Chapter 594: Pre-Exam
Chapter 594: Pre-Exam
Is this the Dream Realm...?
Gazing up at the dazzlingly beautiful Dream River above, Lyon couldn't help but marvel at the enchanting bubbles floating freely within it.
Even though the Dream Realm was considered to be of a lower 'tier' compared to worlds like Paradise, the Netherworld, and the Abyss, and the average strength of True Gods was weaker, the unique and wondrous beauty of this realm was unparalleled among all others.
Putting aside everything else, just the sight of the magnificent river above, with its mesmerizing beauty that stirred one's soul, made this trip worthwhile.
"Wow!"
"Is this a fragment of the Lost Paradise?"
"It's so beautiful..."
As Lyon looked up, his eyes filled with wonder at the dream river above, exclamations of awe echoed around him, accompanied by strange, slightly blurred silhouettes.
Men, women, children, tall, short, fat, furry, horned, winged...
Although they seemed human at their core, upon closer inspection, each had peculiar non-human features. Some had wings, some had horns, some had fierce faces with sharp teeth, and some were covered in fur... In short, none of them were entirely human.
These oddly-shaped individuals were probably the Cleaners who had come for the reference. Lyon quickly counted the number of strange silhouettes and found that there were exactly four hundred, roughly matching the total number of participants. He guessed their identities and immediately checked his own appearance.
He was wearing shoes on his feet, not hooves like a monster, and his fingers and palms had calluses from use, not thick pads or sharp claws. His arms, with a few small scars and tan lines, were normal, without any strange scales, and his clothes hadn't changed; even the coffee stain on his sleeve remained.
Strange, why am I the only one who's still human?
...
Not bad, not bad at all. These Cleaners have decent qualities; they can all pass the pre-exam.
As Lyon curiously examined himself, wondering why he hadn't transformed like the others, a white-haired, hunched old man sat cross-legged within a colorful bubble in the Dream River, squinting as he examined the peculiar Cleaners below. A satisfied expression appeared on his face.
The Cleaners who had come for the reference had entered the Dream Realm with their primary consciousness, and the most significant part of one's consciousness was their perception of self.
Under the influence of the Dream Realm, their consciousnesses had undergone varying degrees of transformation, but most had retained their human forms, indicating that despite the influence of anomalies, they still had a clear sense of self, and their mental stability was relatively good.
However, not everyone seemed entirely stable.
Among the 'human' crowd below, Lyon spotted a white angel with six wings, a hooded grim reaper holding a bloodied scythe, and a yellowish humanoid lump of excrement. The old man with the Pisces Feces Ball Emblem hanging on his chest and a beast leather book on his knees couldn't help but sigh.
Oh well, let's pass them too!
These Cleaners who had come for the reference had an extremely high degree of immersion, to the point of complete transformation, but at least they were still humanoid, indicating that they still saw themselves as individuals. They could be considered to have passed the 'pre-exam' for mental stability, but their scores would have to be lowered.
Squeezing her distinct black and white eyes, the Pisces Director, responsible for overseeing the exam, observed the six-winged angel, the winged death, and the humanoid fecal matter. She took in their auras, making a special note in her beastskin notebook on her lap.
First Rank - Scorpio Bureau - Cleansing Maiden - Abigail Dark - Self-Perception: Angel (Full Physical Transformation, Low Mental Stability);
First Rank - Aries Bureau - Slaughterer - Mason Tobio - Self-Perception: Death (Full Body, Low);
Second Rank - Virgo Bureau - Plague Alchemist - Amien Baret - Self-Perception: Fecal Matter? Vomit? (Full Body, Low);
These three were the most unusual.
The Pisces Director found the names of the three Cleaners on the registration forms and marked 30 points in the preliminary exam results column. She then collected the auras of all the remaining examinees, sending them into her beastskin notebook, and swiftly began grading.
Second Rank - Taurus Bureau - Ant Force - Rudy Tauss - Horns (Partial, High, 75 points)
Third Rank - Canis Minor Bureau - Shepherd - Percy Jackson - Goat Eyes (Partial, High, 90 points)
Third Rank - Virgo Bureau - Gourmet - Leon Lyon... Hmm?
Leon Lyon?
The Pisces Director's eyes widened as she saw the name appear in her beastskin notebook. She looked down in surprise and noticed the young man standing next to the Fecal Woman, chatting with her. Wasn't he the Gourmet who had recently caused a stir?
With his level of skill, why was he participating in this examination? This was outright bullying! Olivia was being unreasonable... Wait a minute!
The Pisces Director studied Leon's profile from various angles, maneuvering her enchanted bubble to different positions. No matter the perspective, Leon appeared entirely within the scope of normal human features, perfectly ordinary. She couldn't help but hiss in astonishment.
His mental stability... it wasn't a matter of high or low anymore!
How firm must one's self-perception be to still believe oneself to be completely normal after consuming a True Deity?
..."Amien-senpai..."
Leon was unaware that someone was scrutinizing him. Looking at the humanoid fecal matter standing before him, he couldn't help but ask, "Why... why do you look like this?"
"I don't know."
Amien shook her head slightly, examining her voluptuous figure with a protruding front and perky rear, a body that instinctively made others want to keep their distance. She replied calmly, "But I don't dislike this form. If I maintain this appearance, it's not so bad."
"..."
Wow...
Leon's mouth twitched as he watched Amien-senpai calmly accept her identity as 'Fecal Woman,' even taking out a transparent container to study her own condition. He changed the subject, "Um... Amien-senpai, did the Bureau Chief tell you about our primary objective this time?"
"Ah, that."
After hearing Leon's question, Fecal Woman stopped her examination and smiled, nodding, "I'll help you get first place, and you'll find someone to help me, right?"
"..."
That seemed... about right?
(End of Chapter)
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