The effect of Larva's spell was such that it dissipated after three minutes and had a certain range all around. As they rushed through the portal in an attempt to catch up with Kyriel, who had gained a head start, the spell's effects ceased, and the remaining participants, who had been influenced by it, resumed their race without even realizing what had just happened. All except for two competitors.
"A time freeze? I couldn't move, but I could see and hear... Eight of them have already gained a head start, and among them is Kyriel... As I expected, even at only ten percent of your abilities, you're still far superior to me," thought Bertrand, who had witnessed the scene despite the frozen time, but remained unable to move. He then resumed his run and went through the portal in turn.
"If I had reacted sooner, I wouldn't have been affected by this pitiful technique! I feel deeply ashamed," exclaimed a bald apprentice as he entered the portal.
Soon, all the apprentice swordsmen had crossed the passage, and the race resumed with renewed vigor. Various Art techniques, used to increase movement speed, could be seen in action. However, some clearly stood out from the rest: Bertrand, Clé, Benjamin, Chloé, and the bald apprentice were already outpacing their comrades. Nicole, for her part, was among the last of the group.
Further on, about three kilometers away, a group of seven apprentices was advancing, led by a young man with sparkling golden hair. Even further ahead, at nearly six kilometers, a boy was running alone, at the front, at a brisk pace: Kyriel. Immune to Larva's technique, he had outpaced all the others. When he heard the Divine King utter the words "Master Swordsman," his excitement was so intense that he forgot everything else.
"Master Swordsman! Master Swordsman..." These words replayed in his mind.
Suddenly, an enormous crocodile, nearly four meters tall, appeared in front of him and rushed toward him as if to devour him. Lost in thought, Kyriel paid it no attention and continued running. In an instant, he collided with the creature, which literally exploded into a thousand fragments upon contact with his body.
At the sight of this prodigious scene, the crowd erupted: like a raging ocean, it rose as one, and thousands of voices, united in a primal scream, shook the stands to their foundations.
"Impressive boy," declared one of the twelve division commanders, a man wearing glasses.
"Certainly, but that crocodile had only a paltry amount of energy... We'll see how it behaves later," retorted another commander, his tongue hanging out.
Kyriel had already traveled fifteen kilometers, still immersed in his trance-like state, his mind entirely focused on his goal, when a ten-meter-tall, golden-hued elephant appeared in front of him. The massive creature immediately lunged toward him, as if to crush him under its titanic weight.
"The golden elephant! The golden elephant has appeared!" cried one of the spectators at the sight of the animal, as imposing as it was majestic. The imposing beast, towering ten meters high and weighing nearly eighty tons, made the ground tremble with each of its steps, and the earth vibrated even more when its charge was aimed at the young apprentice.
Kyriel, indifferent to the appearance of this colossus, rushed straight toward him. The impact was instantaneous: upon contact, the elephant shattered into a thousand fragments, spraying a tide of blood that splattered the young man's clothes. Without even slowing down, Kyriel continued his run, the scarlet splashes evaporating from his clothes as if they had never existed. The crowd, captivated by the scene, erupted in cheers.
"This boy possesses extraordinary physical strength, there's no doubt about it," declared one of the commanders, a cigarette dangling from his lips. Yet, while most of the spectators were dazzled by this feat, a few captains, as well as five divine kings, remained impassive, visibly dissatisfied with the spectacle.
Ten minutes had passed since the start, and Kyriel continued to run at full speed, his trance-like state intact. He had already crossed the 100-kilometer mark when he entered a tunnel of absolute darkness, so dense that not a single shape could be distinguished. There, a floating female figure materialized from the darkness: she wore a tattered white dress, and long black hair completely hid her face. This apparition was none other than a secondary spirit.
"A secondary spirit? Have the organizers lost their minds?" exclaimed the old man who, a few moments earlier, had been shouting at Larva. "Putting a creature of this level into a competition for apprentice swordsmen is pure madness! Do they intend to decimate the candidates?"
He paused before continuing:
"Larva could easily cope with such an opponent... but what about the others? Even if this child has proven to possess remarkable physical strength, the situation is quite different..."
And, in a grave tone, he concluded:
"Spirits are impervious to physical attacks."
The secondary spirit, driven by murderous hatred, lunged at Kyriel, its mouth wide open, revealing sharp fangs, while its nails resembled razor blades. But Kyriel, unperturbed, continued his frantic run. When the ghostly entity finally reached his height, a howl of pain echoed through the tunnel: the spirit instantly vanished into thin air, as if consumed by an invisible force.
Kyriel, meanwhile, continued without even slowing down, while one of the divine kings slightly arched an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.
"Oh! Exorcising a secondary spirit without even lifting a finger... Now that's most impressive," he said.
Kyriel continued his frantic run, still in the lead. Behind him was Larva, firmly established in second place. Having also reached the 100-kilometer mark, he entered the dark tunnel. He had barely set foot inside when three secondary spirits appeared to attack him. With a simple gesture, he unleashed a blinding light from his hand that instantly reduced the three entities to dust.
"Spirits... here? Now that's annoying," he declared wearily.
His gesture made several division commanders flinch.
