Chapter 343: Status, II

Aside from the glamorous food, the rest of the candidates that were recommended by a Silver or higher ranked hunters were given a room.

In there, Ned stayed and rested.

Two hours before the Hunter Exam, Ned checked his status, to make sure he was at his best for the exam.

He was at 4, 000 Mana and a hundred percent energy. With all the Mana stones that he absorbed that left him with only 10, 000 of it, it would be confusing if it won't even increase by a thousand. Added with the food, and the rest, his energy remained at a hundred.

Prime Evolution still paused at 69 over 2, 000. Ned scowled looking at the digits appearing before him which only he could see. Ned then sighed brushing off the thought of him Devouring during the Exam. Ned stood from his supine position and sat over the edge of the bed.

He then looked down, looking at his feet, his hands, then his body. He grew quite moderate in those 7 months, a thread of silver hair visible at the side of his vision. He fingered them and continued to check his status.

Currently, he got an arsenal of spells from fire and wind elements.

Fireball, Firelance, Flame's Worth, Flame's Breath, Tower Blaze for the fire element, the strongest of the element judging from Ned's experience. Fireball was at level two along with Egneous.

For Wind, the fast and versatile element, he got Windball, Wind Lance, Windturner, and the spell he wanted to use quite often due to its complex versatility, the Zephyr.

Defender Skills also comes in handy, not to mention the Mark of the Knight skill that neglects fatal damage when activated. Ned sighed it needed 10, 000 Mana points to use and he was no way near to it. Defender made Ned's skin and muscles tougher, that almost, if not completely neglects attacks from low tier physical attacks.

Ned realized that after he was attacked by the Swamp Eye's illusion, he became much more aware of the illusion around him. Still, with ICE's help as she got a faster response than Ned as long as it was connected to his mind.

Egneous on the other hand was Ned's, as what ICE had said, bread and butter, as it almost creates devastation once conjured. Ned assured himself not to use it if not necessary. Ned narrowed his eyes as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, relieving pain.

Along with Egneous was the Overclock. The master of the Plain said that Ned was heavily relying on the skills and spells that were etched onto him by the Empire's engineers.

Ned frowned. He hated that being who imitated his Master. But, hate him as he much, the man was right. What would happen, if, for some reason, ICE was taken off from him? Would he still be the Ned without Calahir's creations? Or was he less of the man he used to be?

Ned threw himself back on the bed. Wet hair sipping through the bed. He closed his eyes, trying to remember the faces of his friends.

He rolled, unable to completely realize Xi's face, or Lady Zoreena, or Grandma Lola. Not even Toni.

Ned rolled, trying to distract himself.

Ned raised his left hand, looking at the ring Kamma gave him. He closed his eyes and focused.

Aside from the Gold which he used to admit himself to the Hunter Exam, he's got nothing left to spare. That was why he was so happy that he gets to eat a slice of meat for free.

Inside his inventory were the items only he can access: broken Butterfly, the Kurashinpi Mask, the oddly satisfying 10, 000 Mana stones. 10, 000 seemed to be a lot of others who knew about this, but for Ned, it was nothing but a stone he would only use if necessary. These were the two crystals he got under the water when he and Katolin swam to reach the shore. The other crystal was as green as the Butterfly before it broke. The tokens he left floating in the darkness: Master Will's Token, Time to Loot Token, and the Selection Token that supposedly admits him to the Griffith Academy. Ser Edwin Token was left outside the table along with the leather pouch and the Krisalix. Ned's House of Sskat card was left suspended before his consciousness, he only took them out if necessary. Silk Road on the other hand was left folded beside Ned.

And one thing that confuses him, was the mysterious boxes left unopened. Although invisible, Ned could feel them touching his consciousness as though eager to be opened. Even now, it was a mystery why Calahir and Kamma would put them inside the Ring. Sure, the food helped him remember his travels with Kamma on planet Earth, while the Platinum Armor and a single Holy Hand Grenade held him big he got from the Starter Pack. But why? Why put them inside the Ring in the first place?

Ned asked his system. But to no avail, ICE revealed nothing but confused voices. For a code to get confused, this was something Ned couldn't understand. He let go of the thought. It was something that Calahir put inside the Ring for some reason.

It took Ned over an hour to finish assessing his status. Once he was done, it was already time for him to went outside the castle. It was a castle indeed even though they were inside the mountain ranges, the Association carefully dug inside the mountain.

The men in blue uniform were eager to share that Wrath Island was once a chaotic place full of magical beasts, but after the Association took over, they made the island a testing venue for Hunter Exam. People were glad about this since they took beasts that would swim and sometimes land on the nearest island. Destroying places where no Hunters stood to guard.

Ned prepared: fingered his hair. Wore the Silk Road in a manner that befitting him of his old place. An old-looking hunter clothing he always wore when he went hunting with his Master. Although empty, Ned still tied the leather pouch on his left waist, while the Krisalix on his right.

Ned was about to leave the room when a knock echoed behind the door.

It was a Hunter stationed to keep the candidate's safety. Ned poked his head to the side of the door. It seemed that he wasn't alone after all. The same way as they did to Ned, the rest of the room was welcomed by these men in a blue uniform.

The kids' Ned met, including the princess, took a wary glance at him and to his room. Outside, the door of his room was painted a smooth blue telling the onlookers that he was recommended by a Diamond Rank Hunter. While the rest were white, showing a Silver Rank Hunter recommended them. And the six lackeys came out of this silver room, gold for the princess that tried to mock Ned. And, on their side of the passage, there were only three Diamond Rank recommend door, including Ned.

But Ned didn't see any of them left the room along with their escorts.

He then followed the man who was stationed with him.

Ned walked a long path until his group left the castle.

After almost twenty minutes of walking, Ned's group arrived at a double door where Hunters stood on both sides, guarding while doing mental note to whoever went in and out of the door.

The escorts left Ned so did the rest in a wide room. There were almost a hundred of them, Ned wasn't able to see where were the candidates recommended below Silver were. He assumed they were in another place.

Each stared at each other with confused faces, and only a handful remained calm as Ned analyzed them. Halfway through his scrutinizing, the massive double door swung opened and the group was led outside the room.

It was dawn when they arrived at their destination. It was a half-dome, like those of gladiators, but this one was built like a theater as the stone stairs were reclining downward. In the middle was a stage, a tall one, and a group of people was already standing over it.

Judging from the crowd, there were almost, or not less than 600. Some just came out of the doors same as Ned did with his group. Others were already seated.

Ned was trying to admire the architecture of the place when a hand tapped him by the shoulder. It was a lady in blue and gestured Ned to follow her.

As they walked downwards, Ned noticed that only he and a handful of other candidates have escorts.

Glares were thrown at Ned as though saying 'Who is this kid with that kind of treatment?'

Ned wasn't bothered by their glares as he followed the steps downward until he and the handful of candidates were now together and glaring with each other.

Ned tried to look for Su'aya and Su'ayun over his shoulder. But the design of the place was a half-circle, and sloping downward, together with the crowd made his query almost impossible.

After they have seated, a gong boomed. Indicating the start of the Hunter Exam.