A blinding red light burst forth from Ian's body, so intense it painted the entire room in a crimson hue.
Gasps echoed around him — his roommates had stopped their own attempts to awaken their aura, staring in disbelief.
How could a boy from a peasant family… succeed this quickly?
The thought sparked a strange fire in their hearts — jealousy, yes, but also renewed determination.
The light slowly dimmed, and Ian opened his eyes, his breathing steady.
Standing directly in front of him was an instructor, arms crossed, watching him closely.
The moment Ian's gaze met his, the man spoke in a firm, commanding tone:
"Number 141, congratulations on awakening your aura and passing the first test. Come with me — I'll take you to the others who passed."
Ian blinked in surprise.
He'd… passed?
The words brought a quiet warmth to his chest. Without hesitation, he rose to his feet and followed the instructor.
They walked through the dim corridors of the living quarters until they reached a massive iron door.
The instructor pulled a small jewel from his pocket and pressed it into a slot in the door.
A heavy rumble filled the hall as the door unlocked and slowly swung open.
Ian's eyes widened. Just a single jewel…? The sheer size and weight of the door made it hard to believe such a simple motion could open it.
But before he could dwell on it, his attention was drawn to the room beyond.
Dozens of children were gathered there — the ones who had already passed the first test.
Ian quickly counted them… forty in total. Every single one of them carried themselves with the pride of nobility or the discipline of knightly bloodlines.
His heart sank a little. So… no other peasants made it?
Then, in the far corner of the hall, his eyes landed on someone — Boy Number 24.
He sat apart from the rest, his back against the wall, his presence ignored by the noble-born children.
Ian hesitated, then made up his mind and walked over.
"Hey, my name's Ian. I figured since we're both peasants, it wouldn't hurt to stick together."
Number 24 slowly lifted his head, scanning the room as if to make sure the nobles were still keeping their distance.
His reply was lazy, almost indifferent:
"Doesn't matter to me that we're both peasants. But… since I've been here a day already and not one of these spoiled brats has said a word to me, I guess I could use someone to talk to. Name's Ralph. Nice to meet you, Ian."
Ian raised an eyebrow at Ralph's arrogant tone, but decided to let it slide.
"So, you've been here for a day… you must know why they gathered us here, right?"
Ralph shrugged.
"Nothing much has happened. They told us to wait for the others to finish their test. Once everyone's here, they'll tell us about the second one. Until then, it's just aura practice and waiting."
Ian nodded in agreement, and the two of them began training side by side.
Three days passed.
More children arrived with each passing day. At first, they were all nobles… then, slowly, a few peasants appeared.
Ian patiently explained the situation to the newcomers, while Ralph remained aloof, barely speaking to them.
When the final group arrived, the first test officially ended.
From the front of the hall, a tall, muscular instructor stepped forward.
A long scar ran down the right side of his face, and his presence alone silenced the room.
"From now on, I'll be in charge of you lot. You can call me Roger.
Congratulations on passing the first test — but don't get too comfortable. You're still far from earning your place here.
The next challenge will be a team trial. Each team must have at least two people and no more than five. Together, you will pass through the Caves of Terror. Once you register your team, the trial begins.
You have ten minutes to form your groups.
We'll provide basic supplies and some initial rations, but this trial can last up to three months. Find your own food if you want to survive."
The moment Roger finished, the hall erupted in chatter. Children scrambled to form their groups, nobles clustering together in tight-knit circles.
Ian turned to Ralph.
"What do you think? Want to team up?"
Ralph smirked faintly.
"Not like I have a choice. This test isn't something you can do alone. Sure — we're a team now."
With that settled, they began searching for other members.
But most groups were already full, and the few unteamed kids were too intimidated by Ralph to approach.
The nobles? Out of the question.
Ian was beginning to feel the pressure when, suddenly, a noble boy stepped forward.
"Can I join your team?"