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The door creaked open as we stepped into the magic testing room. The air inside was thick with an unexplainable energy, almost as if the walls themselves were alive with magic. Strange symbols glowed faintly along the edges of the circular room, pulsating with a steady rhythm. At the center of it all stood a pedestal, and atop it lay a polished, translucent stone roughly the size of a human head. It shimmered faintly, reflecting the dim torchlight.
"This is a magic resonance stone," Reina said, her voice unusually serious.
Renji nodded. "Exactly. You place your dominant hand on it, and it measures your magic strength to determine your rank."
I stepped forward hesitantly, my eyes fixated on the stone. "And what kind of ranks are there?"
"There are six in total," Renji explained. "E-rank is the weakest, reserved for those with only a trace of magic. Then you have D, C, B, and A—each representing stronger magic capability. And then there's S-rank, a classification given only to those whose power surpasses even A-rank standards. It's extremely rare."
I swallowed hard. "So… what happens if someone isn't even E-rank?"
Reina hesitated before answering. "That usually means they haven't awakened yet. Or... they never will."
A cold knot formed in my stomach at her words.
The assistant, a short man in robes covered with intricate markings, gestured toward the stone impatiently. "Just put your hand on it, please."
I hesitated. A million thoughts rushed through my head at once.
What if I hadn't awakened?
What if my magic was too weak?
What if… they didn't accept me?
I clenched my fist. I had spent years training with Sensei Sin Ju, pushing myself beyond my limits. I had bested an experienced adventurer like Reina in combat. I had to be strong enough—there was no way I wasn't. But a voice in the back of my head whispered doubts I didn't want to hear.
What if it was all for nothing?
I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and placed my hand on the stone.
At first, nothing happened. The room was dead silent, the tension so thick I could barely breathe.
Then, the stone glowed faintly beneath my palm, humming with energy. The symbols on the walls pulsed in response, brightening slightly. The assistant leaned forward expectantly. Reina and Renji watched with interest.
Then, suddenly—
Error.
A strange crackling noise echoed throughout the room. The light flickered, and the stone dimmed. The assistant's eyes widened in shock.
"It failed to measure his magic strength," he muttered, unable to hide his disbelief.
"This is weird," Reina said, frowning. "That's never happened before."
Renji rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Let's not jump to any conclusions just yet. It could be a mistake. Just try again."
The assistant nodded. "Yes, of course. Let's run the test one more time. Please, place your hand back on the stone."
I exhaled slowly. Maybe it was just a fluke? A malfunction?
I pressed my palm against the stone again, this time concentrating with all my might. I could feel something stir deep within me—a faint flicker, like a candle in the wind. Come on, come on, come on—
Error.
The same message appeared. The stone remained unresponsive.
Reina sighed, placing her hands on her hips. "Well, Zerro… bad news for you."
I swallowed hard, feeling my chest tighten. "What does this mean?"
Reina crossed her arms. "You haven't awakened yet, buddy. That explains why you weren't using any abilities against me in our fight."
Renji watched me carefully, his expression unreadable. Then, after a long pause, he sighed. "I have to say, I'm honestly impressed by your skills. Even without an awakened ability, your combat prowess is remarkable. I can tell just from watching you that you have immense potential." He hesitated, and for a moment, I thought he was about to say something encouraging. But then—
"However… I'm really sorry."
I felt my stomach drop. "Why?"
Renji closed his eyes briefly before meeting my gaze. "We don't accept unawakened people into our guild."
His words hit me like a hammer to the chest.
I clenched my fists. "But—!"
Renji shook his head. "It's not about talent or skill. Without an awakened ability, you won't survive as an adventurer. Magic is essential in combat, in survival, in everything we do. Without it, you'd be at a severe disadvantage." He sighed again, his voice heavy with finality. "Therefore…"
He hesitated, as if choosing his words carefully, but in the end, there was no way to soften the blow.
"We can't accept you, Zerro."
Silence filled the room. I couldn't move. I couldn't speak.
Just like that, it was over.
The dream I had chased since I was a child—the path I had fought for, bled for—had been ripped away in an instant.
No matter how skilled I was.
No matter how hard I had trained.
None of it mattered. Not without magic.
I stood frozen, my hands trembling at my sides. My breath came in short, uneven gasps. My mind refused to accept it. This couldn't be happening. There had to be another way. There had to be something I could do—
But the expressions on their faces told me otherwise.
It was final.
I had failed.
I turned away, my vision blurring, and walked toward the exit. I didn't look back. I didn't say a word.
Because at that moment, I felt like I had lost everything.
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