Sword God in a World of Magic

The two of them traveled to the western border of the Deepcore Turtle Zone.

There, Shang saw a hundred-meter-tall tower, which meant that many Mages were stationed there. This was probably the central headquarters for the actual offense.

However, the commander brought Shang to a field quite a bit north of the tower, behind one of the mountains.

When the two of them arrived at their destinations, Shang could see five Mages with differently colored robes and hair talking to each other.

In front of them were around ten barbarians, and nine of them were at the Commander Stage, or Champion Stage, as it was called here.

There was one younger man at the Peak General Stage amongst the group of older Commander Stage barbarians.

Yes, the Commander Stage barbarians were nearly all, at least, middle-aged. Some of them even looked to be in their sixties.

'I guess there aren't many young Commander Stage barbarians,' Shang thought.

Shang joined the other barbarians, who looked with surprise at Shang.

Warriors would be impressed that someone at the Peak General Stage could pass the exam, but barbarians were different.

These barbarians were more powerful than Shang, which meant that they didn't need to respect Shang.

They didn't take his potential and talent into account.

What use did talent and potential have? They could still beat him up.

The Commander spoke with the Mages for a bit, and the Mages threw interested glances at Shang from time to time.

They hadn't expected any Fighter Stage barbarian to pass the test, but now there were two.

After a while, the commander saluted, handed one of the copies of Shang's Magic Contract to them, and left the area.

Now, only the five Mages remained.

The Mages talked amongst each other for a bit more as the barbarians waited.

About ten minutes later, the Mages stopped talking, and one of them stepped forward.

It was an older man with long grey hair and grey robes.

"Over the next day, you all will undergo several tests. We will test you in different aspects to gauge the limit of your coordination, flexibility, endurance, will, and many other categories."

Not every barbarian understood what the Mage was saying. They only knew that they had to undergo some tests.

"First, we need to test how much stress your body can handle," the Mage explained as he gestured to a big Magic Circle on the ground beside him.

The other four Mages stepped around the Magic Circle and waited.

the Mage said to a

barbarian puffed out his chest and stepped

your

Mage stepped on a free spot around the Magic

Mages began to cast Spells, but they were all casting different

two of the Spells, but that already gave him an inkling as to

barbarian. I think I get it. Quite clever, actually,'

more Spells, the barbarian began to sweat, and

bulged in some places, and blood flowed out of his

barbarian's face whitened, and he gritted

minute, the barbarian fell to the ground, blood coming

stopped casting their Spells and looked with

the grey-robed

as the other barbarian was pushed out

was waiting for him, but he

deal with

with his turn,

round from the original eleven,

pass were sent back to wherever they had come

test, dealing with

next test, and another two

"Next test, flexibility…"

"Next test, agility…"

"Next test, accuracy…"

hours, Shang went through nine different tests in

but the Mages decided to go with Shang since he didn't show

barbarian had better marks on several tests, but he also only barely passed two of them, while Shang was very comfortable in the upper middle

last barbarian left, leaving Shang alone

as he looked at Shang. "Congratulations. You will be part of

Shang didn't answer.

will tell you

…

Dark skies.

been years since the Plague

with a Darkness Affinity,

any vegetation in this Zone, and if one saw one of the plants, one could be sure that the

was a

see

all, nearly all the beasts in this

There were no fights.

only one-sided,

Rat Zone stood an

stood in a line with their gigantic