"We should be going," said Eternal Selena after confirming that there wasn't much time left. The competition would officially start, and nothing could delay it. The countdown had already started, and in a minute, it would be visible throughout the galaxy. She turned and walked towards her spaceship, her mind filled with doubts upon seeing the Dark Devils. She figured out what was so special about them, especially the Devil girl who was the only one at the 6th stage and looked out of place. Selena's Path resonated with the girl's very existence, especially the dark side. However, it was a pity that she hadn't discovered them when she was at the early stages of the Immortal Realm. Her chance to comprehend her dark side of existence would have taken half the amount! Selena guessed that she would have been below the age of a thousand by the time she was an Eternal. However, all was not lost. If she could take her as a student, there would still be many benefits to acquire. She just needed the right time and place to acquire her.
Derin observed Selena, unable to resist the idea of recruiting her to their empire. However, she realized that Selena was already too powerful to join a faction after all this time. Despite this, Selena would have been very helpful in the second phase of the competition.
They followed and entered the spaceship, which was bigger on the inside. The technology onboard was capable of using the general relativity equation to create wormholes throughout the galaxy. Connecting space was just one of the things that this beauty could do; it also isolated time within the spaceship, making it impervious to attacks using time manipulation methods. It was a masterpiece, and everyone there knew it. What made it even better was that it was made with technology, unlike the magical treasures they had that required Innate Energy.
“Eternal Selena, please head to the assessment room for the Luvi Empire’s team to be tested. There’s not much time left,” the artificial intelligence of the spaceship reminded. Selena was already heading there, so the reminder was unnecessary.
“Let’s do the assessment. You know the procedure, right?” Selena asked.
“Yes, we know it,” Arslan replied. He was curious about what the assessment could find out about him. After all, as far as he knew, this came from the center of the cosmos, where the Divines would personally be in charge.
They arrived in front of a door that separated them from the assessment center, revealing a white room with various dots in various positions on the walls. They passed through the door, and although they were crowded, it went smoothly.
“Who will go first?” Eternal Selena said, looking expectantly at the group. She wanted to know the top tier mortals of the galaxy. Although she had seen other Mortals in the previous competition, this was special. Luvi Empire was special.
Arslan looked at Eren, and Eren nodded, walking to the center where there was a circle. The moment he arrived, a panel appeared at the end of the room. There also appeared a transparent wall before the group separating them from the influence of the room.
Dots that were on the walls lit up, creating heavenly radiance. Eren closed his eyes and let it penetrate his very existence.
Subject: Eren
Nationality: Luvi Empire
Age: Below 50
Species: Human-Devil (Mutated)
Bloodlines: 3% Human Progenitor, 3% Devil Progenitor
Cultivation Type(s): Dao, Bloodline, Mana
Cultivation Realm: Mortal, 8th stage Mana Refining, 9th tribulation completed
Innate Trait: Locked
Divinities: None
Defects: None
Existence: Stable
Status: Passed
As expected, he passed the requirements of the competition. His Progenitor bloodline levels were high and also equal in development. A higher bloodline level would result in better Innate Energy development, making it an integral part of cultivation. Artificial species created without advanced knowledge would lack it entirely, resulting in an inability to cultivate Existence without heavenly resources. After all, progenitors were blessed, and thus their descendants. As to why he was cultivating them both at the same rate, they could only guess that he wanted to create his own species and be the sole Progenitor of that race!
Additionally, he passed the 9th tribulation! Those who saw it couldn’t help but praise him in their hearts. Dao cultivation was very hard, as it consumed the very Existence as resources. As the stage states, Mana is refined at the beginning. However, Mana is something neutral and thus can’t be refined. However, it was not impossible. Somehow, there was a way to make it happen. However, it would result in the backlash, receiving tribulation so that if the cultivator was worthy. It was a deadly journey, but it was also rewarding. They were not restricted by paths, thus could learn any method available, but it also had its downsides. Dao cultivators would have to live bearing tribulations, not reducing in power in the slightest.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Eren returned, and Kante went forward. Arslan patted Eren on the shoulder and hoped he wouldn’t perish because of the tribulations. They had enough time to progress, and rushing was not the answer. He would be responsible for him in the competition. By the time phase 2 arrived, they would already be Immortals. That was inevitable, and he couldn’t wait for that time to come.
Subject: Kante,
Nationality: Luvi Empire
Age: Below 50
Species: Human
Bloodlines: %4 Human Progenitor
Cultivation Type(s): Existence, Bloodline, Mana
Cultivation Realm: Peak 9th stage Mortal, Path Integration
Innate Trait: Locked
Divinities: None
Defects: None
Existence: Stable
Status: Passed
The results had been the same with Lyra. Angel, Scarlet, and Chris, however, were at the Limit 9th stage Mortal realm with a 5% Human Progenitor bloodline.
