Elara was surprised.
The bearded man was even more shocked.
In truth, he had been the first among the four to arrive. Yet now, with the three-day limit approaching, he still could not break through the second method.
"Damn... who are these people?"
The man with glasses had taken half an hour to clear the first level. Elara had needed a full hour.
What they were witnessing now was even more exaggerated. In the blink of an eye, the newcomer had already passed.
[Congratulations, you have mastered the Comprehension Memory Method. Progress 1/9. Countdown: 71:59:00]
Toji Hisami nodded politely toward the bearded man beside him.
Then the halo rose around him once more, and the second test began.
Elara suddenly lost interest in continuing her own attempt, she wanted to see how long this young man would take this time.
She clearly remembered that it had taken her three hours to pass the second level.
For some reason, when she looked at Toji Hisami, she felt that something incredible was about to happen today.
Time passed second by second.
At that moment, the bearded man suddenly had a flash of inspiration and also entered the test. Ten minutes later, he opened his eyes with a joyful expression. He had finally cleared the second method.
Light flowed beneath his feet as he took a step forward to a new position.
Suddenly, he felt a presence beside him.
He turned his head, and saw Toji Hisami standing right there.
"..."
The bearded man rubbed his eyes, confirming he was not mistaken. Toji Hisami was indeed standing on the same line.
He had also passed.
In front of them, Elara’s eyes sparkled.
Very strong!
She thought to herself.
Toji Hisami had completed the second test in less than twenty minutes, ten times faster than her!
He noticed her gaze. Although he did not know why she was staring, he still offered a small smile in return.
Elara was slightly startled and could only pretend to nod calmly.
Watching Toji Hisami close his eyes once more, both she and the bearded man paid close attention.
Another twenty minutes.
Toji Hisami took a step forward.
Thirty minutes.
Another step.
One hour, another step.
One more hour, yet another step.
Elara stared at Toji Hisami, who was now standing on the same line as her, her expression dazed, as if she had not yet fully processed what she was seeing.
Behind them, the bearded man already looked as though he were gazing upon a celestial being.
If speaking were allowed inside the main hall, he would have asked whether this young man’s brain was even made of the same material as theirs.
At that moment, the man with glasses in front groaned, his face turned pale, his position did not change, he had clearly failed to break through the eighth level.
He took a long breath and wondered whether he should stop here. After all, mastering seven methods was already quite good.
Thinking of the elf woman behind him, he felt certain she would never catch up, it could be better to consider how to get to know her after this was over.
The man with glasses turned around, and the first thing he saw was Toji Hisami standing right next to Elara!
The eyes behind his lenses bulged in pure shock.
He quickly checked the time, only a little over three hours had passed!
What was going on!?
The halo around the bearded man at the back gradually faded, signaling that his time limit had expired. He had failed to grasp three methods and could only leave in regret.
Yet when he saw the stunned expression on the man with glasses, he still felt deeply satisfied.
That arrogant fellow had worn an "I am the best, the rest of you are trash" attitude ever since entering, it had long since grated on his nerves. Unfortunately, knowledge and learning were not his strong points, so he had been forced to endure the contempt in silence.
Now? Not so impressive anymore, are you?
Have you seen what a true monster looks like?
Someone far stronger than you... and far more polite!
The bearded man grinned and opened his mouth as if shouting encouragement. Although no sound could be heard, his hand gestures made his meaning clear.
Toji Hisami waved toward him in farewell. Moments later, the bearded man disappeared along with the fading halo.
Toji Hisami’s gaze returned to Elara beside him.
The elf woman bowed to him with a serious expression.
When the man with glasses saw Elara’s respectful attitude toward Toji Hisami, irritation flared in his chest. The earlier shock had already turned into burning humiliation that nearly set his face on fire.
"Starting from the sixth method, the difficulty jumps by more than one full level. Let’s see if you can still keep up!" he muttered angrily.
Because he had just failed, he could not immediately restart the test. He could only rest while keeping a close eye on Toji Hisami.
On the other side, after bowing, Elara gestured for him to keep going, then closed her eyes and resumed her own challenge.
Toji Hisami smiled faintly.
The principle of Heaven Rewards Diligence was truly powerful.
As long as the talent recognized that he was learning in a certain area, it would provide continuous positive feedback.
He himself was no weakling either. Ranking first in the academy assessment already proved that his learning ability was outstanding, combined with his talent, the challenges felt almost effortless.
Up to this point, his condition remained excellent.
He also noticed the unfriendly stare from the man with glasses ahead. He had encountered this kind of attitude many times before and simply did not care.
Without even acknowledging the other man, he closed his eyes again and entered the seventh challenge.
