The night passed, and Sero eagerly awaited the dawn, for it would bring with it another day filled with possibilities. He woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside his window, stretched lazily, and made his way to the bathroom to wash up. As he splashed water on his face, he couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. Not only had he managed to secure a date with Nala, but he had also given Aphiel something to think about. Life was good.

Sero finished getting ready and headed out to meet Amaya at the park she had chosen to practice their swordplay.

When he got there, he couldn’t help but gaze at Amaya’s outfit.

She wore a sleeveless white top that clung to her curves, revealing the hint of a tan line along her stomach. Her black leather pants hugged her legs, showing off her toned thighs and calves. Her silver hair was tied up in a ponytail. The sword at her hip gleamed in the sunlight, its handle wrapped in black leather. She was an absolute vision, and Sero couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement course through him.

"There’s the ‘good’ to my ‘afternoon’." Sero remarked as he approached Amaya.

"Yeah, I’m already regretting this," Amaya scowled. She shoved a card and a phone at Sero. "Your Ascendant ID was processed, so I thought I’d do you a favor by giving it to you directly. I even got you a phone."

Sero took the items from her, inspecting the ID card with a raised eyebrow. His confidence slipped away as he read ‘F-rank’ underneath his photo, and completely disappeared as Aphiel uncharacteristically cackled in his head. He slid the ID card into his pocket and turned on the phone, fiddling with it for a moment before putting it away. "Not bad. So, what's the plan today?"

The Ascendant Liaison unsheathed her sword and pointed it at Sero.

"You might be able to copy my skills and techniques, but experience is also a big factor in battle. So, we're going to spar against each other."

"In... the park?"

Amaya smirked. "Not exactly."

She closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment. Then, she held out a palm towards Sero and a brilliant blue light enveloped the both of them. Sero suddenly found himself standing in an arena.

The arena was a gigantic circular structure, made of smooth, white marble. It was surrounded by tiers of seating that extended high into the air, devoid of spectators. A white void surrounded the arena, causing Sero to feel apprehensive about the enormity of the place. The pair stood in the center of the vast dirt arena, and Sero couldn't help but notice the unnerving silence that suffocated the place.

"Where the fuck are we?"

Amaya smiled at Sero's discomfort.

"We're in the arena of my Sponsor."

"Ah, ok, makes sense." Sero nodded, even though it didn't make sense to him.

"My Sponsor is the goddess Athena, from Greek mythology," Amaya continued, sensing his confusion. "I assume you know of her?"

"Of course." Sero nodded again, recognizing the goddess of wisdom, strategy, and warfare.

"Well, by invoking the authority of your Sponsor, you can travel to their personalized space. Other Ascendants chosen by the Sponsor can also access this place, which makes it easier to talk to the goddess as well as each other. For today, I’ve requested sole usage of Athena’s space for this time."

Sero grunted approvingly.

"Hey, do you have a personalized space too?" Sero asked Aphiel through his thoughts.

The goddess chuckled. "Yes, but I don't like to use it often. It's quite grand and ostentatious, unlike Athena's more functional and utilitarian arena."

"…You’re lying, aren’t you?"

Aphiel didn’t reply.

"I knew it."

"Ok, it’s small! I don’t have a strong following yet, and you’re the only champion I have!" Aphiel wailed in Sero’s mind.

Sero glanced at Amaya, who was already in a fighting stance, sword held at the ready. He took a deep breath and readied himself. "Alright, let's do this!" He clasped his hands together and conjured a mana sword.

----------------------------------------

Despite having copied nearly all of Amaya’s movements and swordplay earlier, Sero found himself utterly overwhelmed by her experienced fighting prowess.

"Ouch." Sero muttered as he laid on the ground. Amaya had knocked him down again, and he had lost track of how many times he lost.

"You’re… pretty bad." Amaya remarked bluntly as she extended a hand down to Sero.

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"Thanks," Sero grunted, accepting the hand up. "I never claimed to be the best. Just cool."

He brushed the dirt off his clothes and stood up, determined not to go down again. "So, do you have any advice for me?"

Amaya pondered for a moment.

"While it’s true that you can perfectly mimic everything I can do, you don’t seem to be thinking about the best way to do so. I think when you were attacking the lobster boss a few days ago, you were more focused and precise. What went through your mind back then?"

Sero made a face. "Well, I just used Perfect Analysis to spot its weakness and then–"

A moment of clarity hit him.

"Holy shit, I can just use Perfect Analysis."

Sero finally understood what Amaya was getting at. He had been relying too much on his copied skills, not using his head.

Amaya simply stared at him.

"You never thought to use that skill until now? Are you sure you’re suited as a Scholar?"

