Episode 47
Overwhelming Gap (2)
The number of examinees who visited the settlement office had decreased by nearly half compared to the beginning.
This was because a significant number of people retired due to the competition that lasted for two weeks.
All of the examinees seemed equally shocked.
Because I was able to personally experience for the first time what the results of a competitive society would be like.
Some of them even had a murderous look in their eyes.
But the test tubes didn’t show much reaction to it.
Because it was a rite of passage that we went through every year.
However, they were surprised for another reason.
This was because the final number of survivors was much higher than the average each year.
-They say this batch’s talent is the best ever… … !
-If it were a regular rider, the Northern 4th team would have easily taken first place, but their performance was actually lower.
-Theo Ragnar, you are not an easy child to watch… … .
– Ray Ragnar, known to be the weakest of the Northern 4, is in 2nd place.
-And that’s not all? We also have to keep an eye on Erika Ranke, Holkus Ranke’s sister. She’s definitely a talented person.
-I have no regrets even if Axion Ragnar died.
As such opinions go back and forth,
The examinees were once again in awe after seeing the final results.
-Theo Ragnar is in first place again?
-I heard that Axion and the Kyoryonghoe retired… … Was it true?
-There are also rumors that some of them died rather than just retired.
-There must have even been a Kyo-ryong-hoe. It’s crazy and mind-boggling.
-How the hell am I supposed to beat that guy?
-I’m already worried about the third test… … .
-The senior announcement hasn’t come out yet. Let’s just wait a little longer.
-Here it comes!
At someone’s remark, all the examinees’ eyes turned towards the entrance.
Theo and Ray were entering the settlement hall.
They both looked dirty and shabby, wondering what they had been doing.
But no one could ignore the two of them.
It was because the light in his eyes was so sharp.
Even some of the test tubes flinched.
-Both of you became completely different people after this exam… … .
Theo bowed his head to the judge standing on the podium.
“I was a little late because I was dealing with the last monster.”
While the judge nodded silently, the examiner standing in front of the scoreboard heard another examiner whispering and hurriedly changed the score on the scoreboard.
1st place. Theo Ragnar (1,521 points)
2nd place. Ray Ragnar (1,102 points)
3rd place. Erika Ranke (926 points)
.
“Hey, it went up two hundred points all at once?”
“Ray Ragnar rises by 100 points… …!”
“it’s crazy……!”
“What on earth have you been doing in the meantime?”
As everyone was murmuring, the judge shouted his death sentence.
“Everyone be quiet-!”
The room became quiet as if ice water had been poured over it.
“Theo Ragnar and Ray Ragnar are said to be late because they just came back from hunting the 5th-grade monster, the ‘Magic Sword Tiger’. Since the examiner in charge has stated that there is no problem with the procedure, I will not accept any objections!”
“… … !”
“… … !”
“… … !”
The Demon Sword Tiger was known to be a very difficult monster to hunt even among the 5th level monsters, as its bones and skin were so strong that blades could not penetrate it, and it was also very fast.
In particular, since they live in groups of three or four, the difficulty of conquering them is known to be comparable to that of a level 4 monster.
However, a successful hunt meant catching three or four at once.
An outstanding achievement that even the judges, who are obliged not to show personal feelings, were amazed.
“Theo Ragnar and Ray Ragnar, stand in your places-.”
Theo and Ray bowed their heads and found their places.
For a moment, Theo and Wellington’s eyes met.
‘You’ve really improved. As expected from Prince Theo. You’re truly amazing.’
Wellington ended up laughing at Theo’s appearance, which had widened the gap even further.
‘It’s different. Did something happen?’
Theo, as Theo was, was quite surprised by Wellington’s completely changed temperament.
Wellington’s score was so low compared to their ability that I wondered if something was wrong.
It seemed like he was doing something else that was separate from the test content.
‘What on earth was the coincidence?’
Theo was already curious about what secret weapon his best friend in this life had.
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“Okay, now that everyone is here, let’s begin the final accounting!”
Then, at the words spoken by the judge, Theo and all the examinees’ eyes turned towards him.
However, the quick-witted examinees tilted their heads in confusion.
-The final settlement?
-So the final rankings over there aren’t the end?
“When I announced the contents of this second test, I clearly said that we would see the combined scores of this species. But in fact, there were two contents in this test. Does anyone know what the other one is?”
