The door swung open, and they stepped into a massive, open space that looked nothing like the rest of the guild.
The ceiling stretched high above them, supported by thick iron beams, with glass panels that let sunlight pour in, casting long shadows across the floor.
The air smelled faintly of sweat, steel and old stone. The ground beneath their boots was a mix of polished stone tiles and sand-covered training mats, some torn and worn from heavy use.
A tall wall lined the far end of the room - cracked and scorched in places - clearly used test. Weapon racks stood along the sides, filled with practice swords, spears and dull-edged axes.
One side of the room held a circular platform, slightly raised, with faint glowing Nexa crystals etched into it's base - probably for duels or high-end training.
Off to the left, a group of instructions in guild cloaks leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching silently. Some looked bored. Others? Hungry.
A giant hourglass sat in the corner, already turned - it's fine black sand dripping silently into the bedroom half.
And at the center of the room a single line of white tape stretched across the floor.
The man leading them stopped and turned around."This is where the series of tests begins." He said his voice echoing off the walls.
"Split up by gender," the examiner said, standing across a thick white line. "Ladies on this side. Guys over there."
Boros muttered under his breath, "Yeah.... I don't like this."
"It's fine," Akeno said casually brushing her hand through her hair.
"Just do what they say, Shiro," Kinuko said softly. "Remember, we need this."Akeno looped her arm through Kinuko's and walked off toward the group of women.
The rest followed suit without protest.
Boros sighed and walked to the other side with the men. He stood with his hands in his pockets, watching quietly. "Alright, fellas," the examiner barked. "Shirts off. Let's see what we're working with."
"What? In front of the girls? One guy asked, clearly panicking.
The examiner raised an eyebrow. "What, you hiding a secret pair of boobs under there?" The guys cracked up. Even a few of the girls chuckled from across the room.
"I said take it off!" the examiner snapped.
One by one, the guys stripped down. Boros just stood there, unmoved, the lollipop from earlier still tucked in his mouth.
The examiner approached him. "You deaf or just shy, pretty boy?"
Boros clicked his tongue but stayed quiet. He remembered what Kinuko said.... then sighed and tugged his shirt off.
The room got noticeably quieter."Wait.... he was hiding that under his shirt?" one girl whispered.
"Damn I wasn't expecting that," another added."Then why did he hesitate to take off his shirt."
Another girl whispered."Maybe he's just not the show-off type...."
"God, if he hesitated to take his shirt off looking like that, imagine what else he's hiding." Another girl whispered to her friend.
Boros didn't react. Just stood there casually, muscles defined, cold aura matching his icy-pale blue hair. Everything about him looked effortless - like his body had been chiseled by survival, not vanity.
Perfect? Maybe.
But the look in his eyes said: Don't get to close.
The examiner paced in front of the shirtless group of men like a drill sergeant with something to prove."I asked you to remove your shirts because I needed to see if you were physically fit. Not just for show - real muscle. Real control."
"Listen up," he barked. "This trial ain't just about swinging swords and looking tough. We're testing five things today: How well you act under pressure, your strength, how well you can fight, how long you can last and most importantly - how well your body reacts to Nexus." He stopped, turning slightly so both sides of the room - men and woman - could hear him loud and clear.
He raised a hand, counting off on his fingers."First a mental pressure test. You'll each be given a Rubik's cube - one minute to solve it. Let's see how your brain works when the clock's against you."
Second - Strength. We'll run you through basic drills: Push-ups, pull ups, full-body lifts. No shortcuts. Just raw power."
Then he started pacing again. Third test: Combat aptitude. One on One sparring. You'll be paired randomly. Give it everything you've got - but no killing blows. This isn't a battlefield.....yet." He raised a hand toward a nearby Nexa crystal embedded in the wall.
It pulsed faintly, casting a soft, eerie glow across the floor."Fourth test: Stamina. You'll be running the length of the training field in weighted gear - no Nexa enhanced boots, no shortcuts. Fall behind? You're out." The floor vibrated slightly as a circular platform rose in the middle of the room, etched with glowing Nexa crystals.
"And finally... the resonance test." Everyone stared at the platform lit up, pulsing like a heartbeat.
"You'll step onto this one at a time. If your body is compatible with Nexus, it'll respond. If not... it'll throw you off. Loudly."
He paused, letting the tension settle."As an adventurer, you'll come across many cases where you'll be exposed to raw, un-concentrated Nexus, especially when fighting Draken or harvesting Nexa crystals.
"If your body can't handle high concentrations of Nexus, then you've got no business dreaming about this life." He gave a slow, toothy grin.
"No faking it. No bluffing your way through. This trial will see exactly what you are made of." Then his eyes locked onto Boros - just long enough to make it personal.
Boros popped the lollipop from his mouth and muttered, "Tch..... this'll be fun."
"Alright," the examiner said, clapping once. "Now that everything's been explained - ladies, you'll be heading into the room next door. Fellas, you stay here." He glanced to the side, where one of the instructors leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed. "Come," he muttered.
She pushed off the wall and walked over, standing beside him with a quiet confidence."She'll be overseeing your exam," he said, nodding toward the men's side. A few of the guys exchanged glances.
One raised his hand."Yes?" the examiner asked, clearly unimpressed.
"If she's watching us," the guy asked, "what'll you be doing?"
The man gave a cocky grin. "I'll be handling the women's side, of course."Grumbles rose among the men, but he ignored them as he walked over to the women's group."Alright, move it. That door. Let's go!" he barked.
As the line began moving, he shoved Kinuko roughly by the shoulder. "You - faster."She stumbled slightly.
That's when Boros spoke, calm but loud enough to stop the room.
"Oi."Everything went still.
Boros tilted his head, one hand in his pocket, the other lazily pointing."If you touch her like that again..... I'll kill you."He dragged a finger across his neck with a smirk, eyes locked on the examiner like he was already dead.
The room held its breath."Huh? What's a civilian gonna -"
"Civilian this. Civilian that," Boros cut him off, his tone dropping. "Go ahead. I dare you."
The examiner's jaw tightened, but he turned with a click of his tongue and kept barking orders at the women.
Boros didn't move. Just stood there, still chewing that damn lollipop like nothing happened.