The morning air was crisp when I stepped into the garden. The sky had lightened to a pale blue, and the towering tree at the garden's center swayed gently in the breeze, its leaves shimmering like flakes of gold. Commander Lira stood beneath it, her back to me, hands folded behind her as she gazed upward.
She didn't turn around as she spoke.
"Are you ready?"
I blinked. "Yes... but ready for what exactly?"
"You'll understand soon enough," she said, finally turning to face me. "For now, follow me."
Without another word, she led the way. I matched her brisk pace as we exited the hollow mountain dormitory and entered the fortified section of the headquarters. The stone corridors gave way to open space—the massive training facility I had glimpsed yesterday. Even in the early morning, several Awakened were already sparring in designated zones, Aether crackling through the air like static.
Commander Lira led me to one of the smaller arenas—a raised platform enclosed by shimmering runic barriers.
"This will be your evaluation," she said, stepping into the center. "We'll begin with your physical stats."
She knelt and tapped the platform twice. The stone rippled like water and began reshaping itself. Within seconds, it molded into a weightlifting bench—complete with a thick barbell and adjustable stone plates, each etched with faint runes.
"You've felt it by now," Lira said, dusting off her gloves. "Each time a stat reaches a new multiple of ten, your body improves exponentially. Someone with 30 in strength is roughly three times as strong as an average human."
I nodded slowly. "So this is to measure how far above normal I am."
"Correct. Damon told me you're... abnormal, even by Awakened standards. Let's confirm it. Show me what you can do."
I looked at the weights and flexed my fingers.
"Can't you just see my stats?" I asked, half-joking.
She shook her head. "Your Arcane Codex is bound to you. No one else can view your attributes. This is the only way."
"Alright then," I said, stepping forward with a smirk. "Good thing I've been going to the gym for two years."
"Let's see if it paid off."
---
Bench Press
I lay back and took hold of the bar. The weight on it was heavy—probably equivalent to 500 kilos. I braced myself, exhaled, and pushed.
The bar rose smoothly.
Commander Lira watched with a passive expression. "Not bad. I'll increase the weight."
The plates on the side shimmered, and the resistance nearly doubled. I repeated the lift. My arms burned slightly, but it wasn't unmanageable. She kept adding more.
By the sixth round, I was lifting what had to be over two tons.
"Strength confirmed," she murmured. "Let's move to agility."
---
Agility Course
The floor shifted beneath us again, reforming into a narrow obstacle path. Arched beams, spinning platforms, and vertical pillars rose up, forming a high-speed sprint track.
"Run the course. Fast as you can. No Aether."
I dashed forward, weaving between the poles and ducking under low-hanging beams. My feet barely touched the ground. Midway through, spinning disks tried to knock me off balance. I leapt over one and rolled under the next.
When I reached the end, a faint pulse from the stone confirmed the time.
"Seventeen seconds," she said, almost surprised. "This course is designed for hunters. Average rookies take thirty or more."
I smirked, panting lightly. "Guess I'm above average."
She didn't smile back. "Don't get cocky. Now, endurance."
---
Endurance Trial
She raised her hand, and a series of targets appeared—floating orbs that glowed with shifting colors.
"For the next five minutes, attack non-stop. Don't miss a beat. The pace will increase every thirty seconds."
I nodded and summoned my Eclipse Blades.
The trial began.
I slashed at the targets as they appeared—first slow, then faster, until they were blinking in and out like strobe lights. Sweat beaded on my forehead. My arms grew heavy. At the four-minute mark, a piercing jolt shot through my shoulder, but I gritted my teeth and kept going.
When the timer ended, I collapsed to one knee, breathing hard. The blades vanished from my hands.
Commander Lira didn't say anything for a moment. Then she nodded.
"You've got stamina. Most collapse after three minutes."
---
Reaction Test
Finally, the floor transformed into a ring of raised platforms. Above, dozens of metal spheres floated in random patterns.
"You'll need to dodge the spheres," Lira explained. "They'll drop without warning. If one touches you, the test ends."
As soon as she activated the trial, the spheres began dropping—fast and silent.
Danger Sense prickled in my mind. I jumped left, then ducked. Twisted mid-air. Rolled to the side.
One orb nearly grazed my shoulder, but I pivoted out of the way just in time. The test continued for nearly two minutes before I finally stumbled and one sphere tapped my back.
"Very good," she said. "You've got instinct. But your awareness still has room to improve."
---
By the end of it, my shirt was soaked, my body aching—but I was standing. Commander Lira approached and handed me a small towel.
"You're not ordinary," she said. "Your stats place you far above most rookies. Possibly even above some full-fledged hunters."
I wiped my face. "Does that mean I pass?"
She gave me a rare, thin smile. "This wasn't a pass-or-fail. But yes—you'll be assigned a mentor starting tomorrow. For now, rest. You'll need it."
As she turned to leave, I called after her. "Commander?"
She paused without looking back.
"Thank you."
She raised one hand in silent acknowledgment before vanishing down the corridor.
I stood there for a moment, surrounded by the silent remnants of the arena. My arms throbbed. My lungs still burned. But my heart—my heart felt steady.
This was only the beginning. And I was ready for whatever came next.
---
The door to the observation room hissed shut behind Commander Lira. The hum of Aether-powered lights filled the silence. Damon leaned against the far wall, arms crossed, watching her as she removed her gloves and set them neatly on the console.
"Well?" he asked, arching an eyebrow. "Impressed?"
Lira didn't respond immediately. She walked over to the central display panel and pulled up the readings from the evaluation. The numbers pulsed on the screen—clear, undeniable.
Strength Output: 7.2x Standard Human
Reaction Time: 2.3x Awakened Median
Agility, Stamina, Reflex—All High-Grade
She stared at the data, arms slowly crossing.
"He's... seven times stronger than the average human," she muttered. "At level ten."
"Closer to eight, depending on the stat you're measuring," Damon said casually, but there was an edge to his voice.
Lira turned toward him, eyes narrowing. "And you're telling me he's only level ten?"
Damon nodded once. "I double-checked. Arcane Codex confirmed it. He's Divine Order I—freshly ranked."
Lira studied him. "How long did he survive in the World of Despair?"
"Three... maybe five days. Tops."
Lira's brow furrowed. "That's not possible."
"I know," Damon said, pushing off the wall. "Normally, it takes twenty to thirty days in that place to gather enough experience to hit level ten. Most Chosen barely crawl out alive by day twenty. But Kade?" He shrugged. "Walked out like he took a wrong turn into hell and decided to come back."
"And he hasn't noticed this is abnormal?" Lira asked.
"I made sure he didn't," Damon said. "Downplayed it. Let him think he was just naturally gifted."
Lira shook her head slowly, pacing a few steps. "That level of acceleration… there's either something inside him we don't understand, or something pushing him from the outside. Either way, we can't ignore it."
She turned back to Damon.
"He'll realize eventually. And when he does, we need him to trust us—not resent us."
Damon frowned. "You're suggesting I tell him the truth?"
"I'm telling you to earn his trust. You've already made contact. He seems to listen to you. From now on, you're his mentor."
That got a blink from Damon. "You're assigning me?"
"You're the only one who is available and i need someone reliable and manage his unpredictability," Lira said firmly. "Teach him what he needs to know—about demons, our world, Zendor, everything. He needs a guide who won't treat him like a pawn."
Damon was silent for a moment, then smirked faintly. "Didn't expect babysitting duty, but… alright. I'll handle it."
Lira nodded once. "Good. Be honest with him—but not reckless. There's something about that boy, Damon. Something we're not seeing yet."
"Yeah," Damon said quietly, turning toward the door. "That's what worries me too."