*Boom!*
Fire erupted from her body in all directions. The Shadow Cat, caught mid-attack, took the blast directly. It yowled and dissipated into spiritual energy.
"Winner!" the examiner called. "Excellent use of area-of-effect technique in close combat!"
The woman clutched her bleeding shoulder but smiled through the pain. Medical disciples rushed in to treat her wounds.
More matches proceeded across the various arenas. The quality and results varied wildly.
Some applicants showed genuine talent and handled their beasts efficiently. Others barely survived, winning through luck or stubbornness rather than skill.
A stocky young man faced a Stone Turtle in arena five. The beast was incredibly defensive, its shell virtually impenetrable.
The applicant spent five frustrating minutes trying to crack its armor before finally giving up and targeting the head during a brief moment when the turtle extended its neck. His spear thrust ended the match quickly once he found the weakness.
