The Unmaker: Level 1 to Godhood

As soon as the last applicant finished the Quickness Test, the evaluator stepped forward, her voice cutting through the murmurs of the crowd. "We will now proceed to the next test. Follow me."

The applicants were led to another chamber, this one filled with rows of large table touchscreens. Each station was manned by a staff member, their expressions neutral as they prepared the equipment. The room was sleek and modern, with holographic displays floating above the tables, showing instructions and sample demonstrations.

The evaluator addressed the group, her tone crisp and professional. "The next test is the Reflexes Test. This will measure your reaction speed and the speed of your arms. The test is simple: as soon as red dotted circles appear on the screen, you must tap them as quickly as possible. Two circles will spawn randomly at a time. If you tap one, another will appear elsewhere. You have 30 seconds to tap as many as you can. Your highest score will be recorded as your final grade."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the applicants. "Oh, and just so you know, the highest record for this test is 576. No skills were used—just raw speed and talent. If anyone breaks this record, the Hunter Bureau will reward them with a complete Epic Rank gear set or one unique item from the Bureau Treasury."

A murmur of excitement rippled through the crowd. Rob's eyes widened at the mention of the reward. Epic Rank gear? That's insane. He glanced at the other applicants, some of whom were already cracking their knuckles and stretching their arms, clearly eager to claim the prize.

The evaluator clapped her hands, bringing the room to attention. "Let's get started. Applicants, please fill the available stations."

Rob watched as the first group stepped up to the touchscreens. The test began, and the room was filled with the sound of frantic tapping. The applicants' faces were a mix of concentration and frustration as they struggled to keep up with the rapidly appearing circles. The scores were displayed on a large screen above, updating in real-time.

The slower applicants scored in the 60-79 range, their movements hesitant and uncoordinated. The average ones managed to hit the 80-100 range, their scores climbing steadily but not spectacularly. A few stood out, their fingers flying across the screens as they racked up higher scores. The current highest score was 120, held by a lean, focused applicant who seemed to be in a world of his own.

Rob's turn came soon after. He stepped up to the station, his heart pounding. The staff member handed him a pair of gloves and gave him a brief nod. "Whenever you're ready."

Rob took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. Don't overthink it. Just tap as fast as you can. He placed his hands on the screen, his eyes fixed on the center. The timer counted down: Three… two… one… GO!

Red circles began to appear, and Rob's fingers moved instinctively. He tapped one, and another appeared. Then another. His movements were quick but not frantic, his focus razor-sharp. The seconds ticked by, and Rob lost himself in the rhythm of the test. Tap. Tap. Tap.

When the timer finally beeped, signaling the end of the test, Rob stepped back, his hands trembling slightly. The screen displayed his score: 81.

The staff member nodded, jotting down his result. "Wait in the lounge. There are snacks and meals available if you haven't had breakfast yet."

Rob nodded, stepping away from the station. As he walked toward the lounge, he couldn't help but glance at the scoreboard. His eyes widened as he saw the updated scores. The highest score was now 218, held by a tall, confident applicant who was already surrounded by a small crowd of admirers. The second-place score was 156, held by a petite woman with a determined expression.

Rob felt a pang of disappointment. 81. That's barely above average. He sighed, shaking his head. I guess I'm not breaking any records today. Still, he reminded himself, This is just one test. There's still the rest of the evaluation.

The lounge was a spacious area with comfortable seating and a buffet table filled with snacks and meals. Rob grabbed a plate of rice and viand, his stomach growling as he realized how hungry he was. He found a quiet corner to sit and eat, his mind still replaying the test.

As he ate, he overheard snippets of conversation from the other applicants. Some were bragging about their scores, while others were lamenting their poor performance. A group near him was discussing the record holder.

"Did you see that guy? He scored 218! How is that even possible?"

"I heard he's been training for this for months. He's got some kind of technique."

"Yeah, but 218? That's insane. I barely hit 90."

Rob listened quietly, his thoughts drifting. Maybe I could've done better if I'd used my Creation skill to enhance my reflexes. But no—that would've been too risky. He shook his head, pushing the thought aside. Stick to the plan.

As he finished his meal, the evaluator's voice echoed through the lounge. "The next test will begin in one hour. Please make sure you're ready."

Rob leaned back in his seat, his mind racing. What's next? Perception? Vitality? Magic? He didn't know, but he was determined to give it his all—without revealing his true abilities.

