Objection: To Not Die

"I want to join in" Andrew said with a confident smile.

The clerk looked at him with an indifferent gaze as he asked a simple yet standard question "Are you qualified?".

"Yes, I am. I learned to control the 14391 Basic Runes and mastered rune making of low-level 1-grade" Andrew calmly replied.

The clerk raised his brow, surprised by Andrew's bold statement.

"How long did it take?" the clerk asked as he wanted to rate Andrew's aptitude.

"4 months" Andrew replied as the clerk slowly nodded as his brain still hasn't noticed anything unusual...

Then, it struck his mind like a thunderstorm.

The clerk immediately stood up with his eyes bulging out as he slammed his hands on the front desk. A powerful wind gust was generated from the sheer power behind those palms. The powerful wind made the robes of both men crazily flutter as one stood there with a calm expression while another had shock and disbelief painted over his face.

Then, a suffocating aura permeated the entire hall as the clerk furrowed his brows as his facial features twisted.

"Are you lying?!" the clerk coldly asked as Andrew felt imminent danger coming from him.

It was just too absurd in clerk's eyes for Andrew to be this capable since his background was practically non-existent. Moreover, it was less than a year since he had embarked on the oath of magic.

Andrew didn't bend under this pressure as he answered with a simple "No".

The clerk didn't believe such statement even though his much more powerful than Andrew's mana sense recognized the truth from Andrew's lips.

It was practically impossible to lie to a higher-phase mage let alone someone who was an entire realm above you. 

The clerk was precisely someone who was an entire realm above Andrew!

His mana sense keenly listened to Andrew's soul as he would spot abnormalities the moment he lied.

Yet, his soul undulations were calm as still water and had no inconsistencies within them.

The clerk refused to believe this as Andrew's words sounded not just crazy, but rather mentally ill.

"If you lied to me, the hell which is Enforcement Hall awaits you" the clerk coldly uttered as he took out a cubic object from his spatial ring.

It had strange runic symbols on it. 

But Andrew still failed to recognize them even with his knowledge of over fourteen thousand original mana runes.

"Unruffle your mana sense" the clerk ordered as Andrew complied without a hitch.

The mana sense of over 25 meters in radius manifested in the hall. 

The clerk was visibly started by the massive size of his mana sense...

He started having second thoughts...

The cube glowed the moment Andrew's mana sense covered it.

Bursts of lights flashed in the hall as a floating translucent icon appeared for everyone to see.

The icon depicted [125 days].

The clerk went wide-eyed the moment he saw the information. He even doubted the analyzing abilities of the magical item itself.

He looked at Andrew with disbelief painted over his face.

"What are you?" he asked with a meek tone as he couldn't come to the terms with the reality.

The fact that Andrew managed to learn Basic Array Symbols let alone learn how to derive, edit and create them in just 4 months was mind-blowing.

"I think, I don't have the qualifications to accept your application" the clerk uttered as he took out a token from his spatial ring as he called someone.

In several seconds, a portal appeared right beside the clerk as a figure walked out of it with a dignified expression on her face.

The newcomer was a middle-aged woman with long dark hair. 

She turned to look at the clerk with cold eyes as she felt like it was a prank since the information he told her was utterly absurd.

The clerk just lowered his head, not daring to make eye contact with the middle-aged woman.

Then, the woman turned to look at Andrew with a piercing gaze as if unveiling all of his secrets.

But in actuality, she just manipulated the mana around her to make herself look intimidating and oppressing.

Andrew just stood there with a smile, ignoring the crushing pressure that the woman emitted.

"Would you like to join my faction and come under my wing?" the woman laid out her cards as she didn't want to pointlessly waste her time.

Andrew bowed as he wanted to show that he respected her position since his next response might irritate her quite a bit.

"Excuse me, but who are you?" Andrew asked with a welcoming and friendly smile on his face.

He didn't want to jump into a possible hell pot without knowing what his fate might be in advance.

The woman's facial expression twitched a bit as she lost her bearing for the briefest of moments, not quite expecting someone of lower and dust-like existence to question her status.

"I am Lilian Ezgard, high-level tier 3 Array Master of Array Association. The headmaster of Sapphire Tower and soon-to-become-member of Demonic Council. Someone who stands above tens of thousands of members of Demonic Abode" Lilian coldly uttered as Andrew's heart sank from the utter weight of authority she wielded! 

'She must be an Advanced Greater Mage!' Andrew felt a shiver travel down his spine as he knew how much power those monstrous beings wielded.

'I guess, questioning her status wasn't the best idea' he joked in his mind to calm himself down. He knew that if this person didn't want him to exist, he would be wiped out by countless boot lickers who might seek favor from her. She didn't even need to order anyone to kill him as he would be taken care of by interested parties.

'It's a miracle that I still breathe the same mana as her' he thought as he bowed to her as a show of gratitude for her response.

"Forgive me if you found my ignorance offensive. I will be more than happy to become part of your faction" Andrew said while still bowing to Lilian. He didn't find all those boot-licking words lowly since it would be all worth it in the end if it could save his skin and gain greater benefits.

Lilian coldly eyed Andrew as she could smell the blatant pretense from a mile away, yet why would she punish him for it? It would be best for both parties if the weaker one knew their place.

And Andrew was clearly at a disadvantage since Lilian can wipe the floor using him with just a thought.

"It is good that you have your brain in the correct place, but you have to go through a couple of tests if you want to join my faction" Lilian stated.

"I will do my best to pass your trials" Andrew said as he straightened his back. 

Lilian just nodded as the scenery suddenly shifted in their eyes.

Andrew went wide-eyed as he looked down and saw an endless abyss. He stood on a fragile piece of glass that could shatter from a slight movement.

He slowly moved his head as he looked around the place. It was absolute emptiness with nothing in there. 

'Pocket Dimension!' Andrew was awe-struck as he witnessed a separate space, independent from the world.

Suddenly!

A melodic yet chilling voice resounded.

"Your objective is to not die" 

It was the last thing Andrew heard as the glass platform shattered!