A few minutes earlier…

As the door closed behind Lucas, Sasha turned to her mistress. Before she could say anything, Evélyne caressed her cheek. Her usual stoic expression melting slightly as she gazed down at her,

"You can go first."

Sasha locked eyes with her for a few moments before smiling brightly. She nodded firmly as she said,

"See you later, mistress."

Evélyne hmmed as Sasha walked off with an excited tail, anticipating what the test might be. She then paused, seeming to remember something. She turned to Evélyne and said,

"Mistress… when we played with Lucas, he felt… uncomfortable? I think he is upset about something."

Evélyne exhaled.

"I know… I just don't know how to make him feel better."

"Well, how about being his friend, mistress? I'm sure that will cheer him up."

Sasha said with a small smile, Evélyne looked at her slightly confused. Sasha giggled,

"You're so dumb sometimes, mistress, catch you later."

Sasha said as she gave Evélyne the Beastkin wave and stepped through the door. The metallic click of her footfalls vanished, replaced by the soft crunch of grass underfoot. Behind her, the door dissolved into nothing.

She now stood at the edge of a vast, circular training field—at least a hundred meters wide—surrounded by tall, carved stone pillars that jutted out of the ground like silent sentinels. The air was fresh, carrying the scent of grass. The ground beneath her feet was covered in soft, vibrant violet grass, dotted with small flowers.

The pillars themselves were etched with faint runic lines, pulsing with a steady glow. The field was open to the sky, though it shimmered slightly, as if protected by a transparent dome of energy.

Sasha's ears twitched as she took it all in, her amber eyes narrowing slightly, her eyes brimming with focused anticipation. This was where she would be tested. She had to do well.

As she looked around, her eyes met with a figure standing about twenty meters away. It was a golden haired Prismari man. He wore some simple white combat robes, his eyes radiated a warm light as he looked back at Sasha. Sasha blushed before swiftly bowed as she said,

"Good morning sir, where am I supposed to take my test?"

The man chuckled slightly as he spoke, his voice low and rich.

"This is your test, miss Sasha. No need to be so anxious. We will just trade a few blows and you can leave. Make sure to give it your all, okay?"

Sasha raised her head and nodded. She then hastily asked,

"Umm… what happens if I fail?"

The man tilted his head and brought a hand to his chin in thought. Sasha watched on nervously,

'What would make her go all out? Ah, it's quite simple.'

The man's expression was bright as he said,

"If you fail, you may not be allowed into the academy."

Sasha's tail immediately tensed,

'I can't lose!'

Her gaze became razor sharp as she took an offensive stance. Her gown morphed into tight fitting battle robes, her tail wrapped around her waist as her eyes became even colder as a sky blue energy coat formed at her.

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"Here I come."

Not waiting for a response, Sasha rushed forward like a ray of sky blue light. She struck out with a fist and the man ignored it, letting it strike him squarely on the face. Sasha almost retracted her punch but her combat instincts refrained her from such folly.

With a crisp impact, a spark was emitted from their collision, forcing Sasha a few meters back. Shocked, she looked from her fist to the man with a frown. He stood at the same spot, his smiling expression unchanged.

"That's not your best is it?"

Saying nothing, the energy coating her brightened sharply. This energy flowed and concentrated around her legs and arms as she floated a centimeters above the ground. Her Will and Spirit energy wrestled with the World as her hair and eyes became completely sky blue.

The Prismari lost his smile as his gaze hardened. Analyzing Sasha's ability, he couldn't help but be shocked,

'She has a [Transcendent Will]?'

Sasha shot forward once more, flying in with a powerful kick.

Boom!

A spark of energy ignited with a booming shockwave as Sasha struck his neck. With zero hesitation, she pulled back her leg and unload dozens of claws and kicks. Numerous sky blue afterimages surrounded the Prismari as Sasha unleashed a barrage of ruthless strikes.

Crackcrakcrakcrakcrakcrak—boom.

