Limitless Sorcerer: I Stole the Supreme One's Vessel-Chapter 45: Cloaked Figure

Paragon Zev’s voice resounded: "Now, gremlins! You should by now know what you are getting yourselves into—a test to give you an edge above all your peers. But it doesn’t come without a price. For some, the price might be death. So now, I’m giving you one last chance. Those who aren’t ready to pay the price should leave now! Don’t worry, I won’t look at you with a condescending heart or condemn your decision; you need to know your limit."

But nobody moved. They stared at him calmly.

Paragon Zev nodded.

"2,473 of you didn’t leave. Good. I must commend your courage. The Xeran nation needs courageous arcanists like you; not some whiny gremlins!"

"To make the test fair, only Rank 1 and Rank 2 equipment is allowed, and I’ve given you weeks to hunt and do your things, just to earn enough to buy your equipment. I don’t want any unfair advantage for the rich folks. And if you didn’t make the most of it, I’m sorry to tell you, but you must be the lowest of the gremlins."

His gaze scanned over everybody.

"Now, you should know why this test is being held. If not, you must also be among the lowest of the gremlins. But I’ll still say it—it is to earn a spot to enter the Ancient Rune Mountain, if you want to make your ascension easier and more powerful."

He paused before saying:

"Now, release your pass in a holographic display and raise it above your head. Let’s get the test started!"

Jareth and the rest quickly did as commanded.

Holographic displays of their passes hovered above them like beacons.

Silence washed over the place as Paragon Zev scanned the passes quietly. A minute later, he clapped his hands.

"Okay. Now, to avoid wasting time, we will start with a simple warm-up—a four-hour race to Ashen Peak Fort. Remember, no attacking your classmates, or you’re disqualified," Paragon Zev said before he landed on the floor.

"Let’s go!"

With that, he jogged toward the Dreadwood Forest, but his speed could rival Rank 2 beasts.

The students dashed after him.

They entered the woods like a rolling tide.

This made Jareth wonder how Paragon Zev would watch everybody.

His eyes roamed around, noticing that despite everybody running at a very fast speed, some were faster than others.

Even he had to reduce his speed by a large margin to allow Liana and her friends to keep up. It made him realize that the gap in FP was really not just for show.

"Slow loser," Liana snarled at Zelda, who was merely a few steps behind.

"Shut your mouth!" Zelda snarled back and increased her pace, quickly catching up.

It became a competition between them as they gave their all.

Zelda became a bit faster.

Jareth subtly drifted away from them, not wanting to get in the middle of their exchange.

As for Zelda’s brother, he was running beside her without breaking a sweat.

The race went on for about an hour, the gaps between the students widening like a proof of different physiques despite being in the same rank.

Suddenly, Paragon Zev halted.

They also slowed down in waves when they caught up.

He turned back and pointed into the distance.

"Ahead is a field of Rank 1 Carapace Bulls. The first to make it to the other side will be given some points. Remember to spread out, so as not to interfere with your neighbors, because if you’re caught, you’re disqualified! The test has started!"

All the students dashed forward without fear, retrieving their weapons from their badges. They spread out from each other like wings.

Jareth did the same, but squinted at the expansive field of bull-like beasts, except they had a single long horn and gleaming black bodies.

They were all glaring dangerously at the incoming tide of students.

It made him wonder how they got there without being hunted as their population stretched very far and wide.

He also calculated, ’If I go wide, I’ll be able to pierce a path through their ranks but...’ his eyes scanned. ’We’re just one hour in and I need to observe these guys.’

The bulls abruptly charged at a blurry speed that made Jareth squint.

’Their speed... is greater than Rank 1! And from their name and what I am seeing, their bodies should be hard. Is their spell a charging type?’

But that didn’t deter him.

Fortunately, the space ahead was clear.

Raising his hands, a crimson fire spear formed in front of him.

Controlling a single fire spear was a piece of cake, so he could keep note of his surroundings, noting the most dangerous arcanists in their midst.

The students and beasts closed in on each other until finally, they were about twenty meters apart.

Instantly, ranged spells flew at the beasts.

Dissonant explosions and quakes rocked the area, breaking the stride of some of the bulls and spraying dirt into the air.

Dust swirled.

The rest of the bulls didn’t stop, continuing to forge ahead like unstoppable arrows through the forest.

Jareth gripped his sword as a crimson heat glowed on the surface.

He swiftly formed another fire spear and launched it one final time before they ran into each other.

***

In the depths of the mountain where Jareth first reincarnated, in a dimly lit, wide cavernous chamber filled with neatly arranged ancient instruments and modern devices of different sizes, a cloaked figure was bustling from one device to another.

No face could be seen.

After a few minutes, the figure began convulsing, dropping the handheld cylindrical device.

While convulsing, the figure grabbed the table with one hand, and a white crystalline, rugged bowl filled with transparent liquid materialized in the figure’s other palm.

The figure gulped all the contents before the bowl vanished from her palm.

Falling to the floor, the figure convulsed in a fetal position for about a minute before the jerking gradually reduced to slight twitching. Finally, the figure relaxed.

It took a while before the cloaked figure stood up.

"Supreme One, it looks like I can’t wait. I have to take my chances. Unfortunately, I can’t wait for my investment to grow naturally. How am I going to get him from under Zev’s watch?" a soft feminine voice mumbled from beneath the cloak.