The training grounds were still buzzing with energy as Hiroshi and Kaito stood by, waiting for their official Wanderer’s License. Both of them were still processing the results of their battles.
Kaito sighed, crossing his arms. “I can’t believe you got a higher grade than me.”
Hiroshi smirked. “Maybe if you thought before you charged in, you’d get a better score.”
Before Kaito could respond, a new presence stepped onto the training ground.
A young elf girl with flowing silver-blue hair walked gracefully forward. She had striking ocean-blue eyes, and her pointed ears peeked through her neatly tied-back hair.
She wore a simple yet elegant light blue battle robe, and the way she moved gave off an air of calm confidence.
One of the examiners turned toward her. “Ah, so you’re here for the test as well. State your name.”
She bowed slightly. “My name is Lyara Aeloria.”
Hiroshi blinked. “An elf?”
Kaito whispered, “Not just an elf, dude. Look at her aura. She’s a mana user—like us.”
Hiroshi nodded. Among the four types of humans, elves were the rarest. Known for their immense magical abilities, elves were often leagues ahead in terms of mana control.
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But something about Lyara was different. Her mana presence wasn’t overwhelming. It was calm, controlled.
Lyara’s Test Begins
The examiner gestured toward the weapon rack. “Pick a weapon.”
Without hesitation, Lyara stepped forward and picked up a thin, elegant rapier. Its blade shimmered under the light, almost as if it were made of flowing water.
The examiner gave a nod of approval. “Your opponent will be me.”
Lyara simply nodded, gripping her rapier. Her expression never changed—composed and unreadable.
The examiner raised his hand. “Begin.”
The moment he said the word, Lyara moved.
It wasn’t an explosive start like Kaito’s. It wasn’t a strategic delay like Hiroshi’s.
Instead—it was flawless.
Her footwork was perfect. Not a single wasted movement.
Her rapier flowed like a stream of water, her attacks swift, precise, and unpredictable.
She wasn’t the fastest. She wasn’t the strongest. But she made no mistakes.
The examiner parried her first few attacks, but his expression slowly changed from neutral to impressed.
Lyara adjusted mid-fight, reacting to each of his counters smoothly, as if she had already predicted them.
Her water magic enhanced her swordplay, making her movements even more fluid. It was like watching a dance—graceful yet deadly.
Hiroshi and Kaito watched in awe.
Kaito whispered, “She’s… really good.”
Hiroshi nodded. “But her attacks don’t have much force.”
And that was the problem.
While Lyara was technically perfect, her raw power was lacking.
The examiner blocked one of her attacks and suddenly pushed forward, countering aggressively.
Lyara was forced to dodge, but she couldn’t push back.
Finally, after a few more exchanges, the examiner raised his hand.
“That’s enough.”
Lyara stepped back, lowering her rapier. Not a drop of sweat on her face.
The examiner nodded approvingly. “Your form is impeccable. However, your attacks lack power. You’ll struggle against stronger opponents.”
He turned toward the other examiners and announced her grade.
“C Grade.”
The same as Hiroshi.
Lyara bowed slightly. “Thank you for the evaluation.”
As she stepped away, Kaito chuckled. “Looks like you’re not the only C-rank rookie anymore.”
Hiroshi smirked. “At least I have power behind my attacks.”
Lyara glanced at them, her expression unreadable. Then, to their surprise, she approached them.
“You two… you’re Wanderers, right?”
Hiroshi blinked. “Uh, yeah. We just got our licenses tested.”
Lyara nodded thoughtfully. “Then perhaps… we’ll see each other again.”
Without another word, she turned and left.
Kaito scratched his head. “She’s kinda mysterious, huh?”
Hiroshi crossed his arms. “She’s strong. But I feel like there’s more to her than what we just saw.”
As they watched her walk away, a thought lingered in Hiroshi’s mind.
Something about Lyara Aeloria felt important.
