บท 42: Harder than he thought!
"Next is Jean Paul."
"Ah, me? Already? Is it really my turn?"
Paul, who was hiding behind Ashoka, trembled as he peeked out. He kept anxiously fiddling with his belly pocket.
"Wh-what's up with this order…"
"I made it. Come out already."
"Sniff!"
Paul walked up with tears in his eyes. He looked like he was going to a slaughterhouse.
{He started to retch again.}
"You saw what Tishya did. Pierce through my wall of pressure using the willpower you've accumulated through training."
"Ca-can I do it? Everyone knows I have no willpower…"
"You fail if you can't."
Alberad expanded his second pressure. It was clearly weaker than the one towards Tish, confirming that he was going to adjust his pressure to the trainee.
"Uhee!"
Making a weird noise like a racoon, Paul stepped back.
"You fail if you step back any further."
"Ugh…"
"I'm going to give you one last piece of advice. You are scared easily, but you've always been serious about your training. Trust yourself and walk forth."
"A-alright."
Paul closed his mouth hearing Alberad's calm voice. Then he slowly stepped forward.
He faltered like a baby walking for the first time, but he didn't fall. Slowly but surely, he moved forward and extended his hand.
Tap.
Paul's hand reached Alberad's waist.
"You pass. You lack confidence compared to your capability. From now on, be more…"
"Kueh!"
Sadly, Paul was too busy vomiting, so he couldn't listen.
"Hmm, let's continue."
Alberad immediately designated the next person.
***
By the time the sun started setting in the western sky, most of the children had finished their tests.
There were a decent number of children who managed to pass, but several times more of them failed and started to cry.
It was interesting that most of the children that were stimulated by Ashoka and trained next to him managed to pass.
However, more than half of those who trained their sword or fist while following Ahmed failed.
As the test continued, Ahmed's expression stiffened. His turn finally came with only Ashoka left after him.
Even Vikram, that bastard had managed to easily pass the test.
"Ahmed Khan. Come forth."
"Yes."
Ahmed walked heavily up to Alberad. His frown was obvious to anyone's eyes.
'But of course.'
Ashoka snickered. His pride must have been hurt because half of his training partners failed.
"Then let's begin."
With a smile, Alberad expanded his pressure. The pressure, similar to what Vikram and Tish had withstood, became a green wind and crushed Ahmed.
Wham!
Ahmed bit his lip until it bled, facing the tornado of pressure.
'D-did she really walks through this?'
Facing the pressure was completely different from watching from the sidelines.
Tishya was just a coward that gave up on competing with him. He couldn't believe she managed to pierce through the pressure.
"Kuh!"
His feet didn't move, no matter how much he steeled himself. It was too difficult.
'Maybe he is making it more difficult for me?'
As doubt surfaced, he looked back at his father.
Duke Mir khan who had especially made time to watch the test was just standing there with a stiff expression, which meant that there was nothing wrong with the test.
"Your talent is special. Among the one hundred sixty talented trainees, those who can catch up to you can be counted on one hand. However."
Alberad smiled and continued.
"You wasted your time, along with those that followed you. You should've trained your stamina and willpower, instead of practicing swordsmanship that you don't fully understand the meaning of."
"Kuh!"
Ahmed grit his teeth and walked forward. He instinctively started pulling out the aura in his energy center.
"You've always used your aura whenever you faced difficulty. You will fail as soon as you use that aura."
"I… I won't use it."
Forcing down the emerging aura, he stepped forward. Each step felt as painful as walking on lava.
'Huff!'
He could feel a cold gaze from behind him. It was his father's.
'I will be abandoned if I don't hold out…'
He remembered his two older brother's faces when they were abandoned because they weren't to the father's liking. He couldn't become a loser like them.
"Arghhh!"
Ahmed stepped forward—no, he almost crawled forward with an ugly expression and voice, one that someone from the noble family shouldn't show. With all his desperation, he managed to grab Alberad's clothes.
"You pass."
Alberad snickered and erased his pressure.
"Huaa!"
Ahmed kept exhaling violently, lying down on the ground. It was an appearance he had never shown before.
"You are still eight years old. Stop pretending to be an adult and train like the child you are. If you keep looking up while walking, stepping on a twig will make your trip."
Alberad gave his advice to Ahmed, then turned his head. The smile on his face widened.
"And lastly, Ashoka Maurya."
"Yes."
Ashoka stepped forward.
"Are you ready?"
"Of course."
"Then let's begin."
Alberad's pressure exploded. A pressure more powerful than the one directed at Tish, Vikram and Ahmed, became a storm crushing Ashoka.
"Ashoka!"
"Young master Ashoka!"
Chandra and Hema's cries could be heard from behind.
"Are you sure this is my test?"
Ashoka frowned. From the time he had first entered the training ground, he made sure to show only the expertise that was way lower than the middle-lower tier children, let alone Tish or Ahmed.
Taking that into account, Alberad's pressure was far too powerful.
"I wonder?"
Alberad shrugged and continued.
"You think these old eyes can't see through you? The talent I saw in you is more than that of Tishya or Ahmed. So, try withstanding this."
"Is that so?"
The red flame ignited in Ashoka's eyes, engulfed by the green wind.
The test had just become a lot tougher than he had thought, and as if to add onto it, Ashoka could only use 50% of his power if he wanted to win the bet with Draco.
But Ashoka didn't shrink back from the challenge and calmly responded to Alberad.
"Then I shall meet your expectations."
---***---
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