Aurum walked to the center of the arena with firm, almost arrogant steps. His posture exuded the confidence of someone who knew he was above average. The presence of the man in black before him — the mysterious evaluator — seemed to have no effect on him. While many in the stands struggled to remain calm, Aurum wore a smug smile.

  “Not gonna tell me your name?” he asked, flashing a cocky grin.

  The evaluator, standing just a few meters away, replied with disdain, “In thirty seconds, I won’t even remember you exist. Why bother?”

  Murmurs spread through the crowd. Aira let out a stifled laugh, while Vael raised an eyebrow, intrigued. The tension in the air was palpable, causing even the most confident spectators to lean forward in their seats. Everyone was eager to see how this stranger would fight.

  Aurum raised his arms. A pale blue energy leaked from his eyes — a sign of soul materialization, revealing his ice element. Frozen fragments formed in the air, shaping into sharp stalactites.

  With a casual flick of his arm, he launched a barrage of projectiles at the evaluator.

  The man in black dodged with unsettling calm. He didn’t rely on acrobatics or flashy moves — he simply walked. Each step felt precisely calculated, as if he knew exactly where every stalactite would land. Gradually, he advanced toward Aurum.

  Meanwhile, Rael and Liora joined Vael, Kai, and Aira in the stands. They had just descended from the upper level and were now settling into the worn stone seats.

  Rael sighed, not hiding his boredom. “That kid has no chance. The guy in black hasn’t even tapped into his soul yet.”

  Vael glanced sideways at him, curious. “You’ve got a good eye… but he’s just getting started.”

  Rael didn’t respond, keeping his eyes fixed on the arena.

  The fight continued. Aurum leapt, launched ice blades, and froze the ground in an attempt to hinder his opponent’s movement. None of it worked. The evaluator kept walking, dodging everything with minimal effort. And then, finally, he was close.

  A flurry of close-range strikes began. Aurum blocked the first punch — a quick defense that caught the evaluator off guard. To untrained eyes, it looked like an even match. But to those who truly understood combat, it was clear: Aurum was being outclassed.

  Across the stands, a shrill voice cut through the air. “HAHA! Look at this guy getting beat by someone who hasn’t even materialized their soul! Get that peasant off the field!”

  It was a long-haired blonde boy dressed in luxurious clothes. Beside him, two others laughed along like loyal shadows.

  “It’s trash like this that makes those neighboring countries think they can beat us!” the blonde continued, his tone dripping with mockery.

  Aira’s group boiled with anger. All eyes turned toward the blonde. Kai started to rise, but Aira grabbed his arm, stopping him. Vael clenched his fists.

  Aurum spun his long white coat, momentarily hiding the evaluator from view. For a brief instant, his body vanished behind the swirling fabric.

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  Beneath the coat was the attire of a martial warrior, designed for close combat. In one fluid motion, Aurum forged a massive ice sword and drove it into the evaluator’s side, throwing him back.

  The evaluator staggered, surprised. As he regained focus, he searched for Aurum — but the warrior had vanished.

  Excited cheers erupted from the crowd. The energy was building.

  The evaluator looked up just in time to see Aurum in the air. He stood atop the guard of his own giant sword, using it to launch himself with full force. With a shout, he hurled the blade down like a meteor.

  The evaluator narrowly dodged. The sword struck the ground hard. But Aurum didn’t stop. He now wielded a massive ice hammer, ready to deliver the finishing blow.

  A devastating impact shook the arena. A cloud of dust rose, hiding both fighters. The audience leaned forward in silence.

  Vael looked at Rael with a proud smile. “Told you he was just getting started!”

  Rael, expressionless, kept his eyes on the arena. “He did well… but this fight is over.”

  The dust began to settle. First, two pale blue lights — Aurum’s eyes — appeared. Then, two yellow ones — the evaluator’s. He stood tall, holding the ice hammer with one hand.

  For the first time, his smile widened. “Hagan, kid. That’s my name.”

  With a simple motion, he shattered the hammer. “Congratulations. You can sit down. You passed. Welcome to the Order.”

  Vael jumped to his feet, a wide smile spreading across his face — but his eyes betrayed something more than joy. A flicker of doubt. Now it was his turn — and that Hagan guy looked like a real monster.

  Kai gave Vael a light punch on the shoulder, chuckling. “Your friend was a surprise, huh? I thought it was game over for sure.”

  Vael nodded, forcing a smile, shoulders slightly tense. Rael remained silent, arms crossed, eyes locked on the arena as if Vael didn’t exist. Liora lounged on the bench, bored, not even glancing his way. Kai, the most easygoing of the group, did his best to keep the mood light. Sometimes Aira joined in his jokes. But Rael and Liora... they hated the Irinians with every fiber of their being.

  Aurum, limping slightly, waved at Vael as he made his way to a side bench. A healer from the Order was already approaching with bandages and ointments.

  Gin drew another name. “Next up: Zeon.”

  One of the blonde boy’s sycophants stood abruptly, trying to look confident — but fooling no one. Hagan still looked energized from the last match, but when he saw his new opponent, he sighed and dropped his shoulders, clearly uninterested.

  Zeon walked to the center of the arena with hurried steps. Just like before, Hagan didn’t bother taking a combat stance. Zeon conjured fireballs, launching them with visible effort. His magic trembled in his hands. Unlike Aurum, who wielded ice with precision, Zeon could barely keep his attacks from falling apart mid-air.

  The fight lasted less than ten seconds.

  A single punch to the stomach knocked him out. He dropped to his knees, then collapsed.

  “Rejected from the Order. Assigned to the Support Squad,” Hagan declared, already turning away, as if the whole thing hadn’t been worth his time.

  From the stands, the blonde boy’s furious voice rang out. “USELESS! YOU MADE ME LOOK LIKE A FOOL! HOW COULD YOU LOSE LIKE THAT?!”

  Vael clenched his fists. He couldn’t stay silent. “Let’s see if you make it! Barking dogs don’t bite!”

  The blonde whipped around, face red with anger. “Who do you think you are, talking to the Great Darius the Second like that?! Just because your weak little friend passed doesn’t mean you will too!”

  The words dripped with disdain — and to Vael, they hit like a punch to the gut. He froze, speechless... until he felt a hand on his shoulder.

  It was Aurum — sweaty, scratched, but smiling. “Relax. You’re definitely going to make it. Remember? We’re trying to build a better place.”

  Kai chimed in with a grin. “That aerial strike of yours was sick!”

  “Thanks,” Aurum replied, not hiding his pride.

  Aira crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. “I thought you were gonna lose, but... you’re not as bad as you look.”

  Aurum let out an awkward chuckle. Her words had a strange tone — but what really bothered him was Rael and Liora’s total indifference. Neither had even looked his way.

  “Hey... what’s up with those two? Didn’t their parents teach them any manners?” Aurum muttered to Kai, forcing a smile to hide his irritation.

  Kai scratched the back of his neck, uncomfortable. “They’re not the friendliest. And… I guess they weren’t that impressed.”

  Aurum frowned. “What do you mean?”

  Rael replied dryly, still not looking at him. “Isn’t it obvious? The four of us are way stronger than you.”