The old man spoke calmly as he announced his name.
"My name is George, and I will be the supervisor of this stage."
A brief silence followed his words.
Then he continued, raising his hand toward the hall.
"But first…"
He gestured toward the entrance behind him.
"Please proceed inside."
All the participants entered the hall.
It was smaller than the courtyard, but still large enough to hold everyone inside.
The interior was wide and simple in structure.
Smooth metallic walls surrounded the space, covered with faint glowing lines that slowly pulsed like a living system.
The floor was perfectly flat and dark, reflecting a subtle shine from the lights above.
There were no decorations, no unnecessary objects, only a clean and controlled environment that felt more like a facility than a room.
At the far end of the hall stood a raised platform connected to the walls by thin mechanical structures, as if the entire room was designed for observation and control rather than comfort.
Milo and Herax stood beside each other, slowly looking around.
"The atmosphere here is a bit strange…" Herax muttered.
Milo nodded slightly, his eyes scanning the room.
"This room… it reminds me of the training room at the Guild Agency…"
George stood in front of the hall gate, looking at them as he gave a slight cough.
He then spoke.
"Today, we will begin the first stage of the examination, which is divided into six stages. Each stage contains a different type of test."
He looked at them with a serious expression.
"This hall contains the best technology in Novara. Simply put, it can transfer you into a fully virtual reality."
A participant raised his hand.
George's gaze shifted toward him.
"Hm?"
The participant asked,
"Virtual reality? Do you mean like the training rooms at the Guild Agency?"
George slowly nodded.
"Yes. Similar… but more advanced and highly improved."
Aurelius observed quietly, placing his hand on his chin, In his mind, he analyzed the situation further.
Hm… this seems a bit interesting, especially since we know nothing about the stages.
Another participant raised his hand to ask.
"Do these tests include teamwork?"
Aurelius shifted his gaze toward him.
In his mind, he thought again.
A good question.
George responded.
"Yes, that is correct,but not all of them"
George continued speaking.
"Alright, I wish you all good luck in this examination. The system will explain the rules of the test once you are transferred into the other reality. After you complete it, I will inform you of the time for the next examination."
He finished his speech with a calm tone.
"Good luck to you all, Lyra… the rest is in your hands."
He turned slowly and walked out of the hall.
The door closed behind him with a heavy sound, sealing the space completely.
A screen suddenly appeared on the wall.
From it, a beautiful girl emerged as a hologram.
She had long golden-blonde hair, styled in an elegant tied design that flowed smoothly down her back while part of it was neatly gathered and secured, giving her a refined and professional appearance.
She wore a sleek, modern outfit designed like a digital interface, elegant yet clearly artificial.
A soft smile appeared on her face.
"Hello, I am Lyra. I will be in charge of this stage. The first test will begin shortly… are you all ready?"
All eyes turned toward her.
Some participants looked at her with admiration.
"She's… amazing…"
"She's so hot…"
Meanwhile, Milo and Herax exchanged a knowing look.
"…She's similar."
Milo replied quietly.
"Yes… she looks like Nova."
Ryo looked at her from the side with a dreamy expression.
"I wish she were mine!"
Lilithia glanced at him with a calm, slightly confused look.
"…She's just a digital system."
Lyra suddenly raised her voice.
"Are you all ready?!"
A few of the participants responded loudly.
"Yes!!!"
She pressed a specific button.
In an instant, the entire hall went dark and the light disappeared.
Confusion spread among everyone.
"What is happening?!"
Milo whispered calmly.
"The lights are off…"
At that moment, Solir accidentally bumped into Milo from behind, their backs briefly touching.
Without turning, Solir leaned slightly and spoke in a quiet voice.
"We're about to be transferred into the virtual reality soon."
Milo replied quietly.
"Yes."
A few seconds later…
A dark blue light spread across the entire hall.
Korito Kuroka stood calmly, his cousin beside him.
He watched everything without any real interest, as if he wasn't expecting anything significant.
In another corner of the hall…
A figure stood silently.
The one wearing a shirt that covered his mouth like a mask.
Ryo seemed nervous… but excited at the same time.
Milo remained silent, observing everything around him.
Then, Lyra's voice echoed from the screen.
"Goodbye."
In a single second…
Everyone inside the hall disappeared.
The space fell completely empty.
Moments later, the door opened.
George stepped inside, looking at the now silent hall.
"…So, the first stage has begun."
Milo slowly opened his eyes.
He looked around…
No one was there.
"…Did I get transferred?"
He paused for a moment, observing his surroundings.
"But… what is this place?"
Milo stood still as his vision stabilized.
He slowly looked around.
"…A room?"
It was a closed training chamber.
The walls around him were smooth and metallic, covered with faint glowing lines that pulsed in a steady rhythm.
The space wasn't large, but it was perfectly structured… every part of it felt intentional.
The floor beneath his feet was firm and dark, marked with subtle patterns as if it could activate at any moment.
There were no windows.
No doors.
Just a sealed environment.
Milo narrowed his eyes slightly.
"…So each of us is isolated."
He took a step forward, carefully observing every detail.
As Milo stood in the center of the room…
A screen suddenly activated in front of him.
A soft glow spread across its surface as it came to life.
Then, a familiar female voice echoed through the chamber.
"Welcome to the first test."
"I will explain all the rules of the test before we begin… so listen carefully and prepare yourself."
Milo's expression shifted slightly as he focused.
He paid full attention, his eyes fixed on the screen.
He didn't know what was waiting for him…
But he wasn't taking this lightly.