Chapter 74: Scenario V

Professor Elric finished filling out the documents and handed them to Ryan.

"Here. This is your preliminary membership certificate. Once you complete the evaluation, your membership will be officially confirmed."

Ryan accepted the documents and examined them briefly.

"Where will the evaluation take place?"

"At the League’s headquarters. It is located in the northern section of the academy grounds. You should report there tomorrow morning. Someone will be waiting for you."

Ryan nodded.

"Is there anything I should prepare beforehand?"

"Not particularly. The evaluation is designed to assess your understanding of spiritual techniques and your ability to handle unexpected situations. You don’t need to bring anything special."

Professor Elric paused before adding,

"However, I would advise you to take it seriously. The League of Guardians has different levels of membership, and your initial evaluation will determine which responsibilities you are qualified to undertake."

"I understand."

"Good. Also, if you have any questions about the League, you can ask the reception officer when you arrive. They will explain the rules and available facilities."

Ryan stood up.

"Thank you for the recommendation, Professor."

"There’s no need to thank me. You earned this opportunity through your own efforts."

Ryan gave him a polite nod before leaving the office.

As he walked through the corridor, he opened the system interface.

[Inheritance Trial Progress: 90%]

’Still the same.’

He had hoped the invitation might trigger something, but there was no change.

’Perhaps I need to complete the evaluation first.’

He put the interface away and headed toward the academy entrance.

By the time he reached the courtyard, most of the students had already left. A few were still talking with representatives, while others were taking photographs with their classmates.

Daniel and Elara were waiting near the fountain.

"There you are!" Daniel called when he spotted him. "What did Professor Elric want?"

"I received an invitation to join the League of Guardians."

Daniel blinked.

"The League of Guardians? Seriously?"

Elara also looked surprised.

"That’s quite an opportunity. They don’t usually recruit new graduates directly."

"Professor Elric recommended me," Ryan explained. "I’ll have to complete an evaluation tomorrow."

"That’s impressive," Daniel said. "I heard they have access to some of the oldest spiritual facilities maintained by the academy. They even have their own summoning grounds."

"That sounds interesting," Ryan replied.

Daniel scratched his head.

"I was hoping you’d join a summoning association with me, but I guess that’s not happening."

"You can still visit," Ryan said.

"That’s true."

Elara smiled slightly.

"Well, I suppose we’ll all be busy with our own work from now on. We should meet again before everyone gets occupied."

Ryan agreed.

They spent some time talking about their plans after graduation before eventually parting ways.

Ryan returned to his residence and began preparing for the following day.

He wasn’t particularly concerned about the evaluation. After spending seven years studying Soul Weaving, he was confident in his abilities.

What interested him more was the League’s collection of restricted knowledge.

If he could gain access to its older records, there was a chance he might finally discover what was missing from his inheritance.

The following morning, Ryan arrived at the northern section of the academy.

Unlike the central academic buildings, this area was considerably quieter. Several large structures stood behind a high stone wall, and a few guards were stationed near the entrance.

A silver emblem depicting a shield surrounded by several intertwined spiritual threads was engraved above the main gate.

ANCIENT SOUL BINDING ACADEMY

LEAGUE OF GUARDIANS

Ryan approached the entrance.

"Good morning. I’m here for the membership evaluation. Professor Elric arranged an appointment for me."

One of the guards examined the documents Ryan presented before nodding.

"New recruit? Please enter. The reception hall is straight ahead."

Ryan thanked him and walked inside.

The building was larger than it appeared from outside. Its interior was clean and well-maintained, with several corridors branching off from the main hall.

A few people wearing different uniforms were moving around. Some carried equipment, while others discussed documents near the reception desk.

Ryan approached the receptionist.

"Excuse me. I’m here for the evaluation."

The receptionist, a young woman with light brown hair, checked a list on her desk.

"Name?"

"Mika."

She found his name and nodded.

"You’re Professor Elric’s recommended candidate. Please wait here for a moment. I’ll inform the examiner."

Ryan took a seat nearby.

He didn’t have to wait long.

A middle-aged man wearing a dark uniform emerged from a side corridor. He had short grey hair and a calm expression.

"Mika?"

Ryan stood up.

"Yes."

"I’m Captain Alden. I’ll be conducting your evaluation. Follow me."

Ryan followed him through the corridor and entered a spacious training room.

Several wooden tables had been arranged along one side, each containing different spiritual materials, small constructs, and sealed containers.

Alden walked toward the center of the room.

"Your evaluation will have three parts. First, we’ll examine your theoretical knowledge. Second, you’ll be asked to manipulate spiritual threads and repair a damaged construct. Finally, you’ll face a practical scenario."

Ryan listened carefully.

"What kind of practical scenario?"

