Passing the Selection!

For a moment, everyone fell silent. The shouting voice had been all too clear, and the emotion imbued within it had been conveyed with exquisite nuance. So... that divine artifact was calling out to their captain? Just what kind of relationship did their captain have with that divine artifact? No, what kind of intimate relationship? Through the mental bridge, waves of shock and bewilderment flooded toward Karen, and he could sense the giant question marks filling the minds of his teammates. In truth, Karen himself was astonished. He had genuinely not anticipated that the entity appearing in this final round would be the Rax copper coin—in other words, Luoya. In the preceding rounds, he had cautiously coordinated everything to preserve the entire team’s condition precisely to face this final test. "Brother Karen... Brother Karen..." Luoya’s calls continued, and the illusory silhouettes of two ancient copper coins emerged from the rift. Evidently, as an item spirit, Luoya had also gained control of this second coin. Karen spoke up, "Back when I was in the Whip of Order, our squad had a mission that involved contamination from a Rax copper coin. Our squad successfully resolved the problem and turned in a Rax copper coin at the same time. "Back then, my captain had me personally hand it over, so you could say I sort of know her. Because of that connection, she showed our squad a bit of leniency, but that’s as far as it goes. Don't let down your guard, everyone." *Sort of know her?* Everyone on the squad mulled over that phrasing. Then, through the mental bridge, Karen received an influx of emotions radiating suspicion and disbelief. "It really is just that slight connection. The item spirits of some divine artifacts are actually very kind-hearted—like her, for instance." The others glanced over at the miserable, weeping states of Squad 1 and Squad 7 in the adjacent barriers. *Kind-hearted?* Immediately, an even stronger wave of suspicion and disbelief rushed toward Karen. Karen sighed inwardly. He didn't know whether the organizers and the higher-ups watching from above had noticed anything amiss, but the subordinates under him had clearly realized something was off. Fortunately, Karen had the record of turning in a Rax copper coin—that was certainly documented, so it could serve as an explanation. As for why a brief encounter with a divine artifact during the simple handover process could make it treat him so exceptionally, that actually wasn't a major issue; it didn't even require an explanation. He had already demonstrated his excellence, and the history of the Church was hardly devoid of exceptional youths forging deeper resonances with miracles, divine beasts, and even deities than ordinary people could ever achieve. He had merely resonated with this divine artifact. For a truly outstanding young talent, it would be far stranger if nothing beyond ordinary comprehension happened to him. However, to keep the situation from blowing out of proportion and to dispel his subordinates' doubts before their imaginations ran wild, Karen raised his hand and severed his connection to the mental bridge. Then, he called out in his heart, *"Luoya."* *"Hehe... Brother Karen... hello..."* *"Give my subordinates a bit of a mental storm."* *"Okay... Brother Karen..."* "Ahhh!" "Argh!" The next instant, Bart, Ventura, Aisli, Blanche, and Mars all clutched their heads and crouched on the ground in agony. The previous calm transformed into tempestuous waves, catching the squad—who had supposedly been standing on high alert—completely off guard. Seeing his subordinates in such pain, Karen felt a deep ache in his heart. Then, he crouched down as well, simply sat on the ground, pressed his right palm against his forehead, and pretended to be in excruciating pain too. Although he didn't cry out, as the captain, possessing greater resistance and enduring without screaming was perfectly natural. Inside the three barriers, the Rax copper coin radiated a bronze glow that encompassed everything within them. This was equivalent to embedding a barrier of its own inside the array's barrier. Within this barrier, what the outside world saw was only what Luoya wanted them to see. Of course, truly high-level entities could pierce this layer of obstruction to behold the concealed truth, but the issue was that they were not present in person; they were merely watching projections. Luoya appeared in front of Karen, still wearing the café waiter uniform—the very outfit Karen had worn that day. "Brother Karen, do you know, I was wondering