"Hmm, just a little bit more..." Aurelian whispered under his breath, his brows furrowed in consternation as he tried for the umpteenth time to channel the elemental mana within his body, each attempt met with crushing failure.

"Argh, dammit!" he snapped suddenly, the mana once again dispersing right before he could guide it into his Infinite Mana Pathways. "It was so close," he groaned, his fists clenching in frustration.

Every time he was about to succeed, the mana seemed to rebound from him, as if a wall blocked his connection to it.

"What am I missing?" he muttered softly, the concept so near yet so far from completion. Was he doing something wrong? He mused, his fingers flickering in thought before he dismissed the idea. There was still too much he didn't know. He was probing in the dark. I bet the academies will have the answer to this, he thought, breaking away from his mental barrage before his obsidian eyes snapped open.

Drinking in the golden rays spilling from the fiery ball burning in the sky, he exhaled.

"It's time," Aurelian breathed, a smile cracking across his lips. The academy selections await.

While he hadn't succeeded in channeling elemental mana, he hadn't walked away empty-handed either. Somewhere midway, he'd gained a wisp of inspiration.

His control over the density of mana around his body had broken through. He could now extend it, not just around himself, but around other objects.

Acting on that thought, his gaze shifted toward a chair across the room. Narrowing his eyes, he sank into concentration and pointed at it, willing it to rise.

Instantly, the air around the chair rippled softly, faint sparks of blue energy materializing around it. The bluish glow deepened as it engulfed the chair, which slowly lifted off the ground, hovering as though weightless.

"Nice," Aurelian breathed, nodding at the result. Then, exhaling sharply, he clenched his fist. The air around the suspended chair creaked, fracture lines spreading across the surface, before an overwhelming pressure crushed it into nothing but fine wood dust.

Chuckling, he looked at the result in delight. This opens a pathway to a new type of power, he thought, already imagining its battlefield potential—enemies rushing at him, only for him to crush them with a gesture, or suspend them helplessly midair. Maybe even soar through the skies himself before breaking into A-rank.

The possibilities were endless, though the ability was still in its infancy. He'd need to refine it to channel the desired mana output for that level of destruction. Still, it was an excellent start. The only real limit he could think of was mana, though he had plenty to spare.

Maybe this is what I need to truly test the limits of my Infinite Mana Pathways... to see how much finite I can turn into infinite.

A sudden knock at the door cut through his thoughts.

Straightening up, he patted his back before his form flickered, appearing beside the door. He swung it open, his eyes meeting the figure beyond.

Sera stood before him, wrapped in an intricately woven blue robe that clung to her figure, subtly outlining her curves. Her dark eyes met his, a flicker of hope igniting within them before she breathed, "So… what have you decided?"

"So long as they don't get in my way, I don't see why they can't tag along," Aurelian replied evenly. He'd already weighed everything. Their presence wouldn't hinder him—and besides, he wasn't the type to repay kindness with ingratitude. It simply didn't sit right with him.

"Really?" Sera exclaimed, her eyes widening in excitement, color rushing back to her cheeks. "Thank you for this! This means a lot to the White Springs Guild. Whether they pass or not, this gesture will not be forgotten!" she blurted, hope reigniting deep inside her. With Aurelian by their side, perhaps for the first time in the guild's history, they stood a real chance of being chosen by the academies.

"Good. Follow me to the carriage, the others are already waiting outside."

She paused mid-turn, her eyes widening slightly as she caught Aurelian's gaze dip toward her chest. A faint blush tinged her face. The excitement had made her heartbeat quicken, her chest rising and falling in rhythm, and it seemed she'd accidentally caught his attention.

If it were anyone else, she'd have brushed it off, but as the youth's eyes lingered, a flicker of something strange sparked within her. A thrill. Did he find her attractive? Or was it just her chest?

"I'll be right back," Aurelian said casually, snapping back to focus. He turned, leaving a slightly dazed Sera behind as her thoughts spiraled.

Dragging Amber out of bed, he freshened up quickly before stepping out, the girl stretching lazily as she trailed behind him.

"We're ready," Aurelian said, snapping Sera from her reverie.

The trio walked through the guild halls, the murmur of voices following in their wake. This time, the curious stares of the guild members were replaced with something different...acknowledgment and a bit of gratitude.

His identity was no longer a mystery, his potential role in uplifting their guild during the academy selections had spread like wildfire.

Making their way out, Aurelian spotted a carriage waiting in the distance, with familiar figures standing nearby.

Guess I was right, our dungeon encounter wasn't going to be our last, he mused playfully.

On the other side, Carl and the group straightened up as Aurelian approached. His identity as a newly Awakened had changed their perception of him entirely. He had already seemed like an overwhelming genius the moment he'd stepped forward to save them in the dungeon, but now that they knew he'd only awakened a week ago — and that the power he wielded eclipsed what they'd spent years cultivating, one thought circled through all their minds: monstrous genius.

And now that same monstrous genius would be on their side during the preliminaries, filling them with a quiet surge of confidence.

Their gazes flicked curiously toward the purple-haired girl trailing behind him, silent questions flashing across their faces.

As Aurelian drew closer, Carl — the team's shield bearer, stepped forward and spoke.

"I didn't get the chance to thank you last time for saving our lives, so I'll do it now. I'm eternally indebted to you," he said, his tone laced with respect.

Though the youth before him was young and newly Awakened, his strength was undeniable — and in this world, that was all that mattered.

The group behind Carl echoed his words before bowing deeply in unison.

"No need," Aurelian replied with a casual shrug, his gaze sweeping across them. He caught their curious glances before his eyes softened slightly. Turning back, he gestured to the girl beside him.

"This will be the group we'll be venturing with during the academy selection preliminaries," he said, before motioning toward Amber. "And this is Amber. She's my..."

"Wife," Amber interjected smoothly, a playful smirk curling on her lips.

Her voice carried across the group. They froze, staring at her blankly as the word registered.

Aurelian stood speechless for a moment, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

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