Chapter 6: Transcendent;Trailblazer

The first phase of the assessment finished for all three groups. They were given time to rest before the next phase. In the meantime, they were provided meals during the short break. The candidates were recuperating during this time.

Meanwhile, the assessment team compiled their data on promising candidates for this batch.

“For the non-combat group, we have a promising candidate,” said one of the staff officers. “Caitlin Aoife. Mid Tier Class: Priestess. Her parameters are decent with high focus on VIT and INT. She is a bit reckless but she has a good sense of her surroundings.”

There were also evaluations for other candidates from that group. Caitlin stood out because of her ability to make quick decisions.

“About the general group, we have a title holder without a class.” The screen showed a profile from the second batch of candidates. “Arian Rhonwen. Decent parameters with above average MGC and SPD. Title is [Song of Cygnus]. From her assessment, she is inclined to join the non-combat group. She was able to grasp the flow of battle almost immediately.”

“A control tower class?” Another asked.

“It's likely.”

Control tower classes are tacticians that oversee the battlefield. They play key roles in how the battle plays out. Their skills focus on providing key buffs to allies and debuffs to enemies.

“We still have no information on her title and its function right now. She has expressed her willingness to cooperate. There's that at least.”

Titles are a great mystery. It's difficult to comprehend the effects of a title, even for the title holder themself. But once a title activates, it's one of the most powerful abilities of a breaker. Titles are also unique to a breaker so every title in itself is a mystery.

“For the combat group, we have two notable candidates.” James Emil pulled out their information.

“Zeke Arnold. High tier class, Spellsword. Combat ability is good. Parameters focused on STR and MGC. A bit hot headed but not unreasonable.” During the time he introduced himself to Q, he revealed his name and class to get some information. It showed his fiery attitude and competitive spirit. But he still had the proper mindset to keep the most important information hidden.

“His title is [Lightning God]. So far he has displayed an affinity to that element. It's a good match for his class as a Spellsword. We have high hopes he will get a unique class in the future that capitalizes on this.”

“Finally, we have an anomaly of a candidate,” Estelle bluntly said as she pulled out Q's data. “Subject Q. Real name is Avis Walker. He responds better to the name ‘Q’. He is a survivor from the recent rift incident.”

Q's profile was posted on the screen. It was this profile that confused some of the staff members. They first thought that it was an eccentric candidate.

“I've ascertained that his claim of a million years of experience is true to an extent. We speculate that it might be related to the weigh-in duration. The doctors also came to the same conclusion.”

It was hard to believe but the combat data proved otherwise. There were weigh-ins that took years but this was a very extreme case.

“He has shown impressive combat prowess. Parameters range from above average to semi-high. His class is a unique tier, Contract Summoner. He is also a title holder, [Lore Breaker]. We have yet to see what his class and title does.”

There were several types of summoners. Some could summon spirits, while others beasts. There were also various kinds of creatures that define the kind of summoner they were. This was the first time they heard of a Contract Summoner and classified it as a unique tier.

The staff continued to discuss the other candidates before the next phase began.

---

The three candidate groups gathered into a larger hall after their first assessments. They saw a large Greek-styled archway. It stood more than ten meters tall and almost half as wide. The structure was made of exquisite marble. Aside from its monumental size, there was one other thing significant about it. There were etched crimson lines running through the whole structure. They were like circuit lines, growing as if to charge the archway.

“This is one of the level zero archways,” James explained. Level zero archways were discovered to be suitable for training purposes. Normally, breakers would be able to train at low level archways. They can get equipment and even skills. But even if they were low level dungeons or towers, they still posed a threat.

Level zero archways were discovered and became the key to nurturing new breakers. There were no enemies that could threaten a low level newbie. They also served as a way for newbies to get starting equipment and discover affinities. Most big guilds and associations center themselves around level zero archways.

“This is the [Crimson Field of Swords].” He continued as the archways activated. A white mist 

Q snorted in amusement. Zeke raised a brow and turned to him. James also noticed this and coughed.

“Sorry. That was just quite the cheeky name. It was almost like a bad translation,” Q said and shook his head. His words drew even more confusion but they decided to pay him no mind. The candidates from the general and non-combat group were puzzled. They did hear about the candidate that finished up to level ten of the combat assessment. It sounded impressive. But they couldn't relate to it much.

The assessment team accompanied all the candidates. They all entered the level zero archway.

---

True to its name, it was a vast field. Red blades of grass covered the entire area. There were all kinds of rusted items plants on the ground. Swords, axes, spears, and all manners of weaponry. There were also flags, lyres, standards, shields.

