Years had passed since Theo began his training with Ethan. After years of conditioning and teaching combat techniques to his potential successor, the time for the trials had finally arrived.
Theo was now fifteen years old, fully aware of all his goals.
Capital of the Order, Gran-Empire, Grand Coliseum.
Seated in the waiting corridor, he longed for his name to be called. Wearing the standard protective gear for the trials—a weak and lightweight plate armor—his anxiety was still evident. His amber-colored eyes were the only visible part beneath the helmet's visor.
'Inside here, I can use my elements, attributes, and conjuration…' Theo pondered, recalling the rules that had been explained.
Since this was a test, participants were given full freedom to demonstrate their techniques and potential without worrying about the examiner, who would be a high-ranking agent.
'However, I can only use one of my elements, since they don't guarantee the participant's safety in case of loss of control… Makes sense—manipulating and controlling two elements requires a lot of experience. I'll need to choose.'
Partially, he had already made that choice. Theo had developed proficiency in two elements, the first being fire. However, he dismissed it immediately.
Excessive control to maintain even a small flame required perfect self-awareness of one's own energy. With parts of that knowledge monopolized by the Great Orders, Theo still didn't know his energy type, nor the color of his core.
However, during his ten years with Ethan, he had developed the ability to control elemental attributes (quantum). Thanks to that, he managed to handle two distinct elemental attributes.
'The battle is about to begin…' Theo thought. 'I'd better convert part of my energy into elemental attributes, so I don't end up struggling…'
Like any Deviant, Theo possessed more than one core. Naturally, there was a main core defined by energy type and color, but there was also an internal system known as chakras.
An untrained Deviant typically possessed seven such chakras. By sending energy from the main core to the secondary cores through chakra channels, the energy would automatically be converted into elemental attributes.
Draining part of his main core, Theo secured enough energy for a prolonged battle.
'I hope I learn how to increase my reserves quickly at the academy. And I hope even more that it's not an external energy…'
For Theo, energies like ether or mana would be troublesome, as they depended on artifacts or external generation to increase reserves.
After meditating for five minutes, he successfully converted the values and generated sufficient elemental attributes. On top of that, he condensed the energy so it wouldn't be depleted easily.
"Theo Caesar," called Etrbak, a man holding a clipboard at the end of the corridor, near the entrance to the coliseum. "Please, prepare yourself."
Walking toward Etrbak and looking into the arena, Theo saw the other participant being escorted toward one of the gates.
He felt the weight of that confrontation…
"Excellent scores on the written exams… Hybrid Deviant, two elemental attributes… Very well. Chask, call Jackl," he instructed another examiner, dressed in a suit and tie just like Etrbak.
For each Deviant classification, there was a specific examiner: Conjurer, Attributor, and Hybrid. Jackl was the Hybrid examiner…
Theo knew he would be facing a high-ranking Deviant.
"Alright… The rules are simple, Challenger Number 911. These velcro tags on your armor determine whether you're still in the match or already defeated."
Another examiner attached velcro patches to Theo's armor—small circles in different colors, such as blue (safe zones) and red (critical zones).
"If the examiner hits a red tag or five blue ones, you're out. However, if you manage to hit all of the examiner's tags, you'll qualify with a 100% score and may receive a class promotion. Additionally, the examiner will not use elemental powers unless you put your life at risk. Any questions?"
"Can I use both of my attributes?" Theo asked.
"Yes, you may. However, if you lack control over either of them, we recommend you don't take the risk. As you should already know, he may intervene—but your core health is not our responsibility."
'Understanding your own limits is Vagus's first lesson… And they're testing it right from the start…' Theo analyzed, staring at the coliseum.
"With that in mind, you may enter the arena," Etrbak said.
A steel-bar gate rose, opening a path for Theo. Taking a deep breath and steadying his mind, he took his first step.
His theoretical exam scores had been perfect, guaranteeing him a place in at least a mid-tier academy. Still, he aimed for the great names… If possible, the greatest of all.
"This way," Chask called, pointing to a weapon rack beside the gate.
