Ichiro looked at the clock on his phone, and the time was currently 23:57.

Three minutes until he can leave.

The party was still going as hard as in the start, maybe even harder now.

No one knew how, but somehow the young men and women got their hands on alcohol, and most of them became completely drunk.

He has mostly sat on his couch for the whole party, while almost every minute someone comes to ask him for a dance or go do some more daring stuff, but he didn't even bat an eye.

Erik was still sitting on the same couch, but he felt like Ichiro was his comrade. He thought Ichiro was introverted like him. That's why he is trying to stay away from other people.

But that's not quite true.

He was being extremely annoyed that he had to be in this shithole called Underworld City while he could be with his girlfriend.

He still has to do some blacksmithing as well, and he has looked forward to it. There is also apparently a school trip coming up. Every class is going to the mountains, not for hiking or camping.

There is an inn located there, which is one of the most popular locations in the entire Winterlight.

After the training camp, it is time for the Test!

He is not really feeling excited about that.

If other Geniuses who take part in the Test heard his words, they would die out of anger.

The Test is the most important thing in their lives!

Their future will be decided there! If they fail, they are destined for mediocre.

But... If they do well... They have one ticket to the top, but the most desired prize is the Leader of Younger Generation title.

That title was in the hands of Abyss before, and now the next Leader will be crowned!

There have been few Tests after Abyss, but no one could get the Leader title, but this time there are rumors that Monks are expecting a new Leader!

Ichiro didn't know any of it, and he had no idea that The Test was perhaps the most important event in his life!

It will determine what he will become.

Ichiro took another glance at the clock, and it was only 1 minute before he could leave.

He waited patiently and watched as the seconds ticked down.

23:59.57...

23:59.58...

23:59.59...

00:00.00...

Ichiro instantly stood up and started walking towards the exit.

But, when he was about to arrive at the exit, another young man planned to leave at the same time!

It was Lucius!

Lucius took a glance at Ichiro and snorted. He left the building and started calmly walking towards the stadium.

Ichiro scoffed and left the building as well.

He walked some distance away from Lucius, who arrogantly kept his chin up.

But then, suddenly, Lucius stopped moving.

Ichiro raised an eyebrow and was about to go past him, but then Lucius turned around and punched towards him!

Ichiro widened his eyes in shock. He quickly put his two palms in front of him and deflected the fist to the side.

''What are you doing?!'' Ichiro shouted with anger, but Lucius didn't answer; instead, he looked very doll-like.

Ichiro narrowed his eyes and saw Lucius' eyes glowing on blue!

'What...' He frowned and felt like something was wrong with him.

''Sorry, Lucius is not at home right now,'' Lucius said with a creepy tone while moving back and forth. It really looked like he was a puppet, controlled by someone.

''Who are you?'' Ichiro asked with a cold tone.

''My name is Rijun, and I am curious why they think you are so special.'' Lucius or Rijun said.

In a balcony of the building where the party was ongoing.

Rijun was looking towards Lucius and Ichiro while his fingers glowed in bluish color.

It was like he was a puppeteer who was controlling everything.

''And, why are you attacking me using Lucius?'' Ichiro asked with a frown.

''Your strength is similar with Lucius. It is perfect to test you with an opponent of similar strength.''

Ichiro chuckled, ''Nice excuse, but aren't you just a coward who is hiding behind others?''

''How dare you?!'' Lucius' face was emotionless, but the tone of his words was one of pure anger.

''I am a being way above your insignificant existence!''

Ichiro resisted laughing, ''Well... How are you planning to test me?''

''If you can withstand 10 moves against my Martial Arts Style, I can approve your miserable existence.''

'10... He is sure belittling me... Let's see... Can he survive 10 of my moves!' Ichiro went into his fighting stance, his newly improved Predator Stance!

Lucius' stance became extremely low, but Ichiro can instantly tell that his stance is not worse than his!

He didn't have any weak spots, and his stance perfectly allowed him to unleash quick attacks but also block.

'Interesting...' Ichiro thought with narrowed eyes.

''First move!'' Lucius shouted and started taking slow steps forwards while still being in his stance.

Once he was in the attacking range, he shouted one more time, ''First move, Cataclysm!'' He stomped the ground powerfully, which caused an ear-piercing sound, but it also made the ground below Ichiro shake without stopping.

'He is planning to disturb my posture... Not going to happen!' Ichiro kept perfectly still.

Lucius lowered his fist and did a quick uppercut towards Ichiro's jaw!

His move, Cataclysm, has three phases. The first is to disturb his opponents' balance, then send a decoy attack, which in this case is the uppercut, and after that, he will unleash his real attack.

Ichiro moved his head slightly backward.

The uppercut missed its mark, but then Ichiro felt that something was wrong.

Lucius' arm, which he used to throw an uppercut, was perfectly blocking his vision!

Ichiro's great fighting experience is again doing its magic, and he instantly knew what to do in this situation.

He didn't see it, but Lucius used his other arm to send a powerful body punch, and it wasn't far from hitting.

[Iron Purgatory!]

Lucius can't also see Ichiro's figure properly, which was his mistake.

Ichiro could easily now redirect his attention, and that's what he did.

Rijun in the balcony grinned as he was being sure of the attack hitting, but then he saw Ichiro moving towards the side and Lucius' fist missing!

Ichiro punched towards Lucius' cheek, but he managed to dodge it with impossible timing!

'How?!' Ichiro cried out. If he was fighting only against Lucius, then his attack would have hit, and he would have probably won.

But, he forgot one thing.

Rijun is watching the fight from somewhere else!

He can't redirect his field of vision because Rijun's field of vision was too large to be redirected!

This is the first time Ichiro is fighting an opponent like this, which makes his fighting experience useless!

But... He still brimmed confidence in his own strength!

'Fine... If that won't work.... Time to show what I am truly capable of!'