The sun had reached its zenith when Veil finally decided to move. He had spent the entire morning observing the various people training around him.

  Alright… so what am I actually supposed to do to take the exam now? Lyssia didn’t even explain that part, he thought with a sigh.

  He pulled out the paper she had given him, but it contained no information about where he was supposed to report. He then approached an adventurer who was chatting with someone else.

  “Excuse me,” he said timidly.

  Both people turned toward him, surprised to be addressed.

  “I’m supposed to take an exam to rank up, but no one explained who I’m supposed to talk to,” he continued.

  “Oh, a beginner. You need to take that corridor over there, then just wait until an examiner comes to get you,” one of them replied, pointing down the hallway.

  Veil thanked them with a nod and headed toward the indicated area, wondering what kind of trial awaited him. When he arrived, he found a small room with wooden chairs—but no one was there.

  He remained standing, waiting for someone to come for him, secretly hoping the man hadn’t given him the wrong information. Several minutes passed in silence, broken only by heavy footsteps and faint voices. A man and a woman entered the small room and sat down quietly, lowering their voices when they noticed Veil.

  Then, shortly after, more footsteps echoed through the corridor.

  The man Veil had seen fighting the slender young adventurer earlier entered the room as well.

  What’s he doing here? Is he here for them? With his level, I doubt he’d be examining beginners like me, Veil thought, avoiding his gaze.

  “You there. It’s your turn. Follow me—and hurry up, got it? I don’t have all day,” the man growled, pointing straight at Veil.

  Veil’s face instantly drained of color as he realized he was the one being called. For a split second, the thought of quietly running away crossed his mind at the idea of facing that man. Still, he followed him toward one of the training grounds, stepping over the fence. His heart raced with every second, his palms growing slick as he felt the eyes of others turn toward him.

  “Alright, we’ll keep it simple. You can use anything you want—magic, weapons, tricks. External assistance is strictly forbidden, understood? You can give up at any time. Otherwise, I’m the only one who decides when the exam ends,” the man explained in a firm tone.

  Veil nodded, quickly wiped his hands, then drew his sword, gripping it tightly. The man picked up his oversized blade, which had been resting against the fence, and stepped in front of Veil. His gaze hardened as he pointed the tip of his sword at him.

  “Good. If you understand that, then show me what you’re capable of. Don’t disappoint me,” he added, stomping the ground sharply with his foot.

  But Veil didn’t move, waiting to see what the man would do. He knew it too well—attacking head-on would be like throwing himself against a mountain. The man, however, had no intention of waiting. He rushed toward Veil at a brisk pace, forcing him to retreat.

  Veil thrust his hand forward, releasing a small gust of wind that swirled into a cloud of dust, completely obscuring vision. He quickly shifted to the side, preparing to strike in turn.

  The man, however, had altered his trajectory as well—as if he had anticipated everything, as if he could still see Veil.

  “You call that an attack? Pathetic. I told you not to disappoint me, and that’s all you can do?” the man said coldly.

  He flicked his sword’s guard with a sharp motion and drove a brutal strike into Veil’s abdomen. The impact knocked the air from his lungs; Veil spat as his vision blurred instantly. He collapsed to the ground, tears welling in his eyes, his first instinct screaming at him to stop.

  I can’t beat him… how am I supposed to face a monster like this? One hit, and it felt like he tore my guts out, he thought.

  But his thoughts shifted almost immediately, the image of Alynia surfacing—her walking away, refusing to meet his eyes, shame weighing on her expression. If he gave up now, he would never be able to follow her on her adventures.

  He forced himself back to his feet, trying not to show the pain. The spectators had fallen silent. Veil took his stance again, extending his hand forward as he focused his mana.

  “I have to succeed… no matter how much it hurts. If I want to stay with her, I have to find a way,” he murmured under his breath.

  A small vortex of wind formed in his palm, quickly dissipating into wisps. At the same time, a tiny sphere of water took shape in the hollow of his hand, gathering the moisture hanging in the air.

  The man charged at Veil again, faster this time, slipping past him and ending up at his back. Too fast—far too fast for Veil to react, his concentration fully fixed on the water sphere forming in his palm.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Too slow. Completely useless,” the man growled.

  He slid his sword between Veil’s legs and twisted sharply, the flat of the blade hooking his leg and knocking him off balance. With another turn of the blade, he cushioned Veil’s fall only to hurl him forward with a violent motion.

  “You think this is a game, kid? Is this how you plan on surviving out there? Even slimes fight better than you,” he continued coldly.

  “A game? I’m—” Veil started.

  But the man was already on him, his foot crushing down on Veil’s right leg, which buckled under the pain.

  “When you’re not faster than your opponent, you shut up and strike first—or you back off and think. I could kill you effortlessly if I wanted to. A real enemy won’t wait for you to finish your sentences before attacking. The moment you take your focus off the fight, you’re dead before you even realize it,” the man replied.

  He stepped back several meters, releasing Veil, who once again dragged himself upright. Around them, the noise returned—some people holding their breath, others laughing openly. Veil picked up his sword and took his stance again.

  Easy for you to say… you’re not the one taking the hits, you idiot. I barely have time to move and you’re already on me, Veil thought, irritated by the situation.

