I Shall Devour Everything

"But as for the details, you will have to ask him and listen to his instructions. Anyways, for now, let's go to the Central Ward and register you and, oh, Shun as well. But let me ask you, do you really want to take the Ironheart Test next year? You do know that you have time till you are twenty years of age, right?" Mei asked with a tinge of concern.

Arion knew that one could participate in the Ironheart test any year as long as one were between 15 to 20 years of age.

However, contrary to the expectations of someone who doesn't know much about this world, youngsters usually always take the test when they are 15 years old without delaying too much rather than train as much as they can till they are 20 and participate.

The second most important reason was that they wouldn't be making much progress on their own even within five years unless they were born into a rich and powerful family. However, this case was so rare when compared to the majority of aspiring Defiers who find it hard to find resources or good teachers to develop their Defity.

And the third most important reason was because of how limited a human's life span was. So, the earlier they pass the Ironheart test and gain resources and access to facilities to better themselves, the more time and chances they would have in their hands to evolve themselves.

Even if one developed their Defity, there was no guarantee that their lifespan would increase but, in fact, would have to go about special ways and methods to increase it.

Since extending life was the dream of most men and women, they would do their best to pass the Ironheart test early and then go about finding ways to extend their lifespan. So, even a single year could be precious to them.

The reason Mei asked was that since Arion had a personal teacher to train him, he could train more and increase his chances.

She knew that the one year Old Zi mentioned was a rough estimate he would need to shape up Arion into someone who could take the Ironheart test confidently.

However, in reality, he could train for three years and then take the test as well. 

But Arion also obviously wanted to live longer rather than his current lifespan, which was as normal as any humans, less than 120 years.

Even the notion of having a chance to extend his life sounded so unbelievable the first time he learned about it, and as someone who lived in a normal world, he was very much interested in extending his life.

But the most important reason youngsters took the Ironheart test early was because the younger they are, the more prospects they would have for leading a lavish and less risky life as long as they have fine achievements tagged to their name.

After all, most didn't want to risk their life daily, fighting Dreadlings and instead have it easy.

"It's fine. I don't want to waste any more years, and I am confident that Old Zi can train me up to easily pass the test. You don't have to worry." Of course, Arion also felt the same since he was no fan of constantly risking his life by fighting Dreadlings but would rather use that time to find more ways to increase his power.

However, little did he know that his present notions of gaining power couldn't be more wrong.

"Okay. If that's what you want," Mei also felt that with her and Old Zi's training, Arion should have a good chance though she didn't know tough next year's Ironheart test was going to be nor what kind of rules they would have in place.

The trio Arion, Mei, and Shun soon left for the Central Ward, where, in one of the main streets was located a large building that read 'The Order of Dreadslayers'.

Shun was curiously looking around as if he was seeing everything for the first time and seemed very keen on observing things.

Arion was not seeing this building for the first time but had seen it before when Mei took him around these places before.

However, he had no idea why but he felt a strange sense of happiness and satisfaction upon seeing this building as if he achieved his lifelong dream.

He knew he was desperate to become a Dreadslayer, but he didn't have any particular fascination for the Order of Dreadslayers.

But in his memories, he saw that his previous self was quite obsessed with joining the Order of Dreadslayers, and every time he visited the Golden Monolith, he would also come through this way to take a look at this tall building.

There was a triangle-shaped emblem on top of the building made up of three stripes from each of its corners which joined to form a shield in the middle and wings on two sides of the emblem.

Arion felt that he was probably getting influenced by his memories since he could see how bitterly his previous self prayed to one day enter this building and give his name to participate in the Ironheart test.

'You did it...finally,' Arion thought though it was unclear whether he was talking to himself or referring to his previous self.

"Hmm, so this is the famous Order of Dreadslayers...not bad...not bad…" Shun mumbled as he kept looking around.

Arion furrowed his brows and asked, "What do you mean not bad? Have you seen a building grander than this?" 

Indeed, in Arion's perspective, the most grand-looking building he had ever come upon in this world was this one.

"Why can't there be better ones? I just commented based on the rumors I heard about various places. You should talk to other people once in a while rather than sticking close to your sister only," Shun said with a smirk.

Arion quickly looked in Mei's direction only to sigh in relief, seeing that she was conversing with a woman behind a desk and didn't probably hear the comment Shun made.

Still, he raised his hands with an irked expression and cracked his knuckles as he said, "Hmph, I better stick to my sister rather than play the cute boy next door like you and fool people."

Although he knew how hypocritical he was being, he didn't care as long as he could annoy this shorty.

Shun shrugged his shoulders and said with a roguish smile, "Tsk, tsk, you are just jealous you can't be awesome like me, huhu."

"Ugh, whatever," Arion let out a sigh of frustration as he walked forward and stood near Mei. He even almost forgot for what he was here for just by talking to Shun.

"Oh, Ari, I was about to call you," Mei turned around and said as she showed him a record-keeping book kept on the table and said, "You now have to write your name here and sign in using your thumbprint. But remember that, once you register, there is no going back or dropping out or retries. You can only pass to come out of this, well and safe. So, if you are confident, you can go ahead, and this nice sister here will mark your registration."

Arion took the quill in his hand and felt his handshake a bit before his eyes became resolute as he wrote his name on the page and pressed his thumb on a red ink-like pad and moved his thumb over to press it beside his name.

"Wait! You have to connect to your prana before you put your thumb impression," The assistant lady said as she stopped Arion.

'Oh right…' Arion immediately connected to his prana without any delay, and the red ink on his hand began to glow slightly.

"Okay, now go ahead," The lady instructed, but she had a surprised look since Arion was instantly able to connect to his prana, especially when he didn't seem to be maintaining a link with his prana before.

Mei was also surprised as someone young and inexperienced as Arion shouldn't be able to connect so easily as lifting a hand since synchronizing with one's own prana should take some time before one could easily link with it.

It was no different than how a baby would take some getting used to walking with their legs since they need to develop control over their limbs. And this similar concept was applicable when someone walks the path of Defity.

Arion was someone who only recently started to connect with prana, so Mei was the most surprised when she saw him easily link with his prana. If it were anybody else with circumstances the same as him, she was sure they wouldn't be able to link so fast.

She wondered if he was innately gifted with the ability to synchronize with prana wholly and effortlessly.

However, Arion was oblivious to this fact, and as he pressed his thumb on the page, he was surprised as some writings began to appear on the page on their own!