CHAPTER 42: EX 42. THE SELECTION

The military car finally rolled to a halt in front of the selection grounds.

Leon stepped out as the engine quieted behind him. He carried nothing in hand—all his belongings were tucked safely away in his inventory. No need to drag around luggage when a thought was enough to summon it.

As the vehicle pulled away, Leon took a moment to survey the scene.

Cadets were arriving from all directions.

Noble trial takers descended from sleek, custom military transports—polished steel and elite insignias making their background obvious. On the other hand, the non-nobles arrived in taxis and federation shuttles—older, clunkier, and clearly less impressive.

There was a clear divide.

But it would end at the gates.

Inside the selection arena, every cadet stood equal. Status, wealth, and family name didn’t matter—only strength did.

Leon shifted his gaze toward the massive dome structure ahead. It loomed like a sleeping beast, its size dwarfing everything around it. He had to crane his neck just to see the top.

That... was the Selection Arena.

Taking a deep breath, Leon began walking toward the gates. A line had already formed at the entrance, each cadet being stopped and searched by the Federation guards.

They weren’t checking for weapons—those were obviously allowed.

They were looking for something far more dangerous: anything connected to demons.

Despite inventories being private spatial dimensions, the Federation possessed tools that could scan them—but only with the owner’s permission. Refusal to comply meant being suspected as a demon worshipper. And In a place like this suspicion meant treason.

When it came to Leon’s turn, he gave a simple nod.

As the guard placed a glowing cube against his chest. A faint pulse ran through his body before vanishing just as quickly. After a few seconds, the guard nodded.

"Clear. Next."

Leon stepped through, passing a short corridor lit with soft blue lights. At the end of it, he emerged into the arena.

The interior wasn’t as massive as it appeared from the outside, but it was still large enough to host hundreds. Cadets were already scattered throughout, waiting, talking and sizing each other up.

Among them, two familiar faces stood out.

Elizabeth and Adrian.

They stood apart, each in their own space—both calm, both composed.

Leon made his way toward Elizabeth.

"How did your training go?" he asked casually.

Elizabeth turned to him, a small, proud smile on her lips. "It went well. I’m almost at the rank limit."

Leon blinked. Almost at the rank limit?

He quickly schooled his expression and forced out a surprised tone, "That’s great."

Elizabeth tilted her head slightly, sensing something in his tone. But she said nothing and let it slide.

’That was close’ Leon thought.

Because of his [Attack] talent, he had long since surpassed the F-rank limit. So to him, reaching the cap didn’t seem like much.

But Elizabeth didn’t know the full extent of his abilities—no one did—and he preferred to keep it that way.

They stood together as more cadets streamed into the arena. Eventually, Leon exchanged a brief nod with Adrian across the space. The gesture was enough.

And then, finally, the last cadet entered.

As the arena gates groaned shut behind them.

A silence fell over the gathering.

The Selection... was about to begin.

****

The cadets stood waiting, the murmur of quiet conversations drifting like dust in the air.

Then—suddenly—everything changed.

A crushing pressure blanketed the arena.

As the air itself seemed to freeze.

AURA.

An intense, overwhelming wave of power pressed down on them all like a stormfront crashing through the sky.

Before anyone could react, a figure appeared above them—floating mid-air, cloaked in invisible force.

She descended slowly and effortlessly, as if the laws of gravity bent themselves in reverence.

Her dark blue hair shimmered under the arena lights, cascading down in soft waves that contrasted the sharp intensity of her presence. Her deep blue eyes held an unfathomable stillness, like a deep sea hiding unseen monsters.

The military uniform she wore fit her perfectly, tailored for both form and authority. Medals shimmered faintly across her chest, but her presence alone spoke louder than any badge.

Silence.

All eyes were fixed on her. The oppressive weight of her aura had robbed every cadet of their voice—even their thoughts.

But not Leon.

His gaze sharpened as he stared at her. He could feel it—the suffocating pressure trying to crush him. But instead of fear, he felt something else.

Intrigue.

"She’s strong," he thought, eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

Then, as if sensing his calm, the woman’s gaze flicked to him.

For a moment, her eyes widened. The faintest flicker of surprise passed over her face.

’He’s unaffected?’

But her surprise quickly morphed into something else—a small smile tugging at her lips.

’Impressive.’

And then, just as suddenly as it came, the pressure vanished.

The crushing aura dissipated like mist under the sun, and a chorus of stifled gasps echoed through the arena. Shoulders sagged, breaths returned. Even Adrian and Elizabeth released the tension they didn’t realize they were holding.

The cadets had survived merely her presence.

But the moment of relief didn’t last.

That smile she had given Leon was now gone.

And in its place was a cold, razor-sharp expression—the face of a commander.

She stepped forward, her voice ringing out with perfect clarity and authority.

"I am Rebecca Sky.

Vanguard of Attack Base 0001.

And I will be overseeing today’s selections."

No one dared to speak.

No one dared to move.

The selection had begun.

****

Leon narrowed his eyes slightly, his mind racing as he stared at the woman standing before them.

’A Vanguard...?’

’They brought a Vanguard to oversee the selection?’

That wasn’t standard protocol.

Not by a long shot.

Usually, officers in the lower ranks handled the new cadet orientation and base assignments. A Vanguard—someone with S-rank combat power, the kind of force that could level cities and lead battalions—had no reason to be here. Unless...

’Something’s different this year.’

Leon clenched his fists at his sides, his senses sharpening. His instinct told him this wasn’t just some ceremonial gesture. The Federation didn’t waste its elite on ceremony.

Rebecca Sky. That was her name. And judging by the way she handled her aura she wasn’t just powerful.

She was talented.

"So this is the kind of person standing close to the peak."

He inhaled slowly, keeping his expression neutral even as his thoughts churned.

"If they brought her here, something’s coming... something big."

Just then, Rebecca was about to speak. The entire arena seemed to hold its breath as her cold gaze swept over the assembled cadets once more.

Then her voice rang out again—clear, crisp and merciless.

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A/N: Mass release if we are able to get 80 golden tickets before Sunday and thanks for reading.

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