Infinite Evolution System Made Me Too OP!

Chapter 366: Were We Just Abandoned!?

...…..

The vast majority of the Knight Participants lost their shit when they saw the spooky, willowy trees around them. In the illusory shape of snakes and hiding within them unimaginable terrors, these trees and the woods themselves practically shouted death…

However, from the lot of Knight Participants, there were those who remained steadfast and unfazed in the face of this horrifying forest. Simply standing there and waiting for the Examiner to speak once more — these were the diamonds in the rough that the River Serpent Empire had been searching for.

'Two girls and three- no, four boys. I will see how the six of them perform during the Knight Trials. If they continue showing their promise, then I might come back with quite the hall this year.'

In the Knight Examiner's mind, six out of forty participants being considered knight apprentices worth grooming was already a miracle in and of itself. Usually, even one or two out of forty would be seen as something worth celebrating!

Out of these six, even if one or two of them failed to meet expectations, it would still end up being a yearly yield far exceeding the norm!

Though the Knight Examiner didn't show it on the outside, he was clearly quite pleased with the potential Knight Apprentice candidates this year. Still, regardless of how his mind had changed on the matter, the job of a Knight Examiner was one that didn't allow him to be lenient on those who he felt had potential.

'The show must go on,' he thought as he vanished from his spot, leaving the Knight Participants all alone in the dark, spooky forest.

With the howling wind and occasional screeches as the wakeup call, all of the color faded from the faces of the Knight Participants…

"W-Were we just abandoned…?"

"Is this some sort of bad dream…? S-Surely, this isn't reality… It can't possibly be reality…!!"

"You poor commoners! Just sit back and watch how we get this done!"

While the majority of the Knight Participants were freaking out, the three noble children were as calm as could be. They were so relaxed about the whole matter that the smug smirk on their faces never left them.

Two were boys with short black hair, and the last one was a girl with long blonde hair. Based off appearances alone, they could be considered above average, and the girl also had a shapely body, which added to her overall charm.

Of course, her almond-shaped eyes and long eyelashes could do nothing to conceal the complacency that was on display for all to see…

Although she was not the one to speak up first, she was the one who followed up by saying, "My name is Bo Ya, and if you don't know of my reputation already, then I will tell you all right now that I am capable of saving you! After all, I am in the Grade 9 All-Encompassing Immortal Realm and come from a very prestigious family—"

"Esceeetch!!!"

From a pitch-black part of the ominous forest, a hair-raising howl interrupted the conceited noble girl's speech.

"!!!" "!!!" "!!!"

As this noise came from close by, everyone, including the nobles, looked toward the source of the noise. The first thing they saw was a pair of glowing red eyes a few meters off the ground, then came a second pair, and the third…

Before long, there were dozens of pairs of glowing eyes in that part of the forest. And the worst part about it was that all the eyes belonged to the same monster…

'In the Serpent God's Forest, there are enough powerful monsters to overwhelm the outer layers of the Empire. If these kids wish to change their fates or prove their worths, then they will need to first survive this trial,' the Knight Examiner thought. 'Going through the hell flames themselves, they will have no choice but to adapt. Adapt, survive, and strive… or die.'

In this trial, the Knight Examiner was told not to interfere until the very end. Even if a participant was about to die, he would do nothing. And that stood true even for the nobles.

Similar to regular society, noble society was just as harsh on those who showed no promise. No noble wanted useless and incompetent children to whom they would give everything they owned.

The Knight Examiner was already under strict orders to allow the noble's children to die if they couldn't succeed in something as small as surviving for a few hours in the Serpent God's Forest.

'The true trial begins here,' thought the Knight Examiner. After fully fading into the overhanging tree canopies, he vanished into obscurity.

Merely acting as an observer in this test, he would fulfill his purpose without fail.

Meanwhile, down on the ground below, a shadowy beast with countless glowing red eyes came out of the darkness and put its twenty-meter-wide body on display.

Thump, Thump.

"A-A Serpent-headed Shadow Bear!? What is a Grade 1 Celestial Immortal Realm monster doing in a trial to become a Knight Apprentice!?"

One of the participants shouted in horror, with his utterance of the beast's name and its cultivation putting everyone on edge. Even the three noble children lost more than a little bit of their composure.

Losing all her previous bravado, Bo Ya was now shivering in place. Feeling the aura and viewing the terrifying appearance of the shadow beast caused her complexion to turn pale. Looking to the dark forest around her, she shakily screamed, "Y-You can take us away from the trial now! I think we've learned our lesson!"

Going along with the scared blonde woman, the other noble children chided in, saying, "Yeah, yeah! We have truly comprehended the generous lessons that you have bestowed upon us, sir Examiner! B-But don't you think it's about time to stop with the games!?"

Thump, Thump, Thump.

Even with the loud steps of the Shadow Bear daunting on all of them as it inched ever closer to the group, the rest of the afraid participants also put in their jittery input.

"W-We don't need to go this far over a mere trial, do we!? I think we have learned plenty from you with that informative speech from earlier…!"

"Yes, yes, i-it was such a good speech!"

....