I stepped into the assessment hall, my senses heightened. The atmosphere buzzed with a strange mix of excitement and tension. Three individuals stood at the edge of the arena, each sizing me up as I entered.

  The first, a stocky man with a grizzled beard, uncrossed his arms and spoke. “Tyus Lark. I lead the Adventurer’s Guild in Tolany.”

  The second, a woman of average height, whose striking black hair flowed like a raven’s wing, caught my attention. Her confident hazel eyes sparkled with an intensity that seemed to pierce through the atmosphere of the hall, assessing me with a mix of curiosity and authority. There was something relaxing about her presence that made it hard to look away. She wore her magic like a cloak, fire and lightning crackled around her fingers. “Bren Aldonis,” she said, her gaze piercing through me. A warmth spread through my chest at her presence.

  The last was an older gentleman with spectacles perched on his nose. He nodded slightly. “Leon Kren.” His demeanor exuded wisdom and authority.

  “We have a wide range of experience here. Leon and I will serve as proctors. Bren, here, will be a witness. Let’s get this started,” Tyus announced, motioning for me to step forward.

  “Understood,” I replied.

  I again mentally began focusing on limiting my power to that of an Adept tier. Bren stood silently among the proctors, her gaze examining me closely, a smile playing at her lips that felt almost supportive. I won't claim this was anything but a figment of my imagination.

  Leon gestured to the raised stage with a motion

  .

  "This platform is attuned to the Guild's trial matrix," he said. "Once you step onto it, the arena will respond to your mana. The first round is a wave sequence. Elemental constructs will manifest in stages such as stone, flame, water, wind, and perhaps more depending on what it chooses. The number and strength of the constructs will scale based on your signature."

  I glanced at the stage. It was featureless for now, a ring of smooth white stone marked by faint, circular grooves. I turned back to Leon as he continued.

  "Your objective is simple," he said. "Eliminate them. Sustain yourself. Adapt to each change in the wave. The matrix tracks power, control, timing, and efficiency. You will not receive points for reckless display. The system will escalate to match the power assessments it makes."

  I gave a slight nod. "Understood."

  Tyus stepped forward slightly, his voice calm and steady. "This is not an ordinary sparring match. The Guild uses these trials to record and assess combat efficiency across all elemental and martial spectrums. The data will be added to your official record. Proceed when ready."

  Leon raised a hand toward the edge of the stage. "The constructs will begin immediately after your mana is acknowledged by the matrix."

  I moved up the steps onto the platform. It pulsed beneath by boots, dull light blooming outward in concentric rings as it read my mana signature. I continued to keep my signature at the Adept-tier, letting it weigh and judge me based on that threshold. The trial chamber acknowledged the reading, and the arcane matrix began its quiet, automated work.

  Stone grated and the platform stirred with life.

  From the far side, four constructs began to take form. Two emerged in pillars of crumbling rock, their limbs broad and dense. Another rose wreathed in wind, its form sharper, almost fluid in the way it moved. The last sparked with inner flame, its torso pulsing like a forge, heat already distorting the air around it.

  The matrix had decided on a High Journeymen- tier wave. Enough to challenge and not overwhelm.

  From the edge of the arena, Leon’s voice carried evenly.

  "Round One has begun. Begin when ready."

  The wind construct moved first, dashing across the platform in a blur of speed. It reached out with a slicing edge that shimmered with compressed current. I stepped to the side, unhurried, and opened a narrow rift at shoulder height. The construct’s limb passed through the air and then vanished into the thin black seam. It reappeared a moment later behind it, redirected by my will and cutting into the back of the flame construct just as it moved to engage.

  That one staggered but recovered, raising its molten arms. It hurled two arcs of fire across the field. The blasts weren’t refined but carried heat enough to blister the stone floor as they moved. I traced a hand forward and raised a spatial barrier between myself and the flames. The impact bloomed across the invisible surface with a low boom, the energy splashing outward and dispersing with no harm to me.

