Miss Esme's jealousy is starting to sprout

The initial phase of recruitment at Alte Corporation has drawn to a close, with the first half of interviews resulting in the failure of all nineteen candidates. Those remaining constitute a select group who exhibited superior performance in the preceding stage. Miss Ukasi naturally finds herself among them. The stringent nature of the interviews has caused many candidates to reconsider, instilling a sense of disquiet in Miss Ukasi. She is well aware of the identity of the chief examiner, the formidable "Black War God" Esni. While her previous defeat was primarily attributed to her injuries, it does not imply that her abilities are inferior to her opponent's. On the contrary, attempting to pass the interview without revealing her true abilities poses a significant challenge for Miss Ukasi.

Without much delay, the candidates scheduled for testing found themselves in Miss Ukasi's vicinity. As the electronic tones reverberated, Miss Ukasi took a deep breath and proceeded toward the interview location.

Inside the interview room, Miss Esni still bore her tactical mask. Upon seeing the newcomer enter the room, Miss Esni's movements momentarily faltered, but she quickly resumed her composure. Without much preamble, she handed Miss Ukasi a wooden tactical longsword, while she herself took up what appeared to be a seemingly innocuous tactical sword. Although seemingly crafted from wood, unsharpened, and ostensibly harmless, in the hands of a true master, it remains lethal.

Based on the preceding interview content, Miss Ukasi had presumed that the testing would involve close combat skills or the like. Little did she expect that the parameters would be altered upon reaching her. "The test involves combat skills, primarily aimed at assessing employees' overall capabilities," Miss Esni provided a reasonably plausible explanation, seemingly addressing the girl's perplexity. However, before Miss Ukasi could prepare herself, Miss Esni leaned forward and charged toward her.

Caught off guard, Miss Ukasi could only block with her tactical longsword. The attack was so sudden that the girl couldn't react in time, feeling her wrist numb from the impact of the opponent's tactical sword.

—Remarkably swift.

Miss Ukasi was astonished, though there were suspicions of a surprise attack, this strike caught her entirely off guard. Unlike the last encounter, Miss Ukasi was uninjured this time. Nevertheless, she almost lost her grip on her weapon due to the force of the blow. Sensing Miss Ukasi's vulnerability, Miss Esni pressed on, attempting to strike at the girl's waist. However, the prepared Miss Ukasi cleverly defended against the attack from an extremely acute angle.

With preparation, Miss Ukasi gradually found her rhythm, becoming more adept at defense. Nonetheless, she remained consistently suppressed by Miss Esni. After all, while Miss Ukasi's strength is undeniable, her expertise lies in unarmed close combat. In a melee such as this, while she might be considered top-tier against others, facing someone like Miss Esni, a ceiling breaker, was proving to be a challenge beyond her capacity.

Consequently, Miss Ukasi found herself gradually falling into Miss Esni's rhythm. What initially seemed effortless became increasingly difficult.

Meanwhile, in the top-floor office, Jonas observed with pleasure as Miss Ukasi valiantly resisted. In truth, the test could have concluded at this point. The displayed capabilities of both individuals would undoubtedly surpass those of most figures from District 25, let alone in an Alte Corporation setting. However, Miss Esni seemed to be getting carried away, persisting with her onslaught without pause. Likewise, Miss Ukasi appeared to be overwhelmed, even forgetting to conceal her true strength. Thus, the two found themselves locked in a stalemate, unable to gain an advantage over the other.

As is well known, Jonas Weiting's tastes are quite eclectic, including the enjoyment of witnessing women engage in combat. Therefore, rather than intervening, Jonas savored the confrontation between these two top-tier combatants from District 25.

This interview scenario was not broadcast, with only Jonas able to observe the situation inside the interview room. In other words, this rare spectacle, unseen by others, would be a shame to miss.

Just as Jonas indulged in his musings, a slight change occurred within the interview room...

Inside the interview room, Miss Esni aimed her tactical sword at Miss Ukasi's neck, the latter now somewhat disheveled, slumped on the ground. In such top-tier duels, victory often hinges on a moment. Just a moment ago, Miss Esni successfully identified Miss Ukasi's weakness and overcame her. However, looking at Miss Ukasi's demeanor, it was evident that she was questioning her life choices. While her previous defeat against Miss Esni could be attributed to her injuries, this time, it was a genuine defeat. She had lost to a follower of a corporate heir? This turn of events was a significant blow to Miss Ukasi, leaving her in a state of disbelief for some time.

"You have passed the test. Please proceed to the top-floor office for the final interview. Upon passing, you will be hired," Miss Esni stated matter-of-factly, retracting her tactical sword.

While passing the interview should have been a cause for celebration, Miss Ukasi couldn't muster any joy. To her ears, the girl's words sounded grating, akin to the victor's mockery of the defeated. Although aware that Miss Esni harbored no such intentions, Miss Ukasi felt stifled. However, her robust mental resilience allowed her to suppress these negative emotions. Taking a deep breath, she pretended to be somewhat pleased as she spoke, "Really? Thank you, Miss Examiner."

Upon hearing Miss Ukasi's words, Miss Esni remained silent, merely nodding calmly. She then turned and walked out of the interview room without looking back.

Just as she turned, a slight smirk appeared on Miss Esni's lips, relishing the satisfaction of having triumphed over a vanquished foe.

Indeed, Miss Esni's long-dormant jealousy was beginning to sprout in the shadows, unbeknownst to anyone.

Of course, it was definitely not due to the two useless lumps of flesh on Miss Ukasi's chest.

Absolutely not.