracelet around my wrist. "You'll feel a slight tingling sensation, but that's normal. The bracelet links to your aura signature, so don't try to remove it or tamper with it in any way."

The bracelet felt warm against my skin, and I could sense a faint resonance between it and my aura core.

"All candidates, gather around!" Ironbeard's voice boomed across the area. We formed a large semicircle in front of the rift archway, and I found myself staring up at the swirling portal with a mixture of excitement and apprehension.

"In five minutes, the rift will be fully calibrated for entry. You'll have exactly one hour to enter, after that, the portal locks down until the exam period ends." Ironbeard's expression grew more serious. "Remember, this is not just a test of your hunting skills, but of your ability to adapt, survive, and make smart decisions under pressure."

He gestured toward the crackling rift. "The Aetheric Glade awaits. Some of you will excel, others will struggle, and a few might surprise yourselves. Use this experience wisely, it may be the closest thing to real danger you face before attending academy proper."

Real danger. That's exactly what I've been looking for.

I felt that familiar excitement building in my chest, the same feeling I'd gotten when facing the training construct. This was going to be a challenge worth taking.

"Rift calibration complete!" called one of the staff members. "First wave, you may enter!"

The rift's energy intensified, the purple light growing brighter as the swirling patterns accelerated. Standing this close, I could feel the power radiating from it like heat from a fire.

Sol and I exchanged a look.

"Ready for this?" he asked.

I grinned. "Let's go hunting."

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.