Philip kept his eyes on Maddy. He took a deep breath and straightened his posture, his expression softening into something like reverence.

"You surprise me, girl. From the very start, you caught me off guard. In my fifty years of serving this nation and testing thousands of hopefuls, I have never seen a form like yours. It is... a breath of fresh air. It made me remember my own early days and reminded me why I chose to be an adventurer in the first place."

His sharp eyes glinting with a teacher’s wisdom.

"Listen well. The flame you ignite in that bowl does not represent your whole self. It only shows what you have right now. It is a snapshot of your current power, not a limit on your soul. A person’s rank is a shadow, but their skill is the substance."

He looked back at Maddy.

"During our fight, you used that battered shield and that heavy iron sword with a grace, a natural harmony, that defied your rank. You weren’t just swinging metal; you were moving with a purpose I haven’t seen in decades. It tells me that your little flame has the potential to grow into a wildfire. I am truly, deeply excited to see your flames grow."

Philip let out a short, bark like laugh, a genuine smile breaking through his stern mask. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out another wooden sigil. With quick, practiced strokes, he carved the image of a greatsword and shield into its surface before handing it to her.

"Here. Mastery confirmed."

[System Notice]

[You’ve gained a trait]

[Trait Acquired: Greatsword Mastery]

[Grants proficiency in greatsword combat. Enables controlled swings, devastating strikes, and chaining attacks with optimal balance and timing.]

[Trait Acquired: Small Shield Mastery]

[Grants proficiency in small shield combat. Enhances defensive precision, quick parries, and seamless transitions between blocking and counterattacking.]

Before she could react to the notification, Philip waved his hand, a rare, genuine smile breaking through his rugged features.

"Go to the last step. Congratulations."

Maddy bowed low, her hair veiling her face and hiding the sharp, knowing glint in her eyes.

"Thank you, sir! This means a lot to me, I really enjoyed our fight!"

As she turned and hurried toward the exit, she could feel Philip’s gaze lingering on her back. She had passed, but she had also left a mark.

The young man with the golden flame saw her leaving and panicked.

"Wait! Miss! Hold on a second!"

He began to sprint, his boots sparking against the stone as he tried to catch up to her before she vanished into the next hall. But he didn’t get far. A heavy piece of sacred wood slammed horizontally across his chest, stopping him mid stride with the force of a brick wall.

Philip stood there, his wooden weapon held firm, blocking the path. His eyes were no longer warm; they were burning with a fierce, competitive hunger.

"Where do you think you are going, boy?"

Philip asked, his voice low and dangerous.

"Move! I need to talk to her!" the young man cried, waving his arms frantically. "She just—did you see that? I have to ask her how she—"

"You are in my hall now," Philip interrupted, his grip tightening on the Promethean wood. "An SSS Rank does not just walk through these doors without paying the toll. You are mine to test. I have spent ten years waiting for a ’Hero’ AGAIN to walk into my circle. You think I am letting you chase a little girl before I see what that golden fire can really do?"

The young man looked at the exit, then back at the grizzled examiner. Philip’s aura was rising, thick and suffocating, matching the intensity of a man who had finally found a challenge worthy of his life’s work.

As the sounds of booming golden energy and clashing wood erupted behind her, Maddy stepped into the quiet hallway. She was completely unaware of the chaos she had left in her wake. Her mind was racing, but not because of the fight.

"Lucy, what the hell just happened? Why did I gain those traits after just a little spar with that man?"

[Response: It is because you are now officially recognized as an adventurer. When you touched the promethean bowl, the spark of Prometheus tested your inner flame. Even as an F Rank, you are now part of the world’s progression system.]

"The progression system?" Maddy whispered.

[Correct. As the examiner stated, the flame can grow. Adventurers possess the unique ability to grow infinitely. By engaging in combat and tests of skill, you gain experience and manifest new traits. What you did earlier, executing perfect blocks and counters, triggered the system to recognize and solidify your skills into permanent Traits.]

Maddy looked down at her hands, then at the heavy greatsword and shield she carried. A strange realization washed over her.

"I was wielding these as if they were made of paper," Maddy muttered to herself. "It wasn’t just luck or effort. It felt like... muscle memory. Like this body was born to carry these specific weights."

She gripped the hilt of the greatsword. Even without her combat trais active, her fingers found the perfect grooves. She realized that the "Princess" whose body she now inhabited wasn’t just a figurehead.

"The Princess must have been a master of the heavy blade," Maddy realized, a small smile appearing on her face. "I’m not just learning these traits. I’m waking them up. If an F-Rank can grow infinitely... and I’m starting with the muscle memory of a royal warrior... then this ’little flame’ is going to become something terrifying very soon."

She paused at the threshold of the final room, her eyes glowing with a quiet, internal fire. She didn’t want to just rely on the system; she wanted to reclaim every ounce of the power that belonged to her.

"Lucy," Maddy commanded in her mind, "re-equip all the combat traits. Everything. Bring them back online."

[Response: Re-activating All Combat Traits.]

Initializing...

Poof!

[Re-equip complete! All combat traits have been restored to Demigod baseline output.]