Venomous glares peeled his way, sharp, scheming glints sparkling in the eyes of the other candidates.
Meanwhile, the target of all this malice stood huffing and puffing, his gait unsteady and his head spinning, unable to pay attention to anyone other than himself.
And remaining oblivious to all the hateful stares coming his way.
Seth might have escaped exhaustion the first time, but it only took a couple more steps and he was right back at his limit.
The weight had doubled over and over again; he had taken repeated gulps from the molten elixir.
But its effects couldn't keep up with the strain his body was under.
The level of strain he was under should have been impossible even for most evolvers of the peak awakened grade.
This was clearly evident from the litter of candidates filling the steps behind him.
Even the geniuses of their respective races, while not all could claim to be the best, were still peak specimens of their prime.
