Chapter 3 Bribe

Headmaster Blake frowned at the exchange but since Luna already accepted the bet, it was too late to stop her. He could only go ahead and proceed with the Selection as normal.

"On that note, let the second Stage begin!"

As soon as Headmaster Blake announced it, the gates to the inner part of the Academy opened and the teachers led everyone inside. Many were dissatisfied with how Number One got a free pass to the second stage and some even complained to the Academy Officials.

The Academy response was short and simple: if they were willing to bet their life on being a Golden Talent, they would be allowed to attempt the second test as well. Everyone was immediately silenced.

Number One excused himself as he followed the crowd and Headmaster Blake stared at his back suspiciously. "This is too good to be true."

"I think he might be telling the truth," Luna muttered. "Why would he bet money if he was lying?"

"Maybe he is trying to reinforce his story so we don't pay attention to something else he is up to," Headmaster Blake pointed out. "Why did you accept his bet? It feels like he was aiming for that from the start."

Being a crafty man himself, Headmaster Blake knew very well when someone tried to swindle him.

"I was just bluffing and thought he would back off when I mentioned death. I didn't expect he would actually double down and even raise the stakes," Luna replied honestly. "Thinking about it, that bet is a win-win for me. If he is really lying, I don't need to pay anything and if he is actually a Golden Talent, it's an opportunity to get closer to him. I wouldn't mind befriending anyone who can beat me in the strength test."

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The second test was also simple, but at the same time quite demanding. Soul Academies had high standards and they didn't recruit complete newbies. Besides possessing a high talent, one had to perform a single Soul Art which they learned beforehand. If they managed to reach a certain threshold of power, they would be accepted as students.

Luna's parents were both Soul Artists and they taught her from a young age. Not everyone could afford to learn high-ranked Soul Arts like Luna which gave her a clear advantage.

"I don't think it is a good idea," Headmaster Blake mused. "I still got a bad feeling about him. Let's see what he got first."

Luna could only nod for now and returned her gaze to Number One. He was walking casually with his hands in his pockets as if the win was in his bag. That blind confidence for sure added fuel to her inner fire.

When everyone gathered in the Training Grounds, they saw ten puppets separated in a large circle. Each of them had a number that recruits were assigned to during registration so the teens quickly lined up to their spots.

Many couldn't resist glancing at the honor leaderboard hanging near the entrance to the Academy building. It displayed the top one hundred scores and only those who managed to beat previous records would be allowed to enter the top class.

[Selection Leaderboard]

[1. 980 - Headmaster Blake]

[2. 954 - Soul Master Darius]

"To think that Headmaster Blake was already this strong when he joined the academy…" the student candidates muttered in awe as they admired the list. Most of the top ranks were claimed by either the teachers or the previous Headmasters.

Naturally, it was unfair to expect new students to score higher. It would be a miracle if someone crossed a thousand, not to mention the maximum of 100,000 Soul Power the puppet could handle.

"I wonder how many of them still teach—"

"Everyone, listen up!" All discussions were cut off as one of the teachers shouted to gather their attention. A buff man from before stared at the teens with his eyebrows arched and his massive body flexed.

"I am Darius, your future Soul Art teacher," the teacher introduced himself. "For those who don't know the rules, let me repeat them. You must use your Soul Art to strike the training puppet. It will automatically calculate the strength of your attack and display it on the screen. You only have one chance and if you score below a hundred, you are out."

The teacher scanned the teens with his gaze and extended his fist at the puppet. It momentarily lit up with purple light and formed into a gauntlet. He didn't forget to smile coolly at the crowd before he struck the puppet with a powerful right hook.

A loud bang deafened those standing too close and the number on the screen skyrocketed.

1000… 2000… 3000… 11,000!

Everyone's eyes grew wide as the number passed eleven thousand in mere seconds.

"Any questions?" Darius asked the amazed crowd, but he didn't even wait a moment before clapping his hands. "Since everyone understands, let's begin!"

The student candidates were still startled by Darius' display of power when other teachers hurried them to begin. Everyone was forced to calm down and prepare for the most important moment in their lives.

Becoming a Soul Artist wasn't just a dream, but also a necessity if anyone wished to improve the quality of their life. If they failed the test, they would have to wait a whole year for another chance, and some didn't have that much time.

"This guy, always showing off in front of the students…" Headmaster Blake commented with an amused shake of his head.

"Wasn't that just a normal Soul Gauntlet Art?" Luna asked, her face filled with questions. "Last time I checked, it was one of the low-ranked Soul Arts. How come he broke eleven thousand with it? Even with Purple Soul Energy, that Soul Art shouldn't be able to generate this much Soul Power."

Good quality Soul Energy could strengthen the Soul Art but it had its limits. It didn't matter how much additional Soul Energy was used, one couldn't add more Soul Power to a low-ranked Soul Art. It was also the reason why high-ranked Soul Arts were extremely valuable assets that were passed to future generations.

"Darius is a special case since he is training both his body and Soul," Headmaster Blake explained as they watched Darius from afar. "He can achieve these results using common Soul Arts because of the added strength of his body. He once told me his physical strength multiplied the power of his Soul Arts by at least five times."

Luna's eyes widened when she heard those numbers. "That's ridiculous… Why is no one else training their bodies then? I've never heard of this method."

"The answer is quite simple. Who would want to go through so much pain and effort to strengthen their bodies if improving their Soul was so much easier?" Headmaster Blake replied with a shrug. "Appearance is another reason. Not many people wish to become this massive in size. Not only will your skin become rough, but your muscles will also grow if you train daily."

Luna momentarily dropped her thoughts of strengthening her body. She loved her slim figure and delicate skin so her only choice was to focus on her Soul.

'Maybe just a short morning run will do…' Luna thought as she lowered her white skirt to hide her thighs. She could tell they got thicker after wearing her favorite thigh-high socks for today.

Luna looked up at Darius once again and suddenly saw a familiar figure approach him. Number One broke through the crowd and began talking with the teacher. At first, Darius laughed and chased him away, but Number One said something while walking away that caused Darius's expression to shift. Darius stopped him right away and their conversation resumed.

"What is he up to?" Luna questioned when Number One pulled out a small pouch from his pocket. "Is he trying to bribe the teacher…?"