Chapter 12
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"Next."
….
"Next."
…
"Next."
One after another, the registrants lining up for the testing room diminished until it was Xenith's turn. As it was his first time here at the association, Xenith wondered why nobody was coming out of the same door after their tests.
"Was there another door for them to exit?" He could not see another door close to the one they are lining in front of. He did not hear a reply from the rest of the registrants behind him either. It would seem that the test had some sort of a one-way policy to avoid any leakage.
"That's a shame, I would've asked them what they encountered inside the simulation. That would have made things a lot easier for me." Xenith shook his head in disappointment. It would also be dumb to get out of the line now for the sake of asking the receptionist regarding the test.
New Humans, especially the arrogant ones, are not known for being lenient with one another. He would just end up causing a scene if he were to cut back in line.
'Surely, the test wouldn't be too troublesome, right?'
---
The serene chirping of birds, the harmonious sound of flowing water, and the comforting breeze of afternoon air made the whole test simulation feel unreal and ethereal. "Is this really just a simulation? Everything looks so realistic!"
Xenith could not help but gasp in awe at the breathtaking scenery in front of him.
The test simulation was simply unbelievable in all aspects. It did not look flawed in any way! Strolling around, Xenith noticed that nothing felt like a "test" at all. No enemies, no puzzles; nothing but a clear view of a dream-like environment.
"Did I enter the wrong room?" Xenith wondered. Of course, he entered the same room as the others, but something felt off from all this. "Surely, a test would be coming soon, right?"
"Test Number 14102143"
…
"Test Branch: Shen City"
"New Human Examinee: Xenith"
"Initial Rank Assesment: 0-star"
"Calculating…"
"Adjusting simulation…"
…
'Test: Survive the Hoard of Pygmy Lizardmen'
'Difficulty: 1-star rift equivalent'
'Objective: Survive the Hoard of Pygmy Lizardmen. Your test result would depend on your survival time. Last as long as possible. Offensive maneuvers are permissible. The difficulty would increase at every 10-minute mark.'
'Goodluck'
…
Sure enough, the serene surrounding immediately distorted at the announcement of the test. The flowing river in front of Xenith started trembling from the strong winds. A vortex then formed at the distance, emitting familiar energy…
For something like a simulation, the energy emitted by the rift felt extremely realistic. It might have been his inexperience, but Xenith could not tell apart the difference between the simulation and a real one as far as he could see… or feel.
"No wonder they were wearing such thick gears. It's a survival test…"
The rift soon spawned diminutive lizardmen, around half a meter in height.
They wore thin leather armor, and most of their weapons were either pikes or long spears. Some who were bare with leather armor had metallic platings instead, they brandish spears with ax-like tip. Around 50 of these tiny lizardmen spawned in one go.
An overwhelming number, to say the least.
Xenith could not help but frown. Could he even last a minute against these creatures?
---
Association of Grand Exterminators, Shen City branch— Association Director's office.
"You don't seem too bothered by the bad news?" A middle-aged man sitting on a red leather chair inquired Erzel. "In fact, I don't even think you were listening in the first place." The man added, his hand rubbing his temple.
Erzel, who was sitting in a laid back manner across him, answered "I am not that rude, Director Lin. Of course, I was listening, hahaha." His deep voice made the laughter all the more boisterous. It had a mocking tone to it that irked the middle-aged man— Director Lin.
"I am just happy to see you doing well despite problems piling up, hehe," Erzel added.
Director Lin shook his head in response, "Seriously though, I am troubled by the minuscule amount of talent this city has to offer compared to how often rifts spawn here. If the news of the Adventurers Association trying to usurp us doesn't bother you, then go ahead, you could leave as you please. I only called you here to talk about such matters- "
Lin stood up and went towards a cabinet with sealed drawers, "- I mean, if it's not of your interest, then I could just return to the main branch and abandon this one. You, however," tossing a folder towards Erzel, Lin added, ", would want this place up and running."
"This-- What's this? Are you trying to blackmail me to swap positions with you?" Erzel, who had a smirk painted on his face up until now, immediately had his expression change the moment he read the folder's contents.
