5:10 AM. Friday.
Before the dawn light could touch the day, I was already awake, filled with an unusual calm.
The practical exam at Spectra, a significant event for all students, didn't make me nervous. On the contrary, there was a serenity in my morning preparation, a reflection of my acceptance of the role I now played in the world I had created.
The previous day, after fulfilling my obligations at work and picking up Noah and Emma from school, I spent the rest of the day honing my abilities, seizing every free moment to train further.
Luckily, Evan had an astonishingly fast magical recovery rate.
I opened the system to check my status.
[Name: Evan]
[Age: 17 years]
[Vitality: 7.1]
[Stamina: 3.3]
[Magical Power: 6.5]
[Physical Strength: 3.1]
[Skills]
🔹 Shadow Manipulation
[Points: 174]
'My magical power is increasing quickly.'
The problem was, the more I learned about my abilities, the fewer new things there were to discover.
As a result, over time, I would have to work harder for smaller rewards.
But that only applied to earning points through training alone. I didn't intend to rely solely on that method to boost my stats.
As the creator of this world, I knew easier ways to get stronger without much effort. However, I had to set those methods aside for now.
It was still too early for such things.
"I already have almost 200 points."
Looking at the skills available in the system, my eyes lingered once again on three options:
â–· Shadow Camouflage [Cost: 200 Points]
â–· Black Moon Blades [Cost: 500 Points]
â–· Eyes of the Abyss [Cost: 1000 Points reduced to 200]
Soon, I would be able to choose one of the three best skills available.
I was thoughtful.
"Shadow Camouflage" or "Eyes of the Abyss"?
I was torn between the two.
The best choice, without a doubt, was Shadow Camouflage, but I didn't know when Eyes of the Abyss would disappear.
Even if I couldn't use Eyes of the Abyss effectively, getting such a skill early on for such an accessible price was too tempting to pass up.
In my novel, Evan had bought it for 8000 points, and now it was being offered to me for 200. It didn't make any sense.
"Huff," a sigh of frustration escaped, echoing my indecision.
"I'll leave the final decision for when I have the points."
Closing the system window, I decided to start my day.
"...."
My morning began with the now-familiar routine of preparing breakfast for Noah and Emma.
They woke up to the aroma of coffee and toasted bread wafting through the kitchen—a small comfort in the quiet of dawn.
"Good morning," I said with a smile as I set plates on the table.
"Good morning, Evan!"
Emma replied, rubbing her eyes with one hand and clutching her teddy bear tightly with the other.
"Wow, this looks amazing!" Noah said, already seated and eyeing the food with shining eyes.
We enjoyed breakfast together.
It was a bubble of tranquility and joy amid the anticipation of the Spectra exam.
After the meal, I got them ready for the day, but with one crucial difference in our routine.
Today, I wouldn't be the one taking them to school.
"Leah is coming to take you to school today," I reminded them, handing them their backpacks.
Emma's eyes sparkled with curiosity and excitement as she nodded.
"Really?! Leah is coming to pick us up? You weren't lying?"
I smiled, ruffling her hair gently.
"Of course, I wasn't lying, Em. She's looking forward to seeing you both."
"That's awesome!" "Tap tap," she clapped lightly in excitement. "Today's going to be the best day!"
I chuckled at the enthusiasm radiating from her face.
Noah, with his calm and confident demeanor, nodded in agreement.
"Alright. Good luck with the exam, Evan."
"I'm heading to Spectra now. Take care of each other, and I'll see you later," I said, feeling a mix of gratitude for having Leah's help and determination for the day ahead.
After saying goodbye to Noah and Emma, I headed to Spectra, my routine altered by the anticipation of the practical exam.
The walk to the academy was peaceful—a calm before the storm, reflecting the challenges that lay ahead.
As I entered Spectra's gates, the atmosphere buzzed with an electrifying energy, charged with the tense anticipation of the students.
However, I maintained my unshakable calm.
The room designated for the exam briefing was quiet when I arrived, allowing me to choose a seat far from the others.
