Catty, riding the dragon, crossed the boundary between worlds again. They emerged from the vortex of glittering fragments and entered the next stage. At this moment, the tree had been reduced to a burning wisp of energy and evaporated, leaving only the Orb cradled in R.I.'s claws.

An incredible market stretched before them, a chaotic network of glowing platforms suspended over a shimmering void. Signboards hovered above them, emblazoned with flickering symbols: "Potion Junction," "Runes & Relics," "Mystic Meats & Magical Eats," "The Wand Depot," "Spectral Textiles," "Golems 'R' Us," and many others. Below the platforms, the void pulsed with soft, radiant light, its color shifting like a restless sea.

The air buzzed with a clamor of voices. Merchants called out to a motley crowd, their stalls overflowing with enchanted wares. Potions bubbled in oversized flasks, magical trinkets hummed with restrained energy, and spell scrolls glimmered like tiny starlit constellations. An occasional burst of errant magic sent sparks flying, briefly illuminating the swirling mist that hovered above the void.

Catty's dragon landed on a platform near the market's edge, claws clicking against the enchanted surface. He turned his head toward the girl. She sighed, brushing a strand of hair from her face as she surveyed the chaos. Other contestants darted through the market, each clutching their Orb like a lifeline, their mounts weaving between stalls, platforms, and shimmering pathways.

Somewhere at the center of the market, a massive structure loomed—an immense, gleaming construct of metal and magic, hovering above the largest platform. Gears turned precisely along its sides, and countless segmented arms extended outward, managing tasks. Runes glowed along its surface, pulsating with the rhythmic hum reverberating through the entire market. Above it, a countdown timer hovered, burning bright:

00:04:59

Catty's crystal pulsed suddenly, displaying her next task in shimmering letters:

Deliver Orb to Designated Dropoff Point

She glanced at the colossal Automaton and the area surrounding it. The crystal map indicated that her dropoff location was near the central platform.

Just as the girl prepared to direct her dragon toward the Automaton, a signboard appeared ahead. "Catty's Dropoff Point" blazed across the glowing banner in bright letters. It pointed to a smaller platform just before them, connected by a narrow, shifting bridge.

She blinked, startled. "Really? That's... convenient."

R.I. rumbled something with doubt. Catty hesitated, glancing around. She spotted other contestants veering toward similar signboards, each bearing their names and identical instructions. Tingstan's dragon banked sharply to a platform marked "Tingstan's Dropoff Point," while Josassod's phoenix swooped toward a glowing sign labeled with his name. The others followed suit, each contestant drawn toward their designated signs.

"Seems easy enough," Catty murmured, nudging her dragon forward. Her doubts flickered briefly, but the countdown's relentless glow left no room for hesitation.

00:04:32

R.I. circled around the platform marked with Catty's name, the Orb in his claws pulsing softly. The stall below shimmered with inviting light, and the figure waiting there waved cheerfully, their expression bright and welcoming.

Ahead of them, Bron and his griffin touched down on their platform. The gnome marched confidently toward the stall bearing his name, carrying the Orb like a prized treasure.

"See?" Catty said, nudging the dragon. "Bron already done it. Hurry up!"

00:03:48

R.I. huffed, wings beating steadily as he hovered. 'The gnome's ideas usually lead to... complications. You really think that's the real deal?'

Catty leaned forward, her focus locked on the stall. The figure waved enthusiastically, its smile broad and warm. "Welcome, esteemed contestant!" the figure called out kindly, its voice cheerful. "Your success awaits here. Just place the Orb in the stall, and glory will be yours!"

"Oh, sure. Glory and all that," the girl muttered, glancing at the shimmering sign bearing her name. The figure continued to wave.

"Don't delay!" the figure urged, its tone growing louder and insistent. "Hesitation leads to failure. Don't get left behind!"

Something about the voice prickled at the edges of Catty's mind. Her bracelet warmed on her wrist, and suddenly, the usual luminescence shifted to an uneasy red pulsing.

"Trust me," the figure added, its voice dipping into a smooth, almost conspiratorial whisper. "This is your moment."

00:03:10

'Catty, don't do it,' R.I. said, his tone unusually cautious. 'That stall's got 'trap' written all over it.'

