Ryu and Hana were guided by Instructor Takeda through a narrow corridor illuminated by a soft light. Each step echoed on the metal walls, mixing a tense silence with growing anticipation.

They finally arrived at a double door that opened automatically, revealing the next testing room.

The room was spacious and circular, with a high ceiling that gave a sense of vastness. It seemed a harmonious mix of the appearance of when we entered and elements of nature. In the center of the room, there was a large magic circle drawn on the floor, with glowing runes pulsing in various colors, constantly changing as magical energy flowed through them.

The walls of the room were lined with polished metal panels, each containing a series of holographic monitors displaying real-time data. Sensors and cameras were scattered everywhere, capturing every movement and magical fluctuation of the candidates. In various parts of the room, there were crystal pillars glowing with different colors, each representing one of the elements: Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Electricity, Darkness, and Light.

Near the wall opposite the entrance, there was a control table where several instructors were on standby, manipulating control panels and closely monitoring the screens. Each instructor seemed highly focused, adjusting parameters and analyzing the data appearing on their displays.

Around the magical circle on the floor, there were several technological devices, such as a machine that seemed to measure the intensity of magical auras, another that analyzed the purity and resonance of the controlled elements, and a third that projected holograms of previous tests for comparative analysis.

Upon arrival, Ryu and the red-haired girl noticed there were only a few other people in the room—specifically, five other girls and three boys. Takeda was gathering information from the other instructors and then announced: "The first test is over. Today, more than 2,000 people took this test; only you ten passed. This means you are automatically accepted into the Seiryu School of Magic. Though you come from different cities in the southern part of the Eastern Union, don't expect many new classmates."

He divided the students into groups of two for the next test. Ryu ended up paired with the red-haired girl. When this was announced, she introduced herself.

"Hello, although you probably already know, I'm Hana Eversong," the girl said confidently. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I hope we can learn a lot together, Ryuji." Upon hearing that name, Ryu thought, she probably has mixed ancestry, just like me. She had a striking presence, seeming strong and fearless, which was evident in her posture and gaze as well.

Following the instructor Takeda, he explained, "Ryuji, since you seem to have tuned in with four different elements, it wasn't very clear which ones you have affinities for. We need to be sure you can actually control these four elements. Meanwhile, it's obvious that Hana has affinities for Fire and probably Light, so we'll start with you."

"With your core awakened, you can minimally disturb all the elements," Takeda said, "but the ones you can truly control, whether by shaping them, enveloping them around your body, or doing anything you want with them, will be the ones you have affinities for."

Reaching a part of the room with seven crystals, clearly representing all the elements, Ryu took a deep breath and positioned himself in the center of the magical circle. Quickly, a red crystal moved in front of him. He focused, remembering his Uncle Hiroshi's words: "Believe in yourself."

Next, Ryu focused on the red pillar, seeing the elementals taking the path from the crystal to his core. A flame appeared, and instinctively, he managed to control it, though with some difficulty. The flame danced and grew as he directed his energy.

"Fire," Takeda murmured, "don't use up all your energy, move on to the next one."

The next crystal appeared in front of him, blue like the sea. He tried to control Water; the same process of the elements moving to his core happened, but this time he only managed to create small undulating movements on the surface of a container. With Air, he only managed to lift small dust particles from the ground. Electricity was even more difficult; he generated a few sparks but nothing significant. When Ryu had no affinity, the instructor said nothing besides indicating the next test.

This time, the crystal was brown. He looked at it and felt comfortable with that crystal, trying to manipulate the Earth element. He concentrated, feeling the connection with the ground under his feet. Gradually, he managed to lift a small column of stone from the ground, shaping it with his will.

"Well done," said Takeda. "You have a good affinity with Earth." Ryu was amazed that so little effort brought such a significant reaction from his instructor.

Now it was time for Light. The white pillar shone brightly, and Ryu felt a deep connection. He created a sphere of light that floated above his hand, shining with a pure and steady intensity.

"Excellent control of Light," Takeda commented, with a rare smile.

Finally, Ryu tried to manipulate Darkness. The black pillar shone, and he felt the dense, difficult-to-control energy. Despite all his efforts, he only managed to move the Darkness elementals in his hand like living shadows, but in an unstable and uncontrolled manner.

"You have an affinity with Darkness, but you clearly struggle with it."

Takeda observed all of Ryu's efforts and, after the tests, commented: "You demonstrated good elemental control capabilities with Earth, Fire, and Light, with Earth being your standout. Darkness is a few levels lower. However, don't get too full of yourself for having affinities with four elements. It's not that rare to have awakened individuals with so many elements, and there are also some challenges you'll face. Remember, true mastery comes from practice and focus."

"Now, Hana Eversong, you can begin."

Hana positioned herself in the center of the magical circle, and the pillars began to shine again. First would be the fire test. As Hana prepared for the test, Ryu felt a mix of anxiety and curiosity; she would be the benchmark to see if he did well or poorly on the test. When she started, her skill was evident. She manipulated Fire with impressive grace and control, creating complex shapes and maintaining a stable and powerful flame. Light seemed to flow naturally, creating illusions and brilliant shapes with an ease that left Ryu in awe.

Next, she focused on Light. Her ability was graceful, creating luminous shapes and figures that floated in the air with an almost supernatural elegance. Ryu watched, impressed, admitting to himself that Hana was incredibly talented, probably even more than he was. This made him think that she might be the first barrier he would have to overcome if he wanted to stand out.

"Congratulations, Hana," said Takeda. "You demonstrated exceptional control over Fire and Light."

Ryu realized that Hana was not just proud; she was a formidable opponent. He knew he would have to work hard to reach her level, but this new motivation only increased his determination. Ryu approached Hana after her test. "You were incredible, Hana. Even though you started ahead in terms of skill, I'll work hard to catch up to you quickly."

