Parallel Memory

511  Zeroʼs Shocking Growth! [2]

”So what do you think? Do you still believe that Hiro Ernest is unparalleled and we should solely rely on him?”

”...”

Elara pondered King Tranduilʼs question for a moment, her mind comparing the current strength of Hiro and Zero. ”King Tranduil,” Elara began thoughtfully, ”Zeroʼs emergence has indeed challenged my previous convictions. His rapid ascent to Rank-S - at such a young age is unprecedented, and it raises questions about the potential he holds. However, talent alone does not determine the course of oneʼs destiny.”

She knew that what Zero was able to achieve could make him perhaps even more talented than Hiro. But still, she was convinced that Hiro would outgrow Zero and eventually come on top.

”Hiro Ernest, despite the challenges he faced, has a unique set of qualities and determination that cannot be easily dismissed. He possesses resilience and adaptability that might prove invaluable in the face of unforeseen obstacles. Itʼs true that Zero has surprised me, but we must not discount the importance of character, experience, and the ability to navigate the complexities of the future.”

King Tranduil nodded, acknowledging the wisdom in Elaraʼs words. ”You raise a valid point, Elara. Talent alone may not guarantee success, and Hiroʼs journey is still unfolding. However, we cannot ignore the potential that Zero brings to the table. We must consider all possibilities and be prepared for whatever challenges lie ahead.”

King Tranduil answered. He knows that Elara knows more than him and has seen many things that he couldnʼt.

He thought that the fact that Elara trusted Hiro meant that he would grow to be a very powerful individual and he was actually happy that Elara thought like this as this meant that Hiro still had vast potential that he couldnʼt see.

However, that doesnʼt mean that he will trust Elara more than his gut either. He felt that Zero also has many potential that he has yet to show.

”King Tranduil, I am not looking down on Zero or anything but I suggest that you donʼt get your hopes up.”

Elara said seriously. ”As you know I have seen much of the future and know about most of the geniuses that have gathered here.”

King Tranduil nodded. He was skeptical at the start but now he was convinced that Elara wasnʼt wrong about these individuals.

”However, in the future that I saw, I have never heard or seen Zero.”

Elara continued.

”This means that either in the future, he will get killed or maybe it means that his potential isnʼt as good as his speed of ranking up. We might be able to prevent it if it is the former one but what if it is the latter?”

”...”

”If it is later, then maybe his limit is Rank-S and he might not be able to grow stronger than this.

Elara explained. Although rare, there are cases of some geniuses ranking up at the start of their childhood but later, they will stop growing.

And of course, vice-versa was also possible. Although their growth might be slow during their childhood, eventually, they will reach Rank-SS and even Rank-SSS.

So Elara was pointing out that maybe Zeroʼs limit was only Rank-S because of which she didnʼt hear about Zero in the future she has seen.

”Hmmm… Maybe what you say is correct but we cannot simply let go of such amazing potential just because of some speculation. We shall observe these geniuses, especially Zero, Mia, and Hiro. And decide who shall receive that.”

******

King Tranduil, pleased with the success of the mission and the growth of the geniuses, decided to hold a grand celebration in the castle for all the geniuses to enjoy.

It was something that was in preparation since the geniuses left and many Elves have worked hard to make the celebration as grand as possible.

The long tables were laden with a variety of delicious dishes, and the air echoed with laughter and cheerful conversations.

Many of the geniuses, despite being of different races seem to have become somewhat of a friend and rival.

There were already a lot of geniuses who considered one another rivals after the tournament of geniuses and then they fought together during their journey towards Luminary Spring and became friends.

Hiro was one of the most popular people at the celebration as always. He was not only one of the most talented people but he was kind and easy to talk to. And unlike Zero or Mia, Hiro was at Rank-A which meant that other geniuses were comfortable talking with Hiro.

As for Zero, his personality already hinders people from approaching him. And there was also the incident of him beating down Elrond mercilessly.

To add to that, Zero has ascended to Rank-S. So, even if one wanted to talk to him, they were a bit scared to talk to him because of his strength.

What if they pissed him off and he beat them down? Such questions were raised through many of the geniuses and they avoided Zero completely.

Of course, there are also exceptions like Gimli, the strongest dwarf.

”Zero Elea! You have reached Rank-S -. How about a match with me? I want to see just how strong you have become.”

Gimli asked Zero. Despite not having any prior conversation or anything like this, Gimli was honest about what he wanted.

It seems like he was impressed by Zeroʼs skill and wanted to check for himself. Dwarf is very self-center, doesnʼt care much about othersʼ opinions, and just does what they feel like.

Gimli was the same. He didnʼt think about other stuff and directly talked to Zero about what he wanted.

”M-Maybe if we get a chance!”

Zero replied. He was surprised when he was suddenly called out by Gimli and even more so when Gimli talked about sparring with him.

Gimli had advanced to Rank-S from his initial Rank-S - and although Zero didnʼt want to really fight with Gimli, he didnʼt think rejecting Gimli would have a very good outcome since Dwarf are known to be very persistent.

So, Zero neither rejected his request nor accepted it.

”Okay! Thatʼs a promise. Letʼs fight to our heartʼs content!”