WS: Treasure Hunting [2]

"This tunnel..."

Everyone stop and saw a huge double door before them. Eugene who is leading the team looks around, wanting to find some clues to know if there would be dangers upon opening the door.

"Wow, I wonder what's inside."

Eugene held the door and transmit his mana. His eyes glow and everything inside, behind the closed door, is visible to his sight. The room is big but there is only one chest inside, no low-level existence is detected. The insides are safe.

Grabbing the handle, Eugene pushed the door: "Let's find a clue inside."

Team 4 enter a dungeon room and the audience held their breath. When the inside was shown they become puzzled because there is only a single chest placed in the middle and there's nothing more than that which is confusing. This made them doubt if there is a clue put there.

A1: "It's just an empty room."

A3: "What if that's a trap?"

A5: "How exciting. If that's a trap then Team 4 is done for."

It's probably a trap-- "Ah?" Reign frowns when he tripped but was surprised when he seems to push something in the wall which made everyone turn their heads to look at his position.

Theoran and Zaoran who are thinking if they would open the chest are dumbfounded.

Eugene who saw a cube part forming hurriedly walk forward unbelievably. What can he say? His team today is somewhat lucky because they immediately found a clue without much effort.

[Team 4 discovers a clue, "The one who aims at the top."]

Huh?

This label, he's afraid that it's one of the major clues in this game. It was written in the history of AE 900 when demons are the greatest enemy of humankind and the strongest opponent of magicians that stood at the top of the pyramid. Unlike demonized monsters, demons are no different from humans but they are the holder of dark magic, the source of negative energy that almost destroy the balance of the world from its order.

However, the fact that the balance of the world has long been unstable...

Demons are getting stronger so the magician is afraid that the darkness will overcome the light. They have no choice but to wage a war and kill all the demon that exists.

Though not all are eliminated but just sealed...

If someday someone inside the dungeon [demons] or outside [dark magic holder] is stronger than the person who created a seal that kept away the demons from the outside then they're afraid a new era of demons and magicians will start again. The only difference is that this time a swordsmen who can use mana are existing.

Either way, it's another bloody era.

"The one who aims at the top? What is the meaning of that?" Sanciel asked.

Timber also leaned and look at the piece of paper that Eugene is holding and saw a short sentence that surprise him: "Hey, I'm familiar with that sentence, my father always tells me bedtime stories about magicians and demons."

Reign: "What? Really?! What does it mean?!"

Timber held his chin to recall what his father has been telling him: "Well "The one who aims at the top" describes the greediness of demons who aim to dominate the world."

Count Rozans who is watching looks proud.

His son still remembers their bonding, isn't that lovely?

Theoran: "What is the connection of that in this exam?"

Eugene put the paper in his pocket and said, "It's easy to understand. It describes the future winner of this round. The team who will win in this exam is the greedy one, though not a demon but has a heart of that dark. It will describe you if the process of your achievement comes from dirty tricks but if you make your way on your own, you are not the one who only just aims at the top but the one who dreams."

A6: "It makes sense."

A18: "What I didn't think of that?"

A9: "Somehow, this young master Eugene is too smart?"

A2: "The one who not only aims at the top but also dreams. That sentence is just beautiful."

Sanciel somehow understands what Eugene means and couldn't help but get amazed at how smart their commander is. If it's him, he won't be able to think of that in an instant. At least he now grasps that... "The clue will revolve around AE 900 era."

Eugene smirk: "This can do, a little clue can help us dominate this game."

Sorry but, he'll take this round again.

He knew he was such a cheat since he already experiences the selection in his past life but since he had been traveling for a thousand years some memories of him in this selection are vague. He cheats but he also thinks. No one knows..."The one who aims at the top." perfectly described him but how can they know? They have never experienced death and life like him.

There is no such a thing as dream.

Only greed.

Eugene: "Let's go out and look around more."

When it was announced that Team 4 found a clue, almost everyone is in a hurry to find one too. Even Team 1 seriously focuses on finding clues. However, they're not lucky as Team 4 so it took them an hour before finding out one that is hidden in an old bookshelves.

[Team 1 discovers a clue, "The one who is hungry for knowledge."]

Rasiel: "Only paper with a sentence?"

Rasiel flips the piece of paper to everyone and looks around the bookshelves confusedly. How can this piece of paper be a clue? Are the coordinator of this game insane?

Casimin sneer and grab the paper.

"Stupid, don't you know how to understand words?"

"Stop! You are making me look stupid again! I tell you Casimin, I'm the great one! With brain or not it doesn't matter! I still have faced as a weapon!"

Casimin ignore Rasiel and went to Kaizer.

"This clue is a bit bland. However, once we fathom this sentence we might find something."

Kaizer receives the paper and looks at it.

"The one who is hungry for knowledge." so, in what scenario you can say someone is hungry for knowledge? There are many interpretations but if you will look at the surrounding, you can instantly realize what it means. They find the clue inside a room that seems to be a study place, if his guess is right then they can get enough information from those collections of books.