earlier... since this is a trial where the Church of Order selects outstanding youths, whether I'd see you! I believed you’d definitely be the most outstanding, but I was worried—worried that the Church of Order might be blind." Karen raised his head, looking at Luoya. "Don't worry, Brother Karen. They can't see me, nor can they hear me speak. The outside can't see, either. Oh, in the eyes of the people around you, you're still sitting there looking tormented." "Luoya, I really didn't expect to see you here." "Brother Karen, can't you wear the silver mask and visit me in the Sealing Space like last time? Oh, right, last time was probably because you were holding another coin. "Still, there is a way. In the Sealing Space, we item spirits are nourished every day. Because I'm so young, my power has been growing pretty fast lately. "So now I can sense things I couldn't perceive before. For instance, there's a coin not far from Wien, lying in the sea—it seems to be resting on the seabed. "I haven't reported this feeling. I was thinking of finding a chance to secretly tell you, Brother Karen. "You can go find that coin, Brother Karen. Remember to do it secretly, okay? Once you find it, don't hand it over—keep it for yourself, and then you can use it to visit me in the future!" "Alright. Tell me the location." Luoya reached out and pressed her palm against Karen's forehead. Instantly, a set of coordinates was transmitted into his mind, located in the waters southwest of Wien. "It might not be easy to find, so you'll have to put in some effort, Brother Karen." "Once I finish my upcoming business, I'll organize people to search for it." "Mm-hmm, hehe!" Luoya was delighted. She was innocent and endearing, but she was not a blank slate; she was a purity steeped out of dark ink. In interacting with her, one could never treat her as a gullible little girl. The last person who had tried that—Jurist Qihe—had already been ground into dust. "Brother Karen, let me tell you, there's a big sister harp in the Sealing Space who takes great care of me, and there are many fun fellows. If you can visit often in the future, I'll introduce you to them!" "Alright." "Um, what about now?" Luoya pointed to both sides, gesturing toward Squad 1 and Squad 7. "Brother Karen, which squad do you want to advance?" *Hm?* *It's up to me to decide?* "Just proceed at your own rhythm. Treat our three squads equally, all at once." "Oh, I see. I thought Brother Karen would make the choice for me." "Give them a fair chance, and give my squad the same opportunity to temper themselves—on the premise, of course, that my squad's advancement is guaranteed. "I want fairness, yet I don't want to lose. Thank you for your trouble in indulging my shameless desire to feel morally comfortable while securing my gains." "Hehe, I understand. Actually, Brother Karen, with you around, your squad couldn't possibly lose in the first place." "Thank you, Luoya." "You don't need to be so polite with me, really, Brother Karen. Um, are all these people your subordinates?" "Yes. They're the teammates I recruited for this selection, and I am their captain." "Okay, got it. Then I'll start working! By the way, Brother Karen, keep it up and redeem me out of there as soon as you can!" "I will, but it will take time." "I believe in you, Brother Karen. No need to rush; in the Sealing Space, even guys who are several thousand years old are still considered kids." Luoya's figure vanished, returning into the copper coins. The mental storm descended upon Karen as well, but he only let out a muffled grunt and quickly held his ground. Immediately after, Karen raised his hand, channeling the Key to the Rubik's Cube to reconnect himself to the mental bridge. The moment he linked back in, an intensely agonizing surge of pain rushed frantically toward him. *Whoa.* The impact of these negative emotions was actually fiercer than Luoya's mental storm. Karen frowned slightly. The purpose of the mental bridge was originally to face mental impacts as a cohesive whole. But because they had lost him, the members had fallen into disarray. Not only did the mental bridge fail to provide its intended stabilizing effect, but the others' emotional turmoil ended up interfering with him, even intensifying their own agony to a certain degree. They were all outstanding talents, yet it truly matched the saying: *Brilliant as scattered stars, but a chaotic mess when gathered together.