Every part of such a creature had value, the hide for armor crafting, the bones for weapon construction, the organs for alchemical purposes, and the mane itself for enchantment materials.

I was also planning to take some of its parts for my own blacksmithing, some of it's bones would be really helpful in strengthening my crossbow or creating other items.

The silence stretched on as I waited for some indication that I had successfully completed the trial. Perhaps there was another hidden mechanism I needed to discover, or maybe the reward was concealed elsewhere in the chamber. I began examining the walls and floor more carefully, searching for any clues about what I was supposed to do next.

After searching the chamber, it didn't take long for me to spot a lever positioned next to where the lion had fallen during our battle. The mechanism was partially concealed, but once I knew what to look for, it was clearly visible.

After confirming there was nothing else in the chamber that could serve a similar function, I pulled the lever down with a satisfying click. Immediately, a section of the wall slid open to reveal a hidden alcove, and a stone table rose from the floor. Resting on its surface was a single book.

I approached the table and carefully picked up the tome. It was bound in black leather and surprisingly heavy for its size. The moment I opened it to the first page, I knew without doubt that this was the Royal-rank secret art I had been seeking.

Taking out my communication crystal, I contacted my team members to check for any updates on their progress.

The news was mixed but useful. Emmet reported finding a group of white donkeys, successfully eliminating them, and extracting the Crest Marks that were hidden in their stomachs. The dissection process had been unpleasant but necessary. This information would be valuable for the whole team, we now knew to focus our search on the creatures' digestive systems rather than examining the entire body.

Unfortunately, no shrines had been discovered yet by the scouting teams, and the one I had just completed appeared to be completely separate from the examination's official objectives. It seemed this ancient trial existed independently of the academy's current testing system.

I wasn't surprised, the commander did say that not all shrines had the Crest Marks.

Still, claiming a Royal-rank secret art made the detour more than worthwhile. Before returning to my team to help maximize our Crest Mark collection, I decided to examine the technique I had just acquired.

Of course, I wasn't naïve enough to believe I would be able to master it instantly. Unfortunately, my daily rewards system didn't offer such convenient functions, real skill development still required time and practice.

The secret art was primarily composed of detailed illustrations showing a figure demonstrating various movements and positions. The visual representations were remarkably clear and dynamic, I could almost see the person within the drawings executing these techniques in real time. The artwork was accompanied by little explanatory text describing the purpose and mechanics of each stance.

The first stance was called "Light Steps," and it provided a ten percent increase to the user's agility. This was no small enhancement, such a significant improvement was remarkable considering this was only the introductory art and supposedly the easiest to learn. The magnitude of the boost was genuinely impressive, especially since this percentage would scale with my base capabilities as I grew stronger.

For someone at my current level, a ten percent agility increase would translate to noticeably faster movement, quicker reaction times, and improved battlefield positioning. As I advanced to higher ranks, that same percentage would represent even more substantial absolute improvements to my speed and manoeuvrability.

***

Inside the royal throne room of Eldrathia.

A faint smile crossed my lips as I sensed the trial mechanisms activating in ways they hadn't for years.

The same person that had entered the second trial had been able to actually complete it.

I leaned back in the throne, my fingers drumming against the armrest as I considered the changes that were occurring. The shrine I had personally established within the academy grounds decades ago had finally found a worthy challenger. Not only had they defeated the stone guardians, which was impressive enough, but they had also managed to survive an encounter with the Transcendent-rank Golden mane that I had caught and placed as the final test.

The Royal-rank footwork secret art was no longer gathering dust in that hidden chamber. After all these years, it had found a new owner...A rightful one.

My curiosity was genuinely piqued. Who among the current student body possessed both the combat prowess to defeat those guardians and the intelligence to solve the altar mechanism? The trial had been designed to filter out all but the most exceptional individuals - those who combined raw power with exceptional thinking and the courage to face overwhelming odds.

The timing was intriguing as well. With monster attacks escalating across the kingdom and the need for capable defenders growing more urgent, perhaps this was fate providing exactly what we required. A student capable of claiming Royal-rank techniques during their first week at the academy represented the talent that could shift the balance of future conflicts.

I made a mental note to have my intelligence network investigate the students that were currently shining the most and those that could be potentially hiding their powers.

"The kingdom might have just gained a future champion."

Knock-Knock.

"Come in."

The door opened to reveal a young, beautiful maid who entered with grace. Her posture was perfectly respectful, maintaining the proper etiquette expected in the royal presence.

"Your Highness, the banquet is ready. Her Highness is waiting for you," she said respectfully, keeping her eyes properly lowered toward the floor.

I nodded, though my thoughts were still partially occupied with the completed trial.

"Alright, I will be there shortly," I replied, rising from the throne.

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