"Tell everyone to look at those books on the shelf."

Casimin nodded and walk towards their team who is looking around and told them to skim through all the books on the shelf where they find the clue.

Of course, Casimin also works on his own.

The shelf where they find the clue is full of copies of history books that you can find in the academy's library. It's difficult to get information with this bunch of books that needed to be checked but out of instinct, he grabs the book near where Rasiel gets the piece of paper.

Nanomata AE 900: Blind With Open Eyes, Restoring The Balance

History happens in AE 900 the era of bad blood against all anomalies. A battle between demons and magicians that changes the hierarchy of the empire. When demons and magicians have been long existing and the birth of swordsmen only appear after the era of Nanomata which is AC 1050, the era of Yansiel. Back in AE 900, the balance of the world is visibly destroyed as the demon got stronger and stronger.

The dark almost overcomes the light.

This alarmed everyone as a new prophecy was bestowed on them. They destroy the cause or destroy the world. The magicians are afraid that a day will come the devils will rule the world so without thinking about the pros and cons they wage a war that surprises everyone.

It's a bloodbath.

Common people are almost wiped out from the battle.

Casimin gulped and flip the pages and froze...[The one who aims at the top.]

He hurriedly turns over the pages and stops, [The one who is hungry for knowledge.] the one written in the paper they found. This made his heart beat fast as he flips to another page and finally knew it. "The one who is hungry for knowledge." described a person who learned a bunch of things. There is this figure in history known as the strongest magician who created the spells that sealed the dungeons and some demons inside.

This magician is the ancestor of the Del viltaria family.

And...

"I found it!"

Casimin's eyes glisten and he looks at Kaizer happily: "The sentence "The one who is hungry for knowledge." described a person who learned a bunch of things. It means that those who carve a solution will find a way to solve it to feed their satisfaction. This clue is telling us that within a sea of knowledge, there is a door awaiting us."

Rasiel: "You say so something I don't understand!"

Kaizer held his chin: "Do you mean the next place to get other clues are within the jurisdiction of a person who loves to learn? A library, a study room, an experimental room, or..." Kaizer glance at the bookshelf and lowered his gaze...

"There is a passage behind the bookshelf."

Everyone gasps.

"Commander, how could that be? How reliable is the clue to--"

"There's no other room than this one we've entered. This room is obviously a study room. If you are a person who loves to learn and have something to hide upon finding out some information that could endanger you, the only way is to have a place where you can hide all your treasures to avoid other people from coveting it."

Rasiel: "You mean..."

Kaizer: "Yes, we got a clue that lead to where is the treasure."

[Team 1 triggers an important clue, "Hidden Recordings."]

Everyone gulps upon hearing the announcement. It's really another clue. They didn't expect they're also lucky that they directly find a clue related to the treasure.

"Go find a way."

A3: "At first I didn't understand, like what's the connection? I'm so confused but seeing them interpret the messages in just a short time makes me cover my face."

A6: "I'm ashamed of myself."

A9: "How? Just how? I didn't even understand what they were saying and just boom! They found out what the sentence means?! What's going on?! I was surprised about Team 4 and now Team 1 made my jaw drop!"

A10: "I'm praying to have a brain like that."

A11: "Which one do you like, the brain of the commander of Team 1 or Team 4?"

A10: "Can I wish to have both?!"

A12: "You're the one who aims at the top!"

A10: "Excuse me? You're saying I'm greedy?!"

A11: "Isn't it?"

The audience made noise and everyone started to compliment both teams. What they can say? If a message like that is given to them, they would die before finding out the meaning. Really, their conversation hurts their brain as they start questioning every word they're giving. What's more? Their doubt is always wrong! Who would think a clue like "The one who is hungry for knowledge." is one that could lead to treasure and "The one who aims at the top." is a warning for them to be aware of dangers?

What the hell?!

Eugene frown when he heard the announcement.

Theoran: "Team 1 is getting on it, two clues at a time. Tsk."

Eugene was dissatisfied because the clue that Team 1 get is the clue for finding the treasures. Even if he finds some clues, when it comes to finding the treasure, he forgot where it is located, he only knew how to get the clue to get out of the dungeon. What to do? In order to be the top in the second round he must get the treasure with him when coming out of the dungeon.

But...

Kaizer is not an easy opponent.

Even though he plans to steal the clue and fight Kaizer, he's afraid this low-level dungeon will be damaged and another report will be made.

What happens in Sena Forest is enough.

If he does something stupid again then he might get withdrawn from the selection.

"Oh, commander look at this..."

Zaoran pointed to another room without a door. When they got there, they were greeted by descending stairs. Half of the stairs are covered by darkness, Eugene is afraid that if they go down without a torch then it will be difficult to know what's inside.

It also looks creepy and it makes one get goosebumps.

"S-Should we not? It's eerie."