CHAPTER 65: BETA PHASE 1

’At this rate, they might just master the entire technique in a single day...’ Edgar frowned as he watched the two.

The two were still engrossed in training, their eyes closed, their chests rising and falling rhythmically.

In a desperate bid to give himself some face in front of all the noble elves, Edgar cleared his throat and said,

"Alright, that’s it for today."

"I can go further," Scarlet said.

"Me too," Gabriel added.

’These little pricks.’ Edgar’s eyebrow twitched as he forced a smile. "Of course, you can go on, but the Devil’s Mirage Fighting Technique isn’t something to push... you need to practice it at your own pace."

Although he made this up on the spot, in a way it was actually true. The fighting style was intricate and needed time to practice.

There had just been no need to mention this before, as everyone except for some rare prodigies had taken weeks to accomplish it.

Until these two monsters showed up.

"If you say so, then." Gabriel stood up from his position.

He had other matters to attend to in the meantime and didn’t spend more time in the dojo.

He made a low bow to Edgar. "If that’s all, then I’ll take my leave."

"Yes, that’s all," Edgar nodded and then added, "Tomorrow, same time."

"Sure."

Gabriel then turned to Scarlet. "Vice Leader, see you around then."

Scarlet gave a faint nod, but even after he left, her eyes never left his disappearing back.

"He’s a strange one, isn’t he?" Edgar said, coming up to her.

"He’s something more," Scarlet said. "Like a bottomless pit with so many secrets, it’s as if he’s constantly changing, growing stronger with each passing second."

"Could it be he’s the one you told me about?" Edgar asked.

Based on their subtle interaction, he already knew Scarlet and Gabriel were familiar.

"Yes, he’s the one." She nodded.

"Interesting." Edgar stroked his chin. "There’s one thing I’m confident about though—he’s not a demon spawn."

Scarlet’s eyes flashed, but she didn’t speak any further.

"There’s a reason I stayed behind," she said, her expression becoming more serious.

"What is it?" Edgar raised an eyebrow.

"The inter-guild competition is close," she said.

As soon as Edgar heard this, his eyes flickered. "Right, four years have passed already." Then he narrowed his eyes. "Does this mean we should be expecting another beast tide like the last time?"

Scarlet nodded grimly. "Some scouts have already noticed strange patterns among the monsters in recent weeks."

"I see." A thoughtful expression crossed Edgar’s face. "We need to prepare then. Our resources were severely depleted the last time. If we want to stand a chance against the others, we need to recruit talented adventurers."

"There’s one already," Scarlet said, her mind flashing back to Gabriel’s brutal fight with the Ant Queen.

"Oh, him." Edgar’s eyes lit up when he realized who she was referring to. "But would he agree to participate in the event?"

Meanwhile, Gabriel arrived back at the lecture hall where he had left Anna.

Her eyes lit up as soon as he appeared.

"Come on, we need to head somewhere," Gabriel said, already walking out.

"Where are we heading to, Master?" Anna asked Curiously.

Gabriel checked the timer. There were still some hours left before the beta testers arrived.

Although he didn’t have a map, his knowledge about the Valerian Kingdom was quite vast, and it was safe to say he knew the route to all ten walled settlements.

"Red Fang City," he said after a moment of contemplation.

Red Fang City was a town not too far from the capital. Every player that selected the Valerian Kingdom would spawn there and be required to reach Level 10 before leaving.

"Red Fang City." Anna had several questions in her mind but chose not to speak, as it was not in her place.

The two exited the building and first went to a restaurant where they had a sumptuous meal.

Afterward, they headed for Red Fang City.

Meanwhile, in the real world...

Towering high-rise buildings stretched into the heavens. The streets were flooded with traffic, pedestrians, and the buzzing energy of a city fully alive.

Across countless gaming cafes, homes, and private lounges, a different kind of fever was brewing.

[Realm of Ascendency: Beta Phase 1 Countdown – 3 Hours Remaining!]

The announcement was plastered across giant electronic billboards, buzzing in bright neon lights.

Live streamers were already online, screaming with excitement to their thousands of viewers.

"This is it! This is the game that’s gonna change the industry forever!"

"Realm of Ascendency’s Beta First Phase is about to start! We’re getting beta access today! I swear, I’m gonna go so hard!"

On the game’s official page, a trending video played on loop on the front page of gaming sites:

Top Five Beta Testers: Speculations, Predictions, and Hidden Secrets.

Among the several names, one face stood out more than the others.

[Ragnarok99]

Preferred Class from Previous Games: Warrior.

Known For: Solo-clearing dungeons that required raid parties. First player to defeat the Crimson Hydra in under ten minutes in Fantasy Online. Widely feared for his cold, brutal efficiency.

Many called him the strongest professional gamer. Others called him a monster.

And now he was personally invited to partake in the beta testing of the game.

"It’s confirmed that Ragnarok99 is among the five players selected for the beta testing," an excited host of Allude Stream announced. "If you’ve been following competitive leaderboards, you know that this man dominated nearly every major PvP tournament before disappearing a year ago."

Rumors flew like wildfire.

Of course, there were other professional gamers as well, like Sniper Bow Legend, IceQueen, ChaosCleric, and the eccentric Bunny, who was also a popular streamer.

Meanwhile, in the game world...

Gabriel and Anna finally arrived at the outskirts of Red Fang City just in time before the beta testers arrived.

It was a rather simple settlement with wooden walls, poorly armored guards, and several unpaved roads.

At that moment, a countdown appeared in his retina.

[Beta Testers Arrival Countdown: 00:00:05]