Three Heroes of the Border's First Glimmer

The next day. Early morning.

A light snow had fallen last night, blanketing the metal dome in a thin layer of frost that quickly melted into water, trickling down through the seams.

There was no sun on this winter morning; the light was obscured by a hazy mist. The faint glow shimmering in the air was merely pure, white meltwater.

The Sixth Church of the Alchemy and Mechanical Holy See.

The waiting area on the second floor was filled with examinees. They peered down through the glass windows, their expressions tense, occasionally checking their chosen magic combinations to ensure they were correct and would pass the exam.

They had discreetly inquired about yesterday's examiners.

Ashley Xien was a genius sorcerer from the prominent Xien family, and the foremost among the younger generation in her research on magic slot combinations.

Facing such a genius as their opponent, they feared their meticulously researched magic combinations would be seen through in an instant.

On the third floor, the priests of the Holy See sat around a round table, recording scores and quietly discussing the examinees' performances.

"Candidate number 43, prepare yourself."

An alchemy magic device announced the next candidate's name. A young girl with brown hair quickly responded, hurrying to her feet and nervously walking towards the stage.

Priest Ashley yawned, looking somewhat bored.

She couldn't muster much enthusiasm, partly due to the cold weather and partly because the examinees were utterly uninteresting.

The best performer so far had only lasted six minutes and thirty seconds.

She'd rather sleep by the fireplace than deal with these dull, uninspired outsiders.

Boring, so boring.

"Let me see your magic slot choices. Hmm, Holy Light Technique, healing, damage displacement, Light Sword. Are you planning to go for a trade-damage approach?"

Ashley stated calmly, "That's too cliché. You're really quite boring."

Her critiques were never sugarcoated.

"Ah," the girl flinched, shrinking her neck.

A license woven from light appeared in her hand. Simultaneously, an identical license materialized in Ashley's hand.

This was the promise of examination from yesterday.

"Sign this authorization, and the Saint-tier Alchemy Array 'Authorization Conversion - Alchemical Biomimicry' will activate,"

Ashley said lazily. "We will achieve completely fair conditions – I will completely transform into the state you were in when you signed the authorization. And the exam results will be entirely judged by the Scales of Order."

[To ensure complete fairness, through the authorized alchemy array, the examiner will perfectly replicate all your states upon entering the examination hall, such as appearance, equipment, physical condition, and the magic books in your four magic slots.]

The authorization document stated.

Except for titles, of course. They couldn't be copied anyway – after all, God-Bestowed Titles were actively granted by the gods, possessing divine uniqueness.

As the authorization was signed, this top-tier array slowly activated.

Ashley's hair changed. Her original brilliant golden hue gradually shifted to a brownish-yellow. Her delicate and proud face gained a few freckles – she was slowly transforming into the appearance of the young girl before her.

Even the equipment on Ashley's body changed: exactly the same as the examinee's.

Slightly unfashionable, slightly ordinary.

This was why Ashley disliked being an examiner; she had to temporarily become these unsightly individuals.

She particularly disliked those from the borderlands; they always seemed to have a certain smell about them.

So unpleasant.

Looking at the unfashionable 'self', Ashley said mockingly, "Then, shall we begin?"

Number 59.

It was Arthur Sunny's turn.

He was the first of the Three Heroes of the Border to take the exam, and he would be the vanguard.

[Radiant Lion Cub]

Facing the gazes of everyone present, he slowly stood up, his eyes firm and confident.

Arthur looked towards Ansu, who slowly nodded at him.

The surrounding examinees looked at him with anticipation. Their morale was low; Ashley had thoroughly defeated the previous candidates.

They needed a leader to lift their spirits.

Arthur was that hope.

Firstly, he was the second to finish his exam yesterday. Secondly, it was his appearance.

Handsome and tall, his brilliant golden eyes were like a lion's. His golden hair cascaded down, and his smile was so confident it seemed capable of dispelling the winter gloom.

He wore an expensive, high-grade magic robe, with a golden armor undershirt and masterfully crafted alchemical trousers adorned with sun patterns. In his hand, he held a brilliant golden, oversized staff.

At this moment, Arthur looked like a Paladin – a holy and magnificent knight.

He walked slowly towards the second floor, heading directly to the center of the hall.

"Sign the authorization," Ashley said without even looking at Arthur, barely even using the basic honorific 'you'.

"Such a weak and ostentatious man," Ashley Xien said sarcastically.

She quickly signed her authorization.

Ashley Xien disliked those from the border, and found the person in front of her ostentatious and boring. This would be a quick exam, she thought.

Her senior had warned her to be careful of those troublemakers from the border, but they were just nobodies. What was there to be careful about?

"Before I sign the authorization, I need to prepare," Arthur Sunny replied cheerfully, looking at the authorization that had appeared out of thin air in his hand.

"--It's an exam that will be over soon anyway, what do you need to prepare?"

