Chapter 162: Theory

"So she is also one of the few people here to take part in the test, huh!"

Lukas thought inwardly with his thoughts surging. Before coming, he wasn’t really interested in whatever this so-called test was, but now after the incident with Rosy, things had changed. He was no longer as carefree as before.

While he was thinking, the vice head came to the forefront, his demeanor as lazy and carefree as before, looking utterly unconcerned.

Although Lukas was not paying attention, he still heard her — the Green Serpent Jasmin — exclaim out loud, "I thought the one conducting the test would be the supreme elder of the White Knights Guild!" 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

Her tone was filled with disdain, as if the only reason she was here was to witness the White Knights Guild head.

The branch guild leaders heard her exclaim and shook their heads. Some of them had been with the organization for decades, yet they had never seen the head in person. And this girl thought the head would come personally just to assess these young kids, still wet behind the ears.

Although they did not say anything, their silent actions spoke louder than words.

Still, no one paid attention to this little exclamation. The next moment, the vice head cleared his throat. "Hmm!"

A gentle and polite sound, but it was like some sort of switch had been flipped. The eyes of everyone present focused on the vice head’s figure.

The vice head looked around, confirming the eyes of everyone present were upon him, then started to speak.

"Some of you might have already heard this from me, but let me ask the young ones and also the branch leaders — what do you think of the talent awakening ceremony?"

Lukas heard this question and frowned. What did he think about the awakening ceremony? What was there to think about it? The awakening ceremony was a great boon. If it weren’t for the awakening ceremony, humans would be without any ability to resist the Star Dimension’s invasion.

The answer was obvious. There must be some catch, otherwise the vice head wouldn’t be asking such a question.

There had to be a catch.

However, no matter how much he wracked his brain, he could not think of anything. In the end, Lukas could only shake his head and give up thinking about it.

Just at this time, he heard a slightly confident voice echo in the distance.

"The awakening ceremony is the blessing of the Earth Gaia. Upon seeing humans suffering hardship, she gave her divine blessing to give them a fighting chance."

Lukas heard those words and instantly shook his head. This was a very self-centered view of things. If this was the case, then the millions of species which were pushed to the brink of extinction by humanity before the change — why didn’t they get the blessing of Gaia?

It was clear that only Lukas didn’t think like this, but the vice head’s thoughts were also the same.

"Hmm... young man, you must be from the Temple of Gaia!"

Once the name of the Temple of Gaia was mentioned, silence descended in the large hall and everyone turned to look at the young man with surprise in their eyes.

The Temple of Gaia was another great guild and also part of the Union. They were on the same level as the White Knights Guild, even a notch above. While the White Knights Guild had roughly forty branches spread all over the Star Dimension, the Temple of Gaia had more than fifty, each guiding one teleporting station.

So with the Temple of Gaia continuing to reign, was the incoming test targeting the White Knights Guild?

Lukas also frowned. Wasn’t this test to select the best of the White Knights Guild? Then why was a member of some other guild here, and moreover, why was he even recommended by some branch leader?

It was only Lukas that had such questions. In fact, these questions were very valid. Before, only White Knights Guild members were allowed to participate, but now times had changed. After repeated failures, special rules were made to allow others to participate. But still, they had failed to find the one they were looking for.

Contrary to what Lukas was thinking, the vice head didn’t flatly refute the young man from the Gaia Temple’s words, but nodded. "Indeed, it could be possible. After all, it is not only humanity which faces the risk of destruction by the Star Dimension’s invasion, but also the very Earth itself.

"However, have you thought about why it is only humans that awaken? Why not other creatures living on this planet? In some aspects, they are even superior to humans."

Those words caused the hall to fall silent, because the answer was obvious. After all, humans were the best — if not them, then who? Humans were at the top of the food chain because they had defeated everyone — not because of anyone’s blessing.

Looking at everyone’s faces, the vice head shook his head then remarked something which everyone had noticed but no one had ever spoken aloud.

"Let’s not talk about Earth for a moment, but about the Star Dimension.

"Why don’t any star monsters awaken?"

The immediate answer to this question was obvious — because they had bloodlines.

As the vice head could guess what they were thinking, he spoke out loud. "Yes — bloodlines.

"We awaken because we don’t have a bloodline of our own.

"And that’s where this test comes into being. It is not only our White Knights Guild that conducts this test, but also all major guilds of the Union. All are searching for that candidate who can withstand all the conditions. Only such a candidate would help us break through the shackles."

Something suddenly clicked in Lukas’s mind. He looked slightly enlightened. It appeared there was more to this than it seemed.

After this initial introduction, the vice head started the test process. "This pillar you see here is not for the test of strength, but for the test of knowledge. This test will measure how far your understanding of the world has become. Anyone who could light up this pillar by half would be deemed to have passed the first test."

"Just this, and no one has been able to pass this test? Are you sure there is no cheating or tricks going on here?"

The one who had spoken was none other than the young man from the Temple of Gaia — a young man around nineteen years old. A slightly arrogant smile appeared on his face when he saw how his simple words had caused everyone to focus on him.

The vice head simply smiled and didn’t say anything, simply asking him to come forward first.

As the young man walked forward, the vice head addressed the crowd. "Although the awakening gives us the power that we want, it also narrowed our perception, not really allowing us to understand the world. As time passed, we only continued to go deeper on the skill-based route, never being able to develop further."

Under Lukas’s gaze, the young man from the Temple of Gaia stopped when he was right in front of the pillar. The young man’s fingers brushed against the pillar’s surface.

Specks of faint light emerged from the pillar, gathering around the young man’s fingers. While they were much, Lukas was barely able to count them.

"one, two, three... twenty specks."

While he was busy counting, the crowd erupted out laughing. Only twenty wisdom specks and he dared to speak so arrogantly.

"Lmao, this guy must have failed the test at the Temple of Gaia and came here thinking our guild’s test would be easy. But does he know it doesn’t matter which guild the test belongs to — it’s always the same."

Lukas didn’t know, but the number of specks depended on one’s understanding of the world.

Soon under his watch, the pillar stopped lighting. It was barely one tenth lit when the glow quickly died down.

The young man from the Temple of Gaia had failed. Even some of the average students from the guild were able to score more than this.

The vice head looked at this scene and shook his head in disappointment. "Failed."

The eyes continued to look on like this, then finally a girl walked to the pillar — someone who had caught Lukas’s eyes flickering.

It was the girl from the Green Serpent Clan.

Lukas’s eyes followed the girl, staying on her the entire time.

At this time, the sound of footsteps echoed and Natasha came walking from behind. The moment she saw Lukas staring at the girl, a frown appeared on her face.

"I was gone for just one minute and you are already staring at other girls."

These words caused Lukas to shift his focus away. He didn’t want to argue, so changing the topic was the only wise choice.

"How is Rosy? Has there been any improvement in her condition?"

"She’s same as before...."