[st] [Liam Porter] [50]


    [nd] [Isaac Oliver] [48]


    [3rd] [Linus McFadd] [9]


    This time, only the top three positions were visible, and no one else had a chance of overtaking those in those spots!


    Liam smiled broadly wh he saw his score. It was mediocre, to be honest, but ough to keep him in the first ce.


    He probably wasn''t a better Runemaster than Linus and Isaac at this point, but what really mattered to him were the prizes for winning today''s certificationpetition.


    Ann cheered him on from the stands, grinning from ear to ear as she earned ,500 merit points for her double bet. She soon turned her back on the evt to collect paymt from each of her fellow bettors.


    The evt evaluators finished assessing thest few incantations, and soon one of them announced, "The  winners from each group here today must stay and apany us. For the rest of you, it wasn''t meant to be. Try harder ande back in two months."


    The losers, who were still conscious, stood up with disappointed looks on their faces. Not all of them had lost by arge margin. Some hadpeted fiercely with their group mates, taking the decision of this test to the final of the three tests.


    As these individuals departed, Liam and the 9 winners of the day, especially the other two in the top 3, breathed a sigh of relief. Some were thrilled, while others were not as much, having missed out on the chance to win the evt''s prizes.


    The three evaluators climbed onto the tform and greeted the t new Second ss Runemasters certified by the Runemasters Association.


    "Congrattions, you are now real Runemasters, recognized by thergest organization on the contint. With your certifications, you are titled to support, ess to themon library, and discounts on materials and tools at the association''s posts across the contint.


    You will need to travel to one of these posts to take your subsequt promotion exams, so keep that in mind. We don''t currtly hold the Third ss Certification Exam in the sect, and that shouldn''t change in your geration.


    All in all, do your best and don''t tarnish the name of our association. You are now part of the most respected and sought-after group of professionals on the contint. Be proud of it."


    With these words, sev of the t departed proudly wearing a special association crest on their chests that disyed a red brush symbol with two gold stars.


    Liam, Isaac, and Linus stayed behind at the request of the leader of the evaluators. This man prested them with boxes of differt colors and sizes, distributing them ording to their position in today''spetition.


    "Use your prizes to strgth yourselves and strive for Third ss. On the day you be recognized as a Third ss Runemaster, the sect will surely invest resources in you."


    While Second ss Runemasters weremon in the sect, Third ss Runemasters were rare. Such professionals were practically xistt outside the inner wing.


    As the three already knew, the inner area of the sect was only a fraction of the size of the outer area.


    "As for the opportunity to be mtored by a Fourth ss Runemaster, the head of the Runes Hall for City Thirte, Eliakim Badders, will receive you in his office tomorrow. You should discuss the details with your instructors and attd the meeting on time."


    Forgetting their earlier dispute, the three nodded in agreemt with the instructors.


    The three fourth realm m observed them for a momt, focusing especially on Liam. Th, before leaving, they mtioned they would await the three of them in the inner area of the sect.


    None of the young people lingered after the examiners departed. Eager to explore the prizes they had received, they left without speaking to one another.


    Liam, in particr, was cautious as he exited the hall, suspecting that his adversaries might be upset about the trick he had used earlier. However, upon reaching the exit, he found his fellow faction members waiting for him.


    After receiving congrattions from a group of five people, he departed with them, watched by several faction emissaries who had tried to stop him that morning.


    …


    Upon arriving at the coliseum, in an area with exclusive ess for the Leopards, Liam was alone and oped the box he had received.


    Inside was a gold spatial ring and a congrattory letter containing instructions on the association''s rules, along with tips on the profession. Despite its brevity, the letter was quite useful, as it included several referces to books to read on the path to bing a great Runemaster.


    Inside the  cubic meter spatial ring, thergest Liam had ever se, there were only a few items, but each was intriguing to him. There were three Ancestor-grade, Middle-level, Arcane Crystals, 00 gold coins, a seal worth 70 merit points, a Third ss recovery potion, a Third ss advancemt pill, three Third ss Runemaster books, a brush, and ink.


    Initially, he was more interested in the opportunity to be mtored by a Fourth ss Runemaster. However, these prizes alone were quite rewarding, sufficit to justify the effort he had put into passing the exam earlier.


    ''This is good. The issue with the Silver-Winged Leopard will arise at the d of the week. Now I don''t need to buy any recovery potions, and I can also save up for some items I would have bought for my profession.


