Chapter 26: Possible Death.
This was simply another way to die.
The only difference was that this one looked far more torturous.
Ethan stared at the enormous obstacle course stretching before him and couldn’t help wondering what terrible sins he had committed in his previous life.
Seriously...
How was he always surviving death...
Only to immediately walk straight into an even worse one?
The mechanical gates continued sliding apart until the entire testing area was revealed, causing murmurs to spread throughout the gathered students.
The assessment grounds had been divided into three massive stages, each one looking more terrifying than the previous.
An instructor stepped forward, his loud voice carrying effortlessly across the grounds.
"The academy’s assessment consists of three obstacle stages. Every student must complete all three before proceeding to rank evaluation. Your overall performance will determine your assessment score."
He raised one hand toward the first section.
"The first stage is called the Spirit Threads."
Immediately, countless glowing silver threads suddenly lit up across the enormous course.
Gasps spread through the crowd.
The threads were unbelievably thin, almost transparent beneath the sunlight, weaving through the course like an enormous spider’s web. They stretched between pillars, across narrow pathways, overhead, beneath obstacles, and in every direction imaginable.
At first glance, they looked beautiful.
At second glance...
They looked absolutely murderous.
"If any part of your body touches one of the threads," the instructor continued calmly, "the thread will immediately bind itself around you. If you’re unlucky at times you get shocked by the thread. The more you struggle carelessly, the more surrounding threads will be attracted to your location until your movements are completely restrained."
Several students visibly swallowed.
"The only methods of escape are carefully untangling yourself or accepting the time penalty before the academy’s safety system releases you."
Ethan slowly looked at the glowing maze again.
"Who the fuck came up with this nightmare?"
Seriously, whoever designed this definitely needed therapy.
Davin didn’t pause before pointing toward another stage.
" Another assessment is the Gravity Pillars."
Rows upon rows of towering stone platforms stood suspended at varying heights. Every pillar was engraved with different spiritual inscriptions that faintly shimmered beneath the sunlight.
"Each pillar produces a different gravity field. Some have low gravity while some has high gravity. A light weight student stepping on a high gravity pillar will get thrown off the pillar Your task is to move from pillar to pillar."
Several students immediately frowned.
A slight pause.
"Students who fall must restart the entire course from the beginning."
A collective groan erupted from the crowd.
"...That’s just evil."
"No..."
"That’s psychological torture."
Even Ethan silently agreed.
Restarting after almost reaching the finish line? That was enough to make anyone cry.
Davin finally gestured toward another obstacle course.
"The last obstacle is known as the Spiritual Barrage."
Everyone instinctively followed his finger.
A long metallic corridor stretched into the distance.
Lining both sides were dozens upon dozens of black training cannons, each one quietly humming as condensed spiritual energy gathered inside their barrels.
"The cannons will continuously fire compressed spiritual energy projectiles."
"They are non-lethal."
A brief pause followed.
"They will, however, send you flying, drain your stamina, disrupt your spiritual flow, and eliminate you if you fail to reach the finish."
He spoke those horrifying words with such a calm expression that Ethan almost wanted to applaud his professionalism.
Students must read the firing rhythm, predict incoming attacks, dodge accurately, and reach the finish before becoming overwhelmed.
Silence.
Complete silence.
Even the students who had looked confident moments ago wore noticeably stiffer expressions now.
Ethan, meanwhile...
Ethan was already contemplating whether pretending to faint would be believable.
Actually...
Forget fainting.
Could he just peacefully develop a mysterious terminal illness for the next few hours?
Unfortunately, someone nearby noticed the increasingly horrified look on his face.
A boy wearing an A-Class Guide badge let out a mocking laugh before nudging the people beside him.
"Hey, look who’s already scared."
The surrounding students turned toward Ethan before laughter immediately spread through the small group.
"Oh?"
"Does our famous F-Rank need help?"
Another student folded his arms with a grin dripping in sarcasm.
"If you’re that frightened, I don’t mind helping you."
The boy continued with a chuckle.
"I can fake your sickness and personally carry you to the infirmary."
More laughter erupted.
"Yeah!"
"Just cough twice and fall over dramatically."
"We’ll even testify that you looked like you were about to die."
"Actually..." another student smirked, "looking at him now, he already does."
The group burst into another fit of laughter.
Rin’s expression immediately darkened.
"What the hell are you idiots laughing at?" he shot back coldly. "Last time I checked, none of you had finished the assessment either. Worry about yourselves before worrying about someone else."
"Oh?"
The students sneered.
"The A-Class Sentinel is defending his useless friend again."
"How touching."
"Must be exhausting carrying dead weight around all day."
Rin looked ready to throw a punch.
Ethan, however, reached over and lightly grabbed his arm.
"Forget them."
He genuinely didn’t have the energy to argue. Not because the insults didn’t bother him...
But because... He had truly considered pretending to be sick just to escape the obstacle course earlier too.
Plus...
His brain was currently occupied by a far more terrifying problem.
He hadn’t even been given enough time to confirm whether Saint Aster’s cultivation method had actually worked.
He still didn’t know if his rank had increased or if his strength had changed.
He didn’t even know whether he could survive the very first obstacle.
If he truly remained an F-Rank...
Forget reaching his rank assessment evaluation. He might not even make it past the obstacle course.
...Still.
Did he really have a choice? Ever since inheriting this body’s fate...
Having choices had gradually become a luxury.
Ethan slowly lifted his gaze toward the bright sky above and let out a long, defeated sigh.
"Well..." he muttered inwardly. "If I really end up dying today, then dear heavens, please accept my soul properly this time."
A brief pause.
"And if you’re feeling generous..."
"Please transmigrate me into the body of some spoiled rich kid with loving parents, unlimited money, zero villains chasing after him, and absolutely no academies."