The night air at Belgrave University was unusually quiet.
Most students had already returned to their dorms, and the campus paths were nearly empty. Only the occasional streetlight illuminated the stone walkways between the tall buildings.
Lucas walked calmly across the campus toward the History Building.
It was almost midnight.
Earlier in the evening he had spent several more hours practicing mana control. His new skill, Mana Compression, had proven extremely useful. By compressing the mana before releasing it, his Mana Bolt attacks had become noticeably stronger.
Even though he was still only Level 3, Lucas felt far more confident than he had the previous day.
Still, he knew tonight would be important.
The Order rarely revealed itself to outsiders.
If Alyssa Drake had personally invited him to something called a trial, it meant he had already caught their attention.
Lucas stopped a few meters away from the History Building.
The massive stone structure looked completely silent at this hour, its dark windows reflecting the faint glow of the campus lights.
But Lucas immediately felt it.
Mana.
A powerful concentration of magical energy was coming from inside the building.
Much stronger than during the daytime.
Lucas activated Mana Sense.
The invisible currents of energy inside the building became clear. Several strong magical signatures were gathered beneath the structure.
Members of the Order.
"They're already here," Lucas murmured quietly.
Right as the clock struck midnight, the heavy wooden door of the History Building slowly opened.
A familiar figure stepped outside.
It was Alyssa Drake.
She looked exactly the same as always — calm, composed, and completely confident.
"You're on time," she said.
Lucas shrugged lightly.
"You told me not to be late."
Alyssa studied him for a moment.
"You seem unusually relaxed."
Lucas smiled faintly.
"I like mysteries."
For a second, Alyssa looked like she was about to say something else.
Instead, she simply turned toward the building.
"Come with me."
Lucas followed her inside.
The interior of the History Building was dark and quiet.
Their footsteps echoed softly across the hallway as Alyssa led him deeper into the building. Eventually they reached a familiar location.
The storage room.
Lucas hid his reaction carefully.
He already knew what was hidden here.
Alyssa walked directly toward the back wall and pressed her hand against one of the stone panels.
A faint magical symbol glowed for a moment.
Then the wall slowly slid open.
A hidden staircase appeared.
Lucas raised an eyebrow.
"Well," he said. "That's dramatic."
Alyssa ignored the comment and began walking down the stairs.
Lucas followed.
The deeper they went, the stronger the magical energy became. The underground chamber beneath Belgrave University was filled with mana, flowing through ancient symbols carved into the stone walls.
At the bottom of the staircase, the passage opened into a large ritual hall.
Several people were already waiting there.
Lucas immediately recognized some of them.
Members of the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose.
Among them stood a tall man wearing a dark coat. His presence alone made the magical energy in the room feel heavier.
Lucas remained calm, but he understood something instantly.
This man was powerful.
The man's eyes shifted toward Lucas.
"So this is the student you mentioned?"
Alyssa nodded.
"Yes."
The man studied Lucas carefully.
Lucas met his gaze without hesitation.
After a few seconds, the man spoke again.
"Interesting."
Lucas tilted his head slightly.
"What is?"
The man smiled faintly.
"Most students look terrified when they come down here for the first time."
Lucas shrugged.
"Should I be?"
The man chuckled softly.
"No."
He stepped forward.
"My name is Edward Coventry."
Lucas recognized the name immediately.
Edward Coventry.
One of the most important members of the Order.
Lucas nodded politely.
"Lucas Hale."
Coventry clasped his hands behind his back.
"Alyssa tells me you noticed magic without being told about it first."
Lucas considered his answer carefully.
"I notice a lot of things."
Coventry's smile widened slightly.
"That kind of awareness can be useful."
He gestured toward the center of the ritual hall.
A large circular symbol was carved into the floor.
"The Order doesn't accept students based on curiosity alone," Coventry said. "We test their potential."
Lucas walked toward the ritual circle.
"A test," he said calmly.
"Exactly."
Coventry's voice became more serious.
"Step into the circle."
Lucas did.
The moment he stepped onto the symbol, the carved runes around the floor began glowing faintly.
Magical energy gathered in the center of the circle.
Lucas immediately felt the shift.
Something was about to appear.
Coventry's voice echoed through the chamber.
"If you wish to step into our world, you must prove you belong in it."
The glowing runes suddenly flared.
A dark shape began forming in the center of the circle.
Lucas's eyes sharpened.
"A monster."
The creature fully materialized a second later.
It looked similar to the Ritual Guardian Lucas had fought before, but slightly larger and more aggressive.
Coventry stepped back.
"Defeat it."
Lucas rolled his shoulders slightly.
"Alright."
The creature roared and charged forward.
Lucas raised his hand immediately.
Mana gathered in his palm.
This time he compressed the energy far more efficiently.
The mana sphere shrank into a dense glowing point.
Then Lucas fired.
The Mana Bolt shot forward like a bullet and slammed directly into the creature's chest.
The monster staggered but didn't fall.
Lucas smiled slightly.
"Good."
He raised his hand again.
"Let's make this interesting."
Behind him, several members of the Order watched with curiosity.
Even Alyssa Drake seemed slightly surprised by the precision of Lucas's attack.
And then the system spoke again.
Ding! Trial Battle Started.
Lucas's eyes focused on the monster rushing toward him.
"Perfect timing," he murmured.
The real fight had just begun.