  The stone constructs reached me together, one low and the other overhead. I flicked mana along the outer edge of my vision, opened another rift at my feet, and allowed it to stretch just enough to collapse the approach of the lower strike. The stone limb sank into the rift as though into a pit, its forward motion halted. Before the second one could land its follow-up, I layered a concave barrier just above me. The stone crashed down with a roar, but the shield held firm, shimmering with faint distortions that rippled outward.

  I stepped clear of the exchange and let the first rift collapse. As the construct tried to recover, I formed another thin seam behind its core and twisted the space within. The rift compressed and the construct collapsed in on itself with a sudden shriek of shattering stone, fragments tumbling across the platform.

  The system reacted.

  The remaining three constructs pulsed with a deeper hue. Their forms stabilized and refined. The wind around the air construct no longer scattered loosely, but instead wrapped tightly around its frame. The fire construct’s limbs burned cleaner and hotter. Even the remaining stone entity moved with heavier, more deliberate steps, each marking their rise in power.

  I let the mana steady in my palms and formed three new barriers in staggered arcs around me. They glimmered, faint but resilient. The air construct tested one immediately, striking from above. The barrier flexed, then rebounded the force upward. I responded with a quick, needle-thin rift that opened just beside its head and redirected a gust back into its center. It was not enough to disable it, but it staggered.

  The flame construct began to charge another bolt. I watched the flow of energy collect along its arm, saw the shape of the conjuring begin to coalesce. Before it could finish, I opened a small rift directly in front of its casting limb. The unstable energy flared out prematurely, drawn into the fold of space I had placed. It imploded on itself with a violent snap, causing the construct to reel.

  I stepped between them now, walking without hurry, rotating the barriers around me like a slow orbit. The constructs circled, cautious now. They did not understand fear, but they responded to patterns. I gave them just enough openings to test, then punished them with rifts that diverted their force or threw them off-balance.

  With a flick of my fingers, I widened a distortion beneath the feet of the air construct, not enough to collapse the platform, but enough to alter its footing. It stumbled and that was all I needed. A quick compressive seam carved through its center, the spatial force shredding the whirling currents and unraveling its form.

  Only two remained.

  They moved more carefully now, adjusting their attacks and approach. The flame construct attacked first, sweeping its arm outward as a cone of fire erupted from its palm. The air shimmered under the sudden heat, and the blaze surged forward in a wide arc meant to flush me from my position. I raised a barrier at a slant and let the flames collide harmlessly, the spatial boundary warping and dispersing the heat outward like waves skipping across water. The construct closed the distance while the stone unit circled to flank.

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  I pressed my left hand forward and widened the space between us, folding the air into a rift just wide enough to divert the fire construct’s advance. It stumbled slightly as its footing met unstable ground, and I responded. A second seam split open in front of it, vertically aligned from the floor to its chest. The rift compressed space violently and the construct imploded with a burst of flame and shards, the core collapsing as if crushed by invisible walls.

  The stone construct charged forward, arms raised, and brought its heavy fists down toward the platform. The impact shook the surface beneath my feet. The strike was not aimed at me directly, but intended to break my footing.

  I allowed the tremor to pass, adjusted with a pivot of my heel, and snapped my fingers to shift the spatial flow behind me. A minor barrier caught the debris and dust the construct had sent upward. My hand opened toward it and a long, curved rift appeared in the air just above the construct’s raised arms. The moment it readied another attack, the seam snapped downward.

  Space closed in a scythe-like arc. The force swept through the construct’s upper frame and caved in its head and shoulders in a single, quiet motion. It toppled to the side, limbs twitching once before falling still and the trial platform dimmed.

  My mana settled back into a calm state, no longer flaring through my limbs. The chamber's silence held for a breath longer before Leon's voice rose above it.

  "Well done. All four constructs neutralized."

  Leon's boots echoed across the stone floor as he descended the observation stairwell and stopped a few paces from the edge of the platform.

  “The second round of the trial will be a controlled match. You’ll face an Adept swordsman," Leon explained as he gestured to my opponent stepping into the arena. A wiry man entered the arena wielding twin swords and came to stand on Leon's right.

