Retirement Dreams

Chapter Twelve: Retirement Dreams

Filtration Ratings:

Survival (Normal)

Clearing the darkroom using the remaining senses (Rare)

Mental corrosion resistance (Rare)

Eating spoiled food (Normal)

Filtering spoiled food (Rare)

Fighting food poisoning (Normal)

Creating immunity against spoiled food (Rare)

Knowing the weak points of the door (Rare)

Gain the ability to open the door (Epic)

Choosing not to open the door (Legendary)

Clearing the 4 waves of the first emoji (Rare)

Use of snake corpses (Rare)

Killing venomous snakes (Common)

Breakthrough Profound Sensing Stage in pure strength (Rare)

Breakthrough Fourth Heaven of Profound Sensing in pure strength (Epic)

Breakthrough 7th Heaven of Profound Sensing in pure strength (Legendary)

Clearing the 4 waves of the second emooji (Epic)

Clearing the 4 waves of the third emooji (Epic)

Moving under the pressure of the Western Dragon (Against the Sky)

Passing through source poison (Rare)

Gain absolute immunity against poisons (Legendary)

Complete the first body wash under the Deep Sensing Layer (Legendary)

Final Evaluation: SS+ Rank: 4th place in the filtration

The child pondered his ranking, realizing the competitiveness of the world. He understood that better resources meant a higher starting point and, thus, didn't want to cut his resources in half by not showing his name.

"I choose to show my name," he affirmed.

"Selection confirmed. Congratulations. You have chosen to display your name on the Fall of Geniuses board. You will be notified of all your privileges later," the screen responded.

With his decision made, the child turned his attention away from the screen, and it vanished instantly. He set off toward the lake, following the Silver Knight's directions.

After a 30-mile walk, he arrived at the picturesque lake mentioned by the knight. The water was crystal clear, and the gentle sunlight reflected on its surface. The tranquil atmosphere and fresh air enveloped him, giving him a sense of true vitality he hadn't experienced since his rebirth. The gloom that had shrouded his heart since his arrival began to dissipate.

Forgetting about the tests, his desire for strength, and the problems surrounding him, the child immersed himself in the lake, cleansing his body thoroughly. After half an hour of swimming and cleaning, he emerged from the water and noticed a set of clothes neatly arranged next to a large rock.

Among the clothes, he chose a black robe with exquisite red embroidery, a red hair crown to tie his long black and white hair, and black shoes adorned with red embroidery. Black and red had always been his favorite colors, even in his previous life. The robe was made of the finest materials he had ever seen, adding to his satisfaction.

Instead of hurrying away, the child sat at the lake's edge, savoring the tranquility and serenity that surrounded him. He relished the moment, aware that it might be the last peace he would experience for a long time.

Meanwhile, in another cave, in a different location, a blond-haired child with blue eyes emerged and faced a Golden Knight. The knight wore a smile, finding the child's quick appearance amusing.

The child's expression turned cold as he asked, "Am I the first?"

The Golden Knight, still smiling, responded, "No."

The child's demeanor grew colder, and he questioned, "Who is he?"

Suddenly, the Golden Knight's expression changed, and a surge of killing intent emanated from him. "You seem to have misunderstood something. Although you are interesting, you are nothing more than an ant—nothing more, nothing less."

Fear filled the blond child's eyes as they turned pale white. "I apologize, sir," he stammered.

The Golden Knight's expression remained unchanged as he said, "Anyway, there were three before you. Take this bracelet and leave."

The child received the bracelet with both hands and bowed respectfully. "Thank you, sir. I'll leave," he said.

As soon as the Golden Knight vanished, the fear disappeared from the blond child's face, and a smile surfaced

. However, the Golden Knight reappeared in another room but this time behind him there was a black armor knight.

the golden armor knight said after a moment of silence "This child is dangerous. It felt like I was dealing with an old monster when I spoke to him. But as expected of the Sovereign, he deceived me, playing the role of a fabulous liar," the Golden Knight admitted.

"That's because you lack knowledge. In this brief conversation, he managed to extract information from you, even with your caution. He guided the conversation, acting familiar and unbearable. He wasn't interested in learning about his rivals but rather assessing his own value, and he succeeded," the Black Knight explained with a bit of contempt in his voice.

Confusion clouded the Golden Knight's eyes as he requested further clarification.

The Black Knight continued, "If you had attacked him aggressively, he would have known he held no value in our eyes. If you had not attacked, three possibilities would have been easily eliminated. The first possibility, where he holds some value but not much, is dismissed. The second possibility, where he holds immense importance, is also eliminated due to your insulting remarks. Therefore, only the first possibility remains."

Cold sweat covered the Golden Knight's back as he absorbed the information. However, he suddenly spoke up, "But why did he act afraid and humiliated?"

"That question reveals why you've remained a Golden Knight for 300 years without advancing. He manipulated you using psychology. When someone you cannot do much against behaves in a manner that satisfies your ego, you become indulgent. You revealed how many participants surpassed him, falling into his trap," the Black Knight critiqued before leaving, paying no further attention to the Golden Knight still drenched in sweat.

A self-deprecating smile appeared on the Golden Knight's face as he muttered, "How I wish I could retire now!"