* Still, Karen understood that it was his earlier "departure from the team" that had left them without their backbone; the bulk of the responsibility lay with him. Karen spoke in his mind, *"Don't shrink back! Don't just focus on yourselves—align with my rhythm, all of you!"* At that moment, everyone sensed their captain's presence through the mental bridge once more. The captain stood there like a steadfast mountain, providing a direction around which they could rally and anchor themselves. Karen rose to his feet and commanded, "Everyone, stand up!" Gradually, the pained expressions on their faces eased significantly, and one by one, they all stood up. Far away by the rift, Luoya swung her legs as she sat atop a copper coin, relentlessly pouring mental storms into the three barriers, wave after wave, like skipping stones across a pond. During one of the waves, however, she looked toward Karen's squad, clapped her hands, and revealed a smile. The teammates suddenly sensed a colossal surge crashing toward them, but when it drew near, they felt none of its force. Then, sensing through the mental bridge, they discovered that their captain had absorbed the vast majority of the impact all on his own. "Captain, you don't have to shoulder it alone!" "Captain, don't face it by yourself!" "Hold your ground! Pay no attention to me!" In truth, the intensity of the mental storm had not increased at all; the previous giant wave was merely an illusion Luoya had deliberately conjured. Luoya harbored no ill intentions; she simply wanted to help Karen elevate his prestige before his teammates. Karen felt caught between laughter and tears. Right now, he had no way of contacting Luoya; otherwise, he would definitely tell her that he really didn't need any more of this posturing in front of his subordinates. The mental storm persisted for a long time before finally dying down. Every member of Squad 1 was kneeling on the ground. A priest on their team was treating a teammate, but when she moved to treat a second one, she collapsed unconscious. In Squad 7, apart from their bald captain, Kane, everyone else was sprawled flat on the ground. Only Squad 3 remained entirely on their feet. In this, Luoya had truly shown no favoritism. It was entirely the natural outcome of the preparations Karen's squad had made earlier, combined with Karen taking the lead in this round to coordinate everyone in resisting the mental storm in the most optimal manner. However, the selection was not yet over, for three squads remained on the field. Karen spoke immediately, "No resting! Everyone, apply Order Purification to yourselves! Mars!" "Here!" "Modify the bridging method—cancel whole-team sharing and establish one-way connections between everyone and me!" "Yes, Captain!" "Everyone, open your mental defenses to me! I only require you to maintain one final thought: when my consciousness approaches you, do not resist me in the slightest. "The Rax copper coin is one of the purest existences in the world, but precisely because of its purity, it can draw out the greed buried deep within your hearts. That is why it is known as the Source of Sin. "Barring any surprises, the power of the Source of Sin will activate next. This will not be an illusion, because its temptation is far more direct, welling up from within your own hearts. "If any of you cannot hold on and greed begins to hijack your consciousness, I will personally deliver a slap to snap you awake. "Consider yourselves warned—if it hurts, don't blame me!" "Yes, Captain!" "Understood, Captain!" The squad members immediately cast Order Purification on themselves. Blanche even persevered in applying a layer of Blessing to everyone; her condition was far better than that of Squad 1's priest. Seeing Squad 3's actions, Muri, the captain of Squad 1 next door, called out at once, "The next phase might be another round of illusions! Everyone, hold on!" With that, Muri sliced his palm with a fingernail. Fresh blood dripped down, tracing out a bloody starburst. Soon, a black python emerged from the starburst, rearing up high and flaring its hood like a protective screen. Having done that, Muri shouted, "Whatever trump cards you have left, bring them out! This is the final moment!" Right then, two more members used specialized rituals to summon defensive wards. Everyone in Squad 1 gathered tightly together. The captain of Squad 7 watched Squad 3's actions, glanced at Squad 1's maneuvers, and then looked at his own teammates, who were virtually all collapsed on the ground. He knew they were going to lose. Compared to Squad 3, who clearly still had strength to spare, and Squad 1, who could still haul out reserves, his squad had no more cards left to