“What you see here are called artifacts and relics,” James explained. “They are only replicas but they will help you figure out your affinity. To start, there are two types of artifacts.”

James extended his hand out. A few seconds later, a familiar looking hammer with a rectangular head flew into his hand. He caught it by the handle and showcased it to the candidates.

“Replica-type artifacts like this are ones based on myths and legends. They are weaker than their original counterparts but they also have less restrictions. Think of them as mass-produced varieties.”

The Replica [Mjolnir] flew from James' hand. Zeke caught it. A smug grin plastered on his face. The hammer generated electricity that wrapped around his fist.

‘As expected,’ James thought. ‘The [Lightning  God] title affects his affinity even with artifacts.’

“Hey, catch!” Zeke threw [Mjolnir] at Q. He did so partly playfully. But he also put a bit of strength into it.

Some of the staff members that weren't in charge of the combat group started to move but James stopped them.

Zeke was trying to see if Q will dodge or try to grab the artifact. It would be funny if Q grabbed it and was dragged away, he thought.

But Q did not make any movement to dodge or even catch the artifact. [Mjolnir] stopped mere inches from his face. It hovered in place for a while before it started to circle around him. The top side of the hammer rubbed on him, as if it were a dog sniffing its owner. It then made one loop around him before flying off and disappearing into the distance.

There was a moment of awkward silence. Even the staff had no idea what just happened. James broke the ice by continuing with his explanation.

“Ahem. Moving on,” he said. “The next type of artifacts are Unique-types. They are often called True Relics. They are artifacts with their true power unsealed. There are two types of True Relics. Those given by the gods and those born of humans.”

Relics given by gods are called Godsends. Relics born of humans are called Regalia. From what has been gathered, those with titles have obtained True Relics. It has been hypothesized that obtaining a title is the key to obtaining a True Relic.

“It's been speculated that the very first step to a True Relic is figuring out your affinity.” This is one of their ways to motivate new breakers. The allure of obtaining such power and privilege is enough for most newbies to get hyped. “So for now, we want you to concentrate. If you feel drawn to a certain location or replica, please inform one of the staff members so we can assist you.”

James turned to Zeke, who had an impressive display with [Mjolnir] a while ago. “If your affinity is high enough, you can also call on the replicas as well.”

Initially, Zeke would have called on a [Mjolnir] replica again. But seeing as it acted strange around Q, he felt dissatisfied. He knew his affinity for electricity-based artifacts would be high. It was all thanks to his title. He started looking around for other replicas with his elemental affinity.

---

A lot of the candidates were drawn to replicas because of their weapon preferences. Some found weapons that were new to them but it just ‘felt right’. There were a lot of low ranking replicas, like mass produced weapons of the past. Candidates drawn to these weapons were encouraged not to lose hope. If one got stronger, they would be able to build up their affinity with higher ranking artifacts.

After around an hour, almost all the candidates had low to middle ranking replicas. There were notable ones that obtained high ranking artifacts. As the staff expected, it was from the exceptional candidates.

Zeke Arnold obtained a [Vajra] replica. A ritual artifact composed of a handle and five prongs on each end. At first glance it doesn't look much but Zeke was able to draw out its power to generate electricity as blades. It was basically a pseudo-laser sword from one of the famous movies.

Caitlin Aoife was drawn to a pole-type artifact. It was later found out to be the [Banner of Jeanne d'Arc]. She was quite pleased with her artifact. It greatly enhanced her support skills. It was also impressive that she was able to wield it without difficulty. If it comes to it, it could function a bit as a polearm.

Arian Rhonwen obtained an accessory called the [Bracelet of the Phantom Queen]. Currently, she was able to summon a small number of spirit birds with it. They can travel a long distance before they would have to return. They can also share their senses with her if needed.

“What are you waiting for?” Estelle approached Q. He did nothing but stare into the place where [Mjolnir] flew away. His arms crossed, and his feet idly tapped the ground. She had never seen an artifact react that way. No one from the staff did.

Q turned to her and smiled. The ground started to shake, causing the staff to be on alert. They felt a presence heading their way.

“I was waiting for her,” Q said and walked forward.

Estelle tried to stop him but something crashed down in front of them. As the dust settled, she saw a battered old oriental sword. It floated in front of Q. Despite its appearance, its presence was overwhelming.

‘A true relic? No, that's impossible. This place only has replicas.’ Estelle was certain it was a replica. She took a closer look at the blade and noticed it was one of the low ranking replicas. Yet, at the same time, this one felt different.

“Took you long enough,” he chided playfully as he grabbed the hilt of the sword. “It's been a while, [Kotetsu].”