Chapter 288: Reward Ceremony 6

For ordinary people, the opportunity to witness such a powerful figure was already something extraordinary. His selection as a senior candidate only further demonstrated the immense strength of the Imperial Family.

Since Leon himself was a Sovereign, no one dared to question Caelan’s decision to allow his brother to enter the Secret Realm. Moreover, the selection had been made by the Human Emperor himself, and his decisions were final.

With that, Leon stepped forward and formally greeted the Human Emperor before taking his place among the senior candidates.

Despite being Caelan’s younger brother, he addressed him with the respect befitting his position rather than as a family member.

Liam had already known about his father’s selection, so he wasn’t surprised to see Leon chosen as one of the senior candidates.

Afterward, Caelan continued with the announcement.

"Now, for our third candidate, things are a little different. This position was originally reserved for the Light temple Order. However, after discussions, they have decided to send their High Priestess, Maria Everheart, into the Secret Realm!"

The announcement immediately caused a stir.

Countless people across the continent widened their eyes in surprise. Although Maria was no longer considered part of the younger generation, she was still only in her late thirties, making her considerably younger than the other senior candidates.

Nova, Rieka, and Asia were equally surprised. They turned toward Maria, who was standing beside them.

Maria merely nodded in acknowledgment, though her expression didn’t look particularly happy about being selected.

Inside the System Space, Liya quickly understood what was happening.

[Looks like this was the Human Emperor’s decision rather than the Light temple Order’s. The Order is practically under his control. They’re independent in name only, though I can’t say the same about their faith in the Goddess of Light.]

Nova agreed with her assessment. Everything about the situation suggested that Caelan had made the decision himself, and Maria’s reaction only strengthened that suspicion.

[Looks like that bastard Alaric wasn’t able to secure his position. Serves him right! Though he won’t live much longer after this ceremony, since my husband is going to kill him.]

[The princess is right, Lord Nova. Someone here must be connected to him and giving him orders,] Velena added.

"Hmm, I feel the same way. I’ll definitely find out who’s behind all this. I can see that old bastard is inside the temple right now," Nova replied as his voice rang within the System Space.

His Deadborn was still following Alaric, allowing Nova to keep track of the High Priest’s movements.

Meanwhile, no one openly objected to the Human Emperor’s decision. Maria was the High Priestess of the Light temple Order, and entering the Secret Realm could provide her with the opportunities she needed to grow stronger.

The Secret Realm was particularly valuable for someone like her, who still had considerable room to improve. However, many people also expressed concern for her safety, knowing that even powerful experts could face deadly dangers inside.

Not everyone was pleased with the announcement, though.

Liam clearly disliked the decision, but he couldn’t openly object. He knew perfectly well that this was Caelan’s choice, not the Light temple Order’s, and challenging the Human Emperor over it would be foolish.

With Maria’s selection, three of the five senior candidates had now been announced.

Two positions remained. Soon, Caelan announced the names of the final two candidates. "The fourth candidate is Rob Wade, Commander of the Imperial Guards!"

The moment his name was announced, a figure stepped forward.

Rob Wade was a Level 8 Emperor who had earned his position through generations of loyal service to the Imperial Family.

As the Commander of the Imperial Guards, he had devoted his life to protecting the Human Empire and defending its territories from external threats.

Throughout his long career, he had participated in countless significant battles against Demons and other organizations that threatened the Empire’s security.

His achievements and unwavering loyalty had earned him the trust of the Imperial Family, making him one of the most respected figures within its ranks.

Nova was surprised to discover another powerful individual among the senior candidates.

Rob had black hair, a strong, muscular physique, and several scars across his face. His appearance alone suggested that he was a veteran who had survived countless battles.

However, what truly caught Nova’s attention wasn’t his appearance or strength level.

It was his aura. Despite being only a Level 8 Emperor, Rob possessed an exceptionally powerful aura. Nova could sense that he was considerably stronger than Albert, even though they were at the same strength level.

Moreover, Rob had also developed an understanding of the Law of Space. He’s much stronger than Albert.

Nova couldn’t help but feel impressed. The Imperial Family truly had more powerful individuals under its command than he had initially expected.

After Rob took his place, Caelan announced the final candidate. "The fifth and final candidate is King Leonis Aurethion of the Aureth Kingdom!"

Once again, the announcement surprised many people.

King Leonis Aurethion would be entering the Secret Realm alongside the other candidates.

Nova was also somewhat surprised by this revelation, though not entirely. Leonis was already a prominent figure across the Human Continent, and his strengthhad reached Level 4 Emperor Realm.

Furthermore, he appeared to enjoy the Human Emperor’s favour, making his selection less unexpected than it might otherwise have been.

Across the continent, countless people watching the broadcast reacted excitedly to the announcement.

Among the three kings of the Human Continent, Leonis was particularly well known.

His reputation and accomplishments had earned him considerable recognition, and his selection as one of the senior candidates only further reinforced his standing.

However, not everyone was pleased with the announcement. Celine looked toward King Leonis with a complicated expression.

If only her Father had been selected instead...

She recalled how her father had behaved recently. He had been furious for some reason, repeatedly breaking things in his room despite her asking him what was wrong. He had refused to explain himself, doing nothing but curse King Leonis’s name.

At the time, Celine hadn’t understood the reason behind his behaviour. Now, she finally understood.

Her father must have wanted to enter the Secret Realm himself, but the opportunity had gone to Leonis instead. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about it.

After all, the selection had been made by the Human Emperor himself, and no one could openly challenge his decision.

In this world, titles and social standing meant little when compared to actual strength. Regardless of their royal status, the kings of the Human Continent couldn’t simply oppose Caelan Everhart, the most powerful human alive.

With Leonis’s selection, all five senior candidates had finally been decided.

With that, all five senior candidates for the Secret Realm had been selected. They stood alongside the five junior candidates, completing the lineup of ten individuals who would represent humanity in the upcoming expedition.

In ten days, all ten candidates would enter the Secret Realm in search of treasures, opportunities, and powerful inheritances that could change their destinies forever.

**

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