Free Web NovelChapter 45: Chapter 45: what awaits the others
After the third and final evaluation, those who had been teleported to the room for those who failed were finally all assembled.
Lot was the one expected to address them.
He hated the fact, but he knew he couldn’t object.
After all, this was Merlin’s will.
"You are all to be cleansed naturally, but Merlin has decided to give this set a way out."
"I don’t know why."
"I barely care, but I was selected to help guide you and help inform your decision," Lot said.
"I don’t quite understand," Finna said.
"Well, you can either take the cleansing, or you may slave away, become a mindless tool for Merlin, and then, should you prove your worth, the master may release his grip."
Lot said it bluntly.
"Okay. You’re going to need to go a bit more in-depth," Gandy said.
He was unusually curious.
Modred just stayed there.
He didn’t say anything.
He waited.
He listened.
"I’ll explain further, then."
"The cleansing will remove your memories of these events."
"You’ll be permitted to return to your regular lives."
"You may then awaken again in the following year should you still choose to."
"However, it should be noted that you would have absolutely no idea about this."
"There’s a chance you choose not to take the Awakener Evaluation," Lot said.
"I’m barely worried."
"If I’m back to the same me, then I would undoubtedly attempt again," Beatrix said.
"I’m in."
"I’d rather that than risk whatever that master-slave relationship would be." freeweɓnovel.cøm
The others weren’t thinking as deeply as he was.
None of them considered the bigger picture.
No one was addressing the possibility that they wouldn’t get to join Merlin’s guild in the future.
No one considered it.
They were all recruited this one time.
What if they didn’t get the same privilege later?
Modred thought.
The decision was rather delicate.
He felt the others weren’t giving it enough thought.
The reason he wasn’t going to take the cleansing was simple.
He knew he would feel incomplete.
A mind wipe was bound to affect him somehow.
It wasn’t because of something sentimental like keeping his memories of his friends or whatever.
He lied.
It wasn’t all about losing friends.
But there was some truth to that.
Or, in this case, denial.
"I’ll take the cleansing," Gandy said.
He was the first to respond besides Beatrix.
The others were surprised to see him being so proactive.
One by one, they all came forward with their answers.
"I’ll take it."
"I’ll do the slave thing," Finna said.
The others seemed surprised.
Shocked, even.
This would motivate others to join her.
It did not.
This wasn’t some random decision.
It would very much determine the trajectories of their careers moving forward.
Modred was the most shocked.
He just didn’t show it.
Max timidly stepped forward and said it.
He would be taking the cleansing.
In his mind, there was a possibility he would come out a higher-ranked awakener.
Not just B-rank.
If that possibility existed, then he was willing to take it.
Faux followed.
"It may be the easy path."
"It’s the one I’m willing to walk."
"I’ll take the cleansing," he said.
Modred was the last.
Lot could barely stand the sight of him.
He looked broken.
A part of Lot knew Modred would take the other road.
He just wasn’t certain.
After all, Modred had been crushed.
Modred spoke plainly.
"I’ll do the stuff."
"I’ll get the acknowledgment I need."
"I’ll make it."
"I’ll prove Merlin was wrong."
"When do I start with my winning theory?" he asked.
Lot smiled inwardly.
It wasn’t apparent.
"The instant."
They all disappeared.
The others had their memories erased. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
They all woke up the next morning in their homes.
"I’ll take you to the master in charge of you two."
Joseph was in charge of the two who chose to settle for this path.
"You two will answer to me."
"I’m sure you know it won’t be easy."
"You’ll go on raids just as you are."
He began speaking.
Lot cut him off.
He was about to leave.
He just had something he needed to say.
He was very proud that, if anyone was willing to take the hard road, his students were.
"You can do it."
"Try to keep up with the others."
He left.
"As I was saying."
"Both of you will be expected to take on rifts on your own."
"No standard teams."
"You’ll be sent as first responders."
"We don’t expect to leave anything for the teams that make it there after you."
"You can’t interact with anyone but me for now."
"Not until you’ve proven your worth."
"You’ll wear these suits and masks."
He handed them special attire designed to conceal their identities.
"Is that good?"
"I’m considering your first raids already," he said.
"Yes, sir," they both responded.
The others who failed from the very first round were not so unfortunate.
They would remain behind to cultivate their talents.
They would have another evaluation done at a later date.
As for those who failed the second selection, those who couldn’t pass the mana-stealing test, they were addressed by another master.
Steven.
Master Steven had initially been in charge of Set D.
Now he was in charge of the Wanderers Division.
This was a fate not too dissimilar from death.
The Wanderers Division would be sent through an S-rank Rift a month from now.
Steven was expected to ready them for the journey.
Merlin was more than willing to condemn them.
They had all essentially been given a death sentence.
Unlike those who persevered beyond this point, they were not given a choice.
One month.
A lot can change in that time.
A lot can also remain the same.
Steven told them the truth.
"You probably won’t make it past this point."
"Merlin has deemed it so."
"But..."
"But I welcome you to be crazy enough to make it."
"Dare to be crazy," he said.
"One month."
"Maybe you can manage what takes S-rank masters like myself years to prepare for."
The rifts held concepts foreign to humanity.
Merlin would send S-rank mages to venture into them for certain spells and tools that could advance humanity.
This wasn’t the first time Merlin had sent rookies in.
Every time it had happened, there had been one constant.
All the rookies died.
What’s going to make a difference this time?
All roads had diverged.
Different journeys.
Varying difficulties.
