Reo and Stark entered the main hall, which was bustling with over two hundred people. On stage stood two figures: one clad in black armor, with a winged blade on his back—the Xeon warrior—and beside him, the city's director, Hugo Elis, dressed in blue and black attire. As the crowd quieted, Hugo's voice resonated, "Attention all!" Everyone focused on the director as he continued, "As you all know me, your director, beside me is the Xeon warrior, Laren."
Reo glanced at Laren with admiration, thinking, "A true warrior, the strongest of all." Hugo then outlined the exam format, explaining that it comprised three phases: mental, physical, and combat. After the briefing, he led everyone into a designated room.
The moment the door closed, Hugo's voice boomed from the control room, "Phase one begins!" A high-frequency sound suddenly filled the air, causing everyone to feel their minds strain. Each second, the frequency escalated. Hugo explained, "The human threshold is 20 Hz, but monsters can emit sounds at much higher frequencies. Warriors must withstand a minimum of 70,000 Hz."
After ten minutes, only 50 out of the original group managed to pass the first phase. To everyone's surprise, two individuals—Reo and Stark—remained unaffected. Hugo commanded the frequency to increase, leading to a tense atmosphere.
With sweat glistening on his forehead, Reo eventually lost consciousness at 90,000 Hz, while Stark pushed through to 97,000 Hz. "We've got some good candidates this year!" Hugo exclaimed, nodding at Laren.
Reo, Stark, and 48 others were led to another room for the physical test. Initially, nothing seemed to happen, causing confusion among the group. After ten minutes, however, a heavy pressure began to build on their bodies. Laren considered, "Battles can happen anywhere—underwater or high in the mountains. Warriors must endure over 50 psi to stand a chance." Again, 24 candidates successfully passed, catching the interest of both Hugo and Laren. They noted, "These two are indeed geniuses."
Hugo commanded that the pressure be increased, with Stark maxing out at 78 psi and Reo surpassing him at 92 psi.
The remaining candidates entered a high-tech chamber filled with multiple large cylindrical containers glowing with blue liquid. Hugo explained that this was a Virtual Reality Simulation (VRS) chamber designed to assess their combat abilities, power, stamina, and more.
Upon entering the VRS, Reo found himself on a lifelike battlefield adorned with blue soldiers' armor and a sword. He marveled at how realistic the simulation felt; if he didn't know he was in a virtual environment, he could easily confuse it with reality. Suddenly, a roar shook the ground as a group of monstrous creatures resembling triceratops, but larger and with three horns, charged toward them.
Feeling nervous, Reo unsheathed his sword and dashed to engage the creature, but Stark cautioned him, "Reo, watch out!" Just then, a monster's horns clashed against Reo's blade, sending him crashing into a nearby building. He thought, "It's virtual, but it sure does hurt more…"
Stark approached with a smile, advising, "You're being reckless. First, be aware of your surroundings, and stay calm against your foes. A calm mind helps you find their weak spots. Focus your strength on those areas—it conserves your energy."
Taking a deep breath, Reo steadied himself and sharpened his focus. He charged at the monster again, dodging its attack. This time, he slipped under it, positioning himself behind the creature. With a determined thrust, he delivered a strong blow, but the monster merely staggered. Unwilling to give up, Reo concentrated all his strength into his sword grip and struck again, this time severing the creature's head.
With newfound confidence, he launched himself at the next monster. After several fierce encounters, only Reo, Stark, and four others remained standing. A notification appeared: "Wave 1 Clear. Wave 2 Starting…"
Suddenly, a shadow enveloped all six of them. Reo's heart raced as he thought, "How do I defeat this monster?"
At the club, two individuals, Oliver and Lee Jung, the city prison warden, met. Oliver turned to Lee, "Mr. Lee, I know you're busy, but thank you for meeting me today." Lee nodded, "Your uncle was a good friend of mine. Of course, I'd meet you."
He then inquired about Oliver's reason for the meeting. Oliver replied, "Actually, I have a favor to ask." Lee, seemingly understanding the situation, said in a low voice, "You want to kill someone in prison, right?" Oliver nodded but clarified, "It's true that I want to kill someone, but he's not in prison yet."
Lee asked about the person Oliver wanted to kill, and Oliver handed him a photo. "This is the person I want to kill. He's probably going to participate in the Warrior Exam." Lee examined the photo and said, "If that kid passes the Warrior Exam and I help you with this matter, if it's leaked, I could lose my position, face a death sentence, or at the very least, life imprisonment. The risk is significant."
Oliver responded, "Don't worry, he won't become a warrior because he'll soon have a criminal record." Lee then asked, "What do you want me to do? Create a murder accident or something else? No, I want you to transfer 014 to the same prison as Reo." Lee was silent for a long time but eventually nodded. As he left, he turned and asked, "By the way, why do you have a grudge against him?" Oliver replied coldly, "He attracted someone's attention that I liked." Lee shook his head, sighed, and said, "Okay, I'll get it done. Bye.