Endless Horde: Through the Eyes of a Godking

Chapter 103: Entrance Exam: Last Man Standing

Cedric was the only one left on the platform.

His figure could be seen nimbly dodging every projectile coming his way. All of the participants couldn't fathom how this was happening.

Unlike them, Cedric doesn't seem to be using any fancy footwork techniques. His movements were agile and flexible but still looked normal. Sure, they would see him hopping on air once or twice to dodge but that skill wasn't out of the ordinary, all of them knew how to perform that.

But still, how could his simple footwork allow him to flexibly dodge everything?

'How absurd his perception could be?'

At this point, this was the remaining clue to the mystery. After all, they refuse to believe that the footwork techniques they learned are lost to an ordinary footwork technique.

But even though that's the case, isn't his perception too monstrous then? Does it allow him to predict things?

They truly don't know what to think anymore. Even Isabella and Garrick were at a loss because even if they were to be given another chance to go up the stage, they were sure they wouldn't last for long under that siege.

What made them feel bitter was the fact that Cedric looked as if he was having fun while doing all of this.

Something that made everybody feel severely threatened was just a fun challenge for him it seems. Such a sight was truly vexing...

They weren't completely wrong in thinking that though...Cedric was indeed having fun with this.

He never faced this kind of challenge before and the test was giving him pressure, something that he hadn't felt in a while.

Under this pressure, he could feel his latent potential blooming ever so slightly. The limitations were something he didn't mind at all and it's really fun this way.

Under everyone's focused gaze, the 10th round ended. He was given 10 seconds to catch his breath and the 11th round will automatically start.

That 10 seconds flew by fast. Fortunately, much to the majority of the participants' dismay, Cedric didn't look tired at all. His gaze was sharp as he welcomed the arrival of the 11th round.

In this round, the number of projectiles increased to 300. Each one had varying speed still and could alter their trajectories, they could also switch shapes on flight.

And just like before, Cedric began dodging all of them accurately.

The majority of those who were watching couldn't even see what was going on, even Cedric's figure was starting to increasingly turn blurry in their eyes. The only thing they were certain about is that, since he was still standing on top of that platform, he still wasn't eliminated just yet.

'Man...I should build one of these things for myself.'

Is what he thought while he was busy calculating the path of the projectiles including the optimal path to evade every single one without grazing him.

He was having the time of his life right now. But as much as he wished to see how far he could go under this thing, the limits he had shown in public were already approaching.

A minute passed and the 11th round ended. Shortly after that, the 12th round began...then the 13th...the 14th...and finally, the 15th round.

At every round he cleared, the challenge sharply increased. The audience couldn't see what's going on anymore. They have grown numb by Cedric's display of skill.

Isabella and Garrick felt disheartened by what they were seeing. Both of them were aware that Cedric was way stronger than them and there was an obvious gap in their skills. However, they didn't think it'd be this much.

This was no longer just a gap, it's more like a moat actually. And both of them knew that they wouldn't be able to catch up to it anytime soon.

30 seconds into the 15th round, a flash of light suddenly shone and before anybody could react, Cedric was out of the platform.

They all saw him drenched in his sweat and panting heavily. That said, he remained standing and releasing a sharp focus that could seemingly cut through steel.

Someone made the mistake of looking at the instructors and saw them looking at Cedric with an obvious appreciation in their eyes, one of them was even smiling at him.

This was huge, obviously. These instructors haven't shown any modicum of emotion ever since the exam started. They didn't even spare them even a single shred of sympathy or eagerness, yet all of them looked at Cedric as if they were proud of what he did.

It's obvious that Cedric managed to leave a deep impression on them. And that's more or less a guarantee that he already passed the assessment. And with the skill he displayed so far? Nobody amongst this sea of people will deny that.

****

"Goodness gracious! Who the hell is this kid? Why is he so monstrous?"

Someone from the VIP section murmured this but, however the venue was so silent that everybody heard it.

Nobody refuted his words though. Cedric's display was indeed monstrous...nothing short of legendary, even!

"He had broken two records today." One of the Academy's staff mused out loud. "The previous speed record was 45 seconds. He beat that by a whole 15 seconds. Then, the instinct record was the 12th round. He also broke by the 3 rounds."

"This child's future is limitless!" Somebody from the Academy Staff generously praised.

"It's no doubt that he would attract attention the moment he arrives at the Academy. And if he could grow that much on his own, how much would he achieve under our tutelage? Oh, I can't wait to see how big of a storm he would raise."

"Hey! Is that a pun for his surname?"

"Hahahaha!"

The VIP section was plunged into a merry mood. It's always a joy for these seasoned folks to see young heroes reveal themselves at times like these. It gives them hope that Humanity's fate hasn't completely ended yet.

Every single one of them knew just how serious the state of their world was. What they need right now are talents, people that could be raised into future pillars of the race.

"Reiner..." One of his fellow City Lords called out to him softly. "You better watch that kid like a hawk. Make sure he arrives at the Academy in one piece. You get what I mean, right?"

"I know." Reiner replied softly as well.

Well, Cedric completely surpassed all of his expectations. Hell, even though he already predicted that he would truly shine in the 3rd part of the Practical Exam, his results still left him reeling.

But aside from surprise, Reiner also felt some semblance of fear. Surely, with Cedric's display, he also painted a target on his back.

The demons aren't dumb. They have established their intelligence network amongst humans through spies. It's already certain that they would hear of his performance sooner or later.

And with how well he performed, it would be surprising if Cedric's name appeared on the 'Assassination List' of the Demons. They simply couldn't allow someone like him to grow up since he would become a serious threat to them.

Reiner already realized this even before his colleague said something. In fact, every single fiber of his being was in a highly alert state, primed to move at the very second he felt a threat to Cedric's life.

It wasn't just him either. While the City Lords and the Academy Staff looked casual and easy-going, in truth they were also watching their surroundings closely. Just like Reiner, they wouldn't hesitate to make a move at the first sign of danger.

Reiner felt comforted by this, but still, he didn't dare to let his guard down.

"Since that's done, there's only the Bonus Test left." One of the VIPs mentioned.

"Right. Here comes the trickiest part of the entire exam."

Saying this, all of them heard Orion announcing something.

"We will begin the Bonus Test now." He said. "Before that though, let me inform all of you that none of you are required to participate in the Bonus Exam."

That brought a wave of confusion among the participants.

"We will only be calculating your results from the Written and Practical Exams. Your results for the Bonus Test wouldn't be counted in that, so whether you do well or not in this part, it wouldn't make any difference in the end."

"The Bonus Test is called the Test of Will." Orion declared. "Simply put, your Willpower will be tested in this part. You will face all sorts of nightmares and temptations attempting to sway your heart."

"A fair warning to all of you. This test might cause you severe harm. The kind of injury you might experience is something that we can't prevent or heal. We won't be responsible for that. Therefore, I would once again stress that you are not required to participate in this part."

Now, aside from confusion, the participants also felt a wave of doubt. They didn't understand why would instructors include something that wouldn't make a difference in their overall results.

"To those who are willing to participate despite all of this, please step forward."

Hearing that, the participants were stunned. None of them moved right away.