Although the results were displayed, and his name was shining at the top, mark had a puzzles face, because the interface displayed above was similar to that of the system, but appeared as if it was a half arsed copied version of her.
Since the inheritance of this dungeon goes beyond to millions of years, right from its existence. Finding a display thing that was similar to the system though was tough but wasn't completely impossible.
Mark, he himself doesn't know entirely about her existence to begin with, just that her nagging could some times be irritating to him and her missions are always too excessive for him to complete.
" Since the results are displayed, this marks the end for the phase "Test of measuring potentials"
Let this high manager Arlong announce the beginning of second test, the test of... " Before Arlong could finish off his sentence, he seems to contacted by some high cultivator telepathically and by the way his facial composure got changed, it looks like a person of higher authority.
Since it was a person that could rank higher than the "person of chief" of the platform, in the masters zone itself. The persons status could very well be present in the ranks of the upper management, the highest authority of the arena itself.
At such a time when Arlong was about to announce the beginning the next test, a call comes up to disturb him.
Mark started to feel suspicious, since most of the members of upper management belong to the six major forces, and almost half of then were enemies with flame glory itself. After reveling such threatening potential, could the enemies of the upper management remain still?
{ High manager Arlong! The strength machine seems to malfunction, cancel the next test and proceed to the test of talents straightaway! }
{ Sir Darius! This... old manager had personally checked all equipment before hand. The strength machine worked perfectly fine. Seems like our sir had received a wrong Intel, if you excuse this old manager, then he would proceed with the procedures for the next phase of masters test. }
{ Arlong? If i say it had malfunctioned then it had malfunctioned. Cancel it and proceed to the test of talent! }
{ But sir, without a proper reason how could this high manager change the rules! }
{ Old dog! How dare you talk back to this Darius! Listen well, this is a decision made by the council of upper management itself! Do you dare challenge the authority of our seats? do you dare face those consequences }
Arlong had a disturbed face, but since it was a direct order from the council itself he couldn't say a no to it. Even though he himself was the highest authority of the platform, kept as the person in charge. He couldn't challenge the authority of the upper management and say anything yes to this Darius.
{ If it's the councils decision, this old manger would then follow Sir Darius's command. }
Test of talents! That damn Darius, is he thinking of killing this seedling from flame glory, by his underhanded means.
" Seems like there's a problem with the testing apparatus of strength machine, so we probably have to skip this test for now and proceed to the test of talent. "
As soon as Arlong had exclaimed out, the crowd turned into an uproar, test of talent! It wasn't a thing which was new to them, as they had spectated that test for numerous times on a number of participants at this place. But the thing that the test which was about to take place at the last was skipped to the second had made then agape in shock.
While the platform was in a uproar, with numerous discussions going on about the sudden change. A thing was going behind the scenes at the place called control center.
Platform number seven, control center.
The control centers, as it name implies this center is managed by the personnels from the arena, and each of the platforms had a place such as this underneath the ground.
It is present few hundreds of meters below the land, untraceable even to mighty emperors themselves, as the arena had placed a high end array that made this center hidden, perfectly from the very eyes of these humongous powerhouses.
Though this area is kept hidden from the eyes of the masses, it was not that of a secret from the higher authorities of this arena.
All things occurring inside the platform, the functioning of the arrays, the testing apparatus, the flying platform suspended in the air and even the hidden holes, through which the happenings in the inside were also clearly displayed on the wide screens inside the control centre.
Their main role is to operate the apparatus, to test the token holders without any discrimination, but after years of management, few corrupted personnel that looked at the benefits started to originate.
Not more than a hundred personnel could be spotted at this place, and they seems to have surrounded a injured person, who was on his knees, unconscious, with numerous piercings on his limbs by the sharp sphere from the people surrounding them.
" Take my old man and lock him till tomorrow. This mark let's see how long he could stay alive under my hands. "
To get a clear view of the event that took place, the incident that occurred few minutes earlier had to be discussed.
Few minutes earlier, control center, platform seven.
" Some one stop him! Gilldart! Just what are you trying to do? " A bearded old man that still looked quite energetic, bellowed out in anger.
" Old man, are you blind? Can't you see that I am just following the orders from sir Darius! " Gilldart refuted as if the old man before him was at fault.
" Sir Darius! He gave those orders? " The composure on the old man's face turned angry. He made his way towards this gilldart, grabbed his collar with an aggrieved face, looking straight into his eyes and bellowed " So what? Since when did our family became submissive to them. What about the pride of our westfield family? Gilldart do you what would happen if you pulled down that damn lever? "
" He–he, that kid would die for sure. Isn't that just a single brat from flame glory. What does his life and death have to do with our family's pride ? " Exclaiming it gilldart pushed away the old man back wards, and freed his collar out his grasp.
Tidying his collar, gilldart took a deep breath, looking at the old man before him, exclaimed " Sir Darius had promised me with a good deal. He had promised that I could become the next person in chief of the platform number six in the core itself! Just what could this platform number seven account for? Other than holding me at this small place. "
Slap!
" You immature son, you made a deal with that damn monster! Had any one who previously made a deal out of him survived till this day.
It was my fault to bring you to this field of administration. So let it be me who's gonna strip you of your position and correct the mistake in your place. " He turned his head towards the door which was few tens of meters away from their position. He bellowed " Is some one there!? "
" Get this disgrace out my sight, lock him there tightly. I will take him to Westfield's disciplinary hall once this damn test is over. "
Clang!
The metal doors were opened, rows of guards entered in, encircling the old man instead.
Crack! Crack!
The bones in his legs were crushed by the heavy blows from the guards. His arms and legs were later pierced by the sharp spears from them, that entered in the room, rendering him defenseless against their surprise attack, when his guard was left down for a moment.
" Y–Y–You! Don't tell me that these are your men in disguise, where are the arena guards? They won't leave their post unless... You unfilial son had you silenced them beforehand, and installed your men to assume their post? " The old mans face had turned pale, the spears were installed with a special poison that rendered him difficult to draw out the mana from his core, making him defenseless and being left at the mercy of his son before him.
" Old man, don't worry I won't kill you. Your son isn't some shameless ingrate that'll kill his own father.
And the thing about these arena guards... They all have been sended to hell a long time ago, it's just that you haven't yet to notice but these are my men, I have trained secretly since young for family succession.
Once I get a position in the sixth platform as its highest authority, my candidacy for family's head is fixed, just that I have to eliminate few thorns in the family, out my way to secure that seat.
In future our hidden family would no longer have to hide in this damn arena anymore.
We could set our feet back into the outer floor and dominate the other supreme existences who had lost the glory and power they used to have few millenniums ago.
With the forces of hundreds of our emperor class retainers, it wouldn't be far before we make them submissive to us and become the true rulers of this damn floor.
" Since when had my son turned this calculative and scheming? No it can't be him. Darius... Darius! it's probably one of his old damn schemes!
When will this stupid son before me could understand that he'll just be used until Darius find some value in him and be silenced after the intended work was finished.
My westfield family, it's years of loyalty to this arena is about to be tarnished by this shameful son. Did that Darius wants to place this foolish son of mine as his spy into my Westfield. Just what will happen to my Westfield if that turned true. "
Author's notes.
Sir Darius : A person of upper management, a narrator behind the plot to eliminate mark in the masters test.
Gilldart Westfield : The person who had imprisoned his father and took charge of the control room, to seek benefits from the Darius itself.
Hidden family : Discussed in later chapters.