"You…" Neo said with a disappointed tone.
When coming to this place to test his class, he had forgotten to go over the fact that he would cross paths with Armin who was the owner of Veritas.
"Follow me." Armin said, turning around.
He left no room for questioning his actions as he stepped back on the elevator. Neo and Bryce followed him. After the elevator door closed, Neo felt his stomach drop when Armin crossed over him to set their destination.
He stepped back on instinct and somehow bumped his back against Bryce's chest.
"Senior, are you okay?" Ever the 'caring' one, Bryce asked with concern while helping Neo find balance.
"I'm fine." Neo shot a glare at Armin who didn't even look his way.
The lift was going down which meant the test center was somewhere underground.
The three people didn't exchange any words in the brief time it took to get to the test center. When the doors opened, the sight revealed that they were really on a completely different floor.
Here, there were actually working people. Most of them were wearing white coats and glasses, giving Neo the idea that they were researchers or medical personnel.
With the arrival of three new people to their lair, most of the researchers paused the things they were doing to look.
Neo suddenly felt dozens of pairs of eyes on him, watching and analyzing his every move. It was not an unfamiliar thing so he went along with it, ignoring the eyes.
He and Bryce flanked Armin's sides as he led them to where they were supposed to go. The nosy researchers gossiped amongst themselves about the three people who could clearly hear them.
"He really is alive."
"Such perfect wavelengths…"
"For the class test, there's a possibility the hero would not…"
"The president is doing such things only because…"
"Is standing so close to that kid even safe?"
Neo suddenly felt a grip around his left arm. He was about to break free when he heard a soft voice say, "Senior, I'm scared…"
Neo was apprehensive to find Bryce being too clingy again just after he heard those flying words about some kid. He had all reason to believe that Bryce was the kid that particular person was referring to.
"All these people looking at me… I'm shy." Bryce tightened his grip, and Neo felt like his bone was about to break.
"Can you st—"
"Here." Armin spoke over Neo, putting a pause to their movement.
Bryce's grip on Neo's arm relaxed slightly but that odd clinginess was still there. Neo couldn't even find a way to break free, though there was a strong sense telling him to.
"This is Professor Topaz. I'll be leaving you in his hands." Armin introduced a man in his thirties or forties who had a full head of white hair and an attractive face.
"An honor to be in your presence." Professor Topaz stretched his hand and Neo hesitated a bit before taking it in a firm clasp.
"Nice to meet you." He said and ended the handshake after two seconds.
Professor Topaz turned his head and gave a head nod to acknowledge Bryce. In that brief moment, Bryce clung to Neo even more for some reason.
"Come along with me so we can draw blood and you can get into gear to prepare for the test." Professor Topaz said as he directed them into another room.
Neo was familiar with the kind of test he was about to take, on the condition that the format was still the same as years ago when he first took it.
He changed into a black bodysuit which weighed almost a thousand pounds and had increased pain sensors, putting him in a disadvantaged position.
What came next was a series of examinations that tested on strength, speed, vision, resilience, weapon mastery, intellect, decision making, and mental fortitude.
The weapon test and mental tests took form in simulations which included live-in problematic situations that needed quick actions.
By the end of the test, Neo had a similar feeling to the times he would go on dungeon missions—utterly exhausted. And he could say that the test had become significantly harder from years ago.
Neo was escorted to a changing room to refresh himself while Armin and Bryce remained with Professor Topaz in a different room—the professor's office.
Armin and Bryce were seated next to each other across a desk from Professor Topaz whose gaze was fixed on the digital screen before him.
"What does his results say? Did his class drop?" Judging by Armin's tone, one would think he even sounded eager to hear that Neo's class dropped.
Professor Topaz didn't answer immediately, only making a strange sound from the back of his throat.
"His results for each test exceed the average A or even S-Class Hunters. He excelled in the tests. However…" Armin and Bryce held their breaths.
"An accurate reading of his class couldn't be read. At first, it read S-Class but it changed and read several incoherent things. We had to restart the machine, but even with that…" Professor Topaz did his best to explain the matter.
"You're saying my Senior's class must have increased and the current equipment can't even read his class, right?" Bryce said excitedly.
"In a nutshell," Professor Topaz didn't agree or disagree.
"You're completely sure that his class has undergone significant change to level up?" Armin asked seriously.
"Mr Slater hasn't given a full rundown of how he was able to clear the Great Dungeon but to conquer such a feat, one would have to transcend the norm. And perhaps that should be what brought out the never before seen result."
Armin fell into deep thought hearing those words. But that wasn't the end.
"There is also one more thing," Professor Topaz said, turning his digital screen to face Bryce and Armin.
"The blood test results also came in."
Armin's and Bryce's expression hardened as they looked at the screen in front of them, finding the words there hard to believe.
"The number of sync partners of the hero of Mars has increased to four."