The training hall of the Aegis Guild was buzzing with excitement as guild members crowded the stands, eager for the upcoming combat exam.

The room was massive, its polished wooden floors reflecting the sunlight streaming in through the high windows. Banners bearing the guild’s insignia hung from the rafters, and the air was filled with anticipation. Katsuo stood in the center of the room with Serena at his side.

Monica, standing between them and the audience, cleared her throat.

“The combat exam will begin shortly,” she announced.

“This will be a standard one-on-one fight against—”

Grant suddenly interrupted her, stepping forward with confidence.

“I know the rules state that the combat exam is supposed to be a one-on-one against a D-Rank, but that wouldn’t be fair,” he said, his voice calm but commanding.

“I’m a B-Rank, and fighting me solo would be a bit too much. So, I want both rookies to fight me together. It’ll be a more interesting challenge.”

The crowd murmured, surprised by Grant’s bold declaration. Some of the guild members leaned forward, clearly eager to see the unexpected match.

Monica sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation.

“Grant, you know this is going to be a lot of paperwork for me, right?” she muttered.

Grant shrugged, looking indifferent.

“What’s a little extra paperwork?”

Monica shook her head in resignation.

“Fine, fine. You got your wish.” She turned to Katsuo and Serena.

“Rookies, head to the training hall for your final test.”

As Katsuo and Serena made their way to the center of the hall, their footsteps echoing in the now-quiet hall, Serena glanced sideways at her partner.

“Just so you know,” she said, her voice steady but serious,

“I’ve never fought alongside someone before. So don’t slow me down.”

Katsuo smirked.

“Don’t worry, I’m used to fighting as part of a team. Trust me, we’ll figure it out.”

The training hall was now packed, with adventurers, guild members, and even some higher-ranking Vanguards filling the stands. The atmosphere was tense, and all eyes were on the three combatants in the ring. Katsuo couldn’t help but glance around, feeling the weight of the crowd’s expectations. His heart pounded in his chest, but he forced himself to stay calm. This was his moment to prove himself.

He turned to Serena, eyeing the weapons in her hands with curiosity.

“By the way, what are those? I’ve never seen anyone fight with weapons like that.”

Serena twirled her tonfas with practiced ease.

“These are tonfas,” she explained.

“The ones I hit you with earlier were stone, but these are made of steel. Trust me, they pack a punch.”

Katsuo chuckled.

“Good to know. Let’s make sure Grant feels that punch.”

Monica stepped forward, raising her voice to address the crowd.

“This is the final test for our two rookies, Katsuo Nakatsugawa and Serena Faelis,” she announced, her voice echoing through the massive hall.

“They will face off against B-Rank Vanguard Grant Russell. The rules are as follows: One, no killing is allowed. Two, the entire hall is your battlefield, but leaving the hall results in immediate disqualification. Three, if the rookies survive for five minutes, they win. However, if they are both defeated before the five minute timer, Grant will be declared the winner.”

Katsuo’s mind raced as he processed the rules. Five minutes didn’t sound long, but against someone as skilled as Grant, it might as well have been an eternity. He glanced at Serena, and she gave him a determined nod. They were in this together, for better or worse.

Monica looked between the three of them.

“Are the participants ready?”

“Yes!” Katsuo and Serena shouted in unison, their voices ringing with determination.

Grant didn’t say a word. He gave a slight nod, his eyes sharp and focused, his hand resting casually on the hilt of his sword.

Monica raised her hand, pausing for a moment to build the tension.

“Let the battle begin!”

The moment her hand dropped, Katsuo and Serena sprang into action. They charged at Grant from opposite sides, hoping to overwhelm him with numbers and force him to divide his attention.

Katsuo swung his odachi with a powerful downward strike while Serena leaped in with her tonfas, aiming to strike from below.

But Grant barely moved. In the blink of an eye, he sidestepped Katsuo’s swing, then deftly caught Serena’s wrist mid-attack. With a quick flick of his arm, he tossed her effortlessly toward Katsuo.

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The two rookies collided, tumbling to the ground in a heap.

Katsuo groaned, rubbing his head as he scrambled to his feet.

“Well… that didn’t go as planned.”

Serena pushed herself up, glaring at Grant.

“He’s fast.”

Grant stood calmly, watching them with the same relaxed, almost bored expression. He hadn’t even drawn his sword yet.

“Is that all you’ve got?” he asked, his tone light, but there was a challenge in his voice.

Katsuo’s mind raced. Close combat wasn’t going to work. Grant was too skilled and too quick. They needed a new strategy, and fast.

“Serena,” he called, glancing at her.

“Focus on offense. I’ll handle the defense.”

She raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical.

“You think you can hold him off?”

Katsuo smirked, gripping his odachi tightly.

“Trust me.”

Serena hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

“Alright. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

Katsuo took a deep breath, positioning himself between Grant and Serena. His mind shifted into battle mode, analyzing every detail of the fight so far. Grant was fast—faster than anyone he’d ever fought. But there was a rhythm to his movements, a pattern that Katsuo had started to notice. If he could just keep up with the flow of Grant’s attacks, he might be able to predict his moves.

Grant’s eyes flicked between them, sensing the shift in strategy. Without warning, he darted forward, his sword flashing through the air as he aimed a series of rapid strikes at Katsuo.

Katsuo’s odachi came up just in time, blocking the first blow. The impact reverberated through his arms, but he held firm, bracing himself for the next strike. Grant’s attacks were relentless, each swing faster and more precise than the last. Katsuo could barely keep up, his mind racing as he struggled to anticipate Grant’s next move.

“You’re just going to defend?” Grant taunted, his voice calm but challenging.

