For six days, our party had immersed themselves in cultivation, pushing their limits to prepare for the upcoming selection. The air had been thick with determination, each of us striving for progress. And then, at last, a breakthrough occurred.
Izuki's body trembled as a surge of mana coursed through her veins. Her aura expanded, rippling with newfound strength. The moment her consciousness stabilized, a radiant glow surrounded her—a sign of her advancement into the Initial Fusion Stage.
Lugas, watching her intently, smirked. "Finally," he said, arms crossed, his sharp eyes glinting under the morning sun. "Six days of work finally paid off."
Esha, the one among us blessed with a dragon's bloodline, was already beyond this stage. Her natural affinity made cultivation swift and effortless. Some might wonder why Izuki took longer, but the answer was simple—Izuki was just a normal human. Unlike Esha, whose body and spirit were forged by ancient power, Izuki had to claw her way forward with sheer effort and willpower.
Yet, despite this disparity, her achievement was no less worthy.
Tears welled up in Esha's eyes as she stepped forward and embraced Izuki tightly. "Sister, congratulations!" she exclaimed, her voice quivering with emotion.
Izuki let out a soft laugh. "Thank you, Esha," she replied, eyes shimmering with gratitude.
As the last wisps of excess mana settled around us, our party turned back toward Musal City. The towering walls greeted us with their familiar presence, standing firm as a symbol of power and civilization. But before we could take another step inside, Lugas raised a hand, halting us.
"Hey," he said, his voice carrying authority. "Tomorrow is the selection. Don't you think we should get some proper armor and weapons?"
Izuki and Esha exchanged a glance before answering in unison, "Obviously! We've been thinking about it all along."
Edward, the blacksmith among us, grinned as he stepped forward, pulling back the cloth over a stack of gleaming armor. Master-crafted, high-level enhancement. A testament to true craftsmanship.
The moment Izuki and Esha laid their eyes on the equipment, their expressions transformed. Their eyes sparkled like stars against the night sky, pure admiration radiating from them.
"These are... amazing," Izuki whispered, running her fingers along the fine steel.
Edward chuckled. "I made sure they suit your abilities. A Wind Mage's Staff for you, Izuki, and Iron Claw Gauntlets for Esha."
As the moon rose over Musal City, our preparations were complete. The next dawn would mark the beginning of the Boy Scout Academy's Selection Trials.
The Selection Begins
The vast training grounds of Boy Scout Academy were packed with aspiring warriors. Hundreds of students had gathered, the air buzzing with excitement and tension.
In front of us stood Marduk, a man whose mere presence commanded respect. His bald head gleamed under the sun, his chiseled jawline giving him the air of a battle-hardened warrior. With his hands behind his back, he surveyed the students before speaking.
"Welcome, everyone," Marduk's deep voice echoed across the field. "You stand here today because you seek strength, honor, and recognition. But only the worthy shall pass. Your first test is simple—strike the power-measuring machine. Then, face the puppet battle and prove your ability. Fail, and you leave empty-handed."
A massive stone slab stood behind him, engraved with magical runes. This was the Power Measurement Device, capable of determining one's raw strength. The students murmured among themselves, some excited, others nervous.
One by one, the students approached the device, each striking it with all their might. The numbers on the scale fluctuated between 3 and 6, the average range. Some sighed in relief, others clenched their fists in frustration.
Then, it was Izuki's turn.
She stepped forward, her movements elegant yet commanding. As she walked, whispers spread through the crowd.
"She's beautiful…"
"A goddess…"
"Miss Goddess! Show us your strength!"
Izuki ignored the shouts, exhaling slowly as she gathered her energy. Then—she struck. The machine vibrated violently, the numbers soaring until they settled on 7 out of 10.
The crowd erupted into cheers. She passed.
But before the excitement could die down, another figure stepped forward. Esha.
If Izuki was beauty in elegance, Esha was beauty in power. Her long silver hair swayed behind her, her golden dragon eyes piercing through the crowd.
"Mega beauty…"
"Perfection…"
"She's on another level…"
Esha, however, paid no heed to the murmurs. With a swift motion, she unleashed a strike. The meter shot up to 8, causing gasps to echo across the field.
And then, the moment of truth arrived.
Lugas' turn.
Silence fell upon the training grounds. Everyone wanted to know the true extent of his power.
Lugas took his stance, gripping his hammer. Then, in a single motion, he swung down with a force beyond comprehension.
A deafening BOOM!
The measuring device exploded, shards of stone and magic scattering in all directions. Even Marduk himself flinched at the impact.
The crowd was stunned. The selectors, who had been standing near the device, stared in disbelief.
"That... that was beyond the scale…" one of them muttered.
Lugas cracked his knuckles. "Oops," he said with a smirk. "Didn't mean to break it."
With the first test complete, our party advanced to the puppet battle. These puppets were no mere dummies; they were enhanced with magic, programmed to fight back with relentless precision.
Yet, with our high-level weapons and armor, the battle was over in mere moments.
With each strike, the puppets shattered. Izuki's Wind Magic sliced through her opponent with graceful precision. Esha's Iron Claw Gauntlets crushed her target effortlessly. And Lugas? He obliterated his puppet in a single blow.
When the dust settled, the final selection was announced. Out of hundreds, only 502 students were chosen. They were divided into five ranks:
A-Class: The Elite. B-Class: Advanced Fighters. C-Class: Average Warriors. D-Class: Trainees. E-Class: Reserves.
As the final results came in, we received our answer.
Izuki, Esha, and Lugas—
We had been placed in Class A.
The Elite.