The arena buzzed with energy as the first trial began. The recruits stood in a loose line, waiting for their turn to step forward and strike the specialized dummy. It was an imposing device, glowing faintly with a spiritual core that absorbed and measured the force of spiritual energy. The crowd murmured with anticipation, eager to see who would rise to the top and who would crumble under the pressure. Shunjiro stood near the back of the line, his heart pounding. He shifted uneasily on his feet, watching as the first few recruits approached the dummy, delivered their strikes, and received their scores. Most landed somewhere in the middle of the scale, Cs and Ds were common, with a rare B sprinkled in. A few unlucky ones scored Fs, walking away with slumped shoulders and flushed faces. When Itsuki’s name was called, Shunjiro perked up, cheering her on quietly. She gave him a determined smile as she stepped forward, her bright eyes fixed on the dummy. “Let’s see what you’ve got,” one of the examiners said, motioning for her to begin. Itsuki took a deep breath, her small frame radiating resolve. She clenched her fists, channeling her spiritual energy. With a burst of movement, she struck the dummy with all her might. The impact echoed through the arena, and the dummy absorbed the energy before displaying a glowing letter: D. Itsuki exhaled slowly, her expression a mix of relief and disappointment. She turned to Shunjiro and gave him a thumbs-up. “Not too bad, right?” she said, trying to stay optimistic. Shunjiro grinned. “You did great!” Next up was Yoshinori, a tall and composed figure who walked toward the dummy with quiet confidence. His jet-black hair fell neatly into place, and his sharp, focused eyes gave nothing away. He stood before the dummy for a moment, seemingly gathering his energy. “He looks serious,” Shunjiro whispered to Itsuki, who nodded. With a fluid motion, Yoshinori stepped forward and delivered a precise punch to the dummy. The strike wasn’t flashy, but the power behind it was undeniable. The dummy glowed for a moment before displaying an A. The crowd gasped, and whispers of admiration spread like wildfire. Yoshinori nodded subtly at the result and walked back to his spot, his expression unchanged. “Wow,” Shunjiro muttered. “I do not want to fight him.” Itsuki chuckled. “Smart choice.” When Sora’s name was called, the silver-haired recruit strode toward the dummy with a casual swagger. His cocky smirk drew a mix of cheers and groans from the crowd, but it was clear he had no shortage of self-assurance. Despite his confident demeanor, there was a sharpness in his eyes that hinted at his underlying skill. “This should be good,” Itsuki said, nudging Shunjiro. Sora raised his fist, his silver hair catching the light as he summoned his energy. With a quick, explosive motion, he punched the dummy. The impact was immediate, the dummy vibrating slightly before displaying another A. The crowd erupted into cheers, and Sora turned to face them with a grin, raising a hand as if acknowledging his victory. “Another A?!” Shunjiro groaned. “Yeah, I’m definitely avoiding him too.” “Smart,” Itsuki said with a laugh. “He’d probably love to rub it in if you lost.” Jayiden, a member of the beast race, was next. Though humanoid, he had canine features, including pointed ears and a tail that swayed behind him as he approached the dummy. His cocky grin revealed sharp teeth, and he exuded confidence as he cracked his knuckles. “Watch this,” Jayiden called out, his voice brimming with arrogance. “I’ll show you how it’s done.” He gathered his energy, his muscles tensing, and threw a powerful punch. The dummy absorbed the impact and displayed a glowing B. Jayiden frowned slightly, clearly dissatisfied, but he shrugged it off with a smirk. “Not bad, I guess. Better than most of you!” he called out, earning a few laughs and groans from the crowd. “He’s…a character,” Shunjiro muttered. Itsuki giggled. “He’s confident, I’ll give him that.” As the trial continued, the focus shifted almost entirely to Yoshinori and Sora. Conversations buzzed about their impressive A ranks, with most recruits speculating who might score higher in the next rounds. By the time Shunjiro’s name was called, few people were even paying attention. “Here we go,” Shunjiro muttered, taking a deep breath as he stepped forward. His heart felt like it might burst out of his chest, and his hands were clammy. They’re probably expecting an F or a D. Heck, I’m expecting it too. He approached the dummy, eyes flicking around briefly. He caught sight of some recruits chatting amongst themselves, not even looking his way. Their disinterest was almost worse than if they’d been openly mocking him, it confirmed what he already feared: No one believes in me…maybe I really don’t belong here. But I have to try. He clenched his fists, focusing on the small spark of spiritual energy he did know he had. Even if it’s weak, I’ll prove I’m at least worth noticing. Then, something unexpected happened. A surge of energy bubbled up from deep within him, stronger than anything he’d ever felt before. It was raw, untamed, and exhilarating, a fierce warmth that seemed to flood every corner of his being. In an instant, doubt warred with confusion inside his head: Am I really doing this? Did I tap into something new by mistake? Is this even my power? His vision sharpened, and the clamor of the arena dulled to a low hum. Every beat of his heart felt like thunder inside his chest. Just go with it, a voice inside him urged. See what you can do. Without overthinking, Shunjiro channeled that energy into his fist and struck the dummy with everything he had. For a moment, silence enveloped the arena as the dummy absorbed the hit. Shunjiro’s pulse hammered in his ears. I probably imagined that surge. There’s no way… Then, the dummy lit up brilliantly. A glowing letter appeared: S. The hush fractured as a wave of gasps and excited murmurs rippled through the stands. Conversations died mid-sentence; disinterested recruits snapped their heads toward Shunjiro, suddenly riveted. On the raised platform, King Shadis’s composed expression shifted almost imperceptibly as his brows inched upward. Shunjiro stared at the result, his mouth hanging open. This has to be some kind of mistake. His heart hammered. “No way,” he whispered, though he could barely hear his own voice over the noise. A storm of questions swirled in his mind: What does this mean? Am I really this strong? Did the dummy malfunction? Itsuki was the first to recover, rushing up to him and grabbing his shoulders. “Shunjiro! You did it! You scored an S!” she exclaimed, pride shining in her eyes. Shunjiro swallowed hard, trying to catch up with the reality of the situation. “I-I don’t even know how,” he managed, his words stumbling. Is this even real? In the crowd, Yoshinori and Sora exchanged glances, their interest in Shunjiro suddenly piqued. Jayiden crossed his arms, ears twitching in annoyance as he saw the spotlight shift from him. King Shadis raised a hand, silencing the crowd with regal composure. “Interesting,” he said, a note of intrigue coloring his voice. “It seems we have a dark horse among us.” Shunjiro’s cheeks burned as all eyes locked on him. He felt the weight of a thousand questions pressing in on his thoughts. What just happened? And what does it mean for the rest of the exams? He had no answers, only a thundering heart and the echo of that single, blazing letter: S