Arthur Sunny slowly took a breath, and the passionate words of Boss Ansu from last night echoed in his ears: "Courage is the source of strength."

"?" Ashley Xien froze.

The next second, her pupils trembled!

All the examinees in the hall had their pupils trembling in unison.

They couldn't believe what they were seeing.

They were fortunate to witness this day with their own eyes--

They witnessed the descent of the great Holy Light.

Arthur Sunny then ripped off his noble robe, tore off his shirt, revealing broad and magnificent pectoral muscles, and sharply defined six-pack abs. He quickly took off his trousers, his entire body as white as Holy Light, with the only decoration being the golden underwear hanging between his legs!

"Wow," some girls gasped.

Even though they were far away and couldn't hear what Arthur and the examiner were saying, the scene looked incredibly explosive!

"Sign the authorization!"

Before Ashley Xien could react, Arthur Sunny signed his name with flamboyant strokes.

[Authorization Confirmed]

[The examiner will perfectly replicate all states upon signing the authorization, excluding titles]

Including equipment.

That golden underwear was Arthur Sunny's only piece of equipment!

Ashley Xien discovered with shock and fear that all her clothes had also disappeared.

She had a strong body, sharply defined six-pack abs, broad and magnificent pectoral muscles, and golden underwear between her legs!

In the cold early winter wind, she was completely naked.

And her heart was colder than her body.

Bone-chillingly cold.

"You, you..." Ashley Xien stared fixedly at Arthur Sunny, at the words "[Radiant Lion Cub]" above his head. Was this the radiance of the Radiant Lion Cub!

These lowlifes from the border, were they all this lowly by birth!

Ashley Xien gritted her teeth. She had decided that she would humiliate him in the most cruel and insulting way possible.

First, she would check which magic he had chosen and quickly devise a magic combination based on those spells.

Huh?

Why were there no magic spells in the four memory slots?

Ashley Xien was stunned.

"The exam instructions stated, 'You may freely choose magic to equip in your memory slots'."

Arthur Sunny smiled confidently and radiantly, "Not equipping any is also a form of free equipment!"

"Boss Ansu said that with my astonishing intelligence, not having a magic combination is the best combination."

Is there anyone who exploits loopholes like you? Ashley Xien gritted her teeth, forcing herself to calm down.

"Then why did you bring a staff?"

"Who said this is a staff?"

Arthur Sunny slowly raised the rod-like object in his hand. At this moment, in his belief, he was like a Paladin standing on the battlefield, like his countless ancestors of the Sun Family, about to draw his sword--

"This is my Holy Sword."

Ashley Xien's expression turned completely numb.

How can that giant stick be a Holy Sword?

This is a Sorcerer exam, big brother.

"You once said that courage, perseverance, and wisdom are the three principles for passing this exam."

Arthur Sunny struck a sharp sword pose with the large staff, "And I will now show you the courage of the Radiant Holy See!"

He had no armor, no clothes, no defensive gear to cover himself, no magic items. All that remained was his unwavering courage.

This was the dream Arthur Sunny, this Radiant Lion Cub, had always pursued.

This was the glory of the Sun Family.

Is your glorious courage some kind of exhibitionist?!

Ashley Xien covered her bare chest muscles, thinking the person before her was a total pervert!

"The courage to face the wind and snow, the courage to overcome hardship, the courage to be open and honest—"

Arthur drew his staff and unsheathed it. He said with admiration, "Just as Boss Ansu said, this is my [Resolve] as a Knight."

On the stands, Ansu revealed a gratified smile.

Who is Boss Ansu?

Is he their leader?

Was this kid's idea yours?

Ashley Xien suddenly remembered the name Ansu. Just yesterday, this guy seemed to be smiling at her.

"You lowly, despicable commoner," Ashley Xien gritted her teeth.

"Bastard."

"Draw your sword, Knight Ashley Xien," Arthur announced loudly.

"This is an exam for Sorcerers, not an exam for Paladins," Ashley Xien said with an ugly expression.

She was a magic prodigy, not some Paladin prodigy!

She wasn't Knight Ashley Xien either!

She was in the humanities!

"I've had enough of all this red tape—"

Arthur attacked directly, rushing straight to Ashley Xien's front. He swung his great staff high and smashed it down fiercely!

"Strength is the Sorcerer's justification!"

The stands erupted in a clamor, with some young girls cheering particularly intensely.

Even though they didn't know what was happening, seeing two handsome, muscular naked men wrestling, fighting only in golden loincloths—what a feast for the eyes!

Today was the debut battle of the [Radiant Lion Cub], and in the future, an even more resounding title would echo throughout the Imperial Capital.

One of the Three Heroes of the Border, the [Greasy Louse]—Arthur Sunny!

Surely his father, far away on the border, would be proud and boastful of him.

This chapter is three thousand characters!

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