"Benjamin Almond."

Finally, it was my moment to shine.

I rose from the ground and brushed off the dirt from my clothes. They had us exemplary candidates sitting on the floor, can you believe that?

But I had grown accustomed to it by now.

"Good luck," Jason whispered with a calm smile.

Marcia, sitting timidly behind Jason, cast curious glances my way.

"Well, see you on the other side," I remarked before making my way toward the stage.

I maintained a steady pace, gracefully rotating my arms in a circular motion. After sitting on the ground for hours, my body had become slightly stiff. However, there was no trace of nervousness in me as I held my head high and stretched my arms, exuding confidence.

I approached the phantom mage host and she handed me the dial card. Finally, I had the opportunity to closely examine the dial card.

The card was crafted from golden metal, and adorned with the etched insignia of the 9 royal academies. Arranged in a circular fashion, each insignia was placed around a central dial knob, giving the card a resemblance to a clock.

As I turned my gaze toward the grandmasters and their retainers seated in the stands, I noticed their curious glances and the judgments forming behind their watchful eyes. However, I remained unaffected by those gazes and stood with serenity and composure.

The grandmasters were engrossed in reading the stone tabloids. I observed attentively as their expressions shifted dramatically while perusing my data. Their initially bored gazes transformed into seriousness as they delved into the contents. It was evident that my achievements had left them bewildered.

A subtle tightening of my smile accompanied the satisfaction I felt in witnessing the changing expressions of the grandmasters.

But suddenly, the expression on Grandmaster Hamanthra's face changed.

“So, you're that troublemaker who caused quite a commotion during the coronation trial on the ceremony train,”

A proud smile appeared on my face as I scratched my head,

“Yes, madam. It was a close death experie-”

"Hush! I didn't give you permission to speak, did I?" she interjected, glaring at me. There was an undeniable anger in her eyes.

My smile vanished instantly, and I stood there silently, feeling puzzled. She was the one who brought it up, and now she was shutting me down. I couldn't understand what her problem was.

"Well, it's not uncommon for young kids to manifest mana creations during moments of danger," she remarked, her tone slightly more neutral. "Still, it's quite an impressive feat that you managed to create a shield using mana."

As she continued, I couldn't help but wonder if Grandmaster Hamanthra had a bipolar personality. She seemed to alternate between praising me and appearing angry. Regardless, I knew that her perception of me would influence the invitations I would receive, so I made an effort not to show any displeasure and to avoid further upsetting her.

Maintaining my smile, I stayed silent, trying to project humility.

Hamanthra shifted her attention to the stone tabloid, scanning its contents. "However, the report also mentions that you were actually expelled from the ceremony train following that incident. It states that you were personally removed from the train by the chieftess due to allegations of bullying other candidates. It goes on to describe how you led them to a secluded area and physically assaulted them, causing one candidate to be so severely injured that he couldn't participate in the ritual."

All of a sudden, the smiles vanished, replaced by a heavy tension in the air. My nerves went into overdrive as I heard Hamanthra's statement.

What the hell!

That report she had just read was complete bullshit! Those kids were the ones who had actually picked on me. I merely defended myself and gave them a light beating. And as for the candidate she mentioned, his injuries were caused by a deranged rail guard, not me. The whole situation had been traumatizing for everyone involved.

The atmosphere shifted, and the other grandmasters started looking at me with disapproval. Even my fellow candidates cast doubtful glances my way.

"I apologize for the interruption, but I want to clarify that I was the one who was targeted by those very candidates. All I did was defend myself and give them a taste of their own medicine. That's also when a rail guard came to the scene. Instead of helping us he actually tried to kill us. Thankfully there was a ninja-like skilled man who intervened and saved us.”

"Ninja?" Biswaq muttered, clearly confused.

The grandmasters exchanged puzzled looks as they discussed the matter with their retainers. A brief moment passed as they deliberated.

I glanced around and caught sight of Wagon Manager Bervice. However, he intentionally avoided making eye contact. The red-haired woman standing beside him now looked at me with disappointment, further deepening my sense of unease. What was the meaning of this?

A sinking feeling settled in my gut.

Hamanthra responded after conferring with her retainers, her tone resolute. "Nonsense. To our knowledge, no such incident has ever occurred. If something like that had happened, we grandmasters would have been notified."

