The grand viewing hall was buzzing with quiet chatter. Screens the size of walls flickered with the live images of the trial arenas, projecting every movement, spell, and maneuver of the participants. From the forest's shadowy undergrowth to the sun-baked desert, from the crumbling ruins to the floating castles above, nothing went unnoticed.
In the royal tier, the nobles whispered among themselves. "There's that boy, Ren," said a young prince, barely glancing at the small figure maneuvering awkwardly in the forest. "He's… capable of surviving, I suppose. But nothing extraordinary. A minor distraction at best."
"Exactly," muttered another noble, adjusting his golden cuffs. "I don't even want to focus on him. His mana control is sloppy, and his techniques are unrefined. He'll probably get lucky a few times, but that's all."
Nearby, a wealthy merchant leaned over to his associate. "Ignore Ren. Look at the boy in the desert—the one wielding fire magic. Precision, timing, and pure destructive potential. His family can already buy him the best equipment, but he doesn't even need it. That one has raw talent, yes."
The cameras shifted, showing a teenager in a rocky canyon. He moved with fluidity, tracing runes in the air. "Ah, and there—strengthening magic," the merchant continued, pointing at a broad-shouldered boy in a ruined fortress. "He can enhance his allies' attacks. Imagine what he could do with proper coordination. That one alone is worth recruiting. Perfect for guardians or elite units."
A group of mid-tier nobles, their interest piqued, whispered among themselves. "And look at that one with light magic," one said, eyes glued to the screen. "Personal magic that blinds opponents, illuminates surroundings, even heals minor injuries. She's clever, using her environment to her advantage. Watch her carefully; she's a thinker."
A seasoned assassin in the shadows, scribbling on a small pad, grinned. "Electricity and lightning," he muttered under his breath, eyeing a tall boy launching arcs of crackling energy over the desert sands. "Unpredictable, fast, lethal. I could mold him into a top-class operative in less than a year if trained right."
On another monitor, a girl manipulated water magic, creating barriers and tidal waves that knocked back monsters with precision. "Water magic," one official commented. "Excellent control. Perfect for crowd management or creating opportunities for ambush. Observe her stamina; she's pacing herself beautifully."
"Earth magic," a merchant noted, nodding toward a sturdy boy in a cavern. "Look at how he uses terrain to his advantage, controlling rocks and soil to hinder the monsters' movements. That's raw strategic talent. Imagine what he could do in a team scenario."
Nearby, a young noble whispered excitedly, pointing to a boy bending metal around his limbs and forming sharp constructs. "Metal magic—look at that! Defense, offense, utility, all in one. If he can withstand the pressure, he's a prime candidate for elite recruitment."
"And there's reasoning magic," another whispered, eyes narrowing as he studied a child quietly assessing the battlefield. "He's not flashy, but he predicts opponents' movements, plans ahead, and manipulates scenarios. He may seem weak now, but he's a threat once his skills mature."
For several minutes, the discussion bounced from one participant to another—fire, strength, light, electricity, water, earth, metal, reasoning—each child evaluated for potential, skill, and recruitability. Names, ages, potential weaknesses, and strategic advantages were whispered, jotted down, and mentally filed.
"Don't ignore him entirely," the older official said, finally. "Yes, the small boy—Ren—he's far weaker than these others. But he survives, observes, and adapts. That's why he's still alive. There's a subtle intelligence there. But compared to these others? Still far behind."
A young prince sneered at the screen showing Ren cautiously launching small ice spells at a minor monster. "Hmph, even with his ice and wind… he's slow. He's barely keeping up."
"True," said a merchant, swirling his glass of wine. "The boy hasn't had access to proper gear. No bribes, no insider connections. And he's out here against opponents who've been trained, equipped, and prepared. He's lucky he hasn't been eliminated yet. But mark my words, if he survives, it'll be sheer instinct and improvisation."
The camera panned to a noble boy in the ruins, practicing a swift flurry of fire magic combined with a simple sword. "Now this one," whispered the assassin, "has precision. He's powerful, he's coordinated, and with a mentor, he could be lethal. The boy in the desert is decent, but the combination of magic types in the ruins? That's a team player waiting to happen."
The screens shifted again, revealing a girl with vines twisting rapidly around a forest clearing, trapping monsters and manipulating the environment. "Plant magic," one noble commented. "Adaptive, creative, deadly in skilled hands. She's clever—this one could change the tide of a fight if supported properly."
Ren's figure appeared briefly again on the forest monitor, dodging a minor strike from a lizard-like monster. The crowd barely paid him attention now, mostly whispering about other fighters' techniques, control, and strategic coordination.
"They're all impressive," the merchant said, rubbing his chin. "Even among the commoners and low-rank participants, some show potential to rise. But the boy in the forest—Ren? Too small, unrefined. He's just surviving."
The prince, still watching the ice-wielding boy, leaned closer to his advisor. "Perhaps we should keep an eye on him anyway. Small, underestimated… often the ones overlooked are dangerous later. But yes, for now, he's trivial."
Discussion turned back to the other participants, their unique magic combinations, and potential for recruitment. Some nobles debated which child could be groomed for future elite guards. Merchants discussed purchasing charms, magical items, and strategic equipment for their wards. Guild representatives jotted notes, anticipating which children might qualify for mid-tier missions, and hidden assassins mentally ranked potential targets.
They analyzed how each child used their environment, how efficiently they dispatched monsters, and whether they coordinated instinctively or relied purely on power. Timing, observation, adaptability—these factors mattered far more than raw strength.
For almost an hour, the spectators dissected every move, every spell, and every strategy. Ren's name came up sporadically, always followed by a shrug or a dismissive glance. He survived—barely. He was noticed, but considered insignificant compared to the fire mage in the desert, the metal manipulator in the canyon, the plant girl in the forest, or the lightning boy zipping across the ruins.
And yet, in the midst of all the speculation, every noble, merchant, and guild official made a mental note: the underestimated ones could surprise them. Even if Ren seemed weak now, the game often revealed hidden potential, ingenuity, and resilience that raw strength alone could not predict.
The crowd murmured, whispered, jotted notes, and exchanged glances. The trial was more than a test of strength—it was a stage for observation, evaluation, and future planning. Every child was a candidate, every move analyzed, and every potential recorded. And while Ren's brief appearances earned only minor attention, the undercurrent of curiosity lingered: could this overlooked boy, surviving purely by instinct and wit, rise among the elites?
As the cameras cut to the floating castles and the desert zones, the noble council, merchants, and guild representatives leaned back slightly, sipping wine or stroking their chins, voices hushed but alive with speculation. Talent, timing, magic type, strategy, coordination—they would note, remember, and act when the trials ended.
And somewhere in the background, hidden eyes of future recruiters and mentors silently marked who might one day wield true power.