Next in Line, a display of talent

Aha! Finally!

I know some of you were suffering from withdraw symptoms, but here it is, have a little bit of the product, its on the house.

Anyway, I'll keep this short.

As I said before on my Discord channel, I'll make 2 very big chapters to make up for the content we're late in, so hop in, this will take a while.

This chapter has almost 9K words and it sets not only the start of the next Arc but also the end of this event, even though it'll likely last through the next chapter still.

Read through and give me your opinions, there is a lot of character exposition his time around.

Peace!

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/While Philip was changing his clothes inside the bathroom…/

/Tumble.../

"Urg… I'll never get used to this feeling…"

'Stumbling as she opened a door, a girl took a step out of the teleportation room that led to the examination area where everyone was moving towards.'

'She looked… Ordinary.'

'Perhaps so much so that in turn made her seem exotic.'

'With long chestnut hair that went slightly beyond her elbows, she wasn't exactly your definition of an otherworldly beauty, of a girl whose body could shake nations...'

'But she had a certain charm that's for sure.'

'She couldn't be called cute, as her features were more mature than that, yet she could be called beautiful nonetheless.'

'Even then, that was up to others to decide, as beauty was subjective from one person to the other.'

"Urg..."

"Oh, Irysa,...Ruler of the Purple plains, bless me with the power to rid me of this accursed headache…" She said out loud as she clasped her hands to pray

/Shine…/

'Moments after, a hidden necklace in her chest burst with faint light, illuminating her face and bosom momentarily before darkening once more.'

"Phew… It's gone."

The discomfort is still there, but I call that a great success.

Sometimes... I ask myself if I'm still even Human.

... When I first came here I could barely stand up and recite the words, even if I could after many tries, the effects were little.

Now, not only can I stand and utter the phrase without stuttering, but the effects have also been greatly boosted.

Also… I'm not as embarrassed as before while doing so... Can't say if that's good or bad.

Though I still can't do it in front of others… Preaching is simply not for me.

Albeit... I said the same thing when I first learned about what I was...

"Step by step we get somewhere…" She said out loud with a small smile as she raised her right hand to her chest, grasping her necklace

To think one day I would be finding solace with God… A God…

/Bzz!/

"Ouch!"

'As she thought of that, she felt a slight prickle in her head, it didn't hurt but it made her lose track of her thoughts due to how sudden it was.'

"Oops, guess that's not allowed too…"

Sigh, another thing to add to my list of things to get used to.

/Fwoosh…/

"Hm?..."

'Just as she shook her thoughts away, she saw something rather surreal, more so than many of the things she experienced so far.'

'From within the walls, a girl with red hair slowly phased through into the corridor… Wait, pink… No… Violet?'

'Like a Spirit phantasm, she slowly turned to face her.'

'As the girl floated in the air, her hair following right after, it changed colors as it swayed in the air, giving the impression she was underwater.'

"..."

'The priestess felt as if she was meeting with a ghost, yet, the feeling she had as she stared down at this unnamed lady wasn't one of fear, much less did she feel compelled to walk away like whenever she was confronted with dark entities.'

'She gave her a similar feeling to whenever she clutched onto her necklace, a surreal otherwordly feeling she never thought she would feel coming from a being just a few steps from her.'

'Because something like that didn't belong in her world, or so she believed.'

'A soothing feeling that gave her a strange serene peace.'

"You…" Carnatita said as she approached her, flying around her

"What's your name?" She asked with a smile as he triangle pupils seemed to sparkle

"I…"

'The voice of the strange spiritual being echoed in the halls as if it was coming from within her mouth and everywhere at the same time.'

'This made the girl stop in her tracks, trying to process how she should reply…'

/Creak.../

"Hm?... Is that you Lucy?" Someone asked as they also stepped out of one of the teleportation rooms

"Eh? Luize?" Lucy asked out loud in surprise as she turned her head

'The newcomer had unusual green emerald hair, but it didn't seem painted at all.'

'Her hair was truly green, something extremely unusual given her origins.'

'She was relatively pretty as well, although her beauty went more to the cute side than refined.'

'Either way, with her expensive dress and makeup, she looked gorgeous just like Lucy.'

'If after all that, receiving the best personal care a Royal Family could provide, if your appearance was still subpar, then there was no point in denying it any further.'

'You're ugly.'

"Urg… Sorry for being too abrupt but can I ask for one of those blessings of yours? I feel like I'm about to melt…"

"I… Uh… Okay."

/Mumbling…/

'Forgetting about Carnatita who watched her pray in silence, Lucy invoked her blessing and partially cured Luize of her motion sickness.'

"Phew… I feel much better… Thank you Lucy, you're truly a Saint." She said with a large smile as she hugged her

"..."

"Hm? You're oddly silent, you're not even complaining I'll mess up your hair." Luize pointed out as she looked at her friend

'But what she couldn't tell was that Lucy's attention was completely on the floating girl that was looking straight at Luize, sizing her up from top to bottom.'

"I, uh… Well, it doesn't matter how bad our hair gets anyway, they'll just get messy when the examination starts regardless." Lucy said with an awkward smile as she threw away an excuse due to her lack of attention

"That is true… A shame, it's rare to see my hair this cared for."

"I never had it brailed like this and likely will never do it again, at least not on my own…"

'Following those words, she did a small spin, allowing her dress to move around.'

