Take Down

"I have to say, Gu Shen is a very resilient person."

"He runs fifteen kilometers with a load every day and has never complained about being tired."

"If he's knocked down a hundred times in the boxing ring, he'll get up a hundred times."

"Cut down by a wooden sword, defeated by setbacks, no matter what happens, he always has the courage to try again. But... not everything gives you a second chance."

The thirteenth day.

Separated by soundproof glass, Zhong Wei looked at the young man on the training field, who, under Nan Jin's guidance, was holding a wooden sword tightly in both hands and constantly hacking at a dummy.

His eyes were full of regret. "He can persevere through things that 99% of people can't. This is remarkable willpower. However... willpower is not a factor in the Tribunal's review. Those people only look at potential."

After a long period of thought.

Zhong Wei sighed softly.

"Gu Shen doesn't seem to possess the potential to become 'S'-Rank."

A light sentence, yet it delivered a heavy verdict on a person's fate.

If you only look at the final result, the outcome of many things is actually just one or two light words.

Yes, or no.

And the sweat, tears, and blood that thousands of people have shed for this become insignificant before these two light words, "no."

Fate is such a light, yet heavy thing.

"..."

Luo Er silently watched the sweating young man through the glass window, saying nothing.

The young man hacked at the wooden dummy again and again, tirelessly. Nan Jin constantly tapped his shoulder, wrist, and lower abdomen with the sword sheath, correcting his sword-raising posture. The young man grimaced in pain, but it was just a grimace. He had no complaints and would never give up.

He could always adjust quickly and always grit his teeth and persevere to the end.

The harder Gu Shen worked outside the glass window.

The more heartache Luo Er felt.

She and Zhong Wei were the teacher's earliest and most favored disciples, and they had been in the Tribunal the longest.

Over the years, they had seen too many newcomers. Some were as dazzling as shooting stars, some as fleeting as ephemera, but without a doubt... those who could be discovered and specially recruited into the Tribunal were all exceptionally gifted geniuses.

But no matter how you looked at it, Gu Shen was not the "genius" the Tribunal was looking for. This young man was more like a cactus growing in a barren desert, extremely plain and unremarkable. You could search his entire body and find nothing but resilience.

Because of his resilience, he could stubbornly survive even without rain.

But what good was surviving? A cactus is always unattractive, no matter how you look at it, it's not good-looking.

"I know, Senior Sister's profiling has never been wrong."

"But Gu Shen... hasn't shown even a trace of 'Natural' talent." Zhong Wei was a little confused. "I've used many methods to guide him, but he shows no manifestation of Fire Control Power, cannot sense the free-floating elements, and cannot control actual flames. This is simply too unreasonable."

Looking at the training field, Zhong Wei murmured, "It's clear he's not 'Power' either, and his comprehension time for 'Mental' is so mediocre... Why would the teacher think he's 'S'?"

At first, they came to Da Teng full of anticipation, wanting to see the demeanor of an "S"-Rank newcomer.

But after these past few days, most of their expectations had been dashed. The only thing worth mentioning was Gu Shen's resilience and willpower.

Water dripping on a stone can wear it away. Having willpower is a remarkable thing.

But Gu Shen only had fifteen days in total.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't change the crucial issues.

The final review in two days...

The outcome could already be imagined.

"Don't forget. Our exploration of Transcendent Power is just the tip of the iceberg. The spectrum is still being updated, and new Transcendent Powers appear every year." Senior Apprentice Sister Luo finally spoke. "Remember, three years ago, there were special awakeners in Central Continent who couldn't be categorized into the three systems."

"You mean... Specialty?"

Zhong Wei seemed to realize something, then whispered, "That... could explain it. But the probability is too low."

"Is that so? Compared to the probability of S-Rank?"

Senior Apprentice Sister Luo smiled. "Miracles are called miracles because the probability is too low, and people often dare not believe."

"Alright, Gu Shen's potential will be decided by the Assessment Team. That's not something we should worry about... The important thing is that Gu Shen hasn't given up, he's still persevering. How can we lose faith in him?"

Senior Apprentice Sister Luo looked at Zhong Wei and said seriously, word by word, "If we hadn't met the teacher, then you and I would both be people abandoned by fate. Now it's Gu Shen, and we can't let him lose hope in this world. At least, we must let his efforts receive the reward they deserve."

Laughter came from outside the glass window.

It was Gu Shen.

Senior Apprentice Sister Luo narrowed her eyes and looked intently.

Gu Shen was sitting on the ground without any regard for his appearance, his hands propped on the green grass, laughing heartily. In front of him was a crooked wooden dummy that had been split from the shoulder. It didn't matter whether it took a thousand or ten thousand hacks to split it.

The not-so-tall, crooked wooden dummy had a split from its shoulder to its abdomen, with the worn and old wooden sword embedded in the opening. It looked like a roly-poly toy, swaying back and forth, along with Gu Shen's laughter.

Beside them.

Nan Jin held her sword sheath, her face expressionless behind her sunglasses, but the corner of her lips unconsciously curved into an arc.

She quietly reached out and pointed at Gu Shen for her Senior Brother and Senior Sister inside the glass room.

Water dripping on a stone takes time to wear through.

But a hole in a stone also starts with a crack.