“That won’t get you very far.”

Katsuo grunted, focusing all his energy on parrying Grant’s strikes.

“If I don't try, we'll never know” he shot back, his breath steady despite the strain.

Grant’s eyes narrowed slightly, clearly intrigued by Katsuo’s response. He increased the speed of his attacks, pushing Katsuo to the limit. The sound of their blades clashing echoed through the hall, the sheer force of Grant’s strikes causing Katsuo’s arms to tremble. But Katsuo held on, his defense growing more solid with each passing second.

In the stands, Taka watched the match intently, his usual lazy grin replaced by a look of surprise.

“He’s… holding his own,” Taka muttered under his breath.

Zin, sitting next to him, nodded in approval.

“Katsuo’s defense is better than I expected. He’s learning quickly.”

Taka smirked, leaning back in his seat.

“I never taught him the 4th Swordstyle technique. He must’ve picked that up on his own.”

Back in the ring, Katsuo was starting to feel the strain. Grant’s attacks were relentless, and each parry sent shocks through his arms. His muscles screamed for relief, but he couldn’t afford to slow down.

Then, in a split second, Grant shifted his focus to Serena, feinting an attack toward Katsuo before spinning on his heel and lunging at her with blinding speed. Serena’s eyes widened in surprise, but she reacted quickly, dodging his strike and countering with a sharp blow to his ribs. Her tonfas made a solid connection, forcing Grant to stagger back for the first time in the match.

Katsuo saw his opening and moved in, pressing the attack. He swung his odachi in a series of precise strikes, forcing Grant back even further. Serena joined in, her tonfas a blur as she attacked from the opposite side. The two rookies were finally starting to work together, their movements synchronized in a fluid dance of offense and defense.

But Grant wasn’t done yet. He regained his footing, his eyes narrowing in concentration. He had been toying with them so far, but now it was clear that he was taking the fight more seriously. With a low growl, he shifted his stance, his movements becoming faster and more aggressive.

Katsuo barely had time to react as Grant unleashed a flurry of strikes, his sword moving so quickly it was almost a blur. Katsuo’s odachi clashed against Grant’s blade, each parry growing more desperate as he fought to keep up. The force of the blows was immense, and Katsuo could feel his strength waning.

Serena, seeing Katsuo struggle, rushed in from the side, aiming another blow at Grant’s ribs. But Grant was ready this time. He spun around, his sword flashing as he blocked her strike and countered with a kick that sent her sprawling across the floor.

“Serena!” Katsuo shouted, but he didn’t have time to check on her. Grant was already coming at him again, his sword raised for a powerful overhead strike.

Katsuo gritted his teeth, raising his odachi to block the blow. The impact was so strong that it nearly knocked him off his feet, but he held firm, digging his heels into the floor. His arms trembled from the effort, but he refused to give in.

In the stands, the crowd was on the edge of their seats. The tension in the air was palpable as the fight reached its climax. Even Monica, who had remained calm and composed throughout the match, was now leaning forward, her eyes wide with anticipation.

Grant took a step back, his eyes flicking toward the clock. Four minutes had passed. Only one minute left, but he wasn’t going to let them win that easily. He raised his sword, the air around him shimmering with energy.

"Let’s see how you handle this," Grant muttered under his breath.

Katsuo’s eyes widened as he felt the shift in the air. Grant was about to unleash something big—something far beyond anything they’d seen so far.

"Serena, get ready!" Katsuo shouted, his voice tense with urgency.

Grant’s voice was low, almost a whisper, but the words carried through the hall with chilling clarity.

"Crystallize."

With a powerful slash of his sword, Grant sent a glowing, crystalline projectile hurtling toward them. The energy crackled in the air, radiating power and danger. Katsuo’s heart raced as he raised his odachi, bracing himself for the impact.

The projectile slammed into his sword with a force that nearly knocked him off his feet. The sheer power of it was overwhelming, pushing him back across the floor. His muscles screamed in protest as he fought to hold his ground.

Serena, her tonfas glowing faintly with blue energy, rushed to his side.

"Don’t forget about me!" she shouted, pushing against the projectile with Katsuo.

Together, they struggled against the immense pressure, their combined strength barely enough to keep the energy at bay. The air around them crackled with tension, the force of the projectile threatening to crush them both.

"Just a little more!" Katsuo gritted his teeth, his arms shaking from the effort.

Serena nodded, her face set in determination.

"We’ve got this!"

With one final push, they shattered the projectile, the energy exploding into a thousand sparkling fragments that rained down around them like stars. The entire hall fell silent, the crowd watching in stunned disbelief.

Grant, who had been preparing for a final strike, paused. He lowered his sword.

"Well done," he said, his voice carrying a note of respect. "You’ve passed."

Monica, clearly impressed by what she had just witnessed, quickly stepped forward.

“The winners are Serena Faelis and Katsuo Nakatsugawa!” she declared, her voice ringing through the hall.

The crowd erupted into applause, their cheers echoing through the room. Katsuo and Serena stood panting, but victorious. They exchanged a tired but triumphant glance, both of them knowing they had earned this victory together.

Monica approached them with two silver badges in hand, her expression proud.

“Congratulations, you two. You’ve earned your place among the Vanguards.” She handed them the badges, and for a moment, the weight of their achievement sank in.

Taka and Zin approached, both wearing wide grins.

“Welcome to the Aegis Guild, rookies,” Taka said, clapping Katsuo on the back.

Zin crossed his arms, nodding in approval.

“You two are just getting started, but you showed real promise today.”

Katsuo held his badge tightly, the weight of it a reminder of the long journey still ahead. But for now, he allowed himself a moment to savor the victory.