"I wonder about that myself nowadays." Aphiel chipped in through Sero’s thoughts.

Sero ignored both of them and conjured his sword again.

"Ok, let’s do this one last time."

The two of them circled each other, Amaya on the right and Sero on the left. The silence was deafening, only interrupted by the occasional clanking of their weapons against each other. Sero closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and focused his energy. He activated Perfect Analysis, his senses sharpening as he scanned Amaya's movements.

Amaya, sensing Sero's change in demeanor, smiled faintly. "That's better." She attacked, feinting high and then low, trying to catch him off guard. Sero easily parried both moves, his reactions honed by the analysis. They continued to circle, each trying to find an opening in the other's defense.

Slowly, but surely, Sero began to get the upper hand, finding openings in Amaya’s defense.

"Nice try," she said through clenched teeth, parrying one of his attacks, "but you're still not there yet."

Sero grinned wickedly. "But I will soon," He parried Amaya’s oncoming jab and used the momentum to finally knock her sword out from her hands with a grand flourish. "I win."

Amaya snorted. "I let you win." She offered her hand, and Sero took it, shaking it firmly. "You've made progress, at least. Keep practicing, and you'll be unstoppable."

Sero looked at her thoughtfully, his gaze curious.

Amaya shifted uncomfortably under his eyes.

"What?" she asked, a little nervous.

"My Perfect Analysis. I’m learning more about you."

Amaya felt a rising sense of anxiety.

"Like… like what?"

"Well, for starters, it’s telling me your bust, hip size, and weight–"

Amaya glared. Sero held up his hands in mock surrender.

"Okay, okay. Moving on... you're also very agile and quick on your feet. And you're pretty strong too. You have good endurance. Oh, and you're left-handed." He paused, studying her. "That's interesting."

Her anger was replaced by intrigue.

"What do you mean?"

Sero frowned.

"You use your sword in your right hand, but leave your left hand empty. Is there a reason you don’t use your sword in your left hand?"

Amaya considered his question for a moment. "Well, I've always been left-handed, so it felt more natural to use my right hand for swordplay. And since I'm quicker with my left hand, it's more efficient to keep it free. Besides, I cast magic faster in my left hand."

"Makes sense." Sero muttered.

Amaya sighed and stretched her arms up in the air.

"Let’s stop here." She closed her eyes and a brilliant blue light enveloped the pair, bringing them back to the park after the light faded. "Go get washed up using the association showers and meet me in front of the entrance. We need to do something about your F-rank so you can start mercenary work."

Sero nodded, wiping the sweat from his brow. He had managed to improve his swordplay significantly in just a few short hours. Granted, he did have his Perfect Analysis as a crutch, but it didn’t make him feel any less accomplished.

As he walked toward the showers, he wondered what Amaya had in store to help him raise his Ascendant rank.

"Maybe I have to retake the assessment again..." Sero murmured to himself.

He arrived at the showers, nodding at the other male Ascendants as he passed by. Some of them gave him curious glances, which was understandable since it was his first time using the showers so they were seeing him for the first time. He stripped off his clothes and stepped under the warm water, letting it wash away the sweat and grime of training.

After he finished washing up, Sero dressed himself and headed back to the entrance of the association building, where Amaya was waiting.

"So, what do you have in mind?" he asked her as they walked side by side. He was curious to see how she planned on helping him raise his rank.

Amaya made a face.

"Well, after you take the assessment test, the only way to raise it is by clearing trials set by the Ascendants Association."

Sero grunted. "I assume the trials act like an advancement test? Like if I clear a D-rank trial, I get promoted to D-rank?"

Amaya nodded. "Exactly."

"What the fuck, am I in some sort of generic RPG comic story?" he muttered to himself.

"Huh?"

"Nothing," Sero shook his head. "So, I'm guessing you're going to train me up so I can take the D-rank trial?"

"You're smarter than you look." Amaya gave him a playful smirk.

Sero scowled, but it was quickly replaced by a crazed smile.

Amaya flinched at his expression and warily stared at him.

"What... are you thinking about?" She asked cautiously.

"Fuck that," Sero had an unhinged gleam in his eyes. "Take me straight to the A-rank trial."

Amaya's eyes widened in surprise, and she took a step back. "Wha-What?!"

"Oh!" Sero paused. "Wait, I need you to do me a favor before I tackle the A-rank trial."

"What sort of favor?" Amaya continued to watch him warily.

Sero solemnly bowed his head.

"Please introduce me to as many A-rank Ascendants as you possibly can."

"Oh..." Amaya said, understanding now. "Well, I can do that, but I can't guarantee they'll want to train you."

"Who said anything about training?" A sinister smile on his face matched the crazed look in his eyes.

"...Right. Why did I expect anything else?"