Two rods were placed in front of Anon and Luna, each loaded with 10 kg plates on both sides.
"Let's begin," Seti announced.
Luna swiftly picked up the rod, effortlessly lifting it over her head, as if it were a mere toothpick.
On the other hand, Anon demonstrated his strength by using only one hand to hoist the weight over his head, showcasing the difference in their abilities. He passed the first round with ease.
Luna, observing Anon's display, couldn't help but think, "Show-off? How arrogant."
Meanwhile, Anon had a different thought in mind. He wondered, "Why is this thing so light? Shouldn't 20 kg be heavier than this?"
Seti interrupted their musings, declaring, "Next round will be 40 kg."
Two additional 10 kg plates were added to each side of the rods.
"Let's begin," Seti repeated.
Both Luna and Anon effortlessly lifted the increased weight.
This pattern continued for several rounds, but eventually, the weights became significantly heavier.
"Now, the next round will be for 540 kg... Good luck, Mr. Anon," Seti smiled, confident that Anon would soon reach his limit, considering Luna hadn't even used her magic spells yet.
Luna firmly gripped the rod with both hands, now loaded with massive metal plates on either side. Despite the weight, she maintained a determined expression on her face.
As Luna lifted the weight, her face grew tense halfway through the motion.
"Use your spells, Luna!" Seti shouted.
"Fudge..."
Thud
The rod, burdened by the heavy metal plates, slipped from Luna's hands.
"I admit defeat," Luna conceded, wiping sweat from her forehead.
Seti's mind seethed with anger, thinking, 'This foolish girl, why didn't she use magic?'
"You can't admit defeat just yet. If Mr. Anon fails this test too, the next commoner will have a turn," Seti retorted, laughing and mocking Anon.
Anon muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible, "What a woman. She's been defeated so many times but still won't stop mocking."
With a slight smile, he confidently grabbed the rod with a single hand and said, "If you want a show, I'll give you one." Anon effortlessly lifted the 540 kg weight over his head, as if it were as light as a stick.
"Wow... Anon is incredibly strong!"
"Go, Anon! We love you!"
"Anon, you can do it!"
The second-year commoner girls immediately started cheering for Anon.
"Next student, please come forward," Seti said, dismissing Luna's defeat and summoning the next noble student.
Looking at the weight, Anon thought to himself, 'This weight is no joke. I picked it up with just one hand, but it's starting to take its toll on my body.'
"The next student will surely use magic, and the weight will immediately double, from 540 kg to 1080 kg. Will I lose this round?"
[Don't worry, Master. I'm still here] Link assured Anon as his hand began to warm.
"No, Link. If I use magic, I'll be instantly disqualified."
[Master, you won't use any magic. I will] Link declared, ensuring Anon that he would not fail.
"Well, I have no choice but to trust you," Anon replied.
[Leave it to me, Master.]
The next student stepped onto the stage and activated their skill.
"Boulder Arms..."
[Boulder Arms]
[Increases the strength of your arms by 200%, turning them into boulders for 10 seconds. The skill can be reused within 6 seconds, up to 5 times, but each use increases the fatigue percentage in your body by 10%. By the end, you will be very fatigued and tired.]
[Mana: 2000/use]
[Warning: This skill can be used consecutively but excessive use will result in death of the user.]
After using the skill, the student effortlessly grabbed the rod, as if it were a piece of cake.
[Your pet, Copy Caster Link, has used the skill Mimic on the target.]
[One skill copied: Boulder Arms]
[Would you like to use the skill Boulder Arms? Yes/No?]
[Note: The backlash from a copied skill will not have any effect on your body.]
"Link, you're truly a genius, you know that?" Anon praised his link.
[Thank you, Master.]
"Use the skill," Anon commanded firmly.
Suddenly, an immense surge of energy began coursing through Anon's hands.
'Woah, this energy is explosive,' Anon thought to himself as he effortlessly lifted the weight, as if it were as light as a feather.
'Go ahead and pretend all you want, but you'll soon tire out. After all, you're just a commoner,' Seti thought to herself, chuckling softly.
"In the next round, it's 1080 kg," Seti announced.
