Everyone in the hall was naturally impressed with the performance of Alistair, Leonardo, and other top geniuses. The underlings of Alistair and Leonardo were especially vocal in expressing their excitement. It was like it was them who have achieved those reward beads instead of Alistair and Leonardo.
"They are true geniuses!"
People commented while glancing at Zed.
"Not like certain someone who was at the top in the first trial!"
"Indeed! Everyone here has either gained beads, or at least they remained same... unlike certain loser!"
"What can you expect from a slum dweller?"
"Haha, right!"
"Those slum dwellers are only good at begging!"
"Poor guy! He couldn’t have begged with those aliens!"
As Sophia listened to these mocking comments, her face turned red with fury. She wanted to tell them the truth about why he lost the beads but she didn’t. After all, no one would truly believe her explanation, and even if they did, it would only lead to more abusive remarks.
Kindness and empathy for alien beings was not really a virtue.
Sophia eyed the verbal abusers and took a deep breath of air. If it was some other time, she would have used her fists to make them silent, but not now. She has witnessed how strictly the rule of protection was enforced in the trial areas. Attacking them would only result in her own demise.
Sophia swept her eyes on Zed and wondered if he knew of some loophole which she could exploit. She really wanted to teach those guys a lesson.
Some hundred meters away, Kieron glanced at Zed. When he learned of latter’s lose, the corners of his mouth raised up in a mocking grin.
"He must be truly weak!"
Kieron thought coldly.
"Will is useless in the main trials! Only strength and bloodline matters!"
Keiron looked forward to the upcoming trials. He wanted to showcase this cheater what it means to be powerful.
The abuse and mocking remarks continued, but the target of those remarks remained seated with a calm expression.
"So many bad sons... how would their mothers feel if they knew just how abusive their sons were?"
Zed thought with an inaudible sigh. This sigh was for the poor mothers who had such bad sons. Imagining their unhappy state, a surge of determination swept throughout his body. He has to do something for the greater good!
"I need to establish a new company for the happiness of mothers around the globe."
He started thinking of a list of possible names for his new corporation.
As for its aim and vision, he wanted it to be on similar lines to Wife Pleasuring Service Pvt. Ltd, Maiden’s Love Circle, Mistress’ Massgae Center, Naughty Bunny Corporation and other non-profit companies he owned.
All he wanted was to spread happiness.
Profit was never his motto.
If anything, for the well-being of mothers around the globe, he didn’t mind suffering a loss. He was ready to pay from his own pockets.
"Maybe I can have a tie-up with schools? Schools especially elementary schools are the best places for seducing hot moms who are new to their role... No, I mean the best place to teach manners to young children!"
Manners were something that can be learned best at a young age! This was something that most mothers were worried about! After all, when children are young, the new mothers are practically clueless about upbringing especially if it was the first child!
As he thought of this, a smile that was unique to his alter ego appeared on his face. Slowly a plan formed into his mind.
If things went as per what he wanted, he can really turn many sons into Good Sons from a very young age!
"Some of those guys must have sisters as well," Zed thought with a serious expression while looking at his abusers. "Should this new company also focus on sisters?"
Zed put a hand under his chin as he pondered. His face was like that of a man carrying the burden of entire world.
As he began thinking for the greater good, an announcement appeared.
{{The second trial has ended. You can now leave.}}
The message was short and abrupt with no additional details.
Sophia looked around and was surprised to see no portals or retracing of walls.
"How are we supposed to leave?"
Not only Sophia but others began to wonder as well.
"This wall! It has the outline of a door!" Someone at a corner shouted while checking a wall.
"Door?"
Everyone was startled.
They believed this hall was a copy of the hall from the first trial. This was especially true with all the designs and engravings on the walls and ceilings. They were completely identical.
Almost every contestant here has checked the hall of the first trial. In that place, there was no door or any outline. So when they appeared in this hall for the second trial, they didn’t check around as a quick look hinted it was identical to the one before.
Now, they learned they have reached a conclusion far too soon.
Many people appeared before the wall.
As they looked at the wall, they noticed the outline of a grand door - 100 meters tall and thirty meters wide!
It wasn’t a simple outline though!
