“It’s my turn!” Shin declared confidently, stepping into the sparring area.

He gripped his sword tightly with both hands, bending his back deeply in an attempt to mimic Lloyd’s momentum. With a determined grin, he swung at the training dummy. "This is it!" he thought, excitement rushing through him.

Clang! The sword struck the dummy, but instead of causing any damage, it bounced off harmlessly.

“What?!” Shin exclaimed, stunned. His grip loosened, and the sword flew out of his hands, spinning through the air.

“Shit!” he cursed, watching in horror as the weapon hurtled toward a group of unguarded students. Rayden, Lloyd, Jack, and George were too far to intervene.

“HEY, MOVE!” Shin yelled.

One of the students turned around, confusion written all over his face. “Huh?” His eyes widened as the sword barreled toward him. His legs trembled, and panic overtook him.

“Wh-what sho-should I do?” he stammered, frozen in fear. The sword sped up, slicing through the air. In that moment, the student’s trembling legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground, seemingly accepting his fate.

Just as the blade was about to strike, a blur of motion cut through the scene. A student with dark blue hair leapt high into the air.

“Shattering Piercing Kick!” he shouted, his foot connecting with the sword mid-flight. The sheer force of his kick split the blade cleanly in half, the broken pieces clattering harmlessly to the ground.

The crowd gasped in shock.

“Holy shit… wh-what was that?” Shin thought, his jaw dropping.

He quickly ran over to the trembling student, who was sitting on the ground, pale and shaking. The boy managed a weak, “Th-thanks…” to the dark-haired student.

“Pathetic,” the blue-haired student spat, glaring down at him with disgust. Without another word, he turned and walked away.

Shin passed him, ignoring the cold dismissal, and knelt by the terrified student. “Hey, are you okay? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for the sword to fly out of my hand. The impact was just… too strong,” he said, trying to reassure him.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine,” the student replied shakily.

Another student approached, this one with a stockier build. “I’ll help him. He’s my friend,” the newcomer said, helping the boy to his feet.

“Thanks, John,” the shaken student said, leaning on his friend for support.

“It’s okay, Chris,” John replied, guiding him away from the scene.

As they left, the dark-haired student glanced back at Shin, his expression still full of disdain. “Hey, transfer student. If you don’t know how to use a sword, don’t try to mimic techniques that clearly aren’t suited for you. Pathetic.” He sneered before walking off.

George and the others finally arrived. “Don’t mind him,” George said, trying to console Shin.

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“It’s fine. Let’s get back to training,” Shin replied, though his thoughts betrayed his calm demeanor. "Pathetic? Me?" he thought, questioning himself. "Maybe, back then, I would’ve run… but I’m different now."

“By the way, what’s his name?” Shin asked, glancing at George.

“That’s Eclid,” George replied. “Just don’t let him get under your skin. And don’t get into trouble with him.”

Shin nodded, but his mind was elsewhere. "Eclid?" he repeated in his thoughts, his eyes darkening as a black aura flickered around him. "I’ll devour you soon."

Afterward, they quickly spent their remaining time training. Jack took the lead in helping Shin learn the basics, guiding him through fundamental techniques. Shin adapted quickly, combining what he had learned from Teacher Kaizer with Jack’s teachings. His progress was remarkable, and before long, their training session ended.

At the weapon wall, they placed their training tools back and headed to the garden to rest while waiting for the next activity to begin. Shin collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily.

“Hah… hah…” He continued to gasp for air, his chest rising and falling with exhaustion.

“Thanks to Jack, I’ve finally learned the basics,” Shin thought, reflecting on his progress. "Mimicking someone’s techniques was a mistake. Lloyd and I are completely different different physiques, different raw power. He clenched his fist. I shouldn’t try to copy anyone recklessly again."

As his breathing steadied, Shin’s attention drifted to the beauty of the garden around him. Towering, massive trees cast dappled shadows across the grass, vibrant flowers painted the area with color, and the air was filled with an otherworldly, calming scent.

“This garden is really beautiful,” he thought, gazing up at the sky visible through the canopy. It reminds me of Ma’am Fiona’s house. His mind wandered for a moment. Come to think of it… I haven’t seen her. Isn’t she allowed to come here? Shin pondered. Sid Bajar never mentioned her absence… and only students are allowed to leave with permission. Where could she be?

