The Archbishop rubbed his temples as he took in the news.
Things were changing too fast lately, and it was giving him headaches. He was already well over a hundred years old, and this was not in the plans for his retirement years.
Why had the trial asked for a new core? Why now? Why a Monarch Ranked Elite who wasn’t even a cleric?
None of it made any sense at all, but the fact remained that the Temple had been renewed, and the level of power that it possessed now made it a truly magnificent relic.
What he hadn’t realized yet, as he was a naturally awakened Cleric of the World Dragon, was that the System was now fully active within the temple, and that it was fully capable of handling system users up to Monarch Rank.
That lack of knowledge would be corrected much sooner than he would have preferred.
There was another group of people coming, these ones in the white robes of visitors looking for an advancement test.
They were led by a cleric in a doctor’s coat, so they must have come from the hospital for the test before their discharge back to regular duties.
One of the Elites waved at Karl, then did a double take. Not only for the fact Karl radiated power, but that the Archbishop and someone terrifying were there as well, just casually chatting with him.
Karl looked over and saw James, who had entered the Academy at the same time Karl had, and who specialized in avoidance tanking with a two-handed blade. Or at least he had in the first year when Karl had seen him last.
Now, he had a huge scar down his face that was freshly healed, and the soul aura around one of his arms was weak, so it was likely reattached or regrown in the last few months.
The small group stopped and bowed politely with their hands over their chest, fingers spread in the sign of the dragon. The Archbishop smiled at the group.
“Good morning, young friends. Are you here for a rank confirmation?”
The doctor answered for them. “Yes, Your Eminence. These young faithful have reached the Ascended Rank, and they would like the confirmation before they return to battle. I’m sure you’re aware of the change in policy. As new Ascended, they would be reassigned to a Commander led group for their next mission, instead of serving in the lines with the other Awakened.”
Karl chuckled, and everyone turned to look at him.
“My apologies, I didn’t mean to interrupt. But the Ascended with a Commander led team also have the chance to be assigned to the Hill Giant front instead of serving along the Frost Giant front with the artillery.
The weather is significantly better.”
The Archbishop smirked at Karl and chuckled, then nodded at the newcomers.
“In that case, you have my best wishes for success, and a warmer deployment.”
The doctor led everyone into the trial as the first round began to return, along with Ophelia, the first of Karl’s team other than Karl to return.
“Well, that was different. It didn’t test me in any way that I could tell. I entered, Cara poked me with a stick and I chased her around for a couple of minutes, then I was back here.”
Lord Nacht began to laugh. “Oh, it tested you alright. The Void Badger is out here, and has been out here. I think the trial tested your suitability to advancement as a Berserker. She poked you with a stick, and you raged, then chased her around for messing with the trial, right?” The black dragon asked.
Ophelia nodded, then turned to stare at the temple.
“What an evil test. But it gave me a thing.”
She held up a small purple stone carved to look like a panda. “Well, that’s a mark of success in a Royal Rank trial, so there is no doubt that the trial approves of you. Congratulations, Princess Ophelia.” Nacht replied.
The Archbishop smiled at her, while the doctor looked confused.
“That is the strangest test I have ever heard of. Did you upgrade the testing for personality?” He asked the Archbishop.
The old man shook his head. “No. For some reason, the trial asked this Monarch for a new core. The changes seem to be the result of that.”
Another Cleric arrived with a group of applicants, all in suits that said they were businessmen, not the soldier sort of Elites. They all bowed deeply to the Archbishop, who gestured for them to go ahead. There was one Commander with this group, or very close to it by Karl’s estimation.
Now that he had Soul Sight, there wasn’t much question. He could just look at them and tell the answer without having to wonder if they were hiding their power or waiting for them to use a skill at full power. He was good at guessing before, as were most beasts, but now it was almost as clear as if Rank were part of their basic visible information.
Tessa and Lotus both came out with small trinkets in their hands before the second group reached the door, followed closely by Dana, who was wearing a new set of mage robes with loose fitting pants underneath for ease of movement in combat. She quickly changed back to her usual hoodie and pants, but not before Karl was certain that it was one of her Class Skills, as it was Royal Rank armour, though probably not Epic Grade like Bestial Raiment.
They all held up small stone trinkets, and the bystanders quietly cheered them on.
More Royals was a huge thing, but with the Archbishop here, some measure of decorum was necessary.
“I know what you did.” Tessa announced, staring at Karl.
“I have no idea what you mean? I’ve been standing right here since my trial ended. I have witnesses.”
She put her hands on her hips in a gesture that made the old Red Dragon Priest laugh. It was the same one that Orphanage Matrons used when the kids were in trouble.
“Oh, and when you were in the trial, you didn’t happen to completely ignore the detailed instruction text and give it a skill book designed to troll users with random outcomes instead?” She demanded.
“Instructions? There were no instructions. Just the incomplete temple.”
Now she had the attention of all the other Clerics.
“When I entered the trial, you were standing at the top of an unfinished temple. Then a voice announced that the trial was to find the perfect Holy Relic to reactivate the system in the Temple. I went up and tried to talk to you, but we couldn’t interact. I had suggestions, but you couldn’t hear them, but I could hear you. Even the inside thoughts you shared with your beasts.
I know that you put a custom-made skill book designed to create random options in the core, then finished the temple.” Tessa explained.
Lotus frowned. “You got to see all that? It made me plant trees. Not even fun trees, just the same one over and over. I filled a whole clear-cut with trees. It’s much prettier now, but I could have used a few more varieties.”
Dana just shrugged. “I only had to duel myself.”