The young aide, Ed, stepped up from his boss, David's side, having returned only moments ago. It seemed he was going to take control of the proceedings. That was fine by me; Ed was the one who decided what people to bring in for this test. So it seemed right that he would know how this should go down.

  "Alright, people, here's how this is going to." Everyone focused on the younger man. No one present wanted to miss the rules of the bouts that were about to take place. "Aiden, you'll face the squad in order of weakest to strongest in order of levels. That'll be Matt and Dave up first, they're both level 13." Ed stated, pointing out the weakest two members of the squad, the younger men I'd had pegged when the squad approached. The two younger men looked hungry, like they had something to prove. I knew that look well, I'd seen it often enough on my younger brother's face when we were growing up.

  "Then either Alex or Sofia, they're both hovering at 17, though I believe they're close to advancing again." He gestured to the pair of Hispanics, who nodded back with smiles. I had marked it as being slightly stronger than Uncle Wolf, which made sense; they had a couple of levels on the older man. This pair looked much more confident than the other two. I couldn't help but think of the younger two as brats in need of a spanking; they reminded me entirely too much of my little brother Sean. "If you can beat them, then we'll have you fight Victor; he's the highest level and not by a small margin. I believe you just passed into Level 25 not long ago, Victor?" Ed ended the question, his gaze flicking away from his notes to where Victor stood.

  "Correct, just a few days ago." The man rumbled out with a surprisingly deep voice. Victor was the biggest of the bunch, with muscles on his muscles that strained his fatigues whenever he moved. The man had an easy smile on his face; he didn't seem concerned about the coming fight at all.

  "To be clear, we don't know what Aiden's level is as I was unable to [Scan] him." Ed went on glossing over the way he'd been rebuffed in the conference room. I couldn't blame him for it either; I imagined it'd been rather uncomfortable for him.

  "Fairs, fair. I'm level 20." I interrupted Ed with a shrug. If he was going to tell me the levels of the others involved, I supposed it was only fair to reveal my own. I didn't figure it mattered overmuch in the grand scheme of things here anyway. Though it might make some of my opponents more cautious. Victor was the only one who was at a higher level than I was. Already, I could see Matt and Dave looking significantly more concerned than they had only moments ago. They were facing a seven level gap between us after all.

  "Thank you, Aiden." I watched as Ed scribbled down a note on his pad. "At any rate, we have healers and potions on hand to deal with any injuries, so we'll be allowing all weapons and skills, but do try not to kill each other."

  "Just weapons, or are we using other gear as well? I hope you've got a change of clothes for me otherwise." I pointed out.

  "Just weapons," Ed confirmed, "We'll provide a change of clothes after this is over if it's required. Anything else?"

  "Might want to get something to counteract potent Venoms, my dagger has some effects that would be bad without an antidote on hand," I replied, withdrawing the unique blade from my inventory, twirling it between my fingers with practiced ease. Sure, it was giving away some of what I could do, but still, I didn't want any of these folks to die or get more hurt than they had to for the sake of what amounted to a test.

  "My thanks, I'm sure the healers have cleansing abilities, but it is better for them to know beforehand." Victor rumbled. I just shrugged, I didn't feel it was worth commenting on.

  We all stood in silence while Ed whipped out his phone and made a call. We waited for several minutes after Ed pocketed his phone. I felt their coming before a group of three approached us from the entrance that Ed, David, Uncle Wolf and I had used to enter the training room. I paid them little mind beyond marking their position in the room. I did notice that Uncle Wolf was watching me again, clearly taking note that I seemed to know the healers were approaching before anyone else. I shrugged, smirking at my uncle. It was only fair that I kept my own secrets. Turnabout was fair play after all.

  "Ah, the healers are here. Let's get started, shall we? If everyone else would join us?" Ed announced, though it felt like more of a question. "We'll have you face Matt first, Aiden." I checked Vipera's status and my own as the others drew back towards the wall, where I noticed a viewing room built into the wall. Well, that was certainly better than having everyone wait out in the open if there was a chance someone would be throwing destructive spells or arrows around. I decided the latter was more likely as I watched Matt withdraw a bow that looked like something between a long bow and a short bow from a pouch at his waist. A quiver and belt followed moments later.

  I could sneak a look at the younger man's status page, but I didn't feel a need to. While I was sure he had some tricks, I was also reasonably certain he wouldn't be able to overcome the difference in raw stats. This was doubly true since he would need to keep me at a distance if he wanted that bow to be at all effective. I could already feel Vipera's excitement surging through me. Perhaps I should take a back seat on this one?

  “Ready?” I asked the other man once the others were safely in the viewing room.

  "Are you?" Matt replied, grinning as he pulled an arrow from his quiver. I revealed my own smirk, taking that as the starting gun.

