Zephyr's steps halted for a split second when he felt a malicious gaze on himself, but before he could follow the urge to look around, the feeling vanished—so quickly it seemed almost a trick of his imagination.
The dome was quite noisy, alive with the sounds of combat and hurried footsteps.
So he couldn't tell if his instincts were guiding him correctly.
He snapped out of his thoughts when a middle-aged voice sounded before him.
"Newcomer, is this your first time here?"
The voice dripped with displeasure, and Zephyr felt it keenly as its owner abruptly waved a hand before his eyes, muttering.
"Are you blind? Answer me."
Zephyr's brow furrowed as he nodded. His eyes squinted, trying to at least find a faint dark shadow before him, but it was far too indistinct for him to make out anything.
The middle-aged voice spoke again.
"Slow as well? I am an instructor. It's the first time I've seen you around, so I can tell you're new. But can you even keep up with the training in your condition—"
Before the instructor, dressed in a zip-up jacket, could finish, a clear voice echoed.
"I can. I will do my best, sir."
The middle-aged man raised a brow but said nothing. He simply took hold of one end of Zephyr's cane and quickly directed him toward a small group of Espers and Guides gathering in the distance.
He still hadn't heard the rumours about a new blind B-rank Esper, so seeing Zephyr left him perplexed. After all, it was rare to see the Association—or any organization—accepting awakened with disabilities.
Still, it wasn't as if such cases didn't exist—there were many Espers and Guides who were disabled yet quite renowned, their power far outweighing their impairment.
After settling Zephyr among the group of newcomers—who looked nervous but also excited for the future awaiting them, unlike the many other groups in the surroundings already training—the man stepped away.
Then, he positioned himself before them, waited a while longer, and when he saw no new face appearing, he clapped his hands to capture the newcomers' attention.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Doir."
He began, his voice firm but unhurried.
"I'll be explaining about the training you must complete before you officially begin working. It usually lasts about four weeks to a month, depending on your capabilities. During this period, you'll attend lessons on combat fundamentals, different monster classifications, and dungeon protocols—essential knowledge for any awakened."
He let his gaze sweep across the five gathered new faces before continuing.
"At the end, you'll undergo both a written and a practical exam. You must score at least fifty-five percent in each. If you pass, the Awakened Association will deploy you to appropriate areas and begin assigning you missions. Naturally, if the Association sees potential in you, they may assign you to a team, or, if you are lucky, you might be personally invited to join a top team that has already made a name for itself."
Doir's explanation was clear and precise, leaving no room for any type of confusion.
He cleared his throat when he saw some individuals giving Zephyr weird looks, while Zephyr stared straight ahead with a calm expression, his hand resting on the cane.
"Does anyone have any questions?"
A male guide raised his hand.
"What if we fail the exams?"
Doir smiled wickedly.
"Very simple. You go through the training again. This continues until you pass."
Everyone shuddered when they caught the hidden meaning in his eyes, which warned them that if they really failed the first time, the next time their training would be hell.