The next day, Yujin was jolted awake by a ruckus echoing through the thin wooden walls. Morning light crept through the window cracks, slicing through a room that still clung to the night’s chill.
With messy hair and lazy steps, he swung the door open to find Junpei and a few other old-timers huddled around a rough table made from a fallen log. A tattered map, messy with charcoal markings, lay between them. Their voices clashed in a discussion far too serious for this time of day.
"Hey, what’s with all the noise this early?" Yujin asked, leaning against the frame.
Junpei turned with a wide, toothy grin. "Yo, what’s up, pal? Getting a fresh head, huh?" He chuckled, the wrinkles around his eyes deepening. "We’re just hashing out the plan. Care to join the geezer club for a bit?"
Yujin stifled a sigh. Sitting with a bunch of old men to discuss things he likely wouldn’t understand was a fast track to a bad mood. He declined politely, blaming a lingering malaise, and turned to head back in.
But before the door shut, his gaze caught a figure sitting alone near the cabin. A girl with cream-blue hair—soft like the pre-dawn sky—sat perched on a massive tree root. The towering canopy above blocked out the sun, casting long shadows over the mossy earth. Curiosity beat out his urge to sleep. He walked over.
"Hey, what are you doing out here?"
"Kyaah?!" The girl flinched, nearly toppling over. She looked up, cheeks flushing as her clear blue eyes went wide. "N-nothing... I was just... watching the leaves move in the wind."
Yujin frowned. He stood still, feeling the air. There wasn't a breath of wind. Not a single breeze had touched his skin since he arrived. The forest felt static, as if time itself had stalled.
"I don't feel any wind at all," he said quietly.
The girl grew even more restless. "Y-yes, well... it was just before you arrived. You probably missed it."
Her tone was too formal, like a servant addressing a lord, even though she looked about his age. Yujin sighed, realizing he was just making her more awkward. "You don't have to be so formal. We’re the same age, right?" He tried to soften his voice. "I'm Yujin. Haven't seen you around."
The girl fell silent, her gaze trembling as if weighing something heavy. "I..." she swallowed. "My name is Yuna. It’s... nice to meet you, Yujin."
"Nice meeting you too."
Before he could ask more, the old-timers called for him. Forced to leave, Yujin impulsively handed his bracelet to Yuna. Though hesitant, she took it with a mix of confusion and shyness.
"Let’s move, Yujin! We’ve got our route set!" Junpei called out. At the front, muscular horses stood hitched to the carriages, their breath misting in the morning air.
"Haaah... why do I have to share a ride with you?" Aurelia snapped, her eyes sharp with annoyance. The other carriages were stuffed with cargo; only one spot was left.
"What's the big deal? I'm just hitching a ride," Yujin replied.
"That’s exactly the problem!" Is this guy a brick or what? Zero awareness of a girl's feelings, Aurelia grumbled, her glare intensifying. Yujin sat on the opposite bench, feeling like he’d be incinerated if he moved an inch closer.
"Look, if you've got an issue, just say—"
"Shut it! Or I'll char you right here!"
The journey to Lumeris was a torture of silence. When they finally reached the city, Yujin’s relief was palpable. As promised, Junpei’s friends dropped him off at the Lumeris Guild.
The city was a beehive at midday. Vendors shouted, and crowds surged. But the moment Yujin stepped into the throng, a wave of dizziness hit him. It felt like Aether was gushing out of his body. The sensation worsened as he entered the Guild—a massive place with imposing doors and gritty graffiti.
He approached the desk. A girl with vibrant purple hair was staring at a stack of documents.
"I'm here to register," Yujin said.
The girl, Viola, handed him a form with a cold gaze. Yujin filled it out, choosing the Fighter class.
"Are you sure about this?" Viola asked, scanning the paper.
"Yeah, I'm sure."
"Fine. You'll undergo placement trials. Your performance dictates your rank."
Yujin breezed through the physical test in fifteen minutes. Viola’s initial disdain for his "vagrant" look started to crumble.
"Next is the Magic Test. You seem to handle Aether well enough."
The words were a needle to Yujin’s chest. "Is this... mandatory?"
"Standard procedure. It’s a basic test, isn't it?"
Yujin sighed so long his chest hurt. I’m toast.
The results were a disaster. Chanting, releasing Aether, focusing it internally—he failed it all. He could only gather Aether outside his body. Viola’s gaze soured again. To her, he was just a brawny kid with zero magical spark.
"Final trial: Combat. Show me you're not just for show."
Viola led him to a metallic room. "You'll face a Tier I Demon. Don't worry, it won't kill you."
The air pressure spiked. Heat and static electricity filled the room. "The demon is Zarveth, a subordinate of the Third Demon King, Velkaith the Calamity."
A purple portal tore open. A minotaur-human hybrid stepped out. Zarveth’s eyes locked onto Yujin with crushing weight.
"Human... you dare stand before me again?!" The roar nearly burst Yujin’s eardrums.
Yujin drew his sword, but Zarveth vanished instantly.
[Trait: 'Trained Instinct' activated!]
Yujin dodged a sudden overhead strike, but the lightning from Zarveth’s hand still grazed him. Agony shot through his arm. His muscles seized. This wasn't like the Golem; this was on a different level.
If I don't move... I’m dead!
Using Acceleration, he lunged. Zarveth sneered, parrying him like he was a fly. "Pathetic mosquito. Any last words before I fry you?"
Yujin laughed through the pain. "I might suck at attacking... but when it comes to taking a hit... I'm your guy!"
He swung a desperate blow at the demon’s gut, which Zarveth dodged with a laugh. "Fine! Let’s see how much you can take!"
A barrage of lightning-clad punches rained down. Yujin took it all until a massive bolt sent him crashing into the dirt, motionless. Zarveth laughed, savoring the kill.
But then, the air shifted.
A violent surge of electricity erupted from Yujin. He rose, cloaked in a brilliant yellow aura. Without a word, he blurred. He slammed a fist into Zarveth’s gut, sending him flying, then followed up with a relentless flurry of blows.
Zarveth, bleeding and enraged, roared as his body mutated—wings folding in, muscles swelling. He ascended to Tier II.
"You're worth the effort, human!"
The tables turned. Zarveth’s hide was now like iron. Yujin’s punches did nothing. The demon seized Yujin, threw him into the air, and prepared a finishing strike. The yellow aura around Yujin flickered and died.
Just as Zarveth prepared to end it, an invisible weight slammed the demon to the floor.
Viola stood there, cold and unmoved. "That’s enough. You’ve exceeded my expectations."
Zarveth glared with pure venom. "You! The human who caged me for her research!"
"Quiet," Viola said, her voice a chill. "You’re giving me a headache."
With a snap of her book, she banished the demon back into the void.