The Combat Arena of the Hunter Association was a coliseum of tension. Hundreds of candidates sat in the gallery, their hearts pounding as they stared at the holographic stage below.
In the center of the arena stood a tall, imposing man with a jagged scar running from his eye to his jaw.
Chief Instructor Bhaskar. A veteran A-Rank Hunter who had survived the frontlines for twenty years.
"Attention!" Bhaskar's voice boomed without a microphone, silencing the murmurs.
"Many of you think you know who you are. Some of you think you are Fighters because you hold a sword. Others think you are Mages because you can light a candle with your mana."
He looked at the crowd with disdain.
"Garbage! Those are just labels for the weak."
A holographic whiteboard appeared in the air behind him. It displayed three words:
* Fighter
* Tank
* Mage
"The System gives you these three 'Foundation Classes'," Bhaskar explained, pacing around. "But these are just the starting line. History is not made by those who follow rules. Look at [The Great Aasif Khan (A.K.)]. Do you think the world's strongest Level 800 Hunter is just a simple 'Fighter'? No. He transcended the system."
A shiver went through the crowd at the mention of A.K. He was a living legend, a man who spent 95% of his time inside Gates, constantly seeking power.
"Your class is defined by your Stat Allocation and your Brain," Bhaskar tapped his temple. "Infinite combinations. Infinite potential. Show me your 'Build'."
The Simulation Begins
"Let's see how you wasted your potential," Bhaskar shouted.
Several candidates went up. Most failed miserably.
One boy, Rohan, tried to be a Healer but had put all his points into Strength. He was knocked out instantly.
"Fail! Useless build," Bhaskar scoffed.
Then came the heavy hitters.
"Next, Rahul Mehra!"
Rahul walked down with a swagger. He was the son of Vikrant Mehra, the Guild Master of the 'Golden Lion Guild' (Rank 10). He was rich, but nowhere near the top of the food chain. He had something to prove.
Class: Fighter.
Mana: 125.
A D-Rank Orc materialized.
Rahul drew his gold-plated sword. "Watch closely."
[Skill: Flame Blade]
His sword erupted in red flames. He had combined the physical prowess of a Fighter with high Mana. A Magic Swordsman hybrid.
Slash!
In one clean motion, he decapitated the Orc. The flames cauterized the wound instantly.
"Not bad," Bhaskar nodded. "A hybrid build. Expensive to maintain, but effective. Pass."
Rahul smirked at the crowd, soaking in the applause. He thought he was the star of the show.
Until the next name was called.
"Next, Kabir!"
The crowd went silent. Whispers erupted like wildfire.
"Kabir? Is that... Sahil's son?"
" The son of the Number 1 Guild Leader?"
A boy walked onto the stage. He looked nothing like a warrior. He wore thick glasses and carried a massive, metallic backpack that looked too heavy for him. He looked like a nerd who had wandered into a war zone.
Class: Fighter.
Bhaskar raised an eyebrow. "You chose the Fighter class, yet you look like a scientist. Where did you put your points?"
Kabir adjusted his glasses. "All into Intelligence."
The crowd laughed. "A Fighter with high Intelligence? Is he going to do math problems at the monster?"
Kabir ignored them. He dropped the heavy bag on the floor.
CLICK. WHIRR.
The bag unfolded mechanically. Metal plates shifted and locked into place. Within seconds, two Automated Turrets stood on the ground, and a Combat Drone hovered above his head.
BUZZ!
An Armored Bear (D-Rank) appeared.
The bear roared and charged at Kabir. Kabir didn't even flinch. He simply tapped a command on his holographic wristwatch.
TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
The turrets unleashed a barrage of mana-bullets. The drone fired a concentrated laser beam from above.
The Armored Bear was shredded to pieces before it could even get within ten feet of Kabir.
Silence. Absolute silence.
Kabir tapped his watch again, and the machines folded back into his bag. He lifted it with ease.
"I chose the Fighter class for the Strength to carry my heavy equipment," Kabir explained calmly. "And Intelligence to power my tech. I call it the Tech-Fighter build."
Bhaskar grinned. "A Sci-Fi build. The trademark of the Number 1 Guild. Excellent. Pass!"
Rahul's face turned pale. His flashy fire sword suddenly looked like a toy compared to Kabir's army of machines.
"Next, Sneha Verma!"
The daughter of Devendra Verma—the richest man in the world and owner of Roxious—stepped up.
She didn't use technology. She didn't use hybrid tricks.
She used pure, overwhelming dominance.
[Flash Freeze]
The moment the Shadow Cat lunged, it was turned into an ice sculpture. She didn't just kill it; she denied its existence.
"Crowd Control Mage," Bhaskar noted. "Flawless efficiency."
The Anomaly
"Next... Aryan!"
When Aryan's name was called, the tension in the room evaporated. The "Titans"—Kabir, Sneha, and Rahul—had set the bar too high. Now, seeing a boy in cheap cargo pants walk up, the crowd prepared to laugh.
Aryan walked to the weapon rack.
He ignored the spears and axes. He picked up a Rusty Iron Sword.
"Is he serious?" someone laughed. "He's going to die of tetanus before the monster kills him."
BUZZ!
A Grey Wolf materialized.
Aryan held the sword with shaking hands. His legs trembled. He looked like he was about to faint.
"Grrr!" The wolf lunged.
"Whoa!" Aryan yelped (bad acting) and tripped backward.
He fell flat on his back. The wolf sailed over him, missing him by an inch.
"What is he doing?" Bhaskar face-palmed. "Did he put his points into Luck?"
The wolf turned around, snarling. It leaped again, aiming straight for Aryan's throat.
Aryan squeezed his eyes shut and thrust the sword forward blindly, screaming in terror.
"Stay away!"
SQUELCH!
The wolf, carried by its own momentum, impaled itself directly on the rusty blade. The tip pierced its heart.
The hologram flickered and vanished.
Aryan lay on the ground, panting heavily. He slowly opened one eye.
"Am... Am I alive?"
The arena was dead silent. Even the Instructor looked confused.
"He tripped..." Rahul burst out laughing. "He tripped and killed it by accident! Hahaha! This guy is a joke!"
The crowd joined in the laughter. "The Luckiest Noob in history!"
"Pass," Bhaskar sighed, rubbing his temples. "But don't expect that luck to save you in a real Dungeon. Get out of my sight."
Aryan stood up, dusted off his clothes, and walked away looking relieved.
But not everyone was laughing.
Kabir, who was typing on his holographic laptop, paused. He glanced at Aryan over his glasses.
"Calculated probability of tripping at that exact angle to dodge a wolf: 0.001%."
"Sword grip stability upon impact: 99%."
Kabir narrowed his eyes. "He isn't lucky. He's acting."
Across the room, Sneha was also watching him. She remembered the chill she felt earlier.
"First he hides his Mana... now he hides his Skill. Who is he?"
Aryan walked out of the arena, clutching his new ID card.
[System Notification]
[Trial Complete]
[Access to Dungeons: Granted]
A faint smile played on Aryan's lips. The world saw a clumsy F-Rank Fighter.
They didn't know that the Void Walker had just entered the hunting grounds.