Show Of Force

Hope and Midgard exchanged silent glances, with the young lady's expression turning stern as she closely monitored Hope's every reaction, akin to a snake assessing its prey after a bite, yet the anticipated venom did not take effect this time.

"System? What do you mean? What system?"

He glanced at her, noticing how her pupils contracted to the point where they were gradually disappearing.

"You don't know what the system is? Are you playing dumb? What are you trying to pull?"

"Um... What do you mean seriously? What is a system?"

"... Hm, I see, with your past, I expected you to be the one… Unless you are trying to trick me, little toy."

"Look, I have no idea what you're saying, can we move on? I cannot wait anymore!"

"... Go ahead, play your children's game."

Hope, liberated from its shackles, sprinted towards the tunnel's conclusion. Midgard folded her arms and let out a weary sigh.

"This game of cat and mouse has been going on too long… You know you're stuck, why do you keep hiding from me?"

Hope reached the end of the tunnel and upon emerging, he stood still, struck dumb and immobile.

The battleground stretched out before him, a vast expanse resembling a miniature football field carpeted with lush grass.

Yet, what truly took his breath away were the grandstands encircling the area, filled to the brim with students and teachers.

The moment Hope stepped into view, the spectators erupted in cheers.

"Ah... ah…"

Hope's legs began to weaken; he had been on cloud nine for hours.

Emissaries frequently engage in tournaments or exhibition matches, making it the most popular sport globally and a means for Emissaries to gain recognition.

Hope had developed a deep passion for this realm through his sister's exhibition matches and had always yearned to experience it firsthand.

Although it was merely a fleeting glimpse of a genuine domestic fighting arena, Hope experienced a level of joy that he had never known before.

"First candidate, name, class, and rank!"

An elegant man with long black hair and an outfit resembling a red judge's robe stood in the middle of the arena.

"H-Hope Balder! E-Rank Hero!"

The audience began to whisper amongst themselves.

"Balder? Like Elizabeth Balder?

"So, it's really her brother, incredible!"

"And he's also a hero..."

The examiner at the center wrote down some notes in his notebook prior to approaching Hope with a crystal ball.

"Very well, you must have been informed of the nature of the test, Place your hand on this magical device, it will assess your level and summon a golem of your minimum level. Don't increase your energy."

"I won't, sir!"

Hope advanced and rested his hands on the crystal ball, causing it to illuminate and send out multiple pulses of energy that traveled across the arena.

Before long, it transformed into a brilliant white color, giving rise to a luminous orb.

"This is your minimum, your level without any boost. From this analysis I can see that you are E-rank, now What kind of E-rank are you? It's time to prove yourself."

The sphere descended towards the earth, causing the ground to shatter as it approached.

Fragments of rock adhered to the sphere, creating a swirling mass of stone.

Hope wielded his wooden sword, channeling his energy. Before him, the rock mass halted its transformation, taking on a formidable shape with massive arms, a distorted torso, and a head resembling a soldier's helmet the golem had come into existence.

"Candidate Hope, prepare yourself… Fight!"

Hope unleashed all of his energy, enveloping his entire body in a radiant white aura, before launching himself towards the golem.

"Take this!"

With a forceful swing, he fiercely struck the creature's shoulder, aiming to cleave it in half.

The sword swiftly pierced through the golem, only to come to an abrupt halt.

"Huh?!"

The golem's impenetrable defense effortlessly endured the force of his attack, then unleashed a powerful backhand that sent the young man hurtling through the air, crashing down to the ground in pain.

"Ouch… What… What was that?"

With great effort, he got up, only to be greeted by a tumultuous uproar among the spectators.

(Oh no, I can't show them a bad spectacle!)

With a sudden burst of energy, he sprang to his feet and swiftly pivoted, only to come face to face with the colossal golem's clenched fist.

The impact of the blow launched him soaring through the air, crashing down on the outskirts of the field, leaving the audience utterly dumbfounded.

"Hey? What is this? This monster is E-rank, right? Why can't he defeat it?"

"Isn't he like an Avatar? Maybe his rank is E but his power is lower?"

Dora, Thomas, and Cid observed the situation in the locker room, with Thomas and Barron looking bewildered.

"All this big mouth for this? I regret wasting my time with him!"

Dora shook his shoulders with an air of indifference.

"Wouldn't happen if you could just shut up."

"What was that?!"

Cid turned towards him but Thomas moved to be between them.

"What did we say about not acting stupid in front of an elder? This is the chance for you to learn what's awaiting you, so don't miss a second of this fight! You will learn a lot with this boy."

Another commendation for Hope went unnoticed, as he was unable to hear it.

Inside the arena, he rose to his feet and skillfully evaded the golem's strikes.

However, his sword was lodged in the creature's shoulder, preventing him from adhering to his usual fighting techniques.

"If only… If only I could just jump over his back…"

The young man swiftly evaded the golem's charge by leaping backwards.

"He's slow… Wait, maybe I can use that!... Acceleration"

Boosted by his new ability, Hope rushed at the golem and managed to get behind him to the cheers of the audience.

(I can feel it, I can feel their encouragement... I'm really sorry, golem, sorry sis, sorry idiot Barron, and sorry too, Dora, this is my moment.)

He jumped onto the golem's shoulder and grabbed his sword.

"Hero time!"

A bright explosion occurred on the back of the golem, the audience jubilant at the spectacle and when the cloud of dust dispersed, Hope stood in the middle of the debris, his sword raised in the air.