'And at the same time, she said "I feel like a Disn&y princess when my hair's like this~." as she hummed slightly.'

"..."

Can… Can she not see the floating girl staring intently at her?!

'Although this did not make Lucy smile, it only further intensified this bizarre situation.'

"Hey… Tell me…" Carnatita asked as she looked at Lucy

"Hey? You okay Lucy?" Luize asked as she waved her hand in front of her

"Do men like such hairstyles?"

"... You look a little pale, how about we go to the examination room and get you a bottle of cold water?"

"I, uh… Eh?"

'Suddenly, the two girls started talking at the same time, both looking at her with different expressions, making her extremely confused.'

When they're like this, they even seem similar…

"Y-Yes?" Lucy replied with a plain expression, making both girls smile

"Then onwards!"

"..."

Just... Who is she?

'While she was pushed away by Luize, Lucy turned her head to look at Carnatita who had a pensive expression as she looked at the wall.'

'In particular, she was looking at a painting of a girl with similar braided hair like Luize, albeit her style had a certain layer of uniqueness to it.'

"..."

'Not long after, she looked at Lucy for a moment, raising her hand and waving at her, she even seemed to say something, although by then she was too far to hear it.'

'By reading her lips to the best of her abilities she understood:'

"Thank you for talking with me."

'Eventually, amidst her great confusion and the strange heat emanating from her necklace, Lucy and Luize turned a corner, making their way deeper into the Fortress/Palace.'

'Where many others had already gathered.'

…

/A few more minutes later…/

'Philip, Petter, and Dae sat on a row of chairs as they waited for the next event to start.'

'They were all wearing similar clothes, the skintight black suit that highlighted their muscles.'

'At least it was like that for their upper body, their pants seemed rather... Bulky if that was applicable in this situation.'

"..."

"Yawn…"

'Throughout their time, Philip and Dae were mostly silent, having already shared with each other everything they wanted to before the others arrived.'

'Albeit there was still much to be said, both knew now was not the time for such talk.'

'However, by staying silent, a lot was already implied... Not between each other to be exact, but to those watching from afar.'

'Because before, Dae tried his hardest to create a wall in his connection with Philip before sending him on his adventure, yet now he showed no qualms in being around him.'

'This already attracted the gazes of others who were curious about the one that returned, with some even asking who he was.'

'There were simply too many Heroes, and some even had difficulty remembering the names of the ones they saw every day…'

'Much to say the name of someone that spent most of his time studying in a library prior to vanishing one day in silence.'

'As such, his unexpected connection with the strongest amidst this generation of Heroes was definitely an interesting fact to them.'

'Still, were it not for the quickly approaching event, some would've certainly directly approached them by now to exchange some words.'

'But due to that, most preferred to focus on themselves and their preparations for what was to come, such as a certain boy who was still sitting amidst the strange pillars, getting hit with constant lightning bolts.'

'To have such concentration was commendable, either that or his awareness of his surroundings was close to 0 because right now, close to 50 people were all looking at him.'

'It was quite the spectacle after all…'

'Some even seemed emboldened to go and try some machines, but given how close they were to the next event and the fact they didn't want to tire themselves early, they preferred to rest and try to shake off some of the hangovers from drinking too much.'

'Just kidding, no one was drunk... At least not anymore.'

'The Maids were more than ready to deal with whatever troubles the Heroes might face, from indigestion to even a major bone fracture.'

'So amidst this silence, someone opened their mouth:'

"Hey… Don't you think it's unfair we need to wear such things while the girls have it easy?" Petter asked suddenly as he looked at another group of girls leave the bathroom

'Their clothes were nowhere as tight as theirs, but they were still a bit tight around some areas, such as the arms and legs.'

'They also had multiple designs with skirts and whatnot while the boys had the same boring clothes...'

'No, in fact, some of the older guys had different clothes as it would be a bit too much to have an old man wear a skintight suit to display his muscles.'

'But compared to his current ones, Petter would've preferred to wear the old man's version, even if he felt close to no discomfort at all in his current attire.'

'In short, he was so bored he started to nitpick at the first thing he got his eyes on, his own attire.'

""...""

'Both Dae and Philip turned their gazes to look at Petter, judgment gazes filling their irises…'

"What? Come on, my question isn't that absurd!"

"Petter... No matter how you feel, there is no excuse for being a dumbass." Dae said as he rested his head on the couch

"I don't even know why I'm even going to try to explain this to you… But…"

"I'm bored." Dae replied plainly

"So, I'll give it a try."

"Simply put, our clothes are designed to be the most effective while also adorning to the cultural priorities of the people of this world."

"Since this examination has the goal of testing us, the less armor we use, the easier it is for them to inspect us."

"Not only that, our attires were designed to stick more to the skin because the people of this world value physical prowess in man, and I don't think that's any different to us."

"But this wouldn't work on girls because naturally, women are… Alluring."

"We could say men are sexy for most girls, but there is a preference no?"

"We can't have the girls wearing skin-tight clothes walking around like dominatrixes…"

"Heh, or is that what you want?" Dae teased as he looked at Petter

"By 'having it easy' the girls' attire aims at reducing the "oogling" factor from the potential results of such… 'Stimulating' pieces of fabric."

"Does that make sense to you?"

