A Rigorous Test (3)

Watching them as they took their tests, Deacon Gorou had already dismissed Momo succeeding from his mind. She'd attempted to learn from all 3 provided manuals and even wanted to include a manual she kept on her. The girl was doomed given the standards to which they would test her on the 4. But Cifer, the boy? Now he was interesting. Deacon Gorou rarely had the pleasure of watching someone catch onto what the test was really looking for and commit to actually only reading a single manual and studying over it so completely.

When time ran out he quizzed Cifer on every point of Weapon forging covered in the manual and not only did Cifer have the correct answer, he also accurately theorized how it would be done for Bottom and Low Origination Weapons and Armor. Shocked, Deacon Gorou awarded him full points, once more wishing that he could give this boy more than that. That meant that Cifer had 30 points where 10 was considered a pass. Even if he lost every round during live combat, the Skull Sect would still take him in because the raw material was simply too good.

Then Deacon Gorou turn to Momo and began quizzing her about the movement Technique, Bull's Rush. She was able to answer the simpler starting questions, and did modestly well on the detailed points, but the intricacies lost her. Deacon Gorou was amazed at her comprehension, since this girl had spent only a quarter of the available time on this manual. But that was only enough to hold her head over water, and both Weapon forging and especially Pill refinement were far more complicated in substance.

But Momo continued to defy his expectations, able to understand the heart of Weapon forging and even answer a few of the most complicated questions. Deacon Gorou's face was changing as he slowly came to understand that something about this girl was wrong. Perhaps she was hiding her real youth for some reason? It made absolutely no sense for someone with this level of Comprehension and Potential to only be at her stage if she really was 16. That theory held even after he recognized the fact that she'd been treated to an additional lecture on Weapon forging in the form of his question and answer session with Cifer on the matter.

He felt justified in holding this view when they came to Pill refinement. Momo was lost the moment they left the absolute basics in spite of having spent the most time on this book. And since it was the most complex topic it would hold the most weight on her score, pulling her down to a -1 or even -2 from the solid 3 or 4 that she'd managed regarding the previous two manuals. Deacon Gorou knew that it meant that further testing was pointless for her. Even if she was unbeatable in her Cultivation Stage, it still wouldn't counter balance her development speed.

Before he broke the news, Cifer reminded him that she'd read some in her own manual as well. Deacon Gorou doubted immensely that it would make a difference as the time she spent on it was the least and she needed to pull her average up by at least 4 points. Time spent studying the manual and the complexity of the material were both considered in determining the weight of a single subject on the Comprehension test after all, and Momo had spent quite a while on the complex Pill refinement field and completely flunked it.

Nevertheless, with his Sect's reputation and Cifer's goodwill on the line, Deacon Gorou asked to see the manual.

Then felt the same soul deep shock that he had when he saw Cifer's Manifestation. Momo had been reading a Skeleton Foundation manual. Deacon Gorou wasn't even qualified to assess her knowledge of such a manual beyond the tip of the iceberg! Even having only spent 10 minutes with this manual, it was already better than half the test if she really understood it.

After testing the little he dared to ensure she wasn't simply screwing with him Deacon Gorou sent a messenger to Elder Jirou, his older brother. Elder Jirou had a Cultivation of Transformation Pinnacle Origination, which made him among the most important Elders in the Skull Sect. It also meant he was fully qualified to comment on a Skeleton Foundation level manual in depth.

"Your score is at least a 1, but in order to verify more than that I will have someone study the manual more in depth while you both move to the live combat portion of the exam." Deacon Gorou explains.

Deacon Gorou took them to a sparring ring approximately 30 feet in radius. There were about 40 or 50 youths in the uniform of the Skull Sect. There was an enormous array of Cultivations present, ranging from Initial Broken Origination to Beginner Low Origination.

In fact, Cifer realized there were at least two at every level and normally three. Only Perfect Broken Origination and Perfect Bottom Origination had four. He also noticed that one of the four at those ranks was wearing a golden star.

Momo noticed as well. "Who are the ones with the golden star and why do a few of the Low Origination sect members have gold cuffs?"

Deacon Gorou was happy to explain. "The ones with the gold stars are especially promising experts of their Tier. While Stages can be crossed with something as simple as a better Technique or an explosive burst of power, Tiers require a lot more. As a result, the Skull Sect has found that it is easiest and most informative to track who the strongest 100 Disciples are at the very Limit of their Tier. We often have 3 or 4 who can spar with the Initial Stage of the next Tier, but only a few ever win by what is best called a fluke."

"Sana is fairly highly ranked. Something like 20 or 25 I believe. She's among the top in Broken Origination like you. The other, Sen Ichimaru, is currently ranked 7th among our Bottom Origination. Evil bastard though. Don't give him a reason to dislike you or your time in the Outer Disciples will be like hell." Deacon Gorou warns carefully.

Turning to the other question, Deacon Gorou smiles. "The gold cuffs are only worn by Inner Disciples, and it is a mark of great status. There are 3 ways to become an Inner Disciple, though usually only 2 get used. Enter Low Origination having been a member of the top 10 Bottom Origination, like Sen Ichimaru, or be able to beat someone who became an Inner Disciple that way. Difference in Cultivation does matter any more than it does to your pride. By Beginner Low Origination, most people can beat a recently broken through Sen Ichimaru, and thus most of them are Inner Disciples. The other option is to pass an even more extensive exam."

Cifer and Momo felt some surprise. In their own Clan, simply making Low Origination was enough to be considered an Inner Disciple. However, only 3 of the 8 Low Origination experts present were Inner Disciples. An Early Low Origination woman with blond hair and two of the three Beginner Stage experts, both men.

Deacon Gorou pulled the attention away from them. "But that's still a ways off for you. Let alone the Inner Disciples, you are not even ready to consider dealing with a Limit Broken Origination, as we call our gold star wearing experts."

"And what do you base that confidence on?" Cifer asked. He thought that the young lady, Sana apparently, wearing the gold star as the strongest Perfect Broken Origination present didn't seem that powerful. Certainly she was nothing compared to the Bear.

"Listen ugly, beat me before you run your mouth. Our idol, Sana, is not for for a fugly garbage like yourself." One of the Intermediate Broken Origination experts had come over and was pissed off that Cifer was beside Momo and still looked at Sana so easily.

To him it felt like this ugly and backwards fool thought he could woo and possibly overtake Sana. Since this idiot thought so little of the Skull Sect, he, Kaito, would teach him the error of his ways.

"Deacon Gorou?" Cifer asked without really looking at Kaito. "How far are we allowed to go during the combat examination and what are the rules?"

The watchers had to admire Cifer's guts. Kaito was the strongest of the Intermediate Broken Origination present, and was in the top 10 of his Stage even in the entire Skull Sect. This newbie was pretending he was air, even asking Deacon Gorou how much he could beat up Kaito without breaking the rules.

"It's unarmed combat. Unconsciousness, surrender or knocked out of the arena." Deacon Gorou answers. "Absolutely no killing."