Transcendent Gene
Chapter 183: Entrance Ceremony [3]

Chapter 183: Entrance Ceremony [3]

The rules of the rock puzzle were easy to understand. When energy was inserted into the runes on their surfaces, they would move in set directions.

The problem was that "how" they were meant to be moved was not explained. There wasn’t a clear goal attached to the puzzle, making it confusing.

At first, Gio tried moving the stones and pillars away to create an open space through the center, but that wasn’t the correct solution. He then tried putting all of the pieces together like a real puzzle, but that also wasn’t the answer.

"Hmm..."

He hummed to himself as he considered the issue. He didn’t use any of Hekat’s power on the rocks themselves in case they stored the energy for a long time, but he directed it to his eyes so he could see what wasn’t visible.

He moved the stones, watching as their motions sent vibrations in all directions. After enough tries, he could confirm that the stones he saw weren’t all of the puzzle pieces.

Some of them were hidden beneath the ground as well.

There was a long rectangular piece and another two shaped like the letter "L." By bringing them onto the puzzle as well, Gio completed what he believed to be the final product.

On one hand, it looked like an ancient portal out of a fantasy novel. On the other hand, it looked like a stone key made for the hands of giants.

He frowned at it, wondering what the point of its form was. With his hand still on the base, he could feel the energy flowing through the structure.

The same energy flowed into his body, sparking as it came in contact with the natural force he held within. It reacted strangely before pulling away.

A bit of light shined from the large key, marking the completion of the structure. Another point was added to Gio’s total on the leaderboard, but that was it.

’A single point?

He wasn’t the only one frowning. Even the audience was filled with negative expressions as they realized their efforts were fruitless.

Gio had 21 points, but only one came from this puzzle. Was it even worth trying to fight him for it?

Most of them decided it wasn’t. The few who thought those 21 points were too enticing to let go...

Well, Gio could have defeated them if he wanted to, but he chose to run away instead.

’I don’t need to take points from these kids. It’s better if they have all the help they can get.’

He wanted everyone at this institute to become stronger, after all. He wasn’t going to block anyone’s chances unless they directly found and challenged him.

The Headmaster only announced a day-long event. Most were scrambling around, looking to find as many points as possible in the shortest period of time.

Gio moved more casually with the suspicion in his head that it would be much more than that. He challenged activities whenever he found them and fought the few beasts he encountered during his travels, but there realistically wasn’t a lot to be done before night fell.

He went to work setting up a camp for himself before it the sun finished setting. His eyes occasionally went to the leaderboard in the sky.

[1. Yulis Alexandria - 57 Points]

[2. Neriah Moonwood - 55 Points]

[3. Genevieve Sorrowyn - 50 Points]

[4. Darian Smith - 44 Points]

[5, Giovani Atmos - 40 Points]

He was still on the leaderboard, but just barely. He didn’t work nearly as hard as the others and didn’t fight another first year even once. It made sense for him to be far behind those leading the crowd.

’That girl named Neriah has been dominating second for the entire day. The rest of the list has changed aside from her. She must be impressive.’

There were a few names he knew from this class. Those who would stand out in later years actually weren’t the geniuses on the list now, but it wasn’t because these geniuses were untalented.

’The untalented weren’t the main targets, so most of them survived the attack. Late bloomers were included among them. If it weren’t for their existence, the future of raising Sequencers would have taken a much bigger hit.’

People like the Neriah Moonwind on the leaderboard...

Their histories didn’t extend past this year in the old timeline.

Gio shook his head and entered his makeshift tent. Really, it was a bunch of sticks and branches put together at the base of the tree to form a barely passable shelter, but that was beside the point.

He retreated before the hologram of the Headmaster’s face returned to the night sky. He didn’t see it, but he heard its words clearly.

[You clueless little pricks! Why are you still looking for a way out?!]

He yelled at them like it wasn’t his fault they thought this was only a one-day event.

[This is the first lesson I’ll teach you now that you’re training to become Sequencers. Never trust anyone’s words without proof that they’re speaking facts! I lied to you, and since most of you couldn’t figure it out from the clues hidden all around, I’m not even going to tell you how long you’ll stay in the forest!]

The rest of the speech was along the same lines, but Gio wasn’t paying attention.

His focus was taken by a separate hologram that appeared in his tent around that same time.

[Hello, student.]

The Headmaster’s entire form was present this time. The hologram walked across the ground as if it were really a part of the environment.

[You are one of the few who understood the clues hidden in this forest. You have been allowed the special privilege of knowing how long you will be trapped.]

Gio looked it over with a frown. The message was obviously prerecorded, but it was still a surprise that they sent something like this.

The Headmaster was a lot shorter than Gio expected, around half his current height.

’He said I’m one of the few. There are probably a couple others who received some warnings from their families, but there are probably also those who figured it out on their own.’

The clues around the forest weren’t easy to follow. In fact, Gio didn’t put together where they were pointing him until he’d already set up his camp.

[You will remain for another six days to collect the points you need. It may sound like too long of a period, but that is your mistake. You need at least that much time to gather enough points.]

The hologram smiled and winked slyly.

[Who knows? Perhaps if you’re able to get to 300 Points, you might even be able to afford Bloodline Enhancers. That’s just the babbling of an old man, though. Take it as you will.]

Gio’s heartbeat spiked. So did those of every other student who received the same message.

’Bloodline Enhancers? They’re offering us something like that so early?’

Gene Sequences didn’t grow. For humans to reach the true potential of their genes, they needed to inherit and strengthen a Bloodline to support them.

But what did it mean to "strengthen" a Bloodline?

There were levels of power for Sequencers, but how did one move through them?

It wasn’t as simple as training and working hard until one’s body magically evolved. There were several possible ways to strengthen a Bloodline.

Bloodline Enhancers were one of them; one of the easiest and most straightforward methods, in fact.

They guaranteed an instantaneous rise in the quality of one’s Bloodline, but they were also limited in use as one’s body quickly developed a tolerance for them.

Nevertheless, for new Sequencers, the effects of Bloodline Enhancers were far more pronounced than they were for anyone else.

To Gio, such rapid methods were exactly what he needed.

’I need to get as strong as possible before it gets closer to the Apocalypse Church’s attack.’

It was fine if he wanted to take it slow, but he absolutely needed to attain 300 points first.

He had a new goal for the next six days.

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