The more they oppose, the more it shows that I am doing the right thing
Chapter 41 The Borderland Triumvirs Begin to Show Their Mettle

The next day. Early morning.

Last night's light snow had accumulated on the metallic dome, forming a thin layer of rime ice that negligently turned into meltwater, slowly trickling down through the crevices.

The winter morning was devoid of sunlight, its glory veiled by a dim mist. The faint glow flickering in the air was nothing but the pure white of snowmelt.

The Alchemic and Mechanical Church, the grand hall of the sixth chapel.

The second-floor examination prep area was filled with test-takers who gazed nervously downwards through the glass, intermittently double-checking that the magic combinations they chose were error-free and might secure their passage through the test.

They had all inquired about yesterday's examiners in private.

Priestess Ai Xueli Xien, a magical talent from the magicians' Xien Family, was considered the foremost among her peers in the research of magical positioning combinations.

With such a prodigy as their adversary, one feared that she could see right through the magic combinations they'd worked out.

On the third floor, the Church's priests were gathered around a round table, recording scores and quietly discussing and evaluating each candidate's performance.

"Number 43, prepare."

The Alchemical Magic Guide announced the next candidate, and a brown-haired girl quickly responded, hustling to her feet and nervously making her way downstairs.

Priestess Ai Xueli yawned out of boredom.

She felt disinterested, firstly because of today's cold weather, and secondly because the candidates were indeed dull.

The highest-scoring candidate so far had lasted only six minutes and thirty seconds.

She would rather doze by the fireside than deal with these boring provincials.

Bored, so bored.

"Let me see your choice of spells... Hmm, Holy Light Spell, Healing, Damage Swap, Light Sword. You intend to take a strategy of exchanging injury for injury?"

Ai Xueli calmly said, "That's too trite, you're really quite boring."

She was never one for tactful commentary.

"Ah..." the girl shrank back.

A license woven from light appeared in her hand, and simultaneously, an identical license materialized in Ai Xueli's hand.

This was the pledge of the previous day's test.

"Once you sign this license, the High-Rank Alchemic Magic Circle 'License Transformation—Alchemic Biomimicry' will activate."

Ai Xueli said languidly, "We'll achieve completely fair conditions—I'll become exactly like you at the moment you sign the license. And the result of the exam will be entirely determined by the Scales of Order."

[For absolute fairness, the examiner will completely duplicate your state upon entering the examination area, including appearance, equipment, physical condition, and the four spells in your magic slots, through the Alchemic Magic Circle authorized by you]

The license read as so.

Titles bestowed by the gods couldn't be replicated, naturally, because a god-given title held sacred uniqueness.

As the license was signed, the top-tier magic circle slowly started up.

Ai Xueli's hair color changed; her originally lustrous golden hair gradually shifted to a brownish hue, and her refined and haughty features took on speckles of freckles—she was slowly morphing into the likeness of the young girl before her.

Even the gear on Ai Xueli's body changed: it was now identical to the candidate's.

It was somewhat rustic, somewhat ordinary.

That's why Ai Xueli hated being an examiner—she would temporarily turn into these unsightly creatures.

She especially detested those from the borders; they always seemed to have a certain smell.

Utterly repugnant.

Regarding her 'earthy' doppelganger, Ai Xueli mocked, "Well then, let's begin."

...

Number 59.

It was Arthur Sunny's turn to take the stage.

He was the first of the three from the borderlands to undergo the test, and it was his role to lead the charge.

[The Radiant Young Lion]

He rose slowly under everyone's gaze, with eyes steadfast and confident.

Arthur looked at An Su, who nodded gently to him.

The surrounding candidates regarded him with great expectation, as their morale was at a low—Ai Xueli had given the candidates a tough time.

They needed a leading figure to boost their spirits.

And Arthur was that beacon of hope.

Firstly because he was the second to turn in his exam yesterday, and secondly because of his image.

Handsome and tall, with golden eyes like those of a lion, his blond hair cascading down, his smile so confident it seemed to dispel the gloom of winter.

He was dressed in an expensive high-rank magic gown lined with a gold armored shirt, master-crafted alchemic trousers emblazoned with the pattern of the sun, wielding a resplendent golden magic wand.

In that moment, Arthur was like a Holy Knight—holy and magnificent.

He strode confidently towards the center of the great hall on the second floor.

"Sign the license," Ai Xueli said, not even bothering to look at Arthur, skipping even the basic courtesy of 'you'.

"Such a weak and ostentatious man," Ai Xueli commented scornfully.

She swiftly signed her portion of the license.

Ai Xueli disliked individuals from the borderlands; she found the man before her to be flashy and boring, likely to make for another swiftly concluded exam.

Her mentor had warned her to be wary of a few troublemakers from the borderlands, but what was there to worry about with mere minnows?

"Before I sign the license, I need to prepare," Arthur replied sunnily, as the license appeared out of nowhere in his hand.

