Turning Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"I'll admit, I was feeling pretty anxious."

"...I wasn't. I'm doing fine."

Since he had lived through this once already and knew the outcome, there was no reason for nerves. However, he kept that thought to himself, choosing to remain silent instead.

"You are truly an enigma. You're unlike anyone I've ever met... I'm certain you’ll breeze through the Cavalry exam."

"Yes. You're right. I will pass."

Gakane looked momentarily stunned by Yuder's blunt confidence. A second later, he couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"Pffft. What is that? Can you actually see into the future? If so, what about me? How do you think I'll do?"

"I don't possess foresight, but I believe you'll pass as well."

Gakane’s laughter grew louder.

"Man, you say such nice things while keeping that deadpan face. I appreciate it."

While Gakane assumed Yuder was just being polite, Yuder was stating a cold fact. Gakane was destined to pass and become a member of the Cavalry.

Gakane opened his mouth to continue the conversation, but someone called Yuder's name from inside, cutting him off.

"Fair enough. Go ahead and register. I’ll be waiting for you at the exit."

Yuder intended to tell him not to bother waiting, but Gakane had already walked away. Yuder stepped into the Blue Crown. The registration process would be quick; the real challenge was the examination that followed.

------

Because of the massive influx of applicants for the Cavalry, the testing was spread out. Over the course of three days, examinations were held within the Imperial Knight’s compound for those who had signed up, with results announced immediately after each session.

Yuder’s test was set for the final day, whereas Gakane had taken his the day before.

Noticing Gakane was absent from the inn, Yuder knew he had passed, just as he had in the original timeline. Shouldering a simple bag, Yuder headed out.

The Imperial Knight’s compound was located near the inn. The entrance exam for the Cavalry took place on the training grounds, which were hemmed in by several towering structures.

Among the crowd of anxious people pacing the area, Yuder recognized several faces. They were the individuals who would eventually become his comrades.

"Number 423, step forward!"

As many candidates were summoned into the building, it was finally Yuder’s turn. He walked inside with a calm demeanor, noting that the interior looked exactly as it did in his memories.

Currently, the Cavalry was barely scraping by, forced to borrow training space from the Imperial Knights. However, in a few years, the hierarchy between the Knights and the Cavalry would be completely flipped.

The ordinary humans who comprised the majority of the knights were no match for the innate power of the Awakeners. With the Emperor's favor, the Cavalry would flourish, eventually seizing half of the Knights' buildings and constructing new ones to showcase their dominance.

"Number 423."

Led by a guide into the testing room, Yuder stood before five judges. In his past life, their identities were a mystery, but now he recognized them instantly. From the left: the deputy commander of the Imperial Knights, an aide to Chancellor Mooker, a representative from the Pearl Tower, a court mage, and...

Yuder’s gaze sharpened when he saw the man on the far right. Unlike the others, this man wore unremarkable clothing that lacked any insignia of rank, making him look entirely ordinary.

The other candidates didn't give him a second glance, but Yuder knew better.

The man’s face was a sophisticated illusion, crafted with high-level magic. It was a face designed specifically to be forgotten, one Yuder had encountered long ago.

'Is it really him?'

"Number 423. You've listed a rather bold claim in the ability section. Is this accurate?"

A sharp voice pulled Yuder’s focus away from the man on the right. The mage from the Pearl Tower was frowning deeply, waving Yuder’s application in the air.

"You claim to be able to coat a blade in both fire and water? I have never heard of such a ridiculous thing in all my years."

This was the exact reaction Yuder had faced in the past. Back then, it had made him angry; now, he simply understood their skepticism.

Before the emergence of Awakeners, magic was a grueling discipline. One had to undergo intense training just to gather mana within the body and release it through complex rituals. Every spell was cast with extreme caution.

Consequently, most mages specialized in a single element to reach proficiency faster.

For over a millennium, it was standard for fire mages to only use fire and water mages to only use water.

Attempting to master multiple attributes simultaneously was considered dangerous because the conflicting mana could clash within the body, leading to disaster. A mage wielding multiple elements was a concept reserved for fiction.

But that logic applied to the era before the Awakeners.

Those who gained power from the Red Stone could often manipulate several elements in various ways. Though their skill levels varied, they fundamentally broke the established laws of magic.

Yuder was the pinnacle of this new breed. He could control every attribute with ease and infuse his power into any object. Enhancing a sword with elemental energy was child's play for him.

'Honestly, saying I can only use fire and water is a massive understatement.'

In his first life, he had only claimed to use attributes, not infuse them into weapons. He hadn't discovered that specific skill until much later.

If he had listed his true capabilities, he would have been dismissed as a liar and disqualified immediately. He had to dial it back, yet he didn't want to repeat his old mistakes exactly.

This was his compromise. Yuder calculated that by demonstrating this specific level of talent, he would stand out immediately upon joining the Cavalry, making his goals easier to reach.

When Yuder didn't react to the mage's outburst, the deputy commander of the Imperial Knights stroked his beard and intervened.

"There's no point in bickering until we see it for ourselves. If your claim is true, then prove it. Give us a convincing demonstration."

"I understand."

Yuder scanned the room. Personal weapons were forbidden, so he was unarmed. However, several blunt training swords were laid out nearby for the applicants. He walked over and picked one up without hesitation.

"Hmm."

The practice sword was heavy enough that a normal person would struggle to lift it. The judges' expressions shifted as Yuder, who didn't look particularly strong, picked it up as if it were a twig.

Seeing their interest piqued, Yuder took his stance in clear view. His ease with the weapon came from his ability to manipulate the natural world at will.

Yuder could control the five elements and anything derived from nature as if they were extensions of his own body. Since most weapons were forged from iron, they obeyed him instinctively.

This was exactly why, when he was eventually captured and tortured, his enemies had first destroyed the mana hole near his Dantian—the core of an Awakener's power.

Even as he faced death with shattered limbs, he had been bound with ropes made of monster tendons—materials that were not part of the natural order—to keep him suppressed.

He had survived until his execution simply because the resilience of an Awakener was beyond human comprehension.

But now, Yuder’s Dantian was intact and his body was in peak condition. The men before him had no idea what an Awakener was truly capable of.

They watched him, curious to see what he would do with a simple, blunt sword.

'I only need to show them enough to impress...'

He had no intention of wasting time in this second life. Yuder wanted to pass the exam by leaving a strong impression without revealing the full extent of his might.

With that thought, Yuder’s eyes briefly flickered back to the man on the far right with the magically disguised face.

"...I will begin."

Yuder raised the blade. As the examiners focused on the tip of the sword, he began to gather his energy. Even after all this time, the process was as instinctive as breathing.

He seized the energy vibrating in the air, willing it to ignite into fire at the end of his weapon. The process was so seamless it was hard to describe.

Suddenly, the blade was consumed by a roar of flames. The heat was intense and the glow a deep, vibrant red, leaving no doubt in the judges' minds that the fire was real.

Yuder executed a slow, vertical strike. It was a simple movement, but it carried immense weight.

As the blade cut through the air, sparks flew, causing several examiners to recoil in their chairs, startled by the display.