The first test’s examiner stood at the top of a staircase, which led down into the arena. “I imagine you already understood the goal of the test, but I’ll repeat it: you need to take the dummy out of the arena through the safe corridor delineated by red lights. Additional points can be gained by showing powerful skills, but it’s not necessary.”
James nodded, eyes focused on the stone golem. The construct was quite large, and more than that, it was heavy. Even with his enhancements, a single blow from it could threaten his ability to continue with the test.
It’s a good thing I don’t need to face it head on then. I know I can get more points by showing off, but I’m ready to bet my bank account that it’s a trap. If you fall for it and try to show off, the golem will murk you, and it’s game over.
Glancing at the stands, James noticed Mr. Bethany alongside several people he recognized from the leaflet of important figures in the AA he had been given at the beginning of his tenure. MIND really helped with memory, because he had never been particularly good at remembering faces, while now he could even name those strangers he had never met before.
James took a deep breath and began to tune into his Thakinetic Awareness. It was second nature to him now, the feeling of extending his will outward to grasp the essence of other’s minds, to peer at the murky depths of their will.
But as the signal from his power tried to sweep over the golem, it was as if it hit an invisible wall. Nothing appeared to be there, even though his other senses clearly disagreed.
James almost groaned, quickly realizing what the problem was. The golem was not an autonomous monster, taken from the depths of a dungeon, but an artificial construct, a mimicry.
Of course they wouldn’t use a real one. Despite how strong Mr. Bethany and all the bigwigs might be, it’s still possible it would kill someone in the middle of a fight. This is much safer. But it also means it doesn’t have a will for me to focus on.
The realization that his most helpful skill would be useless was an unsettling one, but he didn’t let it show on his face. He would do it, with or without Awareness.
As soon as James crossed the entrance to the arena floor, the golem roared, a grating sound reminiscent of two rocks banging together. He darted forward, relying on his physical senses and reflexes to keep track of the monster.
It wasn’t as fast as he had feared, but his preternatural ability to always be in the right place was missing, which meant he had to be much more cautious. As he got close enough to try and attack, James noticed a shift in its posture. The golem's massive fists slammed down where he had been just a moment before, sending a shockwave through the arena. James leaped aside, rolling to his feet and scanning for the dummy - the test's true objective.
Fuck, is that how everyone else always feels? Ok, this might be a bit more annoying than I thought. Now, where are you?
There the dummy was, placed beneath the shadow of the golem, a human-sized mannequin that represented the victim in this scenario. Reaching it would be no small feat with the monster as a sentinel.
"Think, James, think.” He muttered to himself. The goal wasn’t to defeat the golem but to rescue the victim. He had to be smart. He had to use the environment to his advantage.
The arena was littered with debris, remnants of the fights that had come before him, or perhaps they had been placed there as obstacles for the test takers - they would certainly hamper most H-rankers’s ability to make some distance from the monster.
He needed a distraction, something to shift the golem's attention even for a split second. It wouldn’t be enough to complete the test, but it would give him precious information about the monster’s reaction time.
James sprinted to the nearest pile of debris, his Empowerment flaring around his fists, enhancing his STR so he could attack from a distance. He grabbed a hefty piece of rubble and, with a grunt of effort, hurled it at the golem’s head. It, however, was swift despite its size and swatted the rubble away as if it were nothing more than a bothersome fly.
The distraction had failed. The golem turned back to James; its gemstone eyes glinted, but behind them there was nothing. It was the controller, if there was one, which James was desperately scouring the stands for, that was likely waiting for him to make a move. Unfortunately, whoever was handling the monster managed to remain hidden, as everyone’s mind was focused on the fight below, and his skill was not detailed enough to perceive such nuance yet.
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The audience was silent, the air thick with anticipation. They were waiting to see what the candidate would do, waiting to judge if he was worthy of the G-Rank. Even with the pressure, James felt a surge of determination. He hadn’t faced impossible odds to be defeated by the stupid mimicry of a real monster.
He scanned the arena again, his eyes catching on the red lights that marked the safe corridor. It was the promise of safety - if he could reach it.
James had an idea.
He feigned left, then darted right, pushing mana into his legs to force the monster to move at its top speed. The golem followed, predictable in its actions. James could not feel its life force, but he could predict its movements based on its design. It was meant to be a guardian, a protector of the victim - it would always position itself between the dummy and any perceived threat.
James led it on a merry chase, looping around, making the golem turn and giving his target’s position a wide berth. Then, with a burst of speed fueled by his Empowerment, he made a break for the dummy. The golem, caught off-guard by the sudden change in pattern, was slow to react. It swung its arm in a wide arc, aiming to knock James away, but he slid under the attack, feeling the rush of air as the stone limb passed harmlessly over his head. He reached the dummy and grabbed it, hoisting it over his shoulder.
