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Cain’s words echoed through the area, causing all the competitors to straighten their backs and stick their chests out. Compared to just a few minutes ago, the number of people have been reduced by way more than half, leaving about three hundred to five hundred people. It’s hard to get an accurate count. Mirta, the elf girl who was even smaller than me, bit her lower lip and stared up at Cain. Did she dislike him?
“While the first test was highly efficient, I have no doubt the spectators are cursing me for showing them such a boring round,” Cain said with a chuckle. “This one will be more interesting to watch.” As he spoke, his hands were moving in circular patterns, and the world was distorting. The ground shifted until everyone was standing in a neat straight line. A massive black pillar fell from the sky, slamming into the gray earth, but oddly enough, it didn’t make a sound as it landed. “Behold, a pillar.”
No one said a word as Cain hovered in the air. I hope he wasn’t waiting for a response to that. A few seconds later, someone called out, “What about it?”
Cain smiled. “I’m glad you asked,” he said. Oh lord, my image of Cain is changing by the second. I thought he was a valiant hero, but his attention seeking is almost as bad as Lucia’s. Are all strong people childish? No, I can’t judge Cain by a singular display. I’ll believe in my childhood hero. “The goal of this test is simple: to see how well your talent translates into actual ability. Attack the pillar. The further it goes, the higher your rank. Did I mention the ranking process begins now? Remember, only the top hundred people will get prizes.”
“Then I’m starting first?” a voice asked from the front of the line. Lucia and I were somewhere near the back, but the man’s words were still transmitted clearly. Without a sound, the ground shifted upwards and a series of steps was created with every person on their own step, allowing those in the back to see over those ahead.
“Begin,” Cain said. “One at a time.”
The first man nodded and walked up to the pillar. He was a human without any distinguishing features. If my life were a story, I’d mistaken him for generic fodder character A. Generic fodder character A let out a shout and punched towards the pillar. His fist was set ablaze and increased in speed. A loud cracking noise echoed through the air … followed by an ear-piercing scream. Generic fodder character A fell to the ground, clutching his arm while letting out sobbing noises. The pillar hadn’t moved.
A few people sucked in their breaths and stared at Cain. He shrugged. “I never said it would be easy. Next!”
A demon stepped down from her position and approached the pillar, eyeing it like a mercenary would eye a beast. She crouched next to the pillar and slammed her hands on the ground. The earth rippled like water, and dirt surged up like a wave. Smart. If you can’t move the pillar, move the ground beneath it. It’s a shame it didn’t work; the pillar remained unmoved as the wave of earth passed around it like water would pass a rock in a river. The demon sighed as she stood up and shook her head.
“The pillar moved by a millimeter,” Cain said from above. A scoreboard appeared in the air, two names appearing on its list. Besides the feminine name, there was a one. Beside the generic sounding name, there was a zero. “Next!”
And thus, generic character after generic character attacked the pillar with all they had. After a hundred people had gone, the new high score was six millimeters, achieved by a person erupting a volcano underneath the pillar with a combination of third and fourth circle spells. The next person had a familiar face. Wasn’t that—“Ah!” Lucia said. “It’s the acorn stew hater. Down with the heretic!”
Acorn stew’s not a religion!
The lion man turned his head and glared at us. So it seemed like everyone’s voices were transmitted easily throughout this plane. Mirta gasped when she saw the fiery look in the lion man’s eyes. “My mother was right! Beastkin men will target me because I’m adorable and helpless looking!” She gulped and hid behind Lucia, her actions causing the lion man’s face to darken.
The lion man shook his head and roared, a surge of qi billowing out of his body. Cain’s eyes lit up as he rubbed his chin. “A peak spirit warrior. At such a young age too. It’s a shame his presence makes little girls cry.”
The lion man, who was in the midst of walking towards the pillar, collapsed upon hearing Cain’s words. He shook his fist at the sky. “It’s not like that!” he shouted. “Your words hold a lot of weight; please, don’t slander me like this!”
Cain shrugged. “Just attack the pillar. I’ll still reward you if you end up in the top hundred.”
The lion man hung his head and trudged forwards, his earlier momentum gone. Poor fellow. First he encountered Lucia, then he … encountered Lucia again. Am I the actual poor fellow for sticking by Lucia’s side? Another roar shook the plane as the lion man charged towards the pillar, opening his arms like he was going to hug it. “Path of desire: lion’s charge!”
“See, even your path reveals your true colors,” Cain said, raising an eyebrow. “But you moved the pillar 15 millimeters, not bad. You’ve more than doubled the previous high score.”
The lion man snorted as he stopped releasing his qi. He glared at Lucia before stepping off to the side where all the other contestants who had finished were waiting. A few of the lion man’s lackeys let out praise and fawned over him, but Mirta wrinkled her nose and said, “I can do better than 15 millimeters.”
More generic cannon fodder went, none of them passing ten millimeters. The next person of note was Daniel. He interposed three seventh circle spells and unleashed them at once, blasting the pillar back by three whole centimeters. His face fell upon seeing the result, and he muttered, “What is this thing made out of?”
“A legendary beast’s bones,” Cain said from above, crossing his arms over his chest. “You did well, doubling the previous pervert’s record.”
After another hour of waiting, it was finally Mirta’s turn. Which meant my turn was next, then Lucia’s.