Kael woke to the metallic buzz of the dorm intercom, that the sergeants used to send messages to them.The room was still dim, and the sun was barely up. Beside him, Jace groaned and pulled the blanket over his head.
"Rise and shine, recruits," a flat voice announced. "Testing begins in two hours. Report to Arena Block C. Failure to appear will result in dismissal and failure."
Kael swung his legs off the bed,and rubbed his eyes. His body felt heavier than usual, which wasthe aftermath of pushing his BioSync yesterday. He flexed his fingers, watching the faint traces of black veins fade into his skin.
[System Status]
Name: Kael Arden
Level: 3
HP: 100%
Stamina: 96%
Sync Level: 43%
Strength: 14
Speed: 15
Endurance: 12
Intelligence: 16
Luck: 9
Magic Capacity: 3 slots (0/3 filled)
Active Skills:
BioCopy Lv. 1 – Copy any magic through direct skin contact. Hold up to 3 at once.
Observe Lv. 2 – Scan targets for stats, abilities, and traits.(Some stat could be locked)
Locked Skills: ??? (Requires higher Sync Level)
Condition: Stable. No critical damage detected.
At least the System wasn't yelling at him this morning.
Jace sat up, his hair was sticking out in all directions. "Guess this is it," he said, rubbing his neck. "The big test. You think they'll throw us into a pit full of monsters, or just make us shoot at targets until we puke?"
Kael smirked. "Probably both."
They got ready in silence, putting on the standard training uniforms laid out the night before. The material was thick and slightly armored, it was designed to handle both magic and live fire. Kael adjusted the gloves, making sure the fingers were snug. He would need skin contact if an opportunity to copy an ability presented itself.
Jace caught him staring at his hands. "Nervous?"
Kael shrugged. "Just thinking about what they'll throw at us."
The dormitory hallway buzzed with half-awake recruits heading the same way. Some were muttering spells under their breath, others were excited , some had runes faintly glowing on their arms. Others clutched rifles like they were lifelines. Kael kept his head low, not wanting to draw unnecessary attention.
---
***IN THE CAFETERIA***
They reached the cafeteria, where the smell of eggs and bread did little to settle anyone's nerves or excitement. Recruits formed small groups, buzzing with excitement ,Some were practicing minor spells, fire were between their fingers or water forming balls above their palms. The air was charged with anticipation and tension.
Jace pointed with his fork toward a stocky recruit sitting across the room, who was casually spinning a small boulder in the air above his hand. "See that guy? The Geomancer. Bet he's going to ace the combat trial."
Kael felt the familiar prickle at the back of his mind. His Observe skill had leveled up again overnight.
[Observe Lv. 2: Range increased. More detailed information available.]
He discreetly triggered it, letting his gaze linger on the geomancer.
Name: Rico Marell
Magic Affinity: Geomancy
Combat Level: 11
Notable Trait: Overconfident. Struggles against fast opponents.
Kael hid a smile. Interesting.
He tried again on another recruit practicing with small ice magic.
Name: Lira Henslow
Magic Affinity: Cryomancy
Combat Level: 8
Notable Trait: Cold-tempered. Tactical thinker.
Jace caught him zoning out and nudged him. "You good?"
"Yeah. Just…uhmmm....s-s- sizing up the competition," Kael replied, taking a sip of the tea.
---
After breakfast, they were headed toward Arena Block C—a massive training complex with reinforced walls and transparent panels overlooking multiple testing grounds. A stern-faced sergeant, his uniform crisp and his left arm replaced by a mechanical prosthetic, stood waiting at the center.
"Listen up, recruits!" his voice sounded, echoing off the steel walls. "Today determines if you're worth the government's investment. You will undergo the sparring and a mixed combat scenario. Fail , and you're out. No second chances."
A ripple of unease passed through the crowd.
"You'll be tested against the clock, against each other, and against targets that shoot back. Some of you will bleed. A few might even quit, but that's fine. We're not here to cuddle you. We're here to find soldiers."
Kael exchanged a look with Jace and . "Sounds fun," he muttered under his breath.
The sergeant's gaze swept over them like a predator assessing prey. "Dismissed to prep zones. Your groups will be called in order."
---
Waiting for Their Turn
Kael, Jace and Lyra were assigned to holding bay 27D, a stark waiting room with metal benches and a humming vent overhead. A handful of other recruits were there—Rico the cocky geomancer, Lira the quiet ice mage, and a wiry blonde who kept flipping a knife between his fingers.
Jace leaned toward Kael. "You think magic's gonna be the make-or-break here?"
"Probably," Kael said. His mind, however, was on BioCopy. Three slots. Three chances. I need to be smart about this.
He caught himself glancing at Rico's floating rock. If he played it right, Geomancy could be his first grab. But Lira's precision ice control might be just as valuable.
---
As the recruits fidgeted in the long wait, Kael's System quietly pinged.
[New Quest Available]
"Prove Your Worth"
Pass all tests.
Reward: +1 Level, BioCopy EXP, Unlock chance for new passive skill.
Failure: Forced discharge from program.
[Tip: Remember, abilities copied can be swapped out later. Current capacity: 3/3 slots.]