Seeing that Toji Hisami completely ignored him and went straight back into the test, the man with glasses felt a sharp pain in his chest from pure anger.
From childhood until now, wherever he went he had always been the center of attention. When had he ever been so thoroughly disregarded?
Although Toji Hisami simply could not be bothered with him, in his eyes it was already a grave insult and offense.
"Fine... fine... fine! I’ll see just how capable you really are!"
"I’ve memorized your face. After we leave this place, you’d better pray we never run into each other again."
He cursed under his breath while watching the fluctuating halo around Toji Hisami.
He himself had spent seven full hours on the previous level. This seventh method emphasized how to connect and combine entire knowledge systems.
Born into the upper class, he had only ever interacted with the elite of humanity. His personal collection of knowledge was renowned even among the top ten kings, his foundation was extremely solid.
Even so, the seventh level had nearly been his limit.
Meanwhile, Toji Hisami wore only an ordinary Sacred Academy uniform with no special enhancements. It was obvious he came from a commoner background, the kind of person the man with glasses would normally not even spare a glance.
Time continued to pass with no change on Toji Hisami’s side.
The man with glasses had already begun anticipating failure, he even started adjusting his expression so he could display the most perfect mocking smile the moment the other failed.
One hour.
Two hours.
The previously unstoppable Toji Hisami finally seemed to encounter a real challenge at the seventh level.
But just as the two-hour mark passed, he suddenly opened his eyes.
With one step, he appeared directly beside the man with glasses.
Elara woke up almost at the same time. When she saw Toji Hisami standing in front of her, a look of genuine awe crossed her face.
Then her mouth opened in exaggerated shock.
Toji Hisami had only just reached the position of the man with glasses. After staying there for less than a minute, he lifted his foot and took another step.
The next moment, he stood at the very front of everyone.
The man with glasses still wore the remnants of a mocking smile, but his cheeks had gone completely stiff. The eyes behind his lenses were bloodshot, almost turning red.
"How is this possible!!!"
A scream of pure despair left his throat.
Unfortunately, no one present could hear it.
Toji Hisami did not even turn around, he simply closed his eyes and began the final test.
The scene of him clearing the eighth level in a single minute had already been deeply engraved into both Elara’s and the man with glasses’ minds.
"Could there be a trick to the eighth level?"
"Impossible. The eighth level tests the ability to find the corresponding insertion point within a vast ocean of knowledge. How can he be so fast?"
The man with glasses quickly closed his eyes and forced himself back into the test. He refused to believe he was inferior.
Originally, when only three people remained, he had stayed here for a long time and felt proud, both Elara and the bearded man had been far behind him.
Yet Toji Hisami had passed this level in one minute, as if delivering a direct slap to his face.
It hurt.
It hurt like crazy.
While the man with glasses continued testing with a twisted expression, Toji Hisami faced the final challenge.
Visualization.
That was the difficult problem given by the ninth test.
Unlike the previous levels, there were no clear steps or coherent processes. Everything was vague.
The principle of Heaven Rewards Diligence was still a powerful weapon here, greatly reducing the time he needed. However, the ninth level offered almost no concrete details to latch onto.
Visualization?
Toji Hisami recalled the cultivation novels he had read in his previous life. Visualization techniques appeared frequently in them. Could the meaning be similar here?
The moment that thought formed, the void world around him suddenly fluctuated, as if something had been touched.
Joy rose in his heart, he knew he had grasped the key.
In cultivation, visualization was for training.
So what was visualization for in this world?
Why did learning knowledge inside the Hall of Knowledge require visualization?
Visualizing a knowledge giant? Visualizing the embodiment of knowledge itself? Or was it a method to avoid getting lost in the endless ocean of knowledge?
His thoughts moved rapidly.
Every guess and attempt produced corresponding changes in the void, yet he dismissed them one after another.
Only when he tried the final possibility did the feedback make him frown in realization.
Yes.
The world of knowledge was vast and boundless. If one became obsessed, they could easily lose their way.
Therefore, visualization existed so that a person could design an anchor for themselves.
Then infinite knowledge could be integrated into that anchor, organizing one’s own knowledge system.
The more he considered it, the more correct it felt.
Toji Hisami cleared his mind completely.
In this level, the help of Heaven Rewards Diligence was minimal, he could only rely on his own understanding.
In the void, a blue planet slowly appeared.
Then a second, a third... all the way to the ninth.
These planets varied in size and revolved around one another according to some mysterious law.
The solar system!
He looked toward the core and raised a non-existent finger, pointing at the center.
’Here is my anchor.’
’And there... is where my true Hall of Knowledge will stand.’
As his finger landed, the sun appeared.
Yet his gaze remained fixed on the third planet, the blue Earth.