As Theo approached the rack, the man stepped back into the corridors before the gate closed.
Swords, bows, spears, axes… Every kind of wooden weapon was displayed. Without hesitation, Theo picked up a wooden longsword.
"Ready?" Etrbak asked over the loudspeaker.
Both nodded.
"Begin!"
Theo waited five seconds for his opponent to move. However, there were no signs of attack or hostility. Thus, Theo decided to act.
Charging a vortex of wind in his hands, he launched it toward Jackl, causing the spell to collide with the ground and kick up sand.
"So… fire and wind. As expected, you chose the wind attribute," Jackl pondered, standing still as he analyzed Theo's movements.
He waited to see where Theo would emerge from. However, faster than Jackl anticipated, Theo appeared to his left, wielding the wooden sword and ready to strike horizontally.
Jackl raised his arms in front of his body, tightening his guard and adopting a defensive stance. Theo couldn't find an opening…
'You only have one option!' Jackl thought, predicting that Theo would continue and strike his forearm.
But Theo was beyond that expectation.
Pulling his sword back, Theo used his right heel to rotate his axis and change his body's direction. Circling behind the examiner, he gripped the sword's handle with both hands and prepared another strike—this time toward the side where Jackl's stance was open.
The examiner reacted swiftly, jumping backward before the sword could connect. Still, it turned out to be an even more favorable outcome…
Grazing past Jackl's chest, the blade simulated the sound of vacuum slicing through air.
Imbuing wind into both his sword and feet, Theo created a burst of momentum and lunged toward the red velcro on Jackl's heart. Analyzing the speed and intensity of the attack, the examiner had no choice but to throw himself to the side.
Theo slid a few centimeters past Jackl and, turning back toward the examiner, followed up with a diagonal slash. Leaning his torso back slightly, Jackl evaded with ease.
Continuing the barrage, Theo gave the examiner no time to rest.
"Not even going to let me breathe?" Jackl joked, realizing Theo wasn't giving him room to counterattack.
The challenger's answer was silence—and more attacks.
From Theo's perspective, however, he was extremely nervous… He was thinking about his next moves as he attacked, and that was a mistake. At any moment, the conflict between thought and action would decide his defeat.
Even so, his aggressive fighting style was working in his favor.
"Pressuring the enemy with clean, objective attacks…" commented Mosper, scout of the fifth-largest Vagus academy, Viet. "That's a good mindset for an aspirant."
"It could still be better," said Holper, scout of the seventh-largest Vagus academy, Honskner.
"Aren't you demanding too much from a challenger, even one from a noble family?"
"Not at all. Expectations should be even higher. Don't you agree, Rikard?"
The scout from Wispells Academy—the largest in Vagus—remained silent as he watched the practical test.
Sweeping the examiner's legs, Theo created a small wind implosion and pulled Jackl toward himself.
'Oh… He's pulling me with wind force?' Jackl analyzed, trying to resist. A smile formed on his face. 'Too bad your control is inferior…'
By simply planting his foot firmly on the ground, Jackl resisted the wind's pull. Closing his left hand—the one generating the gust—Theo attacked again.
However, before each strike, slash, and direct movement, Jackl dodged effortlessly, boasting his superior speed. He could see Theo's movements almost as if the boy weren't moving at all.
Without the wind attribute, Theo was slow compared to a Deviant of that level.
Realizing that repeated attacks were nothing more than wasted energy, Theo retreated and adopted a defensive stance, guarding his left hand as he conjured a small fireball.
'Energy is the fuel… wind will be the reaction…' he thought as he prepared.
'Is he really going to try it?' Jackl wondered. 'If he showed such affinity with wind, it means he hasn't trained fire precisely. At this rate…'
The small fire sphere created a flaming haze around Theo, casually reacting with the wind attribute he was using.
'Two attributes at the same time?!' Rikard, among all the scouts, was the only one who noticed what Theo was doing. 'Damn… He's losing control…'
Sparks of energy engulfed Theo's palm. Uncontrollably, the entire sphere of energy collapsed.
A blinding explosion of light erupted from the center of the arena.