Chapter 3124: Selected

In the second week, a little over two thousand candidate were divided into squads of ten and ordered to survive another six days in the marsh. Each unit received minimal supplies and was expected to endure the dangers of the wilderness without outside assistance. The objective was simple: survive, cooperate when necessary, and return with as many members as possible.

In practice, it was anything but simple.

The small squads were forced to hunt dangerous beasts that prowled the marsh, navigate treacherous terrain, and endure the relentless effects of the poisonous environment. Every rustle in the reeds could signal an approaching predator, while seemingly harmless pools of water sometimes concealed creatures capable of dragging an unsuspecting recruit beneath the surface.

By the second day, squads had turned against each other over hunted beast and dwindling supplies. By the third, most squads has lost a member.

Their six-day trial quickly became a desperate struggle to keep the remaining members alive. Some recruits had underestimated the beasts, while others simply lacked the experience to recognize danger before it was too late.

Having to work in squads, the Light Avatar began making an effort to get to know his teammates. Building relationships with other Dark Magus candidates and earning their trust could prove invaluable to the success of his mission.

As a result, he began to involve himself more than he should, carefully balancing his interventions against the risk of attracting unwanted attention.

On the fourth night, a magus from his unit, Pell, a member of a noble clan, was bitten by an arrow-beetle. The creature was small enough to hide beneath a patch of wet moss, but its venom was potent. Within minutes, Pell’s face turned grey, his breathing became shallow, and his legs began to give way.

The other were panicked. Some insisted that they should leave Pell behind before his condition endangered the rest of them.

Ethan said nothing. He simply bent down, lifted the young man onto his back, and began walking.

It took him dozens of miles to reach a place where they could safely treat Pell’s injuries. The young magus body grew heavier as he slipped in and out of consciousness, his head occasionally lolling against Ethan’s shoulder.

He could have crossed the distance in a fraction of the time without even feeling the strain. Instead, he spent the entire journey carefully pretending that each step was a struggle.

Still, Pell survived.

By the time the squad returned from the marsh, Ethan had gained a little respect from his remaining companions. He accepted their gratitude with an awkward nod, careful not to appear too capable or too eager to help.

After all, being dependable was useful.

Being extraordinary was dangerous.

In the last day of the two intense weeks came the soul trial.

The recruits were ordered to sit in a ring upon the black stones, their backs straight and their hands resting on their knees. Instructor Harrow stood outside the formation while another instructor raised a pole bearing a strange, bell-shaped Gu.

Its surface was dark and smooth, with faint markings etched around its rim. When the instructor struck it, the Gu released a single, clear note.

The sound seemed harmless at first.

Then its influence settled over the recruits’ minds.

It pressed against their consciousness like a thumb against a closed eyelid, applying steady, patient pressure that grew more unbearable with every passing moment. The tone did not simply assault their hearing. It seeped into their thoughts, disturbing their concentration and forcing their minds to confront the pressure without any obvious physical injury to resist.

Men began to weep. Others clawed at their ears, desperate to scape a sound that seemed to come from inside their own skulls. Several candidates staggered out of the ring, unable to maintain their composure as the mental assault intensified.

A burly candidate with a scar across his chin, a man named Brukk who had flinched at nearly every order throughout the previous weeks, dug his nails into the stone.

His face twisted with pain, yet he refused to move.

Instead, he grinned through clenched teeth, his expression radiating pure spite.

Dozens candidates eventually fell out of the ring, foaming at the mouth.

Ethan, meanwhile, barely needed to make an effort.

He did not even have to activate his Seven Pagoda to defend his consciousness. The mental attack crashed into his mind, only to dissipate against his formidable spiritual foundation.

Rather than resist it, he allowed the pressure to wash over him. The assaults even proved useful, giving him a convincing distressed without having to manufacture every reaction himself.

By the end of the trials, the selection process had eliminated more than half the original candidates. Only around fifteen hundred recruits remained when the final roll was read at dawn.

Of those, a thousand were chosen.

Ethan was among them.

He had passed the selection trials, surviving the physical training, the poisoned marsh, the wilderness ordeal, and the soul trial without revealing his true capabilities.

For the moment, everything had gone according to plan.

On the final morning, the selected 1000 candidates stood upon the black stones while a cold wind tugged at their ragged uniforms. Their faces were gaunt, their bodies covered in bruises and scratches, and exhaustion lingered in every movement. Some looked relieved simply to have survived. Others could barely contain their excitement at finally earning a place among the Dark Magus.

Instructor Harrow walked slowly down the line, examining the recruits with the same impassive expression he had worn on the first day.

"Now it is time for your reward," Harrow announced.

Cheers erupted across the training ground. Several recruits exchanged excited looks, while others straightened their backs despite their exhaustion. After weeks of suffering, they were finally about to receive something in return.

Ethan, however, did not share their excitement. He had just learned that the promised reward was a Gu parasite.

This could pose a serious problem that might expose his identity.

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