When Aster Grant's figure disappeared at the far end of the plaza, the other participants were gradually teleported back.
When Mason Cheney appeared in the middle of the plaza, holding the succubus, he was immediately surrounded by a crowd of sycophantic students.
"Young Master Cheney, this trial's first place is surely yours, right? An epic-level Beastbond, leaves everyone else in the dust."
"I guess Young Master Cheney scored at least 3000 points! Such a score would have been undisputed in previous years!"
"3000 points? That potential evaluation must be close to S-Level, right? We're witnessing history here!"
Mason Cheney listened to these flattery words, his mouth almost splitting to his ears.
He hugged the succubus in his embrace tighter, his fingers restlessly stroking her waist.
Originally, in Lythos, he had always been synonymous with a hedonistic playboy.
But ever since contracting this epic-level tamed beast...
He had not only shed the name of a 'hedonistic wastrel' but also received praise wherever he went.
Thinking of this, he felt even more satisfied with the succubus in his arms.
"Charm," he pressed his lips to the succubus's ear, lowering his voice, "I'll reward you well tonight and take you to the Alternate Space to level up tomorrow."
On hearing this, the succubus blushed deeply, her long lashes trembling as they lowered:
"I-I'll do as Mason says..."
This coy and hesitant appearance made Mason simmer with heat, wishing to take her home immediately.
But looking at the yet-to-be-announced points board, he forced himself to suppress his impulse.
After all, this was his moment of glory under the spotlight; how could he miss it?
To know, for this trial, Mason Cheney had spared no effort.
Not only did he rely on the power of the succubus, but he also secretly spent heavily to hire a five-person team.
This team was specifically tasked with severely wounding demonic beasts until they were near death, after which he delivered the final blow.
At this moment, Mason Cheney felt the power of Awakening Tier Four coursing through him and couldn't help but curl his lips in satisfaction.
Although this method was considered unsavory, it proved highly effective—
Not only did his level soar, but his points also rose accordingly.
"Look! The leaderboard has been published!"
With an exclamation, the entire plaza erupted in excitement.
Everyone's gaze immediately focused on the large screen at the center of the plaza.
The leaderboard slowly appeared, starting from the last place.
[Rank 187: Wyatt Shaw, 85 points, Potential Evaluation D]
[Rank 163: Nina Lawson, 112 points, Potential Evaluation D]
...
Occasional cheers and sighs emerged from the crowd.
When the board scrolled to the top ten, the atmosphere in the plaza grew tense.
The top ten were announced differently, each name pausing independently, accompanied by special sound effects.
[10th Place: Howard King, 890 points, Potential Evaluation B]
[9th Place: Flora Langley, 902 points, Potential Evaluation B]
...
In the plaza's center, Mason Cheney smugly held the succubus, his face adorned with a confident smile.
Nearby, the flattering praises came one after another:
"Young Master Cheney is sure to keep the top spot this time!"
"Nonsense, who else besides Young Master Cheney has the power to take the first place?"
Mason Cheney basked in the adulation of the crowd, casually twirling the succubus's hair around his finger, already envisioning the scene of receiving the City Lord's commendation.
However—
"Did I see it wrong? Why is Young Master Cheney's name in second place?"
This voice was like a bolt of lightning, instantly shattering Mason's dream.
He turned abruptly, staring intently at the blinding figures on the screen:
[Second Place: Mason Cheney, 4100 points, Potential Evaluation A]
"This is impossible!"
Mason's expression contorted, his voice distorted.
Second place!
How could he be in second place!
4100 points, such a score had already made history in Lythos; how could he still be second?
Mason's eyes turned scarlet, staring intently at the large screen.
Who?
Who stole his first place?!
The succubus in Mason's arms was equally stiff.
She had been focusing on the leaderboard, aiming to check the ranking of the former master she'd abandoned.
Just yet, from the last place to the second, she had failed to find that familiar name.
This situation made her heart sink.
The next moment, a terrifying speculation plunged her into an ice pit!
Could Aster Grant be the first?!
The succubus immediately shook her head, trying to dismiss this absurd possibility.
Impossible!
Definitely impossible!
The creature that person contracted was just a crippled Angel...
How could she lose to such a 'defective product'!
Yet, often what one fears most is exactly how things develop.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the first place was gradually revealed.
[First Place: Aster Grant, 44300 points, Potential Evaluation SSS]
As this rank was unveiled, it was as if a bomb had been dropped on the entire plaza.
"My god! Aster's score is...forty-four thousand three?!"
"Units, tens, hundreds, thousands...it's indeed five digits!"
"SSS-Level potential? This is like a human cheat code!"
Amidst the rising chorus of exclamations, Mason was left standing in shock as if struck by lightning.
He stared fixedly at those two numbers:
44300 vs 4100!
A gap of tenfold!!
How could this be!
Mason's eyes were bloodshot, his hand gripping a staff member's shoulder so tightly it made his veins bulge:
"Cheating! This is absolutely cheating!"
His voice was hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing together, "Forty thousand points? What a joke!"
The staff member calmly pushed his hand away, his voice eerily composed:
"This result has been personally verified by the City Lord. Young Master, are you questioning the City Lord's judgment?"
This sentence poured over him like a bucket of icy water.
Mason stumbled back, a buzzing in his ears.
The gazes around him felt like countless sharp knives, making his whole body tremble.
"Heh... hehe..."
He suddenly started laughing maniacally, his nails digging deep into his palms.
"I get it! That poor boy must have taken the twenty million my father gave him to hire people to farm points!"
At this moment, Mason had lost all rationality, his handsome features twisted into near grotesqueness, his temple veins pulsating with his rapid breaths.
Thinking of that poor kid he once trampled underfoot, using the Cheney family's charity of twenty million to turn around and humiliate him, the fury in his chest threatened to consume him whole.
"Aster Grant! You think using my family's money, you can beat me?!"
He abruptly grabbed the succubus's wrist with such force it almost crushed her delicate bones.
The succubus groaned in pain but dared not resist, only able to stumble along as he dragged her away.
"Now! Immediately!"
Mason's eyes were bloodshot, like a rabid beast.
"I will hire the top Demon-Hunting Squad, ten squads are not enough, then twenty!"
"At the academy examination in ten days, I want that worthless person kneeling in front of me, begging for mercy!"
His voice echoed across the plaza, attracting numerous astonished glances.
But at this moment, Mason no longer cared about his image, with only one thought left in his mind—
At all costs, he would utterly crush Aster Grant.
The succubus was dragged roughly as they walked forward, yet at the turn of a moment, she caught a glimpse of that shining name on the plaza's screen—
Aster Grant, SSS-Level!
A thought suddenly surfaced in her mind...
Was her choice back then truly right?
...
...