Troy stood in the center of the room, the decision settling over him like a weight. He would have to take a risk. A big one. But it was the only option he had. If he wanted to access the Realm 1 Greater Spirit Trial, he would need to use the one advantage he had: the mistaken authority of an elite.
He hadn't intended to deceive anyone when he first arrived in Dukanis City, but now that he understood the gravity of his situation, he knew that deception was his only real path forward. The guards had taken one look at him—sensed his brainwaves, refined and focused—and had mistaken him for a Fourth Realm elite. At first, it had been a stroke of luck, a way to get inside the city, but now it was much more than that. It was leverage, and if he played his cards right, it could be his ticket into the trial.
Troy's gaze drifted back to the window, his eyes narrowing. Why are my brainwaves so different?
He knew the others had trained with the aid of neurosync tech since they were children. But Troy had never used tech to ascend. He had done it on his own. He had clawed his way into Base 1, breaking through the barrier with nothing but his defiance. Maybe that was what made him different—why the guards had mistaken him for someone far beyond his current level.
Maybe I'm different because I had to be.
The thought was both comforting and unsettling. It meant that he had something others didn't. But it also meant that his deception had to be perfect. If anyone realized he was just an outsider who had stumbled his way into Base 1, they would throw him out—or worse. The Five Gods didn't take kindly to people breaking their rules.
But Troy couldn't afford to worry about that now. He had a plan, and it was time to put it into action.
He left his room, his footsteps echoing faintly in the empty hallway. The academy was located near the center of the city, a place that radiated authority and power. The students there would be the children of factions, the privileged, the ones with access to neurosync tech from birth. They would be trained, prepared, already steps ahead of him. But the academy was also the gateway to the trial, and that was what mattered.
As he approached the academy, he saw the guards stationed outside—two of them, standing tall, their armor gleaming under the ethereal light of the city. The air around them pulsed with the faint hum of ether, a testament to their training. Troy took a deep breath, forcing his expression into something calm, something commanding. Confidence. That was the key. He had to act like he belonged, like he was above them.
The guards noticed him immediately, their visors turning to track his approach. Troy didn't hesitate, striding up to them with purpose.
"State your business," one of the guards said, his voice muffled by the helmet.
Troy paused, letting a faint smile touch his lips. "I am here on official business," he said, his voice steady. He tapped his temple, where his brainwaves pulsed with a refined, powerful frequency. "I've sensed something... unusual. A disturbance in the ether, near the Greater Spirit Trial grounds."
The guards exchanged a quick glance, the tension in the air shifting. Troy could see the uncertainty in their posture, the way they hesitated. He pushed forward, his tone growing more authoritative. "It could be nothing, but it could also be a rogue neurosyncer. Perhaps one of the criminal factions trying to infiltrate our ranks. You know how they are."
He had no idea who the criminal factions of Base 1 were, but it didn't matter. The download had told him enough to understand that there were organizations out there that posed a threat to the established order—people who lived outside the Five Gods' influence, who fought against the control of the factions. If there was one thing those in power feared, it was a challenge to their authority.
"I need access to the trial grounds to verify," Troy said, keeping his voice calm, but with an edge of urgency. He made sure to meet the eyes of the guard through his visor, holding the gaze for a moment longer than necessary. "You understand the importance of this, don't you?"
The guards hesitated for another moment before the one on the left nodded. "Of course, sir. We were not aware of any disturbances, but if you say it is so, we must let you in." He stepped aside, pressing a panel on the wall that opened the gates to the academy.
Troy nodded, stepping forward. "Good. Remain vigilant. If I need backup, I'll send word."
The guards saluted, their bodies stiff with deference, and Troy walked through the gates, his heart pounding in his chest. He had done it. He had bluffed his way in.
The academy grounds were vast, filled with wide courtyards and towering buildings, each one marked with the sigils of the Five Gods. Students moved in groups, their uniforms crisp, their expressions focused. They were young—much younger than Troy—and there was an air of confidence to them, the kind of confidence that came from a lifetime of knowing you belonged.
Troy kept his head high, moving through the grounds with purpose. He needed to find the entrance to the trial grounds, but he couldn't afford to draw too much attention. His status as an "elite" might hold with the guards, but the academy was filled with people who had grown up in this world. If anyone looked too closely, if anyone questioned him, the entire charade could crumble.
He spotted a building at the far end of the courtyard, its entrance guarded by two more soldiers. Unlike the others, this one had a different symbol—a spiraling pattern that Troy recognized from the knowledge download. The symbol of the Greater Spirits.
That had to be it.
Troy approached, his expression calm, though his heart pounded in his chest. The guards straightened as he neared, their visors turning to face him.
"I need access to the trial grounds," Troy said, his voice steady. He tapped his temple again, letting the refined frequency of his brainwaves pulse outward. "I've sensed an anomaly, and I need to investigate."
The guards hesitated, then stepped aside, one of them pressing a panel that opened the doors.
"Good luck, sir," one of them said, their voice tinged with respect.
Troy gave a curt nod and stepped through the doors.
The moment he entered, the atmosphere changed. The air was thicker here, charged with ether, the power of the Greater Spirits hanging in the air like a storm. Troy could feel it, a weight pressing down on him, challenging him, testing him. This was it—the gateway to the trial.
He stood there for a moment, taking it all in. He had made it this far, but the real challenge was just beginning. The trial would push him to his limits, and there was no guarantee he would survive. But he had come too far to turn back now.
He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, feeling the ether pulse around him, and stepped forward.