  Leon continued. “Generally, the victor of these mock battles will be the one who first lands three successful hits or who gains a decisive advantage, rendering the other unable to defend themselves.”

  Leon looked to me for confirmation, which I provided with a nod. "Just remember not to go into this with any deadly intentions. After all, we are always eager to welcome new members into the guild.”

  With a nod from my opponent and myself, Leon left the arena floor and returned to his previous position by the Tyus and Bren.

  The arena buzzed with anticipation, the weight of the moment pressing down. I faced my opponent, who stood across from me with a confident smile. His twin swords glinted in the light as he shifted his weight, eyes narrowed in concentration.

  I studied him carefully, noting the slight tension in his shoulders and the way he held his weapons. Defensive yet ready to strike.

  As we began, he lunged forward, empowering his legs and swords with mana. He advanced at a powerful speed and with a swift thrust aimed at my torso. I reacted, warping space around me to deflect the blow just as it neared. The air shimmered as I created a barrier that redirected his momentum harmlessly past me.

  “Not bad!” he called out, clearly eager for a challenge.

  I grinned back at him but kept my focus sharp. This wasn’t about showmanship; it was about assessing my own control while respecting his skill.

  He launched into a quick succession of slashes from both swords, targeting my sides and legs. Infusing his strikes with mana, he accelerated to a speed beyond what any human could achieve. I found myself on the defensive, scrutinizing his mana flow and movements to either block or redirect his strikes away from me. He swung both blades in my direction, two arcs of mana trailing behind his attacks, which I countered with two reinforced Rifts, catching him off guard to some extent. He pressed forward to close the gap and continued his assault, but I retreated and warped space to further disrupt his motions. Despite my efforts, he remained remarkably close, each swing narrowly missing me by mere inches, yet I managed to keep just enough distance to ensure my safety.

  With each swing he made, I noted where he faltered. His stance became less stable when executing quick combinations. There was an opening there; if I pushed too hard too fast, though, it could shatter my subterfuge.

  I adjusted my mana flow carefully, channeling just to the peak of a High Adept without revealing any of my true strength. As he lunged again with renewed vigor, I activated [Distort] and a sharp wave of energy erupted from my fingertips and arced toward him.

  The distortion interrupted his mana infusion, causing him to stumble. The attack further disrupted his balance momentarily. It was just enough for me to secure an advantage without overpowering him completely.

  I capitalized on the moment and rushed into his range, enveloping my hand in a tangible aura of space-aligned energy, aimed directly at his neck. This was enough to indicate that I had fulfilled one of the two criteria for winning. I swiftly reviewed the fight and felt assured that both my movements fell within the Adept range, and if anything hinted at it, I was on the verge of attaining Expert tier.

  "We have our victor. Well fought by both of you," Leon declared. We stepped back from one another, his face breaking into a friendly grin.

  "Tristan Voll," he said, extending his hand for a shake. I took his hand and replied, "Koa Destus."

  Leon, Bren, and Tyus approached the arena floor, with Tyus stepping forward to offer his hand to me. I took hold of his hand and he leaned in with a grin. "Well, I’d say you’d slide right in as a Silver Rank. Your skills speak for themselves and I’ve got no doubt you’ll be a solid addition to the guild. Now, I don’t know offhand which Silver teams have openings, but plenty of folks around here like to run things in loose groups."

  I shook his hand and replied, "I accept." As I observed him more closely, I recognized that Tyus was at the Master tier, based on the mana signature I could sense in him. He had a spear secured to his back…a Master-tier spearman? Shifting my gaze to Leon, I detected another potent mana signature, though it was considerably weaker than Tyus's, yet stronger than Tristan's and Bren's. I assessed him at the Expert tier, and recalling my encounter with Silus, Leon was likely at a similar level, if not slightly less powerful.

  Bren stepped forward, a bright grin on her face as she extended her hand. “Well, that was something! I’ve never seen a mage move like that. Don’t tell me you’re some Academy prodigy? I’m here on break, picking up some combat experience.”

