The break before the second test was brief, but it was enough for Ray to gather his thoughts. He stood against the cold stone wall of the arena, his eyes closed, leaning with his arms crossed. The sound of murmurs and shifting bodies filled the air, but he was lost in his own thoughts, the pulse of his mana steady and calming.
It was then that he felt the presence, just a small shift in the air, a subtle pressure he could no longer ignore. He didn't open his eyes. Instead, his voice broke the silence, his tone casual,
"What do you need, Mrs. Lily?"
Lily froze. She had always been confident in her ability to remain undetected, even by those with heightened senses. She had used a dark veil, a subtle and powerful illusion, to mask her presence. And yet, here was Ray, standing with his eyes closed, sensing her as if she were an open book.
"How did you know it was me?" Lily asked, a touch of surprise in her voice.
Ray shrugged nonchalantly.
"Somehow," he replied, offering nothing more, his expression unreadable.
Lily couldn't help but feel a spark of curiosity flare up inside her.
"Where are you from? You don't seem like you're from around here."
Ray didn't answer. He merely tilted his head slightly, his expression unchanged. The question seemed to roll off him, as if he had expected it.
Lily, not one to be easily deterred, leaned in closer.
"Well, if you want to be left alone, I'll go. But just so you know, I'm really looking forward to fighting you. Don't hold back when we face off."
Ray gave her a small, knowing smile. He didn't say a word, but his eyes, even behind the calm demeanor, seemed to speak volumes.
Slightly frustrated, but unable to resist the draw of her own excitement, Lily pouted before turning away.
"Fine, I'll leave you to your brooding. But don't think I won't get my answer later."
With that, she walked away, her footsteps light but purposeful as she joined her siblings, the weight of the conversation hanging between them.
From a distance, Katherine had been watching the exchange with quiet interest. She hadn't missed a moment of Ray's calm yet confident behavior. A thoughtful look crossed her face as she considered the words she had meant to say to him.
'I too have questions...' she thought to herself.
'But that can wait until after this test.'
---
The atmosphere around the training grounds shifted as the time for the second test approached. The training area seemed to pulse with anticipation. At Gerald's announcement, a series of doll-like targets appeared all around the arena.
"Listen up, everyone!" Gerald's voice rang through the air.
"These dummies are made from the most durable materials, reinforced by magical engineering. With barriers that can withstand even a punch from a Sword Saint to some extent, they will provide an accurate measure of your strength using a set of number. Each of you will get one shot, and it will be added to your previous performance score."
The crowd fell silent as Gerald continued.
"The highest score on record is 70 points, achieved by Dravis's father, Denver. He reached Sword King level at 16 years old. Quite unprecedented in Helios, so Let's see who can beat that."
One by one, the candidates were called to take their turn. The first group, a mix of average students, performed fairly well but didn't stand out. The highest score among them was 23, a solid but unimpressive number.
The rounds continued, with more notable performances. Xavier and Lewis, both impressive in their own rights, scored 40 and 42 respectively, setting the bar higher. Then came Ririna, Zinni, Clea, and Katherine.
Ririna, using her storm element to enhance her physical power, scored a 43, she went off with indifferent expression.
Zinni, with the combination of her lightning magic and enhancement magic, surged ahead with a 45, not quite what she wanted to see.
Clea, using her primal energy to reinforce her fists, scored 41, a result that left her feeling dissatisfied. She didn't look back as she exited, disappointed with her own performance.
Katherine, with a swift movement, used her wind fairy Mimi's powers to enhance her physical strikes and amplify her force using wind. Her score, 48, was the highest so far, but she knew there were still many powerful candidates to come. With a thoughtful expression, she moved to join her group, ready for the next phase.
---
Next, it was Henry and Jonny's turn. Henry, known for his gravity attunement, coated himself in primal energy, unleashed a powerful vertical pressure, earning a 55.
Jonny, a boy who was a commoner and had a decent evaluation last test, he had good built though, quite bulky, with his mastery of primal energy, delivered a crushing blow that scored 53, surprising everyone.
Finally, the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived. Gerald called out the names of the last two candidates,
"...then, Lily and Ray, come forward".
Lily, standing with a poised smile, stepped forward first. Her energy flared, a tangible aura surrounding her as she prepared herself for the challenge. She eyed Ray from the corner of her gaze, eager to see what he could do, but not ready to let her own performance falter.
She said," Lets see who wins this bout."
Ray, as always, seemed almost disinterested. His gaze flickered lazily toward the target before he rolled his shoulders and took a slow, deliberate step forward.
He replied, " Okay!."
His demeanor was calm...too calm..like he was merely going through the motions. But beneath that calm was the raw, untapped power that had stunned everyone during the first test.
The crowd held its breath as the tension in the air mounted. The next round was about to begin.