She continued, her voice laced with anger, "A rail guard that goes attacking kids. No such incident was reported. The only kids that were harmed were the ones you beat up."

I couldn't fucking believe this!

"But the chieftess of the ceremony train was present! You can ask her-"

"Trying to tarnish the reputation of the Ceremony Organizers with such blatant lies," Hamanthra interrupted, her voice seething with fury. "You were the one who assaulted those children right after just receiving the healing treatment. And now, you have the audacity to concoct these lies and shift the blame onto rail guards."

She appeared infuriated and showed no intention of listening to my side of the story.

That's when the harsh reality hit me like a ton of bricks. They had deliberately swept this incident under the rug. If news got out that the ceremony train rail guard had employed a sadistic butcher who preyed on innocent children for his amusement, their reputations would be utterly destroyed.

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Furthermore, I couldn't help but notice the absence of those other brats from the incident during the blessing ritual. Perhaps they were too traumatized to participate. Yet, despite all this, I was being unjustly labeled as the scapegoat for the entire ordeal.

My gaze intensified as I locked eyes with Bervice, expecting him to intervene and set the record straight. However, to my surprise, he seemed uninterested and remained silent. His lack of involvement only fueled my suspicions.

I knew that time was running out and if I continued to drag this out, the invitations would be nothing but a distant dream. I couldn't risk being disposed of and left to rot in some ditch. It was a difficult decision, but I had to act.

Taking a deep breath, I gathered my courage and spoke, "I offer my sincerest apologies for my actions and for any harm caused to those children." The words tasted bitter as they left my lips, but I knew it was a necessary facade.

Hamanthra cast a disdainful gaze down at me, her expression demanding more. "And what about your apology for falsely accusing the rail guards?"

I locked eyes with her, my glare unyielding. "I speak the truth. A deranged rail guard did attack us."

Her frustration reached its peak as fiery flames erupted behind her, enveloping her like a coat of fire. The atmosphere grew heavy, making it difficult to breathe. It was clear that she was ready to strike me down if I didn't relent and accept her version of events. “You still speak of that nonsense.”

Of course, I won’t back down. I held onto my pride and refused to offer a false apology for speaking the truth. No matter her position as a grandmaster, she was attempting to manipulate the truth. If I were to meet my demise, I would face it with my head held high.

In a surprising turn of events, Biswaq extended his hand, causing two rings of luminous white light to materialize. One ring settled above my head, while the other formed a circle around my feet, enclosing me within their ethereal embrace. Bewildered by this sudden occurrence, I attempted to comprehend its meaning.

As I pondered, a forceful gust of cold wind descended from above. Its intensity and velocity were so formidable that I found myself compelled to kneel, unable to maintain an upright stance against the torrential onslaught. It felt akin to standing beneath a mighty waterfall, except instead of water, it was a relentless cascade of air.

In the midst of this tempestuous atmosphere, Biswaq spoke up, his voice carrying a stern tone. "You should apologize. Come on, kid, acknowledge your wrongdoing and offer an apology." His serious demeanor made it evident that he had aligned himself with Hamanthra's perspective.

At that moment, I felt a surge of frustration and disappointment. If this was the kind of situation I was going to face, perhaps it would have been better to remain a first-tier candidate and return home. The prospect of continuing this path seemed increasingly disheartening.

Why was I being subjected to such unjust treatment? I had only sought to navigate the ascension trials swiftly and efficiently. How did everything spiral out of control so rapidly?

If only I still possessed the powers of the Demon Overlord, I could have effortlessly eradicated these grandmasters with a mere flick of my fingers. These so-called esteemed figures seemed more concerned with upholding their reputation than with protecting the innocent.

"Still refusing to yield, I see," muttered Biswaq, his voice laced with determination. "Let's escalate things."

In an instant, the velocity and force of the wind gust multiplied threefold. I was forcefully propelled to the ground, landing face-first with a resounding thud. The frigid air pressed me against the ground, and it felt as though the very essence of my being was being crushed. Breathing became arduous as if my lungs were being denied the intake of air as my chest was getting crushed by the wind.

Summoning every ounce of strength within me, I strained to extend my arms and drag my body away from the relentless gust of wind. With great effort, I managed to shift my position slightly, trying to get away from the circle where the gust of wind fell. But as I moved the illuminated circle beneath my feet moved along with me.