The guy utilized the same skill once again and effortlessly lifted the weight.
Anon also employed the same skill, effortlessly lifting the weight as if it were nothing.
The competition continued for another 10 minutes, and the noble student began to feel the strain of fatigue.
"I... I quit," he confessed, his body drenched in sweat and his biceps turning a purplish hue.
The weight had now reached 8,250 kg, and Anon remained unbeatable.
Seti's face turned pale as she witnessed the failure of the noble student, renowned for having the strongest hands in his family, against a commoner who had even used magic.
Letti, on the other hand, appeared ecstatic and amused. She didn't understand what was happening or how Anon was still winning, but a glimmer of hope reignited in her heart.
'He's the one who will shatter the arrogance of these noble pigs,' she thought, laughing like a maniac.
"He's cheating!" Seti shouted, pointing accusingly at Anon.
"Madam Seti, what are you saying? He hasn't used any spells or skills. How can you blame him for something so significant?" Letti immediately stepped in to support Anon.
"Are you kidding me? Do you truly believe that a human can lift such weight without using magic?" Seti spun around, shouting like a madwoman, as she glared at Letti.
"Can you prove it?" Anon asked, sporting a mocking smile.
"Oh, I will prove it. I will prove it right here and right now," Seti declared as she rushed out of the room, only to return five minutes later.
'Link, I won't be caught, right?' Anon inquired cautiously.
[I cannot guarantee that, master, without inspecting the testing apparatus. However, I can assure you that 90% of the tests cannot detect my presence.]
'90%? What about the remaining 10%?'
[That may pose a slight problem.]
'What the hell, bro? If she discovers that I'm cheating, I'll have to use mass hypnosis to make them forget everything.'
[That seems like a viable backup plan.]
'That's the only backup plan, and I've already depleted most of my mana. I don't want to suffer from mana fatigue.'
[I apologize, master.]
'Fuck...'
Seti approached the stage and handed a white ball to Anon and another white ball to a noble child.
"This is a test ball. It will turn green for every true answer and red for every false answer. Let me provide you with an example."
She turned to the noble child and asked, "Are you a donkey? Answer incorrectly."
"Yes..."
Buzzzzz
The white ball immediately turned red.
"You see this? Now, before I test you, do you want to confess to your cheating voluntarily or not?" Seti inquired.
"I am innocent," Anon replied, maintaining a straight face.
"Still not admitting it, huh? Well, we'll find out soon. Now, my first question for you is: What is your name?" Seti inquired, raising an eyebrow.
"My name is Anon Agreil."
The test ball turned green, indicating that Anon's response was correct.
"Good. Now, did you use magic during this exam when you were not permitted to?" Seti continued.
"No, I didn't use any form of magic during this exam," Anon replied firmly.
The test ball once again turned green, confirming Anon's claim.
"How can this be possible?" Seti wondered aloud, her eyes widening in surprise as she observed the ball's green glow.
"Madam, as you can see, he is an honest and hardworking individual, not a liar," Letti interjected.
"No, no, no, I can't believe this."
"Did you cheat in any exams prior to this one?" Seti inquired, determined to uncover the truth.
"But, ma'am... you can only ask about this test since you—"
"Shut up! Don't tell me what to do. This is my testing ground, and everything here will be done according to my rules," Seti shouted at Letti.
"Tell me, did you cheat in any exams prior to this one?" Seti repeated her question.
"Yes," Anon confessed.
"I knew it," Seti declared with a triumphant smile on her face.
"Now, tell me, Mrs. Letti, what were you saying? He's a hardworking child, huh? An honest child...? My foot, he's a damn cheater."
"Heheh..."
"Hahaha..."
"Mwahhhh..."
Laughter erupted from the Commoner section.
"Hey, why are you all laughing? Have you all gone mad because your top cheater just got disqualified?" Seti asked, baffled by the amusement around her.
"Ma'am, you should look at the test ball," Letti suggested.
"What?"
When Seti turned her gaze towards Anon and observed the test ball, she noticed something that left her in awe. The ball was shining in a vivid crimson red color.
"What? This is impossible. You lied?"
"Yeah, I just wanted to see the red color on this ball," Anon answered with a straight face.
