I Am the Best!

After that, there was nothing but scarlet.

Spattered blood smeared across the notebook, obscuring everything.

...It seemed the laboratory had ended up like this because the final ascension ritual had failed.

However, judging from the later entries in the diary, the supervisor of this laboratory probably had not met a good end either.

Ron could guess what he had gone through—

Instead of brewing the Wronged Dead's finger bone into a Potion, he had used an unknown ritual to directly pour its magic into his body...

Although he had indeed advanced into a "Transcendent" through that method, it was clearly incomplete.

After all, the [Gravekeeper] Potion required more than one main ingredient. At most, he counted as half a [Gravekeeper].

Not to mention, he had never gone through the process of brewing a Potion to cleanse away the contamination...

The sound of river water Ron had heard on the day of his advancement being twisted and warped by contamination was only natural.

Still, judging only by the final entries in this diary, perhaps this supervisor had been far from completely losing his mind to contamination and mutating into a monster.

He had merely been driven by despair over the Apocalypse that the "Void" would bring...

So the "Void" was not merely a crisis that appeared outside Ideal City's Outer City?

It would bring the Apocalypse... Was that the important reason the city government had reformed the College Entrance Exam this time, selecting talents for combat?

Ron pondered this as he flipped farther back, only to suddenly discover a bone polished into a bookmark falling out.

He caught it on instinct and immediately recognized what it was.

This was the Wronged Dead's finger bone that man had found in the Void? He had actually kept it on him even after squeezing all the magic out of it...

Still, a finger bone found in the "Void" really was somewhat different from one found in the "Potion Era."

This thing clearly looked more illusory than finger bones from the "Potion Era"...

Ron studied the bone bookmark in his hand with great interest when he suddenly heard a ding.

[Setting anchor detected. World setting generated—"Void."]

[You may select world settings to fill the blank world framework and create a new world.]

[Current world setting capacity limit—2]

A new setting anchor?!

Ron's expression immediately turned grave.

"Void"... This thing, which the mad supervisor considered the root of the Apocalypse and which Ideal City guarded against so fiercely, had actually been extracted by the manual as a world setting!

Ron immediately thought of the Potion Era—

Just relying on the two seemingly mild keywords "Potion" and "Mystery," it had created a powerful era that left behind a legacy of Magic while Historical Hollows continued to plague the modern age...

Then, with the "Void," something that could even represent the Apocalypse...

What kind of powerful era could Ron create, and what gains could he reap from it?

He looked at the Dimensional Update Manual and tried to create a new world.

But after studying it carefully, he discovered that even if he wanted to use "Void" as a world setting to create a new world, he could not do so yet.

Because in the world creation options, the field for world settings had not only a maximum limit of two, but also a minimum limit of two...

In other words, every new world required two different world settings.

Ron currently had only three world settings. "Mystery" and "Potion" had already formed the "Potion Era" and could not be separated.

It seemed he could only create a new world after finding another setting anchor...

Ron carefully put away the bone bookmark and thoroughly searched the underground laboratory, clearing out every last walking corpse.

However, because the [Potion Sequence] class was constantly being rejected and worn down by the current version, Ron had no choice but to switch back to being Superpowered in order to preserve that trump card.

He relied solely on [Ignorant Servant] to control Corpse Shells and clear the walking corpses. While clearing them out, he searched the laboratory for clues. His killing efficiency was nearly worse than Jiang Cheng's, who was acting alone.

Still, Ron's meticulous search yielded rewards worthy of the effort...

"These are actually experimental data files on biological modification...

Noah Pharmaceuticals actually failed to clear this out. Was it hidden deeply enough in the pile of corpses?"

Ron looked at the USB drive he had dug out from among a heap of researchers' bodies, plugged it into his personal brain-computer interface, and opened the documents inside.

The documents detailed the various physical data of the mutated monsters created after the rituals had failed...

The data itself was naturally of no use to Ron, but one special record in the files caught his interest—

"According to testing... the test subjects fear meaningless sounds of high volume or high frequency?"

Then the person who had received organ transplants from those monsters—the trump card Noah Pharmaceuticals had prepared for this College Entrance Exam...

Would that person also inherit the same weakness as those monsters?

Ron pondered this, put the USB drive back where he had found it, and only then slowly headed toward the exit of the underground laboratory under the protection of the Corpse Shells.

However, as they gradually left the depths of the laboratory and moved away from the death magic leaking from the ascension ritual, the two Corpse Shells showed obvious signs of "wear."

As though they had experienced endless ages, they began to decay visibly.

