Chapter 165: The Examination Centre

Chapter 165: Chapter 165: The Examination Centre

They prepared for three days with the kind of focused determination that came from knowing that everything they had worked for and everything they had sacrificed and everything they had dreamed about was about to be tested in ways that would either validate their efforts or expose their shortcomings.

They trained with the kind of intensity that left them exhausted and sore and covered in bruises but also stronger and faster and more confident than they had been before.

Daniel worked with Fluffy on her stealth and taught her how to move through shadows without making a sound and how to appear behind an enemy without being seen and how to disappear before anyone could react.

He worked with Cheeky on her metal manipulation and helped her refine her control and increase her precision and expand her range so that she could shape metal with the kind of accuracy that would make a blacksmith jealous.

He worked with Mittens on her basic combat skills and taught her how to throw a punch and how to block a blow and how to move her feet so that she wouldn’t fall over the moment someone attacked her.

Lyra practiced with her guns and refined her aim and increased her speed and learned how to shoot from awkward positions and how to reload faster and how to keep calm under pressure.

Paul practiced with his wind and learned how to create sharper blades and how to control them better and how to use his wind for defense as well as offense.

Brick Head practiced with his... well, he tried.

He punched a tree and hurt his hand.

He kicked a rock and hurt his foot.

He headbutted a wall and hurt his head.

But he kept trying and he kept failing and he kept getting up and trying again, and Daniel supposed that was the only thing that really mattered.

They were ready and they were prepared and they were confident in the way that people are confident when they have done everything they can and have no choice but to trust in their preparation.

The morning of the exam arrived with the kind of bright and hopeful sunrise that made everything seem possible.

Daniel woke first and opened his eyes slowly and felt the rest in his body and the clarity in his mind and the readiness in his heart, and he sat up and looked around at the quiet house and the dying fire and the others who were still asleep.

He stood up and stretched and walked toward the window and looked outside at the sun rising and the sky turning orange and the birds singing in the trees.

He smiled a warm and genuine smile. "Today," he whispered. "We become adventurers."

He woke the others with the kind of gentle persistence that was necessary to rouse people who had been sleeping deeply and dreaming peacefully.

They ate a quick breakfast and packed their things and checked their equipment with the kind of careful attention that came from knowing that a forgotten weapon or a missing item could mean the difference between success and failure.

Lily stood by the door with a smile on her face but tears in her eyes. "Good luck," she said.

Daniel looked at her with her kind face and her gentle eyes and felt something warm in his chest. "Thank you," he said.

"You’ll do great."

"I know."

She laughed a small and sad laugh. "Come back safe," she said.

"We will."

She nodded and opened the door and they walked out into the streets of a city that was busy and loud and alive with the kind of energy that came from people who were living their lives and pursuing their dreams.

But today it was different because today there were more people and more adventurers and more hopefuls, and they were all walking in the same direction toward the same place toward the examination centre.

Daniel looked around at the crowds and the faces and the determination and felt the weight of the moment settling on his shoulders. "There’s a lot of people," he said.

Paul nodded. "Thousands. Maybe more."

"Thousands?"

"Yes."

"That’s a lot."

"Very lot."

"Really, really lot."

"Are you going to keep saying that?"

"Probably."

Paul sighed with the kind of patient resignation that came from knowing Daniel well enough to accept that this was just how he was.

They walked for an hour with the city giving way to fields and the fields giving way to forests and the forests giving way to a clearing that was massive and open and surrounded by trees.

In the center of the clearing there was a stage that was large and wooden and raised above the ground with a podium and banners and flags.

Around the stage there were thousands of people who were all waiting and hoping and dreaming.

Daniel stopped and looked at the clearing and the crowd and the stage. "This is it," he said.

Paul nodded. "This is it."

"The examination centre."

"Yes."

"It’s in the middle of a forest."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don’t know. Maybe to make it harder."

Daniel nodded slowly. "That makes sense."

They walked into the clearing and joined the crowd and waited and watched as the stage was prepared by officials and examiners and guards in uniforms with badges and authority.

Daniel looked at them and their uniforms and their badges. "Those are the examiners," Paul said.

Daniel nodded. "I figured."

"They’re the ones who will judge us."

"I figured."

"They’re the ones who will decide if we pass or fail."

"I figured."

"Are you going to keep saying that?"

"Are you going too stop saying the obvious?."

Paul sighed.

A man walked onto the stage with the kind of presence that commanded attention and demanded respect.

He was tall and broad and old with white hair and a white beard and sharp eyes that seemed to see everything and miss nothing.

He walked to the podium and looked at the crowd and raised his hand.

The crowd went silent.

"Welcome," he said with a voice that was loud and clear and echoed through the clearing. "Welcome to the Heaven’s Domain Guild Examination."

The crowd cheered with the kind of loud, unrestrained excitement that filled the clearing and echoed off the trees.

The man raised his hand again and the crowd went silent.

"I am Elder Jian. I am the head examiner. I will be overseeing your examination."

He paused with the kind of dramatic timing that made everyone lean forward and listen.

"The examination is simple. You will be tested on your strength. Your speed. Your intelligence. Your teamwork. Your combat skills."

He paused again.

"Only the best will pass. Only the strongest will join our guild. Only the worthy will become members."

He paused again.

"Do you understand?"

The crowd roared with a single voice. "Yes!"

Elder Jian nodded. "Good."

He raised his hand.

"Before we begin, there are rules. First, no killing. If you kill another participant, you will be disqualified. Second, no cheating. If you cheat, you will be disqualified. Third..."

He paused with the kind of pause that made everyone hold their breath.

"Slaves are not allowed to participate."

Daniel’s eyes widened with shock and disbelief and the kind of cold dread that settled in his stomach like a stone.

He looked at Fluffy and Cheeky and Mittens and saw that they were his slaves and that they were registered as his slaves and that they couldn’t participate.

They couldn’t participate.