"Is it not obvious? It's not like my fault that you owe 'him' a lot of things," Lin mockingly replied. A devilish grin suddenly appeared on his face, as if the tables have turned in a snap.
"Of course, as your senior, I would gladly 'help' you with the best of my abilities. Don't worry, I'll drop a good word for you when I return to the main branch. You don't have to worry about your sister either. She's in good hands." Lin tauntingly added.
Erzel's gaze burned with anger. This detestable director somehow found a way to escape his responsibility and pass it on to him. Even at the point where he would use his sister as leverage. 'If only I could pay my debts, this wouldn't have happened!' He thought.
Spinning the keys around his finger, Lin laughed, "Here's the key for the building. Good luck, Director Erzel. It was extremely nice of you to personally come and meet me here. Sadly, I have to go. Ciao~"
Erzel could not utter a single word in disbelief. Coming here was a trap; such a place was indeed trashy, even the director assigned was utter garbage. Despicable!
Erzel, out of nowhere, was now the director of the Shen City branch…
---
"Test over…"
"Result: 3 minutes and 4 seconds"
"Creatures eliminated: 37"
"Final rank assessment: 0-star"
"Ding! test completed. Registering…"
…
"Special assessment: Examinee appears to have an 'Innate Talent'"
"Matching examinee Xenith's 'Innate Talent' from recorded innate talents…"
"Error. Matching failed!"
'Final assesment— 0-star rank New Human with unknown innate talent…'
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
"Next."
….
"Next."
…
"Next."
One after another, the registrants lining up for the testing room diminished until it was Xenith's turn. As it was his first time here at the association, Xenith wondered why nobody was coming out of the same door after their tests.
"Was there another door for them to exit?" He could not see another door close to the one they are lining in front of. He did not hear a reply from the rest of the registrants behind him either. It would seem that the test had some sort of a one-way policy to avoid any leakage.
"That's a shame, I would've asked them what they encountered inside the simulation. That would have made things a lot easier for me." Xenith shook his head in disappointment. It would also be dumb to get out of the line now for the sake of asking the receptionist regarding the test.
New Humans, especially the arrogant ones, are not known for being lenient with one another. He would just end up causing a scene if he were to cut back in line.
'Surely, the test wouldn't be too troublesome, right?'
---
The serene chirping of birds, the harmonious sound of flowing water, and the comforting breeze of afternoon air made the whole test simulation feel unreal and ethereal. "Is this really just a simulation? Everything looks so realistic!"
Xenith could not help but gasp in awe at the breathtaking scenery in front of him.
The test simulation was simply unbelievable in all aspects. It did not look flawed in any way! Strolling around, Xenith noticed that nothing felt like a "test" at all. No enemies, no puzzles; nothing but a clear view of a dream-like environment.
"Did I enter the wrong room?" Xenith wondered. Of course, he entered the same room as the others, but something felt off from all this. "Surely, a test would be coming soon, right?"
"Test Number 14102143"
…
"Test Branch: Shen City"
"New Human Examinee: Xenith"
"Initial Rank Assesment: 0-star"
"Calculating…"
"Adjusting simulation…"
…
'Test: Survive the Hoard of Pygmy Lizardmen'
'Difficulty: 1-star rift equivalent'
'Objective: Survive the Hoard of Pygmy Lizardmen. Your test result would depend on your survival time. Last as long as possible. Offensive maneuvers are permissible. The difficulty would increase at every 10-minute mark.'
'Goodluck'
…
Sure enough, the serene surrounding immediately distorted at the announcement of the test. The flowing river in front of Xenith started trembling from the strong winds. A vortex then formed at the distance, emitting familiar energy…
For something like a simulation, the energy emitted by the rift felt extremely realistic. It might have been his inexperience, but Xenith could not tell apart the difference between the simulation and a real one as far as he could see… or feel.
"No wonder they were wearing such thick gears. It's a survival test…"
The rift soon spawned diminutive lizardmen, around half a meter in height.
They wore thin leather armor, and most of their weapons were either pikes or long spears. Some who were bare with leather armor had metallic platings instead, they brandish spears with ax-like tip. Around 50 of these tiny lizardmen spawned in one go.
