Murmurs erupted from the crowd and interrupted him as some people started complaining that it was unfair.
"We're just arriving!"
"Don't we get any time to prepare?"
"This is unfair!"
"SILENCE!!"
The power Williams commanded in that single word forced everyone's mouth shut, no one wanted to defy a man whose Mana aura made their hairs stand on end with his words.
"See what I said about this generation been talentless?, Just a simple preliminary and you're already complaining…Tch! Tch! Tch!… Pathetic"
The crowd mellowed as Williams insults sunk in.
"As I was saying, the preliminary is simply just a Mana test…"
As he spoke, the ground rumbled softly and a huge circular stone platform rose out from the ground, there was a standing huge circular disc on it that was made of gold.
There were "ooh's" and "ahh's" as it dazzled brilliantly in the silver light of the moon.
"….This here, is a Mana and strength measuring machine, you contestants are to touch it with your sword infused with Mana, the amount of Mana energy your sword carries will be recorded by this score board…"
A huge black floating score board appeared out of nowhere filling the air with Mana sparks.
"….This board here is almost an imitation of the original Mana measuring device but the only difference is that while the original one measures only the amount of Mana in your body, this one measure the amount of Mana your body can output and use for attack…
The board has a maximum score of six hundred Mana points, if your Mana level is three hundred and below, it means your magic attack with weapons is too weak and you are not fit to qualify as a Mana swordsman…"
Steve frowned as he perceived the harshness and scorn that Williams voice carried.
"…I know that all of you here must've measured your Mana level by now so there shouldn't be any misunderstanding, the aim of this test is just to simply measure your effectiveness in applying it….
If you score from 0 to 100, you're a level zero Mana swordsman
If you score from 101 to 200, you're a level one Mana swordsman
If you score from 201 to 300, you're a level two Mana swordsman
If you score from 301 to 400, you're a level three Mana swordsman
If you score from 401 to 500, you're a level four Mana swordsman
If you score from 501 to 600, you're a level five mana swordsman (though it's practically impossible for any of you to score this high..)
….Well, put in simpler terms, if you are below level three, you shouldn't bother participating in the prelims, just prepare to go home."
'Level three!, That's outrageous, I'm just a level two swordsman and I just awakened my Mana a few days ago, this is so unfair!!'
Steve lamented in his mind as some people in the crowd began shifting uncomfortably.
He also noticed that more than half of the contestants there exuded an aura of less than level three.
A derisive smile played across Williams' face as he saw the helpless reactions of some of the contestants.
"….You will be called out in the order you were registered and if you pass, our maiden fairies will lead you to your dorm immediately…"
Williams paused, allowing his words to sink properly into the minds of his listeners.
"Any questions?"
No one stirred, it seemed like everyone wanted to still try.
"Alright…let the prelims begin!!"
Steve shook his head softly, he knew that he was not up to level three, but that didn't mean he would back out.
'There's no harm in trial'
The three men floated away to watch from a distance as the cheery voice of an umpire could be heard. Steve couldn't see the umpire and neither could he discern where the voice was coming from.
"Hellooo contestants!!…Welcome to this generation's edition of the swordsmanship contest themed: Blood, Sweat and Tears!!…"
The jovial voice of this umpire seemed to offset some of the tension effected by the previous speaker.
"….Oooh, I really do hope we get to see some mind blowing content here…so now to the first contestant…
Lloyd Ronan, from the Whitemore continent with his katana…the blood katana…"
Steve noticed a drop in the umpire's tone at the mention of that weapon, one of the six weapons of sin.
'what on Earth is he doing with the blood katana?, Could he be the hermit from the north that Grandpa Matt spoke about?'
Steve also looked at the faces of the officials, Williams, Joaquin and Tristan and he could see the look of surprise written across their faces. They were probably wondering what a young man like that would be doing with one of the six weapons of sin.
"Do you know that the blood katana apart from been the strongest weapon of sin is the only activation weapon other than the fiend Slayer that has techniques?"
The glasses guy said with that self satisfied smirk on his face,
'Hmm…is that so?, Grandpa Matt never mentioned this' Steve thought,
"Nice to know"
Steve said with a smile that said "will you mind shutting up?, I'm trying to pay attention here"
Lloyd, the guy with the cold gaze walked slowly but confidently to the platform ignoring the murmurs and stares from the crowd.
Steve looked with interest, he wanted to see what Lloyd would do, after all he would be the first person to perform in this huge contest.
Lloyd pulled out his katana and took a stance, everyone watched with bated breath as he lifted his weapon with both hands, the blade of the katana suddenly went awash in white energy as he brought it down and struck the disc.
CLANG!!
The impact his weapon infused with mana made with the disc sent a shockwave in all directions. The crowd gasped as the chilly breeze that contained wisps of Lloyd's Mana swooshed around them.
'Wow….that attack strength…this guy is strong'
Steve was thinking that his attack strength was impressive till his eyes went to the board in the air.
The numbers that he saw made his eyes go wide in wonder.
"…455….56…57..58…9"
Lloyd scowled and dropped from the platform as the numbers finally stopped at four hundred and fifty nine.
"Wow….a level four Mana swordsman… impressive"
"Four hundred and fifty nine!!!, Impressive!!, And contestant number one qualifies to participate in the contest!!"
Lloyd had already left quietly with the fairy who came to take him to the dorm.
"…And for our second contestant….Fletcher Fisher from the Gray continent with his sword, the White fang…"
Steve was surprised when the young man with glasses left his side and began to move to the platform.
Steve observed the guy again but he was one hundred percent certain that the guy, Fletcher had no trace of Mana in his body.
'Is he really going?, It won't hurt him to quit'
Fletcher walked confidently to the platform with that silly smirk on his face.
On reaching the platform, he turned and bowed to the crowd.
"Boo!….lame ass!!"
"Hey four eyes, get on with it already!!"
The goths screamed at Fletcher.
Even Steve thought that he looked really stupid…
He smirked mockingly and turned to the disc and took a stance, then out of nowhere he released a powerful Mana aura, his sword was suddenly enveloped in white energy that he used to strike the disc.
There was no shockwave this time but the crowd gasped when they saw Fletcher's score; four hundred and twenty.
'I under estimated this guy, he too is also a level four swordsman' Steve thought,
"…..Another impressive swordsman!!, Contestant number two qualifies to participate in the contest!!…" The umpire screamed,
Fletcher smirked foolishly and followed the fairy that came to escort him to his dorm with his Mana aura non existent again.
Steve began to feel devastated, all this while he thought that he was talented, he never knew that there were prodigies who were much more talented than he was.
Steve watched and listened as the umpire called out the contestants one after the other, some were disqualified but a good number of them passed the preliminaries. Steve even saw the performances of some Heracles, all of them scored above the three hundred and fifty mark.
"….and for our sixtieth contestant, Billy Brown from the Whitemore continent with his dual swords, Platinum and Palladium!!!…."
The umpire said as the first member of the group of swordsmen with tattoos stepped up to the platform.
Billy was dark skinned with short black hair and brown eyes, he was well built with protruding biceps with a height of 5'9.
Steve could feel that his aura was quite high too.
His score was four hundred and eleven.
His group mates were called after him in order and they all scored within the three hundred to four hundred mark except one of them who used a sword who was disqualified after scoring two hundred and ninety nine.
The disqualified one had a look of devastation on his face as he called out to Billy who seemed like he was the leader
"Billy…Billy, what do I do? Are you going to leave me?"