Kilian lifted both Haruo and Ena with ease, securing them before breaking into a sprint toward the testing location. Despite his incredible speed, he maintained a careful pace to ensure they weren't hurt. As he ran, a soft hum escaped his lips, unfazed by the rapid pace.
Haruo and Ena remained quiet as Kilian carried them effortlessly toward the location. Without warning, Kilian launched himself into the air with a powerful leap, propelling them forward at an even greater speed.
Ena and Haruo screamed, surprised by the sudden leap, far more intense than before. Kilian, still humming, casually admired the scenery of Laviris as they soared through the air.
"AHHHHHHHHH!" Haruo shouted, his face flushing red as blood rushed to his head.
Ena clamped a hand over her mouth as her face turned green, trying to use her ability to stabilize the ear's balance mechanism. It worked briefly, her color returning to normal, but after a few seconds, the nausea overwhelmed her once more.
"looks like we're here." Kilian said looking down at the ground with a grin in his face.
As they landed, Ena instinctively threw up her hands to brace herself against a nearby tree, while Haruo remained sprawled flat on the ground, drool pooling from the corner of his mouth after the sudden jump and speed.
"Stop overreacting, that wasn't even a quarter of my speed. Besides, you both needed it anyway. I can't have you guys being such pussy." Kilian remarked.
They then regained their senses and looked around, with Haruo rubbing his forehead as he surveyed the scene. Before them stretched a vast field bustling with activity, filled with numerous people. In the distance, a stage stood prominently, complete with a microphone waiting for its speaker.
"What exactly is the verification test for again?" Ena asked, gazing at the crowd.
"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention what it's about. The verification test isn't just one course but multiple. There's one for global ranking, another for adventuring, one for divisions, and for mages, among others." Kilian explained.
"Since you guys are taking the divisions course, you don't need to worry about the global rankings right now, so let's skip that part. The first half mainly consists of individual tests like endurance, strength, speed, and abilities, but the second half will be a team test." Kilian explained.
"Do we get to choose which division we want to join?" Haruo asked, crossing his arms with a skeptical look on his face.
"Haha, no. After the test, the branch will assign you to a division that's best for you. They'll install nanomachines in your bodies to monitor your physical health and record your actions to determine which division suits you best." Kilian laughed as he further explained.
"And don't worry, they'll extract the nanomachines from your bodies after the test. Go explore the place; the test will start in one hour." Kilian said, giving them a slap on the back before vanishing into thin air.
Haruo and Ena exchanged glances before setting off to explore. They moved through the crowd, taking in the bustling activity and observing other participants preparing for tests.
"so do we just wait?" Ena asked, standing in the crowd.
"Obviously, there's nothing to do except wait." Haruo said, finally able to rest as he looked at the stage. He sighed deeply
***
After an hour, a loud footstep echoed across the field, immediately drawing the attention of all the participants. Their gazes locked on the stage, anticipating the arrival of someone significant. A figure emerged, shrouded in mystery. The person wore a mask that obscured their face, while a long robe concealed their physique, leaving no hint of their identity.
"Who is that?"
"Is he the speaker?"
"Has it begun?"
Whispers spread like wildfire among the crowd as they stared at the masked figure standing in front of the mic. The figure remained silent, drawing out the suspense, before slowly reaching out, grasping the mic with a deliberate motion.
"Hello everyone. For those wondering who I am, I'm one of the city council members of the Marion Kingdom. I can't reveal my identity to anyone for reasons I cannot explain right now."
the figure said. The voice, altered and obscured, made it impossible to determine the gender of this mysterious individual.
"A council member??"
"What's a council member doing here?"
"Shouldn't the branch leader be the one announcing?"
More whispers rippled through the crowd, skepticism growing as they eyed the mysterious figure on stage. Unease spread among the participants, unsure whether they should trust this masked individual or question their authority.
"The reason I'm announcing this, and not the branch leaders, is because there is something I must declare." the figure stated, their voice taking on a serious tone.
"As a member of the city council and a citizen of the Marion Kingdom, I hereby declare that a special event has officially begun." the figure announced, spreading their arms wide, as if to emphasize the weight of the declaration.
'An event? Why didn't Kilian mention anything about this during the verification test?'
Haruo thought, unease creeping onto his face. He glanced over at Kilian, only to find him smiling, as if he had expected this all along.
Suddenly, the ground beneath them began to tremble. A massive castle started to materialize from the earth, its towering walls rising up around them. Haruo and Ena exchanged a quick glance, eyes wide with confusion and concern, before they were engulfed completely, phasing through the stone as the castle swallowed them whole.
"May the verification test begin." the figure declared, their voice echoing across the field just as the castle completed its rise from the ground, looming ominously over the participants.
Haruo and Ena were separated, the walls now solid and impenetrable. Haruo found himself in a small room, the windows visible but barred. The walls felt indestructible, but he remained calm and focused, assessing his surroundings and strategizing his next move.
'Kilian clearly said they would put nanomachines in our bodies. Why would he lie about that? No, it doesn't seem like he would. I guess I have to wait and see,' Haruo thought to himself, weighing the situation as he remained vigilant in his small room.
