_____________
Shade Morgrim,
Divine Energy: Active (5%)
Physical Divine Enhancements:
Absolute Dark Vision : 5%
______________
Astrex Bloodhunter
Divine Energy: Active (5%)
Physical Divine Enhancements:
Absolute Dark Vision: 5%
______________
Agnar Hellburn
Divine Energy: Active (5%)
Physical Divine Enhancements:
Absolute Dark Vision: 5%
______________
Jack Montgomery
Divine Energy: Active (5%)
Physical Enhancements:
Vision: -50
The status of the students who were the fastest to activate their divine energy, in order.
What the hell does this mean? Negative fifty vision ?
Even though his divine energy is active, Jack's critically damaged body prevents it from enhancing his abilities to a divine level.
"I suppose that means Montgomery's activated divine energy has only marginally improved his visual system—his vision is now roughly equivalent to that of a 50-year-old human," Captain Chrysop said, though doubt lingered in his tone.
But one detail gnawed at Captain Chrysop. He muttered, "Why is Montgomery's Beast prioritizing repairing his vision over activating his divine power?"
"Is the Beast… confused?"he pondered. "Montgomery's body is teetering on the edge. The Beast doesn't know which to fix first." Chrysop's lips twitched in grim realization. "Hmph… it seems like the beast has to work twice as hard, which means it needs more time than the other students,"
Captain Chrysop let out a long sigh. "Then forgive me, old man. I know you've been waiting a long time to become a protector of mankind… but it seems you'll have to wait even longer. If you can't keep up with the progress of the other students, then we won't wait for you."
Meanwhile, Jack kept pushing forward in his wheelchair.
"Ugh, it's so hard to move with all these bumps on the cave floor. We can only move little by little," Jack complained.
"Seriously? That old man still hasn't given up?" said one of the supervisors.
"Doesn't he feel the pain surging through his entire body?"
"I think…," Helix muttered, "he's probably gotten used to it. "I once heard researchers say the pain caused by the life-extension machine is on par with the agony inflicted by divine creatures… and Jack's been using that device for over 160 years."
"Aha, that explains it," one of the supervisors chimed in, a spark of realization in his voice. "Both the machine and the divine beasts harness the same energy—divine energy."
"He likely doesn't even realize what's happening to him," one of the supervisors muttered. "He's grown so used to pain, so accustomed to teetering on the death's edge. His skin has lost all sensitivity—he can't even feel the blood pouring from his wounds.
That's why he hasn't given up… because he doesn't even realize what's happening to him.
Captain, given the situation, we should extract him by force before things get any worse. He must've already lost a significant amount of blood."
"NO!" Helix shouted, his face filled with desperation.
"Please, just a little more time!"
He couldn't imagine Jack enduring another failure.
That look of crushing disappointment on Jack's face… no—he couldn't bear to see it again.
"But son, Mr. Montgomery has been waiting all this time—I believe waiting a little longer won't make much of a difference."
"Please… don't!" Helix's voice cracked with desperation,"He might look like a feeble old man, but he knows himself—he knows his limits.If he hasn't given up yet, it's because he still believes he can push through. He's not as clueless as you all seem to think."
"Captain?" Everyone's waiting for Captain Chrysop's answer.
Captain Chrysop leaned back with a careless shrug.
"Well, if there's one person who knows Montgomery better than anyone, it's Helix. If he says the old man can still take it, then we'll trust his judgment.
Helix said with quiet conviction,
"Captain Chrysop, that old man knows exactly what he's doing.That old man knows exactly what he's doing—trust me on this."
"Ouch, ouch..."
Jack groaned in pain.
The new modifications they made felt a bit painful... ah, wait a second—I'm no longer in the lab. His mind was slipping again.
"What was I doing again...? Ah, right, I'm in the middle of new Anima Dei training.
"Ohh, I need to find a way out of here if I want to pass this first training session."
'He was completely clueless.'
"Mii... Mii...!" the beast let out a pained whimper.
Ever since the contract was sealed, their fates were entwined—body and soul. Now, every jolt of pain coursing through Jack's body was mirrored in his beast.
"Ah, is that you, Beast?" Jack muttered.
"Oh, poor thing… It's because of the contract, isn't it? You're feeling the pain too. That's not good."
"This method won't work anymore," Jack said, trying to think of another way to complete the training.
"Gloomspire Worm… hmm, that name sounds familiar."
Jack racked his brain, desperately searching for something that could save the two of them. He sifted through the depths of his memory—digging deeper, and deeper…and even deeper.
Bingo!
"Ah, there it is," he whispered. He had found it.
…
About a hundred years ago, while he was exploring the Dark Village to study the village and its ecosystem, a monstrous attack occurred. He and the villagers were forced to flee and take refuge in a cave. However, within the cave, a new danger emerged. They were relentlessly attacked by the savage cave worms, creatures that threatened their lives.
In the midst of this desperate situation, Jack began to observe something. It turned out that there was another creature in the cave, a natural enemy of the worms. This creature made the cave worms its primary food source. Using a brutal method, the creature would pull the ends of the worms embedded in the ground, holding them tightly, peeling off the worm's skin along with its teeth. During this process, the worm's bodily fluids would spill out. The scent of these fluids served as an indication to the worms that they were under attack, causing them to avoid anything with that particular smell.
Jack decided to use this technique. He pulled the worms out and coated his entire body with the fluid of the dead worms. Instantly, all the worms began to avoid them. He wandered around, until he finally managed to find the cave's exit.
Jack Montgomery… has officially cleared the first trial?" Captain Chrysop announced, confused.
"I went on and on about how impressive he was… and then he comes out using that ridiculous tactic. Still… what matters is, he made it through," Helix said with a shrug, half amused, half relieved.
List of rankings and names of students who passed the first trial.
1.Shade Morgirm
2.Astrex Bloodhunter
3.Agnar Hellburn
.
.
89. Jack Montgomery (Passed due to his knowledge of Gloomspire worms.)
"Failed students: 587
Remaining: 89"
Note: Shade Morgrim, a student who is a ghost, has a body imbued with pure dark divine energy—an ideal match for the divine energy used to perceive in darkness. This natural affinity allowed him to effortlessly awaken his Absolute Dark Vision.
Although he is a spirit capable of passing through solid objects, Shade Morgrim could not simply phase through the worms—because these creatures possess divine energy. Their fangs can tear through anything, even a spirit like Shade, and he is fully capable of feeling the pain inflicted by divine energy.
The first training ended, and the new Anima were brought back to the Divine Academy building. The students were taken to the infirmary to heal their wounds, and afterward, they rested to regain their strength for the next day's training.