"Victory!"

Dora, Thomas, and Cid observed this outcome in the locker room with a hint of skepticism.

"Isn't that a high-level skill? How was it called..."

"Hero time." Dora sighed.

"Ah! Yeah, that... Then why didn't he use it earlier?"

"My comrade's ways are inscrutable, I guess?"

"I kinda told you that the results wouldn't matter, what matters is how you defeat it... He could have one shoot it but he let it give him a fight, I mean this is an E-rank golem!"

"I especially wonder why he wanted to use his sword so much."

Barron let out a sigh of frustration and briskly walked to the door.

"Your friend is an idiot, I'm next! If that's the challenge, then you guys are truly the hype champions."

Barron proceeded into the tunnel, where he encountered Midgard on his way back, appearing uninterested and muttering to herself.

"Failure, what a waste of beautiful words... Now I'm set on... Hm?"

"You again? I won't listen to your system's bullshit from the other day, move away." He demanded in a firm tone.

"I don't choose fake toys twice, so ignore me."

She proceeded towards the locker room, while Barron emitted a noise from his mouth and walked towards the battleground. At that location, he stumbled upon Hope, who was completing a victory lap for the spectators.

"Is this idiot really living in his own world?"

He walked directly towards the examiner, who gazed at Hope in astonishment.

"Oi, let's get started already."

"Hm? Ah! Student Cid Barron... I've heard a few words from the dean so let's get started... Please lower your level, you know why I'm asking."

"You're wasting my time."

Barron gently touched the crystal ball, causing it to illuminate. However, unlike Hope, it shimmered brilliantly, captivating the entire audience.

"There it is."

Barron's energy waves sent shivers down everyone's spine as they watched in awe. The powerful waves traversed the entire stadium, causing the field to illuminate so intensely that it became impossible to witness the incredible spectacle unfolding before their eyes: the birth of a new golem.

However, this golem was unlike any other before it; it possessed a celestial form, resembling an angelic sculpture rather than a fearsome creature. Its radiant silhouette exuded a divine presence, captivating all who beheld it as if gazing upon a statue of God Himself.

"Now this is really interesting, good job Cid," Iris murmured.

In this picturesque setting, it was nearly impossible to spot the girl with vibrant blue hair donning the student council uniform as she sat alongside a young girl with flowing, pink locks. Both of them were impeccably dressed in the same outfit, exuding an air of elegance and sophistication.

"Isn't it a little too strong, Iris? This golem is at least D-rank!"

"No, that's what makes it better, this is his lowest."

On the field, Hope, slightly annoyed at having lost the public's attention, returned to the locker room grumbling.

"So what? Mine was bigger and stronger, This guy only shows off because it's beautiful... really hate hi-"

A deafening blast abruptly interrupted his train of thought. He spun around, frozen in place, and widened his eyes in astonishment at the sight before him.

A massive crater now occupied the spot where the formidable golem had stood.

The spectators were left speechless, struggling to comprehend the unbelievable turn of events. Barron had effortlessly obliterated what was undoubtedly the most potent golem ever conjured by an E-rank mage.

Following the initial shock, a wave of euphoria swept through the crowd.

"Wonderful! You're a champion!"

"What a mighty blow!"

"Is this guy really an E-rank?"

No one stayed silent, everyone was praising this miracle, Iris with a large smile shook her neighbor's shoulders.

"See? I told you! He's amazing!"

"... Is this... Is he really E-rank?"

In the locker room, Thomas sighed.

"If only he wasn't such a trouble... It's your turn now."

"Alright, alright, I'm going."

"... By the way, Don't put too much pressure on yourself, it's not because he did so great that you have to do better, just remember that you're already enlisted."

"Oh don't worry, I'm not worried, I'm even grateful."

Dora proceeded to enter the corridor. As he advanced, he encountered Midgar, who was observing Hope from a distance. Curiosity arose within him as he pondered the nature of their relationship. Upon catching sight of Dora, Midgar responded with a derisive smile.

"Going already? Don't you want to wait until their excitement subsides? Maybe take your time to comfort your friend?"

"Hm... Nah, I'm good, he will be too."

"Ah, what a shame, a low blow for friendship."

"I'm not anyone's guardian, He will be fine."

He walked past her and closed his eyes for a moment.

Midgard's head slowly turned, her eyes narrowing with intrigue.

"Oh? Are you worried about what might happen if you don't perform well? Don't fret, they wouldn't have allowed you to be here if you weren't special."

The question was peculiar, but it only piqued her curiosity further.

"Well, even if you do lose, you'll still be accepted into the academy since you've been enlisted. However, you'll be demoted to the lowest class."

"... So there won't be any significant consequences... What about the tutor? Will they be from the same class?"

Midgard playfully ran a finger across her lips.

"Tutors are usually students who volunteer, so if you end up in the lowest class, I doubt anyone will come to your aid."

A smile formed on Dora's face. He lifted his head, keeping his eyes closed.

"... Excellent... One last thing, is it allowed to warm up before the test?"

"... Hm? Why don't you ask the vice council president?"

"Because he's the vice council president."

Dora's eyes were shut, yet he unmistakably sensed a transformation in the woman's countenance, as a chilling grin was stretching across her face.

"It's forbidden, of course, but since he doesn't pose that much of a threat, you might be far enough away to pull something... But what do you have in mind? Could this be..."

"Thank you."

A green glow shone in his eyes and soon a green aura emanated from his body.

"Synergy: Delta-Beta"