A hush fell over the rookies as a door on the far side of the arena hissed open.
The man who walked through wasn't just a hunter; he was a force of nature. His armor was a deep, battle-scarred crimson, etched with silver runes that pulsed with a low light. On his pauldron, two glowing silver stars marked his rank: Archmagus. His face was a roadmap of old scars, and his eyes held a cold, assessing glare that swept over the recruits, seeming to find each of them wanting.
"I am Instructor Theodore," his voice boomed, amplified and echoing off the durasteel walls without the need for a microphone. It was a voice used to command-used to be obeyed instantly.
"You have come to The Crucible seeking glory, purpose, or simply a paycheck. Your reasons do not matter to me. What matters is that you are alive at the end of the day. This first trial will separate the potential warriors from the certain cowards."
He began to pace slowly before them, his every step measured and heavy.
"Your objective is simple: Survive.
You will face a wave of simulated Hollows. The projections are solid-light, capable of delivering a painful, non-lethal shock on contact. A direct hit to a vital area will trigger your armor's fail-safe, shutting it down and marking you as 'dead.' You are out."
Theodore stopped and turned to face them fully, a grim smile on his face.
"You will not earn Devil Souls here. But you will earn your first Hunter Experience Points-Cs. They are the currency of your growth here. Perform well, and you will be rewarded. Fail, and you will have nothing to show for your pain.
Now... begin!"
He vanished in a flicker of light, reappearing in an observation booth high above the arena floor.
The entire chamber shuddered. The walls, floor, and ceiling dissolved into a blinding grid of light before resolving into a new environment. The sterile durasteel was gone-replaced by a vast, windswept desert under a blinding binary sun. The air grew hot and dry, sand kicking up in a simulated breeze.
The holographic immersion was flawless.
A low, synthetic growl echoed across the dunes.
From shimmering portals of light, the first wave emerged-
A dozen Grunt-class Hollows, their forms flickering slightly at the edges, but their claws and teeth looking dangerously solid.
Chaos erupted.
The rookies scattered, some shouting, others falling into silent, terrified stances.
A young woman next to Russell manifested a shimmering shortsword from a bracer on her arm-a Molecular skill.
Another recruit roared, his body swelling slightly as he activated a basic Transmutation, his skin taking on a rocky texture.
Russell's hand gripped Emma's hilt tightly, the familiar weight his only anchor.
He fell into the basic stance his uncle had drilled into him.
One of the simulated Grunts zeroed in on him, shrieking as it lunged, claws extended.
Instinct took over.
Russell sidestepped, the movement clumsy but effective. He brought Emma around in a wide, slashing arc. He meant to block, but the edge of his blade caught the Hollow's neck. There was a sizzling crackle of energy-not the wet thud of real impact.
The creature dissolved into pixels of light.
A transparent blue holographic screen materialized before his eyes:
---
DEVIL SOUL ACQUIRED: [NONE]
HUNTER EXPERIENCE POINTS (Cs): +4
ELEMENTAL AFFINITY PROPERTY: [NONE]
---
He stared at the screen for a second, then at the empty space where the Hollow had been. It was fake-a training tool.
But his heart was hammering, the adrenaline was real, and the four points were his.
A new confidence, cold and sharp, washed over him.
He wasn't just surviving.
He was learning.
Russell adjusted his grip on Emma, his eyes scanning the chaotic battlefield for his next target.