Next, Damon went forward. He didn’t like the intrusive feeling of the room, but he ignored it. The assessment lasted a little longer, and everyone could guess why. He was known as the most talented, and his bloodline percentage should be higher. Moments later, the results were up.
Subject: Damon,
Nationality: Luvi Empire
Age: Below 50
Species: Human (Mutated)
Bloodlines: 8% Human Progenitor
Cultivation Type(s): Existence, Bloodline, Mana
Cultivation Realm: Limit 9th stage Mortal, Path Integration
Innate Trait: Unlocked
Divinities: None
Defects: None
Existence: Stable
Status: Passed
Everyone expected this result, even Selena, as she was informed by the artificial intelligence. However, wasn’t 8% too high? The requirement for Immortals is to be at 5% of the overall Progenitor bloodline, and he was probably delaying his breakthrough. She also saw for the first time someone with a mutated bloodline not having multiple bloodlines. However, they were not satisfied with the Innate Trait doesn’t have any descriptions on it. Although they innately are aware of everything when the Innate Trait awakens, it’s not a sure proof way, just like Arslan’s and Derin’s.
Only Arslan and Derin were left. Everyone waited, eager to know their results. They have already experienced a letdown so far, since it was predictable. What mattered to them were the irregularities.
“I will go first, love.” Derin decided to go first. Arslan nodded, and they waited. She went to the same place as everyone and waited. The dots on the walls similarly went to work. However, this time, its power increased as the energy output reached higher and higher. Then, the dots started focusing on her eyes, and the places in her point of view. Usually, this would happen if inherent eye powers were to exist, however, everyone in the room knew that this was because of her Innate Talent that was activated with her Path. In this room, no one focused on their Innate Talents, wanting to unlock them at their maturity, except for Derin and Arslan. They had unlocked their Innate Talents unintentionally. Derin because of her Path having perfect compatibility with her Innate Talent, Arslan’s was unlocked because of his bloodline.
There was still no ending as they started to wonder what the device had found to wait this much to assess. However, after a few seconds, something happened that shocked their very Existence. A divine feeling started being emitted from the walls. In a second, it receded as if it was their imagination and finally the results came through.
Subject: Derin
Nationality: Luvi Empire
Age: Below 50
Species: ██████ ██ ███████
Bloodlines: ██████ ██ ███████
Cultivation Type(s): Existence, Bloodline, Mana
Cultivation Realm: Limit 9th stage Mortal, Path Integration
Innate Trait: Unlocked
Divinities: None
Defects: None
Existence: Stable
Status: Passed
Arslan sighed inwardly. However, he couldn’t do anything but support and prepare for the worst. He guessed that this information had already been sent to his ancestors, and they would prepare for protection against Demigods who would want to mess with them. However, he would need to protect her himself against dangerous beings, in case someone at their realm had similar strength. The cosmos would always surprise, and them being the top powerhouses of their level didn’t mean others wouldn’t.
Derin’s mind worked very hard to guess, however, she couldn’t figure out what the redacted information could be. Was the information redacted intentionally, or could it be that even the machine couldn’t fully assess her Existence? With her mind filled with questions, she went beside Arslan.
Selena was speechless as she watched all this with dull eyes. The group was already communicating with their Seals. Chris, on the other hand, was crying inside. He didn’t know he was with a walking time bomb! He could be hunted just because he breathed the same air as Derin. He already started thinking of ways he could dodge the incoming threats. Then, he remembered he had Aeon, his new ship, and finally relaxed just a little bit.
Derin finally exited her thoughts and focused on the now as she looked at Arslan and smiled. She was sure Arslan would surprise them too.
He went forward, and the same situation as Derin’s happened, with different results.
Subject: Arslan
Nationality: Luvi Empire
Age: Below 50
Species: Unidentifiable Semi-Celestial (Semi-Divine)
Bloodlines: Unidentifiable, Semi-Divine, 0.000…1% Unlocked
Cultivation Type(s): Existence, Bloodline, Mana
Cultivation Realm: Limit 9th stage Mortal, Path Integration
Innate Trait: Unlocked
Divinities: Domination (Shattered)
Defects: Shattered Divinity
Existence: Chaotic
Status: Passed
As the result came, Arslan’s Existence blurred for a moment, the little red dot in his existence rejecting the outer Divinity, and silence ensued right after.