Before she could respond, a commotion broke out ahead of her. Bron reached his stall, placing his Orb down with a confident flourish. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the stall flickered violently, the smiling figure dissolving into shards of light. The platform beneath Bron cracked with a deafening snap, and he plummeted down.

"It's a fake!" Catty's breath caught as Bron's griffin screeched, diving to snatch him mid-fall. The Orb exploded into fragments, and the voice above boomed:

Candidate eliminated

Catty froze, staring at her sign. It looked just as inviting as Bron's had moments ago. Her bracelet's red glow pulsed insistently now, matching the rhythm of her racing heart.

R.I. turned his head, 'Let's not audition for the starring role in Dumb Ways to Drop Off.' And he rumbled in satisfaction, angling his wings to glide toward the center of the market.

> Magic Level: 15

> Luck: 10

> Mount Bond: 10

Catty's gaze flicked to her crystal map. The real dropoff point waited somewhere in the swirling chaos of platforms and stalls. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the other contestants follow her example and fly from the false drop off locations.

The countdown above burned steadily, every second a reminder of how little time she had left.

00:02:30

It started as a light breeze, the kind that might ruffle Catty's hair and make her feel momentarily at one with the world. Then it escalated to the kind of wind that hit them like an invisible hammer, flipping R.I. upside down. Catty tumbled off the dragon, and the wind quickly swallowed her yell.

"Catch me!" she shouted, though she wasn't sure if the words had made it to R.I. or joined the wind's symphony of chaos.

R.I. reacted instinctively. He released the Orb, letting it fall, and reached out with his claws to snag the girl.

"What are you doing?!" Catty yelled.

The Orb gleamed as it tumbled through the air, and R.I. was already diving after it. His claws held the girl firmly, but his wings strained against the gusts whipping around them. Catty craned her neck to follow the Orb's fall.

"Let me go!" she shouted.

'Are you serious?' R.I. bellowed but didn't wait for an answer and unclenched his claws. With a sharp twist, Catty broke free, plunging after the Orb.

'Madness!' R.I. roared, flipping midair to follow her.

The wind howled around the girl, tugging at her clothes as she stretched her fingers toward the falling Orb. She snagged it and clutched it to her chest.

"Got it!" she yelled, and R.I. swooped beneath her, catching her on his back at the last moment.

> Luck: 15

> Mount Bond: 15

'Brilliant,' he grumbled, angling his wings to stabilize their flight. 'Hope that wind doesn't want another round.'

00:02:15

The market rumbled beneath them as the platforms began to shift, sliding and rotating like pieces of an enormous, chaotic puzzle. They flickered out of existence only to reappear elsewhere, forcing contestants to adjust their routes mid-flight.

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Tingstan and his dragon moved like a well-rehearsed performance. The massive creature dipped and turned precisely, slipping through narrowing gaps and gliding to safety before the paths closed entirely. Josassod and his phoenix took a different approach, soaring high above the chaos, their sharp turns and calculated dives timed perfectly to reach each newly formed pass. The winged Kára's pegasus leaped gracefully from platform to platform, its hooves sparking as they landed briefly before springing to the next.

Catty and her dragon were lagging.

R.I. wasn't impressed with this ordeal. 'The shortest route is not always the fastest!'

'Just keep flying!' Catty snapped, her eyes darting to the crystal in her hand. The map flickered, struggling to keep up with the ever-changing layout. A gap loomed ahead, the next platform spinning lazily away.

'I'm flying,' R.I. replied. With an impatient roar, he leaped forward, landing on the edge of a disappearing platform just as it started to dissolve. His claws scrabbled for purchase, the glowing surface crumbling beneath him.

"R.I.!" Catty shouted, clutching the Orb tighter as her dragon heaved himself upward, his wings beating furiously to stabilize their flight. "Stop taking the fastest way!"

'That wasn't the fastest way,' R.I. retorted. 'That was survival.'

Catty's heart pounded as she scanned the platforms ahead. Contestants were darting in every direction, their mounts weaving through the chaos with varying degrees of success. Silvamor's unicorn stumbled briefly, its hooves sparking as it jumped to safety. Qreggex's wyvern narrowly avoided clipping its tail on a spinning platform.