play. "Brothers, you've all done wonderfully. It's my fault as captain for not measuring up to those two, failing to carry everyone to the end. It's all on me! Once we get out, drinks tonight! "No, sleep first! Once we've slept our fill, we'll go out for drinks together!" Bald Kane turned toward the distance. Black mist was already seeping from the copper coin, gradually enveloping the area. He knew that after the devastation of the previous mental storm and the exhaustion from earlier rounds, his squad's dismal condition and complete lack of protection meant they couldn't withstand this strike from the divine artifact. "The Source of Sin..." Kane clearly recognized the Rax copper coin. For that very reason, he was unwilling to let his subordinates take further risks for an unattainable victory. If their mental states were damaged, it truly wouldn't be worth it. The captain of Squad 7 reached out, gripped the flagpole in front of him, and shouted: "Squad Seven concedes!" None of the teammates lying on the ground complained about their captain. Instead, they sprawled out comfortably with limbs spread wide, facing upward and gasping for breath, finally feeling relief... As Squad 7 was teleported out of the barrier, the black mist the Rax copper coin had just released slowly receded. Since only two squads remained on the field, the outcome had been determined. Luoya cast a final glance at Karen, then sat atop the copper coin and drifted into the silver gate. "Hehe, Brother Karen, I'll be waiting for you to redeem me!" The barriers vanished completely. In the square, only the members of the two squads remained—some standing, some kneeling, some sitting—while the other participants lingered around the edges of the plaza. Punk announced loudly, "The final roster of qualifiers consists of the six members of Squad One and the six members of Squad Three. This selection is officially concluded!" "We made it!" "We did it!" Bart, Aisli, Blanche, and Mars all shouted in excitement. Nearby, Squad 1 watched Squad 3 celebrate. As fellow victors, they knew very well who the true first-place team was. Paxio spat on the ground and muttered, "Damn it, they actually still have the energy to jump around." Muri picked himself up, straightening his clothes as he walked over toward Squad 3. When he reached Karen, he extended a hand. "Congratulations." Karen smiled at him and lightly shook his hand. "Congratulations to you as well." "I'm from the Dinge Region, Port Saint Antis. My name is Muri—Muri Benda." "York City Region, Karen Silva." "I want to be friends with you, and not just for the purpose of the Gate of Samsara." "The honor is mine." "When you come to Dinge in the future... oh, no, we'll be seeing each other again very soon. Before heading to Samsara Valley, we should be gathering in the Dinge Region. I'll chat with you properly then." "Alright. I look forward to it." Muri turned and walked away. Karen turned around as well, and his eyes immediately caught sight of something bright. A large bald head approached him, arms spread wide. Karen felt somewhat averse to this style of greeting, but he still opened his arms and embraced him. Bald Kane gripped Karen's shoulders with both hands and laughed. "I'm Kane, from the South Roos Region." "Karen, from the York City Region." "Haha, losing to those fellows from the Dinge Region leaves me a bit bitter—God only knows if they cheated or pulled strings—but losing to you, I'm thoroughly convinced." Karen offered a gentle smile. If it came down to cheating... it seemed no squad had cheated harder than his own. "I won't be able to go to Samsara Valley. If you get the chance in the future, come visit South Roos; I'll show you around." "Likewise. You're always welcome in York City." "Haha, alright! I just love this perfunctory vibe of yours!" ... Inside the grand hall, a burst of cheering erupted. The Holy See was situated in the Dinge Region, and for five of the six members of Squad 1, their elders were seated right inside this hall. Kred opened his eyes from his doze and asked, "Is it over?" Moswatt replied, "Yes, it's over. Squad One and Squad Three have secured the final spots for the Samsara Valley trial." Gleriven smiled. "That young lad you favored is indeed exceptional. The squad he led performed even better than Squad One, which was comprised primarily of elites from the Dinge Region." *The lad I favored?* *Oh.* *Now I remember. His name is Karen... what was his family name again?* Kred gave a reserved nod. "Mm, of course. I could tell back then that this young man had a bright future."