The moment Irene saw the final line, Irene’s expression suddenly changed.
"Gate No. 7?"
"Is there a problem?"
"That Gate experienced a mana anomaly just last month and has been sealed ever since. Under normal circumstances, there’s absolutely no way it should be used as an examination site for new students."
Irene raised her head and looked toward the Gate on the far right side of the plaza.
Compared with the other Gates, the mana ripples across Gate No. 7 were visibly more chaotic, and twice as many academy instructors were stationed around it to maintain its stability.
A faint stabbing sensation suddenly appeared in Asher’s chest.
Danger Sense, the skill he had only just fused, was warning him.
At the same time, the system panel unfolded on its own.
[Anomaly detected within Gate No. 7.]
[Surface Rank: E]
[Actual Internal Danger Rank: C]
[Detected: Hostile arrangements specifically targeting the Host exist inside the Gate.]
[Hidden Quest triggered.]
[Quest Name: The First Gift From His Father.]
[Quest Requirement: Enter Gate No. 7, survive, and destroy the source of the anomaly.]
[Quest Reward: 1,000 Lust Points, increased Gate Destroyer Bloodline Awakening Progress.]
[Additional Reward: Calculated according to quest completion rating.]
[Reject Quest: Host will be reassigned to a normal examination area.]
Asher narrowed his eyes slightly.
The system was giving him the option to refuse.
If he reported the Gate’s anomaly now, then with Irene’s status as a C Rank hunter and the warning provided by Danger Sense, the academy would at least be forced to inspect Gate No. 7 again. And under the eyes of tens of thousands of candidates and countless broadcasting devices, Harrison would not dare force him inside.
But Asher did not refuse.
The higher the danger rank, the more valuable the resources he could obtain.
More importantly, this was the first time Cassian had truly made a move against him.
If Asher backed down now, the other side would simply resort to even more concealed methods.
Rather than wait for a blade whose arrival he could never predict, it was better to seize the blade himself and drag both it and the person holding it into the sunlight.
"You can’t go in."
Irene grabbed his arm.
"I’ll immediately request that the Hunter Association suspend the examination."
"No."
Asher looked toward Gate No. 7.
"I’m going in."
"There could be C Rank monsters inside!"
"That’s exactly why I should go."
Asher gently pushed her hand away.
"Since Cassian went through the trouble of preparing his first gift for me, it would be rather impolite for his son to simply refuse it."
Irene was about to stop him again when an announcement signaling the start of the examination echoed above the plaza.
[All candidates, please proceed to your assigned Gates according to your combat trial groups.]
[After entering the Gate, you must complete your assigned objective within twelve hours.]
[Voluntary withdrawal or loss of combat capability will be considered examination failure.]
Asher pinned the black badge to his chest and walked toward Gate No. 7.
When he passed Director Harrison, Danger Sense once again sent a distinct stabbing sensation through him.
Harrison still wore his gentle smile.
"I wish you success in your examination."
Asher stopped.
"Thank you."
He smiled as well.
"When I come back out, I hope you’ll still be able to smile."
Harrison’s gaze changed slightly.
Asher paid him no further attention and walked straight toward Gate No. 7.
Nine other candidates had already gathered there.
But the moment Asher saw the silver white figure standing at the front of the group, his footsteps abruptly stopped.
Nova Valderis.
Pinned to her chest was a black badge identical to his.
[Combat Trial Group: Group Seven]
Asher turned toward Harrison in the distance.
The smile had already disappeared from the man’s face, replaced by unmistakable shock and panic. Clearly, even he had no idea why Nova had appeared in this group.
Nova noticed Asher’s gaze.
"I changed groups at the last minute."
Her voice was calm.
"Didn’t you say that one day you would take everything back from the Valderis family? I want to see for myself exactly what gives you the right to say something like that."
Asher glanced at the constantly distorting Gate before them.
"You might regret it."
"I never regret my decisions."
Nova stepped into the Gate first.
Her silver white figure vanished into the rippling mana.
The next instant, Gate No. 7, which had still been relatively stable, suddenly began shaking violently as pitch black cracks rapidly spread around its entrance.
Alarms resounded throughout the entire plaza.
[WARNING!]
[Unknown mutation detected in Gate No. 7!]
[Danger Rank is being reassessed!]
[Entrance will close in thirty seconds!]
Asher stared at the Gate Nova had already entered, and the corners of his lips slowly rose.
"System. Temporarily remove all suppression on the Divine Aphrodisiac Body."
[Command confirmed.]
[Divine Aphrodisiac Body is beginning to release its effects.]
An invisible, peculiar aura spread outward from Asher’s body.
Then, under Harrison’s abruptly changing gaze, Asher stepped into Gate No. 7.
The entrance slammed shut behind him!