Chapter 454: Is He?
Damian stood among dozens of other candidates inside the massive testing chamber.
The walls were constructed from the same dark stone as the exterior with no windows or visible equipment.
Just empty space and the gathered awakeners waiting for whatever came next.
’What’s up with her?’
For some reason, Helena had positioned herself directly beside him, close enough that their shoulders almost touched.
Murmurs spread through the gathered candidates, voices low and tense.
"What do you think it will be like?"
"Mental attacks are worse than physical pain."
"Just don’t pass out immediately and embarrass yourself."
Then Icarus’s voice cut through the chamber, amplified somehow despite him standing outside.
"I am now initiating Level 1 mental attacks. I expect all of you to withstand this basic tier without difficulty."
His tone carried absolute authority.
"If anyone fails to resist even this introductory level, you will be sent directly to the frontlines without any training. My training centre has no use for candidates whose minds collapse under the weakest pressure."
Before anyone could respond, the attack hit.
Boom
A force slammed into every mind in the chamber simultaneously, creating pressure that manifested as dull headaches.
Damian’s head tilted slightly.
’Is this supposed to be difficult?’
Around him, candidates grimaced or rubbed their temples, discomfort visible on their faces.
But everyone remained standing, the pressure too weak to cause real problems.
Suddenly, Helena leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"You probably don’t know anything about the people present here, right?"
She didn’t wait for an answer, her hand rising to point at a short, incredibly muscular man standing near the front.
"That’s Torin Barke. They call him the Citadel."
Her whisper carried excitement.
"Twenty years ago, inside an elven portal, dark elves launched a surprise attack on one of our frontline fortresses with no warning. The entire garrison was caught off guard."
She paused for effect.
"They say he held back the entire army alone until reinforcements arrived. Just him and his shield, standing in the fortress gate, refusing to let a single elf pass."
’A pure defender... Extremely useful.’
Damian’s gaze tracked to the man in question, noting the scars covering visible skin.
Helena’s finger shifted to another candidate, a tall man wearing glasses whose entire posture screamed arrogance.
"That’s Kaelen Hayes... The Horizon Ghost."
Her voice took on a gossipy quality.
"They say he’s one of the most deadly snipers in Federation history. Anyone who gets marked by him never survives, no matter the distance or obstacles. His kill count is classified, but rumors put it in the thousands."
Damian studied the sniper, noting the way his eyes constantly tracked movement despite appearing casual.
Helena’s grin widened.
"But he’s a complete weirdo... When the military first tried to recruit him, he told them to fuck off and slammed the door in their faces"
Damian’s eyebrow rose fractionally.
’You’re the one calling someone else a weirdo?’
Helena giggled as she continued without noticing his expression.
"But the moment they handed him a blank check and told him to write his own price, he was the first one to arrive at the recruitment center... Literally sprinted here."
As if sensing scrutiny, Kaelen’s eyes shifted toward Damian.
Their gazes met for a brief moment before the sniper looked away, apparently finding nothing interesting enough to hold his attention.
The mental pressure suddenly increased.
Level 2
Many candidates’ faces became more serious, their postures stiffening as concentration increased.
But Helena kept talking with her smile unchanged, as if the pressure was barely worth noticing.
Her hand rose again, this time pointing toward three women wearing identical black masks, standing so close together they almost seemed like a single entity.
"Those three are called the Hollow Sisters."
Her voice took on a darker tone.
"I don’t know all the details, but years ago, one night, they killed every government official, every SFD officer and every police member in the city of Oakhaven in the Southern Region."
Damian’s attention sharpened.
"Every single person with authority in that entire city, dead in one night. And nobody could find the killers."
Helena’s expression became more serious.
"It took an S rank officer from the SFD to finally track them down. When they were captured and sentenced to execution, Gia intervened for some reason and had them sent to Death Island instead to serve life sentences."
Damian looked toward the three masked women, realizing their presence had been so minimal that he hadn’t even registered them before.
’Death Island...’
His mind pulled up fragments of information.
’Isn’t that where the Federation keeps its most dangerous criminals? The ones too useful to kill but too deadly to release?’
Helena continued without prompting.
"They were recently given an offer by the military... Earn enough military merits fighting giants, and their sentences get reduced. Maybe even commuted entirely if they survive long enough."
The mental pressure jumped again without warning.
Level 3
Thud Thud Thud
Several candidates dropped to their knees, caught off guard by the sudden jump.
Gasps and curses filled the chamber as people scrambled to activate their defensive skills.
"Will Strengthening!"
"Mental Barrier!"
Level 3 was different from the previous two.
The pressure accumulated with every passing second, building like water filling a container.
Faces showed increasing strain as sweat began to form on foreheads.
But Damian remained completely unbothered, his expression blank as the pressure washed over him uselessly.
’Still nothing...’
His Will stat sat at a level most A ranks in the universe would never reach.
Helena glanced at his face, her eyes widening slightly at how relaxed he appeared.
’His willpower is so strong!’
But she kept talking anyway, her hand rising to point at two figures standing together near the middle of the room.
"Those two are the Imperial heirs of the Blackwood and Verratoux families."
Damian’s gaze followed her gesture, both young men seemed to be looking in their direction as well, their expressions curious.
"Hey there~"
Helena waved at them enthusiastically, her smile bright and completely unbothered by the mental assault crushing everyone else.
’Have we met her before?’
Regulus and Sicar exchanged confused glances, then awkwardly waved back, clearly unsure how else to respond.
"Unlike most Imperial heirs of the Imperial Families who spend years fighting for succession, Sicar has already won the heir battle of the Verratoux family. He’s guaranteed to be the next family head."
Her voice carried genuine respect.
"As for Regulus, he’s considered the greatest genius the Blackwood family has produced in this generation. Probably the strongest heir they’ve had in decades."
She paused, her grin returning.
"But they say he ran away from home and spends most of his time in brothels instead of training properly."
’Sicar and Regulus huh... Strongest geniuses of their families. I wonder how strong they are compared to their younger cousins... Do they know anything about the Bloodworth massacre?’
Damian’s gaze tracked to both Imperial heirs, his face becoming completely expressionless.
His crimson eyes studied them with an intensity that made both young men shift uncomfortably.
Regulus leaned toward Sicar, his whisper barely audible.
"Hey, why is this kid looking at us like he wants to... eat us?"
Sicar’s response came equally quiet.
"I have no idea, but it’s making my skin crawl."
Regulus’s face went pale.
"You don’t think he’s... Is he gay? I’m really not into that shit."