Will appeared inside the domain alongside thousands of other participants, his boots sinking slightly into the soft grass beneath him.
The environment was immediately different from the arena outside. The air felt quiet; the suffocation of the crowd was not present.
Tall trees stretched upward, their canopies interlocking to block much of the sunlight, while patches of golden rays filtered through gaps and illuminated the forest floor.
An unfamiliar prompt materialized in front of Will’s vision, hovering silently, waiting for his acknowledgment.
He recognized it instantly. This was the autonomous function of the academy’s domain, the same mechanism described in the novel. It was simply a projection made by an illusion array that hovered above the space of this realm.
It was an artificial realm made by legendary space mages centuries ago; its control right now was in the hands of the entrance exam committee.
The prompt requested that he choose one weapon.
Will did not hesitate.
"A sword," he said calmly.
It was the weapon he trusted most, the one that aligned with his instincts and long years of training.
A moment later, a sword materialized in his hand.
It was plain, unremarkable in appearance, and forged from ordinary steel. There were no engravings, no runes, and no special aura surrounding it.
Its information followed immediately inside him.
The sword would not break inside the domain. It would not chip or dull. Its sharpness would remain at a basic, consistent level.
This was the only weapon he would receive.
Will weighed the sword in his hand, testing its balance. It was serviceable but uninspiring. He understood the academy’s intent clearly.
This trial was not about artifacts or external advantages. It was about skill, judgment, adaptability, and survival.
Around him, he could see participants that were a few miles away; they were already reacting. Some tested their weapons with swings. Others panicked slightly, gripping their equipment too tightly.
A few stood still, clearly trying to process the sudden shift from the crowded arena to the isolation of the forest.
Will ignored them.
He already knew how this ranking battle unfolded in the original story. The domain was massive, far larger than what most participants would expect.
The monsters were distributed unevenly, with higher-ranked creatures concentrated in specific regions. Those locations were not random.
They followed a pattern influenced by terrain, mana density, and geo-formations deep within the land.
That knowledge was one of his greatest advantages.
However, even with foreknowledge, he faced a limitation.
The map was enormous, and he did not know his exact starting position. Without that, blindly rushing toward a remembered location could waste precious time or lead him into unnecessary danger.
He needed to know his location.
Will had activated his Heaven-Piercing Archer talent instinctively, and he could see quite far away.
He scanned the surroundings, searching for any elevated terrain. Hills, ridges, or even tall rock formations could give him a reference point.
After a brief search, he spotted a low hill rising above the surrounding trees a short distance away.
"That will do," he muttered.
He began walking toward it at a steady pace, conserving energy; since sunlight wasn’t present, he would like to be careful.
In a domain like this, recklessness often led to early elimination.
***
Meanwhile, on a different corner of the domain, Ethan stood alone with a sword in his hands.
The forest around him was similar in appearance, yet the feeling it gave off was different.
The mana in this region felt far heavier, more concentrated, as if the land was made for conflict.
Ethan exhaled slowly, his grip tightening around the hilt of his blade as he adjusted his stance.
He sighed quietly.
Since his awakening, his growth had been steady but not without frustration.
The omni-affinity he had obtained allowed him to awaken affinities to all common elements once his exposure reached a sufficient threshold.
At first, the potential of that ability had thrilled him. He had envisioned himself mastering multiple elements, becoming a versatile swordsman.
His first choice had been storm affinity, the same as his master Klaus.
Ethan had trained relentlessly in storm-ridden regions. He had climbed mountains during violent tempests, endured torrential rain and thunderous skies, and practiced his sword arts under conditions that would have broken lesser cultivators.
He believed that immersion would naturally lead to awakening.
It did not.
No matter how hard he trained, the affinity never manifested.
Klaus eventually intervened, pulling him back from the mountains before his obsession caused irreversible harm.
Klaus had explained patiently that storm was a rare element. Awakening it required more than effort. It demanded immense luck as well; Ethan had laughed at the irony after all his talent was anything but that.
Reluctantly, Ethan had abandoned the pursuit.
After careful consideration, he chose the Light element instead. His decision was not rooted in faith or devotion to the church.
Light was one of the most effective elements against demonic energy, and demons are the ones he wants to go against the most.
Once the choice was made, Klaus spared no expense.
Light-based elixirs, rare treasures, and healing specialists were brought in. Light-based items were used on him, and the healer cluelessly used light spells on his body.
After two grueling weeks, the breakthrough finally came.
He awakened an SSS-rank affinity to light.
Even Klaus had been stunned by the rank of the awakening.
Ethan accepted the praise quietly, but deep inside, he knew the truth. The success was not a coincidence.
It was his talent.
----------------
Heaven-Favored Probability
Chance and probability subtly bend in the host’s favor.
Fatal outcomes are frequently averted.
Key moments tilt toward success.
Misfortune rarely occurs without hidden benefit.
----------------
Although the talent somehow didn’t work when he wanted to awaken the storm element, it still worked the next time.
Ethan had deliberately downplayed the talent’s true nature to his master. He told Klaus that it slightly increased his luck, nothing more. He never mentioned its rank nor its deeper implications. This was his secret, one he intended to keep.
Now, inside the trial domain, he infused his Tempest Sword Art with the light element. The combination was imperfect; the Light element and the technique were not fully compatible, but it was still superior to using raw mana alone.
His cultivation had reached A-rank, supported by countless resources and careful guidance.
As he moved forward, cutting through underbrush, a familiar image surfaced in his mind.
"I wonder how he is doing?" Ethan murmured.
The thought lingered longer than he expected.
He shook his head and refocused as he noticed a trail of footprints pressed into the soil ahead. They were large, deep, and uneven.
These were monster footprints that he had been following for quite some time now.
A low growl echoed suddenly.
Grrr...Grrr...
Ethan spun around and raised his sword, shifting into an alert stance.
A pack of A-ranked wolves emerged from the shadows; their eyes glowed faintly with malice. They circled him slowly as saliva dripped from their sharp fangs.
Ethan exhaled once, steadying himself.
"So it begins," he said quietly.
Outside the domain, the arena erupted with noise.
Massive screens hovered above the audience, each displaying different regions of the trial.
Cheers, gasps, and excited murmurs filled the air as spectators tracked their favored candidates.
"Well, well," a commentator’s voice boomed enthusiastically, "looks like one of the participants has found himself in quite a precarious situation!"
The camera zoomed in on Ethan’s position.
In the elite lobby, attention shifted instantly.
Nobles, rulers, and powerful figures leaned forward, their eyes fixed on the screen. Ethan stood at the center of the image, surrounded by wolves.
His talent’s effects, Aura of Heavens and Heaven’s Reward, were subtly active.
In the silence that followed, several spectators exchanged glances.
"That boy," someone muttered, "he doesn’t look afraid."
Another replied, "Well, he is just foolish enough to think he could take on a whole pack of those wolves."
The trial had only just begun, but the stakes were rising already.
-------------
Note:
Aura of Heavens
The host emanates an aura of providence, making their impression favorable to others. Demons instinctively hate this aura.
Heaven’s Reward
All major calamities and trials converge toward the host’s destiny. Upon passing a trial, the heavens reward the host suitably.