It transpired around the same time – Zil van Avernus pulled a seemingly random object from subspace, and the other direct blood of the clan, the youngest one, Kamion van Avernus, retrieved a steel shortsword.
'They can already use subspace magic. It's to be expected at their young age, but I did not expect the Patriarch's young son would be able to do it, too. I never received reports of him practicing it.' The overseer of the Void Graveyard Ceremony thought.
'But a blanket, huh? Let's see what you can do.'
*
The intensity of the test was anything but hideous.
Children from seven to nine years old were forced to face monstrosities that were previously human, whose physique seemed to reach its peak before being corrupted by demonic power.
It was a harsh reality.
'If there's anything different, I'm fighting against something that's not human.'
But for Zil, it was not much.
In his previous life, when Zil was adopted by the Veil Order at the age of seven, he was rigorously trained without mercy. He also experienced facing off against adult individuals whose existences were already erased from the records by their respective governments.
In other words, it was a fight to the death.
"Grr!"
"RAAAH!"
"K-Kill…"
The three deformed humans, now considered undead, ran and lived through their instincts of tearing apart anyone who was breathing on their way.
"I-It's a Rank-D threat. W-we're going to die!"
"There's still next time!"
"How dare you sully the name of the Avernus, don't give up!"
Zil could not blame them; self-preservation was a vital part of human nature. There was no point in dying a meaningless death, which would inevitably happen unless the overseer intervened.
However, quitting the test now would prove to be disadvantageous, experience-wise.
Zil slightly shook his head before rushing forward towards one of the undead resembling a 'zombie.'
He did not know what Kamion, his half-sister, was thinking. But seeing his initiative, she followed suit.
"Don't get in my way."
These were the first words he had heard from her.
Zil was not sure if it was arrogance or she simply did not want anyone to stand in her way.
But a competition?
It was not his forte – survival and assassination were.
*
[Cold Baby Blanket]
Description: [The second birthday surprise from the Wheel of Fortune, Birth Variation. It provides warmth, but when utilized incorrectly, it could even end someone's life.]
Category: Item
Rank: ?
Effect: [Regulates one's temperature and mana.]
...
Zil lunged forward, and in his grasp was the baby blanket.
He looked silly, such a thought was inevitable for the audience.
However, those looks of mockery were soon transformed into incredulity as Zil landed on the undead's shoulder, wrapped the blanket around its head, and began pulling it from behind as his knees locked the neck down.
It was a brute method of choking.
Of course, this was not ordinary in any way.
Undead would not die from such a pathetic method.
'It's damn solid and sticky! What the fuck are these demons made of?!'
"RAAAH!" Zil screamed, and after struggling…
Crack!
He managed to twist the undead's neck to oblivion!
Everything happened so fast.
But what's surprising was that…
For some reason, he truly managed to kill the spawn of death.
[Ding!]
[You have slain a corrupted entity!]
[Wheel of Fortune (Darkness) increases proficiency.]
'Blanket will do the trick.' Zil inwardly chuckled.
He then received a few unexpected system prompts.
[Due to the nature of the Rank-D threat, 'Corrupted Human', it is also perceived as human.]
[Wheel of Fortune (Blood) increases proficiency.]
'I see. It's two birds in one stone. Not bad.'
For the eyes of the onlookers, what he did was extraordinary.
His mother, on the other hand, had an inexplicable expression on her face; proud and somewhat worried.
It was then that an immense impact echoed throughout the Void Graveyard, garnering Zil's undivided attention.
Looking at the direction of the impact, Zil saw his half-sister.
Kamion was just smashed away to the brink of death.
*
Kamion van Avernus
The youngest of the Avernus, as well as the considered genius at such a young age, had taken an interest in swords the moment her gaze set on one for the first time.
Failure was not an option.
In the first place, by having the blood of the Patriarch, every direct blood of the Avernus was already blessed by inhuman strength.
To grasp swordsmanship or any desired weapon mastery for killing and protecting, precise control of mana, and being desensitized to the sight of blood and smell of death – such traits were already expected.
That's why she had wondered when a certain rumor spread throughout the Main House of the territory – the Crybaby of the Avernus.
She almost believed it, witnessing Zil shed tears in front of Zack von Hargan, a vassal family of the Avernus Clan. However, her amethyst eyes widened upon seeing what he had just done.
It was a demeanor that had no room for hesitation.
A characteristic of an assassin.
She had it too. But Kamion did not expect Zil to act similar to a fox.
Why did he hide such a strength thus far?
Or were the rumors merely rumors, in the end?
Despite this flood of worthless thoughts, Kamion thought that she should not lose this test.
Zil was the only person she could relate to; young and skilled.
Their other siblings were all distant; they already had their eyes set on something they could not see or understand yet – such as the way of the Avernus.
What Kamion wanted was a friend around her age.
"I-Is he really a crybaby? He quickly killed a corrupted human."
"I can't believe it! The Patriarch's blood must be think in his veins!"
"Tsk. That's mere luck."
Hearing the murmurs of the audience, after dealing the killing blow to a corrupted human she confronted, her attention was momentarily distracted.
She looked at Zil, breathing heavily after using an unconventional method for killing.
However, in this ruthless battlefield, that was nothing but a grave mistake.
"Kill…! RAAAHH!"
Bang!
*
Sensing the emergency, as Kamion fainted and her bones shattered, Zil sprung into action.
He did not know what Alina would think of him at this moment... that he seemed thrilled to have killed something after so long.
'This is my nature, but this time, I'll do it to protect those in need of protection.'
Whoosh!
Similar to the fate of the first corrupted human, Zil wrapped the unordinary baby blanket around the head of the demonic monster.
After some time, as the right condition was met, Zil managed to kill it, abruptly ending the test.
It had not become a survival but rather subjugation.
The test was then concluded.
However, it was just the beginning.