Gradually, the room filled with familiar faces, each absorbed in their own thoughts and preparations.
As I settled in, the murmurs of the room slowly gave way to a tense silence—a precursor to the test ahead. Each student seemed lost in their own thoughts, likely contemplating the challenges we were about to face.
My eyes scanned the room briefly, noting familiar faces: Arthur, Kai, Maya, Derek…
However, no matter how hard I looked, I couldn't find one specific person.
'Strange,' I thought, confused, as I looked around the room.
Suddenly, the chair next to mine, which had been empty until now, was occupied without warning.
The person dropped into it with a decided air, as if the seat had always belonged to her. Her presence broke the tension in the room, drawing the attention of some nearby students.
She turned to me quickly, a slight smile playing at the corner of her lips, and said, as though making an offhand comment:
"Is there a problem?"
Her eyes scanned the room casually, but I knew she was only pretending to show interest in anything else.
In truth, her focus was on me.
'Did she notice something? Why choose the seat right next to me?'
"Nothing much," I replied, keeping my tone calm, though my mind was racing.
It wasn't something I could admit: I had been looking for her with my eyes without even realizing it.
She gave a slight shrug, a calculated motion that conveyed an air of indifference yet didn't entirely mask her curiosity.
"If you don't want to talk, that's fine," she said, casting me a sidelong glance, as if waiting for me to open up at any moment.
I was still trying to process the situation.
'Seraphina, sitting next to me?'
She seemed so relaxed, as though we were here to chat and not about to face a practical exam. It was odd, considering the kind of dynamic we'd had so far.
'Why, of all the empty chairs, did she have to pick the one right next to mine?' I thought, trying to hide how much it bothered me.
I masked my unease, pretending I was entirely in control, though part of me wondered if our earlier duel had left some sort of impression on her.
Was she here just to provoke me?
I couldn't help but wonder.
Before I could delve deeper into these thoughts, she spoke again, as if we were old friends.
"So… who do you think will do the best on the exam?"
Her tone was casual, but her eyes missed nothing, watching every detail of my reaction.
I shrugged, adopting a disinterested expression, trying to convey that I didn't care much—about the exam or her.
"No idea."
I kept my gaze fixed on the professor, who had begun to speak.
"Are you always this reserved?"
Her voice carried a mix of curiosity and a hint of teasing as she tried to draw my attention again.
"Let's stay focused," I replied.
Internally, I was trying to figure out her angle.
"Pay attention to this part—it's important," Professor Sebastian said.
His instructions were clear, and as he spoke, I couldn't help but notice how Seraphina occasionally cast quick glances in my direction, as though trying to decipher something about me.
Once Professor Sebastian concluded his instructions, there was a brief moment of expectant silence as he prepared to announce the teams.
"Finally," Seraphina murmured softly, her voice tinged with anticipation and the contained energy that seemed to ripple through the room.
She leaned back in her chair, her eyes slightly narrowed as she analyzed each announcement the professor made.
I listened too, albeit distractedly, waiting for my name to be paired with some unremarkable extras.
In the novel, Evan wasn't supposed to be in any standout group, unlike the other main characters.
Knowing the expected result, I remained calm, waiting for Sebastian to finish.
When Sebastian finally announced my team, my heart jumped in surprise.
"Evan, Maya, Alex, Jenna… and Seraphina."
'.....'
My mind went blank.
'Wait… Seraphina? Maya, Alex, and Jenna?'
My reaction was immediate.
I tried to process it, attempting to mask my response.
It didn't work.
Seraphina noticed and smirked, clearly enjoying my surprise.
With a raised eyebrow, she gave me a slightly teasing look.
"Surprised?"
Seraphina feigned innocence, but the smirk betrayed her amusement at my reaction.
"A little," I admitted, trying to regain my composure, though my mind raced.
It made no sense for me to be in the same group as them.
In the novel, Seraphina was supposed to be with Arthur and the other protagonists.
"Well, it looks like we're a team."