"That depends on what you demonstrate during the first two parts. We adjust the difficulty according to the candidate’s abilities."

Alden gestured toward the tables.

"You may begin with the first test."

Ryan approached the nearest table.

There were several small objects placed on it, including a damaged spiritual core, a sealed glass container, and a wooden puppet with a broken arm.

Alden handed him a sheet of paper.

"Answer these questions. Take as much time as you need."

Ryan glanced at the questions.

They covered advanced soul structures, spiritual thread arrangements, construct stability, and the interaction between different types of spiritual energy.

He read through them once before picking up the pen.

For the first time in several years, he felt that he was finally getting closer to something beyond the ordinary academy curriculum.

Perhaps the League of Guardians would provide the opportunity he had been looking for.

Ryan sat down and began answering the questions.

The first few were relatively simple. They covered the basic structure of spiritual cores, the functions of different spiritual threads, and the methods used to stabilize spiritual constructs.

Ryan answered them without much difficulty.

However, the questions gradually became more complicated.

Some required him to analyze incomplete spiritual structures and determine how they could be repaired. Others presented situations involving conflicting spiritual energies and asked him to identify the safest method of stabilizing them.

Ryan took his time with each question.

He didn’t simply write down the answers he had memorized from textbooks. Instead, he explained the reasoning behind each solution, including the possible consequences of using an incorrect method.

Captain Alden stood nearby, occasionally glancing at his paper.

At first, his expression remained neutral. However, as he continued reading Ryan’s answers, his interest gradually increased.

After nearly an hour, Ryan placed his pen on the table.

"I’m finished."

Alden picked up the examination paper and began reviewing it.

He remained silent for several minutes before looking up.

"Did you study advanced soul structures outside the academy?"

"Not particularly. I mostly studied the materials available in the academy library."

"Interesting."

Alden examined another answer.

"You’ve correctly identified several problems that most graduates wouldn’t even notice. Your understanding of spiritual thread arrangements is also quite thorough."

He placed the paper aside.

"Your theoretical evaluation is complete. You passed with an excellent score."

Ryan nodded.

"Thank you."

"Don’t thank me yet. We still have the second test."

Alden gestured toward the wooden table.

"Choose one of the damaged constructs and repair it. You may use the materials provided here."

Ryan approached the table.

There were three objects available.

The first was a small wooden puppet with a damaged arm. The second was a spiritual lantern with an unstable core. The third was a small bird-shaped construct whose spiritual threads had become tangled.

Ryan examined all three before choosing the bird-shaped construct.

Alden raised an eyebrow.

"Why that one?"

"Because its spiritual structure is more complicated. I think repairing it will give me a better opportunity to demonstrate my abilities."

"Very well. You may begin."

Ryan picked up the construct and placed it on the table.

He carefully examined its exterior before directing his spiritual energy toward it.

Several faint threads became visible to his perception.

Some were responsible for maintaining the construct’s physical structure, while others controlled its movement and sensory functions. Unfortunately, several threads had become tangled around the spiritual core.

Simply pulling them apart would risk damaging the entire structure.

Ryan took out a small set of tools and began working.

First, he isolated the damaged connections.

Then, using a small amount of spiritual energy, he stabilized the core and gradually separated the tangled threads.

The process required considerable precision.

A single mistake could cause the construct to lose its remaining stability.

Ryan continued working without rushing.

After some time, he finally managed to restore the original arrangement and reconnect the damaged threads.

A faint light spread across the bird-shaped construct.

Its wings moved slightly before it raised its head.

Chirp!

The little construct flapped its wings and jumped onto Ryan’s hand.

Ryan examined it briefly before looking toward Alden.

"I’m finished."

Captain Alden approached and inspected the construct.

He examined its spiritual core, checked the thread connections, and even tested its movement.

After confirming that everything was functioning properly, he nodded.

"Good work. You didn’t just repair the damaged connections. You also improved the stability of its spiritual core."

"Thank you."

Alden looked at him with a slightly different expression.

"Professor Elric wasn’t exaggerating when he recommended you."

He returned the construct to the table.

"You’ve passed the second test as well."

Ryan nodded.

"Then what’s the final test?"

Alden didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he walked toward the opposite side of the room and opened a large metal cabinet.

Inside were several sealed containers and a few strange spiritual objects.

He took out a small transparent box and placed it on the table.

"Your final evaluation will be a practical assignment. You’ll need to identify the problem with this object and find a way to resolve it."

Ryan approached the box.

Inside was a small, transparent crystal containing a faintly glowing spiritual thread.

However, the thread appeared damaged.

Ryan examined it carefully.

"What is this?"

"A fragment of a spiritual construct recovered from one of our restricted facilities. Its original purpose is unknown, but it has remained unstable ever since it was discovered."

