Transcendent Gene
Chapter 218: Simulated Riftworld [4]

Chapter 218: Simulated Riftworld [4]

The image showed the peak of the mountain clear from the clouding of the world around it.

An uninhabited peak, a peak that still needed to be claimed for the first time. Such a peak was not only shown to Gio but to Shiro and every monster around them as well.

The image rushed down the side of the mountain, showing the Sacred Pine as if it was outlining a racetrack. However, there was no specific pattern to its movements.

When it reached the pine, it settled into its trunk, viewing the world from its perspective.

And then, everything shifted. The mountain flipped on its head. The Sacred Pine stood alone on top of its base which was now pointed at the sky.

The Sacred Pine was the beginning. Only those who could reach the Sacred Pine and accept its energy could see this image and gain the qualifications to participate in the ceremony.

They started at the base of the mountain and made it there. With their qualifications accepted...

The image shattered into rays of light that converged to once again form the mountain peak, this time with the Sacred Pine at the very top.

’We are the Sacred Pine, and the Sacred Pine is us.’

It only existed in one place, as it was nothing more than a pine tree that was taller than the rest.

However, to these monsters, the Sacred Pine embodied the core of their very selves. It was the root that they held onto, and the saintly entity that blessed them on their journey to the peak.

It was a very elaborate image that only Gio and Shiro got to witness. Their classmates were unlucky enough to spawn in different places that didn’t make them privy to what was happening on the mountaintop, but Gio was sure they were gaining experience in other ways.

’We, on the other hand...’

Gio looked over at Shiro, who got the same message he did from the vision they were shown.

"It’s just telling us to get to the peak, isn’t it?"

"It is," Gio agreed.

"But it told all of them that too."

He looked out at the sea of monsters. He didn’t have a divine parent or a pen sword to help him face it, but this was not a team competition.

It was a free-for-all.

The monsters were looking between each other, some of their gazes landing on the two humans in the crowd.

They looked up at the peak and then back at each other as if waiting for any signs of movement.

And then...

CAW!

With a fierce cry, a bird that was perched at the very top of the Sacred Pine spread its wings and flew into the air.

Whoooosh!

A huge gust of wind slammed into the ground, provoking angry roars from several monsters. Several birds rose up to challenge the one who flew, but it was too late.

With a single gust of wind, it pushed itself far ahead of any of them, its trajectory taking it directly towards the mountain peak.

ROAAAAR–!

AWOOOOO–!

CAAAAAW–!

The moment that fact was realized by the rest of the monsters, it started. A stampede of beastly creatures threw themselves towards the peak in any way they could.

They rushed or flew across the flat land until they reached the slope and then rushed up that way as well.

Gio and Shiro were confused at first, but they followed, knowing that it would be a worse idea to stand still.

And by following the crowd, they were finally able to understand what they were participating in.

A mad dash; a rat race.

At its core, that was the identity of the monsters’ "tradition."

***

Meanwhile, in the outside world, the happenings inside the Riftworld were being displayed on a set of holographic screens.

There was a screen for every student in the class. Most of them showed scenes of ordinary combat and survival expeditions. The students who weren’t lucky enough to spawn at the top of the mountain had no choice but to gain experience at its base.

However, those who were further up its slope or even those who spawned in similar positions to Gio or Shiro...

All of them were currently in a confused state. They received the same objective as everyone else and saw that they had to "become the King of the Mountain." However, they had nothing telling them what that could possibly mean.

They could only try to find out more about the screen by exploring the realm, and in the process, three or four of them were lucky enough to witness the scene of that stampede.

Yet, none of them were willing to approach it. Naturally, they wouldn’t approach it without any awareness of what it was.

"Haa..."

Tieran sighed in exasperation.

"I knew I had a class of wild cards this year, but I didn’t expect it to go like this."

He expected something to happen the moment he saw that both Gio and Shiro had spawned near the peak. Those two were the resident young geniuses of the group.

For them to not only find the objective so fast, but to also start and participate in the race to the peak was unheard of.

"These two...if anything, it just shows how much potential they have, but it’s difficult for everyone else."

The simulated Riftworld existed so students could learn about how Riftworlds functioned.

"Shiro is still learning and picking things up, but Yves...or rather, Gio...that kid is completely aware of what he’s doing."

He didn’t need to be trained in a simulated Riftworld. He was already prepared to enter a real one that matched his level.

"He’s an unbelievable kid, isn’t he?"

Tieran turned around to the sound of a voice he recognized. The person who’d entered the gym was the teacher of Gio’s other practical combat course, named Evrona Rai.

"He is," Tieran responded with a nod of greeting.

"It’s almost concerning because it feels as if he’s been sent here for a purpose, but he’s from the Atmos Clan of all places."

Evrona approached, her eyes on the screen.

"The other one’s not bad either. It’s a shame I don’t have him. It looks fun to teach the two of them together."

"It’s fun for now," Tieran replied.

"But like I said, he’s an Atmos."

"Hmm..."

Gio was called "Gio" because it was written as his preferred nickname in his file, but his full name had been said several times. It wasn’t as if "they" didn’t have the opportunity to realize.

Kyrian warned him long before he started his journey to Celestelle about what he’d encounter if he entered the school as an Atmos.

Yet, in these three weeks, he had not experienced a single bit of it.

The clans who held animosity towards the Atmos Clan weren’t holding themselves back.

They were being held back.

’It’s because it’s only the first month.’

Most students were still finding their way. They didn’t have time to cause trouble yet. The second year students and above were also being strictly watched during this time.

The school cared about bullying and abuse to an extent, but it wouldn’t actively stop something that stemmed from a rivalry between big clans. Gio was only safe because the first month was a grace period where the first years were protected.

’I was wondering how he’d face it when I first realized there was an Atmos in the class this time. They’ve been quiet for a long time, so to send an heir candidate here now has caused waves.’

No matter how inadvertent it was, it was true.

’But this kid isn’t just a successor candidate. No, more than that, a kid with this much potential can’t end up as the head of a merchant clan. I can’t let that happen.’

Tieran’s eyes stayed on the screens. Ezrona spoke to him from the side as she enjoyed the show, but his responses were dry.

"I think I want to train them," he finally said, watching them ascend to the peak of the mountain.

"Personally?" Ezrona asked with a stupefied expression.

"Yeah. For the first time in a long time, there are useful people in my class."

Tieran had a reputation that not many students knew because it existed mainly within the military and the military alone.

For someone like him to develop the desire to personally take care of some students...

’We’re going to raise monsters this generation.’

Ezrona smiled in challenge.

"I can’t slack off either."

If he was going to go all-out, why couldn’t they make it a proper competition?

She could raise geniuses as well.

And when the International Conference happened, they could throw their geniuses at each other and see who truly drew out the most potential.

No matter how much time passed, there was no better way to get humans motivated than competition.