The Dungeon is dark and gloomy with small glowing orbs that slightly illuminated the floor.

There were many rooms with various kinds of monsters that could be heard from the hallway. When Joris unlocked the door to one of these rooms, Ryan could easily tell there were about five monsters in the dark chamber. When they enter the room the ceiling opens up and a bright light comes from above. It helps illuminate the room including the chained-up monsters that struggled against their restraints.

"The Kobolds are chained together in the center of this room. Your goal is to slay them," Joris says while looking at them to see their reaction.

"Well, that's great," Ryan grumbled with a sigh before he continued, "This is gonna be fun." He says sarcastically while looking at the group of Kobolds.

Ryan starts feeling uneasy and has a sense of dread right now because he's going to be forced to kill something for the first time in his life.

'I've never killed anything bigger than an insect in my life!' Ryan thought as anxiety started to take hold.

Upon observing the room or cell, Ryan looked at the Kobolds chained up in an X formation in the middle of the room. Each Kobold is over four feet tall and weighs over 120 pounds. They have yellow-green skin with a slimy texture and large green eyes that glow in the dark. Their faces were covered with a dark purple membrane that was reminiscent of a frog's mouth.

"Here. Take these blades and aim for the center of their chest or between their eyes, it's your choice," Joris says in a commanding voice.

Ryan looks at the two blades in Joris's hand before he reaches for one. The blades were the size of a Bowie knife. But instead of polished steel, the blade looked black with a dark blue edge on the weapon that looked sharp as hell.

Hiro takes one of the knives without question, while Ryan takes the other with a slight delay.

"Okay. First chance goes to Hiro!" Joris yells at him.

As Hiro readies himself for the first time, he hears Joris speak in a bored tone, "Don't get yourself killed."

"Ha!" Hiro shouts with a big smile. "Do you really think I'll let that happen? Don't underestimate me! Once I'm in this fight, nobody will stop me!"

Ryan wanted to face-palm after hearing that unaware idiot speaking so confidently.

‘Joris was fucking joking, you moron! But if there was a way to get killed by a chained-up monster. I'm sure Hiro could find a way,’ Ryan wanted to retort but held his comments to himself, because of Hiro’s obliviousness. ‘Our trial is practically shooting fish in a barrel.’

Ryan continued to think about how odd their situation was. When you think of a trial, one would believe there is a challenge of some sort. But this was not really a challenge at all.

Ryan watched as Hiro made his way toward the Kobolds. When he was about five feet away Hiro rushed in and swung his blade down on the first Kobold's skull. He failed to put it out of its misery as Hiro unskillfully hacked away at its head. Causing it to scream loudly as its blood splattered everywhere.

'This guy is just an idiot, plain and simple.' Ryan thought while he observed the idiot in front of him struggling to kill the Kobold. By the eleventh strike, Hiro finally killed the monster.

It only took another minute or two before the first Kobold went silent, and Hiro immediately looked at Ryan and smiled triumphantly, showing off his perfect white teeth. Then Ryan noticed Hiro's orb necklace adsorbing glowing particles of energy into it as the orb began to glow a brighter red.

"What were those particles?" Ryan asked.

"Those are the particles that come from killing monsters. We call it mana." Joris answers with a serious tone. "It's part of becoming a chosen one and it will help change your body into a stronger form."

"So if we kill more monsters, we get more mana?" Ryan asks.

Joris nods. "Yes. That's what we're trying to do here."

Ryan is confused about how the science of mana worked. Like how does the mana know to go to the one that slayed it and what does it do to a person's body to make it stronger?

‘I guess the Dark Elves need to be sure that our necklaces work. Is that why they are giving us such an easy task?' Ryan wondered as he watched the last of the mana enter Hiro's body.

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"You need to understand that the magic that runs this world is different from yours," Joris explains. "It's all based on the elements of nature. When you kill something, you release its mana into the air. Then it goes to the one who slays them. But enough talking, Ryan you're up."

'Magic? But, we come from a world of science, Joris. And I'm just supposed to accept all of this?... Uh-oh! Joris is staring at me... It looks like I can't delay this any longer. Fuck... I really don't want to do this,' thought Ryan while he readied his blade and began to walk toward the other Kobolds that Hiro hadn't killed.

As Ryan gets closer to the Kobolds, he notices that the chains on the Kobolds are made of a strange material. It's hard and seems to be indestructible. And the Kobolds are struggling against the chains.

"Sorry man, I really don't want to do this," Ryan says to the Kobold as the monster struggles to break free from its bindings.

