Genetic Ascension

Chapter 1443: Three

Sylas met this person's gaze, his eyes ice-cold, and his expression even harder to read.

To his surprise, his Will couldn't see through this person's cloak and get a scan of his face. In fact, he had already grown used to crushing protective items most people had, so much so that he had started to come across geniuses so used to not being scanned that they didn't even wear protective treasures in the first place, like Kraziel and Veyric.

However, this time, it was like he was sinking into a bottomless abyss. He couldn't sense this person at all.

Sylas' eyes narrowed and he issued the challenge regardless. He didn't have the time to waste.

However, this person forthrightly admitted defeat the instant the challenge was levied. Sylas only gave this person one extra glance before turning away, his eyes etched in coldness as he turned toward Kraziel and Veyric.

There were now two vacant spots that the two of them could take.

Veyric made a move to act, but it was actually Kraziel that stopped him.

"What is it?"

"You notice that he's suddenly become a bit over-eager? What do you think he's in such a rush for?" Kraziel asked with a smile.

"I don't know. Why are you asking me? Why don't you ask him?"

"I would, but he doesn't seem like the type to answer just because, now is he?" Kraziel's smile deepened. "Tell you what, Mr. Primus Imperium, tell us what you're in such a rush for, and we'll happily join and fill in the last two spots. Of course, with us here, it's impossible that we'll allow anyone else to fill in the spots for you."

The timer was originally for a day, but that was under the situation that all dozen spots were filled. Now that two had been killed, there was no longer a timer to speak of… which meant that everything had been reset to square one.

Let alone stalling for what was the remaining half day on the original counter, they could stall for days, weeks, months if they so chose.

Considering the fact that the Dungeon didn't seem to be on the verge of being triggered anytime soon before Sylas arrived, it was safe to say that these two were far more patient than Sylas was himself at the moment.

The "obvious" solution to all of this was for Sylas to simply lose on purpose, be expelled, and then hurry back to the Milky Way right this moment.

But there was an even more obvious reason he couldn't.

He wasn't allowed to lose.

The system was very unforgiving. It allowed loopholes one way, but not the other. Sylas wasn't allowed to pretend as though he didn't know a challenge had been levied, and he likewise wasn't allowed to lose on purpose even if he was confident that he would have won otherwise.

The requirements for a Primus Imperium were twofold. It wasn't just the veneer of perfection that you needed to maintain, but true perfection.

Whether it was internal or external, you weren't allowed to lose in any aspect.

The system would never allow its judgment to be impugned.

Clearly, the two were very much aware of this. They knew that Sylas couldn't lose on purpose even if he wanted to, and by the same token, they knew that they had grabbed onto one of his weaknesses.

Even if Sylas told them what they wanted to know, there was no telling if they would even consider allowing it. What reason did they have to help Sylas?

By the same token, even if there was 100% certainty that they weren't lying and he could trust them, how could he tell them about Earth? Wouldn't that just put his family in even more danger?

Sylas didn't say a word for a long while. He simply stared at them. His aura was akin to a dormant beast, not showing the slightest hint of a reaction to anything.

"What do we do?" Jala whispered to Alex, feeling that something was wrong.

Alex was frowning as well. He realized that Sylas had confirmed something just now, but he didn't understand them either.

In fact, the truth was that the one who should know the most about what was going on right now was Jala. After all, he was the one that triggered all of these changes in the first place. If not for his actions, his acts of defiance, The Professor's item wouldn't have been interrupted the way it had been.

It could be said that Jala had saved Sylas' life back then. But his stubbornness knew no bounds. He was still the only one aware of this and he had never made it a point to say it because he didn't see the reason to.

However, at the moment… Jala still had no idea what was going on either.

"Get ready. Whatever happens next is going to be bad," Alex said, looking back toward the ship and hoping Old Brama had a lot more trump cards than anything he had shown until now. If he didn't, they were finished.

Whether it was these two young men, or that figure hidden away in the ship they had just come from, neither were easy to deal with. But the latter… he would be the reason everything went to shit.

They stood no chance against a B-tier.

And yet, Sylas still spoke those next words.

"I will give you three seconds to decide," he said calmly, not the slightest hint of anger, rage, or fury in his words. "Three seconds to step in here and accept your placement. After these three seconds are through, I do not care who has come with you, you will die here today."

The words sounded so simple, so calm, and yet there was a chill that pervaded through the entire world.

"Three."

"What did he just say?" Kraziel asked, blinking.

"Maybe we should help him count."

"Two."

Kraziel laughed. "One. What are you going to do now?"

Sylas didn't reply with words.