Within a vast expanse of white, a solitary figure stood motionless and silent, blending seamlessly with their surroundings. The figure appeared formless and ethereal, as if lacking the constitution that could make it be called a physical body.

The figure's eyes suddenly snapped open, instantly scanning its surroundings with a gaze laced with questions and confusion.

'What the - … How did I get here? Wasn't I just in the auditorium hall a minute ago?'

The figure appeared to be Elias Nor, the young man who was supposed to be taking part in his assessment right now!

Elias carefully looked around his surroundings, his eyes capturing nothing but a pure white and empty canvas of space. There was not a single person around him, causing his eyes to squint in fear.

'Did I somehow get transported back into that mysterious dream world? No that can't be right, I remember that place being way more dull and grey than this, so it can't be the same place. This place also seems way more peaceful, a bit too peaceful in fact.'

Elias meticulously reviewed all the events leading up to his arrival in this desolate space, searching for any rational explanation for his current predicament.

'I felt myself falling mysteriously right after that old scholar touched my head in the hall. Then was he the cause? That seems logical. There seems to be no other reason for me to have been moved from where I was other than that. He definitely should be the cause!

'This might actually be where the real assessment takes place, a space only accessible to the officials maybe. That would make perfect sense since I was initially confused at how they were testing people within the hall anyway'

Elias slowly heaved a sigh of relief while attempting to calm his tense emotions. He was convinced that his explanation made sense, since there was no other logical reason for him to be where he was right now.

'But I still don't understand the use of this place. Am I just supposed to stand here forever? When is the test going to start, I don't even see the old scholar anywhere.'

Elias once again scanned his surroundings, hoping to find any signs of the whereabouts of his assessment officer. He saw nothing but the previous vast expanse of white space, causing him to get a bit frustrated.

As the young man was about to beret the professionalism of the True Scholar assigned to him, his eyes unconsciously wandered below his feet, causing his eyes to squint in shock. What he saw left him utterly speechless, as he couldn't believe the sight before his eyes.

Beneath Elias's feet stretched an otherworldly but translucent body of water, its quiet flow defying the laws of natural motion. This ethereal water spanned through the entirety of the white space, alternating between tangible reality and ephemeral illusion. At times, it imparted a sense of solidity and grounding, while at other times, it seemed like a woven mirage, reminiscent of the whims of a confused mind.

This peculiar state of flux surprisingly didn't affect the enchanting smoothness of the water itself, as it remained as smooth and clear as a block of royal ice. The water's surface was so smooth and clear that it acted as a mirror to Elias, reflecting his image with perfect precision, even within the depths of his own eyes.

Elias made no effort to conceal his awe and amazement, as he had never encountered a body of water as mystically clear as this one. The reason he hadn't initially realized he was standing on the water was due to its perfect reflection of the vast, empty white space. Elias felt like the water could easily create a visual illusion that would deceive those who didn’t pay close attention to it.

While Elias was caught up in admiring the beauty and awe of this supernatural sea, his eyes finally drifted to his clear reflection within its waters, causing his eyes to widen with intense fear. What he saw was too much for him to comprehend.

His previously solid body had lost all of its physical constitution, making it appear as illusory as the body of water he was standing upon. There were no eyes, ears, nose, hair, skin, nothing. It was like he had become a blank canvas!

What was even more frightening was that his body was as transparent as the river beneath him, and it even existed in a similar state; shifting between a real and illusory image. Aside from his shaped form, Elias felt like he had truly become an extension of the sea itself!

Elias tried to flee from his reflection, overwhelmed by a chilling fear that gripped his mind. Yet, he realized he couldn't budge; his feet were rooted to the spot as if turned to stone, immobilized like a statue. His legs had even merged into the sea!

Just as panic threatened to consume Elias, the sky above him fractured, unveiling a serene pair of blue eyes that surveyed the expansive landscape. Elias calmed down as he came to recognize the owner of the eyes; it was the True Scholar assigned to him for his assessment!

Elias was torn between laughter and tears: relieved to see the True Scholar, a sign that everything was as it should be, yet unsettled by the intimidating manner of his appearance. The presence of such giant eyes was far from comforting since no normal person would like to be observed by a giant set of eyes.

The True Scholar slowly directed his focus towards the anxious Elias in the center, his eyes squinting in slight shock and surprise.

"You can retain your lucidity while in this form? It seems like your spiritual perception is a lot higher than regular people. You have been blessed with quite the gift."

The True Scholar's voice echoed around the vast expanse of space, making it seem like it was coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Elias attempted to respond, but found himself unable to do so since he currently lacked a mouth.

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The True Scholar chuckled in amusement, obviously entertained by Elias's oral dilemma. "As you might have noticed, you currently lack a physical form, which is why your ability to speak is inhibited. If you want to tell me anything simply think about it, as I am currently reading your mind."

Elias widened his eyes in surprise, as he didn't think that this was something that should have been told to him so lightly. He knew about how tight-lipped the Churches and Royal Families were when it came to supernatural abilities.

The True Scholar casually told him that there was nothing to worry about, as he half-expected Elias to pass the assessment anyway judging by his Spiritual Perception. Since it would eventually be told to him anyway, the Scholar didn't feel any qualms about letting him know now.

When Elias asked about what would happen if he didn't pass, the True Scholar simply said straightforwardly, "Well it still wouldn't matter... Since you won't have any memory of this conversation if that happened."

Elias slowly bopped his head, indicating that he understood. He also made a mental note to not think about any personal secret, as he wouldn't want his closet of skeletons opened by a mere stranger.