Kael suppressed a grin. "No pressure, huh"?
---
Kael shifted on the cold bench, watching recruits get called in groups of four to the sparring rings. Muffled impacts, bursts of magic, and the occasional thud of someone hitting the mat hard echoed from behind the thick glass walls.
Jace kept drumming his fingers on his knee. "This waiting is worse than the actual fighting," he muttered.
"You think we'll get paired up together?"
Kael smirked. "Knowing our luck? Probably against the guy with the spinning rock."
Rico Marell, the geomancer across the room, overheard and flashed them a confident grin. "You talking about me? Don't worry, I'll go easy on you rookies." He made his boulder dance between his fingers like it was weightless.
Jace rolled his eyes. "Can't wait to see him eat mat."
A sergeant with a scarred cheek barked, "Group 27D! On your feet. You're up."
---
Arena Block C
The sparring arena was a wide, circular room lined with shimmering barrier walls designed to contain spell discharge. The floor was a neutral gray, with faint scorch marks from previous matches. Overhead, lights hummed like angry insects. The air smelled faintly of ozone.
"Standard rules," the sergeant droned. "No killing blows, no aiming for the head, and don't damage the barriers. Last team standing wins."
Kael found himself opposite Rico the geomancer and Lira the cryomancer. His team was Jace and the wiry blonde with the knife, who introduced himself earlier as Quinn.
"Great. We're outgunned, Kael thought. Unless I change that".
---
The buzzer sounded, and Rico immediately slammed his palms into the ground. Stone pillars erupted across the arena, creating makeshift cover.
Lira raised her hand, ice creeping along her arm before forming a spear.
Jace dove behind one of the new stone pillars, yelling, "I call dibs on not getting skewered!"
Kael moved forward, closing the gap. Rico swung his boulder at him like a wrecking ball. Kael ducked under, his gloved hand brushing Rico's arm.
[BioCopy activated: Geomancy copied. Slot 1/3 filled.]
The system chimed in his mind.
[Geomancy Lv. 1 acquired. Basic earth manipulation enabled.]
Kael placed his own hand on the ground, mimicking Rico's stance. A stone wall shot up in front of him, blocking Lira's ice spear.
Rico's eyes widened. "Wait—how—?"
"Trade secret," Kael said with a grin.
---
Jace engaged Lira, throwing bursts of wind magic to deflect her ice attacks.
Kael moved wide, In the chaos, he managed to graze Lira's wrist.
[BioCopy activated: Cryomancy copied. Slot 2/3 filled.]
A chill settled into his veins as ice danced along his fingers. He tested it, forming a small shard and flicking it toward Rico's foot. The geomancer shouted and stumbled back.
Jace yelled from cover, "Are you copying everyone now?!"
Kael smirked. "Maybe."
---
Quinn got knocked flat by a rock projectile. Rico raised a wall to corner Jace, who was running out of room.
Kael needed more mobility. He glanced at Jace, who was desperately fending off Lira with bursts of air.
"Jace! High-five!" Kael shouted.
"What?! We're in the middle of—"
"Just do it!"
Jace slapped his hand against Kael's.
[BioCopy activated: Aeromancy copied. Slot 3/3 filled.]
Wind surged around him. He leapt, riding a burst of air over Rico's wall, landing behind him. Kael drove an earth wall up, knocking Rico off balance, then froze his opponent's boots to the ground with Cryomancy.
Rico cursed, struggling. "That's cheating!"
---
The system pinged urgently.
[BioCopy usage reaching threshold…]
[Skill proficiency increased.]
[BioCopy Lv. 2 unlocked: Slot capacity increased (3 > 4). Ability swap cooldown reduced.]
Kael felt the rush of an additional slot opening in his mind, like another door unlocking. He glanced at Lira's precise ice constructs and considered keeping them, but his gaze drifted to Quinn, who was back on his feet, slashing with a blade coated in shadowy mist.
Umbramancy? That's too good to pass up.
He brushed Quinn's shoulder, swapping out Cryomancy.
[Cryomancy released.]
[Umbramancy copied. Slot 4/4 filled.]
Dark runes coiled around his arm. Kael grinned. "Oh, yes, I'm keeping this."
---
With Aeromancy boosting his speed and Umbramancy cloaking his movements, Kael closed in on Lira, tapping her shoulder and sending her flying with a burst of wind enhanced force. Rico, still frozen, finally threw his hands up.
The buzzer sounded. "Match over! Winners: Arden, Veyra, and Quinn."
Jace collapsed against the barrier wall, panting. "I don't even know what just happened. Did you…did you copy four magics in one fight?"
Kael shrugged, fighting to keep his grin subtle. "Guess I'm a fast learner."
"Remind me not to shake your hand." Quinn said while chuckling
---
As they left the arena, the system chimed again.
[Quest Complete: "Prove Your Worth"]
Rewards:
+1 Level (Level 4 reached)
BioCopy EXP increased.
Passive skill unlock chance available.
Kael smirked to himself. Testing day had just turned into a huge upgrade.
Jace groaned, slinging an arm over his shoulder. "You're buying me dinner if we survive the next round. No arguments."
Kael chuckled. "Deal."
---