"Three secondary spirits pulverized in a single attack! This boy is perhaps even more impressive than the other one," one of them commented.
In his wake arrived Iris, Jessica, William, and Thomas, who entered the tunnel one after the other. Each neutralized a secondary spirit with a personal technique.
About forty seconds later, Thorne entered the dark passage. Three secondary spirits immediately pounced on him. A mischievous smile played on his lips; he absorbed the entities in a single movement, then continued running. Shock immediately spread through the crowd.
"Absorb...? Did he just absorb evil spirits?"
"I must be dreaming... He really absorbed three secondary spirits?"
The spectators, stunned by such an act, were asking themselves a thousand questions. Even the division commanders remained speechless, while a divine king gave a thin smile.
Three minutes later, other apprentices approached the tunnel: Bertrand and Clé, running side by side. As soon as they passed through the entrance, a secondary spirit appeared before them.
"What is... this horror?" asked Key, surprised.
"It's a secondary spirit... and I wonder what it's doing here. It seems particularly powerful," replied Bertrand.
"I know... I can feel its energy," confirmed Key.
Bertrand then made a quick decision:
"I'll use my technique, and you'll infuse it with yours. The combination should create an opening to pass through."
"Okay," agreed Key.
"Water Creation Art: Surging Tide!" cried Bertrand, as a mass of water surged forward with colossal pressure to rush at the spirit.
"Lightning Manipulation Art: Thunder!" shouted Key, and a brilliant blue bolt of lightning burst from his hands, mingling with the watery flow before striking the creature head-on.
At the combined impact of the two techniques, the secondary spirit let out a howl of pain, its spectral body riddled with violent electric arcs. Paralyzed by the discharge, it remained frozen in place, allowing the two brothers to speed past it and gain a clear lead.
"When you apply electrical voltage to water, the ions it contains move, carrying the charge and facilitating the flow of current. The combination of our two techniques therefore amplified the power of the electricity, which paralyzed the secondary spirit," Bertrand explained confidently.
Thus, the two brothers emerged from the tunnel.
"These kids seem rather cunning to me," commented one of the twelve commanders.
Shortly after, a group of three apprentices also entered the dark passage. They were Benjamin, Chloe, and a young monk with a shaved head.
"Hey, bald guy, why have you been following us around all this time?" Benjamin called out as he ran, a mocking look backward.
"I'm not bald, I'm a monk!" the man replied, visibly exasperated.
"Same here, bald guy," added Chloe, a smirk on her lips.
Suddenly, a secondary spirit emerged from the shadows.
"Argh! What is this disgusting thing?" Benjamin shouted, his voice betraying fear.
"The energy it's giving off is prodigious..." Chloe observed, intrigued.
"It's a secondary spirit... Its energy exceeds that of a simple swordsmanship student. We have no chance of defeating such a creature," the monk declared gravely.
"You know a lot for a bald guy!" Benjamin snapped.
"I'm not bald, I'm a monk!" " replied the other, veins popping out on his face.
"All right, both of you shut up!" Chloe fumed. "I have an idea... But I'm warning you, close your eyes, it might be blinding."
Benjamin and the monk complied immediately.
"Flame Manipulation Art: Angelic Luminosity!" Chloe called out. A brilliant light burst from her body, spreading throughout the area. The brightness was so intense that it blinded the spirit, who screamed in pain as he covered his eyes with his hands. Without wasting a second, Chloe grabbed her two companions by the hands and rushed towards the exit.
A few moments later, the three apprentices were outside.
"Wow, Chloe, your technique was splendid!" Benjamin enthused.
"Yes, it was incredibly effective," the monk admitted.
"Thanks, bald guy!" Chloe teased.
"I'm not bald! And besides, my name is Kaal!" he retorted, exasperated.
Other apprentices entered the tunnel, but, equipped with weak Art energies and unsuitable techniques, most lost their lives. Only about a hundred managed to make it through the exit.
Twenty minutes had passed when Kyriel reached the 200 kilometer mark and found himself facing an immense sea, without a bridge. It stretched as far as the eye could see, giving the illusion of an infinite horizon. In reality, it was an illusory sea, designed to discourage candidates: its true extent measured only 100 kilometers.
Anyone else would have slowed down when faced with this immensity, but not Kyriel. Still immersed in his trance, he repeated only one thing in his mind: Become a master swordsman.
As soon as he set foot on the water, the entire sea froze, transforming into an expanse of ice. The illusion of infinity dissipated, revealing its true length of 100 kilometers. Without hesitation, Kyriel continued his frantic run.
"Prodigy! He froze the illusory sea! Could this boy... rival Larva?" the old man wondered, amazed by the feat he had just witnessed.
Hundreds of thousands of kilometers away, a dark mansion stood, its only light coming from the flickering flames of a few candles. In the gloom, three figures sat around a massive table.
"It is high time to take action, Neptune... I grant you carte blanche for this mission," declared a deep voice, belonging to a man whose face remained hidden in the deep shadows of the room.
"Very well, Your Majesty. I will act without delay," replied Neptune.
With that, he stood up and left the room, his face emblazoned with murderous rage.