Hearing her, I forced a smile, but inwardly, I was trying to understand what this meant.
My presence in this world was spiraling out of my control, and Seraphina's presence by my side was yet another sign that nothing would go as I had planned.
"..."
"...."
The presentation room soon emptied, and the student groups headed to the designated location for the practical exam.
When we arrived, our eyes were drawn to the center of the space, where an ancient and powerful artifact stood, radiating an intense light that filled the room.
The item, discovered by Spectra's mages in a forgotten dungeon, was even more impressive than I had imagined when writing about it in my novel.
The artifact not only enabled the creation of the portal that served as the entrance to the artificial forest but also possessed a rare and restricted ability.
It could reopen portals to areas that had already been completed, but only in less complex scenarios and under limited conditions.
This allowed the same environment to be reused for training, always with adjustments and variations to ensure safety and introduce new challenges.
When combined with Spectra's advanced technology, the artifact became the centerpiece of an ingenious system, enabling impressive control over the exam.
I couldn't help but feel a tinge of admiration as I saw it in action.
The system I had envisioned in my novel was now right before me—real, pulsing, and ready to push us to our limits.
===
Without much delay, groups of students entered one after the other until it was our team's turn.
Maya, Alex, Jenna, Seraphina, and I stepped through together, with no time for introductions or strategy discussions.
The journey to the artificial forest, though lasting only an instant through the portal created by the artifact, felt like a moment suspended in time.
As we crossed the threshold between Spectra's world and the simulated forest, a wave of sensations enveloped me.
The air around me vibrated with palpable magical energy, filling the experience with a mix of awe and apprehension.
I closed my eyes, and when I opened them, I was already in the forest.
"Whoa! This is surreal!" Alex exclaimed, unable to hide his amazement and saying aloud what everyone else was feeling.
I confess I was impressed too, though I tried to hide it from the rest of the group.
The smell of soil and the sight of dense vegetation surrounded us immediately.
Sunlight filtered through the treetops, casting a mosaic of light and shadow on the ground, adding a realistic touch to the scene.
As I looked around, my mind tried to unravel the line between reality and illusion.
No matter how real it seemed, this was still a controlled environment, adjusted in every detail.
After a brief moment, as everyone took in the surroundings, still marveling at the realism, I decided it was time to focus on our main objective.
Without wasting any more time, I took the initiative.
"Let's talk about what each of us can do."
Jenna was the first to speak, her light blue hair falling gently over her shoulders as she explained.
"I'm a support. I can speed up recovery from injuries using magic to heal and strengthen our allies with buffs during battles."
Her abilities seemed simple at first glance, but they were essential for any group.
Next, Alex introduced himself, proudly showing off his bow.
He had short, slightly messy ash-gray hair, paired with a determined amber gaze.
"My magic-imbued arrows can do just about anything—from explosions to paralyzing effects on targets."
Finally, Maya stepped forward.
She was even more stunning than I had imagined in my novel.
Her golden-blonde hair fell softly, accentuating her striking blue eyes, which radiated an impressive calm.
"I can control the basic elements: fire, water, earth, and air," she said.
There was a slight hint of insecurity in her voice, but she spoke without averting her gaze.
"This gives me a variety of offensive and defensive options. I can create barriers to protect us, launch ranged fire attacks, or even use water and air to disorient or trap our enemies. I'll adapt my magic based on the team's needs."
In summary, she was what we could call a mage.
Despite the variety of her abilities, she was like any other mage—she needed time to prepare her spells. Without a solid team for support, Maya wouldn't be able to show her true potential in combat.
Seraphina, who had been leaning against a tree with her arms crossed, began to speak.
"I'm specialized in close combat. With my sword, I can lead the attack and defend the team. My fencing techniques are versatile, allowing me to adapt quickly to battle situations—whether for precise attacks or agile defenses. I'm ready to face any challenge that comes our way."
Seraphina's confidence was evident in her posture.
I could tell her words weren't just for show; she truly believed in what she was saying and was ready to prove it.