"... Bro…"

I just wanted to make small talk… There's no need to throw mud on me like that man…

'Looking at his expression, Dae exhaled slightly, knowing full well what he was thinking about, so he quickly added:'

"... Also, next time you try to create small talk, pay attention to your surroundings." He said without moving his head

'This prompted Petter to look around, and he immediately noticed a few girls looking at him weird, making his expression sour.'

"I don't really mind my reputation, but I have some standards I need to maintain if I wish to do anything."

"And being labeled a pervert would definitely not help me on that."

"..."

I'll… Just keep quiet…

'Looking at the examination room with a hollow glare, Petter waited for time to pass.'

…

/Finally, the party ended…/

'After what seemed to be months of wait, the party finally ended and the King dismissed his guests with another grand speech the narrator was sure everyone wanted to hear.'

'But as the party came to a close, some of the guests did not leave from where they came, instead, they walked deeper into the Palace, going places they likely never once stepped foot on.'

'To many, this was an opportunity of a lifetime, the chance to visit somewhere they only heard of, a place they would likely be unable to visit for another 100 years unless they make some particular career choices...'

'There were also other reasons to be here, but the specifics could be left for later.'

…

"... It's starting." Philip said out loud as he looked around

'He could tell that some doors present on the platform above them had opened and a small crowd of people were slowly entering the room.'

Every Hero is here, sitting in the rolls of chairs while the Nobles are on a platform above us.

I can also see Viera and Tredis over there, by their expressions, they seem fine.

But… That girl in the veil…

Isn't she from the Palace? What's a Maid doing all the way down here?

'Philip frowned as he looked at her, but he eventually shook his head.'

'What was there to be confused about? In some cases, Maids could also be Nobles and in a sense, they also needed to adhere to their duties as Nobility.'

'And considering the many objectives of this event…'

'They weren't the only ones he saw, as he also saw people from his time in the Academy and even Rafiel and the daughter of the Azul Family together with her family, at least they looked like her mother and father.'

'There was also another boy near her, an older brother mayhaps?'

'He then turned his gaze to the others, this entire situation giving him an odd sense of Dejavu…'

'Yes, from his last day on Earth.'

'He sitting on his chair thinking to himself as he looked at the other, thinking about many things as he tried to keep his boredom at bay, unable to grab his cellphone to pass up the time.'

'Wasn't this situation unusually similar?'

'This thought suddenly crossed his mind...'

/Smirk…/

'So with a slight smirk, Philip crossed his arms as he waited.'

'He wondered, now that half a year had passed and many tales had been gathered by all, since everyone had changed, how much did he?'

'It would be obvious to assume all had experienced things beyond their understanding, but did those experiences change who they all were, fundamentally?'

'Or were they still the children and adults that had been suddenly pulled into another world against their will?'

'After everything he experienced, if the past him were to look at him now...'

'Would he agree he was Philip Vinten?...'

'Perhaps there was no way to truly say so, he couldn't turn back time to prove so anyway.'

'Not that he ever would, even if he were given the chance to.'

'But mayhaps, when the time came, he wouldn't be given a choice...'

/Bzz…!/

/Silence/

'Suddenly, silence struck the halls.'

/Appear.../

'In the middle of the room floating in the air, a projection of the King's upper body manifested out of thin air, displaying his cynical and majestic expression to all to see.'

'Philip did not need to move his head to know where the King currently was, as he sat right in the middle of the platform above him.'

'For a better perspective, the room was built in a half-circle shape where the observation platforms were built following the curved edge with the King's seat being right in the middle of that curvature.'

'Although right now, he was currently standing up for the sake of his speech.'

"Welcome, everyone."

"I hope you all, from the bottom of my heart, had a relaxing and fulfilling time at the celebratory party for our Heroes, who trained intensively without rest for many months for the sake of our Kingdom."

"And... Although the time for celebrations and wine may be over, their time will come again once victory shines upon us through the Emerald Sun."

'As he said that, many other images materialized next to his face in the air, showing images of creatures and places most of them were unfamiliar with.'

'Desolate lands full of red and brown sand under a cloudy sky full of dark and yellow clouds.'

'A land that looked "sickly", a place that was the complete opposite of hospitable.'

"For many, this may be their first time witnessing this, mayhaps you all heard stories and legends of this day as you grew up…"

"For others, it may just as well be a routine."

"20 years have passed, and it's now yet again time to march West, into the shame of our nation, the stain in our history we have failed to clean time and time again."

"Today, 400 years since the demise of Netherworld King, 300 years since the extermination of the Ruler of the broken throne and the Continental Prohibition of Chimera Creation…"

"Amidst the potential risk to our nation's safety and peace, I declare the commence of the 20th Demonic Purge!"

/Clap clap clap!/

'Everyone clapped enthusiastically as the King spoke loudly and strongly, shaking everyone's chest with his deep voice that echoed in the entire room.'

'Philip could not tell if he was merely that loud or if he had something on him that could amplify his voice.'

'It was likely a mix of both...'

...

'After those words, the King then proceeded to give many other details and information on the specifics of the expedition, but everything could be easily summarized in a few paragraphs:'

'In essence, 400 years ago, a mysterious phenomenon shook the SouthWestern part of the Continent as never once recorded seismic activity split the earth, opening up a passage into the not well-understood depths of the Earth.'

'Before they even had the chance to react, waves of never seen before creatures led by a being that named itself the Ruler of the land of Netteria destroyed all life within hundreds of Km of the fissure, and his forces quickly marched deeper inland, spreading chaos everywhere.'