  This time, Veil lunged forward before the man could move. A contemptuous smile spread across the examiner’s face as he saw it. Veil raised his sword straight ahead, charging as if this were his final move.

  “You never learn, do you? How can we even accept adventurers this pathetic? Rushing in like an idiot—was that really the best you could come up with?” the man scoffed.

  But Veil didn’t slow down. He funneled his mana into his hand and pressed it against the back of the pommel, then released a burst of wind. He let go of the sword—it shot straight toward the man, who deflected it with his own blade, sending Veil’s sword spinning through the air.

  Veil had already thrown himself to the ground, sliding across the dirt. His momentum carried him close enough. He scooped up a handful of dust and hurled it at the man’s face. The man snapped his head aside, and Veil seized the chance to grab his leg.

  But no matter how hard he strained, the man didn’t budge an inch. He raised his sword, and Veil hurled himself to the side to avoid the blade. His own sword had landed nearby; he rushed to retrieve it.

  Once again, the man charged. His foot slammed into Veil’s stomach, pinning him down—then he raised his sword in a sharp, merciless motion.

  Veil was sent flying several meters, the impact knocking the breath from his lungs. He forced himself back up immediately, even as his legs trembled, his breathing ragged and his mind unable to focus on what came next.

  The man approached him once more, raising his sword while Veil stood frozen. He brought the blade down in front of him, stopping just a few centimeters from Veil’s face—the force of the strike alone throwing him backward.

  Not now… I can’t give up now. I have to keep going. Come on, get up, damn it, Veil thought, clenching his fists.

  He placed his hands on the ground and tried to push himself up again—but the man raised his sword once more.

  “That’s enough. There’s no point in seeing any more. If you keep going, you’ll just end up seriously hurt,” the man said, his voice noticeably lower.

  Veil lifted his gaze to him as the man extended a hand to help him up.

  “I can handle it myself. I don’t need your help,” Veil growled, straightening up on his own.

  Though he staggered, he eventually stood upright and stared at the man before him.

  Hmm… maybe I went a bit too far this time. He’s a rookie—I should’ve slowed down a little, the man thought.

  “Congratulations. You passed your exam,” the examiner said with a smile.

  The words left Veil stunned, wondering if he’d heard him correctly.

  “Passed? After getting slammed into the ground over and over? You’ve got a strange way of validating exams,” Veil replied defensively.

  “You didn’t really get it, did you? That’s normal—you’re just starting out. I almost failed you when you rushed me like an idiot. But you tried to distract me, to find another way to reach me,” the man explained seriously.

  He stepped away from Veil and motioned for him to come closer. Setting his sword against the fence, he leaned back against it and gestured for Veil to do the same.

  “The goal isn’t to win, boy. It’s to see how you react. I’m not gentle, because the world outside isn’t either. If you let yourself be shaken by the slightest thing… like I told you, that’s death,” he continued, more relaxed now.

  “I know that. I’ve seen more than you think. It’s just… how is your method supposed to help me? Aside from hurting all over, I don’t really get it,” Veil muttered.

  “You think you’ve seen things? I’d tell you you’ve seen nothing yet—no matter what it was. If I were gentle with you, the day you run into an enemy who can do what I do, how would you react?” the man asked, fixing Veil with his gaze.

  Veil understood his words, but still couldn’t see where he was going. With his low rank, he wasn’t meant to face people or monsters like that.

  “This exam isn’t for fun. We’re here to teach you how to survive. And for that, you need to understand that you’re never above others. Strength without brains is like trying to punch a rock with bare hands. Who do you think wins if the one in front of you uses cunning?” he continued.

  “I get that… but even if someone’s clever, look at you. I didn’t even have time to think before you were already on me,” Veil replied, unsettled.

  “Yes—because you don’t have what it takes yet. Not yet. But someone who prepares their moves in advance can be more dangerous than someone who just hits hard. Too many people take this job lightly. When death comes—or they lose a limb—it’s already too late to react. Keep improving, and don’t make that mistake again. Become strong, but don’t forget that strength alone isn’t everything,” the man added.

  He straightened and stepped in front of Veil, meeting his eyes directly.

  “Either way, you passed. We rarely fail newcomers. But take this as a warning—I’ve explained the basics of evaluation to you. Next time, you’ll be examined with a real chance of rejection. Improve, find your balance, and you can go far,” he said more quietly. “Now then, give me your exam slip.”

  He held out his hand and took the paper Veil gave him, then left for several minutes before returning. He handed the slip back to Veil and extended his hand once more. Veil shook it, his heart feeling a little lighter.

  “Go back to the guild and give them your slip. They’ll take care of the rest. Take care of yourself, kid. Next time, I won’t be this gentle,” the man said.

  He walked away, heading toward the corridor where the next participants were waiting. Veil remained there for a few minutes, the crowd around him having dispersed. He had finally succeeded—even if, at the time, it had all felt completely absurd.

  I hope this will let me go on missions with her again. That she’ll see I’m learning. But I can’t let myself rest if I want to reach her level, he thought, a smile forming on his lips.

  He picked up his sword from the ground and headed for the exit, making his way back toward the guild. His steps felt lighter than when he’d arrived, even though pain still flared with every stride.