Hana smiled, a gleam of determination in her eyes. "You can try, Ryu, but it won't be easy. I work hard and don't intend to let anyone surpass me. But I'll enjoy watching you try."

As they left the room, Hana turned to Ryu with a confident smile. "Since we're both here, I'm sure we'll see each other soon. I hope we're in the same class. Get ready, because I won't make things easy for you."

Ryu smiled back, feeling the healthy competition forming between them. "Don't worry. I'm ready for the challenge."

After finishing all the tests, the instructors gathered the ten students who passed. Among them, Ryu noticed that one of the boys had his hair changed to a clear blue, but he had to stop thinking about it. Instructor Takeda took the floor. "Well, now that the tests are over, I would like to ask: which field are you going to pursue?"

Ryu, without hesitation, replied, "Obviously the military." But the instructor asked for silence, waiting patiently. After a while, a girl timidly raised her hand and announced that she didn't want to pursue that career. Ryu was astonished, as everyone he knew, whether male or female, wanted to pursue a military career. The instructor asked if anyone else wanted to go into another field, and a boy stepped forward, saying he would pursue a different field. The girl, with short brown hair and green eyes, seemed determined but shy, while the boy, who was tall and thin, had an intellectual air with round glasses and a serious expression.

"So I want you two to stay with me; the rest of you will go home and return in a week. When you're here to stay, remember this is not a camp; it's a military school that will ensure the future of our country. Think about that. You are dismissed." The eight students were escorted to the corridors they had passed through for the first exam, and Ryu and Hana went back together.

On the way, Ryu commented, still intrigued: "It's strange, with the possibility of defending people, that they don't want to pursue a military career. I think it's a waste of talent."

Hana replied calmly, "Not everyone wants to die for others or for a government. We can't judge." These words left Ryu perplexed. When they arrived at the room for the first exam, they were escorted separately. Hana gave a brief wave goodbye and said, "Well, in the end, I chose the same path as you, so I'll see you later, Ryuji."

Ryu didn't return by bus like on the way there; he was taken by car by men who seemed to wear the same clothes as the instructors. He felt the elementals being disturbed in the area and, curious, asked, "Why are you escorting me?"

"You might be the future of the nation. We have to be careful. Even though we've been at peace for 400 years, there are risks in neglecting new talents. During this week, we will monitor your house, or at least that was our job, but here in Tokyo, students who pass usually don't need that. For example, your grandfather is a military veteran; he probably won't like sensing people around."

Hearing his grandfather's name, Ryu finally realized that what his grandfather always asked was for him to become a mage. Will Grandpa be a little kinder to me now? That would be great. Starting to imagine various scenarios of his grandfather being kind to him, Ryu didn't notice the time passing.

Upon arriving home, the agents talked to Ryu's grandfather. The conversation was brief and direct. "Sir, we are here to ensure your grandson's safety during this week."

Ryu's grandfather, with a stern look, responded, "I don't need anyone around my house. Leave."

He spoke with such an intimidating aura that the agents had no desire to argue.

After the agents left, the grandfather addressed the meeting room, where Ryu reported his academic and training life once a month. "So, you passed," he said, emotionless.

"Yes, I passed," Ryu replied.

"They only told me you have four affinities. Let's see if they are useful," ordered the grandfather, pointing to the garden. Ryu felt strong anxiety, but when he reached the place where he always trained, he managed to calm down more easily. That familiar place where he had always been since childhood made him feel confident. Facing his grandfather, he began to concentrate, and quickly a flame appeared in front of him, the size of his head. It was easier to control there than in the laboratory, but still smaller than Hana's. "Put it out," his grandfather said harshly. With some difficulty, Ryu managed to extinguish the flame.

Ryu waited for his grandfather to ask him to show the other elements, but that didn't happen. As if it didn't matter, his grandfather, without changing his expression, said, "Come here." When Ryu approached, his grandfather tried to punch him. Ryu ducked down, but a knee came towards his chest. It was impossible to dodge, so he just braced himself and defended, yet he flew about 2 meters back, although managing to stay on his feet, feeling intense pain in his arms.

"At least you have enough instinct to defend yourself with pure mana," said his grandfather coldly. Pure mana, what is that?

Ryu, not fully understanding, attacked again. He created an orb of light and made it stay in front of his grandfather's eyes, then quickly attempted a spinning kick. His grandfather easily caught the kick and threw Ryu away. "You think too highly of yourself, using dirty tricks just like your father," he said. For the first time, Ryu heard something about his father, but before he could think, his grandfather cast a fire spell. It was the same size as his, but came at an incredible speed.

With no time to think, following only his intuition, he stomped on the ground with all his might, raising an earthen wall and leaning on it. The fireball hit hard, pushing Ryu back a bit, but the wall held. When the dust settled, Ryu's grandfather said, "What a disappointment. The talent went to that inferior elemental."

Suddenly, Kenjiro did something he had never done while training Ryu: he moved from his usual spot with incredible speed and got close to his grandson. Desperately, Ryu tried to punch, but when he tried to use his core, he felt great pain. With no time to think about it, he pushed to the limit, fire starting to appear around his fist, but in vain. Without knowing if he was even touched, Ryu felt an impact on his chest, his fist dropped, and so did his entire body.

The shock and exhaustion made Ryu pass out. When he woke up, he was in his bed, treated.

"Did Miss Sora take care of me?" he wondered. Feeling hungry, he went to the kitchen, where he found a plate of food. After heating it in the microwave, he was surprised by the taste. When he was finishing the food, he found letters at the bottom of the plate. "Congratulations on your success."

Ryu was moved. "Thank you," he said with tears in his eyes, feeling that at least someone cared about him.