Building A Business Empire From Scratch In Another World

"Eighty percent… Good enough?" Costa thought, shaking his head as he steeled himself for the challenges ahead.

With renewed determination, he grasped his halberd tightly and made his way toward the cave's entrance.

Outside, the forest was eerily quiet, punctuated only by the distant calls of birds and the gentle rustling of leaves.

The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting a breathtaking tapestry of orange and purple across the sky.

Taking a deep breath, Costa filled his lungs with crisp, invigorating air. "I survived," he reminded himself.

"But this trial isn't over yet." His grip on his weapon tightened as resolve surged within him.

"I won't just pass; I'll excel!" he declared boldly, stepping back into the wilds with unwavering confidence.

---------

The sun hung low in the sky, its golden rays stretching across the clearing where the carriages had first arrived seven days ago.

The air was thick with the pungent scents of sweat, blood, and earth, a vivid reminder of the brutal trials the children had faced.

One by one, they emerged from the dense foliage of the Twilight Mountain Range, each step a testament to their resilience.

Their clothes were tattered, bodies adorned with cuts and bruises, faces smeared with dirt and dried blood. Some limped; others clutched their injuries.

Yet their eyes, glowing with exhaustion and pride, told a story far greater than mere pain.

They had survived.

At the forefront stood Instructor Max, arms crossed over his broad chest, his sharp gaze sweeping over these battered but unbroken warriors.

Behind him, other instructors formed a line, their expressions a blend of approval and quiet pride.

For what felt like an eternity, silence enveloped them.

Then Max's voice broke through that stillness.

"Look at you,"*he boomed, his deep voice resonating across the clearing. "Seven days ago, you stepped into these woods as children. Now? You return as warriors!"

A ripple of pride surged through the crowd; even those who had stumbled stood just a bit taller.

"Some of you succeeded; some faltered," he continued passionately. "But let me make one thing clear,failure today does not mean failure forever."

His piercing gaze locked onto several downcast faces among the rescued children.

"The mere fact that you dared to enter that forest proves your courage! Remember this: true failure lies in giving up, and none of you did that."

A murmur of agreement spread like wildfire through the group.

"Now,"Max added with a rare smirk tugging at his lips,"let's see just how much you've grown!"

As instructors moved among them to check Mana fluctuations and injuries, whispers of surprise erupted at every turn.

"Tier 2…?" one instructor muttered incredulously while eyeing a scrawny boy who had barely been Tier 1 before.

"Hah! This one too!" another exclaimed joyfully as he clapped a grinning girl on her shoulder.

Near the front stood Costa, his halberd resting against his shoulder.

Though his body protested in ache after all they'd endured, his spirit burned brighter than ever, he had broken through to Tier 2: Intermediate Knight!

Beside him was Leon, wiping blood from his daggers; satisfaction radiated from him as he too celebrated an ascent in rank.

In total? A remarkable twenty children advanced in tier!

The instructors exchanged knowing nods, their expressions a mix of relief and pride. This was turning out to be even better than they had hoped!

Now came the moment everyone had been waiting for.

With an air of anticipation, the instructors gathered the magical beast cores, counting them with meticulous care.

Each core represented not just a trophy but a testament to survival, fierce battles fought, and personal growth achieved.

The scoring system was straightforward:

Tier 1 Magical Beast Core = 10 points

Tier 2 Magical Beast Core = 50 points

Tier 3 Magical Beast Core = 100 points

As the final tally was being calculated, a tense silence enveloped the group of eager children.

Finally, Instructor Max stepped forward, scroll in hand and a glint of excitement in his eyes.

"Listen closely," he announced as he unfurled the scroll. "These are your rankings!"

One by one, names echoed through the clearing like a drumroll building suspense.

10th Place – Fenris: With 4 Tier 2 cores and 8 Tier 1 cores, he racked up an impressive total of 280 points!

A lanky boy with a spear stepped forward, his face lighting up with joy.

9th Place -Ceridwen: She claimed victory with 5 Tier 2 cores and 5 Tier 1 cores for a total of 300 points!

A girl wielding twin swords stepped forward, her sweet smile radiating confidence.

...

3rd Place -Aldrich:

He earned his spot with

5 Tier 2 cores, and an astonishing count of 15 Tier 1 cores for 400 points!

A brooding boy with an axe stepped into view, silent yet formidable.

2nd Place – Leon.

The black-haired boy's expression remained stoic outwardly; however, those who knew him caught that flicker of surprise in his eyes when his score was revealed, 10 Tier 2 cores and 15 Tier 1 cores totaling 650 points!

Gasps rippled through the crowd; that was an insane number of kills for just one week!

1st Place – Costa: As his name rang out, the clearing fell utterly silent.

Costa's breath hitched, this win had taken him completely by surprise.

With one Tier 3 core, 11 Tier 2 cores, and 25 Tier 1 cores under his belt for a whopping total of 900 points, he stood there stunned.

For a heartbeat after the announcement lingered in the air, then cheers erupted like fireworks!

Instructor Max gestured for silence before turning to Costa with a proud nod and a warm smile.

He turned to the group with a grin and announced, "Alright everyone, the trial has come to an end! You all did an amazing job, now let's head back!" With that, they made their way toward the carriages, excitement buzzing in the air.

As the children climbed aboard, a whirlwind of emotions filled the space. Some were laughing joyfully, while others tended to their scrapes and bruises.

Yet, despite their varied reactions, one thing was clear: they had all changed during this adventure.

Costa leaned against the carriage window, gazing out as the majestic Twilight Mountain Range faded into the horizon.

"This is just the beginning."

Beside him, Leon flashed a confident smirk. "Next time? I'm claiming first place!"

Costa chuckled in response,"We'll see about that!"

As the carriages rolled away from their trials and tribulations, the sun dipped low in the sky behind them, casting vibrant hues of orange and purple, a stunning backdrop for their hard-earned victory.