'A fierce War then shook the entire Continent that involved all races, leading to the eventual creation of a wall sanctioning off the entire SouthWestern portion of the Continent, and nearly 35% of Human territory that had been turned into a barren wasteland.'

'Even the parts that hadn't been destroyed were chosen as strategic sacrifices as recovering them was deemed impossible.'

'Ever since that day, to make sure the creatures within aren't given a chance to regroup and grow, periodical excursions into the depths of the territory are launched with the goal of whipping out anything on their path.'

'These Raids were all without a flaw conducted effectively, achieving what their goal without a hitch... Albeit some were indeed still more successful than others.'

'To maintain the pressure, every 20 years, the ruler of the Human Empire will gather his troops and march West, and they wouldn't stop until they reached the ocean.'

'As such, many may think, why didn't the creatures escape through the sea or through the Northern Mountain ranges.'

'Worse, why hadn't all creatures been exterminated by now?'

'For once, the sea was a terrifying place, not easily traversed by creatures not welcomed in this world.'

'Although from time to time some did manage to evade the observant eyes of the people, reaching the shores of the Continent.'

'As for the mountain range, if a creature managed to pass through it unharmed, then it was worthy of praise…'

'And lastly, even if all life was exterminated from the surface, more would still emerge from the depths of the crater and slowly repopulate it.'

'Attempts had been made to recover lost land, but the strange radiation from the fissure was extremely aggressive, and in order to avoid leaks, any attempts of pushing the wall have been discontinued even after centuries of tries and error.'

'It didn't help that any research into the subject had been officially banned by the races living in the North, despite them never doing anything to try and alleviate the issue.'

'Either way, 20 years had passed since the last excursion, and this time, a new King was in charge.'

'This meant many things, some good, some bad, regardless, the King was under great pressure.'

'If he was unable to properly put this raid to a close, then he would be pushed to a very awkward spot, being the first to ever fail.'

'Unforably for him though, due to the events of the past, many Demonic creatures prowl in the dark, growing stronger continuously.'

'An issue shared across all Kings, a fact they held secret as sharing it might cause chaos.'

'The fact that with each Raid, their chances of success decreased as the beings within seemed to grow stronger with time.'

'By fighting each other daily, they grow continuously, mutating time and time again, surpassing even the beings whose names were passed down in history.'

"Ha..."

'But for Philip, he found it all… Perfect.'

'Heroes and Demons, a timeless classic.'

'Now the only thing left was a Goddess and a Saint to… Oh, wait.'

'Wouldn't he fit the spot?'

'He wondered, what kind of Heroe x Demon story was this one going to develop into?'

'Would it follow the ordinary 'Heroes defeat Demons, everyone is happy' ending?'

'Or would it fall onto the dark paths of revenge and betrayal?'

'Perhaps something completely unexpected might happen?'

'He couldn't tell, as fate was oftentimes unpredictable.'

'He experienced that firsthand hadn't he?'

"We..."

'The King continued with his speech.'

…

/After a few minutes of talking, the King finally took a step back and sat down, allowing the examination to start with a loud wave of applause…/

"So... What now?" Petter asked as he looked around

Will they call my name or something? Do I have to go there and dance?...

"Just go there and show off, if you're lucky, you'll get a marriage proposal." Dae joked lightly as he looked at dozens of personnel rush into the exam field

'Obviously, things wouldn't be disorganized.'

'There was a proper order to things, from the Maids on the side ready to help to the wizards, knights, and others on the sides of the room, including some masked people walking around the examination room with scrolls in their hands.'

"Urg, I feel like some sort of product when you put it that way…"

"Just treat them as if they weren't there." Dae said with a scoff

"In the first place, the King is using this event to hit many places at the same time and secure as many 'lines' as he can."

"He can show his power and capabilities by displaying our powers while also allowing the Heroes and Nobility to meet, and even if only a few of us end up marrying and producing offspring, that is still a super win since its an enrichment of the overall genetic pool of the Upper Nobility."

"It's also a plus if nothing even happens as long as we develop a favorable relationship."

"In the end, we were going to be examined anyway, it doesn't change who's watching."

"I already said this many times, so I won't go into details… Yawn…"

'He turned to Philip, becoming serious.'

"Just... Give it your all, there's no point in holding anything back…"

"... That's refreshing." Philip said with a smile as he scanned his surroundings once more

Not hold back... How much should I follow this statement though?

'Although he knew it was sensible to always have an Ace in the hole, it didn't mean much in the grand scheme of things.'

'If the people up above decided to do something, being perhaps provoked by his display, would his Ace change the outcome of their decision?'

'That would likely depend on whatever triggered them in the first place.'

"... We need to show off not only to gather more support but also for the sake of our Reputation." Dae said as he raised his head to look at some Nobles, immediately meeting his gaze with a few noble ladies who blushed upon looking at him

"... Receiving a marriage proposal may sound odd and alien, but it is what it is." He said as he turned around prior to giving them a smile

""...""

'Petter and Philip remained silent as they witnessed that.'

"This world has its own customs, and many of them involve promising their children to others, even though that isn't really mandatory as many prefer to leave their own blood alone to seek whatever they wish."