The crescendo of strikes ended due to a sudden palm strike from the golden hair Prismari. Sasha blocked the blow with crossed arms, but the force behind it was quite heavy, knocking her tens of meters away.

Stopping herself with some effort, Sasha locked eyes with her foe as she floated off the ground. Her eyes regained some clarity as she analyzed the man. The Prismari now looked like a golden statue, frozen in an attacking palm strike pose. He calmly readjusted to a neutral stance,

"I'm going to attack now."

Sasha's instincts immediately flared in alarm and she activated one of her Skills.

'[Sensory Overload]!'

Everything slowed to a glacial pace. Sasha could see the golden Prismari rushing forward, the air too slow to give way to his stride. In Sasha's heightened perception however, he was slowed to a crawl. He barely moved a few meters as Sasha nudged herself to the side, her body sailing through the air like it was made of molasses while her mind fell into thought.

'Why are my hits doing nothing? Is it a Skill or a technique? From our earlier clashes, I think it's a technique but given his current golden form, I have my doubts. I should consider…'

Sasha proceeded to analyze every facet of her early clashes. Recalling how each blow felt to the slightest detail. The more she thought about it, the more somber she felt.

'I haven't touched him, not even once! It's his Spirit energy that blocks my strikes by hardening the air around him.'

This realization shocked her as she felt her Mind begin to strain. She swiftly turned off [Sensory Overload] and her pre planned actions were set into motion. She sidestepped a golden light and whipped out a vicious low kick.

A loud crack rang out as the golden stream knocked her into a front flip. She landed and hastily jumped to the side as the light streaked by once more. Baring her canines as her golden eyes became sky blue once more, Sasha shot after the golden light. Her energy coat blazing with more psionic energy than ever.

Boom.

She smashed into her opponent like a meteor, a devastating shockwave being released from the impact. Standing her ground, she struck out with a side kick, packing even greater power and speed.

The Prismari just ate the strike with his usual indifference and he struck out a fist in turn. A brighter flash of golden light was unleashed as the punch ripped through the air.

'[Psionic Shock!]'

The moment Sasha activated her skill, the amount of Spirit energy she released sky rocketed. Her energy coat blazed with light as she punched out.

Booom!

Sasha's power exploded out through her fist as their strikes crashed, knocking them both back with a devastating blast wave. As the dust settled, the Prismari spoke,

"Well done. You pas—"

"Why wouldn't you break?"

Sasha interrupted him. Her voice carried a weight it didn't have before. The very sound waves that carried her voice felt… heavier, like her word were smashing directly into his mind. He frowned at this change.

'Her energy… it's rising? But how?'

He could sense her psionic energy increasing but she wasn't channeling any of it from the World. If anything, her Will clashed against the world even more.

"Why are you concerned with my rising power? I asked you a question."

Sasha stated coolly as she began floating higher, her originally controlled aura spiraling out of control and caused her hair to lash upwards.

Harsh wind and debris whipped around her in the wake of her power. The Prismari said nothing and just kept watching her. Sasha frowned as she said.

"Since you don't want to explain, BREAK!!"

Sasha shot towards her foe, an overwhelming will burst forth as Sasha performed a punch. Unlike her previous attacks, this one was the peak of simplicity. She would bet her life against his in one all out exchange.

'Maybe I pushed her a little too far…'

BOOMMM!

A pure white shock wave erupted throughout the field, turning the original calm arena into a desecrated crater. When everything died down, Sasha floated with her hand out stretched.

Her fist stably caught in her examiner's palm. At the center of his palm, a small crack had been made though it healed a few moments later.

"She actually broke my coat?"

Sasha's energy immediately fade as she crumpled to the ground with a groan. A golden light caught her as the man said.

"Some medical assistance is need with this student."

A moment later, he and Sasha vanished soundlessly. A simple holographic image was left behind.

{Grade 3.

Skill level: Master.

Potential: Unknown.}

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