Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 033
Chapter Title: The Candidate Competition Begins
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“Finally, the real candidate competition can begin….”
A muttering voice.
“I declare it.”
Sein followed Almann’s words that day.
“What a joker.”
It had already been a week since arriving in Rasiel.
“What’s there to start?”
Unlike that solemn declaration day, nothing had happened since.
It was just about how to use the given break time.
The candidates were each making use of their break in their own way.
Some headed to the city.
-Awesome.
Those enjoying the well-maintained culture of the 5th District, unlike the lower zones.
Pant! Pant!
Those training while awaiting the coming time.
“…….”
Those killing time holed up idly in their rooms.
Sein was one of those stuck in his room with nothing to do.
“What’s there even to see.”
The 5th District that other candidates admired held no appeal for Sein.
Compared to the once-glorious Sanctuary in the past, Pain with Rasiel might as well be some rural barony.
Of course, the next day he had briefly toured the city, but that was it.
From the day after, he just holed up in his room….
Munch, munch.
Like a shut-in.
“Tasty?”
He only picked on Cecil, who was munching snacks in one corner of the room.
Nod.
“You’re a saintess, aren’t you? Haven’t you eaten anything proper?”
He asked, but he already knew.
“That Gallio bastard… The old man doesn’t even follow doctrine himself, so why’d he have to be so strict with you.”
As a saintess, she must have been under strict management.
Probably fed nothing but blessed weeds, so stimulating food would be a delight.
Munch, munch.
Of course, Sein was the same.
“Ugh.”
The worst foods available in Chichiron.
Even after gathering some decent stuff in Borfeo and Antara, they weren’t that tasty.
It was unavoidable due to the lower zones’ nature—contaminated ingredients, lack of spices, and such.
Things were somewhat better here.
“I want chicken.”
The pain in his tongue had lessened, but having lived as a Korean for so long, dreaming of chicken like a mirage was inevitable.
Swoosh.
At the word “chicken,” Cecil looked at Sein.
“What, you want some too?”
Nod.
“They say you can get decent spices and ingredients higher up, so I’ll make some later.”
Going up.
Sein was confident he could head to the Demorus main house.
Nod, nod.
Cecil nodded too, believing it without doubt.
But had Sein really just lounged around eating during that time?
Thud-.
No.
Whoooosh.
Sein, who had shown overwhelming mana and control in Rasiel’s garden.
Now, Sein.
“Finally getting the hang of it.”
Had acquired an even deeper level of skill, different from back then.
Dragon Heart, Demon King’s Heart, Saint’s Ring.
Even the mana lacking from Gallio’s holy power had been massively boosted.
“Now just one, finally.”
He had finally succeeded in mimicking a passive skill.
-Mana Control.
A basic skill learned after finishing the tutorial upon starting a life of using mana.
However, in this world, passive skills were.
Smirk.
Truly cheats.
Once the world stopped being a game, everything had to move with a single will in this reality.
But passive skills were different.
“Hoo. Ha.”
They activated as naturally as breathing, providing aid.
Their individual effects might not be huge.
Hummm.
But when mastered and accumulated in numbers, they would show their true value.
Sein had tried to create passive skills from the start but gave up upon realizing the absurd mana required.
Now that the conditions were met, he had prepared from Antara and finally completed one in Rasiel.
‘The tutorial’s over.’
From now on, it’s the real deal.
‘Almann, was it.’
Almann Demorus.
‘A monster.’
Perhaps similar to Arin.
He had found more than expected, but still not enough.
He needed to become, like in the past.
No, more than the past.
‘The strongest.’
The strongest.
“Going for more snacks?”
As Cecil stood to leave the room, Sein said.
“Get mine too when you come back.”
Nod.
As Cecil nodded and reached for the door.
“Nah, no need for that.”
Creak.
Sein’s door opened naturally.
A guest.
“Candidate assembly. Sein Demorus.”
A Rasiel organization member said through the open door.
*
*
*
Just like the day Sein first set foot in Rasiel, the candidates gathered in Rasiel’s garden.
However, the freedom and arrogance from that day were nowhere to be seen.
-Assembly.
This moment everyone had been waiting for.
“So it’s finally starting?”
The beginning of the candidate competition.
“Finally.”
“I heard the other organizations already started.”
“Are we the last ones?”
They had heard rumors that the other three major organizations had already begun their candidate competitions.
Impossible not to care.
