“Huh… huh…” Julian panted heavily with his knees on the ground and the long, heavy sword still clutched tightly in his hand.
“Another defeat, I suppose.” Zhen slowly sheathed his sword.
“I’ll come back tomorrow.” Julian said and was about to leave, but then both of them heard rapid footsteps.
Zhen turned around and saw Honorable Fang, his bald-headed friend.
“Zhen!” Fang shouted and then saw a stranger standing outside the arched pathway. “Another player? Wasn’t the last one enough?”
“Hahaha.” Zhen laughed. “I tell this one to leave, but he keeps returning.”
Julian closed his eyes and slowly sheathed his long sword on his back.
Although his hood covered it, there appeared to be some sort of sheath on his back.
“Anyway…” Looking away from the player, Fang turned to Zhen. “The Wisdom King announced an official test, half an hour from now on!”
“Oh?” Zhen looked surprised. “Who is worthy enough to try the test to become another Honorable?”
Honorable Fang looked away and clicked his tongue in distaste. “It’s that player!”
Julian’s ears perked up.
“Ambrose?” Zhen’s eyes widened in surprise. “He is already at that level?”
‘Ambrose… That name does not ring bells.’ Julian engraved that name into his mind.
“I don’t know, but the Wisdom King invited everyone from the village to watch it. We should go before we are late.” Honorable Fang said and started running back to the village as if he couldn’t stand being in the presence of the player anymore.
Zhen was about to follow, but then Julian said.
“Take me with you.”
“Hmm?” Zhen stopped and turned around to see Julian’s gray eyes. “That I cannot do. The test of the Honorable is forbidden to outsiders.”
Julian turned silent and eventually nodded. “I understand. See you tomorrow.”
After seeing Julian turn around and walk away, Zhen looked at the nearby mountain and rolled his eyes.
“Wait.”
“Hmm?” Julian stopped and turned back to Zhen.
Zhen pointed at the right-sided mountain and said, “If you climb a hundred meters, a path will appear. That path takes you to a viewing platform that nature made, and from there, you might catch a glimpse of the test.”
Julian turned to the tall mountain and nodded. “Thank you!”
“Mm.” Zhen turned away and began running back to the village with lightning speed.
Julian watched as Zhen disappeared into the distance, feeling grateful.
He then rolled up his sleeves and began his climbing journey.
…
“Grandmaster, I am not confident about this choice of yours!” A bald-headed Honorable said, seated beside the Wisdom King, who was seated on a granite-made rock with a high backend.
While tapping his finger against the granite armrest, the Wisdom King turned to the Honorable. “The choice is made.”
“B-but, grandmaster!” Another Honorable, seated on his left side, shook his head. “He is too young!”
“He may have potential, but he lacks the necessary experience.” Another Honorable voiced his concern.
All the Honorables were seated on the side, with the raised platform on the same level as them.
From their seats, they could watch the test unfold.
Around the raised platform, hundreds of villagers had gathered to witness the test.
They were excited to learn about the possibility of a new Honorable appearing, and most of them instantly asked their relatives, who were under the guidance of the Wisdom King, whether they were taking the test.
If any of the village families had an Honorable person in their family, their status would skyrocket.
However, to all their disappointment, it was actually an outsider!
“Alright. Is everyone here?” The Wisdom King asked.
“Honorable Fang and Zhen are missing.” One of the Honorables said.
“Honorable Fang went to get Zhen.”
“We are here!”
Then, Honorable Fang came running in, with Zhen jogging behind him.
The Wisdom King nodded and pointed to the two seats that were still empty. “Take the seats. Let’s start the test!”
After Fang and Zhen sat down, the doors of the temple opened, and two beautiful villagers carrying bouquets walked out.
Following them, dressed in golden robes, a young man with dull blue eyes and an average-looking face appeared.
His athletic stature could barely be contained by the loose robes, and it was clear to everyone that his muscles were rock solid, his punches as strong as a heavyweight boxer, and his legs containing explosive strength.
Gulp—several dozen gulps echoed from the crowd gathered around the platform.
Almost like his physique intimidated them, they kept their displeasure deep inside their minds.
Ambrose, following the two beautiful villagers, walked up the steps leading to the raised platform.
After finishing ascending the final step, the two villagers stepped aside and touched Ambrose’s shoulders with the bouquets.
As the flowers touched his shoulders, the two villagers whispered a blessing in his ear.
Then they put the bouquets away and slid Ambrose’s robe down his shoulders all the way to his waist.
His upper body was now completely naked, exposing his bare chest and arms.
The rock-solid abs were like sculptures sculpted by the hands of a master artist, and the arms looked like weapons of mass destruction.
The sight was enough to make anyone weak at the knees.
The two beautiful villagers gulped, as even they weren’t prepared for this kind of showing.
They then took the bouquets again and slapped them against his bare chest.
After his skin started turning slightly red, they stopped, said the final prayers, and left the platform.
From the high backend chair, the Wisdom King stood up and shouted.
“Today, Ambrose, a disciple of mine, shall take the test of the Honorable!
“If he passes, he shall become another Honorable with the freedom to guide and teach others on the path of righteousness.
“If he fails, he shall continue to train and strive for the opportunity to retake the test in the future.”
Everyone turned to Ambrose, all thousand gazes.
“Are you ready?” The Wisdom King asked powerfully.
“Yes, master!” Ambrose shouted and reached both arms into the empty air in front of him.
All the villagers looked strangely at him, wondering what he was doing.
Then, out of nowhere, he pulled out two dark Black Swords and held them high above his head.
“Whoah…” A young boy in the crowd exclaimed.
This was the first test he had ever seen in his short life, and to him, Ambrose looked like a warrior god descended from the heavens.
The tall golden statue on top of the temple seemed to lose its radiance under the idolizing gaze of the young boy.
The young boy couldn’t tear his eyes away from Ambrose, mesmerized by his commanding presence and aura of strength.
Unknowingly, Ambrose had earned a fan who, already at a very young age, worshipped him like a god.
The Wisdom King nodded at one of the Honorables, who then lit up an incense candle.
“The test…” The Wisdom King raised his arms and then swung them down. “Begins!”
On top of the nearby mountain, hidden by the shadows, Julian sat down after an exhausting climb.
From there, he could see the entire village and the test, where every village was gathered.
He could see a small outline, almost like a small black dot, but somehow Julian managed to clearly see him.
‘His face does not look familiar, but I have met many strong players who like to play alone outside of hostile player communities.
‘He must also be like that.’
Julian crossed his arms as he watched with great interest the prowess of this so-called genius, Ambrose, who Zhen praised to the skies. 𝑶𝑣xt.𝑶𝑀
Even while they fought, Zhen never stopped comparing Julian with Ambrose.
Julian, who was widely known as the greatest player to have ever lived, was made to feel like an absolute newbie.