6. MOMENTS BEFORE REVELATION

The results of the first phase was announced and each of the combatants got their respective points, with Arthur attaining the highest score. Easily besting all the others by a huge margin, second to him was Mineta and third was a girl named Horneva.

The exam takers were in the lobby they had been in when they arrived, and were given a few moments of refreshing in order to prepare for the second stage of the exams. Arthur, sat at the end of the room, his table vacant of the luxuries the others had. He did not mind though as he only had one thing in mind, and that was to pass.

“Let me see.” Arthur mused to himself, he attained several rewards from when he won against Evangelist and didn't cash in on them, plus he wanted to know what the Ring Of Archeon could really do aside of just summoning a katana for him to use in combat.

He swiped his hand across the air and the notification windows appeared.

『Sorcerer Supreme: Aether Fie-Yin 

Current Alias: Arthur Enryu 

Ranked:? 

Title: He who transitioned from another world. 2%

 Title perks: +1 extra point, Partial immunity to harmful substances, +1 vitality point 

Strength: 20

Speed: 20

Vitaliy : 6

Intelligence: 22 (+45 Aether) 

Endurance : 15

Durability : 10 』

Arthur smiled to himself, he had managed to significantly increase his strength and speed. Also vitality, but he didn't know what that does, he wasn't bothered to know as he was preoccupied by something else.

『Ring Of Archeon Data Sheet. 

Ring Of Archeon: An heirloom bestowed by the Avalon king to his descendants. The ring allows one to summon weapons such as swords, helbergs and rapier's from the Treasury of Avalon. Each of these are heirlooms on their own right. 

Level: 1

At level one, the Ring only allows single weapon conjuring』

Arthur was once again impressed, the rewards he was getting from the system were truly splendid. The rings on his finger were two of his trump cards not including his recently learned skill.

“Mind if I join you?”

Arthur raised his head to look at the person who spoke to him. He saw Horneva and just nodded not bothering to look at the girl, he had to sort himself out.

Horneva's teal eyes sparkled with curiosity, she tried to contain her bubbly side but couldn't and itching to shoot countless of questions his way. “So um...”

“ARTHUR!!!!”

She was interrupted by a loud shriek, both heads turned to the source and in that moment, Arthur wanted to sink his hands into the fool and bring his life into an end. The malevolent thoughts he had just let sip through his mind, put him on edge but he calmed down.

Ikki was not a happy chicken. Arthur bested him. Him, the golden boy of the orphanage bested by the loser he always trampled beneath his feet. His pride took a heavenly blow, he stopped before Arthur and Horneva. “I know you rigged the system to make yourself that powerful because you are a corward.”

His yell caught the attention of the participants. Rumors started flying immediately about the special treatment Arthur was getting, and how unfair it was the rest of them.

Arthur calmly raised his eyes, containing uncontested fury in them as they flashed crimson. “Do you have proof of what you claim? Or are you just using your superstition because you don't like me? Grow up, I've never done anything to you but you swore a life long goal to probe and piss me off.”

Ikki was about to open his mouth when Arthur cut him off.

“If you believe I cheated, that's on you. Believe what you want to believe, I'm not here to justify my actions to a clown like you, now leave.” Throughout his sentences, Arthur's eyes were pure red with the irises containing rings in them.

The red eyes were haunting, everyone who looked inside the pupil, got chills. They felt the blood lust of a thousand year old sorcerer and it flooded the whole lobby, paralyzing the participants in their spot simultaneously shutting down every complainer in the process.

They just got a fragment of death, and they shivered like lambs.

Ikki had to swallow his pride and force every nerve in his body to obey the commands given. He retreated but not before insulting Arthur.

Horneva turned to Arthur after looking at the scared Ikkie, truth be told, she was a bit scared as well. She never pictured that this quiet man would be so frightening. Calming herself down, she stared at Arthur, who's eyes had returned to normal. “You never permitted me in joining you.”

Arthur's eyes slightly widened, he never did say anything to Horneva as Ikki had come and ruined everything. “No I don't mind if you want to join me, feel free to take a seat.”

His voice was smooth and lovely, it sounded just perfect in Horneva's ears and she ended up blushing but kept her face hidden.

Arthur paid no mind to this however, he focused on the recent reward. The black feather, he tried to click on its information part but it only told him restricted. This caused Arthur to feign his frustration and groan, perhaps somethings were needed for him to do in order to trigger the Black Feather.

❝ Contestants, please make way to the pendulum where the second phase of the exam will begin.  ❞ The voice of Lui echoed throughout the lobby, the cameras inside tilting to him as the broadcast started once more.

All the relaxing combatants did as told, the left their comfortable spots and stood at the pendulum, with Lui just being a few meters away from them.

❝ Now, let me brief you all. The second phase of the exams will prove your worth and weed out the less competent. There are 250 chambers beneath everyone of you, each chamber leads to a certain area where the conditions of the gates were replicated, you'll each have to face a single to multiple monsters depending on your luck... ❞

Lui stopped talking, allowing the aura of suspense to restrict itself around the combatants as if it was a snake tightening around its prey.

Seeing that he had their attention, a smirk came to Lui's face and he continued. ❝ Once everyone clears the gate, they will be able to proceed to phase three. Two paths each are connected as such there are 125 paths to choose from and once you've chosen you'll meet your intended adversary in the stage where you'll have to fight for the chance to clear the phase. ❞

❝ Any questions?  ❞

None of the contestants argued, or probed for that matter. Lui placed his hand on the monitor, permitting access to the system and the floor opened beneath every contestant's feet dropping them into the chamber transporting them to the desired location where the test will initiate. All that was left to do now, was for them to spectate and see who performs better than the others.