"But even if they have such desires, they must also look at the bigger picture and try to envision things 3-5 generations ahead, and I bet it would make them very happy to have a competent Hero in their family tree." Dale said with a shrug

"Bloodline is often made fun of in many shows and forms of media, but we can't really deny its presence here can we?"

"Nobles cannot guarantee every generation will be born with the right mindset, the will to achieve something, or even talented."

"Albeit two or more would be ideal, they can at least try to guarantee one, that being the strength of their own blood."

"Oftentimes, they don't need their children to become Legends or Myths, they only need a single child that can steer the Family ahead for a few decades before passing the helm onto someone else."

"Their desires may look self-centered and ignorant, but we have to think of their side too, many only wish to see their family prosper, or to even rid themselves of the endless responsibilities they were given."

"They'll never admit to it, or may not even realize it, but that is a feeling many share."

"At least, this is the fate of those born within the main lines of their respective Families, we often forget that out there, many girls and boys live peaceful lives despite sharing direct connections with many of the people seen here today."

We only judge what we see after all...

"Aren't there going to be problems? How does a Family call dibs on a Hero?" Philip asked as he pulled a drink from his inventory space before giving one to Petter when he realized his puppy eyes

...

"..."

This guy... Even here...

'At the same time, up above, Viera's eyes twitched as she saw him drinking his smoothie in this sort of festivity.'

...

'Hearing Philip's words, Dae replied:'

"There's no such thing, it's up to us to choose that… If we're capable enough for that."

"I don't think you've forgotten, but allow me to remember your position."

'From here on, Dae started speaking in English, not that it would change much...'

"... You're someone in an Alien world whose sole known way back to your homeland lies in the hands of the same people that brought you in."

"It may be… Rude, but you're no different from a captive."

"It wouldn't be wise to show resistance or any actions that might go against your captors' will despite everything the freedom they gave us."

"There's no point in talking about rights when even back in our world, these 'rights' were made by those in power."

The only difference is that on Earth, disputes were determined by money and political power while here it's all of that plus the size of your fist...

Though in a way, they're both the same.

"Showing a little bit of reluctance is fine, they expect it from us, the current Crown is one of the most patience in those regards…"

"But even that has its limits, so go there and show what you can do, the better you do the higher they'll hold you."

"Who knows, if you're lucky, you may get the chance to marry a Princess, how's that for you?" Dae asked as he raised an eyebrow

"If you do even better, you could even go back and forth between worlds, isn't that perfect?"

"Still, if that's not to your liking, then show how capable you are, force them to accept your choices and be understanding of it."

"So that you may choose your own partners, they would be thrilled if it was a princess though, you may even be given the chance to rule, how about that?"

There was one Hero that became King for a time...

"Do we really need to choose one?" Petter asked as he scratched his head

"... I don't know you, but being single in a life that'll likely extend for a few hundred cycles seems a tad too boorish for me."

"Either way… Yes, you'll have to eventually do so, I don't think they would be so kind as to allow a Hero to fall through their hands without leaving a few… Seedlings behind."

"They may allow you to leave and return, but they'll definitely not allow you to go to the other side… Not in an unrestrained way."

"..."

'Philip's expression changed a little.'

"Oh? I didn't expect you to have an opinion on this." Dae said as he turned to Philip

"I... Limiting my choices to only Humans is a little saddening." He replied with a joke of his own

That... That came off badly...

"Well said, I've still to see a Catgirl with my own eyes." Petter added with a nod

""...""

'Neither of the two wanted to agree with him.'

"... On this current subject, what about you?"

"Is there anyone on your mind? Isn't that why you tried to brush over the subject?" Philip asked as he looked at Dae

"..."

'Dae's expression went dark.'

"You… Are annoyingly sharp." Dae replied as his gaze softened slightly

"Sooo?..." Petter asked curiously

"... Time will tell if I'll have the time for romance if it can even be called that…" Dae said in a low tone as he remembered some things

"Tsk, how dry." Petter added before shutting up, knowing it was best to not push too much

'A rare moment of insight from him.'

"Don't you think that's too bad? If you're too occupied to even seek it then…"

"No... Stop it." Dae said in a heavy tone as he closed his eyes

"I know what you're trying to say, but I'm not in the mood to question my own goals right now."

Not this soon at the very least...

"Right now, I have chosen to follow a set path, and I'll do so to the end."

"So stop talking…"

Before you make me reconsider.

""...""

'Seeing things take a turn for the worse, Petter and Philip turned their gazes forward.'

"Regardless… It's my turn." Dae added as he got up from his seat

"Give me a moment, I'll be right back."

"... Heh, once the time comes, will you let us read the love letters?" Petter joked as he saw Dae walk away

"... No fucking way." Dae said with a smile without turning back

'As the strongest Hero, Dae would be the first one to take a step forward...'

'Be it now or within a bloody battlefield.'

'Amidst hundreds of gazes, he walked down to the test site.'

'Six months of training, would it be enough to raise the eyebrows of these otherworldly Nobles?'

'One way to find out…'

…

/Step step step.../

'Dae wasn't the only one to get up from his seat as many followed suit.'

'Perhaps emboldened by his actions or mayhaps they had been waiting for his call, either way, nine people, Ten with Dae made their way to the center of the room.'

"..."

Now that I think about it, the list of top 10 Heroes Roy made to me 6 months ago did not change at all.

Perhaps… He knew this would be the end result.