Before they could escort Ron to the entrance, just like the Corpse Shells summoned by the old magician, their fangs fell out and their claws snapped...

In the end, they completely rotted away and turned into piles of fine white ash.

...Perhaps this was part of the current version's rejection.

Ron looked at the two piles of white ash beside him and silently thought to himself.

Perhaps everything from the previous era could appear here through so-called Historical Hollows, but they would ultimately be completely worn away after losing their supply of magic...

Their influence probably had no power to threaten Ideal City's rule at all.

—But why had the mad supervisor believed that the "Void" was the prelude to the Apocalypse?

It seemed there were still secrets behind this that I didn't know.

Ron slowly walked out of the underground laboratory. Jiang Cheng was already waiting anxiously at the entrance.

Only after seeing him emerge did she let out a sigh of relief and immediately press the intercom.

The underground laboratory's doors slowly opened. The client and his secretary were still standing there, but they were clearly surprised to see Ron and Jiang Cheng emerge.

"...I didn't expect you to win."

There was a hint of emotion in his voice.

"Young people really are unreliable. Experience beats youth after all..."

As he spoke, he opened the light screen of his brain-computer interface and tapped it a few times. Ron and Jiang Cheng immediately received notifications on the association forum.

[Commission: Clear Transcendent Riot (Completed!)]

[Commission points and Credit Points have been credited to your account. Thank you for supporting Transcendent control efforts.]

[—Through this endless night, we are the only torch and the final light.]

Still, the Magician Association's slogan was rather righteous and inspiring.

But considering what these magicians did...

At least Ron could not see how they resembled the "final torch."

"Alright, next is the promise I made before you went in..."

As the client spoke, he took out those files again.

"Would either of you like to complete an assassination commission and prove your loyalty to Noah Pharmaceuticals?"

Jiang Cheng shook her head, clearly uninterested.

Ron, naturally, took the file bearing his own name and left after promising that he would complete the assassination before the College Entrance Exam.

As they left, Jiang Cheng tried to get closer to Ron, but he ruthlessly brushed her off.

He had obtained the assassination commission. He still needed to investigate who wanted him dead. Where would he find the time to make empty pleasantries with Jiang Cheng?

He found a secluded place, changed back into his original appearance, and immediately went home to examine the commission file.

After carefully reading every word in the file, Ron did not find any clear indication of who the client was.

That was to be expected. Assassination was work that could not see the light of day, so naturally no one wanted to reveal their identity.

However, after carefully reviewing the commission file, Ron was able to narrow down the enemy's possible identity...

According to the file, he was merely a Lv.1 Telekinesis user whose ability seemed to have mutated, and he had killed a Lv.2 Superpowered.

Ron understood the source of the client's information simply from the emphasis of those ability records. It had to be the Patrol Bureau.

After all, only the Patrol Bureau's files would contain such records.

And considering that Noah Pharmaceuticals had issued the commission...

Could some powerful figure be making a move against me?

Ron furrowed his brows, utterly unable to think of what important person he could have offended.

"Knock, knock, knock."

A crisp knock suddenly sounded, pulling Ron from his thoughts.

He put away the commission file and looked through the peephole, but all he could see was a glittering... medal?

"Alright, stop looking... Aren't you going to open the door for me?"

A familiar voice came from outside. Ron opened the door and saw Xia Zhi holding a golden five-pointed star medal as she smiled brightly at him.

She tossed the medal to Ron. He caught the gleaming golden star on instinct and discovered a pale gold chip on the back of it.

"This is...?"

Seeing Ron's confusion, Xia Zhi explained.

"It's your [Good Citizen] medal.

Whenever you need to use your ID in the future, no matter what it is for, scan this medal after scanning your ID. You'll often receive a certain degree of preferential treatment."

It could do that?

Compared to a medal, this thing was clearly more like a chip-based ID card on a technical level...

Ron put away the medal with interest and nodded to Xia Zhi.

"Thank you, Sister Xia Zhi... But why are you the one delivering this?"

"Isn't it because I was afraid the logistics department would 'lose' it?"

There was a trace of helplessness in Xia Zhi's tone.

"Don't be fooled just because it's the Patrol Bureau. There are plenty of parasites inside... Forget it, let's not talk about that."

"I remember your College Entrance Exam is coming up, right? Have you heard that this year's exam is being reformed?"

Ron nodded. "I heard it's being reformed in a more combat-oriented direction?"

"That's right." Xia Zhi nodded. "I heard they're doing some kind of ability free-for-all in Virtual Reality, dividing people into groups and throwing them into virtual environments to fight like insects in a jar..."

