Nevalis slowly swallowed, waiting for Adam's next words.
But contrary to what was expected...
Adam's aura began to gradually shrink, until it disappeared completely, as if it had never been there.
Nevalis raised an eyebrow in surprise, but said nothing.
Adam spoke in a calm voice, though his tone carried a sharp clarity:
"That was just a preliminary test. Nothing more."
He smiled slightly and added:
"It was out of curiosity about the elemental sorcerer who came to our Union instead of going to one of the Dukes' houses in the kingdom. Those beasts would drool if you went to any of them, a sorcerer using more than one element."
Then, after a moment of silence, Adam said firmly: "Let's go, choose your team."
But at that moment, a sudden voice interrupted their conversation.
"No need, I'll take that little one for my team."
There was a brief silence after the confident feminine voice echoed through the hall. Nevalis looked towards the source of the voice, and Adam turned to it with a faint smile on his lips, saying casually:
"Ah... didn't expect to see you here, Lina."
The girl walked confidently forward, her fiery red hair swaying with her movement, her sharp green eyes gleaming with intelligence. She carried a large sword on her back, as if it was a natural part of her. Her leather armor reinforced with iron gave her the appearance of a warrior not to be underestimated, and the scar crossing her cheek added character to her beauty, giving her a sense of strength and experience.
Adam smiled, looking at Nevalis, then said in a teasing tone:
"You're lucky, Viktor. You'll be joining the perfect team for your abilities."
Nevalis raised an eyebrow slightly, then looked back at the girl who was staring at him with interest, before she smiled softly and said with a hint of amusement:
"So... you're the new little one?"
Nevalis stayed silent, but his look made it clear that he didn't like the way she spoke.
"I'm not little." he said calmly.
The girl chuckled lightly, then placed her hand on her hip and tilted her head slightly. "Of course, of course... all the little ones say that."
Before Nevalis could respond, she stepped closer to him and bent slightly as if studying him with her eyes. There was a strange warmth in her gaze, despite her evident confidence.
"I'm Lina, the leader of the third team in the Mercenary Union." she said proudly, then stood up straight again and added: "And my team is not just a group of warriors. We are family."
She paused for a moment, as if giving Nevalis time to absorb her words, then continued:
"The whole Union is our big family, but inside this family, we have our own bonds. The fifth team is my small family, and we protect each other like any real family would."
Her eyes sparkled as she spoke, and it was clear that she didn't say these words just as a slogan, but because she truly believed in them.
"So..." Nevalis said after a moment of silence. "You want me to join your little family?"
Lina smiled and extended her hand towards him. "Exactly. I'll be honest with you, joining us isn't easy. We don't accept just anyone, but I see something special in you... something that deserves to be part of us."
Nevalis stared at her hand for a few moments, then raised his eyes to her and said: "And what would make me accept?"
Lina laughed again, then said in a lively tone: "Because you know that being alone isn't the solution. Because you've seen with your own eyes how family can give strength... haven't you?"
Nevalis' eyes flickered for a moment, but he quickly hid it.
"And also..." Lina added as she took a step back. "Because I won't let you refuse."
Adam watched the scene from behind, then smiled slightly and said:
"It seems you're in a position that's hard to get out of, Viktor."
Nevalis looked at Lina again, then sighed slowly and finally replied:
"Alright... let's see if you're right."
Lina placed her hands on her hips and looked at Nevalis with a confident smile before saying:
"Well, before you become one of us, you have to go through a little test."
She raised one eyebrow and added with a challenging tone:
"I'm the one who will test you, so show me your abilities, little one."
Nevalis looked at her silently for a few moments, then sighed calmly, realizing that he wouldn't be able to avoid this fight. He didn't need to prove himself to her, but he knew this was the only way to join the Union.
Adam, who had been watching the scene from behind, smiled faintly and said:
"Alright, the rules are simple. No killing, no serious injuries, but other than that… no restrictions."
In one of the training halls inside the Mercenary Union headquarters, the magical lights on the walls cast soft shadows on the polished wooden floor. The walls were decorated with various weapons, some clearly worn, while others still gleamed as if untouched.
In the center of the arena, Nevalis stood holding his sword, surrounded by a number of mercenaries who had gathered to watch the event. Meanwhile, Lina stood before him with her arms crossed and a wide smile on her face. She looked at him as if she were watching a cute pet more than a potential opponent.
She spoke in a playful voice, tilting her head slightly as if studying him carefully:
"How cute! Are you sure you didn't lose your way here? This place is for warriors, not lost children."
Nevalis' eye twitched slightly, but he remained silent.
