Diablo told Graham that Pablo toys with everyone. He was guessing it but he was sure of his guess.
"Whatever." Graham shrugged. "Only time will tell how he is. The third test will show us his mettle. If he is really worthy of Abyssal Butchers or not."
"You are right about that." Diablo agreed with Graham and both of them watched the candidates.
"Hey, are you counting? How much have I done by now?" Flashy asked from the ground. His speed of doing push ups became slower because of the increased gravity. He could only move because of Pablo’s invisible force. Otherwise, he would have been burned instantly.
"You have done only four hundred and twenty five by now. Many more are left. Keep doing that. Don’t speak. I will tell you when to stop." Diablo answered with no interest. Flashy was hated by everyone it seemed.
Flashy didn’t mind that and continued doing his punishment.
And like that one more hour passed.
"Say old man," Diablo spoke. "What do you think his Ego might be?"
"Whose?" Graham asked.
"Pablo’s, duh."
"What’s duh?"
"Nevermind. And forget I asked anything." Diablo stopped talking. That was the problem with old people. They don’t understand things.
"I understand what you are saying. Don’t worry." Graham said.
"Oh. Then what do you think? We still have three hours. We can pass some time by talking."
"Hmm. Even if it’s a white ranked Ego, it’s still an Ego. And considering how he killed one million people with that gun and chainsaws and how he is managing in this heat, it must be a useful Ego. A weak but useful Ego."
Diablo nodded. "Right."
"Or," Graham added. "Call me an idiot or whatever, but it could be that he has two Egoes."
"You are an idiot."
"Don’t call me that for real, you bastard."
"What else should I call you then? Two Egoes? It’s impossible. No one ever got two Egoes."
Graham sighed. "You haven’t read even a single book in the academy, have you?"
"Nope. What of it?"
"There is a mention of a person who had two Egoes fifty years ago. Maybe he wasn’t the only one but he was the only one who revealed he has two Egoes."
Diablo raised his brows. "Really?"
"Really. That’s why I think Pablo has two Egoes as well."
"Maybe. But you are thinking too much. Though, what was the name of the person who had two Egoes fifty years ago?"
Graham squinted his eyes. "If I remember it right, that man rebelled against everything going here in Seraphim. Be it slavery, atrocities done by the military, and all the Kings of every kingdom. He raised his voice against every one and many people who were the victims sided with him.
He went on strikes and the most impressive thing he did was that he hurt not a single soul. He didn’t fight with his hands. He was a non violent man."
"That’s… impressive. What was his name?" Diablo was impressed.
"He was…" Graham recalled the name for a few seconds and eventually replied.
"Wandhi."
Diablo heard the name. "Wandhi? That’s a simple name. What became of him then? Did he win?"
"Heh." Graham chuckled. "What do you think?"
"I don’t know. Was he strong?"
"He only revealed he has two Egoes and not once did he attack anyone. So no one knew how strong he was. But he was a good man and he went against the people standing at the top. He even tried to establish the concept of Gods in this world. And his end was obvious."
"Of course." Diablo understood.
"Yeah. He was killed and all his supporters were killed too. His body parts were hanged in various cities of various kingdoms as a message and some parts were even sent to the Hollow kingdom for Cannibals to eat. After that, no one tried to raise their voice against the top dogs."
"That’s some heavy story. And I can’t believe this talk of ours started from the question of someone having two Egoes."
Updat𝓮d from freewēbnoveℓ.com.
"Yeah. But anyway, that’s past. Just focus on the present. I will do more research on this two Ego thing." Graham said.
"Alright. Tell me if you find something interesting. I can’t read things. When I try to read something words dance around my eyes. It’s annoying."
"Excuses." Graham didn’t believe Diablo.
"Forget it." Diablo won’t explain either.
They both watched the candidates for another one hour and now only two hours were left.
"Now many people will die." Graham said and Diablo nodded.
And the next moment…
POOF!
POOF!
POOF!
Just like Graham had said, many people got engulfed in flames as they couldn’t keep both of their feet on the ground.
"But why do people begin to fall after three hours? If they endured for three hours, couldn’t they endure for two hours more?" Diablo asked.
"Three hours is the time limit for the above average people. They can’t go above three hours. Their body and mind won’t allow it. And it’s all about will power. Just how badly they want to join the military makes them stand any kind of problems." Graham answered. He knew many things, more things than Diablo at least.
