As expected, Sylas didn't even get the chance to return to the group for long. The moment he did and the next was selected-Deuvuo himself the big man gave a sheepish smile and a coy glance at Sylas.

Unsurprisingly, Sylas didn't react to this very much. There was no rage and his eyes were unreadable in a way that left even the shameless Deuvuo feeling uncomfortable. There was just something about Sylas' existence that created it feel like "surprise" wasn't exactly something he ever experienced.

Whether or not that was true, Deuvuo was of the opinion it couldn't possibly be so. How could you be human and yet never surprised?

But that calming mountain that was Sylas' Will simply felt... immovable right now.

Sylas had already been stepping forward before Deuvuo could say anything. There was no need for a vote because both parties agreed to it. It was like Sylas couldn't be bothered to waste any more time.

It almost made Deuvuo uncomfortable.

Almost.

As far as he was concerned, his life was more important.

Sylas stepped onto the second stair and a puppet appeared across from him. The same glass formed face, the same gears of gold and copper, the same butler-like outfit and white, pristine gloves.

The only thing that was different was that it attacked instantly. There was no waiting, no pause, no calm before the storm.

The winds split as though to make way. The creature almost didn't have a presence in the first place. It felt like the world made way for it, vanishing at its edges to make way for the void that was its existence.

And then it appeared in front of Sylas, its finger piercing outward toward his forehead.

But just when the creature was getting close, it slowed down considerably. Its every being shifted and changed as though to mimic the Sylas it had come to know moments before.

And then it pressed its finger down onto Sylas' forehead.

Chi.

The puppet shattered apart.

From start to finish, Sylas didn't move a single inch. His hair didn't so much as flutter, the winds that the creature had kicked up returning to their starting place like they had never been moved in the first place.

Deuvuo, Juxi, and Alpine all had the very same reaction. Wide eyes and wildly beating hearts. They couldn't understand what had just happened at all.

But once more, Sylas was sent back to the waiting area and they were forced to take the next turn. Alpine's enormous frame was lit up and he was teleported forward.

The confusion was still clear on the Royal Blue Troll's face. He had only read about the puppets of the Zeus Clan, but their appearance was so one part breathtaking and another part unique that he could tell what they were instantly.

But what if they were just poor imitations? Had they been tricked?

The Zeus Puppets were far too intelligent. The idea that they would be so easily tricked... no, it was impossible.

But even if it was a farce, there was no reason for Alpine to take the chance. He too demanded Sylas take his place, and without even so much as a pause, Sylas appeared on the stairs again.

The next puppet appeared, its body churning with majesty as it took a step forward. The same polite smile formed of twisting and rotating golden and copper gears was still very much reflected behind the glass casing that was its head, but its aura reflected something utterly different.

How an object without Will could possibly have such a presence... it was impossible to tell. It was almost as impossible to track its movements as it appeared before Sylas in a blink, moving even faster than before.

It was adjusting, and doing so quickly. Every movement reached peak efficiency as it pressed its finger forward again.

Once again, it slowed down, mimicking Sylas' very first movement. The same speed, the same spot, the same action right down to the twitching of its ligaments and the perfect level of strain of its forearm.

It pressed toward Sylas' forehead, so very close, and yet not quite there.

The puppet began to shake, its gears ground in its head, sparks flying as heat radiated from the connecting points. The friction increased rapidly until... BANG.

The puppet's head exploded.

A third battle, a third victory crafted by Sylas' own hand.

Absolute perfection.

Sylas returned to the group, and this time, there was something different in their eyes.

Fear.

The emotion had been there before, it was just that it wasn't aimed toward Sylas at all, but instead the puppet. Now it wasn't for the puppet at all.

Alpine had been almost certain it was a fake. He had convinced himself of it, but there was no need to take the risk until he was absolutely sure, so he let Sylas have the battle anyway.

But now he was sure of the exact opposite.

There was no mistaking that moment just now, the grinding gears, the flying sparks. They had sensed the faint echo of what made the puppet so powerful.

The void.

There was no mistaking it. Even if it was a fake, it was a fake that had managed to mimic the most powerful ability

of the Zeus Puppet. At that point, there was no need to care whether it was the real thing or not.

The danger was the exact same.

Sylas returned and this time, Juxi was selected. She didn't even wait a moment before demanding Sylas took her place, her heart quivering. She couldn't get out of there fast enough.

In fact, she was starting to hope that Sylas could truly make it all the way to the end.

If he couldn't...

They would be the ones that were finished.

Sylas took his place on the stairs once again. A Zeus Puppet formed before him, its form twisting into existence as

though to distort space by its very presence.

When it took a step forward, spacetime twinkled and then let it right through.

It appeared before Sylas with that very same step, its finger pressing down.

This time, blood leaked from the corner of Sylas' lip as its finger slowed to a crawl.