Isn’t it... I didn’t say anything, right?
After Senior Abigail exited at the speed of light, Leon vaguely realized that these two might have left because of his chattering. Speechless, he closed his mouth and turned his gaze to Director Pisces on the podium.
"You’re first, the exam is over."
After glancing at Leon, who looked a bit depressed, Director Pisces unhesitatingly announced the result, then immediately shattered the Dream Realm, forcibly ejecting Leon, who still wanted to say something.
This kid... is somewhat psychologically twisted!
Anyone who has reached the level of a Level 1 Cleaner in various branches couldn’t possibly have a weak mind. Naturally, they wouldn’t voluntarily exit due to simple "exclusion" or being forcibly "chatted."
What truly made "The Purifier" and "Slaughterer" surrender wasn’t the meaningless awkward chatter, but Leon’s bizarre calmness under his own abilities’ frantic "crushing."
With only three left, and the examination room shrunk to a single row, the "concentration" of The Purifier and Slaughterer’s talents was more than a hundred times higher, and their corrosive power improved by more than one level.
Yet, sitting between them, Leon, devoid of any protective abilities, still seemed unaware, unaffected by either the high-pitched holy chants purifying souls in the Unblemished Heaven or the deathly silent storm of extermination blowing over desolate wastelands.
It’s known that the manifested "abilities" and the person are completely unified. The clash of abilities equals using everything of oneself to intimately grind and tear at another’s everything until one is completely annihilated.
However, facing the attack onto which they "bet everything," as the tortured victim, that boy not only didn’t show any hint of pain, but even approached with full of cracks and scorch marks, blood all over, cheerfully chatting about the recent weather.
This extremely odd sense of imbalance not only leaves one feeling disappointed, as if a full-force punch hit the air but also implies that one’s "everything," representing their existence, was directly negated by the other. This most naked and thorough indifference is even more chilling than deep-seated hatred and hostility.
Honestly, even if the two of them were replaced by me, I probably wouldn’t want to stay with this kind of person either.
Seeing the two, who, even after leaving the examination room, still occasionally glanced towards Leon with apprehensive faces, Director Pisces couldn’t help shaking his head and clapped his hands firmly.
"The first-stage assessment is over. Now begins the second-stage assessment."
With Director Pisces’ clapping, the just-shattered Dream Realm instantly reformed, once again swallowing everyone, but this time appearing before the Cleaners was no longer desks and test papers, but a vast and open space.
"The content of the second assessment is a comprehensive test of your solo combat abilities."
Raising his skinny arm and waving it, a number appeared on the forehead of each Cleaner. Director Pisces announced loudly: The source of thɪs content is Novᴇl_Fire(.)net
"These numbers represent your ranking in the last stage. There were 419 participants in the last assessment, so defeating number one earns 419 points, defeating number two earns 418 points, and so on, with defeating the last one only earning 1 point. Everyone can only be defeated once.
Next, you are to pick your opponents in turn, enter the arena I created for you, and fight each other. The challenger can choose their opponent, while the chosen can designate the arena, requesting me to modify the size and type of venue to select an environment that favors showcasing their abilities..."
Are the first picker choosing the opponent and the chosen picking the environment?
After hearing Director Pisces, among the 419 Cleaners, those with quicker minds quickly understood the meaning of this assessment.
Apart from a simple combat prowess test, the second-stage assessment also includes a test of combat wisdom and observational skills, as well as some evaluations of "intelligence gathering" and "situation inference."
During the first-stage assessment, everyone was in the same examination room, and everyone’s abilities and inclinations had been displayed before everyone.
If in the last assessment, besides fully manifesting one’s abilities, one carefully observed other Cleaners, it wouldn’t be hard to infer the types and strengths of their abilities and make targeted arrangements.
For example, if selected by that "Angel," you could entirely designate the arena as an Abyss, where in an environment filled with chaos and malevolence, her performance would certainly be greatly affected.
If the arena simulated by Director Pisces could closely resemble a real Abyss environment, then the "Angel’s" ability strength might even be directly halved!
Realizing how to use the rules, among the 419 Cleaners, those ranked in the middle or even lower couldn’t help but show eager expressions.
Before reaching a level that surpasses humans and possesses True God level status, most abnormal objects’ abilities cannot be exempted. A high Leon Value can only partly weaken the effects.
With a limited number of participants, the total score is also limited; the first Cleaners to pick opponents are unlikely to choose ones too inferior to themselves for points, but with sufficient intelligence collected in advance and targeted venue selections, they stand a chance to overcome stronger opponents, even...
The top few aren’t out of the question!
Am I... being regarded as an easy target?
Feeling the intense, eager gazes coming from behind toward him, Leon turned back and glanced speechlessly.
Sure enough, due to not showcasing many abilities in the last round, mostly relying on "endurance" to hold on till the end, the majority of the participating Cleaners were already eyeing him, already viewing him as a walking 419 points.
Meanwhile, seeing the focus of the Cleaners’ gazes, Director Pisces couldn’t help but shake his head slightly.
This batch of Cleaners’ overall quality is still not quite there; neither their eyes nor brains are up to par... Well... it doesn’t matter; choosing the opponent is itself part of the assessment. People with such poor discerning skills couldn’t earn high scores anyway.
Deciding not to give any hints, Director Pisces continued to speak:
"The rules for the second-stage assessment are basically these. The order for choosing opponents will follow the order from the last assessment... Number 1, who do you choose as your opponent?"
Hearing Director Pisces’ reminder, Leon turned back, smiled at Senior Amien standing beside him, then spoke: "Number 4."
Number 4... That Cleaner from the Virgin Branch?
Hearing Leon’s choice and seeing Amien with a weary look, barely able to stand, most Cleaners’ faces showed an expression of understanding.
Number 4, during the first assessment, competed against over 400 Cleaners, consuming a significant amount of their energy. Worth 416 points, they were nearly able to resign from the assessment, and this guaranteed high score had to be taken first.
Though it seems a bit disgraceful targeting a fellow Cleaner from the same branch, if he doesn’t take the points, numbers 2 and 3 would still do so, therefore choosing number 4 is also...
"Excluding number 4."
Giving Senior Amien a reassuring glance, amidst the bewildered gazes of all the Cleaners, Leon shyly spoke:
"Let the remaining 417 come at me together!"