She blinked as she spoke. "Based on what I know about rich people, they'll definitely pull some strings at a time like this...

Your [Good Citizen] medal might help you benefit a little from their tricks."

"Considering how powerful your ability is in combat, even if you're only Lv.1, I imagine nothing will be able to stop you..."

As she spoke, she once again tried to recruit Ron.

"A genius like you, why insist on applying to Moen University... Don't you want to try Heavenly Listening University?"

"Thank you, Sister Xia Zhi, but I'll pass..."

After a brief back-and-forth with Ron, and after confirming that he had absolutely no intention of applying to Heavenly Listening University, Xia Zhi sighed deeply about "a wasted genius" and vanished as mysteriously as she had appeared.

Ron had just wanted to go back and continue investigating who wanted to assassinate him when his phone vibrated again—

[An Hui: I heard you've been practicing at the training center lately and haven't attended school for a single day?]

[An Hui: Although I don't think there's anything wrong with that, I still need to remind you—don't forget to go back to school and collect your exam admission ticket!]

[An Hui: I don't want to see you painstakingly improve your ability, only to get stopped outside the exam venue because you don't have your admission ticket, then watch me easily take first place in the College Entrance Exam and regret it...]

I really forgot about that!

The College Entrance Exam was the day after tomorrow. Good thing Huihui reminded me today, or who could I complain to if I couldn't take it because I had no admission ticket?

Ron casually replied that he understood, then hurriedly rode his little electric scooter toward a certain high school.

...Not long after, he returned to the school he knew so well.

The old teaching building, the gatehouse staffed by only one elderly guard, the familiar scenery all stirred a faint sense of nostalgia in Ron's heart.

"Hey, isn't that Old Ron? You're here to pick up your admission ticket too?"

A familiar voice came from the school entrance. Only then did Ron notice a chubby figure standing before the school's automatic barrier gate.

He looked carefully and remembered that his name was Lin De. He was Ron's classmate, though their relationship had only ever been close enough for Lin De to borrow homework to copy.

Like Ron used to be, Lin De was also an ordinary person who had failed to awaken a Personal Reality.

However, unlike Ron, Lin De's family had a little money. They owned a small business in District D, so he did not need to worry about his future livelihood.

Although they were not particularly close, Lin De enthusiastically walked over and chatted with Ron about their recent lives.

Ron did not reject him either. They exchanged casual conversation as they made their way to the teachers' office.

After knocking, the two entered and saw an elderly teacher with graying hair seated at a desk.

"...You're back for your admission tickets?"

The elderly teacher looked at Ron and let out a long sigh.

"You didn't submit the intent form, and you haven't attended class either... You don't want to attend vocational college, do you?"

"No. I still want to try the College Entrance Exam."

"Try? How can you try without an ability? This is obviously the best path for you..."

The elderly teacher seemed somewhat angry, but he soon deflated.

"Forget it... Do as you please. I can't control you anyway."

He waved his hand listlessly, tossed the card-like admission tickets to the two of them, and drove them out of the office.

"Actually, the old man means well, Ron."

Lin De scratched his head. "But everyone has their own aspirations. No one can stop you from taking a chance on a future where you get good results..."

As he spoke, he patted his chest.

"But don't worry, brother. If you do badly on the exam and can't afford to repay your student loans, don't be afraid. Just come find me then!

You know my family owns a small factory. I'll ask my dad to arrange a job for you. You can casually pay back the giant corporations' student loans..."

Ron could not help laughing and shook his head.

"That won't be necessary..."

As he spoke, he looked at his admission ticket, and a subtle feeling unexpectedly arose in his heart.

...Everything was ready.

The College Entrance Exam was just around the corner. Ron was about to take part in this life-defining gamble for Ideal City's new generation.

Everyone wagered everything from the first half of their lives on this exam. Some lost it all; some seized high scores and won brand-new lives.

As for Ron...

The corners of his mouth curved up as he climbed onto his battered old electric scooter.

Suddenly, as Lin De watched Ron riding that shabby scooter, he had the vague feeling that this familiar old classmate had changed.

Ron no longer seemed to carry that constant hint of exhaustion and insecurity.

Riding his little electric scooter, he looked like one of those knights in novels mounting a warhorse, filled with an unstoppable drive!

Lin De looked at the somewhat unfamiliar Ron and heard him speak calmly, yet his words stirred a heroic surge in Lin De's heart—

"I'll take first place."

As if it were only natural, Ron added:

"I am number one!"