All around the training field, students lingered in scattered clusters. Some were seated on benches, others were sprawled on the ground beside their recovering spiritual creatures, breathing hard from the morning's drills. A handful of contract beasts were still growling lowly, reluctant to settle.
Kain leaned back on his palms at the edge of the arena, half-listening to Vauleth grumble about the stiffness in his legs from the intense training.
Then came the voice.
"Attention."
The instructor's voice cut through the haze like a blade.
Every conversation died. Even the ambient whining of tired spiritual beasts dimmed to a murmur.
The instructor stepped into the center of the cracked field, sweeping his gaze slowly across the Top 5s of each year. "You've all reviewed the announcement, I'm sure. As of this week, cross-year challenges are permitted. If you believe you deserve a position on the overall team, you need to prove it—publicly."
