Feng Kai woke up, meditated for a bit, and got ready. Instructor Jin was already waiting outside his door. "Time to go, Kia."
Just as they were about to leave, Lena called. "Good luck, Kia! đ"
They headed to the testing grounds - a military base where other participants were also gathering for the field test.
As they arrived, Kia noticed the others were equipped with top-notch gear. "This is some great outfit," one participant said. "Made of first-class gold, can resist attacks from level H-monsters. Pity it's only lent to us."
Kia replied, "Guess we'll have to upgrade soon."
A guy from the back stepped forward. "You are Kia, right?"
Kia looked at him. "And you are...?"
"Wan Dong, from Thunder Martial Club," he said with a grin. "I just signed a contract with Thunder Club too. Hope we get to challenge each other."
Kia wasn't in the mood for drama. He glanced at Wan Dong. "Not ready for your drama. But if you try anything sneaky..."
Kia's aura flared slightly, and Wan Dong stumbled back, feeling the pressure. "You won't want to get me angry."
They all stood at attention in the grand hall, lined up like soldiers. A commanding officer, his uniform adorned with medals, stepped forward.
"Have you all got your fighting suits and outfits?" he asked, his voice booming through the hall.
"Yes, sir!" they replied in unison.
The officer nodded. "Now, I'll announce the content of the field test. Last week, we were attacked by monsters while sending important supplies to Huoming. The convoy was destroyed in the wilderness area outside Huomin Xin district base... known as Monster Town."
He paused for emphasis. "Your task is to go there, collect the supplies, and DNA samples of the monsters to develop vaccines. You only need to cut off their ears and bring them for sampling. To avoid repeating samples, the ears must come from different monsters. The number of ears will determine your grade."
A murmur ran through the participants. The officer's expression turned stern. "The passing rate for this test is 20 percent. The other 80 out of 100 participants will get eliminated."
He glanced around the hall. "Warriors, get in the cars. We'll monitor you at all times. Any warrior discovered fighting others will be arrested and disqualified."
With that, he declared, "Alright, the field test starts now!"
The participants moved swiftly, boarding the vehicles that would take them to Monster Town...
The scene shifted to Zhuo Ming, Zhen uncle, holding a beast egg and placing it on the ground. The location seemed to be the same as the field test area. He muttered to himself, "Kia, let me show you the consequences of offending a senior warrior."
The scene cut to Kia and other participants disembarking from the trucks that brought them to Monster Town. Kia took a deep breath, psyching himself up. "Now the hard work begins."
Kia ventured in alone, facing Star Ruin beasts. He encountered a Siber Tooth Tiger, but stayed calm, recalling Instructor Jin's teachings. Using micro-level movement, he predicted the tiger's moves, slid in, and cut its belly, killing it instantly.
"Understand a bit now," Kia said to himself. He cut off the beast's ear, storing it in his bag. "My next prey..."
As he killed another beast, he spotted what seemed to be a Golden Crown Eagle. Back at the warrior base, the director in charge of the field test watched the feed and murmured, "Hmm, what a nice catch. But only level F and H monsters are here... why is there a Golden Eagle?"
Other instructor wanted to taminate the field test so rmrgey whould rescue everyone, but the director said, "Wait. Let's see how he handles it."
The director added to himself, "But, hmm... let's see what he can do. If he handles it, it could be a plus for Shadow Martial Club recruitment. And that eagle is just a newborn Lava... he should be able to handle it."
The Golden Crown Eagle, a newborn Lava with scales shimmering like molten gold, spread its wings, casting a shadow over Kia. Its piercing gaze locked onto Kia, and it let out a screech that sent shivers down his spine.
Kia drew his sabre, his heart racing. This wasn't just any beast - it was a Lava, known for its ferocity and fire-breathing abilities. Kia recalled Instructor Jin's words: "Lavas are almost unbeatable in close combat. You need strategy."
The eagle swooped down, its talons extended. Kia leapt back, dodging by a hair's breadth. The eagle's wings beat the air, creating whirlwinds that pushed Kia off balance. He stumbled, his sabre trembling.
The eagle lunged again, its beak snapping mere inches from Kia's face. Kia's micro-level movement saved him, but the eagle's speed was on another level. He was forced into a defensive dance, barely blocking the eagle's talons with his sabre.
Kia's breaths came short. He was getting pushed back... hard.
Then, he remembered Instructor Jin's words about Lavas: "Their fire is their weakness. Wait for the glow in their throat..."
Kia focused, predicting the eagle's next move. As the eagle opened its beak to breathe fire, Kia saw the telltale glow in its throat. He dodged sideways, avoiding the jet of flames.
In that split second, Kia saw his chance. With a swift slash, he cut a tendon in the eagle's wing. The eagle screeched, grounded.
Kia seized the moment. With precision, he cut off the eagle's ear, storing it in his bag. He stood panting, looking at the fallen Lava. "Guess that was a tough one."
Back at the base, the director nodded. "Hmm... not bad. He might just make it."
The field test had ended, and everyone gathered back at the base. A staff member stepped forward, holding a tablet.
"The list of qualified candidates is out. I'll announce them according to their contributions."
He scanned the tablet, then began reading names. "Wan Dong, Thunder Martial Club... contributed 5 ears. Qualified."
"Li Mei, Dragon Martial Academy... contributed 4 ears. Qualified."
"Zhao Wei, Iron Fist Club... contributed 3 ears. Qualified."
He paused, then smiled. "And Feng Kia, Shadow Martial Club... contributed 7 ears. Qualified."
Kia's eyes widened. He had made it!
The staff member looked up. "Congratulations, all of you, on becoming warriors."
Kia couldn't help but grin. He headed home, the news bubbling inside him.
As he walked in, his brother, Feng Kai, looked up from his books. "What's up, Kia? You look like you've won the lottery!"
Kia beamed. "I passed! I'm a warrior now!"
His parents, sitting in the living room, looked up. His mom's face lit up. "Kia, congratulations! We're so proud of you!"
His dad nodded, a smile on his face. "Well done, son. You've made us proud."
Kia's brother, jumped up. "Whoa, big bro's a warrior! Does this mean more meat for me? đ"
Kia laughed, hugging his family. "Guess we'll celebrate tonight!"