This was the first time in thirteen days that Gu Shen had completed the extra strength training Nan Jin had assigned... For a newcomer, especially a Transcendent Ability user who wasn't Power-type, reaching this point was not easy.

He had found the technique for chopping and understood the meaning of finding weaknesses.

This was no longer a task that could be completed simply with strong willpower.

Although... in a formal Review, this level was far from enough, the fact that Gu Shen could do it was already a small "Miracle".

Luo Er and Zhong Wei walked out of the soundproof room.

"Phew... Senior Sister, Senior Brother..."

Gu Shen slumped to the ground, his clothes soaked with sweat. He smiled and reached out, pointing at the swaying wooden dummy, "I... I did it... Not bad, right?"

Nan Jin, who was holding her sword nearby, immediately poured cold water on him, "It's just chopping down a wooden dummy, what's there to be happy about?"

"Do you think everyone is a Monster Strength Woman like you with Double A in Strength and Speed?" Gu Shen lay flat on the ground in a large character shape, saying irritably, "If I were as strong as you, would I still be here chopping wooden dummies? I would have gone to the airport long ago to wait for the so-called Assessment Team... When they land, I'll chop one if one comes, chop two if two come... Chop them fiercely, chop them into a pile of S-Rank bullshit."

"If you can really chop down everyone in the Assessment Team, then S-Rank is indeed bullshit," Senior Apprentice Sister Luo smiled, "The Assessment Team will arrive in Da Teng tonight. How about it, do you want to consider putting it into action?"

Zhong Wei smiled slightly, "There are many important figures in this Assessment Team, and the important figure responsible for issuing the Amnesty Decree is very interested in you. So..."

"A Councilor is coming to review me personally?"

Gu Shen was startled and immediately chickened out, "I was just saying... Just kidding, just kidding."

"Look how scared you are," Nan Jin laughed, "How could a Councilor have time to review you personally? Don't worry, those important figures are very busy."

"It's that important figure's Assistant who has come to Da Teng City, traveling with the Assessment Team, saying they want to personally see your performance. Zhong Wei and I need to go and meet this Councilor Assistant and stabilize the Assessment Team by the way."

Senior Apprentice Sister Luo said seriously, "The special training can almost end... For the next two days, relax well. Nan Jin, you are responsible for taking Gu Shen far away and not letting him meet the Assessment Team in advance."

Nan Jin nodded.

Gu Shen, however, was a little confused.

"Are Senior Brother and Senior Sister leaving?"

"Yes... There are some old Acquaintances in the Assessment Team, I'll go say hello and see if face works." Luo Er remembered something, "Gu Shen, I have good news to tell you, the matter Teacher has been busy with during this time... is about to come to an end. If nothing unexpected happens, he can rush back to Da Teng before the Review to see you one last time."

Gu Shen scratched his head.

See him one last time... Why does that sound strange?

"In short, eat well and sleep well these few days. As for the Review... don't think too much about it," Senior Brother Zhong Wei thoughtfully instructed before leaving, "There's still some money in the card the Tribunal gave you, you can spend it all."

Hey, hey, hey.

The more he listened, the more ominous it sounded.

It seemed no one was optimistic about this Review.

However...

Perhaps that's how it should be...

Gu Shen looked at the wooden dummy that had been chopped once and was swaying back and forth, seemingly mocking him, and silently closed his mouth.

He thought to himself that his Senior Brother and Senior Sister were Transcendent beings who could fly and escape, and their evaluation was only "A". He had spent half a day's effort just to chop a wooden dummy, so why should he be optimistic, why should he be evaluated as "S"...

How come everyone else is quite amazing, but you're falling behind?

Gu Shen lowered his eyes and silently clenched his fists.

Something was brewing and rising in his heart.

He looked at the receding backs of Senior Apprentice Sister Luo and Senior Brother Zhong and suddenly said loudly, "Senior Brother, Senior Sister—"

The two of them paused.

Then they turned back and looked at him in confusion.

The moment the words left his mouth, Gu Shen regretted it. The flame that had been brewing in his heart extinguished without any ambition, coming and going even faster. He had originally wanted to say that he would definitely Take Down the assessment, that he would definitely become the S-Rank that everyone expected, but the words changed when they reached his lips.

"Actually, it's nothing..."

Gu Shen's voice became uncontrollably smaller and smaller, "It's raining outside today... Be careful on your way, and say hello to that Councilor Assistant for me... Also... I will definitely give my all for the Review."

After all, he had received their Amnesty Decree.

He had to let them inspect the goods... Whether the boss was satisfied was one thing, but whether he worked hard was another.

So he didn't say he would definitely succeed, he didn't say he would definitely Take Down it, but he said he would definitely give his all.

"..."

After stopping, Senior Apprentice Sister Luo turned back to gaze at the solitary young man.

A long silence ensued.

"Don't say things like 'I will definitely give it my all'... Only those who have already accepted their failure say such things."

She said each word clearly and seriously, "We all believe you can, that's why we've stayed with you until now. If you also believe you can, then say 'I will definitely take it down'."

After speaking, she no longer looked at the young man and walked away with Zhong Wei.

Just as they were about to leave the training field.

A voice rang out.

"Senior Brother! Senior Sister!"

"The review in two days... I, I will definitely take it down!"

Senior Apprentice Sister Luo waved her hand without turning back and left the training field.