Alden looked at him.

"Several experienced members have examined it, but none have managed to restore its original function."

Ryan raised an eyebrow.

"And you want me to repair it?"

"Not necessarily. Your task is to identify its structure, determine the cause of its instability, and explain how it could be restored. You aren’t required to complete the repair."

Ryan nodded.

That sounded reasonable.

He placed his hand near the container and began examining the crystal.

At first, everything appeared normal.

The spiritual thread inside was extremely thin, almost like a strand of silver silk. However, as he observed it more carefully, he noticed something unusual.

The thread wasn’t simply damaged.

It appeared to be connected to something beyond the crystal.

Ryan narrowed his eyes.

’What is this?’

He examined the connection again.

The spiritual energy inside the crystal was flowing in a continuous cycle, but a small portion of it disappeared whenever it reached the damaged section.

It was as though the thread was trying to connect to another structure that wasn’t present.

Ryan looked toward Alden.

"Captain, do you know where this fragment was recovered?"

Alden looked slightly surprised.

"Why do you ask?"

"I think this isn’t an independent spiritual construct. It’s a severed part of a much larger structure."

Alden’s expression changed.

"Continue."

Ryan returned his attention to the crystal.

"If I’m correct, the damaged section isn’t the actual problem. The fragment is incomplete because its original connection was severed. Trying to repair it without understanding the larger structure might damage it further."

Alden remained silent for a moment.

Then he asked,

"Can you determine what kind of structure it originally belonged to?"

Ryan carefully examined the spiritual thread again.

He could identify several familiar patterns, but there were also some arrangements he had never encountered during his seven years at the academy.

It was considerably more complicated than an ordinary spiritual construct.

After a while, he gave his answer.

"I can’t identify its exact purpose, but I believe it was part of a larger spiritual network. Possibly something designed to connect multiple spiritual constructs or maintain a connection between different locations."

Captain Alden stared at him for several seconds.

Then he slowly nodded.

"That’s a very interesting conclusion."

He took the crystal from the table and placed it back inside its container.

"You’ve completed the final test."

Ryan looked at him.

"Does that mean I passed?"

"Yes. Your theoretical knowledge and practical abilities are more than sufficient for ordinary membership."

Alden paused before adding,

"However, your performance in the final test was particularly impressive. I would like to recommend you for a higher initial position."

Ryan became interested.

"What position?"

"Junior Research Guardian."

Alden explained that the League of Guardians had several divisions, including Combat Guardians, Research Guardians, Spiritual Healers, and Construct Specialists.

Research Guardians were responsible for examining ancient spiritual objects, investigating unusual spiritual phenomena, and studying the structures of ancient facilities.

It was a position that required considerable knowledge rather than simply combat strength.

"Of course, you’ll still need to complete some basic assignments before receiving full access to our restricted facilities."

Ryan nodded.

"That sounds fine."

Alden smiled faintly.

"Good. I’ll submit my recommendation today. You should receive your official membership certificate within a few days."

Just as Ryan was about to thank him, a system notification appeared before his eyes.

[Inheritance Trial Progress Updated.]

[Overall Inheritance Progress: 90% → 95%.]

Ryan paused.

’Five percent?’

He carefully examined the notification.

For the first time since graduating, his inheritance progress had finally increased.

However, another notification appeared almost immediately.

[New Objective Discovered.]

[Investigate the Ancient Spiritual Network.]

[Objective Description: Discover the original purpose of the mysterious spiritual fragment and uncover the knowledge behind its creation.]

[Reward: Soul Weaver Inheritance Completion.]

Ryan stared at the notification.

’So that’s what I was missing.’

He finally understood why studying at the academy hadn’t been enough.

The Soul Weaver inheritance wasn’t simply about learning techniques from textbooks. It required him to understand how those techniques could be applied to something much greater.

And apparently, the fragment in front of him was connected to that final lesson.

Ryan looked toward Captain Alden.

"Captain, may I ask something?"

"Go ahead."

"Would it be possible for me to study that spiritual fragment further?"

Alden looked at the container before turning back toward him.

"That depends. Why are you interested in it?"

"I believe there’s more to it than what we’ve discovered so far. I’d like to examine it in greater detail if possible."

Alden considered his request.

"That fragment belongs to the League’s research division. I can’t grant you access to it directly, but once your membership is confirmed, I can submit a request on your behalf."

Ryan nodded.

"That would be helpful."

"Very well. I’ll see what I can arrange."

Ryan thanked him.

Although he had only joined the League of Guardians for access to its restricted knowledge, he hadn’t expected to discover something related to his inheritance so quickly.

It seemed his next objective was already decided.

He needed to learn more about the Ancient Spiritual Network.