  I shook her hand and let a small smile tug at my lips. “Appreciate it. Had my fair share of close calls, so I’ve picked up a thing or two. But no, no Academy.” After a brief pause, I added, “Trained under a Master mage, bit of a strange one, out in The Great Depths Forest. Long, brutal training, but I’d say it worked out since it got me here.”

  She tilted her head, a playful glint in her eyes. “Mysterious Master in a deadly forest? Sounds like the setup for a great legend or a terrible life decision.”

  I chuckled. “Depends. You any good at sitting through long-winded stories?”

  Her smirk was easy and teasing. “I’ve survived enough boring lectures to handle whatever you’ve got.”

  Leon chimed in with a knowing smile. "Good to have you with us," he said, extending a firm handshake. I took his hand, nodding. "Thanks."

  The remainder of our conversation revolved around minor details and clarifications regarding my elemental affinity. They surmised that my element was space, though they admitted there were notable similarities with light element users, especially considering how my barriers exhibited a variation within the domain of light magic.

  As the conversation wound down, I noticed the man from the registration desk waiting for me, prompting me to make my way back to the guild hall.

  "Well done," he said, a note of approval in his voice. "Not many Adepts actually come out on top against Tristan. He's a well-known and skilled swordsman from the Ember Blades. Also a High Adept." His words carried a weight of respect. "When we get back to the registration desk, I'll secure your Silver badge for you. Make sure to hold on to it; it will serve as your identification not only within the guild but throughout the entire Quara Empire. We’ll bind the badge to you using your mana, and from that moment on, you will be an official guild member. If you're eager to go on a mission, the quest board by the entrance has a variety of available missions laid out according to guild rank. You can take on tasks of your equivalent ranking or lower, but do keep in mind that the rewards will be reflected accordingly. Each mission comes with specific recommendations, whether it requires at least one individual, a party, or even multiple parties. However, I trust you to exercise your judgment in accepting them. Additionally, proof of completion is unique to each mission, so be sure to thoroughly review all the details before making your choice."

  As he wrapped up his explanation, we reached his desk, and he handed me the badge. Following his instructions, I infused my mana signature into the badge, feeling the connection solidify as it bound itself to me. A sense of belonging washed over me, and I felt a rush of anticipation. Without wasting any time, I made my way to the quest board, eager to explore my mission options.

  I clipped my badge onto my jacket, feeling the weight of it settle comfortably against the fabric. The quest board loomed ahead, plastered with colorful notices and sketches. My eyes scanned the sections labeled for Silver rank and below, absorbing the various missions posted.

  Some tasks appeared mundane, deliveries, merchant escorts, easy pickings for someone seeking a leisurely start. Others, however, promised more danger. Ancient ruins awaited exploration, wild beasts prowled the outskirts of town. I stepped closer to get a better look.

  One mission caught my eye immediately: extermination of a goblin camp nestled back in The Great Depths Forest. The irony tugged at me as I had just emerged from that very place not long ago. Four silver coins for completion. A decent payout, especially considering the number listed over a hundred Goblins.

  In my previous world, goblins typically ranged between levels 10 to 20. Hobgoblins or shamans hovered around level 30 or higher. This camp’s size suggested it wouldn’t be a stroll in the park; A single Adept, a group of 3 Journeyman or at least multiple Apprentice groups were usually enough to tackle it effectively as long as no other tougher foes lurked within.

  A hundred Goblins wasn’t a daunting number; it was an opportunity. A chance to push my spatial magic in real combat, to refine it through overwhelming numbers.

  Four silver coins weren’t much, but they were a fine enough excuse to test myself.

  Decision made, I accepted the mission. Proof of completion required collecting their ears, a crude but effective measure of success in this line of work. No matter. I’d get it done.

  I grabbed a piece of charcoal from the nearby counter and filled in the designated section on the notice with my name. I looked it over and noticed several empty slots meant for additional names. No one had taken the mission yet, but that could change if I didn’t act quickly.

  My gaze drifted to the lower section of the notice, where a rough sketch marked the location of the goblin camp. Deeper into The Great Depths Forest than I expected, but that only made things more interesting.

  Satisfied, I gave the board a final glance before turning on my heel. It was time to see what my magic could really do.