The air was thick with mana.

The ruins stood in eerie silence, their ancient walls pulsating faintly with inscriptions that shimmered like whispers of a forgotten past. The battle with the guardian beast had drained them, yet an unspoken force within this chamber called to them.

At the center of the hall, resting on a pedestal of obsidian, was a floating orb of light—brilliant yet unfathomable. It was neither warm nor cold, neither inviting nor hostile. Just waiting.

Alden adjusted his sunglasses. He already knew what this was.

The Trial of Growth.

---

The Ancient Rite

Leonhardt was the first to break the silence. "That thing… It's radiating mana."

Seraphina's icy gaze swept the surroundings. "It's a trial. The inscriptions say, 'The chosen must endure the storm within.'"

Alicia frowned, her golden eyes flickering with unease. "That doesn't sound reassuring."

Reynard exhaled sharply. "A power-up like this? It's never free."

Sylvara traced her fingers along the glowing inscriptions. "But it's here for a reason."

Luca's ears twitched. "We're in too deep to back out now."

Elena, ever the cautious one, whispered a prayer. "If this is divine providence, then we must proceed."

Their hesitation was justified. The main cast had played enough games with fate already. They knew how these things worked—power came at a price.

Alden stood at the edge, watching.

In the game, this event wasn't a gift—it was a necessity. Without this trial, the main cast wouldn't survive what lay ahead.

They didn't know it, but this was their moment of evolution.

And he intended to claim his share of it.

---

The First to Step Forward

Leonhardt, ever the leader, inhaled deeply and stepped forward.

The moment his fingers brushed the orb—BOOM.

Lightning surged around him, intertwining with the earth beneath his feet, while streams of water spiraled into his body. His mana circuits strained under the pressure before abruptly expanding, like a river carving a deeper path.

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He dropped to one knee, gasping. Then, his eyes sharpened. "It… strengthened my foundations."

A notification appeared in his mind:

[New Trait Acquired – Elemental Convergence: Your triple affinity harmonizes, reducing internal conflicts in mana flow and improving multi-element casting efficiency.]

Leonhardt clenched his fists. His powers had always been disjointed, his elements refusing to cooperate. But now… Now, they moved as one.

The orb pulsed again. It was waiting.

---

One by One

Alicia was next.

Fire roared to life around her, spiraling like a serpent. She gritted her teeth as the flames turned white-hot, sinking into her core. When they finally died down, she exhaled a plume of smoke.

[New Trait Acquired – Crimson Veil: Your flames burn hotter under pressure, increasing in intensity when facing stronger opponents.]

She smirked, tossing back her red hair. "Now that's useful."

Seraphina stepped up without a word.

A gust of icy wind howled around her, sharp as razors. Frost crawled along her arms, her veins pulsing with a cold glow. When it faded, she opened her eyes—a deeper, more piercing blue.

[New Skill Acquired – Absolute Freeze: Allows you to momentarily halt molecular motion in a small area, strengthening ice magic dramatically.]

Sylvara placed her hand on the orb, and the chamber responded.

Roots burst from the stone, vines curling around her as nature itself acknowledged her presence. When the magic settled, she felt something different—a deeper connection to the land.

[New Skill Acquired – Verdant Renewal: Passively absorbs nature mana in forests, slowly recovering stamina and injuries over time.]

Reynard's turn.

Shadows surged around him, the dim light in the chamber flickering wildly. His golden eyes gleamed as he absorbed the power.

[New Skill Acquired – Phantom Step: Your movements leave afterimages in darkness, confusing enemies.]

Luca grinned before pressing his palm against the orb. A deep, earthen rumble resonated through him as his muscles hardened, his already formidable physique becoming even stronger.

[New Trait Acquired – Titan's Resilience: Reduces damage taken from physical attacks and increases resistance to blunt force trauma.]

Elena's hand trembled slightly as she touched the orb. A soft golden light embraced her, her breath steadying as divine energy seeped into her bones.

[New Skill Acquired – Sanctum Barrier: Creates a protective aura that passively shields allies in close range.]

The others turned to Alden.

He said nothing as he stepped forward.

---

Alden's Turn

The moment his palm met the orb, the world vanished.

An explosion of pure mana engulfed him. It wasn't elemental, nor was it something external—it dug into him.

A sharp, burning sensation coiled around his wrist. Something was being carved into his very being.

Shiranui's voice echoed in his mind. ["Master—this is different!"]

Kurenai hummed. ["This power isn't borrowed… It's recognizing you."]

Alden felt his mana circuits shatter and rebuild themselves, his body reshaping to accommodate something new.

And then—everything snapped into place.

His aura surged, his body stabilizing as new power settled within him.

His rank had shifted.

[Breakthrough – E+ → D- Rank Achieved.]

And on the back of his hand, something new glowed faintly.

[New Skill Acquired – Mark of Connection: Allows the user to imprint marks on objects, enabling remote transfer of mana and aura. Marked objects can store energy or be used as conduits.]

Alden stared at the mark.

Alden took a slow breath, rolling his shoulders as the last remnants of energy settled in his body. His entire being felt refined, as if his mana had finally aligned into something smoother—more natural. The faint glow on the back of his hand dimmed, leaving behind a subtle mark barely visible under the dim light of the ruins.

When he turned around, the others were staring at him.

Leonhardt raised an eyebrow. "That… took longer than the rest of us."

Alicia frowned. "Your reaction looked painful. What happened?"

Seraphina's icy gaze flickered with curiosity. "You absorbed more energy than expected."

Alden blinked, then forced a chuckle, scratching the back of his neck. "I think my mana circuits weren't handling the surge properly at first. Maybe because I don't have an affinity? Had to brute-force my way through it."

Sylvara tilted her head. "That… does make sense. Without an elemental pathway, your body might've struggled to process the raw mana."

Elena stepped closer, concern softening her expression. "Are you alright now?"

He smiled at her. "Yeah, I feel better than ever, actually." He flexed his fingers. "Stronger, even."

Luca grinned. "Well, you did break through to D- Rank. That's a damn good result."

Reynard narrowed his golden eyes. "And what did you get? Everyone here got a skill or trait. What's yours?"

Alden hesitated for only a second before he responded, weaving his words carefully. "It's called Mark of Connection—lets me leave a mana imprint on objects. I think it helps me store or transfer mana through them."

Alicia hummed, crossing her arms. "That's… oddly fitting for you. You always seem like you have backup plans."

Leonhardt nodded. "Could be useful. You might be able to set up traps or reinforce weapons from a distance."

Seraphina's lips twitched in mild amusement. "If you master it, that could be a terrifying ability in battle."

Alden laughed lightly. "That's the goal."

Reynard was still staring at him, as if trying to see through him, but he shrugged. "Huh. Guess that's pretty useful. Not flashy, but practical."

Alden smirked. "Exactly. I like practical things."

Luca clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Well, you don't look like you're dying, so I'd say this was a success."

Sylvara gave a small smile. "We've all grown stronger."

Elena nodded. "We should move forward. These ruins might hold more surprises."

Alden adjusted his gloves, feeling the new power thrumming beneath his skin.

Yes. This would do just fine.

As they turned to leave, Shiranui flicked her tails against his shoulder. "You are getting better at lying."

Kurenai chuckled in his mind. "At least this time, it's not completely false."

Alden smirked.

He had no intention of wasting this power.