17 Humiliation

The young man crouched down, lowering one knee to the ground, resembling a marionette with its strings suddenly severed. A gentle breeze seemed to flow through his long gray hair, as his hands loosened.

He rose to his feet gradually, observed by a predator with narrowed pupils, and examined his hands.

"…Huh? Where…Ah! Yeah, the test... it's finally my turn! Let's do our best!"

He tightened his fists before his face, as though seeking to inspire himself, and proceeded towards the tunnel's exit. As he went past Hope, his devastated expression caught his attention.

"Hey, are you okay? Why do you look so depressed? You were amazing there."

"Amazing? Don't try to cheer me up... That idiot Barron took all the praise. How is this guy an E-rank?"

"Hm, well, yes he's very strong, but that doesn't mean you should feel down, you're amazing in your own way."

He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder to cheer him up.

"If it's praise you need, you still get mine, so don't let that bother you, okay?"

"…Bro… You're right, Barron may have won this battle, but I'm going to train more and more, and I'm going to surpass him soon... Thanks."

"That's the spirit, wish me luck, I'll do my best too."

The young man made his way towards the battlefield. Midgard observed quietly, capturing every moment of the encounter.

"You can't shake meat in front of me and expect me not to take a bite, little toy."

He rushed out the door and passed Barron on his way.

"Good job! My turn now."

"…? Break a leg."

The young boy stepped into the arena, the ground repaired by the examiner's enchantments. Whispers began to circulate as he made his entrance. Unlike Hope and Barron, Anesidora remained a mystery to all.

Only three individuals possessed knowledge beyond his Avatar's reputation: Iris, the dean Candace, and a spectator who witnessed his near victory against Barron, a man who quivered during Hope's match: Albert.

"You better use something new, I didn't come here just to see another flower power!"

Each of them looked attentively at the one designed by the strongest as the future strongest. In her office, the dean watched through a magic ball.

"Show me what thou got."

In the audience, Iris was getting impatient.

"Look carefully this time, Sunnah, this one might be like Cid."

"Oh… Then… I won't see anything at all!"

The murmurs rose, and the boy finally arrived in front of the examiner.

"Candidate number 3, Name, Class, and rank."

"Yes sir, Anesidora Carper, Avatar, E-rank."

"I know you're an Avatar, what I'm asking for is your specific branches."

"I don't know yet, it will depend on what they gave me."

"… Huh? For god's sake, I'm not paid enough for this. Put your hand on this."

He placed his hand upon the enchanted device, causing a subtle radiance to emanate. The onlookers remained in a state of awe, eagerly anticipating what would unfold during Barron's remarkable display.

As the mystical orb ascended and descended towards the earth, a whirlwind of dust enveloped the surroundings before converging upon the object. The tempest spun with increasing velocity, while Anesidora poised himself for the impending battle, and the rest of the spectators held their breath in anticipation.

From within this swirling vortex, a novel manifestation of a golem materialized. The crowd's impatient countenances transformed into expressions of sheer astonishment.

The newly formed golem stood at a similar stature to Anesidora, possessing a physique that resembled an exaggerated goblin, with a diminutive frame.

"What… Is… That?"

No one understood what they were seeing, the whispers increased in volume and soon voices were rising.

"What the Hell is that? Is that supposed to be a golem?"

"Hey, man, this thing looks sick!"

They started laughing and soon a thunder of laughter and insult fell on the poor young man.

"Um… Iris, is that normal?"

"… Maybe… Maybe it's just the shape? Maybe it's in fact really strong!"

In the locker room, Hop, Barron, and Thomas were intrigued.

"Thomas, is this normal? It doesn't really look dangerous."

"… Your friend, is he a powerful Avatar? Does he train regularly?"

"Yeah, well, not as much as me, but He… He has power… Could this be because his power is strange?"

"Strange like how? This device doesn't take into consideration the type of power you have, only the level of your minimal emissary potential."

"Then… Maybe his minimum is really low? And its maximum is high?"

The examiner looked at the golem with equal astonishment.

(Even an average finger could summon something with the shape of a human…) "Begin!"

Anesidora closed his eyes and clenched his fists, a slight glow of energy formed, silence returned to the arena. Had we judged the level of the golem too quickly? Suddenly, the boy opened his eyes in panic.

"What?! So little??? WHY?!"

The golem rushed at him with a pathetic run, startled, Anesidora tried to punch him in the head, but the shock barely chipped the golem.

"!!!"

The golem jumped on him and pinned him to the ground, before administering blows to his head.

"Ouch!... Argh!... Eno- Ouch!..."

He tried as best he could to break free, but the golem seemed too heavy to move. Silence reigned in the public, whose mockery gradually gave way to anger.

"What the heck? This guy isn't an emissary, why is he enlisted?"

"This is the prestigious Royal Academy, how come such a fraud is one of us?"

"Go back to your farm, beggar!"

Several people booed him and gave him minor insults. Hope, in disbelief, shook his head and even Barron couldn't believe his eyes.

"What… Are you doing?"

"Is this some kind of prank?"

Iris, for her part, had become silent. Her gaze faded little by little as the disappointment increased. Sunnah trembled before the insults from the public.

Albert was shaking in his seat and groaning.

"This…Bastard…"

The show continued for a good minute, the examiner, stunned, decided to stop the fight when the young boy stopped struggling and vaporized the golem. The audience exploded into a huge roar of reaction.

"Hey, are you alright? Hey… Damn, is he really unconscious?"

"…H…Ah…?"

"Ah, you're… You're alive. Let's move for now."

The public hurled insults at him as he was escorted outside, marking the culmination of the most absurd spectacle ever witnessed in the annals of this academy. While traversing the tunnel, they encountered Midgard.

"You? Here? Wh-"

"I'll take him from here, He may have an internal injury, He needs a doctor."

"… Fine, do what you want."

Midgard picked up the young man and supported him, side by side towards the locker room, but as they were walking, she slowed down and looked behind her to confirm that the examiner left.

"How awful, it wouldn't have happened if you had followed my advice."

"…What…What…Advice?...Ouch…"

"…You don't remember huh? Tell me, is there someone in your head?"

"My… Head?... You mean… Ach… My family?"

She suddenly stopped walking, they were right in front of the door when she let go of him and stood right in front of the locker room.

"No, I mean the system, is there someone in your system?"

The young man's eyes widened, those of Midgard seemed to shine in the darkness. In a single breath, he whispered.

"How… Do you know?"