Rob sat in the lounge, quietly finishing his meal and sipping on a cup of coffee. The hum of conversation filled the air as applicants chatted, compared scores, and speculated about the next test. Rob kept to himself, his mind still replaying the Reflexes Test. 81. Not terrible, but not great either. He sighed, leaning back in his seat.

Just as he was about to take another sip of coffee, a petite woman approached his table, holding a tray of food. She had a warm smile and an air of quiet confidence. Her tray was loaded with rice, adobo, and a bottle of soda. "Hey, mind if I sit here?" she asked, her voice friendly but slightly hesitant.

Rob looked up, surprised. "Uh, sure. Go ahead."

She sat down across from him, setting her tray on the table. "Thanks. It's kind of crowded over there," she said, gesturing toward a group of loud, boisterous applicants who were loudly debating their scores.

Rob nodded, offering a small smile. "Yeah, it's… a lot."

They ate in silence for a moment before the woman spoke again. "So, how much did you score?" she asked, her tone casual but curious.

Rob hesitated, feeling a bit self-conscious. "I-I only managed to get 81," he admitted, scratching the back of his head.

The woman's eyes widened, and she looked genuinely impressed. "Woah, that's really good!"

Rob blinked, surprised by her reaction. "Really? I thought it was just… average."

She shook her head, taking a bite of her adobo. "Nah, 81 is solid. Most people are scoring way lower. You should be proud."

Rob felt a small flicker of pride at her words, though he tried not to show it. "What about you?" he asked, curious.

She sighed, setting her fork down. "I didn't manage to grab first," she said, her tone tinged with disappointment.

Rob frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I only got 3rd place," she replied, shrugging.

Rob's eyes widened. "3rd place? That's amazing!"

She chuckled, a hint of embarrassment in her smile. "Yeah, 156. Not bad, I guess."

Rob nearly spit out his coffee. "156?! That's not 'not bad'—that's incredible! You're the one who scored 2nd place earlier, right?"

She nodded, her cheeks turning slightly pink. "Yeah, but I just got lucky, I guess." She sighed again, her gaze drifting toward a tall, cold-faced young man sitting alone at a nearby table. "Not as good as him, though."

Rob followed her gaze. The man had an air of quiet intensity, his expression unreadable as he sipped a bottle of water. "That guy?" Rob asked.

"Yeah," the woman replied. "He scored 463."

Rob's jaw dropped. "463?! Are you serious? Is he even human?"

She laughed, a dry, humorless sound. "I know, right? He's on a whole other level."

Rob stared at the man, trying to wrap his head around the number. 463. That's almost double the previous record. How is that even possible? He turned back to the woman, shaking his head. "I don't even know what to say. That's… insane."

She nodded, picking at her rice. "Yeah. It's kind of intimidating, honestly. Makes you wonder what else he's capable of."

Rob leaned back in his seat, his mind racing. If there are people like that here, how am I supposed to keep up? He glanced at the woman, realizing he hadn't even asked her name. "I'm Rob, by the way."

She smiled, extending her hand. "I'm Mia. Nice to meet you."

Rob shook her hand, feeling a bit more at ease. "Nice to meet you too, Mia. So, what's your class? If you don't mind me asking."

Mia hesitated for a moment before answering. "I'm a Windblade. It's a C-Rank class focused on speed and precision. What about you?"

Rob froze for a split second, his mind racing. Crap. What do I say? He forced a smile, trying to sound casual. "Oh, uh, I'm just a mage. Nothing special."

Mia raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "A mage, huh? That's cool. What kind of spells can you do?"

Rob shrugged, trying to downplay it. "Oh, you know, the basics. Fireballs, shields, that kind of stuff."

Mia nodded, though her expression suggested she wasn't entirely convinced. "Well, you must be pretty good if you scored 81 in the Reflexes Test. Most mages I know struggle with that kind of thing."

Rob chuckled nervously. "Yeah, I guess I got lucky."

Before Mia could respond, the evaluator's voice echoed through the lounge. "Attention, all applicants. The next test will begin in 10 minutes. Please make your way to the next chamber."

Rob and Mia exchanged a glance. "Guess that's our cue," Mia said, standing up and grabbing her tray. "Good luck, Rob."

"You too, Mia," Rob replied, watching as she walked away. He couldn't help but feel a bit more motivated after their conversation. If someone like Mia can score 156, maybe I can do better in the next test.