The Kobold looks at Ryan with its eye sockets, which have no pupils and its mouth open as if in pain. 'They must not have eaten recently.' Ryan thought to himself.

Ryan comes in close to the Kobold and swings his blade down at one of them. The blade cuts right through the creature's chest, causing it to stop moving instantly as the blood starts pouring out of its wound. Ryan felt the guilt of ending the creature as he saw the life leave the Kobold's eyes.

"That was too easy," Ryan said with a whisper.

Then those similar particles from before started to enter Ryan's body causing the orb necklace to glow its golden light. He can feel the energy moving around and it starts spreading from the necklace into his body.

'Oh? D-Damn... This feels way more pleasant than I thought. If I'm not careful, I might get addicted to this feeling.' Ryan thought as this sensation began to send a shiver down his spine.

***

It took about fifteen minutes before Hiro and Ryan killed the rest of the Kobolds. Ryan could feel the mana running through his body after slaying the second monster. He was struggling to hold back his moans.

"Man, I'm getting a little addicted to this sensation," Ryan muttered to himself.

"Yeah, I love this power," Hiro said with excitement as his orb necklace glowed brighter than Ryan's orb after slaying three monsters.

Ryan then looks at Joris, who is still watching over the two humans.

"Is there anything else we need to do?" Ryan asks Joris.

"We are waiting until your orbs reach a high enough level so you can fight properly."

"Aww, man! Can't I kill some more monsters to get stronger!" Hiro said with some annoyance.

"You’ve done enough for your first trial." Said Joris, who is still watching over the two of them. Then he continues, "We’ll meet up with Lady Yoona and then retire for today."

Joris motions to them to follow as he takes the two human males back to the Great Hall where the Dark Elves are gathered.

***

When they enter the Great Hall again, Ryan and Hiro hear a lot of whispering going around about the two humans.

"The Twins of Mournhold. They are glowing again," Whispered a tall elf with black hair and red eyes wearing plate armor. He and his friend were staring back and forth at their necklaces.

"It is true, we were told these humans are the ones." Another male elf with a similar outfit says to the other elves. "But I do not believe it yet. We should wait-." Ryan couldn't hear the last of what he was whispering as they walked passed them to the alter.

"Silence! Do not speak against our new chosen one or face the consequences!" A female Dark Elf yells across the room.

Everyone in the hall goes silent as Lady Yoona comes down from the altar where she motions for them to come to her. As they walk towards Yoona, she looks at Hiro and Ryan.

Her violet eyes stare at Hiro's glowing orb first, then at Ryan's as she smirks before she turns her attention to her people in the main hall.

"So, the Twins of Mournhold truly have chosen these two humans as our Chosen Ones!" said Yoona while she could barely contain her excitement.

"Twins of Mournhold?" Ryan asks.

Yoona looked at Ryan so she could answer him.

"Yes, the goddess created these artifacts for the chosen ones to protect our lands from the coming calamity," Yoona says as she continues explaining to Hiro and Ryan.

Joris walked closer to them while Yoona was talking.

"My Priestess, I believe the Chosen Ones are ready to slay stronger monsters to absorb a greater amount of mana. Starting tomorrow."

"You are sure?" Yoona looked at Joris with a pleased look.

"I am certain my Priestess."

"Then let us rest my Chosen Ones. For you are going to have a busy week ahead of you."

Hiro had his arms crossed as his over-inflated ego began to rise to unhealthy levels when he continued to listen to Yoona's praise. While Ryan still had his doubts.

"What exactly does being a Chosen One mean exactly?" Ryan asked Yoona.

"That is for you to become our protectors."

"Protectors?"

Yoona nodded. "Yes, the Twin of Mournhold will be our greatest protector."

"Come on man! What don't you get? She just wants us to work for her. So, stop being so stupid," Hiro added with a "know it all" smirk.

Ryan glared at Hiro.

"..."

Ryan wanted to play dumb to try to extract more info about being the Chosen One for the Sorellians. And Hiro is running interference unwittingly!

"W-What?!." Hiro stuttered.

"You two are so close. I can tell... But, I'm sure both of you are famished after having such a long day... Come! Let's eat," Yoona said to both Ryan and Hiro.

Ryan shook his head and sighed, 'I don't have the energy for this crap... I just want food for now. I'll try again later,' Ryan thought as he followed the elves to the banquet hall.

Both men followed her to a dining hall. There was a large crescent-shaped table where Yoona sat down with them.