The golem was recovering, reorienting to intercept him before he could escape. James looked to the safe corridor, his path of retreat now laid clear. The monster lumbered towards him, its steps causing the ground to tremble.
James's mind raced. He could try to outrun the golem, but with its size and reach, it could easily catch him if he made even the slightest mistake. He needed another distraction, something to delay it just long enough for him to get to the safe zone.
That’s when he got an idea - a higher vantage point stood to the left, close to the red light, a platform that overlooked the arena. If he could get the golem to follow him up there, the climb would slow it down, giving him the precious seconds he needed. If it followed him, he’d also get the confirmation of a suspicion he had.
Without hesitation, James bolted towards the platform, the dummy secure in his grip. The golem thundered after him, its steps methodical and earth-shaking. James reached the platform and started to climb with long, bounding steps, the dummy’s weight a hindrance but not an obstacle, thanks to his enhanced body. He could hear the grating of stone against stone as the golem began to ascend behind him. There had been no thought behind its action. It simply reacted.
He turned at the last second, facing the golem as it reached the top. With a roar of challenge, James hurled the dummy up in the air in an arc that would lead it toward the safe corridor, careful not to damage it with his enhanced STR. The golem’s programming kicked in - by now, it was clear that no one was actually manipulating, as its movements were too mechanical - overriding its pursuit of James to protect the victim at all costs. It lunged for the dummy, trying to catch it in mid-air.
James didn’t wait to see if it succeeded. He jumped from the platform, diving toward the ground below, his heart pounding in his chest. He rolled as he landed, absorbing the impact with practiced ease, and came up running.
The dummy had yet to touch the ground, which he knew he would lose points for, if he allowed it to happen. Flooding his legs with mana, he crossed the distance with one singular leap, catching it before it could get damaged and pushing it into the safety zone.
The arena shook behind him as the golem touched down, red eyes unerringly trained on his back. The moment they were both fully across the line, however, it ceased its advance, acknowledging the completion of the test.
James lay there for a moment, breathing heavily, the dummy inanimate beside him. He had done it. He had passed the second test of the G-Rank Advancement Exam.
The watchers applauded. It was much more contained than James thought he deserved, but he shouldn’t have expected more from a bunch of bureaucrats and high-rankers. He stood up slowly, feeling the adrenaline fade, replaced by a deep, satisfying sense of achievement. He looked up to the stands, finding Mr. Bethany’s amused eyes on him.
There was a nod of approval from the man, subtle but unmistakable. It was all the confirmation James needed. He had not only passed the test, but he had done so in a way that had impressed one of the higher-ups of the Awakener Association.
As James exited the arena, he gave the dummy to the examiner, who graced him with a nod of acknowledgment, which he hurriedly reciprocated.
After the intensity of the arena, the break room he entered felt like another world. The walls dampened the echoes of the crowd, and the air was calm and cool. James walked in, his body still thrumming with the remnants of adrenaline. He found an empty spot at one of the tables and sank into the chair with a sigh of relief.
He hadn't been sitting for more than a minute when Tea from the Ten Thousand Eyes Guild noticed him and sashayed to his side. Her purple hair was a vivid splash of color against the sterile white of the break room.
“Can’t say I’m surprised to see you here.” Tea said with a playful smile, her eyes twinkling. She took the seat across from him. "I'm glad you passed. It would've been a shame for the Association to lose such a promising talent.”
James couldn't help but return the smile, albeit more wearily. "Thanks, Tea. I’m sure you would have been ready to comfort me with an offer to enter your Guild.”
Tea laughed, a sound that seemed to dance in the air. "Oh, come on, we’re not so bad. I would have let you stew on it for a day or two.”
“Right.” James agreed sarcastically.
Before their conversation could continue, James felt a familiar sense of elation that wasn’t his own. He had kept Thakinetic Awareness trained on the arena outside, thankfully not hampered by the room, and felt Daniel’s presence become euphoric for a moment, before settling into smug contentedness.
A smile crept onto his face. One down, three to go.
"Something good just happened?" Tea inquired, noticing the change in his expression.
“Yeah." James replied without thinking. "One of my teammates just passed their test.”
"That's great.” She said, giving him a speculative look.
He grimaced, realizing he had been too open, but shook it away when his team’s Tank entered the room, waving him over.
“How did it go?” He asked, even though he already knew the answer.
“That thing is not good at standing back up.” Was the only answer, and from the pleased confidence in Daniel’s tone, he could surmise he had found an exploit in the golem’s abilities.
In short order, he felt each of his other teammates win. Even Ezekiel, who took the longest, managed to snatch victory after seven minutes of heart-pounding action.
“I’m never fighting alone again.” The White Mage said as he dropped on a seat next to James, sweat coating his form.
“I’m pretty sure the next test is a one-on-one fight.” Tea revealed, earning a groan.