Ahead, the center of the market beckoned, where their dropoff points had been determined near the Floating Automaton. Catty spotted Josassod swooping in first, his phoenix gleaming like fire. Tingstan followed closely. Kára arrived moments later, her pegasus landing breathtakingly.

Catty gritted her teeth as R.I. dove toward a rapidly narrowing pass. "Don't miss!" she shouted.

'I don't miss,' he shot back. And for once, he didn't. They hit the point just as the final platform almost crushed them. The Orb was still in Catty's arms.

00:01:44

The market's central area stretched wide and gleamed under the swirling light of the void below. At its heart, the Floating Automaton, a massive construct of gears, tracked transporters, and segmented arms, hovered above a long, winding queue snaked toward the loading bay.

This was no ordinary line. Magical beings of all shapes and sizes filled it, glaring at the contestants with annoyance, clearly affronted by their presence.

The contestants had joined this bizarre gathering, each clutching their Orb as they tried to navigate the chaos. Tingstan's dragon was nowhere to be seen—he stood alone, his sharp gaze fixed on the path ahead. Kára's armor gleamed under the magical light as she stepped forward with unhurried grace while Josassod adjusted his cloak, a faint smirk playing on his lips as though the entire scene amused him. Catty stood near the back of the line, gripping her Orb tightly as her eyes darted between the receiver far away and the queue's slow motions.

00:01:30

All orders must be delivered before the countdown expires!

The Automaton droned, echoing ominously above the queue and making it move.

The contestants pushed through the chaotic queue, a dense line of magical beings vying for a place near the receiver. A hulking stone golem, swinging its massive arms, blocked Tingstan's path entirely. Its fists glowed with enchanted runes, and its movements were slow but powerful. Tingstan didn't hesitate. He darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the golem's sweeping strikes. Finally, Tingstan timed a perfect maneuver and rushed between the golem's legs, holding the Orb like a football player with his ball.

Just as Josassod approached the queue, a mimic disguised as a treasure chest snapped into action, bouncing directly into his path. Its sharp teeth gleamed, and it let out a menacing hiss. The djinn smirked. Without missing a beat, he reached into his satchel and pulled out a magical bait. "Fetch!" he commanded, tossing it to the mimic. The creature's focus shifted immediately, leaping after the trinket like an enthusiastic pet.

Silvamor skidded to a halt as a swarm of enchanted giant bees pounced on him, buzzing angrily. The bees formed a swirling cloud directly in his path. The elf retrieved a sprig of glowing herbs and waved them before the bees, releasing a disgusting aroma. They dispersed rapidly, clearing the way.

While Kára was dealing with her illusory clone who had gotten in her way, and Qreggex was struggling with the living rope that had entangled his legs, Catty came across a hunched merchant, his beady eyes gleaming beneath the shadow of his hood.

00:00:59

"You're cutting it close, aren't you?" he crooned, his crooked fingers twitching. "Why waste time? Just hand me the Orb, and I'll make sure it gets where it needs to go. Quick. Easy."

The merchant's words slid through her mind like honey, and for a moment, the idea seemed almost... reasonable.

'Don't listen to him,' R.I.'s voice grumbled in Catty's head.

"Quiet, you!" the merchant snapped, his tone taking on a sharp edge. He turned back to Catty, his expression softening. "You don't have time to second-guess. Do you want to lose here, so close to the end?"

The Orb pulsed in her hands. It was heavy. Catty's bracelet grew warm against her wrist, and the bright red light was a clear warning.

"Not this Tuesday," Catty said firmly, raising the Orb above her head. She brought it down with all her might on the merchant.

His face twisted into a grimace, his form warping to reveal a shadowy creature beneath. "Suit yourself," the being hissed before vanishing into the air.

00:00:42

The contestants reached the dropoff point one by one. Tingstan arrived first, placing his Orb with a calculated, steady motion. The Automaton buzzed approvingly, and the words "Task Complete" appeared in shimmering letters above him. He turned sharply and strode away, his posture as crisp as his execution.

Josassod was next, his stride exuding a confident ease. With a flourish, he delivered his Orb, the Automaton announcing his success in the same mechanical tone: "Task Complete."

