Izroth carefully controlled his Soul Pressure as he casually walked up near the head of the group.
The next moment, he unsheathed his Sword of The Storm and, with a single stroke, carved a sword mark several meters in length at his feet.
He repeated this process three times until there were a total of four sword marks on the ground—each approximately five meters apart.
When Izroth finished making the last sword mark, he returned to standing in front of Niflheim and Menerva.
“I will give everyone here an opportunity to prove themselves, but first…” Izroth said as he released his Soul Pressure over the crowd.
The moment Izroth released his Soul Pressure, the majority of those present gasped for air as they struggled to catch their breath.
It was the first time many of them had experienced such terrifying pressure. Not to mention, there was no forewarning whatsoever.
Needless to say, they were completely unprepared.
“Those who fell unconscious have no place here. Therefore, they are disqualified.” Izroth declared.
In the blink of an eye, sixty players had been cut down to fifty. Naturally, this caused the nerves of those gathered to turn somewhat uneasy. However, regardless of nerves, Izroth had no intention of accepting someone who could not even remain conscious after only enduring a small amount of his Soul Pressure.
“I marked a total of four lines on the ground. Each line will correspond to the rank you will receive upon joining the 9th Division. Those who are unable to make it past the first line will be deemed as having failed. Past that, if you make it to the second line, you will be granted the rank of a 5-Man Squad Leader. If you’re able to cross the third line, then you’ll become a 10-Man Squad Leader. As for the final line—if there is anyone here who can walk across it, that person will be directly promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. Keep in mind, you must remain standing for at least three seconds after reaching a new line to receive that rank.” Izroth stated calmly.
After listening to Izroth’s words, the shocked expression of those present could not be hidden. As long as they walked across that line, they would immediately become a Lieutenant!
That would open them up for a vast new array of potential war objectives and make it much easier for them to acquire contribution points. There was also the benefit of being able to command up to fifty troops, which would provide them with a better opportunity to stand out and make a name for themselves.
The players who fell to their knees forced themselves to stand. And those who had not fully succumbed to Izroth’s Soul Pressure became reinvigorated as a fierce look flashed through their eyes.
The atmosphere had shifted from one of surprise and dread to one of extreme competitiveness as the players carefully looked around to size up their potential competition.
“The pressure you’ve all just experienced was an example of what you’ll all face. It will also increase the closer you get to each line.” Izroth explained.
When those words left Izroth’s mouth, some of the players became dejected. Three of them even walked off without saying a word, giving up on the test altogether. Instead of waiting to fail and having to go through that suppressive feeling again, they’d rather just walk away with what little pride they had left.
Of course, Izroth did not try to stop them.
“Ah, I almost forgot to mention. The pressure you felt just now is what you will encounter once you step across the second line.” Izroth said nonchalantly as his gaze swept out over the crowd.
Everyone was momentarily stunned. That terrifying and suppressive force was only the second line? If that was the case, what were the third and fourth lines like? Would there even be anyone who could become a 10-Man Squad Leader, let alone a Lieutenant?! Wasn’t this test a bit too much? Even the War Brigade would not have such outrageous promotion conditions in place for those ranks.
“But, don’t worry. I will not make things too difficult for you. You are allowed to use any skills that are at your disposal. Of course, that includes things like movement skills.” Izroth commented.
When the players heard that they could use skills, their biggest fears subsided. There were even those who failed to hide their gleeful smiles at that announcement. After all, a few of the players present specialized in movement-type skills. To them, this was an ideal situation. All they had to do was rush in at their top speed and remain standing for three seconds.
Champion glanced at some of his fellow competitors with a serious expression. He could tell exactly what they were thinking by the grins that covered their faces.
“Idiots. Like hell it’d be that easy. There has to be some kind of catch to it.” Champion uttered under his breath. And, he was not wrong.
“However, should you choose to use a skill, you will become marked. Those marked will have to receive one of my attacks for each skill used. That’s all.” Izroth said as he sheathed his Sword of the Storm.
He then continued, “The test will go on for exactly one minute. After that, all ranks will be finalized. Now, you all may begin.”
Right after he spoke, Izroth activated his Energy Vision Sense. This time, however, he controlled his essence to a much greater degree. Doing so consumed more of his essence, which is why he decided to place a one-minute time limit on the test.
For the few ten seconds, no one budged. It was as though everyone was waiting for another person to take the first leap and adjust their plans based on the results.
However, after the ten-second mark passed, several players started to become restless. Since time was limited, every second mattered.
“Forget it…! Since no one else wants to go, then I’ll go!” Champion declared as he walked forward.
The moment he arrived within five meters of the first line, Champion felt a heavy weight press down on him. But, unlike what he had just endured moments ago, it required significantly less effort to move.
In the blink of an eye, Champion reached the first line and stood still for three seconds.
“Congratulations, you have officially become a member of the 9th Division,” Izroth congratulated casually.
“Save your thanks, Captain. I’ll accept it once I become one of your Lieutenants.” Champion declared with an air of confidence.
This time around, Champion was prepared for what to face. He would not let himself stumble so easily a second time!
The next moment, Champion stepped past the first line. And, the instant he did so, the pressure increased twofold. But, he did not stop his advancement toward the second line.
As Champion displayed some progress, the rest of the players finally began to make their move.
Meanwhile, Izroth, Niflheim, and Menerva closely observed the action of every player present.
“I knew that some of those we chose was a risk, but to think thirteen of them would be eliminated at the beginning. It was an oversight on my part.” Niflheim sighed.
“You cannot blame yourself. The finite pool of players that we have to pick from compels us to play the odds. We selected those who displayed the bare minimum traits of latent potential. There were bound to be those who reveal lackluster results.” Menerva said calmly.
“Menerva’s right. If we had more time and more options, things would be different. Unfortunately, we are running low on both. That being said, it seems that the two of you did not come up completely empty-handed in your search.” Izroth said as a few individuals caught his eye before his gaze finally landed on Champion, who had just reached the second line.
He then inquired, “What is that guy’s name?”
“The one in the front? I believe he goes by Champion. I found him during one of the vicinity war objectives I took part in. He showed some solid mechanics and has above average combat IQ. He doesn’t seem like a dishonest person; however, his attitude could definitely use some work.” Niflheim explained.
“That’s an easy enough fix. More importantly, where would he rank in a top guild?” Izroth asked.
“With his current abilities, he couldn’t become a core member. But, he should have no issue making it as an elite member. That being said, with the right guidance, it wouldn’t take him long to catch up to the core members. It’s just that I’m concerned about whether or not he has the capacity to receive it.” Niflheim responded.
“Oh? Are you saying you’re not confident in adjusting his attitude and guiding him?” Izroth inquired.
“Well, I’ve dealt with his type before, and it usually ends one of two ways. You beat them up a bit, and they leave out of anger. Or, you beat them up a bit, and they submit out of respect.” Niflheim answered.
“A barbaric approach. However, based on previously observed interactions, I am inclined to agree with your method.” Menerva chimed in.
“My thoughts were along similar lines as well,” Izroth commented.
If Champion overheard their conversation, he would cough up blood from anger. He had not even officially entered the 9th Division, yet there were already three people who wanted to beat him up a bit?! What did he do to deserve such a fate?!
After a brief moment of lingering silence, Niflheim was the first to speak up.
“…Hey, we aren’t the bad guys here, right?” Niflheim said in a half-jokingly manner.
