Mixed Blessing System

Lothur then responded to the offer made by that old man. "Well, I don't like compromises or leadership responsibilities. So if there's no way for a council member to get rid of those two problems, I will have to decline that offer."

"What?" The old man exclaimed in surprise. "Are you serious? What could be more honorable than leading an organization? Besides, this is an instrument for you to grow within this profession quickly!"

"Are you sure you're going to decline it? You might not be invited again!" He said, squeezing Lothur's shoulder a little but without hurting this annoying-looking man.

Lothur then replied. "I don't see it that way... This leadership stuff is not for me. Anyway, you are wrong about something. I don't see myself becoming a great formation master in the future."

"I am learning that along with other professions to fulfill certain goals, but I don't see myself practicing the profession of formation master as normal people do."

"You what?" The mouths of the old man and Johann, who heard everything, opened due to these statements of Lothur.

From what this man was talking about, this profession was not a big deal for him, and he was not that dedicated. That was not his focus, and he did not seem to have much ambition.

Considering how much talent he should have given the first test of that exam, the two of them soon began to think how unfair the world was.

'What a great disgrace!'

'A talent like that is going to be wasted because of that foolish mentality of his!' The old man looked up at the ceiling of that place as if he was trying to see through the walls and was sending his message to the heavens.

Meanwhile, Annaliese was reveling in this, happy to see her brother-in-law behaving so genuinely.

"Anyway, how is the second test? By the way, is it also done here?" Lothur asked after a moment of silence in that area.

Another association official at that location then explained. "The second exam for new 1-star formation masters is done in the next room. But we have to wait for a few more candidates to pass before we can continue with it."

Johann regained some of his composure and said to Lothur. "There is a lot of competition between formation masters in our world. They say that for every apprentice who starts this profession, only half of them manage to establish themselves and grow in this business."

"Of that half, more than 70% will not advance to the higher levels and will serve as labor for common artifact production. Only those who are left have the real chance to prosper and succeed."

"Because of this, the second test of the association combines this tough competition with the exam we will take." This dark-skinned man said. "We will probably have to compete to see who has the best results or the best times doing something."

"The first half will move on to the next stage, and the rest will fail, even if they finish the test."

Lothur heard all this and found the ways of this place interesting. "I see. They are teaching these apprentices the value of competition and how the world works..." He muttered in a low voice.

On Earth, some clueless people liked the idea of teaching children not to count the score and to play with the idea of equality. But in practice, in the real world, the adult world, there was no such thing as equality, and the score was always counted!

Unfortunately, some fools grew up believing in fantasy and suffered when faced with the cold world awaiting them.

Lothur knew this and liked the methods of this association as eliminating even those capable of passing a test was a method of teaching that such a thing alone was not enough!

The weaker ones could feel the injustice, give up, or work harder.

That was the choice presented in situations like this, something necessary to make this brutal world stronger!

The resources of this world were limited, and it would be a great misfortune, a genuine sorrow, to waste them on weak people.

So, naturally, the world penalized those unable to use all of themselves, taught that there is no rest and that one must push oneself to the limit to ensure spiritual progress.

The training that makes you stronger is the one that makes one's cells understand that if it does not get stronger, the body dies.

Society needed people like this, so it needed to be cruel to those of low willpower!

With that in mind, Lothur stood beside Annaliese and Johann for a few minutes until more candidates appeared to contest the second test.

"To those who passed the first test, come with me!" A tall, muscular man remarked this, not waiting and soon beginning to walk toward a corridor that connected this place to the next exam area.

Lothur and his sister-in-law followed in that person's footsteps, while Cedric followed them further back, along with other members of the association who were observing these tests.

'This next test is not yet the most complex, so it won't be difficult for someone able to do 100% on the first one.' Cedric, the man with long black hair, believed, still not despairing.

His bet was specific. Lothur had to make a formation with at least 90% efficiency. But that could not compare with knowing all the Iron-grade inscriptions or having the ability to pass the second test. So, he was still looking forward as he longed for the moment when Lothur would fall, humiliating himself in front of Annaliese!

That would be his moment, his revenge against someone who talked colossal nonsense.

'I just have to wait!'

'He'll get a few more moments of glory but fall in no time!' He mischievously grinned until everyone there reached the second exam room.

As they arrived in that area with a small platform between four bleachers, those candidates saw the man from earlier climb onto the platform that had several tables evenly spread out.

"The second test of this exam is simple." He said aloud, gesturing and looking at those apprentices. "You must deactivate those formations without destroying them within three minutes."

"The first half of those who do this within that interval will be approved to proceed with the third exam... The rest will fail!"

Gulp!

The 14 apprentices in Lothur's group understood the challenge, with many swallowing their saliva in nervousness.

Three minutes was not much time to disarm an unknown formation without the risk of compromising its integrity.

Hell, even if it took longer, setting up a formation was much easier than deactivating it without damaging its structures!

Hence, as they walked up to that stage, randomly choosing their seats, several candidates were quite anxious.

"Well, I've never deactivated a formation before, but it shouldn't be a problem..." Lothur commented in a low voice as he sat in front of his desk, where a small device with the formation to be deactivated was.

After that, the examiner looked at each candidate and noticed they were all 'ready.' So, he gave the signal and fired the timer, an hourglass the size of his arm.

...