"Impossible!" Princess Seraphina gasped. "How can a mage apprentice have such a vast mana reserve?!"
"Nothing is impossible when it comes to me," Roy declared confidently, channeling more mana into the evaluator.
He was planning to rock the entire empire!
Subsequently, the evaluator's glow intensified, doubling, tripling, quadrupling, and showing no signs of stopping.
"It's surpassed 9000!"
"It's still going up!"
"Can't believe it! It's hit 10000!"
Finally, the number 1, flanked by four zeroes, flashed brightly before the evaluator exploded into thousands of shimmering pieces.
In that moment, a collective gasp echoed across the crowd.
In that moment, everyone realized that the empire had given birth to another monster like Damien!
….
Next up were Amelia, Julian, Lyria, and Syndra.
Julian stepped up to the evaluator and placed his hands on it, managing to score above-average marks. While his Magic Sea wasn't extraordinary, he exhibited a whopping 95% Mana Sensitivity, a score that earned impressed nods from the crowd and Princess Seraphina.
She said, "As expected of a Constantine."
Syndra was next, her biceps flexing as she punched the strength evaluator. The machine sprung to life, registering a solid score of 10 points. This was a score hardly anyone else had reached, making Syndra the star of the moment. She was a woman, sure, but her strength outmatched most of the men around.
Then came Amelia, with her unusually large mana reserve and an absurdly high Mana Sensitivity. She breezed through the test, gaining fantastic results, which left the onlookers astonished.
"Even his maid is so much better than us! Simple unbelievable!"
The onlookers were shocked by the results.
However, what they didn't know was that the most jaw-dropping moment was yet to come.
Lyria, with her mesmerizing eyes flashing with determination, approached the crystal evaluator and touched it. Immediately, it sprang to life and revealed that her Mana Sensitivity matched Roy's, and her Magic Sea size was so vast that the evaluator couldn't handle it - the machine exploded, much like it had with Roy!
The spectators were stunned into silence. It dawned on them that the devilishly handsome man not only had remarkable powers himself but was also married to a woman of terrifying prowess. It was clear that this husband and wife duo was a force to be reckoned with.
Princess Seraphine felt that she was in a dream.
"Has common sense died? How come youngsters these days perform such ridiculous feats with such wase?!"
Except for them, the only other person with excellent results was a young man with blond hair and blue eyes.
"For the chosen one, he's not too bad."
Although Prince Victor had disguised himself well, Roy saw through his disguise with the use of his inspection skill.
"Your next challenge," Princess Seraphina announced, her voice carrying an air of anticipation, "is to kill ten horned rabbit monsters in the Everlasting Hollows." As she finished her sentence, shimmering portals sprung up beside her, conjured through the use of her class weapon, the Grimoire of the Seven Small Suns. "You can access the area through this portal. After you complete the challenge, you must find your way back to the portals and return home with the head of the creatures you have hunted. Remember. Ten and no less!"
"Does anyone have any questions?"
She had the decency to ask.
"Is there any sort of protection for our lives?" Prince Victor dared to ask his aunt.
In response, Seraphina simply held out her hand, revealing a collection of delicate pendants. "Take one. This little trinket will act as a safeguard. Should your life be in peril, it will activate and whisk you back to safety."
Everyone in the crowd felt relieved.
It was quickly cut short as she added, "However, do note that if the pendant is activated, you'll be automatically disqualified from the competition. This is a trial that determines whether you are worthy of being the lucky few who would sit on the awakening platform, not a cakewalk. Only the worthy deserve to move on to the one."
"We understand."
With that, the potential competitors nervously accepted their pendants and turned their eyes towards the glowing portal, their faces a mix of anxiety, excitement, and determination.
They started to go into the portal one by one.
"Let's get going."
"Okay."
Without a hint of hesitation, Roy confidently stepped through the portal, his wife Lyra and friends and family Julian, Amelia, and Syndra following closely behind.
[Ding! A new area has been unlocked!]
[Welcome to the Everlasting Hollows!]
One moment they were standing in the bright sun, and the next, they were plunged into the heart of the Everlasting Hollows. It was a place that swallowed light whole and spat out darkness, an unsettling fusion of gnarled trees and dense underbrush. All shrouded in an almost palpable gloom. Phantom whispers seemed to rustle the leaves, a mere trick of the strange breeze that whistled through the woods.
And at the heart of this eeriness was a lingering sense of imminent danger, the creeping feeling of being watched by unseen eyes from the shadows, observed and analyzed.
"This place feels like it's been plucked straight from the darkest of fairy tales," Julian voiced out, his eyes darting about nervously.
"Don't be such a scaredy-cat, Julian. I can assure you, there are no ghosts here, just a few harmless demonic beasts," Roy responded calmly. His unique ability to see in the dark made the ominous surroundings less intimidating for him.
"I'm not you, Roy. This place can make chills run down the bravest of spines, and I'm no exception. Feeling fear is normal, you know," Julian retorted, attempting to justify his fear.
"He is correct," the girls nodded.
Even the valiant Syndra felt afraid.
Darkness has a peculiar way of messing with one's mind, amplifying feelings of vulnerability and weakness. And let's not forget, even though they were young adults, they still held the innocent hearts of children deep within! It was perfectly natural for them to feel a hint of trepidation in such an overwhelmingly gloomy place, where it was so pitch black that catching even a glimpse of what lay ahead felt like an insurmountable challenge!