Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil

Eren possessed keen insight into how people thought in tense situations.

He particularly understood the concept of group mentality.

He knew that he would get targeted the moment other candidates realized he had been admitted into the test because of his preselection, thanks to the recommendation token given to him by Archpriest Jivem.

To the candidates who had proved their mettle by passing the initial rounds, Eren and others like him were nothing but outsiders. And outsiders would always get bullied by people who were in a particular situation or place for far longer than the newcomers.

Eren had experienced something similar in his academy days in LA. he had learned his lessons after experiencing life's realities personally. He didn't want to isolate himself and make the same mistake of becoming the target of all the bullies. Thus, he decided to become one with the bullies themselves by approaching them straightaway.

While Eren was confident in his ability to handle challenges, he acknowledged the diverse skill sets of Labh Salem's inhabitants. Despite sensing his inherent superiority, he understood the importance of avoiding unnecessary conflicts.

To mitigate potential hostility, he aligned himself with promising individuals like Horen and Vasco, recognizing the benefits of joining forces with those who showed promise.

Eren sneaked up behind the dup to make them understand how capable he was as a Ranker. He knew that the duo would never agree to work with a weak candidate who would lower the chances of their win. This was a subtle show of force that he knew would work on them.

Vasco and Horen were a bit doubtful about Eren's guesswork. However, it didn't stop them from forming a temporary alliance with him. After all, they both preferred to increase the chances of their survival in the test and eventual selection in the Corps.

Vasco, Horen, and Eren started chatting among themselves as they waited by the giant doors. The two briefly told Eren about other promising individuals whom they had identified from the initial rounds.

Thankfully, the candidates didn't have to wait long. The Dimensional Gate Opened and out came a panel of judges, which had been selected by the Kaaisayaan Empire to organize this year's selection process.

The panel of judges briefly introduced themselves before explaining the rules of the game. They confirmed what Eren had predicted all along– that the candidates were allowed to form groups of three or four members to deal with the challenges ahead.

Unlike some of the earlier rounds, the challengers didn't need to fight among themselves. All of them, including the preselected candidates, had proved their mettle already and the fact that they were allowed to participate in the final round was proof of that.

They were expected to fight their potential arch enemies– demons and demonic powers.

Of course, the rules also specified the candidates' rights to prioritize their self-interests. It basically meant that the candidates didn't necessarily have to fight among themselves in order to be selected as bonafide Demon Slayers. However, if a group decided to launch an attack on another for any particular reason, the attacked were allowed to retaliate.

The candidates were given a glass badge that looked like nothing but a palm-sized transparent slab. It was supposed to absorb the demonic energies the candidates would encounter and subdue as they fought inside demonically attuned environments and demonic entities.

The candidates were allowed to fight in groups to showcase their team-playing abilities. However, the glass slab would absorb the demonic energies according to the individual contribution.

Of course, the slab was enhanced with intent-based magic. It meant that the candidates' contribution would be judged by how their Skills affected the surroundings and helped their teammates. Therefore, those who only used long-range Skills but had no or low kill count didn't have to worry about scoring lower than the other teammates.

The candidates would be considered as passing the final test when the transparent glass slab they were supposed to carry on themselves at all times changed color and turned coal-like black, completely opaque.

The panel of judges made it clear to all the challengers that the empire and the Corps held no responsibility for the damages occurring inside the isolated environments used to conduct the test. The candidates could quit the test by breaking the glass slab with their hands anytime during the course of the test.

However, they were warned that some dangerous entities inside the test may not even allow them to reach for the glass slab. Their fates might get sealed if they were dealt life-

threatening damage before the glass slab was broken.

The candidates could also wait for the week's duration to end if for some reason they were unable to quit the test. They might not get selected but such an approach could end up saving their life.

They were given a week to clear the test. However, there was an upper limit to the number of candidates the panel would enroll in the Corps. About 50 percent of the candidates were supposed to get weeded out from the sea of candidates present for the final round.

Of course, the candidates could clear the test anytime during the week. They would be teleported outside the testing grounds automatically when that happened. Or they could choose to keep on helping their teammates by interfering with the automatic teleportation function on the glass slab manually.

The anticipation was high as the commencement of the bonafide Demon Slayers' first batch loomed, expected to emerge within three to four days of the test initiation. These elite Demon Slayers, however, wouldn't gain any additional advantages over those who passed the test on the final day. It meant that all the successful candidates would share the same starting point in the Corps.

'That… is she an +S?... No… not quite. But she is close… even closer than King's Hand Garos Renar,' The butcher was stunned as he made a shocking assessment.

The panel of judges, all S-Rank entities led by a pseudo-Saint, took turns explaining the rules. It was Eren's first encounter with a pseudo-Saint, and her imposing presence was undeniable, effortlessly emanating an intimidating aura.

To Eren's surprise, the Dimensional Gate served not only as the entrance to the Kaaysaayan's Demon Slayer Corps headquarters but also linked the City of Demondeath to several isolated dimensions maintained by the empire for various purposes.

The judges activated the runic details adorning the Dimensional Gate, swinging open the colossal doors to reveal an endless void awaiting the candidates.

"I hope I kill them with my success, not my hands," Eren muttered to himself, stepping into the void passageway alongside his two companions.