For a moment, a look of confusion appeared on the examinees’ faces.
Suddenly, the test content is different?
“Everyone who knows, raise your hand.”
A few people raised their hands.
Theo and Wellington.
‘Was it a coincidence?’
Theo looked a little surprised when he saw Wellington.
Wellington was also looking this way and laughing in vain.
‘What happened? Wellington clearly didn’t realize the Hidden Piece in his previous life.’
There was only one person in each class who discovered the secret of the secret method.
It was the same in my previous life.
Even among the greatest jockeys of all time, Theo, only one person figured this out.
But one more person has been added.
To Wellington.
What on earth happened?
‘Could it be… the butterfly effect?’
As Theo was thinking that, suddenly two more people from somewhere else raised their hands high.
One next to Theo.
“ray?”
“You’re deadly, Theo. You even hid it from me. Did you think I wouldn’t know?”
Ray grumbled, narrowing his eyes slightly.
Theo smiled bitterly.
After examining the pattern inside the bell several times, it seemed that she had noticed it to some extent from the side.
‘I should have explained it in advance. It would have just caused unnecessary misunderstandings. On the other hand, the other side is the same.’
Theo glanced to the side, wondering how to appease Ray.
Next to Holkus Ranke, a woman with a face that resembled his also raised her hand.
‘Erika Ranke.’
Holcus Ranke’s older sister.
The next head of the Ranke family, ‘Baekung (白熊)’, was called a genius of all time.
She was the only one who originally discovered the secret method.
‘The future I knew was starting to fall apart little by little.’
Theo was wondering how to accept this result.
Although he had expected that the future would start to change from the moment he rose to prominence and Axion died.
Still, it felt strange to see results that were completely unintended.
Will this result turn out to be a good thing or a disaster in the future?
I had no idea at all.
“So there are four people who figured out the secret? This batch is definitely different.”
Of course, the judge, who was completely unaware of this fact, smiled strangely at the unexpected result.
As someone who runs Ragnar, I can’t help but be happy about the emergence of talented people.
Then he pointed to each person who had raised their hand and asked them.
“First, Erica Ranke, what did you get? Depending on your answer, you will receive additional points.”
Erica answered, stepping forward.
“I got the ‘spark’.”
“How many?”
“There are four.”
“Let’s unfold it.”
The examinees, who were unaware of the existence of the Hidden Piece, looked back and forth between the judge and Erica, then opened their eyes wide.
Whistle, whistle, whistle!
Knock, knock-
A magical wind blew around Erica, and small sparks began to fly up above it.
and.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
As the sparks connected with each other, they formed a large will-o’-the-wisps that circled around Erica.
-Cow, attribute manifestation… … !
The ability to imbue magic with attributes was something that was only allowed in Ragnar to those who were considered high-ranking or talented.
Naturally, the shock could not help but grow.
“Erika Ranke, you passed. Each sentence is worth 100 points, for a total of 400 points.”
The scoreboard quickly changed at the referee’s call.
1st place. Theo Ragnar (1,521 points)
2nd place. Erika Ranke (1,326 points)
3rd place. Ray Ragnar (1,102 points)
.
-The rankings have changed… …!
The examinees were surprised and made a fuss, but Erica didn’t seem to like it at all.
Even if we did this, it would have been impossible to reclaim first place.
“Ray Ragnar, what have you got?”
“It’s ‘frost.’”
“How many?”
“There are two.”
“Let’s unfold it.”
Ray nodded and raised his sword.
The moment I activated my magic with a light breath, the temperature around me suddenly dropped and a blizzard blew in.
Tsk tsk tsk-
The place where Ray swung his sword.
There was ice everywhere, and sharp ice spikes sprouted from it.
At that moment, Erica’s eyebrows twitched as she watched this.
This was because the combination of the Ice White and Frost attributes was more powerful than she had expected.
What if there was just one more?
Erica’s flame could not withstand the frost.
“Ray Ragnar also passed. I give him 200 points.”
Clank-
Ray quietly nodded.
Her final score was 1,302 points.
Although she was solidified in third place, just 20 points behind Erica, she didn’t seem to care much.
“Then carry Wellington. What did you get?”
Wellington answered with an inscrutable expression.
“It’s a ‘waterway.’”
“It’s a water stream. How many?”
“There are eight.”
