The female Sentinel's scrutiny had been intense, her eyes sharp and penetrating. Felarial felt as if she could see through him, yet his fabricated story held up.
She looked around before bringing forth an important query, her tone sharp and inquisitive. "Is there an Omega Chosen in this Trial Region?" she asked, her eyes piercing as they once again locked onto Felarial.
The male Sentinel also turned his gaze to Felarial, his expression intense and expectant, waiting for his response.
Both of them knew the chances were slim, given that there were 999 other Trial Regions within the Milky Way Galaxy. Any one of those could harbor the Omega Chosen they were searching for.
Their fellow Sentinels had been dispatched to the other Trial Regions for the same reason.
Although they both were referred to as Sentinels, the term was not entirely accurate. They were still in their training phase and were more appropriately considered Sentinel Trainees. The male and female Sentinel were ranked among the top 100 out of a batch of a million trainees, a testament to their exceptional abilities.
Moreover, they were not just any trainees but Seeded Trainees. This elite status was reserved for individuals with a Grade-9 or Grade-10 Innate Talent.
Both of them possessed Grade-9 Innate Talents, which granted them access to superior resources and training. Their heightened comprehension speed and exceptional skills had placed them at the forefront of their batch, outpacing many of their peers.
Felarial, maintaining a composed demeanor, replied with a straight face, "Forgive me, I haven't come across any."
His words elicited looks of disappointment from both Sentinels. Their expressions, previously filled with hope and anticipation, now reflected a sense of frustration and resignation.
The female Sentinel's authoritative presence seemed to wane slightly as she processed the information, her brows furrowing in contemplation.
The male Sentinel, his gaze still fixed on Felarial, seemed to measure him once more, perhaps searching for any sign of deceit. Finding none, he finally nodded, accepting the answer, though it was clear he was not satisfied.
As the Sentinels exchanged a brief, wordless glance, Felarial could sense their ambition. They were driven by a fierce desire to ascend the ranks and secure their place among the top ranks of the ongoing Trainee Batch.
The female Sentinel regained her composure and addressed Felarial with a commanding tone. "Point us to the strongest bunch here. We will make sure to reward you accordingly."
Felarial sighed inwardly, recognizing that the Sentinels were using this opportunity to recruit outstanding individuals.
Under normal circumstances, the System wouldn't have permitted even the Sentinels to enter the Trial Worlds. However, the current emergency had evidently necessitated their presence.
As Felarial mentally communicated with Jay, deliberating on whom to introduce to the Sentinels, the male Sentinel abruptly interrupted, "We don't have much time before they teleport to their respective planets. I will make this quick."
No sooner had he spoken than a wave of suppression emanated from him. Felarial felt its weight, bearable to him but crushing to the thousands of Alpha Chosen on the ground. Except for those at Tier-3, everyone else fell to their knees under the invisible pressure.
Out of the approximately 9,000 Alpha Chosen, only 57 managed to withstand the oppressive force and remain standing.
Among these 57 were all the individuals from Earth, with the sole exception of Dante, who was only at Tier-2. Unlike Jay, Dante lacked the stats to support him. He fell to the ground, struggling desperately to push himself back up.
The male Sentinel exclaimed in wonder, "Quite so many! No wonder the Milky Way Galaxy has such a high Live Performance score."
The female Sentinel's eyes glinted with surprise as she concurred, "Indeed. Reaching Tier-3 within ten days suggests each of them possesses at least a Tier-7 Innate Talent. There must be Grade-9 Innate Talent holders among them."
"Let's find out, shall we?" the male Sentinel said, beginning to ramp up the Tier suppression to Tier-5.
As he did, more and more Alpha Chosen succumbed to the overwhelming pressure, falling to the ground as they struggled to breathe.
Among the remaining individuals still standing, their faces showed a combination of determination and strain. They fought against the crushing weight, their bodies trembling but refusing to yield.
The atmosphere was thick with tension, the air heavy with the sounds of labored breathing and the groans of those who had fallen.
The female Sentinel stepped forward, her eyes scanning the remaining standing individuals with a keen, assessing gaze. She seemed to take note of each one, evaluating their potential.
The male Sentinel, satisfied with the number still on their feet, continued to apply the pressure, seemingly intent on testing the absolute limits of their endurance.
Felarial couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for Dante, who was still struggling to rise. Despite his best efforts, the young man's Tier-2 status left him ill-equipped to withstand the relentless force.
The Sentinels' actions were calculated and deliberate, a methodical culling to identify the most exceptional talents among the Alpha Chosen. Their expressions remained focused, betraying no hint of mercy or leniency.
Jay's frown deepened as he looked at Dante, who had just recovered from being pressed helplessly to the ground. Anger bubbled within Jay at the sight of his friend suffering simply because the Sentinels wanted to identify the strongest among them.
A wave of protective instinct surged through him as he spread an invisible layer of soul protection over Dante before pulling him up.
Among the Alpha Chosen, only the strongest, like Akor, Rex, and nine others, apart from the Earth's representatives, were able to withstand the crushing suppression.
Even among the Earth's Alpha Chosen, the weaker ones like Andrea, Gabriel, and Min-soo couldn't endure the pressure any longer and collapsed onto all fours, gasping for breath.
Jay's frustration with the Sentinels' harsh methods grew. He despised the way they handled the situation.
He extended the soul protection layer until it enveloped all the Earth's Alpha Chosen, as well as the Atlans, Lycanthropes, and Magmoids. He alone bore the weight of the suppression pressing on them all.
Discord Link for 'Earth's Alpha Prime' :