Despite the excruciating pain coursing through my body, I clenched my teeth and refused to succumb. Biswaq's demand for an apology echoed in my ears, but I remained silent, fixing him with a defiant glare.

Remember this, I vowed silently, etching the insult deep into the recesses of my mind. The day will come when I exact revenge, tenfold. It may not be now, but it is inevitable in the future. Even if I were to die, I’ll still haunt them and all their progenitors to come.

In the midst of despair, a sudden loud blast reverberated through the room, catching everyone's attention. Thwack! The gust of wind dissipated instantly, and I swiftly regained my footing, raising my guard in preparation for any unforeseen developments.

Looking up, I noticed smoke lingering in the air where the luminous ring had been placed above me. It appeared that something or someone had destroyed it, putting an end to the torment.

Turning my gaze towards the grandmasters, I witnessed a surprising sight. All of them were focused on a single grandmaster—Grandmaster Pierre of the Iron Will Academy.

Biswak, with a stern expression, questioned, "What is the meaning of this?"

Pierre, his eyes sharp and resolute, replied, "How long will this charade continue? As a busy businessman, I detest wasting my precious time. Let us proceed with the ascension ceremony."

In Pierre's hand, he held a miniature mana cannon, intricately designed and embedded with mana stones. I had read about such a weapon in books—a blaze firearm. It seemed that Pierre had utilized this firearm to destroy Biswak's wind rings and come to my aid.

Casually, Pierre returned the firearm to his coat pocket, and a silence fell over Biswak. Hamanthra appeared agitated by the turn of events.

"To be honest, there was no need for a grandmaster to employ their abilities to coerce a confession out of the boy, even if he were lying," Gunther interjected in support.

"From where I stand, it appears as if the two of you were attempting to conceal the truth," added Messindra, voicing her perspective on the matter.

Hamanthra appeared visibly annoyed, her anger palpable, but she chose to suppress her emotions and remained silent. She extinguished the flames that enveloped her, bringing an end to the fiery spectacle.

Biswaq let out a sigh, expressing remorse, "That was unseemly of us. I apologize for our behavior. I may have gone too far."

Despite his display of remorse, I couldn't bring myself to trust his words. To me, both Biswaq and Hamanthra were as good as dead. Their actions had left a bitter taste in my mouth, and I vowed to seek retribution in the future.

Suddenly, a bright light bathed me, and I braced myself for another potential attack. However, to my surprise, the light brought me relief instead of harm. The pain I had been enduring gradually subsided, and a feeling of rejuvenation washed over me.

When I turned my head, I discovered that it was Grandmaster Casia who had intervened. She had joined her hands in prayer, utilizing her healing abilities to alleviate my suffering. I checked myself and found that the injuries and pain had indeed disappeared.

Casia finally stopped when she noticed I had recovered fully.

"Pathetic. Grandmasters bullying a mere child," Casia remarked with a touch of disdain. "I offer my apologies on their behalf."

I was taken aback by her words. I hurriedly responded, "There is no need for you to apologize, Madam."

I was at a loss for how to react to this unexpected turn of events. I certainly hadn't anticipated receiving an apology from a grandmaster.

"Hahaha!" Suddenly, Ajax burst into laughter, his boisterous voice reverberating throughout the room.

"I like this kid's spirit!" Ajax exclaimed between laughs. "Despite the pressure, he didn't waver and remained true to his words. It shows that he is a man of courage and tenacity. I admire your bravery!"

With a renewed sense of confidence, I straightened my posture, brushing off the dust from my clothes. The other candidates regarded me with a newfound admiration, their faces reflecting their amazement.

At least I had managed to maintain my reputation throughout this ordeal. Meanwhile, Hamanthra and Biswaq had suffered a significant blow to their own reputations. It was a small victory, but it wasn't enough. I wanted to make them suffer in some way for their insults and mistreatment.

"Grandmasters, now that the matter has been resolved, I kindly request that you commence the ascension trial immediately," Sigurd interjected, his voice firm and commanding.

Finally, it was time for the ascension ceremony to begin. I eagerly awaited the outcome, curious to see how many invitations I would receive. While I didn't know which academy I would ultimately join, I was certain of the ones I should avoid.