And So It Begins

In Breim Port, the capital city of Valsir, an overwhelming flux of people had arrived. The port was a well known trading center, which brought merchants, tourists, celebrities, and other influential figures. The focus of today was the Golden Circle exam.

A majority of the bustling crowd were warriors, young and old. They all had different styles of combat, from magic gunslinging to ice skate blades. It just goes to show how many people wanted to be in the Golden Circle. There were a plethora of benefits that came with joining.

Even if a contestant isn't chosen by one of the esteemed knight battalions, they can still join the basic grunt level reserves. Their livelihood would still be secured. The pay would be enough to support their families.

On a building floating over the water, countless warriors could be seen. Each of them had arrived with their own methods. Some of them just relied on transport ships. The structure was shaped like a large dome, and the inside was similar to the colosseums of old. The stands designated for the audience floated in place of walls. It surrounded the entire stage.

The ocean waves lapped at the platform on every corner. There was a golden ring made of pure energy that spanned the entire sky above the building. It was an incredible sight, and it released a constant radiance.The contestants looked up to the sky with awe. Hopefully they'd be able to join that circle by the end of the day.

Shu munched on a banana while sitting on one of the edges. His legs dangled right above the crashing waters. The colosseum was now packed to the brim. It would be a miracle just to see the other side. After what felt like hours, everyone quieted down. A whistle could be heard from afar.

"The battalions are here!" Someone exclaimed.

The audience burst into massive cheers. The sleepy warrior felt like he'd go deaf from the noise. Everyone looked up into the sky. Multiple silhouettes were descending onto the golden ring. Each of the commanders got comfortable on the floating energy source. Some of them sat on the edge, while the more serious ones stood in place.

A bald man with yellow tinted sunglasses walked in front of the other commanders. White robes covered his body. He raised his hand, prompting everyone to be silent. Seeing that his gesture was followed, he smiled.

"Hello everyone. Welcome to the Golden Circle examination. My name is Vance, and I represent my battalion, Tree of Eden." He exclaimed. Another burst of cheers reverberated due to his words. Vance raised his hand again in order to finish.

"I'd like to introduce our commanders if you all don't mind. This is Jeanne of the Windriders." He announced while gesturing to someone next to him.

A tall woman in militaristic clothes stood with elegance. Her blonde hair shined under the sun as she nodded humbly to the crowd below. A rapier could be seen hanging at her hip.

" Over here, we have Blaine of Phoenix Talon."

A gruff looking man with messy red hair gave a smirk. He was sitting on the edge of the ring. Two glowing horns rose from his head. The man was a demon. He was extremely buff, and a greatsword floated behind him. It was covered in flames.

"To the left, we have Glyn of Iron Mountain."

A man with short black hair could be seen doing pushups. He seemed to be training. While balancing upside down on a single finger, he gave a thumbs up. It was like his body was the weapon.

"Delia of Ravencorpse!"

A beautiful woman with long black hair and brown skin could be seen staring at a certain commander. She wore revealing clothes that emphasized her curves. Her ears were pointed, indicating her dark elf heritage. A massive scythe cackled with electricity beside her.

" Idun of Bloody Thorn."

Another beautiful woman could be seen decked in shining armor. Her arms were crossed. Chestnut colored hair peeked through her helmet. Her right hand soldier stood beside her, an enormous greatbow in her hands.

"Finally, we have Aiden of Silent Night."

A man with dark blue hair stood with his hands in his pockets. His attire was entirely black. The scary part about him was his blood red eyes. They bore down onto the crowd, giving off a dangerous oppression. It was unknown what weapon he used. This was also the man who Delia, the other commander, was staring at.

Shu couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. All of the commanders looked formidable. He already had an idea of which battalions he would join. There were only two of them that had intel of all the kingdoms.

"Now that introductions are out of the way, let's talk about the assessment. There are 3 tests that everyone will undergo. First will be the mana aptitude measurement. No, your power level doesn't matter. We don't care if you're a bronze. What matters is your potential." Vance explained.

Multiple sighs of relief could be heard in the crowd. It seemed that some of them weren't too confident about their strength. The sleepy samurai was unperturbed. It didn't matter to him.

"The second test will be focused on survival. That's all for now. When the time comes, you'll know more about the tests. If you make it past the first test, you will be considered for the reserves. If you pass the second, you may be considered for the battalions. If you pass the third, you'll be guaranteed a spot in the battalions." He continued.

Shu, who was still sitting on the edge, finally stood up. He gazed at the ring in the sky and smiled slightly. His quest for vengeance would take its first step once he made it in. There was no doubt in his mind that he'd fail.

As the commander went on a long explanation about rules and such, the swordsman noticed a few ice petals flying around Aiden of Silent Night. The petals became more concentrated, and a new figure appeared beside him. It was the snow demon. The dark ronin conversed with the commander for a moment. After a few moments, she scanned the crowd.

It only took a few seconds for her to notice a messy ponytail. The sky blue hair wasn't hard to miss. The two locked eyes. Her gaze narrowed as she focused on him. Shu gave a slight smile and waved. It was extremely casual. Seeing his gesture, the snow demon scoffed before looking away.

Aiden noticed her unusual action. He immediately found the boy she was looking at and raised an eyebrow. He didn't seem to be simple. Shu didn't expect to garner the attention of one of the commanders so soon. He only nodded before focusing on Vance.

"-of silver or higher. Killing is only allowed in the second test. If anyone does so before or after, they will be disqualified. Alright…Let the assessment begin."