Chapter 2221
Luna nodded, sighing with amazement. “I never would have imagined that he used to be that kind of person, someone with such genuine character. But if you two had such a great relationship back then, why did things change to the point where you’re now completely at odds with each other?”
Conrad’s expression turned cold. “Like I said before, this whole thing was originally a carefully orchestrated setup by the organization. More precisely, it was designed to break down and test human hearts and human nature."
"Both of us successfully returned from Aclania and passed the evaluation. But then the bombshell dropped. The organization announced that I had failed the assessment. Meanwhile, Andrew would become the only trainee in the program’s history to achieve a perfect score, not only graduating with honors but also being groomed as the organization’s next leader.”
He continued, “We’re talking about the leadership of the organization here, the highest of the high command. This wasn’t just about becoming a general or a field marshal. Do you know what I felt at that moment? Like my whole world had collapsed. I felt completely alienated from Andrew and consumed by jealousy."
“So I filed a formal protest. I challenged their decision because throughout our entire training, Andrew might have been excellent, but I was just as good. In fact, in every single round of evaluations, I had consistently scored near–perfect marks, usually missing the top score by just one point. By all logic, I should have been the outstanding candidate."
“While he performed well, he never quite matched my level. Especially in combat and the most crucial martial arts training, I consistently outperformed him in every test. Yet now, the organization’s leadership has given me such unfair treatment.”
Luna’s palms grew sweaty as she asked nervously, “What was Andrew’s attitude during all this?”
Conrad let out a bitter laugh. “That’s exactly what infuriated me the most. He said absolutely nothing. He didn’t even put in a single word on my behalf. If that was the case, why did he bother saving me during that final evaluation? He could have just let me die. Wouldn’t that have been the perfect solution? That way, he wouldn’t have had any competition."
“But he saved me, made me think of him as a brother. In the end, it was all just so I could watch his performance, witness his success, and serve as his fool to highlight his achievements.”
Luna fell silent, finally asking, “So how did your organization respond to your questioning and protest?”
Conrad sneered. “How did they respond? By revealing the truth, of course. Ten fossils with supreme authority, three of whom were legendary martial gods capable of suppressing an entire nation’s destiny, revealed an absurdly ridiculous conclusion."
“Andrew had achieved perfect scores in every single round of evaluation, but the higher–ups had deliberately lowered his reported scores. How laughable… There I was, missing perfect scores by just one point each time, smugly believing I was the most talented prodigy the organization had seen."
“I wasn’t just seeking the leadership position. At the very least, I wanted to become the organization’s pride, to lead all the tactical teams. This wasn’t about having grand ambitions; I wanted that honor because I wanted to serve this country with everything I had."
“But the most ironic part wasn’t even that. Not only had Andrew passed every test with flying colors, but he had also saved me during that final evaluation, and that became my greatest sin."
“Those ten old fossils occupying the organization’s judgment seats told me just one thing: I wasn’t as good as him. Not in this lifetime, nor in the next.”