Then, I drew the group's attention with a calm presence.
"As for me," I said, my voice steady as all eyes turned to me.
"My abilities are related to shadows."
The group leaned in slightly, attentive. Instead of explaining too much, I chose to demonstrate.
I raised one hand, allowing dense shadows to emanate from it, slowly shaping into long, black tendrils that seemed to take on a life of their own.
"Unlike regular attacks, the shadows aren't just magic that I cast," I continued, letting the tendrils stretch across the ground before retracting them.
"They're an extension of me, as if they were part of my body. I can use them for close-range combat or to attack slightly more distant enemies, like a spear compared to a sword."
At the mention of the comparison, I noticed Seraphina's gaze narrow slightly.
'Damn... did the comparison between spears and swords get to her?'
For Seraphina, close combat was everything.
Someone comparing themselves to both a spear and a sword at the same time might seem like an advantage… or perhaps, a provocation.
To finish, I slowly retracted the tendrils, letting the shadows fade as if they had never existed.
"That's it."
The group remained silent, absorbing what they had just witnessed.
Glances were exchanged, with expressions of surprise dominating their faces.
'Are my abilities really that strange?' I wondered, trying to decipher the reactions around me.
Finally, Jenna broke the silence, her eyes shining with recognition.
"Oh, so you're Evan! I heard about your duel with Seraphina. Everyone's been talking about your abilities. It seems like you're not just an ordinary mage."
Seraphina, observing the exchange, shrugged, her face neutral, as if the duel had been nothing noteworthy to her.
I followed her lead, maintaining a calm expression.
"That's true," Alex added. "Most mages can only cast spells tied to their element, but you seem to… shape it at will. To do something like that, you'd need incredible mental control and a unique affinity for your powers."
I noticed that Maya was staring at me with intensity.
I knew her interest stemmed from wanting to improve her own magical control.
"Maybe it's not that impressive," I replied to Alex, trying to downplay the attention.
I focused on sharing as much as I could without revealing my uncertainty about the full extent of my powers.
"Now that we know what each of us can do, how are we going to use it to complete the mission?"
Seraphina crossed her arms, waiting for a response.
An uncomfortable silence followed, as everyone seemed to wait for someone else to suggest a plan.
Seeing that no answer was forthcoming, I sighed internally and, with no choice, decided to take the initiative, even if it was the last role I wanted to assume.
"The key will be to use our abilities in a complementary way. Jenna, your healing abilities will keep us standing. Alex, your expertise as a magic archer will be our long-range advantage. Maya, you'll control the elements, creating defenses and attacks as needed. And Seraphina, with your swordsmanship, you'll lead our frontline in combat."
Seraphina, despite her reputation for impulsiveness, nodded, recognizing the importance of the strategy.
"As for me, I'll use the shadows for surprise attacks, defense, and immobilizing opponents."
"What about the other teams?" Alex asked curiously.
Since the artifact was singular, teams could fight each other to secure it.
"They might see the artifact as the ultimate prize, but remember: our performance here isn't just about reaching the artifact first. Spectra values teamwork, combat ability against monsters, and the intelligent use of our skills."
"And don't forget that, besides the main artifact, which will grant the highest score to the team that retrieves it, there are other items scattered throughout the forest. While these items won't be worth as much as the main artifact, they'll grant additional points to the teams that find them. So, let's keep our eyes open."
I knew this because it was how I had written the evaluation process for the characters. And I wasn't about to risk fighting other teams for a single artifact.
I didn't care about coming in first.
Alex nodded, grasping the complexity of the mission.
"So, even if we don't get the artifact, we can still come out on top if we work well together and show what we can do."
"And what about leadership?" Jenna asked, her gaze subtly expectant as she looked at me.
It was clear that, even without an explicit declaration, everyone was inclined to follow my lead.
I nodded, accepting the unofficial role.
"We'll keep things democratic, but I'll make the final decisions if necessary. Our priority is to perform well and ensure everyone gets back safely."
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