For now, it was Rasiel’s internal candidate competition.
‘In the end, we’ll have to compete with the candidates from the other organizations too.’
Demorus.
To stand at the pinnacle of that name, they were already late, so they couldn’t help but worry.
“I heard we have to complete missions.”
“Wonder what kind.”
The candidates chatting.
But even as they did, their eyes were fixed on one spot.
“Yawn.”
Sein, standing alone without joining any group.
Time had passed, but the memory of their first encounter with Sein lingered deep in their minds.
“Gonna form teams?”
“Might be all candidates competing.”
“Doesn’t matter how.”
Seeing them aware yet pretending not to be.
Pfft.
Sein let out a hollow chuckle.
‘Kids, after all.’
Candidates in their early twenties.
Most had only recently realized they were Demorus.
However, some stood out among them.
‘Seth.’
Seth.
‘Roberta, was it.’
They seemed different in caliber from the other candidates—calm yet refined.
“Those guys?”
He had heard about them in advance.
“The main house ones.”
The master of Demorus had scattered seeds across the continent, including his own front yard.
The successes raised from childhood as acknowledged Demorus offspring, receiving all sorts of education and support.
“There’s only one from the main house, Seth.”
“Huh?”
Sein turned at the sudden voice.
There stood a rather refined-looking young man.
“Roberta’s from the 6th District. And main house folks rarely come to Rasiel to begin with.”
“Who’re you?”
“Me?”
Mild-mannered impression, thick-skinned too.
The guy introduced himself.
“Taine. Like you, from the lowest levels. Not 10th District, but 9th.”
“So?”
“Just.”
Taine smiled and said.
“Figured sticking with you gives better odds.”
“Odds?”
At Sein’s question, Taine replied.
“Yeah. Survival odds.”
“What a riot this guy is.”
Sein smiled, liking it.
And then.
“Thank you all for gathering.”
Almann arrived.
*
*
*
“Starting today, the candidate competition begins.”
Almann on the platform.
The candidates listening intently.
Almann scanned them one by one and said.
“You will receive missions and must resolve them.”
Even though it’s no longer a game, some fundamentals of the world are unavoidable, huh.
“Feels like a game.”
Not bad.
It was the most familiar format for Sein.
“By completing the missions, you must prove you’re the talent Demorus needs.”
Almann continued.
“And based on that evaluation….”
Almann looked affable.
“Your fates will be decided.”
But he was Demorus too.
One of the worst underworld leaders, head of Demorus’s three major organizations.
Also, like them.
‘A survivor of the candidate competition.’
That was proof of the Demorus name.
“Any questions?”
At Almann’s question, someone raised a hand.
“Who decides the top among us?”
“I do.”
Arrogant words.
Yet no one objected.
Seemingly pleased, Almann added.
“But someone might prove my judgment wrong. Say, if external evaluations are overwhelmingly in their favor.”
“Ho.”
“What about mission difficulty?”
Almann flashed his signature smile.
“That, I decide too.”
“…….”
Unlike before, the candidates’ faces darkened.
They had caught the implication hidden in Almann’s words.
“So, if the guild master wants, he could wipe us all out.”
Throw them into impossible missions for total annihilation.
Or send only the needed ones on suicide runs.
Almann.
“You’re just realizing that?”
The absolute authority holding their lives in his hands.
“Idiots.”
Sein said, picking his ear.
“If they wanted us dead, they’d do it themselves—why bother with the hassle?”
His voice carried so all candidates could hear.
“One flick of a finger and half of us would be gone.”
“…….”
“So.”
He had no patience for more pointless Q&A.
Deficiencies.
‘Need to level up.’
The shortages Sein felt.
‘Make more passive skills, the rest too… gather equipment materials.’
Days in Rasiel were perfect for that—pure honey.
“What’s the mission?”
Straight to the point.
Silence finally fell.
They’d only been tense; everyone had been waiting for this, after all.
“Impatient one.”
Smirk.
Almann smiled at Sein.
“Good. Here’s your first mission.”
The start.
“You’ll all participate in this one.”
“All of us?”
“What kind of mission requires that….”
Tension returned in an instant.
Hearing everyone must join brought back the ominous thoughts from earlier.
“No need to worry. I chose a difficulty you can all handle.”
Boom!
Aura rose from Almann, pressing down on the surroundings.
“You will subjugate the Dark Orc village.”
Smirk.
And Sein smiled too.