"Ahem, ahem..." A loud voice echoed through the castle, cutting through the silence and catching Haruo's attention. He turned his focus to the source, curiosity piqued as he awaited the next announcement.
"Hello again, fellow participants. Some of you are probably feeling confused right now, especially after hearing about the different courses in the verification test and the whole castle situation." the council member said, their voice resonating throughout the castle.
"I can assure you that you can still choose which course to take. But before that, I want all of you to find the ring somewhere in your room. Don't worry; it isn't hidden, it's likely somewhere visible." the council member reassured the participants.
"The ring is essential for this test, as it will implant nanomachines inside your bodies. From there, we will be able to monitor your health and record your stats from the main office." the council member explained.
"Those who start the test without putting on the ring will be disqualified and sent back to the field, so make sure you have it equipped. Now, let me explain the rules of the test." the council member said, their tone shifting to a more serious one.
"The first rule is the one I just mentioned: have your rings equipped."
"The second rule is that killing is prohibited. For those who are thirsty for blood, be careful in your actions, as the consequences will be equally severe." the council member stated firmly.
"The third rule: Any use of artifacts is not allowed, regardless of their rank. Please keep them stored in your mana storage."
The fourth rule: you are not allowed to communicate with other participants during the individual tests. Communication will only be permitted in the second half of the test." the council member explained.
"And finally, the fifth rule: Direct combat between participants is only allowed in designated areas and during the second half of the test. Engaging in combat outside these zones will lead to disqualification." the council explained.
"And before I sign off, you can pick which courses to take. There's a paper with golden ink beside it in your room, listing the available courses. You can either sign it to change courses or leave it and continue with this one. Special note: the event is only limited to the division course, so choose wisely." the council member said before signing off.
Haruo then moved toward the paper, his eyes scanning the golden ink as he examined the list of available courses. He studied the options carefully, curious to see what the verification test had to offer beyond the division course he was currently in.
"Hunter... adventurer... mage... driver's license???"
Haruo read aloud, his eyes widening in disbelief as he spotted the unexpected option among the available courses. He blinked, momentarily thrown off by the odd inclusion.
"Who's idea was it to put this here??? Whoever did this must have been really bored or stupid." Haruo muttered, shaking his head before grabbing the ring beside the paper. He slid it onto his index finger, feeling the cool metal settle into place.
"I wonder if he saw it, lol." Kilian said, a grin spreading across his face as he rubbed his nose, quietly giggling to himself. The thought of Haruo stumbling upon the unexpected course amused him more than he'd like to admit.
'The first half of the verification test shouldn't be that hard, since it's only the individual tests for now.' Haruo thought as he turned the doorknob and stepped through the door.
As he stepped through the door, Haruo glanced around the room. It was more detailed and spacious than the previous one, with large windows letting in natural light. The architecture had a unique structure, adding an air of elegance to the space that intrigued him.
The once gloomy atmosphere shifted to a bright one, or so Haruo thought. As he looked deeper into the room, he was taken aback when a pure white, blank humanoid figure suddenly appeared on the other side. Its featureless form stood silently, adding an eerie tension to the otherwise vibrant space.
'A mannequin? That wasn't there before. It must be part of the test.'
Haruo thought, cautiously approaching it while keeping his sword at the ready in case the mannequin decided to move. Suddenly, it lunged forward with a punch, but Haruo quickly realized it was weak and easily avoidable.
Haruo didn't even bother to dodge; he simply let the weak punch land. With a swift motion, he drew his sword and cut the humanoid in half before making his way to the door, confident that he had passed this part of the test.
He turned his head as quickly as he could, narrowly dodging a powerful knee attack from the humanoid. While it wasn't as potent as his own destructive capabilities, a sudden sense of danger coursed through his mind, urging him to remain on high alert.
'He wasn't that strong before, and I couldn't even sense him. This stupid mannequin even regenerated from the slash earlier. If the doorknob hadn't been so clean, I might not have seen his reflection in time to dodge.'
Haruo thought to himself, glaring at the humanoid, his resolve hardening as he prepared for the next move.
He then rushed toward the mannequin, swiftly slicing its head off before stepping back to observe the humanoid. Haruo focused on analyzing as much information as he could, keenly studying its movements and any changes in its form.
Almost instantly, its head reattached itself to its body, seamlessly merging back into place as if the attack had never happened. Haruo's eyes widened in surprise, realizing just how formidable this opponent truly was.
The humanoid then accelerated, charging toward him with a punch, but it wasn't fast enough to keep up with Haruo. In a fluid motion, he sliced at it again, severing all of its limbs with precision.
'Two seconds... that's how long it takes for him to regenerate if his body gets sliced in half. It seems like he gets stronger the more I slice him. Since I've sliced him five times, he should be five times stronger now.'
Haruo thought, bracing himself for the next attack, determination etched on his face.
Unexpectedly, the humanoid's speed and strength increased even more than Haruo had anticipated. His calculations were off, it seemed that each attack not only bolstered its power but also enhanced its speed beyond what he had initially assessed.
"You've got to be shitting me... He isn't getting more powerful by multiplication... it's exponential growth."