Omehwan
"Have we met before?"
Aleck flinched at Monahan's words. Had he been too casual?
"No, this is our first time meeting."
"Hmmm..."
Monahan gazed at Aleck with a puzzled look. There was something familiar in Aleck's eyes, a hint of nostalgia, like reuniting with an old acquaintance after years apart. That's why the words had slipped out unbidden.
It must be my imagination.
Monahan shook his head. How could an infant like this have ever seen him? Especially from the lesser mantis clan—no ties whatsoever. He dismissed that fleeting glance in Aleck's eyes as his own fancy.
"My greetings are belated. I am Monahan, director overseeing all training hall education here."
"Nice to meet you."
Monahan eyed Aleck with wonder, still utterly unfazed. He had deliberately released a subtle pressure, the kind that would overwhelm any infant boy on instinct, making their bodies shrink back. Yet this one before him remained perfectly composed.
Is his senses dull? No, that doesn't make sense for someone who caught a shield beetle mid-exam.
That left only one possibility: Aleck was withstanding it without a flicker.
Ha.
Monahan's lips curled into a grin. This kid was the real deal. If he were from the shield or king mantis clans, Monahan would have thrown his full support behind him.
Unknowingly, his gaze on Aleck deepened with keen interest.
"I called you here for no particular reason. I was simply curious about the face behind the string of new records."
Still terrible at lying.
Aleck stifled a chuckle inside as Monahan averted his eyes just a touch. The man's rigid nature always made his fibs obvious—like now, dodging direct eye contact.
"Ahem. To be frank, I wrestled with whether to give you the top spot."
"..."
"By my standards, Ruslan deserves it."
Called me for the top rank after all.
Aleck clicked his tongue inwardly. Superiority complex incarnate. Otherwise a decent guy.
Anyway, he prepared to defend his position as planned—but paused.
"But here's the thing. I don't know what you did, but the survival exam instructors and all the examinees insist you deserve top honors."
"...?"
Aleck blinked in confusion at Monahan, who slid a stack of papers from the side toward himself with a nonchalant expression.
"Do you know what this is?"
"That's... the survey from the survival exam, right?"
"Correct."
Monahan revealed the post-exam survey sheets: difficulty level, areas for improvement, expectations for instructors, and who deserved top rank.
He pulled one out and pointed to the top rank question.
"Look here."
"...!"
Aleck's eyes widened at the responses.
'Aleck showed astonishing results in this exam, becoming a role model for all examinees. He deserves top rank.'
'Aleck achieved the impossible. He's top material. Even from the lesser mantis clan, no one can deny it this time.'
'Aleck proved innate physical limits can be surpassed with effort. He's this exam's top rank.'
Ha.
Aleck couldn't help but smile at the sheets Monahan showed. He'd seen this question filling out his own survey—a new addition this time around. He'd suspected it was a ploy to push Ruslan, but hadn't realized he'd racked up so many endorsements.
Guess it's because I ended the exam early for everyone.
No wonder the cheers after it wrapped.
With this momentum, even Monahan couldn't ignore it.
"Plus, somehow you've won over the instructors too? They hounded me like your spokesmen."
The instructors?
That was unexpected. He'd noticed them watching after the flies, but lobbying the director?
Impressed by his fights, maybe. Either way, welcome news.
"So, though I'm not thrilled, we've decided on you for top rank."
As expected. Even a superior-race favoritist like Monahan couldn't buck the instructors and examinees.
Though, thinking about it, I'm the superior of superiors.
His Megaera mantis blood—the mightiest ancient strain—flowed dormant for now. Once awakened, no one could challenge his lineage.
Wonder what face he'll make then.
He itched to tell the stuffy director right now, but no proof yet. Better to watch his reaction later as entertainment.
Top rank perks secured easier than expected.
Aleck smiled in satisfaction.
"Thank you."
"Tch, no need to thank me. But one thing intrigues me."
"What would that be?"
"Which department are you aiming for?"