An overwhelming number, to say the least.
Xenith could not help but frown. Could he even last a minute against these creatures?
---
Association of Grand Exterminators, Shen City branch— Association Director's office.
"You don't seem too bothered by the bad news?" A middle-aged man sitting on a red leather chair inquired Erzel. "In fact, I don't even think you were listening in the first place." The man added, his hand rubbing his temple.
Erzel, who was sitting in a laid back manner across him, answered "I am not that rude, Director Lin. Of course, I was listening, hahaha." His deep voice made the laughter all the more boisterous. It had a mocking tone to it that irked the middle-aged man— Director Lin.
"I am just happy to see you doing well despite problems piling up, hehe," Erzel added.
Director Lin shook his head in response, "Seriously though, I am troubled by the minuscule amount of talent this city has to offer compared to how often rifts spawn here. If the news of the Adventurers Association trying to usurp us doesn't bother you, then go ahead, you could leave as you please. I only called you here to talk about such matters- "
Lin stood up and went towards a cabinet with sealed drawers, "- I mean, if it's not of your interest, then I could just return to the main branch and abandon this one. You, however," tossing a folder towards Erzel, Lin added, ", would want this place up and running."
"This-- What's this? Are you trying to blackmail me to swap positions with you?" Erzel, who had a smirk painted on his face up until now, immediately had his expression change the moment he read the folder's contents.
"Is it not obvious? It's not like my fault that you owe 'him' a lot of things," Lin mockingly replied. A devilish grin suddenly appeared on his face, as if the tables have turned in a snap.
"Of course, as your senior, I would gladly 'help' you with the best of my abilities. Don't worry, I'll drop a good word for you when I return to the main branch. You don't have to worry about your sister either. She's in good hands." Lin tauntingly added.
Erzel's gaze burned with anger. This detestable director somehow found a way to escape his responsibility and pass it on to him. Even at the point where he would use his sister as leverage. 'If only I could pay my debts, this wouldn't have happened!' He thought.
Spinning the keys around his finger, Lin laughed, "Here's the key for the building. Good luck, Director Erzel. It was extremely nice of you to personally come and meet me here. Sadly, I have to go. Ciao~"
Erzel could not utter a single word in disbelief. Coming here was a trap; such a place was indeed trashy, even the director assigned was utter garbage. Despicable!
Erzel, out of nowhere, was now the director of the Shen City branch…
---
"Test over…"
"Result: 3 minutes and 4 seconds"
"Creatures eliminated: 37"
"Final rank assessment: 0-star"
"Ding! test completed. Registering…"
…
"Special assessment: Examinee appears to have an 'Innate Talent'"
"Matching examinee Xenith's 'Innate Talent' from recorded innate talents…"
"Error. Matching failed!"
'Final assesment— 0-star rank New Human with unknown innate talent…'
"Next."."Next.""Next."One after another, the registrants lining up for the testing room diminished until it was Xenith's turn. As it was his first time here at the association, Xenith wondered why nobody was coming out of the same door after their tests."Was there another door for them to exit?" He could not see another door close to the one they are lining in front of. He did not hear a reply from the rest of the registrants behind him either. It would seem that the test had some sort of a one-way policy to avoid any leakage."That's a shame, I would've asked them what they encountered inside the simulation. That would have made things a lot easier for me." Xenith shook his head in disappointment. It would also be dumb to get out of the line now for the sake of asking the receptionist regarding the test.New Humans, especially the arrogant ones, are not known for being lenient with one another. He would just end up causing a scene if he were to cut back in line.'Surely, the test wouldn't be too troublesome, right?'