The System transported Kei and Mia into a vast, circular arena made of crystalline structures that shimmered with faint Essence. The air was thick with tension, and faint murmurs from unseen spectators echoed around them. At the center of the arena stood glowing pedestals, each inscribed with runes representing various professions.
The System’s voice reverberated through their minds:
[Trial Initiated: Profession Mastery.]
[Objective: Demonstrate Competency in Your Chosen Professions.]
[Reward: Unique Skill Enhancement and Exclusive Resources.]
Kei scratched the back of his head, looking around with a mix of amusement and nervousness. “Alright, Mia, this should be fun. What could go wrong?”
Mia glared at him, her scythe resting lightly against her shoulder. “You mean besides the fact that neither of us took this seriously?”
Kei shrugged, trying to maintain his usual carefree demeanor. “Hey, it’s not like we had time to practice. Besides, how hard could it be?”
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CHOOSING THEIR PROFESSIONS
Each pedestal glowed as the System prompted them:
[Select Your Profession for This Trial.]
The options they had previously chosen appeared before them.
Kei’s Profession: Crafting – Artisan of Resonant Instruments
Mia’s Profession: Alchemy – Balance Through Potions and Elixirs
Mia sighed, placing her hand on the glowing inscription of Equilibrium Alchemy. “Potions and balance... This should be straightforward, right?”
Kei smirked, selecting Crafting. “Making instruments to control resonance? Sounds like a walk in the park.”
As soon as their choices were locked in, glowing platforms rose from the ground, each one covered in materials, tools, and items related to their professions.
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THE CHALLENGE BEGINS
The System wasted no time presenting the first task:
[Crafting Challenge: Create a Functional Resonant Instrument to Amplify Energy.]
[Alchemy Challenge: Craft a Basic Stability Potion Without Causing an Essence Imbalance.]
Kei glanced at the pile of tools in front of him: strips of crystalline metal, shards of resonant crystals, and various tuning devices. He picked up a hammer and tapped one of the shards, only for it to emit a shrill, ear-piercing sound.
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“Okay,” he muttered, wincing. “That’s a start. Right?”
Mia, meanwhile, stared at a bubbling cauldron and a series of flasks filled with glowing liquids. The System provided a brief recipe, but the instructions were vague, relying on intuition to balance the ingredients. “Stability potion,” she murmured, pouring a faintly glowing liquid into the cauldron. “How hard can it be?”
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IMMEDIATE STRUGGLES
Kei’s attempt at crafting a resonant instrument was nothing short of chaotic. He hammered the crystalline metal into an uneven shape, attached the shards haphazardly, and strummed it. The resulting sound was a discordant mess that caused his dagger to vibrate uncontrollably in its sheath.
“Okay, maybe it’s a little harder than I thought,” Kei admitted, scratching his head. “But I’ve got this.”
Mia wasn’t faring any better. Her potion emitted a strange hissing sound as she stirred it, the liquid turning an ominous shade of black. When she added the final ingredient, the entire cauldron exploded in a puff of acrid smoke, leaving her coughing and covered in soot.
“Balance,” she muttered through gritted teeth. “This is supposed to be about balance.”
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SPECTATORS AND PRESSURE
As they struggled, the invisible audience grew louder, their whispers turning to laughter. The pressure mounted with each failed attempt, and the System didn’t hesitate to remind them of their shortcomings:
[Kei’s Instrument: Failure – Resonance Levels Unstable.]
[Mia’s Potion: Failure – Essence Imbalance Detected.]
Kei groaned, running a hand through his hair. “Alright, maybe we should’ve taken this a little more seriously.”
Mia shot him a withering look. “You think?”
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DESPERATE ATTEMPTS
Determined not to fail outright, both of them redoubled their efforts.
Kei took a different approach, using his understanding of resonance to shape the instrument with more precision. He tuned the shards carefully, testing each one’s frequency before assembling them. The result wasn’t perfect, but it emitted a low, steady hum when played—a significant improvement.
[Kei’s Instrument: Partial Success – Resonance Levels Stable but Weak.]
Mia, meanwhile, focused on the principles of her Law of Balance. She adjusted the ratio of ingredients, using her scythe to channel stabilizing energy into the mixture. The potion shimmered faintly as it settled, its color a soft, glowing blue.
[Mia’s Potion: Partial Success – Stability Achieved with Minor Impurities.]
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THE SYSTEM’S VERDICT
The System’s voice echoed, delivering their results:
[Trial Progress: Incomplete.]
[Kei: Crafting Potential Detected – Improvement Required.]
[Mia: Alchemical Potential Detected – Improvement Required.]
Kei flopped onto the ground, groaning. “So close! What do they expect, perfection?”
Mia crossed her arms, her tone sharp. “They expect us to try harder. You treated this like a joke, and now we’re paying for it.”
Kei sat up, rubbing the back of his neck. “Alright, alright. I’ll take it seriously. Starting now.”
Mia sighed, her frustration fading. “We’ll figure it out. We always do.”
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A SECOND CHANCE
The System granted them a reprieve, the tools and materials resetting for another attempt. This time, they approached their tasks with renewed focus, drawing on their combat experience and understanding of Essence.
As they worked, they began to see their professions not as side projects but as extensions of their abilities—another avenue for growth and mastery.
“Ready?” Kei asked, holding up his partially improved instrument.
Mia nodded, her potion glowing faintly in its flask. “Ready.”
The trial wasn’t over, but they were determined to prove themselves—even if it meant starting from the bottom.