All the marines quickly gathered in front of the platform. Morgan swept the square formation with a calm look and told the lieutenant colonel behind him, "It's time to test these new recruits. Arrange a competition for them. Whoever kills the handyman will be promoted to the next level. Anyone injured by the handyman..." He paused for a moment and then said, "The injured ones aren't worthy of being in the navy. Just throw them into the sea to feed the fish."
Morgan's tone was flat, but his voice was deep. Although not loud, every marine present heard it clearly. In just a moment, all the marines' eyes were fixed on Ren.
Ren, this miserable handyman, did the hardest and most tiring work at the base every day. No marine hadn't seen him. Killing a handyman like him wouldn't be difficult. Ren had trespassed into the training base, right in front of Morgan. He was doomed to die. Killing a doomed man could give these marines a chance to advance. When Morgan finished speaking, the hearts of more than 600 recruits among the 2,000 marines were eager to move.
"You're asking for death; you can't blame me!"
"Killing a miscellaneous soldier? That'll take seconds."
"As soon as the announcement is made, I must be the first one up. If I'm late, I'll only get applause."
"This soldier couldn't stand the hardship of doing menial work, so he came here to die? This way of dying is worthwhile."
"This handyman is quite pitiful. Let's finish him off with one punch later."
"Killing this handyman isn't the problem; the key is how to get the chance!"
Every recruit looked at the big "opportunity" word on Ren's back, thinking about how to become the lucky one to be promoted. It's easy to kill a handyman, but difficult to grab this kill among 600 competitors.
"Yes, Colonel!" The lieutenant colonel responded and began to command the soldiers to surround the battlefield. Killing a handyman is easy; any soldier on the scene could do it, but if 600 people want to kill one handyman, it requires creating a controlled venue to prevent chaos.
"Hehe." Listening to the various voices and movements, Ren smiled lightly, seemingly unaware that he had become the only prey of hundreds of recruits.
Soon, the 300-square-meter battlefield was surrounded by soldiers. Morgan looked at Ren and said with a hint of charity, "Hold on for half an hour, and you'll be a new soldier."
"Hold on for half an hour?" The lieutenant beside Morgan looked at Ren with pity and muttered, "It'd be good if you can hold on for half a minute. Poor kid, showing up to be a recruit at this time... you really have nowhere else to die."
"If you kneel down and beg for mercy now, you might still have a chance to live!" A captain, unable to watch Ren sacrifice in vain, kindly reminded him.
"Thank you!" Ren smiled at the captain and walked directly into the circle of people. He was waiting for Morgan's straightforward words; kneeling and begging for mercy was out of the question.
Ren walked leisurely into the center of the circle, standing very calmly in the middle. His straightforward and indifferent action stunned the two thousand navy soldiers.
"Is this guy a fool? Isn't he afraid of death at all?"
"It looks like he's so depressed from doing odd jobs that he's actually looking for death."
"Damn it, when I was a recruit, I risked my life in battles with pirates to be promoted, but these lucky recruits only have to kill a foolish handyman."
…
"A little nervous," Ren thought as he looked at the more than 2,000 navy soldiers around him, unconsciously squeezing his hands. It was his first time standing in the middle of a crowd of more than 2,000 people, the first time he became the focus of that many people, and the first time he became the topic of that many conversations. Although he always thought he could remain calm even in the face of catastrophe, he couldn't help but feel a bit scared at this moment. "Fortunately, I'm only here to fight, not to give a speech; otherwise, I'd definitely embarrass myself."
"Let's begin!" Morgan said lightly, sitting down in a large chair that had just been brought behind him, resting his chin on his hand, ready to watch the show.
Ren glanced at Morgan, the corner of his mouth slightly raised. "I wonder if you'll still have that expression when I beat up all the new recruits."
"I'll go first!"
"No, me!"
"This handyman is mine!"
As soon as Morgan finished speaking, more than a hundred figures jumped out, attacking Ren at full speed. To kill one person among more than 600 people, speed was the key.
Of course, those who hadn't moved were not giving up; they were just waiting for the right opportunity.
"Don't block my way, or I'll punch you aside first."
"Get out of my way, or I'll knock you out too."
"Move!"
More than a hundred figures clashed together before reaching Ren.
"What a grand occasion!" Ren thought. It was his first time participating in a group fight where he was the target of hundreds of hunters. He wasn't afraid but rather excited. Without waiting for the fight to end, he clenched his fist and rushed toward one of them.
"Just in time!" The lucky recruit roared with joy and threw a punch, aiming for Ren's face.
"Hehe!" Ren chuckled, tilted his head, and punched the recruit in the abdomen.
Bang!
Ren only used one-tenth of the strength he'd used against the handyman leader. After a dull thud, the lucky recruit's face twisted, his attack halted, and he stumbled back, clutching his stomach. The punch seemed only to hurt more.
"What speed!" The lieutenant's eyes widened in shock at Ren's movement.
"It's a shame he doesn't have the strength. He can hurt people, but under a siege of 600, he'll still die," the captain beside the lieutenant said lightly. While impressed by Ren's speed, he was not optimistic.
"Haha!" Laughter erupted behind Ren, mocking the soldier who was hit. But as soon as it began, it abruptly stopped.
Ren spun around, punching at the instant of the laughter. Dodging the opponent's attack, he struck the man's abdomen with twice the force.
Bang! With the same muffled sound, the man's face turned pale, and he doubled over, collapsing to the ground like a shrimp. This punch not only hurt more but also had a knockback effect.
Bang!
Bang!
Ren continued, weaving through the crowd. Each time he reached someone, he delivered a punch to the abdomen, gradually increasing his power. By the fifth punch, he could knock people down, and by the thirteenth punch, he sent opponents flying out of the circle.
With each punch, amazement spread among the thousand people around him. When he knocked a man out of the circle with the thirteenth punch, jaws dropped in shock, eyes twitched in fear, and some lips trembled. Horror filled the lieutenants' eyes as they watched Ren's swift movements.
The lieutenant who had considered attacking Ren now shook uncontrollably, grateful that Morgan had stopped him. Otherwise, he might be the one lying on the ground in pain.