"Hahaha."
"Hehehe... he really got her."
"Bro just owned the test instructor."
Laughter and mockery filled the Commoner section as they poked fun at Seti.
'Hmm...?' Anon growled, feeling the weight of a thousand elephants pressing upon his skull. His body screamed in agony as if it had been crushed under an unfathomable force. Darkness veiled his vision, but he fought relentlessly to pry open his eyes.
'The time has come to open my eyes.' Anon resolved with determination. As his eyes finally burst open, he beheld a young man seated before him. Brown locks framed the man's face, while two menacing black horns adorned his head. His body emanated a fierce green aura, and his eyes glowed with a perpetual, piercing purple light. A sight that exuded power and danger.
"Greetings, Anon," the man spoke, his voice dripping with an enigmatic charisma.
"Who are you? And how in the hell do you know my name?" Anon demanded, his confusion replaced with a burning curiosity.
"Who am I, you ask? It has been countless years since my true name slipped through the cracks of my memory." the man declared, rising from his throne and pacing confidently through the abyss.
Anon surveyed his surroundings, finding only a vast expanse of impenetrable darkness. Yet, the man remained an imposing figure, his presence impossible to ignore. Anon stood on an unseen ground, unable to discern its nature.
"I may have forgotten my name, but I know what I am. I am the essence of a forsaken soul, extinguished in the fires of an ancient war. In those days, I reigned supreme as the mightiest being to tread upon hallowed soil.
I dismantled the demon king, extinguishing the lives of humans, demons, dragons, elves, and dwarfs with my bare hands. But just when victory seemed certain, those wretched humans devised a treacherous pact with the underworld to bring about my demise.
To obliterate me, they offered up a macabre sacrifice—3,000 humans, 2,500 dwarfs, 1,000 elves, and 50 dragons perished on that blood-soaked battlefield.
They called me 'The Counsellor.'"
"The Counsellor? It's a class right?" Anon spoke, sensing there was more to this tale.
"A mere class, you dare call it?" A thunderous growl rumbled from deep within his chest, shaking the very foundations of the dark space. A burning rage ignited in his eyes, transforming them into searing infernos of determination.
As his fury surged, a white-hot blaze engulfed his entire being, flames dancing along his skin with an ethereal intensity. Within that blazing inferno, ethereal figures materialized, each one a testament to the unspeakable power he wielded. They emerged from the flickering flames, embodying the harrowing chapters of his dark and twisted saga.
The figures writhed and twisted, their forms a grotesque tableau of the horrors he had unleashed upon the world. Each phantom image told a tale of sorrow, despair, and conquest—evidence of the depths to which he had descended, the magnitude of his malevolence.
"In the realm of darkness and devastation, there existed a figure whose name struck fear into the hearts of both mortal and supernatural alike. They whispered my name in hushed tones, for my very presence commanded respect and terror. I was known as 'The Counsellor.' " He started speaking.
Once a mere mortal, I ascended to heights of power few could fathom. With a sinister mastery over the arcane arts, I wielded the dark forces of negative mana, twisting its malevolence to suit my whims. Minds bowed before me, mere puppets to my diabolical desires.
No secret was safe from my probing gaze, no will immune to my manipulative touch. With a mere thought, I unraveled the fabric of sanity, reducing even the strongest of wills to shattered remnants. I reveled in the chaos I sowed, relishing in the suffering I inflicted upon the unsuspecting.
The depths of his depravity knew no bounds. I danced upon the shattered remains of kingdoms, my maleficence leaving a scar upon the world that would never fade. Kings and queens trembled in my presence, their thrones reduced to ash beneath my dark, relentless onslaught. My magic consumed all in its path, leaving nothing but devastation and despair.
But with every ounce of power I possessed, there lingered a haunting truth—a truth that whispered in the depths of my twisted soul. For all my might and cruelty, i could not escape the tendrils of my own conscience. The sins i committed, the lives i shattered, haunted my every waking moment.
"The Counsellor," a name that bore witness to unspeakable atrocities, served as a reminder of the path i had chosen. I reveled in the fear that my name instilled, even as it gnawed at the remnants of my humanity.
