"How disappointing..."
"How disappointing..."
"How disappointing..."
The voice echoed throughout the hall, ringing loudly in every genius's heart and shocking them into a stupor.
The instructor was none other than a man close to 2 meters in height, with long golden hair that fell down his shoulders.
Dressed in a normal white shirt and trousers, he wore an haori on top of his white shirt, adorned with golden runes.
The man's eyes were like golden suns, burning brightly—a mix of clear disgust and disdain evident on his face as he stared at the geniuses.
"It has come to my hearing that some of you think this challenge is pointless. The existence of a group you all named the 'Ultima Ten' is enough to drown any vestige of hope left in you in its passing, isn't it?"
"Right now, I see the disgusting looks of resignation on your faces, and I have heard well of your lack of dedication in training."
"You all think the Ten are untouchable, don't you? That their lineage, their abilities, their dominance make them insurmountable?" He paused after that, allowing a flicker of disdain to flash deeper across his face.
"Let me remind you trash of something: bloodline does not guarantee survival. Power doesn't guarantee victory."
"Complacency, however, guarantees failure."
"The Ultima Ten earned their place not because of who they are, but because they refused to accept limits. Those who refuse to accept this simple truth will be doomed to a life of nothing but failure."
"Since it has come to my hearing that most of you have simply sat down and accepted fate, I feel it is no longer worth it for the various instructors to pay you any more attention."
"For that reason, I hereby, right now and right here, declare that the test begins NOW! Right now!" the man declared loudly.
Gasps rippled through the assembly, whispers breaking out among the students.
Even Ryuk couldn't help but feel a pang in his chest.
But the pang was quick to settle, as he had somehow expected such a situation to arise. To be honest, he wasn't that surprised.
The loud murmur grew louder and louder, until it became something like a mini protest.
Slowly, one of the instructors behind the golden-haired man rose up and raised her hand, and then she clenched it to a fist
Instantly, the entire arena quieted down, as every genius who was murmuring grabbed hard at their throats, their eyes bulging red with veins.
Ryuk's eyes narrowed as he saw the geniuses gnawing at their own throats like people who had suddenly had oxygen hijacked from their lungs.
Then he watched as each of the geniuses paused in their motions, the same moment the lady slowly raised relaxed her hands.
"She...she locked away their voices?" Ryuk thought in shock as a notification suddenly flashed before his eyes.
[AN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS ENTITY IS PRESENT WITHIN HOST'S VICINITY!]
[HOST IS ADVISED TO EXERCISE CAUTION!]
"Fallen Family trashes, listen closely," the golden-haired man continued, and this time none of the geniuses said a single word.
They had all seen their own lives flash easily before their eyes.
If the woman could stop all their voices, it would only cause her a slight sweat to end their lives too.
Somehow, the woman herself was standing respectfully behind the man.
It was enough for them to see that their pride here amounted to nothing. Such a brutal reality was enough to silence each of them and command their absolute attention.
"What I am about to say will mark a turning point in your lives. Some of you will rise beyond your wildest imagination. Most of you...will not." He let the words linger, his sharp gaze sweeping across the crowd.
"For centuries, the Ascension Academy has been the crucible for greatness among all the races."
"It is where the worthy are forged, where mediocrity is cast aside, and where those who dare seize destiny are rewarded!"
"This year, ten seats have been reserved for our Family."
"Ten. No more. No less."
Immediately, the man slowly raised his hands, golden runes covering all of his fingers. Then, something unfurled.
Right above the man's hands, a golden ball appeared and then exploded into the sky of the hall. Instantly, a golden vortex appeared in the sky, magnifying forth like a galaxy growing and hovering above every single genius.
"Right above your heads lies the Labyrinth of Fallens, an ancient trial crafted by Past Fallens. Be aware, this is not a simple test of strength but a revelation of character."
"It is alive. It will sense your weaknesses, your fears, and your doubts. It will attack not just your body, but your spirit."
"It will strip you of your Apex energy, your confidence, your person—even your will to continue."
"Out of the sixty of you here, only forty will emerge. The rest will be eliminated, not by choice, but by failure." The man slowly stepped closer to the edge of the stage, his voice dropping to a near whisper, yet it carried across the hall with unnerving clarity.
"This labyrinth is not a game. It is not a practice run, nor Temple Run."
"It is a predator, and you're its prey."
"You will face traps that consume Apex energy."
"You will fight illusions that strip away your sense of self."
"Some of you will break, some of you will run, and those who do will be...forgotten."
The man spoke with a sadistically happy grin on his face. Slowly, he stepped back from the edge of the altar, his voice moving to become sharper and stronger.
"But to the victors—to those who emerge from the labyrinth—you will be granted a moment of renewal."
"At the end of the labyrinth lies the Apex Radiance Pool, a reservoir of energy so pure that it can mend even the deepest wounds and reinvigorate the soul itself!"
"For most, it is simply a healing fountain. But to those who are truly exceptional—those with vision and drive—"
"It is more than that! It is a step to future greatness!"
[SYSTEM QUEST ACTIVATED!]