"You are worrying too much young man. We clergymen from the Truth Church operate based on a simple principle, which is that we do not walk into any door unless we are invited in. So calm down, your secrets are safe. You would only need to worry if you come across any rogues or those damn Synod Betise heathens. Those insects don't understand the meaning of consent at all."

Elias appeared confused and didn't understand what this clergyman was telling him. What rogues? And what is 'Synod Betise'? He didn't understand anything!

The True Scholar cleared his throat in embarrassment, obviously aware that he had talked a bit too much. He told Elias to forget about it for now, since it wasn't really important at the moment.

Elias regarded the two massive floating eyeballs with suspicion, sensing that the Clergyman might still be unsettled from the earlier incident in the auditorium hall. Doubts crept into Elias's mind about the man's capabilities, though he hoped that he would remain safe and be in good hands.

Ehem!... The True Scholar cleared his throat loudly, signaling to Elias that he could still hear what he was inwardly saying. "Anyway, let's get this assessment over with. All you have to do is stay still while keeping your mind free. Don’t be nervous and I'll handle the rest."

Elias offered the Scholar a curt nod, before proceeding to filter out any unnecessary thoughts in his mind. In fact, he did it so well, that the True Scholar glanced at him with a look of approval.

The Clergyman then focused his gaze onto the vast and clear illusory sea beneath, as his eyes took on an otherworldly mystical hue. They appeared to house numerous mystical symbols and texts, which swirled around his eyes in a fixed pattern.

The sudden shift instantly energized the once gentle seabed, as water currents picked up pace and began to spiral into each other. The collision speed continued to increase, eventually forming multiple wave crests that violently clashed in perfect succession.

The collision of waves intensified relentlessly, until the entire body of water churned violently, with each wave mercilessly crashing into the next.

The True Scholar observed this scene with a calm expression, while inwardly praising Elias's co-ordination. The young man hadn't flinched at all!

His eyes then proceeded to take on a deeper tone, pulling all of the mystical symbols and elements swirling around his eyes toward the center of his iris, as they coalesced into a single symbol.

He then took in the image of all of the violently crashing waves and currents, before proceeding to utter a single word in a language both known and unknown.

"Form!"

At the sound of his solemn voice, the entire illusionary seabed erupted into a vibrant color spectrum. The once tumultuous waves seamlessly merged, creating a perfectly aligned water tapestry. The previously colorless expanse now glimmered with vibrant hues, as if it had merged with a radiant summer rainbow.

If before the ethereal sea looked like a clear block of ice, it now seemed like it had a rainbow hidden underneath, causing it to look even more breathtaking!

Within the gentle water tapestry, one would be able to notice several forms of miniature waves still swirling into each other, with the only difference being that they now appeared to swirl into one another instead of crashing, causing the waves to enter into a state of delicate balance. The entire image was surreal and magical!

The True Scholar looked upon the bright colors adorning the illusory water bed, nodding his head in approval while inwardly praising Elias.

'His Spiritual Sea is this saturated? This is the most vibrant sea I've come across in all my years of carrying out this test, second only to the Elven Princess of Nymilia. It looks so magnetic and ethereal, akin to something out of a storybook.'

He then turned his gaze back to Elias's illusory figure, noticing that he continued to stand still and in place, as if the changes happening around him hadn't occurred at all.

'His natural composure is also nothing to scoff at either. I can already tell that this young man is destined for great things.'

The True Scholar stole one more glance at the captivating sea surface before redirecting his gaze to Elias. He observed the ethereal colors from the sea gradually infusing into Elias's previously colorless form, albeit very slowly.

'Hmm... seems like it has started. I wonder which Echelon of Faith his affinity leans towards the most'

The colors from the sea bed continued to slowly crawl onto Elias's form with gentle haste, with each of them moving at a different pace. It looked like the colors were fighting for the right to crawl onto Elias, making the entire scene look quite peculiar.

In the end, a vibrant green and purple hue remained and continued to climb, having defeated the advancement of the rest of the colors. The presence of the purple hue caused the True Scholar to furrow his brows, as he wasn't expecting to see this color tone at all.

'An affinity to Death? That's unexpected, he doesn't seem like the type. It would be such a waste for him to be placed into that dirty and disgusting group.'

The swirling green and purple hues continued their ascent, intertwining ever higher on Elias's form, each reluctant to yield dominance to the other.

After swirling energetically, the purple hue abruptly paused and dimmed, allowing the vibrant green to surge ahead and dominate. Eventually, only the green hue remained, saturating Elias entirely and transforming him into a radiant glow of green light.

'Phew... Seems like he has more affinity with Life than Death. I would have preferred for him to be put into the Sapience group, but at least the current result is better than its alternative'

The True Scholar then gazed at Elias's now bright and clear visage, marveling at how intense the green glow on him had become. He honestly hadn't seen such an intense glow before, even on the Elven Princess.

Lost in thought, the True Scholar failed to notice the gradual darkening of the seabed. Each vibrant hue within its spectrum slowly faded, eventually turning inky black. By the time the clergyman finally took notice, the entire illusionary seabed had transformed into pitch darkness, casting an ominous aura over the surroundings.

Just as the True Scholar prepared to respond to the sudden and eerie change, the jet-black water surged over Elias's vibrant form, shrouding him in an inky black cloak. The inky blackness rapidly spread, engulfing the surroundings with alarming speed.

The sudden transformation caused the True Scholar's eyes looming overhead to violently contract and burst into a shower of flesh and blood, wrenching him from the space with excruciating agony.