After several days, peace once again settled over Novara following a period of unrest.
Multiple preparations were made for the upcoming young adventurers' examination. Official invitation cards were sent to all registered participants who had previously signed up for the test.
In the heart of Novara's wealthy district stands the Simulation Center, a modern facility built entirely for conducting adventurers' examinations.
From the outside, the building features a calm and practical design, focusing on structure and efficiency rather than excessive luxury, despite being located in one of the most advanced areas of the city.
In front of the building lies a moderately sized waiting courtyard, used for basic organization before entry, designed purely to manage flow and procedure.
Beyond the courtyard, an internal corridor leads to a main entrance that opens into the center.
Inside, the Main Simulation Chamber is a wide, mostly empty room equipped only with advanced technological systems and monitoring devices installed along the walls. It operates as the core system that transfers participants into their designated virtual environments, where entire worlds are generated digitally within the simulation without the need for any physical setups inside the room itself.
Behind this chamber lies a separate control room reserved for Guild Agency staff, where data is monitored and participant performance is analyzed in real time during the examinations.
The center serves as the main operational hub for Novara's testing system, allowing full control and management of all simulation environments from a single location.
Everyone was fully prepared after intense training for this long-awaited day. In recent days, Novara had faced several dangerous incidents, including an attack by young rebels and the rise of a new threat known as "The Numbers," which caused significant damage across the city.
However, the situation was gradually brought under control. Order was restored, and Novara began recovering. Major repairs were carried out, especially in the wealthy district, which suffered heavily from the underground laboratory explosion, while restoration of the main gate is still ongoing.
All guild leaders have returned to Novara with their members, taking a temporary rest during the examination period, though their exact roles will be revealed later. The Guild Agency will also play a key role in monitoring participants and evaluating their performance throughout the test stages.
Meanwhile, within Novara, the "Talented" group remains shrouded in mystery. What is known so far is that they will not move or interfere in any upcoming events during this period. Their leader, Tavian, remains in his mansion, silently observing everything without direct intervention.
In a quiet morning within Novara's middle district, sunlight slowly slipped through the windows, marking the beginning of a new day.
Milo woke up calmly, sitting on his bed for a moment as he stared silently at the ceiling. There was no tension on his face, only a subtle sense of anticipation.
He stood up and began getting ready, carefully putting on his usual clothes before checking his belongings and leaving the house.
Before leaving the house, Milo paused for a moment at the doorway.
From the hallway, his sister Melina appeared, watching him quietly, as if she had been observing him since he started getting ready.
She walked toward him with calm steps and stopped right in front of him.
Milo gave her a small smile, while she looked at him with eyes that carried hidden concern beneath her calm expression.
She said softly, "Don't be late… and be careful."
Milo replied, scratching the back of his head lightly, "I know, I know… no need to worry."
She paused for a moment, then reached out and adjusted part of his clothing, as if making sure he was properly ready.
Milo left the house, leaving a quiet stillness behind him, while Melina remained in the hallway, watching until he disappeared from view.
Shortly after, Milo headed to the usual meeting point where Herax was already waiting.
Herax stood confidently as always, and when he saw Milo, he gave him a brief smile.
They exchanged greetings without many words, as if everything between them was already understood.
Moments later, Lilithia arrived, appearing slightly more composed than usual but carrying the same seriousness in her gaze.
Without delay, the three of them set off together toward Novara's wealthy district, where the adventurers' examination would take place.
Along the way, the atmosphere remained calm, the city unusually orderly that day. There was little noise, only a quiet sense that something important was approaching.
As time passed, they began nearing the boundary between the middle district and the wealthy district.
There stood the official gate separating the two regions, a controlled passage dividing two very different parts of Novara.
The three of them paused briefly in front of it before continuing onward to the other side.
At the gate separating the middle district from the wealthy district, two guards stood firmly, their calm yet commanding presence reflecting the importance of the place.
Milo and his companions felt their presence even before getting closer, as if the atmosphere itself grew heavier near the entrance.
One of the guards stepped forward and said in a clear, steady voice: "Your cards."
The three of them handed over their invitation cards for the examination without hesitation.
The guards gave a brief look at the cards, then silently allowed them to pass.
The moment they crossed the gate, everything changed.
A clear difference in atmosphere…
A difference in buildings…
A difference in people…
Everything in the wealthy district felt more organized, more calm, and more refined in a subtle, elegant way.
Milo paused for a moment, looking around.
"This place is really beautiful…"
Herax agreed, then asked the question that had been on his mind from the beginning: "Ah… where is the place exactly?"
Lilithia looked at him for a moment, as if trying to recall the details, then said: "Ah… I thought you already knew the place… right, Milo?"
Their attention shifted toward Milo.
Milo raised his gaze calmly and replied simply: "I have no idea."
The three of them stopped in place, the clarity of the path ahead fading as they realized they no longer knew where to go.
Herax shouted in frustration: "How are we supposed to find the examination site now?!"
Milo replied calmly: "Let's ask one of the guards."
But before they could move, a strange man stepped in front of them.
He appeared slightly older, with a neat mustache, calm features, and wearing elegant, refined clothing that reflected either high status or excellent taste.
He gently and said: "You seem to be lost, young ones."
Then he gave them a slight respectful bow.
"Allow me to guide you to the examination site…"
Lilithia looked at the man with uncertain eyes and muttered: "My mother told me not to trust old men…"
Milo turned to her calmly and said: "Why don't we try to be more respectful…"
But before he could finish, Herax quickly responded on their behalf: "Yes, sir. Please guide us to the place."
Lilithia shot him a sharp look: "Herax! You didn't even ask about our opinion!"
Still, Milo didn't object, and in the end, they decided to follow the man.
He led them through organized, quiet paths within the wealthy district. Gradually, the buildings around them changed becoming less decorative and more functional as they approached their destination.
Soon, a massive structure appeared before them.
The man stopped in front of them and gestured toward the building calmly: "This is the place."
The three of them let out a small breath, then bowed slightly in gratitude. "Thank you… and sorry for doubting you."
The man smiled gently and replied: "Think nothing of it. I simply wanted to help as many young people as possible reach the examination site. Many of you are visiting the wealthy district for the first time."
He waved them off softly and then left.
The three stood for a moment in front of the silent structure before moving toward the open main entrance.
From inside, faint noise could already be heard… the voices of those who had arrived earlier and were gathering within.
They exchanged brief glances, then took their first step inside… unaware of what awaited them beyond that gate.