Kára followed, calm and composed. Her armor caught the light as she stepped forward. The Automaton hummed in recognition, its glowing text confirming: "Task Complete."

Silvamor arrived moments later, and the Automaton registered his delivery: "Task Complete."

00:00:10

Catty's breath was ragged as the words floated before her like a challenge. The Orb in her hands felt heavier now, each second a weight dragging her down. For a brief moment, doubt crept into her mind, clawing at her resolve. Then she gritted her teeth, clutching the Orb tightly.

"Now or never," the girl muttered, sprinting forward.

Her legs burned, and her lungs screamed, but the Automaton grew closer with every step. She lunged forward at the last moment, slamming the Orb into the receiver just as the timer hit 00:00:01.

Task Complete

Behind her, Qreggex let out a frustrated growl, charging forward with his Orb. The kobold barely managed to place it in the receiver before the final second ticked away.

00:00:00

The Automaton's voice echoed across the platform.

All orders delivered

Task complete

Catty collapsed to her knees, clutching her sides as relief washed over her. "Never again," she whispered, her voice trembling.

'Never?' R.I.'s voice cut through the haze in her mind. 'You're in the middle of a four-part exam.'

THE JURY

A B C D E F G 1. Tingstan / Dragon 30 28 25 27 26 28 27 2. Josassod / Phoenix 28 26 24 25 25 26 25 3. Kára / Pegasus 27 24 20 23 25 24 23 4. Catty / Dragon 25 23 19 20 22 23 22 5. Silvamor / Unicorn 24 22 21 19 21 22 21 6. Qreggex / Wyvern 18 17 16 15 19 18 17

> Driver Stats:

> A - Satisfaction, B - Performance, C - Magic Level, D - Luck.

> Mount Stats:

> E - Mount Bond, F - Speed, G - Stamina.

Morvena tapped her fingers on the table, her eyes scanning the glowing scoreboard hovering before them. "Two tasks down, and Tingstan remains firmly at the top," she said, her tone even. "Impressive, but expected."

"Expected?" Krabelli scoffed, leaning forward in his chair. "Tingstan's precision borders on obsessive. Of course, he's leading. The real surprise is Josassod. I didn't think the djinn had the discipline to maintain second place."

Ganzor smirked, reclining comfortably. "He's clever. Charm and strategy go a long way, Krabelli. Distracting that mimic with a bauble? Genius."

"Not genius," Krabelli snapped. "Showmanship. It won't last in a real-world scenario. A mimic isn't going to care about shiny trinkets when you're carrying something valuable."

Ganzor turned his attention to the middle of the rating. "Kára's consistent as ever, but Silvamor's handling of the enchanted bees impressed me."

"And the human girl?" Krabelli asked, his tone dripping with skepticism. "Still bumbling her way through, I see."

Morvena glanced at Catty's stats, her expression unreadable. "She's improving."

"Improving? She barely made it through the queue!" Krabelli threw up his hands. "I still don't see why she's here."

Ganzor chuckled. "She's here because she finishes. Chaos or not, she delivers. And let's not pretend her flair doesn't make things... interesting."

"Interesting doesn't win exams," Krabelli growled. "And with the Dragon Sect watching, we can't afford interesting."

Morvena raised a hand to silence them, her gaze lingering on Catty's stats. "Her results are fourth this time," she said thoughtfully. "That's enough to keep her in the running."

Ganzor leaned forward, his eyes gleaming. "And isn't that what makes it worth watching?"

"The next task," Krabelli muttered under his breath, "is more than she can chew."

THE CELESTIALS

"Well, that's the end of your kobold," the first voice said, its tone sharp with mockery. "Barely scraping by in last place. So much for grit and guile."

The second voice rumbled like stone. "Luck wasn't on his side. A setback, nothing more."

"A setback?" The third voice chuckled, low and smooth. "Face it, your champion was never more than a filler candidate."

The second voice growled, but no rebuttal came. The third voice continued, now thoughtful. "Tingstan dominates, Josassod adapts, but Catty…" A pause lingered. "She surprises me."

"Surprises you?" the first voice snapped. "She's an accident waiting to happen."

"Perhaps," the third voice mused, its tone almost playful. "Or perhaps not."