His thoughts drifted aimlessly until the start of the next activity snapped him out of his reverie.

“Rayden said this one’s about cultivating our mana core. I should ask him how to do it,” Shin thought, standing up. He walked over to Rayden, who was preparing for his own cultivation.

“Hey, Rayden. How exactly should I do this?” Shin asked, curiosity in his voice.

“Oh, cultivating?” Rayden replied. “Let’s go over to that tree it’s quieter there.” He pointed to a lone tree at the edge of the garden. They walked toward it, and Rayden gestured for Shin to sit.

“Alright, sit here,” Rayden instructed. Shin sat cross-legged beneath the tree, waiting for further guidance.

“Close your eyes,” Rayden said. Shin obeyed, shutting his eyes slowly.

“Now, focus on your inner energy. Don’t think of anything else. Just focus,” Rayden instructed in a calm voice.

Shin concentrated deeply, his mind emptying of all distractions. Rayden’s voice began to fade into the background until Shin could no longer hear it. It was as if he was alone in a void.

After a while, Shin began to feel something a fire, small and delicate, yet alive. It wasn’t just a fire; it felt like a newborn flame, slowly growing, maturing like a living being. Sweat began to bead on his forehead as the sensation deepened. Soon, his entire body was covered in a faint, colorless aura. He focused, holding onto the fire inside him, letting it grow and burn brighter.

He pushed himself until he couldn’t sense anything more, his energy completely spent. Opening his eyes, Shin gasped. His eyes widened in shock, his expression frozen as though he had just woken from a nightmare.

Rayden noticed Shin breathing heavily and walked over to him. "Hey Shin, how did it go? Feels good, right?" he asked with a smile.

"Good? That was a nightmare," Shin thought, his mind still reeling from the experience. "I should ask Sir Bajar about this." Out loud, he replied, "Yeah, it’s good. It’s just... a different feeling. I got overwhelmed."

Rayden nodded, clearly pleased. "I see. That’s good, then. George and the others finished earlier; they’re already at the last activity. Let’s go if you can stand."

"Ah, sure. Let’s go," Shin said, attempting to stand up. But as soon as he tried, a wave of panic washed over him.

"What the hell?! I can’t feel my legs!" he thought, his forehead beginning to sweat.

"Oh, you probably used a lot of energy. That’s why you’re having a hard time standing," Rayden explained, noticing Shin’s struggle. He offered his hand.

Shin hesitated before grabbing it, allowing Rayden to support him. Each step felt heavy, his legs trembling under his weight. "It’s draining my energy while I cultivate? Shin wondered. It must’ve been a lot, considering I can barely move compared to the earlier activities."

After some time, Shin began to regain feeling in his legs, though Rayden insisted on supporting him. Eventually, they reached a new hall.

"What is this place for?" Shin asked, glancing around the room.

"Oh, this is where we test mana cores," Rayden replied casually.

"Mana core test?" Shin echoed, puzzled.

"Yeah. You see that glowing ball?" Rayden pointed at a large orb radiating a faint light. "It measures how many mana cores you have in your body!"

"You can have more than one?" Shin asked, surprised.

"Of course! The more cores you have, the stronger and more talented you’re considered," Rayden explained, his tone upbeat.

"The word 'talent' again..." Shin thought bitterly. "I’ll probably be zero. It’s my first time cultivating," he muttered, his tone pessimistic.

"Don’t lose hope!" Rayden said encouragingly, giving him a pat on the shoulder.

The testing began, and one by one, students approached the glowing ball. There were a total of 329 students. Over 100 had a single mana core, 113 students measured double mana cores, and 109 students had triple mana cores. Jack, Lloyd, and Rayden stood out, having quadruple mana cores. Only 6 students stood out and george was part of it the single student who reached the fifth mana core is missing.

Finally, it was Shin’s turn.

They said it’s a tradition for transfer students to go last... Shin thought as he stepped forward. Taking a deep breath, he placed his hand on the glowing orb. At first, he felt nothing, the room silent with anticipation. Then, the orb lit up, revealing Shin’s result a single mana core.

Shin’s eyes widened in disbelief. But instead of disappointment, a grin spread across his face. "Maybe wasting all that energy earlier wasn’t such a b

ad thing after all." He clenched his fist, determination burning in his gaze as a colorless aura began to surround his eyes.