On Highdawn 17, 1850 AC (Arbiter Calendar), after the family celebrated Alistair's success with his Aura Release and the aura color he revealed, along with one of his abilities, the system advised him to only disclose one ability. This precaution was taken due to suspicion surrounding how Alistair had acquired multiple abilities and where they originated. As a result, the system instructed Alistair to reveal just one ability: Basic Aura Fortification.
An hour later, at the Village Chieftess Training Center, Selene read a letter from Alistair's mother, Astrid. In the letter, she informed Selene that her son had successfully released his aura, revealing its color and one ability. Selene hesitated for a moment before asking Alistair to demonstrate if the letter's claims were true. Some members present overheard their conversation and were curious to see for themselves, especially the senior members who had been training for over a year without having been able to release their auras.
Alistair stood at the center of the room, taking deep breaths before gently releasing his aura. The sight astonished everyone. While some felt envious because Alistair had only just started training a few days prior and was already able to release his aura, others speculated—incorrectly—that the Village Chieftess had secretly given him special guidance.
Despite the mixed feelings in the room, Selene beamed with pride at Alistair's accomplishment. His aura color was yellow, signifying the power of willpower. Turning to Alistair, Selene encouraged him, saying, "Alistair, show me and everyone your ability."
Alistair activated his ability and announced, "Everyone, my ability is called Basic Aura Fortification. It enhances my willpower by allowing me to create a protective barrier that prevents hostile attacks from penetrating my body. The stronger my willpower, the more resilient the barrier becomes, enabling it to withstand multiple or heavy attacks. I've never tested this ability on someone else, so Village Chieftess Selene, would it be possible for me to spar with one of the members here?"
Selene hesitated, unsure if what she was about to say was true. At that moment, one of the senior members raised his hand. His name was Maron, and he had been training to harness his aura for nearly a year without any success. He felt frustrated, not knowing what he was lacking. Maron was also one of the trainees who envied Alistair for achieving so much in just a few days after his Aura Manifestation. Alistair had quickly learned to release his aura, showcased its color, and even discovered his own unique ability. This only fueled Maron's annoyance and anger. Hoping to vent his frustrations, Maron volunteered to be Alistair's sparring partner. While others saw it as a chance for practice, Maron saw it as an opportunity to unleash his pent-up rage.
"Your name is Alistair, right?" he asked, glaring at him.
Alistair nodded in response.
"Okay, Alistair, I will be your sparring partner, so be ready for the last day of training," Maron stated, his voice dripping with tension.
Selene agreed to the sparring match but could already sense a mild hostility from Maron directed at Alistair. To ensure that the sparring match would be fair and safe, she spoke the Oath of Honor, declaring, "I, Selene Brightlance, known as the Aura Watcher, stand as a witness under the gaze of the Goddess of Honor. I swear to uphold fairness, preserve the rights of both challengers, and enforce the laws of the duel without bias or favoritism. No deceit shall go unnoticed, and no interference shall be permitted. By my word and my name, this duel shall remain just."
After Selene announced the Oath of Honor, Alistair and Maron received a temporary blessing from the Goddess of Honor. Since this was a sparring match, it fell under her watchful gaze, establishing it as a no-kill zone. This meant that neither combatant was allowed to kill the other, and any violations of the Oath would result in the Oath of Punishment, which has five levels, ranging from Light Punishment to the most severe Deadliest Punishment that the Goddess could impose.
Filled with rage, Maron disregarded the Oath when the sparring match began, rushing towards Alistair. Alistair quickly activated his Basic Aura Fortification, surrounding his entire body with a protective barrier that could withstand Maron's relentless punches. Realizing his fist attacks were ineffective against Alistair's barrier, Maron grabbed the wooden sword at his waist and began swinging it aggressively.
However, Maron mistakenly believed that the wooden sword would inflict damage on Alistair's Basic Aura Fortification. What he didn't know was that Alistair possessed a hidden ability called Iron Body, which hardened both his body and his barrier. As a result, Alistair sustained no damage from Maron's strikes. Exhausted from his attacks, Maron ultimately lost the match, allowing Alistair to emerge victorious by simply enduring the onslaught.
Selene had concerns that the sparring match could be dangerous because Maron was aggressively attacking Alistair with his wooden sword. Alistair, facing his first sparring match against someone experienced in combat for one year, managed to win by enduring Maron's relentless attacks. When Selene checked Alistair's body, she noticed that he had no injuries. She recalled that when Alistair entered the training center earlier, she had observed that his aura level had increased from level 2 to level 3.
However, Selene felt that something was still missing and couldn't quite put her finger on it. She knew Maron had considerable experience fighting against his sparring partners, despite his prideful tendency to seek attention. Upon checking Alistair's body again, she found that he didn't have even a single scratch, and surprisingly, he didn't appear tired after his first match. Ultimately, she decided to set aside her doubts and accepted that Alistair had won fairly by enduring his opponent's attacks.
"Congratulations, Alistair! Although you have only been training here for a few days, you have graduated as a trainee. Here, take this as a graduation gift—it's a hunter bronze badge. You can begin your hunting missions anytime. If you need help, ask your two big sisters or your mother about the hunting missions," Selene said.
Alistair smiled, feeling proud of his accomplishment. Although the system noted that this achievement was relatively small, it marked an important first step in Alistair's journey. The system promised extraordinary rewards ahead for his future endeavors.