I inhaled slowly and stepped forward, boots scraping lightly against the dirt arena floor. The black glob rested on the ground in front of Professor Veyra, shifting faintly like thick oil.

I bent down and grabbed it. At first, nothing happened. Then the thing suddenly crawled across my hand.

I nearly dropped it.

The black substance moved rapidly up my wrist, around my forearm, then across my shoulder before sliding back down into my palm again. It twisted violently, as if struggling to decide what shape to take.

Then it transformed.

A massive greatsword appeared in my hands. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

The sheer weight caught me off guard instantly. My arms dropped and the blade tilted sideways, its edge slamming against the dirt with a heavy thud.

Before I could even react properly, the weapon melted apart again. This time it became a staff. I barely managed to hold it upright before it shifted again. A dagger.

Then another staff appeared, but different from the previous one. Dark wood twisted upward into thorn-like branches circling a pale crystal near the top, looking less like a weapon and more like something a priest would carry.

A cleric’s staff.

Then it changed again. A bow formed in my grip, sleek and curved, the string already pulled tight.

But it still didn’t stop. Dagger. Greatsword. Bow. Staff.

The weapon kept shifting over and over so quickly it started making my head hurt just trying to follow it. The black substance seemed unstable in my hands, unable to settle on a single shape.

The arena had gone completely quiet.

"That’s a first..." Professor Veyra muttered, genuine surprise breaking through her stern expression. "Dreams of Nythera... how do you have aptitude toward every combat class, kid?" Her eyes narrowed slightly. "What is your name?"

"A-Ace..."

The weapon shifted into a greatsword one last time before slipping from my hands entirely. The moment it hit the ground, it dissolved back into the black glob again.

Professor Veyra stared at me for a long second.

"Which god blessed you?" she asked. "I don’t see a divine ring."

I swallowed. "Amb... Ambly..."

Professor Veyra physically stepped back.

"AMBLY?" she said sharply. "What in the nine gods..."

The students behind me immediately broke into whispers.

The students began murmuring behind me, their whispers growing louder by the second. Most of them had probably figured it out already, but hearing Ambly’s name seemed to make the reality of it sink in. After all, Ambly apparently hadn’t blessed anyone in years, which only made this whole situation feel even more unreal.

"May I... go back to the line?" I asked carefully.

Professor Veyra kept staring at me for another moment before finally nodding once.

"The Queen shall hear about this."

"The Headmaster told me the same thing," I replied quietly.

Her eyes widened slightly again. "Mr. Marble already knows?"

"Yes, ma’am."

"Good," she muttered. Then she exhaled slowly and crossed her arms again. "Return to the line. I’ll need to think carefully about how to train you in this class."

I nodded once.

"From what I saw," she continued, "even though you have aptitude toward every combat discipline, your affinity leans most heavily toward magecraft."

That was probably because I’d invested another point into Mage.

"Yes, ma’am."

"You may return now," she said before raising her voice again. "Next in line!"

The testing continued after that.

One by one, the students stepped forward, grabbed the strange black glob, and revealed their affinities. Swords, spears, staffs, daggers, bows, the weapon would form in their hands for a few moments before melting back into its original state once placed on the ground again.

Around ten minutes later, the last student finished their test.

All twenty-five of us from 1-F still stood in a single line inside the arena. Even though Professor Veyra had continued the testing normally after my turn, I could still feel eyes drifting toward me every few seconds. Curious looks. Confused ones too.

Ambly-blessed. Compatible with every combat class.

I couldn’t really blame them for staring.

Honestly, I was just as confused as they were.

There was also that new skill I unlocked earlier; Merge Class. I still hadn’t tested it yet. What would happen if I fused two completely different classes together? Warrior and Rogue? The idea alone sounded dangerous and... kinda interesting.

"That’s enough for today," Professor Veyra announced, her voice echoing slightly across the arena. "We have another combat class tomorrow, 1-F. Do not be late. You are dismissed."

Finally.

I let out a quiet breath and stepped away from the line, heading toward one of the nearby benches. Sitting down, I rubbed the back of my neck and exhaled slowly.

This entire test had been pointless for me.

Professor Veyra explained that Viotelle, the black glob weapon thing, revealed a person’s combat potential and affinity. But mine was already unlocked through the system itself. The moment I invested a point into Rogue, my agility increased immediately. Warrior boosted my health. Mage raised my mana and magic strength.

The system had already decided everything before this test even started.

Not only had the whole thing wasted my time, it also painted a giant target on my back. More attention. More questions. More people staring.

I hated that.

"All combat classes?" a student said as he approached me, eyes wide with disbelief. "And Ambly-blessed too? Gods..."

"So jealous," a girl muttered behind him.

"Y-yeah..." I answered awkwardly, forcing a small smile. "I guess it just... happened."

What kind of answer was that?

I was usually better with words. Not amazing or anything, but good enough to talk myself out of trouble most of the time. Here, though? I had no clue what to say anymore. I couldn’t exactly tell them the truth, and lying on the spot about divine blessings sounded like a horrible idea.

"Ace!"

Professor Veyra’s voice cut through the crowd.

She stood by the double doors leading back inside the academy building, holding one side open with a hand.

"Come here," she called. "You’re needed elsewhere."

"Yes, ma’am," I replied immediately, getting to my feet.