"Makes sense." Diablo gave an appreciative nod.
"Hey, how many now?" Flashy asked from the ground again.
"This coward." Diablo gritted his teeths. "If I wasn’t bound by the rules then I would have ordered you to keep doing the push ups till this test is on."
"What? No. Please don’t do that. Just tell me how many I did?" Flashy asked again. He was sweating. His legs and hands were trembling.
"Seven hundred you have done. Just three hundred are left. And when it’s over, I will tell you myself. Don’t ask me again."
"Alright. Just three hundred more. You can do it, Flashy. Think about your mom and dad." Flashy did some pep talk for himself and continued his hustle.
"Piece of work, this guy, huh?" Graham said.
"Yes. He is like those comic relief characters from those plays that happen occasionally."
"Haha. Right. What an observation. Nice." Graham laughed.
Diablo laughed as well and both men continued their chatter. Flashy had no idea he was being used as a time pass topic of a conversation.
Nevertheless, one more hour passed like that.
"Draxus!" Diablo called. "You passed. Four hours are up."
"Finally. Send me away now." Draxus replied as he was standing on the hot ground by his will power alone. He had no way of using his Ego to help him on the ground.
Only his desire for taking revenge from the royal family kept his feet on the ground.
"Sure." Diablo snapped his fingers and Draxus disappeared. Though, he made sure to steal a glance at Pablo.
’Only one hour left, Czar. Hang in there. And you too, slave.’ Draxus wished both Pablo and Flashy good luck and finally vanished completely from the Magma of Nifelheim.
Diablo and Graham again chatted their time off and as the timer kept running.
People died occasionally as their stamina ran out and Flashy never stopped doing his push ups. The invisible force from Pablo saved his life.
Thirty more minutes passed like that and finally, it happened.
"Hey coward!" Diablo called and he didn’t take a name but someone still answered.
"What?" It was Flashy.
"So you know I was calling you a coward. Nice realization you have of yourself." Diablo jested.
"Very funny, sir. What do you want?" Flashy asked.
"Your thousand push ups are over. You can rest now."
"Really?!" Flashy instantly stopped doing the push ups but before he could stand up, something else happened.
PSIHH!
"AAAAaa! Hot!" Flashy’s hands and legs touched the hot ground. He finally felt the full blown heat on not only his palms and feet but on his whole body.
Flashy instantly stood up or he tried to do that. He couldn’t stand up because the gravity finally took effect on his whole body.
Nevertheless, he was feeling too hot and to spare himself from that pain, he used all his strength and stood up.
After standing up, he looked at Pablo. He did that because as soon as Diablo said that his thousand push ups were over, the invisible force on his hands, feet and on his whole body were no more. The force that saved him from the gravity vanished.
And only one person could retract the invisible force. His Boss, Pablo.
Flashy stared at Pablo who still had his eyes closed. Flashy wanted to ask why Pablo did that but he didn’t want to break Pablo’s focus as well.
"I will ask you later, Boss." Flashy let it go and looked at Diablo.
’I heard you, moron. This guy can’t think of smart things.’ Pablo was listening. He only ignored the useless things but he made sure to listen to important things.
’If Diablo would have seen your hands then he would have known that you didn’t even touch the ground. Your palms should get burned to make him convinced that you received a punishment. And who the fuck I am talking to?’ Pablo explained inside his mind to no one and now he focused entirely on himself.
Flashy, on the other hand, was arguing with Diablo.
"What do you mean you can’t send me away?"
"I can’t. You still haven’t passed the test. When your comrade keeps standing here for five hours, only then you will be considered passed. For now, I made gravity normal for you and you also can’t feel any heat now. So you can wait for your comrade to finish."
"Is that final?" Flashy asked.
"Yes." Diablo replied.
"Alright then. I’ll wait." Flashy won’t argue. He was too tired to do that. He was just glad that the heat was no more.
Flashy stood beside Pablo without any words and just waited.
He kept his eyes on the timer and like that…
Five hours were up.
CLAP!
CLAP!
CLAP!
Diablo clapped his hands. The increased gravity was no more and the heat wasn’t there either.
Pablo finally opened his eyes, his mouth was filled with fresh blood from his nose and the first thing he heard was Diablo’s positive words…
"You all passed the testtttt!!!"