Chapter 247: Second Day of Exams
The second day of the exams was even simpler than the written tests.
The student only had to step into the evaluation hall where six teachers were already seated, waiting to evaluate them. Their judgment was based on skills, the power behind one’s attack, and the amount of growth a student had shown so far. After all knowledge was already tested, now was the time to test the practical skills.
If all of these things were taken into account, then Ash was bound to get the highest marks. After all, no one had experienced growth as drastic as he had. Well, except for Ray.
When his turn came, Ash calmly stepped forward and displayed the {Spark} spell. The lightning ball explosion made a large dent in the power testing machine, which was supposed to withstand the full force attack of a Master.
With the Primordial Core enhancing his mana, the power behind the spell was already overwhelming, far beyond what should have been possible at his Rank.
The teachers exchanged stunned glances, their faces stiff as if they had just seen something impossible..
They even misjudged his rank, believing that Ash was already a Middle Expert Rank. To them, such rapid advancement, from a mere Novice to this level in only five months, was unheard of. The funny part was that Ash said nothing to correct them; they had assumed everything on their own.
The Rune of Concealment completely threw them off track, forcing them to misunderstand him even more.
Sigh..
Ash chose not to correct their assumptions. If they found out that he could display the strength of an early Master while still being at the early Adept Rank, who could say what they would try to do to him?
They also asked Ash how he was able to cover his hands with mana, and why his physical strength was comparable to that of a trained warrior.
Ash calmly replied that it was nothing more than a simple physical augmentation spell, along with another spell he had created to enhance his attacks.
Although his explanation sounded casual, the teachers did not believe him. Their eyes lingered on him with suspicion, but in the end, they chose not to question him any further.
Although he did not know the exact marks he would receive for this test, judging from the shocked expressions of the teachers, he was confident that his results would be much better than the others.
Yeah, I should not get arrogant....
As Ash stepped out of the presentation hall, the gathered crowd instinctively moved aside, clearing a path for him as if he were some dangerous figure. It looked like they believed that if they blocked his way, he might beat them without hesitation.
"Out of the way, the devil is coming."
"Shit!! I saw him... Now my exam will definitely be ruined."
"Don’t say that out loud! If he hears you, you’re finished. I heard he beat up some students just for looking at Elysia."
"Are you serious?"
"Of course. I was the one who got beaten."
Ash’s lips twitched at their words. His senses, sharpened by the dormant dragon blood in his body, were much keener than ordinary humans. Even though his bloodline had not awakened, his hearing was sensitive enough to easily pick up conversations happening several meters away.
...Devil, really? I never did anything. They’re slandering my name....
To be honest, Ash was tempted to put those rumors to rest with his fists. But he knew if he acted now, his reputation as a devil would be confirmed forever. Then, from the very next day, people would whisper things like,
’The devil beat a student who dared to look at him.’
or
’The devil beat a student just for talking about him.’
That was something Ash did not want. So, despite the itch in his hands, he chose to remain silent and left quietly.
At this point, such rumors had become an everyday part of his life. No matter where he went or who he was with, people always whispered behind his back.
Of course, it was true that he had beaten up students before, but only those who had dared to look at Elysia with filthy gazes. That much he did not regret, and it was also the root of most of the rumors about him.
Ignoring the idle chatter, Ash shifted his focus to something that weighed far more heavily on his mind.
My stats have only increased by one point....
He was now experiencing a severe lack of growth, almost as if someone had cursed him after seeing his streak of good fortune.
**
[Attributes]
Strength – 401 → 402
Agility – 401 → 402
Vitality – 401 → 402
Intelligence – 401 → 402
Stamina – 401 → 402
Charm – 401 → 402
Mana – 401 → 402 (2X)
**
The numbers hardly moved, and no matter how much effort he poured into training, the results felt hollow.
Though his efforts had shown results in building a clean foundation for the sword, it was far from easy. He had to let go of his old habits, break the patterns that had once felt natural, and slowly replace them with new ones.
The process was difficult, almost like unlearning how to walk and then learning it all over again in a different way.
Yet despite the struggle, Ash managed to shed his old flaws bit by bit, steadily shaping himself into someone who could wield the blade with true purpose.
He had not fully mastered the stage yet, but Ash knew that if he dedicated just a month to focused practice, he would definitely attain it.
By comparison, this progress was already astonishingly fast, since on average it took at least six months for a person to reach the First Stage, and the exact time often depended on one’s talent and determination.
Even though this was good news, it did not erase the frustration of his slow stat growth, which remained a constant weight on his mind.
Ash could not understand why this was happening, and that only left him upset. He knew he had to think of ways to overcome this potential problem because if his growth really slowed down here, then it could spell disaster for his future.
Ash did know of a few possible ways to break through this stagnation, but none of them were easy, and most of them were extreme.
The first was to accept demonic energy into his body, which would forcefully raise his potential. But that was a path he did not want to take.
The second option was to unlock the two bloodlines that slumbered within him, with the exception of the Dragon bloodline. Yet, he had no idea what those bloodlines were or how he was supposed to awaken them. The Rune of Concealment only made things worse, for it prevented him from seeking guidance from anyone else, leaving him trapped in uncertainty with no clear path forward.
Still, he knew one thing. According to the words of the World Tree, those two bloodlines were sealed not out of rejection, but because they judged his body unfit to bear their power. That truth alone left him deeply perplexed. How could a body refined and enriched with so many Runes still not be considered perfect?
What a picky bloodlines I have.....
The third method was more of a gamble than a plan: to search for other Runes in the world or maybe the universe, hoping that one of them might have the ability to increase his potential or grant him a way to overcome this block.
But this was uncertain, since he had no proof that such a Rune even existed, let alone any clue about where to find it.
Lastly, there was another possibility, one just as risky as the first: absorbing holy energy. In theory, much like demonic energy, the holy energy of angels should also be capable of increasing one’s potential.....at least, technically.
However, it came with unimaginable dangers.
The angels were known to be extremely possessive of their power, according to the novel, and if anyone dared to steal it, the only outcome would be death. According to the Whisperer, an Angel would soon descend into the world of Akumia, and Ash had once thought about seizing that chance. But he had long abandoned that reckless idea. Why invite such certain trouble when other options might exist?
Instead, Ash considered a different approach. Rather than killing the Angel and making an enemy of heaven itself, he could instead follow the angel back to their realm. In the heavens, holy energy flowed endlessly, more abundant than anywhere else.
If he could find a way to reach that place, there would be no need to kill anyone at all, and he would gain as much holy energy as he needed.
As he walked toward the exit, his eyes caught a figure in the distance. It was not difficult to recognize that striking shade of bright red hair in the academy, since only Melissia possessed it. The way her hair caught the faint light made her stand out, even from afar.
...Did she awaken her bloodline..?
The thought lingered in his mind, stirring curiosity about what might have changed in her. After all, the events of the future were already flowing unpredictably because of him, so he wanted to see for himself.
Why am I suddenly remembering the phrase ’curiosity killed the cat’ ?
Shaking his head, he decided to follow and observe her from afar.
***