There was magnificent design with rich texture and rune engravings. Through the corners of the door, there were small circles, the size of a pigeon’s egg. Alongside, in the center, there were many wonderful inscriptions in various shapes.
A youth pushed the door outline but contrary to his expectations, nothing happened no matter how much force he used.
"How do we open it? There is no keyhole or anything!"
People broke out into discussions.
"What’s there to discuss?" A mutant with great physical strength asked.
He stretched an arm back before punching straight at the door. Twisted energy ripples cascaded from his fist as it made contact with the door surface
A loud bang sound ringed out along with intense fluctuations of energy, proving just how much strength the punch contained. Some of the nearby mutants even lost their sense of hearing for a moment.
A few seconds later, as people regained their senses back, they looked in front. Much to their horror, there was not even a single dent on the door.
"What was that banging sound then?" A youth wondered aloud but he soon got his answer as he turned his head.
The strength-type mutant has smashed to an opposite wall. His entire body was broken and the hand with which he punched no longer existed.
As people saw his condition, they took a deep breath of cold air.
"This is an ancient door! Most likely enhanced with technology from Celestial Elysian World!" A young genius spoke. "It is laughable for us to try to break it!"
"Indeed!"
Everyone agreed with this assessment. There was no way they could open the door with force.
But then how to open it?
Many youths took out digital devices to scan the door. Mutants with enhanced vision began studying the door for clues.
In a few minutes, almost everyone gave up. They weren’t getting any results!
"You guys stop wasting time."
A voice came from a distance. The youths in front of the door were angered and they turned around to coldly rebuke, but when they saw the owner of the voice, all words died in their throats.
The voice belonged to a fatty with a mechanical arm.
Leonardo.
He munched on wafers as he arrived before the door.
"You guys can’t even open a door!"
Leonardo said in disdain while placing his mechanical hand on the door.
From the center of his palm, green light streamed out and covered the entire door like a screen.
As the nearby youths saw this, their eyes sparkled in amazement. Male or females, soon, everyone in the hall focused on Leonardo’s action.
"Leonardo is a genius!"
"Not only in strength but he is very knowledgable!"
"Yes! Not to mention his mechanical arm that is equipped with advanced gadgets!"
"He can definitely open the door!"
Leonardo didn’t pay any heed to the chatter and words of praise. Internally though, he enjoyed the spotlight.
After all, who didn’t want to be the center of focus? Who didn’t enjoy attention from beautiful females?
He could feel how so many gorgeous women were looking at him with expectations.
"Haha! They would definitely approach me after I open this door!"
Leonardo could imagine the scene of the girls trying to learn from him. This scene made his belly quiver in excitement.
He knew now was his time to shine and tell the world just how capable he was. So he earnestly began working on studying the door.
The green light screen analyzed the door, and after which, a digital window popped up above his arm. Leonardo’s lips curved up as he read the data.
"I can definitely open it!" Leonardo was fully confident in his ability.
The male and female geniuses noticed his confident expression.
"As expected of a top genius!" A female muttered with admiration.
The admiration and veneration were not just because of his confidence in opening the door, but it was also for his skills.
After all, the door was created from a technology unique to Celestial Elysian Plane. The strange runes and engravings on the door were practically incomprehensible, not giving any clues on what they meant.
So, the person who can open it must have great knowledge of Celestial Elysian Plane. And in this era, especially when it concerned with the exploration of these wonderful meteorites, knowledge was everything.
Powerful families and reputed organizations would spend money and resources like water for acquiring such knowledge! Thousands and thousands of people would waste their entire lifetime in seeking this great knowledge but without any success!
Now, a youth not even twenty-five years old has the utmost confidence in opening a door requiring such knowledge! If this didn’t deserve admiration, then nothing else did!
Leonardo rubbed his hand over the door surface, lost in deep thoughts. Minutes passed as he scanned every corner of the door.
With a popping sound, his mechanical arm stretched out, embedded with advanced sensors. From his fingertips, light beams shot out while from the wrist, wires and advanced gadgets rolled out. Soon, they covered the entire door.
"Such a wonderful technology!"
People commented in their hearts. They no longer spoke aloud as they didn’t want to disturb him. So they only praised him internally while admiring his cyborg-like arm.
The hall has a complete pin-drop silence...
Almost thirty minutes have passed since Leonardo started, and while there was no change on the door, everyone was extremely patient.
