The other contestants fell silent after Michael's words.
Even if what he did was unfair, they had no say. Stepping onto his toes would warant endless trouble.
On the other hand, the rival butlers glanced at each other before turning to the head butler.
Kaito let out a soft chuckle. "We'll have a ranking battle with the selected."
The butlers were satisfied. If the candidate of their choice defeated Micheal's pick, then that'd show their vision was better.
All these little things add up when a head butler would be selected. Besides, in the long run, after ten or twenty years, these candidates would rise and become the pillars of their faction.
"You can recover and start fighting." Kaito waved his frail hand and green vials appeared in front of every candidate.
'High Space Awakener.' Varian noted and gulped down the green liquid.
A warmth originated from his abdomen and spread towards his body.
This was a healing liquid. Varian didn't have many injuries to begin with, but took it for the sake of it.
After a few minutes, his injuries were healed. But before he could wake up, the prana in his body flowed towards the warmth.
Varian felt the life force in his body slowly rise. His prana was increasing.
'System, keep my Morpher Aura at the same level.' He said and went into meditation.
[Yes, host. No one can sense any change in your aura change.]
After a few minutes, he opened his eyes and a blue screen greeted him.
[+5 Xp]
[Morpher Path Level 3: 65/400]
Varian got up under the weird gazes of the judging panel. He looked around and realized the knock out battles were already nearing completion.
Micheal now had a frown as he glanced at Varian. While everyone thought Varian was too injured due to his performance in the test earlier, Micheal had another feeling.
'He's definitely not injured. He didn't do drugs. A morpher also heals faster than anyone else. Then did he just meditate because the matches are boring? Regardless, he just gives a weird feeling.'
Varian ignored the varying gazes and put a drop of the healing liquid on his ghost ship disguised as a ring.
'Boo, find the source and ingredients of this liquid?'
Increasing Xp with healing liquid was a strange experience.
It never happened when he took the healing potions after the hideout slaughters in the past few days.
So what was really special about this particular liquid?
'Master, there is a special 4 star plant, Isteslia, used.'
'I see.' Varian verified his conjecture.
It seemed like the plant he was somehow related to the planet entity his morpher path would transform him into.
So consuming it gave enabled the prana in his body to increase the connection with the 'entity' he'd morph into.
Such cases were common in both plant and beast morphers. It was their unique little advantage.
Of course, the push it gave would only be till Level 3. From Level 4, Morphers could partially transform and it'd no longer help.
Varian decided to pick a few of those plants soon, but for now, he glanced at the duel rings.
Boom!
Boom!
As he expected, the final battles were fought between Level 3s.
But the surprising thing was the three corpses that were thrown out of the ring.
Varian glanced at the contestants that were immersed in the fight and the butlers that didn't give a fuck.
He didn't feel any pity for them. They knew what they were getting themselves into.
At least they died pursuing their goal.
'But I—I want to live and fulfil my goals.' He clenched his fists. 'I need to win Micheal's trust as soon as possible, then I can poison and take him away.'
Micheal nodded at Varian and Varian nodded back.
'He's a peak Level 6. It might take a little longer, but once he's poisoned, he'd a fish on the chopping board.'
As Varian simulated on the ways to poison Micheal, the battles ended.
"You can now rest before we have a one-on-one match." Kaito announced.
"I will take on them all." Varian raised his hand.
"What?!" The four candidates glared daggers at Varian, but he didn't care.
Even the strongest among them was a mid-Level 3.
Besides, these people weren't exactly the genius level figures of Imperial Academy.
Varian repeated his words, looking at the head butler. "I'll fight them all."
Micheal's chest puffed out. 'Yes. A good seed. The stronger you are, the better.'
"Sure. I'm also curious." Kaito nodded.
The other butlers sent the messages to their chosen ones. The air turned heavy.
After thirty minutes, the four applicants jumped into Varian's ring.
"Old rules. Knock out your opponent or immobilize them. The first one to be knocked out is 5th and the last one standing is 1st."
"Start."
Just as Kaito's voice trailed off, the four participants turned to Varian.