Monahan's gaze turned serious.
Hm.
Post-survival, trainees chose departments to specialize: warrior, assassin, intel, support. Lesser mantises typically went assassin or intel.
Past me picked assassin.
Half choice, half necessity—precedent for his clan.
No option with lesser mantis physique for warrior...
Warriors dominated by shield and king mantises, down to broad-body mantises, occasionally antler types.
Elite gathering spot.
Past self? No chance. Now? Obvious pick.
"Planning on warrior department."
"Hm."
Monahan's brow twitched sharply, displeased.
"Warrior department... requires strong physique fundamentally. You showed high skill mastery in survival, but your body won't cut it."
He spoke calmly, advisory.
But Aleck wouldn't budge.
Reading his resolve, Monahan tsked.
"Fine, your choice. But know this: No lesser mantis has ever passed into warriors."
"Records exist to be broken."
"Ha, hahaha..."
A vein pulsed on Monahan's forehead at Aleck's bold retort. Mission accomplished—he'd provoked him on purpose.
With his interest piqued, better earn recognition fast.
No meddling then, and quicker notice from the mantis lord.
Monahan backed his favorites relentlessly.
Ups my odds for that in the treasury.
Aleck's eyes gleamed envisioning it.
"Cocky one."
Monahan grinned at him. Aleck was a new breed—head saying limits, gut sensing more.
His intuition specialized in talent-spotting.
"Alright, I'll watch how far you go. But the department placement exam won't be easy."
"I'm prepared."
Aleck noted the sly smile—placement wouldn't be smooth. But if it screened him out, no one would pass.
Monahan's smile deepened at his confidence.
"Oh, and as top rank, perks apply."
"..."
"Not even surprised by 'perks.' Bold or... familiar with this?"
"I'm naturally bold."
Aleck inwardly flinched at the implication but played it cool.
"You've been cheeky since we met—learn some humility. Anyway, one perk: small elixir. Pick your pill."
Red, blue, yellow pills appeared before Aleck.
"I'll take..."
A few days before the department placement exam.
Waiting in dorms, rankings dropped.
"Whoa! Aleck took top!"
"Yeah, no contest this exam."
"Good call by Director Monahan."
"Kinda sad though. If only lesser mantis wasn't his clan—even antler mantis could've gone warrior."
"Heard he's applying warrior?"
"For real? That's... impressive in survival, but can he make it?"
The broad-body boys gawked at the warrior rumor.
Aleck's record was unprecedented, but warriors prized birth physique above all. They were infants now—choices projected to complete body.
"He nabbed the shield beetle though?"
"Nah, corpse team said less brutal fight, more precise weak-point strike."
"Smart prep. But exploiting spots ain't easy..."
"Lesser mantis agility helped exploit gaps. Ruslan led early on larvae."
"True... if pure physique got the beetle, he'd have passed Ruslan sooner."
They admired Aleck but knew it wasn't raw power. High chance he'd wash out of warriors.
Half-right—his pure physique lagged even these boys.
"Anyway, curious how it'll go."
Whew.
I breathed steadily, eyeing the yellow pill before me: Omehwan.
It purged bodily waste, purified blood. Easy for maturity stage, but gold for me now.
Monahan's serious advice resurfaced when I picked it.
'Really choosing that?'
'Hrm, poor match. Just purifies blood.'
'Prepping placement? Urehwan fits—builds muscle fast.'
'Ha... fine, if you insist. Good luck.'
Standard pick: Urehwan for my weak physique.
But that's ordinary thinking.
Lesser mantis limits meant no dramatic gains from Urehwan.
Omehwan's different.
More effective on smaller frames—less blood volume, bigger impact.
Plus a hidden benefit.
Revealed a decade later: ether-related.
Boosts ether sense massively, builds the ladder to use it.
Future staple for new maturity ether users—prices skyrocket.
Costliest choice money-wise.
But not why I picked it.
Perfect timing for me.
I calmed mind and body, cleansed, then swallowed the Omehwan.