    But what should I do with my merit points? Tomorrow, I''ll have to share amon room in the Lotus Temple with Mary and Jane, but I have 0 points left. Should I choose a level three room in the temple or the level three of the Library?''


    He pondered this as he considered his ns for the uing trip out of the city with the Leopards.


    Jane and Mary''s ns were already well developed, and they were ready to act the next morning. Afterward, they were to meet at the Lotus Temple to carry out what they had nned.


    ''I''ll go to the library. That''s best,'' he decided.


    A Lotus Temple room could provide him with a good ce to cultivate. However, there was no shortage of good cultivation ces on the contint. ces to study, however, were more difficult to ess. Since he could cultivate with his wom, he decided after giving it some thought.


    After restoring his cultivation in the Beasts Hall, Liam would go to the Library and spd 0 of his currtly avable merit points.


    …


    Later that afternoon, Liam stopped by the Missions Hall, where he countered Ester.


    "Congrattions on your promotion," said the woman in front of him, who had overheard several people talking about Liam earlier in the day.


    Liam smiled after greeting Ester and sat down across from her in the small room where they had met asionally since the beginning of their rtionship.


    "Thank you for the warning yesterday. If you hadn''t warned me, I don''t know if I would have gott my certification."


    "I was just following our agreemt," she said before changing the subject, wanting to conclude the counter quickly. "I''m here to d our rtionship. After today, we''ll go our separate ways."


    Liam was not surprised by her desire to distance herself from him, Ester expressed in her words and tone. With the Silver-Winged Leopard hunt approaching, it was only natural that their arrangemt would soon d.


    "What do you have for me?"


    "Hudson is leaving town in two days with Myles'' party. They are preparing to attack the group from your faction near the Silver-Winged Leopard''s hibernation site. The Abyss Matriarchs will leavest, but they are expected to sur your faction and initiate the battle they n to bring you and Robert down."


    She handed him a special device he had giv her earlier. "I ced the tracker you gave me into his possessions. His location is urate for now. However, I can''t predict what will happ next. He might discover the tracker or ev lose the item to which it''s attached. There''s no guarantee you''ll find him this way."


    He picked up the device, which disyed a blue and a red dot—the blue represting the artifact in Liam''s hands and the red represting Hudson''s.


    There was no detail in the image, just a ck backg with these two colored spheres. But from the distance betwe the two colored dots, Liam could tell that the emy was currtly in the city.


    "That''s good ough for me. Thank you for your efforts." He stood up to leave, cing the device on his spatial ring.


    ''The tracker will work up to a distance of one kilometer betwe its parts. It''s not the best scario, but I''ll know the emy''s position a few minutes in advance.''


    Ester watched Liam leave after thanking her. She sighed in relief at having resolved her situation with this dangerous individual. ''I hope I don''t have to see you again. Your side is too dangerous. I prefer the peace I had before I met you.''


    Her wish was for these groups going to fight outside the city to eliminate each other or for Liam to advance to the inner wing of the sect!


    ...


    Later, as night had fall, Liam was with Grace, sitting on a sofa at the d of her bed. The beautiful silver-haired woman sat beside him, ying with his hair.


    "So you''re going on the Silver-Winged Leopard hunt…" Grace said after hearing about the problems Liam had solved today and those he would face in theing days.


    She had already congratted him on his certification and was now worried about the dangers he would counter.


    "If I could, I''d go with you. But I have something to do in the next few days, and unfortunately, it''s something I can''t put off," shemted with a sad look. "But I can help you with your training. Myles and Enos are tricky, but I''ve fought both of them. I can share some of my experices against them."


    "I appreciate that. It could help me a lot. They''ll probably focus on Robert, but it''s good that I''m taking precautions."


    "I can''t help you much with Eleanor. I''ve never fought with her. But Felicity can talk to you about the leader of the Abyss Matriarchs. They''re old rivals."


    "I''ll certainly do that," he said, thinking of his orange-haired ally.


    Th she ssed the silce in his thoughts and remembered something. "I have a proposition for you."


    He looked at her with a smile that made her blush at the thought. "Is that so?"


    "It''s nothing like that," she said. "In three months, the Night of the Beasts wille. My faction and one of my allies will join forces to hunt the young, but with great pottial fjord beasts. This will be an excellt opportunity to get high-quality Spirits.


    You can join us. I''m sure you''ll find a good Spirit for your third slot. After that, we can go to the sect''s inner wing together."