It didn't take long for everyone to reach their rooms. When Erie arrived, he was alone.
He paused at the doorway, taking in the space. The dorm was far bigger than he expected—divided into separate rooms with a common area in the center. Everything was plain and sterile—a thin television mounted on the wall, a long sofa that looked barely used, a kitchen tucked into the corner, and a few pieces of furniture arranged neatly.
"This is… way nicer than the orphanage dorms," Erie muttered under his breath.
His own room was small but functional—a simple bed, a desk, a TV, a dresser, and his own private shower. Compared to what he was used to, it felt almost luxurious.
Without wasting time, he unpacked, carefully setting his few belongings in place. When he was done, he grabbed a towel and hurried into the shower. The hot water stung his skin, washing away the grime from the long journey.
When he stepped out, steam billowed around him, and for the first time that day, he felt genuinely refreshed. He changed into clean clothes, tossing his old ones into the disposal bin.
Reaching for the hygiene kit he had been given, he pulled out a set of eight spray bottles.
He blinked. "Eight bottles of spray? Do I stink that bad?" He shook his head but still sprayed his room thoroughly before finally collapsing onto the bed.
For the first time in what felt like forever, Erie let himself relax. His body sank into the mattress, exhaustion weighing him down. His mind drifted, the tension of the day melting away as he stared at the ceiling.
BAM!
The front door slammed open, sending a jolt through his body.
A loud, obnoxious voice echoed through the dorm.
"Hey! I think I got the orphan in my dorm! It reeks in here, dude!"
Erie's stomach twisted. His moment of peace shattered instantly.
From outside his room, multiple footsteps stomped through the common area.
SLAM. A door was kicked open.
SLAM. Another one.
They were checking the rooms.
A cold, sinking feeling settled in his chest.
"Where is that bastard?"
A mocking laugh followed, sharp and edged with amusement.
"If he's hiding, he's already making this fun!"
Erie squeezed his eyes shut, forcing his breathing to remain steady, but his hands clenched into fists. He had expected this. He knew someone would come looking for him.
It was never a question of 'if'—only 'when.'
His door flew open with a sharp BANG against the wall.
A freckled boy, broad-shouldered and towering, stood in the doorway. His muscles tensed, his presence filling the space with an oppressive weight. His sharp green eyes scanned the room, locking onto Erie with a glint of amusement.
Then, a slow smirk curled on his lips.
"There he is. He's already asleep!"
The boy flipped his hair back and slammed the door shut behind him—loud enough to make Erie flinch.
The walls shook from the impact.
For a brief moment, the only sound was Erie's own heartbeat hammering in his ears.
He exhaled slowly, forcing himself not to react, but his muscles remained coiled, ready to spring.
He strained to listen.
From the other side of the door, muffled voices continued, their words just out of reach.
Were they leaving? Or planning something?
A low chuckle. A few murmured words. A response laced with mocking laughter.
Then, silence.
Erie remained still, waiting.
Seconds dragged on.
His body refused to relax.
Even though the room was quiet, he knew the peace wouldn't last.
Because it never did.
At some point, exhaustion finally won.
His body gave in, his mind drifting into an uneasy sleep.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
The sharp, mechanical alarm sliced through the silence, jolting Erie upright. His heart pounded as he gasped for air, the rush of adrenaline making his limbs feel sluggish.
System Notification:
"Warning: Insufficient sleep detected."
"User must gather sufficient rest for accurate output."
"All stats will be halved."
His stomach twisted as the words sank in.
"No! This is test day!"
His hand shot to his watch just as another notification flashed.
"All students must report to Beachside Hall in 1.5 hours."
Erie swallowed hard. His body already felt like dead weight—like moving through water. His arms were heavier, his reflexes dull.
Half his stats? That was basically a death sentence for a test that could determine his future.
He rubbed his face, forcing himself to focus.
No time to panic. No time to second-guess.
He had ninety minutes to shake this off.
Because failure wasn't an option.
Later that day, Erie arrived at City Hall, where around 400 students had gathered.
His eyes scanned the hall, noticing large floating signs hovering over open fields. Each sign had a different name displayed.
He spotted Alex under the fifth sign—'Alex Petra.' Erie's gaze shifted toward Gate 5, where Alex stood among a small group, laughing and joking.
Alex dramatically posed, raising his arms like a hero calling forth lightning.
Erie chuckled, shaking his head.
Then, a ping echoed from his watch.
System Notification:
"Erie Sunheart – Gate 3."
Erie glanced up. His name flashed first on the board for Gate 3.
Immediately, he felt eyes on him.
Whispers. Glances. People were staring.
"Not again… Why do they all look at me like this?"
Erie walked toward his assigned gate.
The area was filled with various equipment—a punching bag, an obstacle course, and a giant ring with a glowing core in the center.
He recognized most of the equipment, but the core was unfamiliar.
As he reached the gate, someone suddenly bumped into him.
Erie stumbled forward slightly.
A tall, freckled boy with green hair and sharp emerald eyes smirked down at him.
"Watch it, orphan… I mean, roommate."
He shoved past Erie, and before Erie could react, a green energy ball smacked against the back of his head.
He turned sharply—the ball hovered in the air for a moment before vanishing.
So that's how it is already, huh?
A warning notification flashed.
System Warning:
"User's current condition: Sleep deprivation.
• HP: 50/100
• Strength: 3
• Speed: 8
• Stamina: 5
• Agility: 7"
Erie double-checked the numbers. "This is more than half… What gives?"
Daily Quest: Meditate under the sun for 30 minutes to replenish energy.
Erie looked at his quest again, his mind racing. "Why do I need to meditate in the sun? Is this part of the Sun Warrior system?"
Everything was happening too fast. One moment he had the system, the next, he was sent to Beachside City. Now, he was being thrown straight into testing—with his stats cut in half.
"This is not a good day for me. I haven't even had a chance to train or practice anything."
When they all arrived at the middle stall where a worker was sitting in a floating chair, the man adjusted his mic and began speaking through the intercom.
"Welcome, students, to Beachside City Hall. This is our testing site before transportation to the training base. All of our top-grade materials are here for the evaluation. Each of the eight locations has identical testing conditions. Through extensive research, we've determined that this is the fastest and safest way to assess your skills and abilities."
A large image of the glowing core appeared on the screens above all eight fields. Erie focused on it immediately.
"This core is a mining core known as an Energy Core. It will activate your watch and sync your energy reserves. The watch will then display a specific color or combination of colors to determine your abilities."
The worker scanned the crowd before continuing.
"According to our research, some of you will have two colors, and maybe—just maybe—one of you will have three. Elemental colors are straightforward, but when we go beyond elemental abilities, deciphering them becomes difficult. In such cases, additional testing will be required, and you will be placed in a special group."
Erie exhaled slowly.
"Now with that being said! The first name displayed on the screen in your selected area! You're up first!"