### **Chapter 5: The Wolves' Den**
The moment Loki declared my status an unprecedented success, the atmosphere in the room shifted. I was no longer just a gutsy applicant; I was an investment, a curiosity, a piece on the board that had suddenly revealed itself to be a queen in disguise.
"Finn, come take a look at this!" Loki yelled, her voice echoing through the grand hall.
A moment later, a small, unassuming man with blond hair and the calm, steady eyes of a seasoned leader entered the room. This was Finn Deimne, the captain of the Loki Familia. His aura, as seen through my Observation Haki, was a beacon of controlled power and sharp intellect. He was flanked by a tall, beautiful elf with green hair, Riveria Ljos Alf, and a hulking dwarf with a thick brown beard, Gareth Landrock. The trinity of the Loki Familia's leadership.
Finn's eyes scanned the Falna on my back, his expression unreadable. Riveria's breath hitched slightly, while Gareth let out a low whistle.
"Magic without a grimoire... and two development skills at Level 1," Finn murmured, his gaze analytical. "'Sage's Mind.' It implies a connection to something beyond the standard path of growth. And 'Liar's Luck'... Loki, this one is your spitting image."
Loki cackled, puffing out her chest with pride. "See? I told you he was a wild card! A perfect fit for my Familia!"
"He is an anomaly," Riveria stated, her tone cautious but not dismissive. "An anomaly that could bring us great fortune or great trouble. We will need to watch him closely."
Finn nodded, his eyes finally meeting mine. There was no judgment in them, only a calculating appraisal. "Welcome to the Loki Familia, Ren. My name is Finn. You've made a bold first impression. Now comes the hard part: proving you're worth the trouble."
He turned to a quiet figure who had been standing near the doorway, almost unnoticed. She had golden hair and eyes that seemed to hold a profound emptiness. Her aura was a tempest, a swirling vortex of power that dwarfed everyone else in the room, yet it was contained beneath a veneer of absolute calm. Ais Wallenstein. Even at this younger age, her strength was palpable.
"Ais," Finn said gently. "Take Ren to the training grounds. Spar with him. I want to see what he can do."
Ais gave a simple, silent nod. Her golden eyes flickered towards me, devoid of emotion. "Follow me," she said, her voice soft and quiet.
The walk to the training grounds was silent. Ais moved with an efficiency that was mesmerizing, every step purposeful. The other adventurers we passed gave her a wide berth, their expressions a mixture of awe and reverence. She was the Sword Princess, a prodigy even then.
The training yard was a large, open space with weapon racks and a packed dirt floor. Ais walked to a rack and picked up a wooden training sword. She tossed another one to me. It felt heavy and awkward in my hand.
"Ready?" she asked.
I took a deep breath, my heart pounding. This was a test. Finn didn't just want to see my skills; he wanted to gauge my character, my potential, my limits. Losing was inevitable, but *how* I lost was what mattered.
"Ready," I confirmed.
The moment the word left my mouth, she moved. She wasn't using the Body Flicker technique, but her natural agility was so immense that she might as well have been. She closed the distance in an instant, her wooden sword a blur aimed at my chest.
My Observation Haki screamed a warning. I didn't have time to think, only to react. I threw myself to the side, the tip of her sword grazing my shirt. I created a Shadow Clone without a hand sign—a silent, instantaneous split. The clone appeared behind me and immediately charged at Ais from her flank.
Ais didn't even seem surprised. With fluid grace, she spun, parrying my clumsy swing and simultaneously kicking my clone in the chest. It dispersed in a puff of smoke, its brief experience—the shock of her speed, the solid impact of her kick—flowing back to me.
She was on me again before I could recover. I was outmatched in every physical metric. Strength, speed, skill—she was superior in every way. But I had my own advantages.
*'Sage's Mind' accelerates the growth of perception.*
As she pressed her attack, a strange thing began to happen. My Haki, which had been a vague sense of presence, started to sharpen. I could feel the intent behind her movements a split-second before she made them. It wasn't true precognition, but it was close.
*She's going to feint left and thrust right.*
I moved to parry the right thrust just as she began the motion. Our wooden swords clashed, the impact jarring my arm. She was stronger, but I had met the blow. Her golden eyes widened, just a fraction. It was the first hint of surprise she had shown.
I used that moment to create five more Shadow Clones, which exploded into existence around her. They swarmed her, a chaotic flurry of attacks from all directions. It was a desperate, sloppy tactic, but it was all I had.
Ais became a whirlwind. She moved through the clones like a dancer, her wooden sword a seamless extension of her body. Each block, parry, and strike was perfect. One by one, my clones burst into smoke, their memories flooding my mind. The sheer overwhelming data of her flawless technique was a lesson in itself.
While she was occupied, I focused, gathering the natural energy around me. It was a risk, but it was my only chance. The world seemed to come alive, energy flowing into me. Markings appeared on my face as I entered Imperfect Sage Mode.
Power surged through my body. My senses exploded. The world became incredibly sharp and vibrant. Ais dispatched the last clone and turned to face me, her eyes locking onto my transformed state. For the first time, I saw a flicker of genuine curiosity in her expression.
"What is that?" she asked, her voice still quiet but now laced with intrigue.
"My trump card," I said, my own voice sounding deeper, more resonant.
I charged. This time, our speeds were closer. When our swords met, it was her arm that jolted from the impact. The raw physical power of Sage Mode was immense. We exchanged a rapid series of blows, the clash of wood echoing through the yard. I was still no swordsman, but the raw power and enhanced reflexes of Sage Mode allowed me to keep up, to match the Sword Princess blow for blow.
But I knew it was temporary. My one-minute limit was fast approaching. I had to end this. I put all my strength into one final, overhead strike.
Ais met it, but instead of blocking, she used my own momentum against me, redirecting my blade and stepping inside my guard. Her hand shot out, not with the sword, but with her open palm, striking me squarely in the chest. It wasn't a powerful blow, but it was perfectly placed. The air rushed out of my lungs, and my Sage Mode sputtered and died, the markings fading from my face. I stumbled back, gasping, the fight knocked out of me.
Silence descended on the training yard. I had lost, but I was still standing.
Ais looked at me, her head tilted. A small, almost imperceptible smile touched her lips.
"You're interesting," she said. "Let's train again tomorrow."
From the sidelines, I could feel the gazes of Finn, Riveria, and Gareth. I hadn't won the fight, but I had a feeling I had passed the test.