  "Vipera…" I said softly, calling to my familiar, she could have this one. There were other fights to come. I felt Vipera's joy surge through me as she materialized, coiled around my form. She'd grown since the last time I'd had her out, apparently reaching level twenty had been good for her, which made me wonder if familiars and monsters might have break points in their levels that humans didn't have. My Nexus-Root familiar was well over ten feet long now, almost half her remaining length trailing on the floor around me, the rest was wrapped comfortably around my legs and torso. I grinned at the wide-eyed look Matt gave my familiar when she phased into existence. Surprise, I don’t have to fight alone. I restrained a laugh, but I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face. "Try not to hurt him too badly," I muttered for my familiar.

  Vipera took off like a rocket; if it weren't for my own Strength stat, I might have been left spinning like a cartoon character. I watched as Matt leapt back, drawing the string on his bow back. Matt's arrow flew true, but it wasn't directed at Vipera. It was a smart move by video game logic: beat the summoner, and the summoned monster goes away. Unfortunately, Vipera was faster. She twisted in mid lunge, her tail snapped out, cracking like a whip, and it struck the projectile, obliterating it before it could reach me. Her strength stat was close to mine, and it definitely wasn't for show. Before Matt could nock another arrow, Vipera was upon him, lunging at his ankles with her electric blue fangs bared.

  "Shit!" Matt cursed, stumbling backward as he desperately tried to avoid being on the receiving end of my familiar's venomous bite. He dropped his bow and reached for a dagger at his belt, but it was too late. Vipera whipped around his legs, rapidly coiling up his body until the hand that was reaching for his melee weapon was trapped under her coils. I watched with a mix of pride and concern as my familiar effortlessly subdued the young man. It looked like he was an Archer-type class; he likely didn't have the Strength to face my familiar head-on, and lacked the levels to be able to match her speed. Matt's face was quickly turning red from exertion as he struggled against Vipera's grip. I waited silently for Matt to yield. He was running out of time, unless he had something in reserve to get himself out of Vipera's clutches. I doubted that.

  Matt's eyes darted wildly between me and Vipera, his expression a mixture of frustration and grudging respect. After a moment's hesitation, he slumped in defeat.

  "I yield," he gasped.

  Immediately, Vipera loosened her coils and slithered back to my side, her root-like body radiating satisfaction. I gave her an approving pat as she wound herself around my legs, climbing back up to her previous position perched on my shoulder so she could poke my cheek with her nose. It was as if she wanted to say Look, Dad! Look, I did well! I snickered at my imagining of my familiar's inner voice and patted her on the head.

  I could hear muffled conversations going on inside the viewing room, but I couldn't make out what was being said. Then one of the newer arrivals rushed out of the viewing room, going directly over to Matt. Presumably, that was one of the healers.

  "Damn that monster of yours is strong," Matt grunted from the ground.

  “Familiar.” I corrected gently. Matt nodded grudgingly as the healer helped him to his feet after a moment.

  "Fair enough. I underestimated both of you. Won't make that mistake again." As Matt limped off to the side, aided by the healer, I turned my attention to the viewing room. The door opened and Ed stepped out, looking both impressed and a little wary.

  "Well done, Aiden. That was...unexpectedly quick. Are you ready for the next opponent?"

  I nodded, giving Vipera another pat. "We're ready whenever you are."

  Ed gestured towards the viewing room, and instead of Dave, Alex emerged from the room, wielding a simple-looking sword and shield. Ah, the old sword and board, a warrior type. I looked questioningly at Ed, who shrugged. "Dave declined to fight after that showing. He said he doubted he could challenge you." I shrugged right back. It mattered little to me which of the challengers I fought. Ed withdrew into the viewing room as Alex moved to stand across from me.

  “Your familiar is impressive.” The Hispanic man said with a very slight accent. I dipped my head in thanks.

  "Thank you," I replied, eyeing Alex's sword and shield. "Your equipment looks well-crafted."

  Alex nodded, a small smile playing at his lips. "They serve me well. I hope they'll be enough to give you a challenge."

  I couldn't help but return his smile. His confidence was refreshed after Matt's bravado and Dave's retreat. "We'll see. Shall we begin?"

  Alex raised his shield and settled into a fighting stance. "Whenever you're ready."

  I nodded, appreciating Alex's professional demeanour. This would be a more interesting fight than the last. Vipera uncoiled from around me, slithering to the ground and circling behind me. I could feel her eagerness through our bond, but I held up a hand.

  "Hold off for now, girl. Let's see what he can do."

  Alex raised an eyebrow. "Not using your familiar this time?"

  "Not yet," I replied, spinning my dagger in my right hand. The root-like handle felt familiar and comfortable in my hand. I hadn't had the time to use it as much as I would like while I was in the Soul-Sheer, but I'd used it enough to be more than comfortable with the blade. The fang blade glinted in the light, veins of electric blue shimmering across the surface, reminiscent of the patterns that covered Vipera. My largest concern here was weapon skill. I would have the edge in stats here, but I had little doubt Alex was much more skilled with his chosen weapon than I was with my own. He'd likely had the benefits of training and mentors while I relied heavily on my instincts.

  "I figure you deserve a fair shot."

