Inside Monster Town, in front of a crumbling two-story building, a fierce battle raged.
Two quasi-warriors were locked in combat with an H-class monster, the Tiger Mastiff. The beast's body was covered in deep scars, blood dripping from its wounds.
"Roar!"
The Tiger Mastiff's blood-red eyes glared at the two humans before it. Its growl reverberated through the air as it suddenly lunged toward the warrior on the right, aiming its lethal claws at him. If they landed, they would tear a chunk of flesh right off his body.
But just then, the warrior on the left, wielding a massive hammer, swung with all his might. The arc of the blow caught the Tiger Mastiff mid-leap, smashing into its exposed belly.
"Boom!"
The sound of the hammer landing was accompanied by the sharp crack of bones breaking. The Tiger Mastiff was hurled nearly five meters back. Its body convulsed on the ground, struggling to get up but failing.
The warrior on the right, seeing his opportunity, stepped forward. He raised his sword and, with a swift motion, brought it down on the Tiger Mastiff's neck, decapitating the beast in one clean strike.
At that moment, the searchlights on the town's walls illuminated the scene, casting light on the two warriors. Li Wei, the one who had delivered the fatal blow, shook the blood from his sword, looking satisfied. His companion, Li Qiang, stood next to him, hammer in hand.
"This is the ninth monster," Li Wei said smugly, surveying the body. "With my strength, these H-rank beasts are no challenge at all."
Li Qiang, always eager to flatter, quickly chimed in, "Wei Shao, your swordsmanship is incredible! We've already collected the ears of nine monsters. Passing this assessment is practically guaranteed—all thanks to you."
Inwardly, though, Li Qiang scoffed. *He needs me to help him take down these weak H-class monsters, yet he's so full of himself.*
Li Wei's family had gone to great lengths to ensure his safety during this assessment, even hiring a genius martial artist from the HR Alliance to accompany them. That genius warrior, who hadn't yet drawn his sword, watched silently from the side. His role was simple: ensure Li Wei's survival in a crisis and let the duo handle the rest.
Just then, a soft vibration came from Li Wei's communication watch. Glancing down, he saw a new message and grinned. Turning to Li Qiang, he said, "Only through solo combat with monsters can one truly grow stronger. From here, we should split up."
Li Qiang hesitated for a moment before understanding the silent signal from Li Wei's eyes. They had just confirmed the coordinates of Xia Zhi. The real plan was about to unfold.
"Very well, Wei Shao. I'll see you outside town tomorrow morning," Li Qiang replied, quickly glancing at the message on his own watch before sprinting off.
Watching Li Qiang leave, Li Wei smirked. He turned to the silent warrior beside him and said, "Let's get out of here. This assessment holds no more meaning for us."
Someone of Li Wei's status would never risk placing himself in any true danger. Even the hint of peril was unacceptable.
It was now three o'clock in the morning. On the rooftop of an eight-story building, Xia Zhi was surrounded by dark, shadowy figures, each launching relentless attacks.
Yet Xia Zhi moved effortlessly, almost as if strolling. Despite the coordinated assaults of the seven monsters surrounding him, not a single one could land a hit.
All night, Xia Zhi had been honing his body technique, training his reflexes to react instinctively, as if his body moved on its own. He was pushing the boundaries, aiming to reach a level where his movements were a reflexive response, perfected and automatic.
Suddenly, his rhythm faltered. Two monsters attacked from behind, and though he managed to dodge them, four more leaped at him from different angles. From the shadows, a hidden cat-like monster sprang forward, claws poised to strike.
But at the last second, Xia Zhi's body shifted—a mere five centimeters to the side—barely avoiding the blow. The slight movement wasn't due to his physical strength; it was a result of his mental power pushing against the six-sided shield on his left arm, generating just enough force to evade the attack.
*I'm reaching my limit,* Xia Zhi thought. *Time to end this.*
With a swift motion, he finally drew his sword. The Blood Shadow Sword flashed brilliantly in the moonlight, combining perfectly with his agile body movements. The monsters stood no chance.
In a blur of motion, Xia Zhi dashed past the seven monsters, his sword singing through the air. Blood sprayed as each one was struck down, dead before they could react.
"Under the pressure of these H-class monsters, I've learned what I could. It's time to seek out stronger opponents in the wilderness," Xia Zhi murmured, a slight smile on his lips.
He bent down, cutting off the left ears of the fallen monsters and tossing them into his already-full backpack. These ears were proof of the night's hunt and training.
Just as Xia Zhi was about to leave, a figure appeared in the distance. As it approached, he recognized Li Qiang.
Li Qiang's eyes widened in disbelief as he took in the sight of the slain monsters littering the rooftop. *Did... did he really kill all of them?*
The blood was still fresh on the ground, indicating that the battle had just ended. Li Qiang's hand instinctively touched a button hidden in his pocket. *This kid has improved faster than expected. But it won't matter... He's not leaving this place alive.*
Trying to mask his thoughts, Li Qiang greeted Xia Zhi with a smile. "I didn't expect to run into you here."
Xia Zhi eyed him warily. "What are you doing here?" His guard was up, sensing something off about the sudden appearance of his acquaintance.
Meanwhile, in a rundown supermarket nearly a kilometer away, a beast stirred. Its ears twitched, and its bloodshot eyes snapped open.
The creature—a massive Tiger Mastiff with golden fur—rose to its feet, its towering form exuding raw, terrifying power. The muscles on its back rippled, ready for action.
This was no ordinary monster. This was the F-class Tiger Mastiff King, a creature whose strength rivaled that of an advanced human warrior. Perhaps, it was even on the verge of reaching the general level.
Sniffing the blood-stained cloth in front of it, the Tiger Mastiff King let out a thunderous roar. With a crash, it burst through the glass window of the supermarket, sprinting toward the town with explosive speed.
"Alert! Alert!"
A sharp siren blared through the monitoring rooms of the assessment center.
"A monster exceeding H-rank has entered the town!" The warning echoed across the facility.
Several monitors, displaying the streets of Monster Town, flashed red. Officers hurriedly zoomed in on the screens, locking onto the fast-moving golden blur.
"Report! F-class Tiger Mastiff King sighted in town! Awaiting further instructions," one officer announced.
Major General Dong Hao, standing in front of the monitors, wasted no time. "Deploy the emergency rescue team! Prioritize the safety of all personnel participating in the assessment."
"Yes, sir!" The officer responded. "Emergency team expected to arrive in 10 seconds."
Ten seconds—the difference between life and death for the participants trapped in the town.
As the tension mounted, the major general grimaced. "How did a monster of this rank get past the Northern Military Region's watch?"
Standing nearby, Wang Zhihong, curator of the Thunderbolt Martial Arts Museum, seethed with anger. "If any of my students are hurt by this mistake, heads will roll."
"We'll investigate later. For now, we need to handle the situation," Zhuge Tao, another senior officer, said sternly.
Dong Hao nodded grimly, his eyes locked on the monitor, watching the Tiger Mastiff King close in on its prey. *I hope we're not too late.*