Despite themselves, they decided to unite and knock him down.
"Tsk." Varian clicked his tongue as the space around him solidified.
At the same time, a fireball shot at him.
A Body Awakener and a Beast Morpher, both at Level 3, lunged at him with great speed.
Varian used his own space power and punched back.
Crack!
His fist crashed into the chest of the Level 3 Space Awakener that teleported behind him for a surprise attack.
The Space Awakener crashed into the ground in disbelief as he coughed out blood. He couldn't bear the pain any longer and passed out.
One down.
Varian teleported the next moment and the fireball, Body Awakener and Beast Morpher destroyed the location he was previously standing.
Boom!
The stage shook as gravel rose into the air.
Varian appeared behind the Fire Awakener and punched through the wall of fire his opponent hastily set up in the final moment.
Boom!
Similar to Space Awakener, Fire Awakener also had a weak body. So a strong punch was enough to knock him down.
But his shield helped him out and absorbed a lot of damage.
Before the fire awakener could escape, Varian blocked the space and kicked him.
Crack!
It was too fast and this time, even the defensive fire wall was affected by space block.
The Fire Awakener was kicked out of the ring and collapsed on the ground. Soon, he too passed out.
"Son of a bitch!" The Body Awakener and the Beast Morpher cursed at the same time.
Varian's gaze instinctively shifted to the smiling Micheal and his gaze darkened.
A sword appeared in his hand and Varian teleported in front of the final two contestants. The sword was still sheathed, and Varian didn't intend to kill.
The beast awakener had a stronger speed and explosive strength. His body glowed in red and his fist reached Varian's neck in an instant.
They were sure Varian couldn't teleport out in time since his Space path was only Level 2.
Behind him, the Body Awakener kick was closing in on at Varian's groin.
The angle he picked was perfect—even if Varian dodges the Beast Morpher's punch, he would take a kick in the groin.
In this battle, such a kick meant death.
These two were cooperating to kill him off.
Varian's gaze cooled down, and he unsheathed his sword. He was indeed only a Level 2 Space Awakener, but the experience in Space layers honed his expertise in space.
Booom!
The punch of the Beast Morpher blasted empty air as Varian vanished into thin air.
The Body Awakener, still in kicking posture, suddenly turned around, and raised his arms in guard.
Shuaa!
The cold metal plunged into his neck and—
The butler who selected him was about to use his power, but Kaito glanced at him.
The butler clenched his fist and sat with his head down under Micheal's mocking gaze.
Thud!
Crack!
The beast morpher's eyes were bloodshot, and he stepped on the corpse of Body Awakener and jumped at Varian.
'If that Space Awakener was still standing, he'd have helped you out. But too bad.'
Varian exploited his advantage and teleported away.
Even though the speed of Beast Morpher was significantly higher than his own, he couldn't stop Varian from teleporting.
Boom!
Boom!
Each of his punches only hit empty air and the beast morpher was slowly losing control.
Losing control was in a battle was asking for death.
"Die!"
The beast morpher roared and shot at Varian with his greatest speed.
Shuaa!
Varian teleported right above the beast morpher and his sword light flashed.
Thud!
A headless corpse rolled on the floor.
'I killed three humans till now. The fat man and these two.' Varian wiped the red blood off his face.
'To save humanity as a whole, the green blood of Abyssals must be shed.' He sheathed his sword.
'But also the red blood of traitors.' After cleaning his face, he looked at the judge panel.
They glanced at him. His eyes didn't show any remorse or pity for killing. It was like a normal and even a just thing to do.
Varian's greeted with a calm and steady smile. 'But for my personal grudges, I will kill. Be it Micheal or be it Narcis.'
Micheal glanced up and down at Varian and applauded. "Wonderful. I will personally train you for a week. You'll be appointed as third class butler and as soon as you advance to Level 5, you'll be a second class butler."
Varian, no, Nova Reeves bowed to Micheal. "I will not disappoint."
Seven days was more than enough to find a suitable opportunity.
'Hope your answer will not disappoint or you'd be facing hell.'
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