Under a sky swirling with violet light, the entire academy gathered in the Grand Arena of Spirits. The floor burned with ancient runes. Floating rings pulsed with energy. This wasn't normal training.
This was pre-Seal War Ascension.
Master Jun spoke through the clouds, her voice echoing in every mind.
"Only the worthy shall pass. Prepare your souls."
One by one, Jin, Yooha, Bo, Meiqi, Xie Luang, and He Wang entered the central ring.
Boom—
They were thrown into a hyper-dimensional trial.
Phase One: Mana Amplification
The energy around them warped.
"Mana surge… 400%?!" Meiqi gasped.
Yooha gritted her teeth, aura blazing like sunlight.
Her body glowed. Her blade, Silent Veil, split into twin forms—healing and rage.
Bo shouted, "LET'S GOOOOO!" as shadows coiled around him like playful ghosts.
He Wang's flame lotus swirled with golden winds.
Xie Luang floated, silent, eyes glowing azure—his thoughts now synced with the battlefield.
Jin… stood still.
Until—
BOOM.
Golden-red light shot out of him like a star gone supernova.
His clothes shifted into divine armor, the Laughing Blade in his hand now singing.
He whispered:
"I am no longer afraid… of who I am."
A mark appeared on his neck. The symbol of Sahine.
Godborn unlocked.
Phase Two: Illusion War
Spectral enemies appeared—beasts made from regrets, old fears, lost dreams.
Yooha faced a mirror version of herself that whispered:
"You were always the weakest."
She cut through it without blinking.
"Not anymore."
Bo danced through a dozen enemies, cracking jokes between slashes, but his eyes? Sharp. Focused. A warrior clown no more—a spectral general.
Meiqi, furious, took down a dragon illusion with her bare fists.
"Try mocking me now!"
Final Phase: Mana Convergence
All six stood in a formation.
A giant ring of divine mana appeared above them.
Level measured…
Mana: 970,000+
Crowd gasped.
"They're not just students anymore… they're Lords."
Even the Academy Master whispered,
"They're close to god-rank… they'll be ready for the Seal War."
As the training ended, Jin's blade lit up once more.
He turned to Yooha.
"We'll win this. No matter what."
Yooha nodded, gently touching the mark on his chest.
"I believe in you, Jin."
To be continued…