They understood how difficult it would be in opening this door. If he could open the door in even a day, it would be a miracle!
Expecting the door to open in hours would be impossible! The technology of Celestial Elysian Plane couldn’t be underestimated!
An hour passed, and finally, there was a sound. But much to the disappointment of everyone, the sound was not from the door but rather from behind.
It was the sound of steps!
The geniuses turned around and looked at the end of the hall. Their eyebrows raised up as they noticed it was Zed.
From the very start, he has been only sitting on a slab. He didn’t even come to check the outline of the door.
People didn’t fault him for that. For a former slum dweller, the development was far too overwhelming. They could understand he didn’t want to make a joke of himself by trying to study the door like others.
But now...
He was moving towards the door. His every step broke the silence in the hall.
Leonardo also turned his head as he heard the stepping sound.
"Don’t disturb me!" Leonardo ordered loudly.
Opening this door was a burdensome task and it required complete concentration. Even a slight disturbance could result in a failure.
"Apologies, sir," Zed said politely. "But the ladies are tired of waiting."
Leonardo looked behind Zed and noticed Sophia yawning. Alongside Sophia, there was Jenina and two more females.
"You think I’m doing time pass?" Leonardo asked viciously. He didn’t shout at Sophia due to her stunning looks, but Zed was a different matter.
"No, sir, I will not dare imagine that," Zed answered respectfully. "It was just..."
"Just what?" Leonardo cut him in between. "Do you not understand that you are wasting my time by even speaking like this?! Opening this door is not some child’s task that can be done in a matter of minutes!"
Leonardo mocked him openly.
Zed turned silent but he stepped forward and arrived in front of the door.
When Leonardo saw this, he chuckled coldly.
"You really have a thick skin!" Leonardo sneered.
Zed ignored those words as if he didn’t hear them. He moved a hand over the beautiful inscriptions on the door.
"What is he doing?" Leonardo wondered aloud with a grin.
Does this idiot think moving his hand around and touching those patterns would reveal some secrets?
How stupid!
The technology of the door was not something that could be understood by these idiotic moves!
Everyone in the hall began laughing at Zed just as he tapped a finger over a reverse triangle engraving.
RUMBLE~!
The entire door shook with intense rumbling sounds.
"What’s going on?!"
The contestants were alarmed by the tremors and the laughter died in their throats. They didn’t get much time to think about this as rays of light splashed out from the door outline.
Every inscription and engraving on the door flashed with vibrant colors. With every passing second, the door turned more and more life-like, emitting an endless burst of light.
As the youths bathed under this light, they felt as if they were approaching closer to the secrets of their abilities. It was like enlightenment!
The youths held their breaths and stared at the door in disbelief. The intensity of the light turned stronger, almost to the point of blinding, and then dimmed down.
Creek.
The door slowly opened up, and from the slight opening, waves of energy streamed out. A few youths nearby felt those energy waves crashing on them. Their eyes turned wide and their mouth fell open as they noticed what the energy waves were doing to their bodies.
Their strength was advancing! It was a qualitative leap in strength!
As the youths realized this, they stupidly stared at Zed who was the target of those energy waves. They only got this benefit because they were near him, but he was the true receptor of this blessing!
Damn! He is too lucky!
...
Even though everything took a long while to describe, it happened in less than a minute. The time was so low that it didn’t even warrant mention, but in such a small time, an unbelievable scene has occurred.
The door has completely opened!
Zed ignored the eyes on him and stepped into the doorway. Sophia followed him without any hurry. Her expression and demeanor were like what happened was something obvious. She wasn’t the least bit surprised!
Some distance away, Leonardo’s eyes popped out. He has earlier felt it was his time to shine. He knew his strength wasn’t as great as Alistair but he has complete faith in his knowledge and skills.
That’s how he could achieve so much without facing any difficulties. His high-tech mechanical arm was an extension of him; a manifestation of his knowledge and skills. It was still raised up to open the door in a perfect manner.
But...
The door was already opened! And that too without any efforts! There was no use of any advanced gadgets, abilities, or even time!
Just a few random touches and the ancient door opened!
How could all his efforts be smashed by those few touches without any mercy?
"Could someone tell me what the fuck is going on here?!"