Chapter 67

Each examiner had an assortment of tools beside them—impact hammers, cutting saws, drills, and even a guillotine. Hudson swallowed hard. This wasn't an evaluation ground. It looked more like an execution site. And these weren't examiners—they were executioners. Except for Blade. Blade had no tools beside him. His test involved only the blade in his hand. Ned, the chubby boy, was having the worst luck imaginable. Not only had the drawn Blade as his examiner, but he was also the first to be tested. Blade looked at Ned with a peculiar grin. "What's your ability?" he asked, his tone teasing. "Skin hardening. I can solidify my fat into steel." The moment Ned finished, Blade burst into laughter. "Ha! No wonder you're so fat! Your fat's your armor!" The other candidates couldn't help but laugh along. Ned, however, was sweating profusely, finding nothing funny about the situation. "Alright, alright." Blade slowly stood up, dragging the tip of his long sword against the ground as he wa