Although, I find it hard that Dae wouldn't have stimulated the others into growing stronger, so Heroes that were weak would be able to display more of their potential over time or be driven into completely alternate paths from those he know.

Hm... Maybe he already did, it's just that he did so for everyone and as such, the difference between them never grew by much?

Or did he manipulate the values so they would remain within his expectations?

It seems too much for him to have controlled everything just to keep things within the expectations of these 'Seers'...

As such, the question becomes:

Did Roy predict this, or did Dae create this reality?

Well, it's hard to say who truly controls the future, the Diviner, or the Regressor…

Does the one that reads the future sets it in stone, or is it up to the individual to walk his own path?

If one divines death, can it be defied?

If so, how?

How does Fate materialize in our lives, if at all?

Kind of a cool question at the end of the day though.

"... This will be fun to watch." Petter said with a sly smile as he looked at the ten heroes assemble

"How so?"

"Heh, as I said before, there have been many conflicts amidst the Heroes as competition skyrocketed due to what happened in the Palace in these last five months... Or should I say ten? I still mix Earth and Eden Months sometimes..."

"Regardless, Dae may take this as a walk in the park, but I'm sure the other 9 won't be able to treat this as lightly."

Their desires are one things, their mentality is another.

Not everyone can keep their head cool like that bastard over there...

And this crazy son dog right here...

"... They all want to surpass him in some sense."

"Hum... Is Dae that influential? I thought he was aiming at being a jack of all trades master of none kind of guy."

At least in these early stages if everything he said is to be believed.

"That is true, Dae is certainly capable of much, from alchemy to swordsmanship, but the Heroes still surpass him in their respective fields…"

"The problem is that he is too close."

"Imagine, you're the Hero focused on Physical power, but this guy can not only match yours, but he can also do the same for Mental power, Magic, Swordsmanship, and much more, rivaling others in their own fields if not surpassing them."

"It can make them feel greatly inferior depending on their personalities, especially since, if they one day lose to him then they would have to face reality."

"That in this world they are not the Main Characters."

"... It's not easy to face one's lack of talent."

'Philip would like to believe it is childish and foolish to harbor such thoughts, but Humans are such simple creatures.'

'Even he may be entitled to envy, though it's been a very long time since he had ever envied anyone.'

"I think so too but that's how it is."

"Everyone is the protagonist of their own lives, but when you put so much effort into something only to be surpassed by someone doing the same thing while also being occupied by 10 others…"

"Awe and respect can quickly make a turnaround for the worst."

"That's true." Philip replied with a nod

/Fwoosh…/

'As he said that, Carnatita appeared from the ground, sitting on an empty chair next to Philip.'

'He looked at her for a moment, smiling slightly, and she did the same.'

'It was time to witness what these Heroes had to offer.'

…

/Minutes later.../

/BAAAM!/

'With a mighty strike, the Hero of Strength, Partison, sent the large boulder recoiling back with great speed!'

'10… 30… 100… 150… 200… 300!!'

'It finally stopped halfway to the next stop, 500, for a total of around 380 to 400 Imperial Units.'

"Phew."

Is this how strong I truly am?

Not even halfway... There's still much to cover.

'He knew that there was much more to his duty than just physical strength but until that time came, he would strengthen his muscles to their very limits.'

'Either way, Partison seemed greatly pleased with his own strike, having already tried everything in his power to get this score, as such, he did not try again.'

'Albeit it was only about double that of Dae's score, he did not mind it as he was not as competitive as the others.'

'Another reason for that was that throughout his training, Dae approached him multiple times, helping him in increasing the efficiency of his exercises amidst other things.'

'So to that, he was greatly thankful.'

"Let me give it a try then since you're done muscle head." Damien said out loud as he took a step forward

"Huh? And since when were you next? Can't you see the line?" Olivia Crest, a blond-haired girl asked with some displeasure as she looked at the Silver-haired boy

"Mind your own business, if we're talking about a line, you are behind me." Damien retorted with a smirk

"H-Hey..."

'From the side, a red-haired girl tried to stop them, but she was thoroughly ignored.'

"You... Hey, rich boy, put some sense into this delusional kid's head." She said as she looked at Edgard

"I'm not "Rich boy"... And please, argue later, not in the middle of this situation."

"If you wish to do so, continue far away from me as I do not wish to partake in your discussion."

"Then if you two would make some space, allow me to give it a try." Another girl butted in as she pushed the others aside

'Unfortunately for her, due to her stature, she failed miserably at looking cool.'

/Bam!/

'But she delivered one hell of a punch, startling even the masked personnel around the Heroes!'

...

'One after the other, the Heroes displayed their physical prowess, receiving scores that went from mild 20 to Partison's mighty 400.'

'Remember, the rock weighed around Ten tons, so moving it even a few feet with a strike was already quite monstrous.'

'For such strength to be contained within the frames of even a small girl… Appearances could be deceiving.'

/Whispers…/

'Overall, the display of the Heroes in the test of strength was greatly surprising for the Nobles.'

'No matter the gender, many of the young Nobles were already sizing them up as they discussed with their parents and family...'

'But they quickly became silent as the Heroes continued moving forward, going to a different strength machine, this time, it was one that could allow them to display their full strength but without the previous restrictions.'

'Pure Physical strength was great and all, but that is not what makes them Heroes.'