"Ah, don't get mad." she continued, placing her hand over her mouth as if trying to stifle a laugh. "It's my fault, I didn't mean to belittle you... I just can't resist provoking you, the look on your face when you're trying to ignore me is just so entertaining!"
Nevalis sighed slowly, trying to suppress his frustration, but he knew she was doing it on purpose. He could see the mischievous gleam in her eyes, as if she was enjoying his reaction.
"Are you done?" he finally asked in a calm voice.
"Mm..." She placed a finger on her chin, pretending to think. "Not yet, but I can postpone the rest until after the fight."
At that, Nevalis let out a quiet breath, then slowly raised his sword. His eyes were calm, but inside he was prepared for any movement.
"I'll let my actions speak for me."
Lina chuckled lightly, then took a fighting stance without drawing any weapon.
"That's what I wanted to hear!"
Nevalis set himself in a firm fighting stance. He closed his eyes for a second, and when he opened them again, his irises gleamed with a faint flash of magical energy, signaling that he had enhanced his vision with magic, enabling him to track the smallest movements.
Air currents gathered around his feet, barely visible, but carrying a hidden aura of power that made his cloak flutter lightly around him. In the next moment, deep-colored flames engulfed the blade of his sword, dancing like a living creature hungry for battle. The flames were not ordinary; they were infused with strange energy, causing them to glow in a dark red hue, with faint golden sparks flickering through them. The scene looked as if the sword had drawn fire from the heart of a raging battle.
A moment of silence filled the arena before one of the onlookers let out a held breath. The scene was unfamiliar, even for seasoned mercenaries.
"Wow..." Lina whistled in admiration, placing her hand on her hip. "Look at this! We have a real show of power here!"
She then looked at Nevalis with eyes shining with excitement, and a wide smile.
"But power alone means nothing if you can't use it properly, sweet little one."
But the magical wind around his feet gave him quick reflexes, so he darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike, then countered immediately, delivering a blow with his fire-imbued sword.
But Lina was not an easy opponent. She leaned her body lightly, avoiding the sword's edge, then quickly circled around him, trying to kick his exposed side.
"Fast and strong..." Nevalis muttered to himself before using the wind to enhance his jump, narrowly avoiding the kick.
He landed on the ground, then pressed with his feet, launching himself toward her with a frontal assault. His sword flared with greater intensity, unleashing a series of attacks, each leaving a trail of sparks in the air.
But Lina didn't back down. She faced each strike with her bare hands, using her pure physical strength. Each time his sword came close to her, she deflected it with precise movements, without hesitation.
"Not bad, but..." she said as she blocked one of his last strikes, then used her body angle to charge towards him suddenly. "You're not fast enough!"
She delivered a direct punch to his chest, but instead of trying to avoid it, he released a strong burst of wind magic under his feet, sending him sliding backward faster than she had anticipated.
He took advantage of the moment and swung a horizontal strike with his sword, but Lina, smiling, bent under it with agility, then launched a powerful kick toward his sword arm.
The sword struck the ground from the force of her kick, but Nevalis didn't let her take control. He launched another quick dash, using the wind to boost his speed, then swiftly spun and struck her with a fiery wave from his sword.
Lina couldn't avoid all the heat, but instead of retreating, she laughed.
"Hah... not bad at all!"
Then suddenly, before Nivalis could react, she appeared directly in front of him, her fist rising toward his stomach. He couldn't fully dodge it, so he absorbed the blow partially, but the force pushed the air out of his lungs for a moment.
He staggered back two steps, while Lina placed her hands on her hips, looking at him with a confident smile.
"I expected something fun, and you didn't disappoint me."
"So? Did I pass the test?" he asked in a steady voice.
"Of course, if you didn't pass this test, then who else deserves to join?"
Lina said with a confident laugh, as though announcing his acceptance already.
As soon as she finished speaking, Nivalis collapsed to the ground, panting loudly. The entire fight lasted no more than two minutes, but it drained him completely. Sweat dripped down his forehead, and his chest rose and fell rapidly as he tried to catch his breath.
His body felt as if it were surrounded by an immense weight, and it wasn't just from Lina's strikes. It was also from the amount of magic he had consumed. He was close to exhausting his entire mana reserve, something he was no stranger to. After all, he barely had enough, barely at rank two.
He clenched his fist while lying there for a moment, then muttered quietly, barely audible to himself:
"Ah... I need more physical training... and more mana."
Nivalis knew his weaknesses well, and he needed to work on them.
Light footsteps approached him, then stopped in front of him. He lifted his head slightly to see Lina extending her hand toward him with a bright smile.
"Welcome to the family, Victor."
He looked at her for a moment, then at her outstretched hand. For a brief moment, he hesitated... but he quickly smiled, extended his hand, and took hers.