บท 38: The Nystrom family.

After being announced the winner, Esmeralda walked off the stage, while Layla was being treated by a medic.

"My luck is really rotten for being paired against a plant user… Out of all the elements, a plant user!" Layla was fuming in anger as she cursed her bad luck.

"Well, this should be enough to get admitted… Too bad, it would have been nice to win." Layla sighed as she awaited the judge's decision

After deciding, Judge Claude Fargo came up and announced.

"During the match, miss Layla displayed proficiency in casting her spells, great reaction speed, outstanding combat skills, and most importantly, her superb performance even when facing an element that was her weakness. After analyzing the match, we the judges have made the decision that Layla Watson passed the test."

"I told you, the element doesn't matter, the user does." Prince Bryon gave a reminder to Hagan.

"I agree with you, that the user matters, but not in this case. You see, that principle can be used on those at higher levels, but for these kids, it can't be applied. For the user to matter, he/she has to have an in-depth knowledge of their abilities but in this case, the students don't have such knowledge, all they know is the basics of their abilities." Although he was not sure if what he just said was agreeing with prince Bryon, he didn't what to agree with him.

"The only reason she lasted that long was because of the offensive and defensive abilities of the water element. If it was an earth user he will be wiped out under a minute." Hagan added.

"You know you could be silly at times." Bryon chuckled.

'Damn you.' When he thought of what he said he couldn't help but remain silent.

Bryon and Hagan had a strange relationship, it was because of Bryon's friendly nature, and the relationship between the royal family and the Nystrom family

In the early days of the Nystrom family, they started as merchants but soon became a wealthy noble family.

When the family's business began booming, they entered into politics and that was when they came in contact with the royal family.

The founder of the Nystrom family was a smart and cunning man, after planning and scheming he married off one of his daughters to a member of the royal family.

At first, it looked like an insignificant move because it didn't bring more benefits to the family, but years later more marriages between the two forces occurred and that was the start of it all.

The royal family began favoring the Nystrom family and regularly gave them gifts in form of resources and manpower. With this, the Nystrom family began rising in power, but this was soon noticed by the two top families at that time and it threatened their position.

Both the Ulrik and Karius family worked together to destroy this rising family and maintain their positions, but the Nystrom family leader saw this coming and ran to the royal family for help.

Seeing that this was the perfect opportunity to groom a powerhouse that would keep the two top families in check in case of a rebellion. The royal family stepped in and averted the destruction of the Nystrom family by using their authority and also giving them more resources to quicken their growth.

The Nystrom family quickly rose to power and became a powerhouse, but their speedy growth came with problems of its own.

Their foundation was weak…

Unlike the Karius and Ulrik families which had sturdy foundations and had existed since the beginning of the empire, the Nystrom family depended on the royal family for most of its power.

The core members of the Karius family possessed the water and lightning element, while those of the Ulrik family possessed the earth and fire elements, but the case was different for the Nystrom family.

Because the Nystrom family were known for being merchants they didn't focus on cultivation, rather they used their wealth to hire adventurers to protect them, but when they rose in power, they madly began recruiting young talents.

Because they knew their power to contend with the Karius and Ulrik families came from the royal family, they began using their wealth and that of the royal family to easily recruit people before the other families and all these were in hopes of being independent of the royal family.

But nothing goes unnoticed by the royal family...

Radford entered the room and whispered into Hagan's ears.

"What!" Hagan wanted to burst out in anger but he quickly controlled himself when he remembered who was in the room.

Sorry, my prince. Please excuse us." They both bowed and left the room when Bryon permitted.

'Seems it didn't work out.' Bryon chuckled as he watched the next match begin.

...

When the third match was about to begin that was when something struck Blake.

"Come to think of it, I didn't see Castiel and Brian in the awakening test which means they would be part of the elite test. Of course, they should be, they have the system too." he chuckled

"I wonder what element they awakened and how strong they are now... Maybe we could form a team of our own and go on different adventures." Blake thought that since the three of them were in the same situation, it would be best for them to stick around each other till they find a way to leave this world.

Blake who was lost in his thoughts finally snapped out of it, he noticed that two matches had ended. He was not sure if the matches were too quick or if he was out for a long time.

It was time for the next match, but that was when Blake saw a brown skin muscular boy with dreadlocks walking toward the stage.

…

"What do you mean he refused! You good for nothing, I gave you a simple task to complete but it seems you are more incompetent than I thought." Outside the booth of prince Bryon, Hagan was yelling at Radford over his failure in recruiting Damon.