'Their unique Abilities and Skills, only with those will they be able to display a more accurate depiction of their powers and potential.'

'And with all restrictions lifted, Dae could finally unleash his emotions...'

/BAAM!/

'With a flurry of fantastical abilities that mirrored that of a fireworks show, they unleashed their powers for all to see.'

…

/Later…/

/Thud!/

"Phew…" Dae said out loud as he rested his head on the chair

"Better now? You truly showed those training dummies who's Boss." Philip joked as he looked at Dae

He looked a bit upset after we went into the topic of his past life… Future girlfriend?

Dae was never really keen on talking about personal details, so I imagine his significant one might've been too much for him to talk about.

At least he blew some steam out there...

"Haa... I'm good enough, at least I did a bit better than I thought I would." Dae replied with a small smile

Guess I let go of some stuck-up anger due to… Sigh.

That is why I don't think too much about things, I was always terrible at these.

'Dae closed his eyes to dismiss his thoughts, so when he reopened them, he was extremely focused.'

"Get ready Petter, you're next." Dae said as he turned to the side

"Huh? So soon? I wanted to watch for a bit longer."

"Watch what? You already know everything they can do."

"Let's just get this over with so we can move on."

"Since the 10 Heroes are slowly finishing their presentations, now's the best time to appear."

"If you do well, you'll also motivate the others that used to bother you, show them what you can do so that they'll stop being a pain in the ass."

"Their embarrassment will fuel them to try harder, which in turn will lessen the burden of the attention on everyone else including you."

"Sure… I'll be going then… Sigh…" Petter said as he got up from his seat, cracking his neck

'And as he walked forward, he said out loud "I can't get used to these stares…" as he stretched his arms.'

"... He may act like that but he's quite excited, barely complained at all." Phillip added as he looked at Petter in the distance

He's also trying to hide his nervousness, good luck pall, hope you attract the beauty of your dreams with this performance...

"That's true, he tends to be honest with his words but his true desires are always kept in the dark."

"In any case… What do you think?" Dae asked as he looked at Philip

'There was no need to develop further, Philip already knew what he was talking about.'

"... Pretty cool." He replied with a smile

"The Heroes are… All very odd, they could all be main characters if they were given the chance to."

From Necromancer to even a Chef, there are all kinds of Heroes.

Though... I noticed something very odd...

Why is it that only the kids from the school are in the Top 10?

Now that I think about it, apart from the Department Heads, most of the other students are extremely... Ordinary.

Ordinary within the Extraordinary...

Petter is the only classmate that seems to be following in these kids' footsteps to some degree...

Is it due to the age gap? But if so, shouldn't they be much more prudent and thus more able?

Perhaps I'm missing something...

'Meanwhile, Dae nodded.'

"That's how things go to most Heroes, they are all weird."

"Partison's overall abilities are geared towards extreme Physical growth and the strengthening of his body, be it in the short term or a long one."

"Unfortunately, his own nature as a Human limits his true potential, as there's a clear limit to it."

"And even if he does try seeking other means of getting stronger to multiply his base strength, that isn't the area he shines in, so he would eventually be surpassed by others."

Heroes are given the chance to grow fast beyond normal Human limits, but by the time they hit another wall, they end up too engrossed in the System, unable to seek a path beyond it.

But they aren't at fault for this, the essence of a Hero is something only someone that spent many years as one can understand.

I already did a lot by trying to set them on a path of self-growth, but I'll not hold them by the hands.

Once the time comes, they'll be on their own.

"... Do you remember the early days when we first met with the instructors? The day our 'Roles' were ranked?"

"Huh?... I do."

"Didn't your Orb malfunction or something?" He thought as he remembered the day 'Dae' became who he currently was

"Well, not quite but yes." Dae said with a slight smile

"That was the day we were fed the idea that our Classes are divided into Ranks, those being White, Gray, Green, blue, purple, Yellow, Orange, and red."

"Although they may seem arbitrary, which they are, they still possess a certain degree of truth into them."

"Because those ranks were built upon a foundation that isn't so easily shaken."

"What they didn't tell us were those Ranks' true purpose."

"They are a measurement of when someone's potential will bloom."

"For those with a Yellow ranked Class, their potential would often Bloom when they're closer to the limit, Level 99 in simpler terms."

"While Orange Classes tend to display their potential only after they surpass it."

"Can you understand what that means? It means that their Class displays its true worth when one Transcends."

"While Red needs to put in the effort and go a 'bit' beyond that..."

"As such, albeit it may be obvious to assume such Classes are better, if one does not even reach it, what is the difference between a Yellow and a Red Class anyway?"

"In Partison's case, his Class was given a Purple rank as that is the limits of pure Physical growth."

"You sure can talk for someone whose Class was given an unidentifiable Rank." Philip said as he rolled his eyes

In the first place, what are the parameters for such classifications? Out there, in this crazy world, there are an infinite number of ways for one to grow.

There certainly is a way for Partison to shatter all common sense and ascend beyond all others, but for that, he would really need to embark on a journey of self-discovery...

"... Well, had I not been born with such a Class, I wouldn't be here to begin with." Dae replied smugly

"And regardless, I have every intention of being true to this power I was given."

"..."

'Philip did not reply to that.'

"Tell me a bit about the others then." Philip requested as he looked at the other top 10

"I was already going to do that..."

"Let's see… You already know Oliver, the Martial Artist with lightning abilities."

