Jade stood quietly inside the instructor's office.
The room was surprisingly simple.
A large desk separated him from the man sitting behind it.
Several documents were arranged neatly across the desk, while a translucent screen floated beside the instructor, displaying Jade's academy records.
The man looked to be in his late thirties.
His expression was calm and professional.
This was Instructor Rock.
He glanced through the information on the screen one more time before looking directly at Jade.
"So..."
"Mr. Robin."
Jade's eyebrow twitched slightly.
He still wasn't used to hearing that name.
But he had already decided to keep using it outside his closest circle.
"Yes, sir?"
Instructor Rock leaned back in his chair.
"Our academy currently has fewer missions in the outer world than usual."
Jade listened quietly.
"We have been dealing with several changes in the surrounding regions. Most of the creatures appearing near the academy are being handled by higher-ranked teams."
He tapped the floating screen.
"That means Initiates like you don't have many opportunities to participate in official missions."
Jade nodded.
Rock continued.
"However..."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"According to your records, your lineage evaluation was classified as SSS+."
Jade remained expressionless.
Inside, however, he was slightly uncomfortable.
That evaluation had already attracted more attention than he wanted.
Rock continued.
"That's an extremely rare classification."
"Even among talented Initiates, an SSS+ lineage isn't something we see often."
He swiped through several screens.
"But there is another problem."
Jade waited.
"You haven't started advancing your class."
Silence.
Jade didn't deny it.
Rock looked at him carefully.
"You're currently an Initiate."
"Correct?"
"Yes."
"And you have remained at the same stage since entering the academy."
Jade nodded.
Rock sighed.
"Normally, that wouldn't concern me."
"But the situation is slightly different in your case."
He pointed toward the screen.
"The academy receives creatures from different regions for training missions."
"Unfortunately, most of the creatures suitable for beginning Initiates are currently unavailable."
"Our Stage One creatures are especially scarce."
Jade's eyes narrowed.
"Stage One?"
"Initiate creatures."
Rock nodded.
"Exactly."
"For someone who has already survived a Trial, hunting ordinary Initiate creatures may not provide enough progress anyway."
Jade understood.
The problem wasn't that the academy refused to train him.
The problem was opportunity.
He needed creatures.
He needed shards.
He needed fragments.
And the academy simply didn't have enough suitable targets available.
Rock folded his arms.
"So I'm going to give you some advice."
"Spend the next three months improving yourself."
Jade blinked.
"Three months?"
"Yes."
Rock's tone became more serious.
"At minimum, I want to see you advance into the next major class."
Jade thought for a moment.
"Monster Class?"
Rock nodded.
"That would be a good starting point."
"If you can advance beyond that, even better."
Jade remained silent for several seconds.
Then he asked,
"So..."
"Does that mean I can't participate in academy activities until then?"
Rock shook his head.
"You can still remain here."
"You are officially an academy student."
"You can attend basic lessons."
"You can train."
"You can use certain academy facilities."
"But official field missions are another matter."
Jade nodded slowly.
Rock continued.
"Until you demonstrate that your strength has increased, you'll mostly be assigned domestic duties."
Jade raised an eyebrow.
"Domestic duties?"
Rock smiled faintly.
"Helping instructors."
"Maintaining weapons."
"Cleaning training equipment."
"Assisting students."
"Organizing materials."
"Anything that doesn't require you to enter dangerous monster territory."
Jade stared at him.
"So..."
"I'll basically be an assistant."
"Something like that."
Jade sighed.
He had survived more than a year in the Trial.
He had fought monsters.
He had entered the Shadowed Area.
He had fought an Awakened Demon shortly after becoming an Initiate.
And now...
His academy career might begin with cleaning weapons.
Rock seemed to notice his expression.
"Don't look so disappointed."
"Many students would be happy to have an opportunity to study here."
"I know."
Jade nodded.
"I'm just..."
He paused.
"...not very good at sitting still."
Rock laughed.
"I noticed."
Jade suddenly thought of something.
"Sir."
"Hm?"
"Can I spend the next three months inside the Spiritual Realm?"
Rock stared at him.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then he laughed.
"You really are something."
Jade remained serious.
"I'm asking honestly."
"I know."
Rock shook his head.
"I wouldn't normally approve something like that for a newly enrolled Initiate."
"But..."
He looked at Jade's record again.
SSS+.
The result was still difficult to believe.
"You have already survived a Trial."
"And you clearly aren't an ordinary Initiate."
He leaned forward.
"So yes."
"You can enter the Spiritual Realm."
Jade's eyes brightened.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"But there's a condition."
Jade immediately became serious.
Rock pointed at him.
"Three months."
"That's the time I'm giving you."
"If you come back after three months without significant improvement..."
He paused.
"...don't blame me for being harsh afterward."
Jade nodded.
"I understand."
"I'll make sure I have something to show for it."
Rock smiled.
"Good."
He waved his hand.
"You can go now."
Jade bowed slightly.
"Thank you, sir."
He turned around and left the office.
The door closed behind him.
Rock remained seated.
He looked at Jade's information again.
Then at the SSS+ classification.
His expression became thoughtful.
"That boy..."
"What exactly happened during his Trial?"
---
Several minutes later...
Jade returned to the academy's Projection Residence.
The enormous hall was filled with sleeping pods.
Some students were preparing to enter the Spiritual Realm.
Others were returning from expeditions.
Jade walked toward an empty pod.
He opened the transparent cover and stepped inside.
The pod closed around him.
Soft mechanical sounds echoed through the chamber.
Jade leaned back.
Then sighed.
"Three months..."
He stared at the ceiling.
"I need to finish my core."
His thoughts immediately turned toward his cultivation.
He had already gathered a considerable number of fragments.
But his progress still wasn't enough.
And there was something else.
His second Trial.
Jade's eyes sharpened.
"I need to challenge it as soon as possible."
The first Trial had changed his life.
The second could change it even more.
He couldn't afford to waste time.
The pod began glowing.
Blue light slowly spread across the interior.
Jade closed his eyes.
His consciousness gradually became lighter.
The world disappeared.
---
Planet NTOEL
Far away...
A completely different scene was unfolding.
Nora sat cross-legged inside a quiet cultivation room.
Sweat covered her forehead.
Her breathing was slow and controlled.
Golden-black essence continuously circulated through her body.
Every cycle brought her closer.
Closer.
And closer.
Behind her stood Rose.
She watched carefully.
Beside Rose was Sophia.
The two occasionally exchanged glances.
Nora's expression remained focused.
Her Gate was nearly complete.
Only a small portion remained.
Rose smiled.
"You're almost there."
Nora didn't answer.
She couldn't afford to lose concentration.
Another wave of essence entered her core.
Her Gate trembled.
Then stabilized.
Nora's eyes remained closed.
Her breathing became even slower.
Rose looked toward Sophia.
"One more week."
Sophia smiled.
"Maybe less."
Rose nodded.
"If she continues at this rate..."
"She'll be ready for her second Trial."
Nora heard them faintly.
A small smile appeared on her face.
The second Trial.
She had been waiting for it.
For months, she had trained.
Studied.
Fought.
Learned.
Her abilities had evolved.
Her understanding of Fate had deepened.
Her Ocean God Sealing Sorcery had taken its first steps.
And now...
Her Gate was almost complete.
Nora slowly clenched her fists.
Just a little more.
One week.
Perhaps less.
Then she would finally step into another Trial.
And whatever awaited her there...
She intended to face it head-on.
---
Meanwhile, Jade's consciousness finally disappeared into darkness.
The Spiritual Realm awaited him.
Three months.
That was all the time he had.
And Jade intended to make every single day count.