  Alex's eyes narrowed, focusing on my weapon. "That's quite the blade. I hope the healers are up to dealing with its effects."

  I grinned. "Don't worry, I'm not looking to kill anyone today."

  Without further preamble, Alex charged. His shield was up, covering most of his body as he closed the distance between us. He was faster than I expected. I wondered if that was a Class Skill, a shield charge maybe? It would be fitting if he were meant to be the Tank. A skill to quickly engage and move him to the front of the battle would suit him well. A faint shimmer covered the surface of the shield, and my instincts told me it would be a bad idea to come into contact with it. Skill use confirmed. Matt hadn't had the time to get a Skill off during our fight, but Alex was using one of his as the opening gambit. Honestly, I was a little jealous I had few skills that were for active use in the same way, but then again, I had other advantages. I hopped to the side with a flex of my legs, Alex pivoted to follow on the balls of his feet, keeping his shield interposed between me and him. I slung my arm out in a lazy slash, just a probe, nothing more.

  Alex shifted his shield up easily, blocking the blow. My dagger screeched against the metal body of the shield. The moment I made contact, I realized I'd made a mistake. The shimmer coating the shield grew brighter, then burst. I was hammered by a concussive burst that picked me up off the ground, tossing me several feet back. It hurt, but not badly enough to distract me. My feet dug shallow furrows into the ground when I landed on a different section of the floor. This area was covered in something like AstroTurf rather than the bare concrete we'd been on.

  I eyed Alex with suspicion and a bit of respect. He wasn't rushing; he was approaching slowly, shield raised. The shimmer was coating his shield again; he must have reapplied it when I was pushed back by the blast. I grinned, feeling a rush of excitement. This was more like it - a challenge. Alex was skilled and an experienced fighter; it showed. He wasn't rushing; he was calmly pursuing across the arena, slowly pressuring me rather than rushing in, which seemed to suit his abilities. He also seemed to have some nasty tricks up his sleeve. Time to show him what I could do.

  "Interesting," I said, rolling my shoulders. "Some kind of kinetic detonation based on contact?" I could [Analyze] him and find out the details if I felt like it, but it felt more interesting this way. This wasn't a life-or-death fight.

  Alex nodded, a hint of pride in his eyes. "My [Concussive Retaliation] Skill. It's served me well." I felt the odd capitalization when he named his skill and filed that detail away for later examination.

  I circled him warily, my dagger at the ready. Alex's technique was solid, and that skill of his was no joke. I'd have to be careful about engaging directly. First, there was something I wanted to test, however. I lunged forward at Alex, grabbing the edge of his shield with my free hand.

  No response from his skill.

  His blade came whipping around from the side. I stepped back, pulling his shield arm with me. The sudden movement ruined his strike as his left side was yanked forward. I pressed it aside easily with my dagger. It seemed there were conditions to his Skill activating its effect. That was worth noting. If I had to guess, it would activate whenever his shield was struck; grabbing didn't count as a strike, otherwise it would have gone off, and I would have gotten blasted again. I released Alex's shield and withdrew several steps. This was a good opportunity for me to practice something.

  I dove into my Aura senses without activating [Auric Vision] for the extra help; the visual change would be too distracting for me right now. I watched Alex's aura closely. It was steady and measured, with only slight tremulations. It matched the steady warrior quite well, all things considered. We circled each other slowly as I observed his aura, watching for any signs of change. If I could learn to predict any of his moves by changes in his aura, that would be a huge gain for me.

  Alex didn't give me much time to study his aura. He lunged forward, his shield leading the charge once again. This time, I was ready for it. I sidestepped, my dagger flashing out to strike at his exposed side. But Alex was faster than I anticipated. He pivoted, bringing his sword around in a swift arc. Our weapons clashed in a shower of sparks and an echoing shriek.

  I barely managed to pull back in time, feeling the breeze of the shield passing inches from my face as he brought it around from the other side. My heart raced with a mixture of excitement and adrenaline. I could feel slight changes in his aura as he piled in, swinging his shield and sword in equal measure. That Skill of his was potent both defensively and offensively. As we continued to exchange blows, I noticed something interesting in Alex's aura. Just before each attack, there was a subtle shift, a gathering of energy that preceded his movements. It wasn't much, but it was enough to give me a split-second advantage.

  The next time Alex lunged, I was ready. I saw the telltale flicker in his aura and moved before he even began his attack. My dagger slipped past his guard, scoring a shallow cut along his arm.

  Alex's eyes widened in surprise, but he recovered quickly. "Damn," he grunted out.

  I grinned and piled in, dropping into a low crouch, whipping my blade across his shins. This would be a very different fight if we were allowed gear. If Alex were wearing any kind of protective gear, this would be much harder for me, and I'd only seen one Skill from him. I had to assume he had more, maybe they were conditional, and the conditions hadn't been met to use them yet?

  I couldn't be sure, but with my dagger's venom working away at him, this fight was on a timer. A moment later, I got to see another one of Alex's Skills.

  “[Steel Aegis]!” My opponent called out.