Chapter 598: They're Here
Chapter 598: They're Here
Are rankings based on endurance?
After hearing the notification from the Pisces Director, Lyon couldn't help but fall silent for a moment as he looked at his panel, where the word 'Materialism' glowed red like the sun. He then glanced gratefully at the Horned Man.
Thanks, buddy. This time, I can finally take first place without any worries.
Upon receiving Lyon's 'sucking up' gaze, the Horned Man's lips curled into an unrestrained, sinister smile, revealing his Centipede Ant companion, which also grinned menacingly.
Don't blame me for being ruthless! If you want to blame someone, blame the fact that the rewards for the top three in this examination are too good to pass up!
"Lyon."
As the robust Horned Man stood up, his shadow filled with the oppressive presence of the Centipede Ant, and he took a step towards Lyon. But before he could take another step, a gentle request came from Lyon's right.
"Let's switch places."
Amien quickly turned her exam paper over and placed it face down on the desk, temporarily suppressing her talents. Her body was instantly invaded by dozens of talents, and she rushed towards Lyon, her body covered in charcoal-black scorch marks.
Reaching Lyon's side first, Amien, whose entire body was covered in scorch marks, glanced at the Horned Man's paper and then looked up at him with a cold gaze, her eyes filled with dread. "You must be Rudy from the Taurus Bureau. If you want to make things a little more challenging for yourself, I can help."
"..."
The Virgo Bureau is full of lunatics!
The Horned Man couldn't help but click his tongue in his mind as he witnessed Amien's endurance, which was just as abnormal as Lyon's. Despite being invaded by dozens of talents, her voice remained steady and free of any tremor.
If it came to a real fight, the Horned Man was confident he could take on anyone in this exam. However, in this first exam, 'Talents' were the only permitted means of attack.
When it came to the strength of talents, the most powerful were the 'Angel' from the Scorpio Bureau and the 'Death' from the Aries Bureau. The white feathers and sharp gray mist each occupied half of the exam hall, overwhelming the surrounding cleaners with their screams.
Second only to the 'Angel' and 'Death' was the veiled woman standing before him. Her nauseating, turbid yellow flow could even hold its own amidst the feathers and mist, and only then did the talents of the Horned Man and several other experienced Second-Level Cleaners come into play.
The Horned Man was confident that he wasn't any weaker than her, even when it came to a talent showdown. But if she were to abandon her exam score and focus solely on taking him down, it would be a different story.
"Fine, I'll give you some face."
After a thousand thoughts flashed through his mind, the Horned Man, who appeared rough and tough on the outside, chose to back down. He glanced at Lyon, who was blocked by Amien, and provoked him with disdain.
"Hmph, the one who claims to be a sure winner is only this capable? What are you doing?"
As Lyon took Amien's exam paper and flipped it back over, instantly getting engulfed by the turbid yellow flow, the Horned Man's pupils contracted in shock. He exclaimed in disbelief:
"Aren't you afraid of being..."
"Don't run away."
Lyon took three quick steps forward and grabbed the Horned Man's wrist. On Lyon's face, which was distorted by various invading talents—two parts fox fur, three parts white mask, and an additional five layers of snake scales—a deeply unsettling smile slowly spread.
"Since you're here, stay a little longer."
"Huh?!?!"
The Horned Man's scalp tingled as he watched Lyon, whose limbs had already transformed into pitch-black ant legs due to the proximity of his talent, and whose body was half-submerged in the turbid yellow flow. Instinctively, he jerked his hand away.
"Let go of me!"
"Crack!"
As one of the top five most powerful individuals in the exam, the Horned Man's strength was astonishing. Despite the dream's suppression and without exerting full force, he effortlessly broke free from Lyon's grip, even twisting Lyon's wrist in the process.
The cleaners who witnessed this scene couldn't help but feel a chill run down their spines. After the twisted wrist was restored, Lyon, seemingly unaffected, chased after the Horned Man again and hugged the Centipede Queen Ant's neck from behind.
"Hiss!"
"Don't scream!"
Lyon slapped the Queen Ant with his free hand, forcing back the remaining hiss. He turned to look at the stunned Fecal Woman behind him and tentatively asked, "Senior Amien, can your Talent handle this?"
"..."
What do you mean by that? Could it be...
Lyon glanced at the Horned Man behind him, who was covering his face with a bewildered expression, and whose neck also bore the marks of Lyon's grip. Amien fell silent for a moment, then smiled with delight.
"Let's try it."
"Alright... If it gets too uncomfortable, be sure to let me know right away."
Amidst the shocked expressions of all the cleaners in the examination hall, including the Pisces Director, Lyon dragged the Queen Ant back to Amien. Grabbing the struggling ant, he dunked its head into the thickest part of the murky flow and vigorously rinsed it up and down.
"Wait! Hold on!"
Just as Lyon started rinsing, the Horned Man, also gripped by an odd force around his neck, let out a startled scream, his eyes bulging. He then shouted in panic:
"You... glug..."
"Damn it... gurgle gurgle..."
"No, please... hurl hurl..."
"Ah!!!
"Blub blub..."
As Lyon efficiently completed the 'seven up and eight down' motion, thoroughly rinsing the Queen Ant in the murky flow, the convulsing Horned Man clamped his mouth shut, rolled his eyes, and collapsed with a thud, falling under the table.
Just as his head dropped below the table's surface, the Queen Ant in Lyon's hand trembled and instantly lost its original clear form, transforming into a crumpled exam paper.
[Name: Dream Deciphering Scroll - Rudy Tauss (Manifestation, Secret Art, Temporary)]
[Appearance: A soft, smooth, and glossy paper exam paper, depicting a vicious-looking Centipede Queen Ant forced to consume a large amount of unknown liquid, now with its belly exposed.]
[Ability: Talent Manifestation, Secret Art of Pisces Palace, Temporary Existence]
[Cost: Borne by the Secret Art practitioner of Pisces Palace]
[File: After the current Pisces Director of the Cleaning Bureau accepted the examination task, they used their 'Anomaly Observation' Secret Art as the core. With 'Lost Paradise Fragments' as a catalyst, they created a special dream realm as a vessel, temporarily manifesting this entity.
This entity possesses the ability to analyze and manifest the user's Talent, but it can only function within the Dream Realm. Once the special dream ends, the entity will disappear along with it.]
[Evaluation: Similar to the 'Materialism' ability, although lacking the ability to discern hidden information, this entity excels in providing a more profound and thorough analysis and display of anomalies.]
[Imbue Value: 60]
"Sizzle..."
Through the thorough display of the Secret Art of Pisces Palace, you gained an immense amount of intelligence regarding Leon Tauss, a Taurus Bureau cleaner. The anomalous badge 'Materialist Soul (Crimson)' was activated.
After personally touching the manifested Talent of 'Rudy Tauss', you now understand his ability's development direction, witnessed his potential, and comprehended the rules governing its operation... Rudy Tauss no longer holds any surprises for you.
With Rudy Tauss possessing 60 Imbue Value, before he fundamentally alters his essence, you are now immune to all anomalous effects manifested through this individual, regardless of the means employed.
(End of Chapter)
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