'As he said that, they looked at the man holding a ball of pure lightning in his hands, it seemed they were measuring his affinity with something, it was cool to see nonetheless.'

"Following him, we have Cecilia, the Necromancer."

"By herself, she isn't very strong, but her summons can pack a punch, her elites, each on their own are almost comparable to Heroes, some surpass them."

"... Can she make a Hero her undead summon?" Philip asked as he scratched his chin

"Obviously… But I refrained from mentioning this to anyone. So currently, she believes her only way of creating Undead is through a Summoning ritual."

"One day she'll learn what a Necromancer is supposed to do, but until then, I can only pray she grows the mental fortitude necessary to walk that path."

'As he said that, Philip moved his gaze to her, seeing her command a Skeleton in full plate armor to strike a metal plate, slashing it into two.'

'She also tested many affinities, displaying high reactions to her Spiritual and Mental levels, while her Soul also looked pretty potent, at least compared to the other Heroes.'

"Next, Damien…"

'Philip turned to look at the Silver-haired kid before Dae could even point at him.'

"... It seems you already know him."

"Yeah, I met him as I left the bathroom…"

Not really a pleasant fella.

"My apologies then… He's not a bad kid." Dae said as he face palmed, already figuring out what might've happened

"That blond guy said the same."

"Oh? You also met Edgard? No… That was to be expected."

He was very interested in everyone, that was how he made most of his money.

He had to be observant, he is one of the Heroes that adapted the most to his role and powers despite him not showing it very often.

Just like Roy, they're both very dangerous as their motives can't easily be read or understood.

"Damien's abilities, in his own words, turn him into the 'Reaper of the battlefield'... Urg, just saying it out loud makes me embarrassed..."

"He's a high precision Assassin, on his own he isn't very strong, but if he's given time to activate his abilities there's no Hero that can't be slashed by him."

"Though it's another story for him to actually get close to them to deliver the fatal blow, because if you think about it, anyone can kill anyone in here."

"On the other hand, Edgar's abilities are more complex."

"The more wealth he has, the stronger his main Skill becomes, Golden Vault, increasing his Stats into infinity proportional to the wealth he has."

"In a sense, if he gathers the entire wealth of the world, he'll become unbeatable."

"His second Skill, Golden City, is a metaphysical manifestation of his body's state, it's similar to the Golden Body you possess."

"Since it's manifested, he can directly intervene with it by investing his wealth in himself, increasing literally anything his desire."

"His talents, Stats, Skill Levels, Mental State, anything."

"It may sound redundant to increase his Stats, but in a sense, isn't buying a potion an investment of money to improve one's body? He just bypasses that process."

"And eventually, when finding potions for his Level becomes hard, he'll still be able to improve."

"That's why he's the keeper of the Golden Vault... And also his greatest weakness."

"Because if the Golden City were to collapse, his entire being would cease to exist, not really a pleasant end."

"..."

"With me, that's six of the strongest 10."

"The other four would be…"

"Luize Hustin, the Spiritual Guide."

"Vivian Gray, the Starlight Ranger."

"Olivia Crest, the Reassambler."

"And Eva Garcia, the Enhancer."

"Their abilities aren't as easy to explain as their names might indicate..."

"As always… But one thing before we proceed, why does everyone have Titles?"

/Shrugg/

"To look cool amidst a few other reasons, its easier to make people remember someone if they're given a Title instead of just sharing their name."

"Do you have one too?" Philip asked, curious

"I do, it wasn't me that made it though…"

"The Heroic blade…"

/Silence.../

"... Not as bad as I thought." Philip replied with a scoff

"So… Five girls and five boys. Was that planned? Because from the looks of it, this list doesn't seem very accurate." He said as he looked at the other seated Heroes

The feelings some of the Heroes give me vary, but some are just stronger than others.

And by quite a bit at that.

"It was to some degree, but don't misunderstand, those 9 Heroes are pretty strong, they can hold their ground if the need arises."

"But in a real combat situation, I see other people as more fitting companion candidates."

In the end, in a situation of life and death, I would prefer Heroes whose attributes involve supporting others instead of these greenhorns that barely even faced a truly life-threatening situation.

I tried to push them all into training, but some cannot be saved, too engrossed in the luxuries given by the crown.

They don't even realize the fact they're willingly turning themselves into cattle to be milked... But so is their Fate.

Not all are born to greatness, even if the tools to climb the mountain fall onto their hands.

Most prefer the safety of the ground, even if they are to live a life under the shadow of the mountain they once gave up climbing.

"Regardless, there's still quite a few people left to show off, we'll be here for an hour, no less."

"It seems so." Philip replied as he got comfortable on his seat

No matter how weak, a Hero is still a Hero.

One of these seemingly weak people might've been given a Skill that could very well kill me in the right scenarios.

Expanding my knowledge on them won't kill me, it may do the contrary.

Though I can't help but be eager...

'Eventually, it would be his turn.'

…

.

.

.

Notes

Like I said, quite a bit of character exposition, at least compared to other chaps.

If you wish, I can make a slight pause and show other Heroes, but I'm sure most seem eager to see Philip show off and this event end so we can advance to the next section.

What exactly does Dae has in mind for this next event?

I'm curious about it too...

On that note, how do you all think Philip should act and the reactions he'll receive?

I'm always curious to know what the readers think.

Peace!