The very mention of my name sends chills down the spines of those who remember my reign of terror.
In a realm devoid of hope, where darkness holds sway and minds are mere playthings, there stands a figure draped in malevolence—the infamous and feared "Counsellor".
"That's who I was," he declared with a voice laced in darkness, his eyes gleaming with an unwavering resolve. "I was the epitome of fear, a force that struck terror into the hearts of all who dared cross my path. But destiny had an unexpected twist in store for me."
His voice grew deeper, resonating with a sinister edge as he continued, "One fateful day, I encountered a figure whose power rivaled my own. He dared to call himself the Demon King, and in his presence, I felt a strange sensation—a longing for something I had never known."
A flicker of emotion passed through his eyes, an echo of vulnerability hidden within the depths of his darkness. "He bestowed upon me what I had been missing—a family, a sense of belonging. And with it, he granted me a name befitting my newfound purpose. From that day forward, I became known as The Counsellor."
"Once I joined his unholy army, I ascended to my next form—Cerebraxis."
"A surge of unimaginable power coursed through my veins, and I embarked on a cataclysmic slaughter across the globe. I harnessed negative mana, a wicked force akin to the very essence of creation. It tainted my mind, compelling me to commit unspeakable atrocities.
I have committed deeds that defy the boundaries of human comprehension, acts that have made nations tremble with fear and despair.
I have brought kings to their knees, fucked their queens and offsprings—only females, while the males met swift and merciless ends.
I have woven creatures of nightmares, creations that defy the limits of imagination. They are known as..."
"... Chimeras," Anon interrupted, his voice brimming with an unexpected fierceness.
"You possess that skill?" the man inquired, his eyes narrowing with intrigue.
"Yes, but it has remained dormant within me," Anon admitted, his voice dripping with the promise of untapped power.
"That is because you have languished within the confines of the feeble human kingdom. Once you step beyond its borders, a maelstrom of abominations will assail you, tormenting your dreams and shattering your very essence.
You are but a minnow in a murky pond," the man proclaimed, his words resonating with an undeniable authority.
"Why have you brought me here?" Anon demanded, his confusion intertwining with a growing sense of purpose.
"Because you have chosen to intertwine your destiny with mine, albeit through a different path. You have embraced the mantle of the Cerebraxis class, have you not?" the man questioned, his voice carrying an air of foreboding.
"Yes, I have. Is this the test in which I shall be tested?" Anon inquired, his tone exuding a newfound resolve.
"Indeed, it is. But be forewarned, failure shall condemn you to a cycle of rebirth, trapped within the confines of this trial until you either conquer it or meet your ultimate demise.
Completion shall grant you freedom, while death shall usher in the dawn of a new beginning. So, do you accept the terms of this trial, Anon Agreil?" the man challenged, his voice resonating with an irresistible allure.
'Death beckons a fresh start, while completion unlocks unimaginable power. There is no loss to be found,' Anon contemplated, his spirit aflame with an unyielding determination.
"I accept," he declared, his words echoing through the abyss with a thunderous finality.
"You, Anon Agreil, possess the mind of a formidable human and an unbreakable resolve," The Counsellor's voice reverberated with an air of awe. "You have not chosen the path of negative mana like I did, yet I sense a power within you that surpasses my own."
A wicked smile played upon The Counsellor's lips as he continued, his tone dripping with both admiration and a tinge of envy. "I have witnessed feats that stirred the very depths of my insatiable hunger. Your negative mana generation capacity surpasses mine by tenfold in its sheer potency."
"I was a traitor, not only to the Demon Gods and the Demon King, but also to those closest to me," he confessed, a flicker of remorse crossing his face before being consumed by a renewed vigor. "I was a disappointment, an uncontrollable force fueled by limitless power. But you, Anon, you will not follow in my footsteps."
Anon's eyes widened, a mixture of anticipation and skepticism coursing through his veins. "How can you be so certain that I will not disappoint you?"
The Counsellor chuckled darkly, his eyes gleaming with a mix of wisdom and calculation. "I possess the eyes that see through people, young one. Do not mistake me for a fool. Now, let us commence your trial."
With a mere flick of his fingers, reality itself shifted and warped.