Warrior Training System

The sound of hooves striking the ground ceased, and the carriage came to an abrupt halt. Cassian's attention flicked to the window. Though the wind outside was still whipping through the trees, rustling leaves and kicking up small clouds of dust, the stillness within the carriage felt almost unnatural.

Cassian's unease deepened, and his gaze darted back to the masked man just as he reached up and removed his mask. The man beneath was nothing like Cassian had imagined. Short blonde hair framed a strong, manly face, softened by a light beard that lent him a certain approachable charm. His piercing eyes carried both wisdom and warmth, a stark contrast to the enigmatic aura he'd exuded before.

The man smiled at Cassian, the kind of smile that could put anyone at ease but still left questions hanging in the air. "You've passed the first test, Cassian Alacio," he said, his voice steady but no longer cold. "Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am James Siran, recruiting officer of the Valtross Academy."

Cassian blinked, his confusion giving way to a mix of relief and skepticism. "First test? What do you mean?"

The man opened the carriage door, and Cassian's eyes widened in disbelief. What lay beyond wasn't the dense jungle he had expected but a brightly lit room bustling with activity. People moved about purposefully, handling what appeared to be intricate mana-powered devices adorned with glowing mana crystals. The hum of energy in the air was unmistakable.

"A test among many you'll face to join the academy," James said casually as he stepped out, gesturing for Cassian to follow. "The first was simple—determine if you're a spy from another organization. Judging by your ignorance, you've passed."

Cassian followed him, his gaze sweeping across the room. In an adjacent chamber, he noticed a similar scene unfolding—more individuals interacting with complex machinery, their movements efficient and deliberate.

Cassian's breath came in heavy bursts as his gaze landed on a group of dead bodies being hauled out of nearby carriages. The sight sent a chill down his spine. If he hadn't played the role of the oblivious recruit earlier, he realized he might have ended up in the same sorry state.

His thoughts turned to Rowena. He had always known she treated him like a servant, never once bothering to get closer, unlike Lady Katherine, who had shown him more care. But now, her calling him "son" lingered in his mind, and he realized that it must mean something more. It was the reason he had acted clueless earlier, pretending not to understand what the masked figure was talking about.

A bitter smile tugged at his lips as he processed it. He understood now—Rowena's concern wasn't for him, not in the way he might have hoped. She was worried about him getting caught and failing, not about his well-being. It was all part of the game.

"Figures," he muttered under his breath, the weight of the situation settling in. But oddly, he didn't feel sorrowful. If anything, the reality of the situation hit him harder than he had expected. He was deeper into this shit than he'd thought.

Cassian couldn't shake the worry gnawing at him. If the first test had been like this, what about the others? What would come next, and how many more would he have to face? He wondered what the odds were that he wouldn't be tested again for being a spy. It was becoming clearer to him just how dangerous this mission was, and the only person he could truly rely on was himself. The weight of the situation hit him—he couldn't trust anyone, not fully.

Despite the growing unease, he couldn't help but be impressed by the academy's plan. The measures they had in place to weed out spies from other organizations were nearly flawless. If not for the more experienced operatives and cautious individuals like him, it would've been impossible to breach.

That thought only made him more anxious. It would be foolish to believe they weren't still suspicious of him.

"You've been knocked out for two days while we brought you here, so you might feel a bit stiff," James said, his tone apologetic but with a hint of annoyance. "I'm sorry you had to go through this, but trust me, there's a reason. The academy's been the target of numerous infiltration attempts recently. Last year, we even caught some members from a cult trying to get in." He sighed, continuing his explanation with a grim expression.

Cassian stretched his neck, massaging the spot where the man had struck, and said, "That's fine, but could you have been a little gentler?"

The man smiled, clearly amused. "I was going to, but you surprised me by sensing my presence," he replied. With a nod of approval, he added, "I have to admit, I'm impressed. You were able to detect me even as a first-circle warrior. Not many can do that."

"Nah, I didn't feel anything," Cassian said, his tone casual. "I just saw your reflection in my mother's eyes."

Both of them were finally outside the test chamber, and it wasn't just Cassian who had made it out. Many others around his age were emerging too, some of them visibly shaken, their faces pale from seeing dead bodies of children their age being carried out.

Cassian, however, chose to act true to himself. He wasn't going to pretend As he knew that showing his real self, just with a bit more decorum, would make things easier. Also, no one knew here really know his true identity or the fake one he had been using, and that gave him the freedom to be himself without the risk of exposure.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The man, still impressed, pointed toward the group of children his age, all standing in different states of confusion and fear. Some wore serious expressions, others smiled nervously. "That's still impressive, boy. Enough to be a student of Valtross," James said, watching Cassian closely.

Cassian chuckled lightly, walking toward the group. "If I'm that impressive, just let me join directly. Why all these tests?"

James smiled at the response, clearly entertained. "How could I? Seeing you so excited to do them." he said with a playful tone.

Cassian smirked, and as he moved, his body began to glow with a crimson light. The sudden burst of energy drew everyone's attention. Eyes turned toward him in shock. Most of the others, around his age or a bit older, stared at him, some with expressions of awe, others still in disbelief. A few were angry, others jealous, while some simply ignored him, too focused on their own thoughts to care.

He stood in line with the others, feeling the weight of their gazes on him. James wasn't wrong—excitement bubbled up inside him as he noticed many of them were just as strong as he was, some even stronger. But not strong enough to make him feel like he'd be crushed like he did against Julius, or the likes of Dallas and Cassandra.