"—Given that the test will be over so soon, what do you need to prepare for...?"

Arthur took a slow breath and An Su's passionate words from the previous night echoed in his ears: "Courage is the wellspring of strength."

"?" Ai Xueli was caught off guard.

The next second, her pupils trembled!

All the candidates in the room trembled in unison.

They couldn't believe what they were seeing,

And today they would bear witness—

They witnessed the descent of the great Holy Light.

But behold, Arthur tore off his noble robe and ripped away his undershirt to reveal a broad and magnificent chest, with sharply defined six-pack abs, and quickly removed his trousers. His whole body was so white it seemed as if he were the embodiment of Holy Light itself, with the sole adornment being the golden underwear hanging around his crotch!

"Wow..." some girls exclaimed with a wow.

Although they were far away and couldn't hear what Arthur and the examiner were saying, the scene looked absolutely explosive!

"Sign the authorization!"

Before Ai Xueli could react, Arthur confidently signed his name with flamboyant strokes.

[Authorization confirmed]

[The examiner will fully replicate all the states you are in at the time of signing the authorization, titles excluded]

Including, equipment.

That golden underwear was Arthur's only piece of equipment!

Ai Xueli was astonished and terrified to replace that all her clothing had disappeared as well.

She had a robust physique, sharply defined six-pack abs, that broad and majestic chest, and the dazzling golden underwear at her crotch!

In the cold early winter wind, she was stark naked.

And her soul was colder than her body.

Freezing to the bone.

"You... you..." Ai Xueli stared fixedly at Arthur, at those big words above his head, "Radiant Young Lion." Was the Radiance of the Young Lion like this?

So this is how lowly and despicable the people from the borderlands are!

Ai Xueli clenched her teeth. She had decided that she would humiliate him thoroughly in the most cruel and insulting way possible.

Let's see what magic spells he chose... and then quickly work out the magic combination based on those spells.

Hmm?

Why are there no magic spells in the four memory slots?

Ai Xueli was dumbfounded.

"The examination manual states, 'You may freely choose magic to equip in the memory slots.'"

Arthur smiled confidently and brightly, "Equipping none at all is also a form of free equipment!"

"Ansu told me that, with my staggering intellect, no combination of magic is the best combination."

Are you really exploiting loopholes like this... Ai Xueli gritted her teeth, forcing herself to calm down,

"Then why did you bring a magic wand?"

"Who said this is a magic wand?"

Arthur slowly lifted the stick-shaped object in his hand. At this moment, in his belief, he was like a Holy Knight standing on the battlefield, just as his countless ancestors from the Sun Family were about to draw their swords from their sheaths—

"This is my Holy Sword."

Ai Xueli's expression became utterly numb.

How could that huge lump be your Holy Sword?

We're in a Magician's examination, big guy.

"You once said courage, persistence, wisdom — are the three main criteria for passing this examination."

Arthur swung his staff in a clean sword gesture, "And what I am going to show you, is the courage of the Radiant Holy See!"

He had no armor, no clothing, no defense to cover his body, what was left was only that unyielding courage.

This was Arthur Sunny, the dream of this Radiant Young Lion all along.

This was the glory of the Sun Family.

Is your radiant courage just some exhibitionist streak?

Ai Xueli covered her stark chest muscles, feeling that the person before her was purely a pervert!

"The courage to face the snowstorm, the courage to overcome hardships, the courage to be upright and forthright—"

Arthur drew his staff from its sheath. He said with admiration, "Just as Ansu said, this is my knightly [Awakening]."

In the stands, Ansu showed a contented smile.

Who is Ansu?

Are they their leader?

Was it this kid who gave you this idea...?

Ai Xueli suddenly remembered the name Ansu. Yesterday, that guy seemed to be smiling at her.

A lowly and despicable commoner, Ai Xueli bit her teeth.

Bastard.

"Draw your sword, Knight Ai Xueli," Arthur called out loudly.

"This is a Magician's examination, not a Holy Knight's examination," Ai Xueli said with an ugly expression.

She was a magic prodigy, not some Holy Knight prodigy!

And she was no Knight Ai Xueli!

She was a scholar of the liberal arts!

"I have had enough of those red tapes—"

Arthur launched an attack, directly approaching Ai Xueli, his staff raised high and smashed down ferociously!

"Strength is indeed the Magician's rationale!"

The stands erupted with a tumult of noise, especially from some of the young girls who were particularly excited.

Although they didn't understand what was happening,

seeing two attractive muscular men grappling in their underwear was quite the treat!

Today was the "Radiant Young Lion's" debut battle, and from now on, a more resonant title would echo throughout the imperial capital,

One of the Borderland Triumvirs, "The Bare-Butted Louse"—Arthur Sunny!

His father, far away in the borderlands, would surely feel pride and honor for him.