Now free to move as they pleased, most of the arrived soldiers headed to meet the district leader. Usually, there was no need for such formalities; Evelyn had diligently done her duty.

However, most believed it was wise to make a good impression on the person who was going to be leading them.

After all, that person had reached a status the majority could never hope to.

"I—Is it true that Azura is being governed by a Lord?" One soldier mumbled.

"Yes, so are most of the cities on the planet." Another answered.

Ava overheard their chatter and turned to Victoria.

"What is the fuss all about? A Lord is just one realm above a Grandmaster, right?"

Since she didn't bother with formalities and studies, she wasn't informed on the difference between the realms. And she wasn't the only one; in the eyes of the normal person, a Grandmaster was the peak.

Victoria shook her head. "The gap between the two is simply astronomical; for reference, if there was a Lord right next to us, we wouldn't even know."

Seeing the doubt in Ava's gaze, she added. "It will be easier to understand when you witness it firsthand."

The journey towards the city's governor was short. Azura was split into three regions: outer, inner, and center. Fortunately, the soldiers had landed in the very core, saving much of the tedious walk.

"Mom, look! Soldiers!" A child exclaimed, poking its head out of a corner.

"Dear, leave those people alone!" Its mother quickly took it in her arms, disappearing from view.

Unlike the bases on Triton, the planet housed actual cities. Not just soldiers but civilians as well.

While the number of reinforcements might have looked insignificant compared to the population of the city, most of the populace had never cultivated in their life. In simpler terms, they were fragile and defenseless.

Less than an hour later they reached the central building that oversaw the whole city.

Since they were already expected, the soldiers were swiftly guided to meet the Lord.

"Hm?"

The room didn't meet their expectations; with the giant gates opened, the only thing they saw was a black void without a trace of light inside. Even the Masters were unable to see past it.

With no other option, they took a step forward.

Shudder!

At the very first step at the Lord's room, the soldiers froze. Goosebumps passed over their bodies, warning them of a grave danger ahead.

"Continue forward." A cold voice sounded from the opposite side.

Despite the invitation, the aura that assaulted their bodies intensified, forcing the weakest to collapse.

'A test right off the bat?' Michael was intrigued by the idea; it was clear this was the Lord's way to test the newcomers. The further one walked, the higher their cultivation and spirit.

Most came to the same conclusion; eager to present themselves in the best possible light, they pushed their souls to the limit.

With the majority of the soldiers remaining frozen in place, the Adepts and the ones above them continued.

However, most were forced to halt at the tenth step.

"Fuck! It's like there is a mountain on my shoulders!" Enzo complained, veins bulging all over his face. Managing to fight off against the aura, he made the eleventh step before collapsing on the spot.

'Commendable.' Michael noted Enzo's fighting spirit, continuing forward.

The terrifying aura worsened immensely when the remaining soldiers reached the middle of the room. The majority of the Experts were forced to stop.

"I have no intention of staring at your back!" Ava roared with gritted teeth; despite the weight on her petite body, she didn't want to fall behind Michael.

Sadly, she didn't last long. Once the first Master stopped, she did as well. Her blood cooled as she fell to her knees.

'She has earned the Rare cybernetic.' Michael decided to reward her later. Wiping the sweat forming on his forehead.

He was the only Expert remaining, mixed in with the other Masters. While he could have feigned weakness and stopped at one point, he was curious to see how far his soul and body would withstand the pressure of a Lord.

More Masters hit their limit.

"How far do you plan on going?" Victoria smiled faintly, seeing Michael's eyes burn crimson with the Berserker technique activated.

"Until I reach the end." He replied with a struggle.

But soon enough he reached his limit. His left leg gave out, stopping him in place. Despite failing to reach the Lord he had passed most of the Masters while still being of the Early Expert realm. That was a win in his book.

Soon enough everyone had reached their limit; Victoria was placed at the third spot, behind just two other Masters.

"Good." The cold voice called out from behind the veil of darkness. Despite the test being over, the aura still lingered, crushing the bodies of the soldiers.

'This has to be a concealment technique. I can't even tell the gender of their voice.' Michael noticed. For whatever reason this person wanted to remain secretive.

"Those that passed the middle of the room will be answering directly to me. You will join our main force against the alien invaders." The voice spoke.

"Those unable to cross five steps would be stationed at the walls. The rest would be distributed with due time."

With the judgment finished, the aura lifted off the soldiers' shoulders, allowing them to breathe.

"You may leave."

"..."

Nobody uttered a word. They all knew the person at the end of this room could wipe them out with the flick of their finger. Even the Masters were speechless at the feeling of being overpowered so easily.

Not wanting to remain for longer than necessary, everybody left, hoping to never encounter a person as terrifying as this again.

With the gates closed, the Lord remained silent for a few short seconds before speaking once more.

"Now can you tell me why a Lord is traveling disguised with some simple soldiers?"

A charming giggle resonated in the area as a beautiful woman removed the hood. This was none other than Elina. The King's orders had been spoken, and she had obeyed.

"I have some things to take care of, nothing serious." She said with a breathtaking smile, acting like it wasn't a crime for a Lord to enter another territory unannounced.

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