Erica and Ray’s gaze quickly turned in that direction.
Especially, Erica’s eyes looked like they would burst into flames at any moment.
There were only four knots that she had collected, almost giving up hunting monsters.
But it’s twice as much?
“Huh? Is that true? More than five is a level that is hard to find even in other riders. Eight, with one less than the last one?”
The examinees were all busy murmuring.
If that is true, then a trainee swordsman has almost mastered the complete secret method at the young age of fifteen.
The very starting point with them is different.
“If it is false, I will strike you.”
“You will see the results.”
Srrrrung-
Wellington slowly drew his broadsword.
He glanced at Theo, then closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Mental concentration.
and.
Pssss-
Centered around Wellington, water streams began to appear one by one, forming whirlpools and forming clumps of water.
-Cow, not only the expression of attributes, but also the control of attributes… …?
-No, you said you found a secret method this time! How can that be possible!
Now the shock of the examinees was spreading into confusion.
Grant, manifestation, control, expansion, and sword.
Among the five stages of attribute, it was an incredible talent to have already displayed three stages.
Wellington created six clumps of water in total.
At that moment, Wellington opened his eyes.
At the same time, the water clump dispersed again, creating a huge whirlpool.
The water streams that formed the whirlpool were each as sharp as well-compressed blades, and the eerie sound of the blast was enough to ring in the ears of the examinees.
Whistle, whistle, whistle-
Chomp chomp chomp!
“Good.”
The judge let out a small exclamation of admiration as he looked at the sight,
Paat-
Suddenly, I kicked the platform and arrived in front of Wellington.
Swift movements, as if teleportation had occurred.
Then the judge suddenly thrust his right hand into the swirl of blades.
The target is Wellington’s face.
Wellington was startled by the referee’s unexpected reaction, but responded calmly.
As if a lion were about to bite its prey’s neck with its fangs.
Wellington attempted to stab with his broadsword.
It was a very simple movement, but as the blade vortex gathered around the blade, the story changed completely.
It couldn’t have been that sharp.
The judge’s blade clashed with the tip of the broadsword.
Phew-
As the blade vortex breaks, water splashes in all directions,
Wellington was also pushed back a few steps and then spat out blood.
It was an injury.
“Correct your posture!”
At that moment, two examiners who had been waiting landed behind Wellington.
One of them supported Wellington, while the other placed his palm on Wellington’s back and poured his magical power into helping heal his internal injuries.
Fortunately, as time passed, color gradually returned to Wellington’s pale face.
“I guess I forgot my duty and got too excited. I’m sorry for causing unnecessary trouble.”
Wellington straightened his posture and saluted the referee’s apology, which he threw while holding his hand behind his back.
“No. Thank you, Judge, for giving me some clues about my breathing pattern. Thank you.”
Wellington’s words were sincere.
To others, it might have looked like a simple attack, but the gait and the blade of the hand that the referee saw… … Wellington was in a state of flashes of inspiration thanks to it.
All I wanted to do was go back to my accommodations and reflect on this inspiration.
If he can just master this, he will be able to advance to the next level.
The smile on the judge’s lips grew deeper.
He is also a master who has mastered the water flow technique.
So, I was excited by Wellington’s talent and showed him a trick, but it seemed like I saw more than that.
‘What a talented person, what a talented person… … It’s a shame that this child was born to Narcissus and not Ragnar. Narcissus will soon prosper. Or perhaps?’
The referee’s eyes lit up for a moment as he watched Wellington.
A very small desire to have a disciple once in a while was always raising its head in my heart.
“Wellington Narcisso, you passed. I’ll give you an additional 900 points for your deep understanding of the attributes as well as the grammar.”
The scoreboard changed once again.
1st place: Wellington Narcisso (1,689 points)
2nd place. Theo Ragnar (1,521 points)
3rd place. Erika Ranke (1,326 points)
4th place. Ray Ragnar (1,102 points)
.
-The first place has changed!
-That score could have been reversed… …?
-They say that if other riders get over 1,000 points, they’re guaranteed to be first, but what about our rider… … !
The examinees were now beyond shocked and were feeling disillusioned.
Then, following the judge, everyone’s eyes turned to Theo.
Because his final tally was still pending.
The judge opened his mouth.
“Theo Ragnar! What have you gained, and how many have you collected?”
How the bastard of the Return Sword Family lives
