Beginning of Cultivation
Chapter 173: Completing the Speed Test

Chapter 173: Completing the Speed Test

Following the staff member’s announcement to prepare, Nora’s gaze sharpened, focusing intently on the inactive screen before him.

The dark screen suddenly flickered to life, displaying a large number "3" at its center.

Then, the number dropped to "2", followed by "1"—and then...

Go!

The instant the word "Go" appeared, Nora’s muscles tensed. He kicked off the ground with full force, launching himself forward at maximum speed.

Whoosh!

His body cut through the air, leaving a faint gust in his wake. Though his speed wasn’t beyond human perception, it was something few could ever hope to reach—surpassing even the world record for short-distance sprinting.

In mere moments, he had already covered the first hundred meters. However, as he attempted his first abrupt 180-degree turn, his body hesitated slightly.

"Damn it, turning around isn’t easy. The momentum is insane!"

Despite his internal frustration, his steps never faltered.

By the second attempt, his movements became noticeably smoother. By the third, his turns were effortless.

Time passed quickly. Now, over a minute had elapsed, and Nora was pushing himself through the final lap of the test.

Beep!

The timer rang out the very moment he crossed the finish line. The staff member immediately began analyzing the data.

As for Nora, his condition remained remarkably composed. Sprinting at full speed for a thousand meters had barely left him winded. His breaths were only slightly heavier, and just a few drops of sweat trickled down his skin.

The staff member, lacking combat experience, failed to grasp the full implications of this. However, Alice understood them perfectly.

Observing the scene, a small smile surfaced on her lips:

"So this is why he’s so confident. His endurance... it’s far beyond what an F-rank hero should possess. As he continues to grow, this advantage will only become more apparent. One day, he might stand among the strongest of his rank."

She did not, however, assume that Nora would become the strongest.

Alice wasn’t naive enough to believe she had unraveled all the secrets of this world.

The conflict between heroes and the demon world had only begun two years ago. There were still too many unknowns—too many mysteries waiting to be uncovered.

Nora turned his attention to his results, stepping over to the staff member and asking:

"Did I meet the standard?"

The staff member studied the data for a moment before responding:

"You passed. Your speed dipped slightly after tripping twice at the start, but you still completed the test in 80.67 seconds. Please prepare for the final assessment."

Hearing this, Nora nodded in satisfaction. Finally, he was on the verge of becoming a true hero.

Well, technically, he was already a hero, but gaining official recognition from humanity made operating far easier than being some rogue vigilante.

Turning his gaze toward Alice, he initially wanted to brag a little. But after considering her stamina, he decided against it.

Still, curiosity gnawed at him. Just how fast was she?

"What’s your actual top speed?" he asked.

Alice, sensing the perfect opportunity to tease him, grinned mischievously and replied:

"Not much, not much at all."

Her tone alone made Nora’s face darken. How could he not see through her blatant attempt at messing with him?

But he wasn’t the type to shy away from the truth. Taking a deep breath, he asked again, this time earnestly:

"Come on, just tell me."

Seeing his sincerity, Alice... dropped her playful attitude.

Just kidding.

She burst into laughter and said:

"Hahaha! I already told you, it’s not that much faster. Only about... oh, nearly three times your speed."

The words "nearly three times" struck him like a sledgehammer to the head, leaving him momentarily speechless. All he could do was let out a helpless sigh.

"Damn... the gap between us is that big?"

Alice chuckled, unfazed:

"It’s nothing. Once you reach Rank E, you’ll have similar power. I believe in your talent—you’ll catch up soon enough."

Hearing this, Nora smiled. With the Samsara Divine Art, he really did have the potential to match her growth rate.

But then, a serious thought crossed his mind, and his expression stiffened.

"Alice... in this world, would you say your talent is considered high or low?"

Alice pretended to think for a moment before flashing a playful grin:

"Hehe, I’m not trying to brag, but right now, I’m one of the most talented individuals in the world."

Nora was taken aback. He had no reason to doubt her words.

But the more he believed her, the heavier the weight in his chest became. A grim thought surfaced in his mind:

"If even she faced an unfortunate fate in the original timeline... just how terrifying were the enemies that not even a peerless genius like her could overcome? It seems I need to ascend to the highest tier of power in this world as soon as possible—otherwise, it may be too late to change anything."

At that moment, the staff member interjected:

"If you two are done chatting, let’s head to the final test site."

He had been listening intently the entire time. After all, E-rank heroes were rare worldwide. As someone who only occasionally encountered them, he was naturally curious about their strength. Gaining a little extra knowledge wasn’t a bad thing for someone eager to learn, so he hadn’t interrupted their conversation.

Both Nora and Alice nodded before following behind him.

.....

After walking for a while, the trio arrived at yet another massive metallic gate—the third one so far. The mechanism to open it was the same as the previous two.

As the heavy doors slowly parted, they revealed an entirely empty chamber. Yet, both the walls and floor were reinforced with a structure designed to endure immense impact.

At a glance, the space resembled a colossal battle training arena.

At the very center of the room sat an elderly man, cross-legged, seemingly meditating.

He had long, silvery-white hair, loosely tied back. With his eyes shut, his aura remained unreadable.

Draped over his broad frame was a flowing white robe adorned with intricate golden patterns, carrying an air of regal elegance.