---The serene chirping of birds, the harmonious sound of flowing water, and the comforting breeze of afternoon air made the whole test simulation feel unreal and ethereal. "Is this really just a simulation? Everything looks so realistic!"Xenith could not help but gasp in awe at the breathtaking scenery in front of him.The test simulation was simply unbelievable in all aspects. It did not look flawed in any way! Strolling around, Xenith noticed that nothing felt like a "test" at all. No enemies, no puzzles; nothing but a clear view of a dream-like environment."Did I enter the wrong room?" Xenith wondered. Of course, he entered the same room as the others, but something felt off from all this. "Surely, a test would be coming soon, right?""Test Number 14102143""Test Branch: Shen City""New Human Examinee: Xenith""Initial Rank Assesment: 0-star""Calculating""Adjusting simulation"'Test: Survive the Hoard of Pygmy Lizardmen''Difficulty: 1-star rift equivalent''Objective: Survive the Hoard of Pygmy Lizardmen. Your test result would depend on your survival time. Last as long as possible. Offensive maneuvers are permissible. The difficulty would increase at every 10-minute mark.''Goodluck'Sure enough, the serene surrounding immediately distorted at the announcement of the test. The flowing river in front of Xenith started trembling from the strong winds. A vortex then formed at the distance, emitting familiar energyFor something like a simulation, the energy emitted by the rift felt extremely realistic. It might have been his inexperience, but Xenith could not tell apart the difference between the simulation and a real one as far as he could see or feel."No wonder they were wearing such thick gears. It's a survival test"The rift soon spawned diminutive lizardmen, around half a meter in height.They wore thin leather armor, and most of their weapons were either pikes or long spears. Some who were bare with leather armor had metallic platings instead, they brandish spears with ax-like tip. Around 50 of these tiny lizardmen spawned in one go.An overwhelming number, to say the least.Xenith could not help but frown. Could he even last a minute against these creatures?---Association of Grand Exterminators, Shen City branch Association Director's office."You don't seem too bothered by the bad news?" A middle-aged man sitting on a red leather chair inquired Erzel. "In fact, I don't even think you were listening in the first place." The man added, his hand rubbing his temple.Erzel, who was sitting in a laid back manner across him, answered "I am not that rude, Director Lin. Of course, I was listening, hahaha." His deep voice made the laughter all the more boisterous. It had a mocking tone to it that irked the middle-aged man Director Lin."I am just happy to see you doing well despite problems piling up, hehe," Erzel added.Director Lin shook his head in response, "Seriously though, I am troubled by the minuscule amount of talent this city has to offer compared to how often rifts spawn here. If the news of the Adventurers Association trying to usurp us doesn't bother you, then go ahead, you could leave as you please. I only called you here to talk about such matters- "Lin stood up and went towards a cabinet with sealed drawers, "- I mean, if it's not of your interest, then I could just return to the main branch and abandon this one. You, however," tossing a folder towards Erzel, Lin added, ", would want this place up and running.""This-- What's this? Are you trying to blackmail me to swap positions with you?" Erzel, who had a smirk painted on his face up until now, immediately had his expression change the moment he read the folder's contents."Is it not obvious? It's not like my fault that you owe 'him' a lot of things," Lin mockingly replied. A devilish grin suddenly appeared on his face, as if the tables have turned in a snap."Of course, as your senior, I would gladly 'help' you with the best of my abilities. Don't worry, I'll drop a good word for you when I return to the main branch. You don't have to worry about your sister either. She's in good hands." Lin tauntingly added.Erzel's gaze burned with anger. This detestable director somehow found a way to escape his responsibility and pass it on to him. Even at the point where he would use his sister as leverage. 'If only I could pay my debts, this wouldn't have happened!' He thought.Spinning the keys around his finger, Lin laughed, "Here's the key for the building. Good luck, Director Erzel. It was extremely nice of you to personally come and meet me here. Sadly, I have to go. Ciao~"Erzel could not utter a single word in disbelief. Coming here was a trap; such a place was indeed trashy, even the director assigned was utter garbage. Despicable!Erzel, out of nowhere, was now the director of the Shen City branch---"Test over""Result: 3 minutes and 4 seconds""Creatures eliminated: 37""Final rank assessment: 0-star""Ding! test completed. Registering""Special assessment: Examinee appears to have an 'Innate Talent'""Matching examinee Xenith's 'Innate Talent' from recorded innate talents""Error. Matching failed!"'Final assesment 0-star rank New Human with unknown innate talent'
