Z City.
Hunter Association.
Outside the Level Assessment Office.
About a dozen people waited in the corridor, the line inching forward slowly.
Most of them were teenagers around sixteen, their faces showing a mix of nervousness and excitement.
Only a few were noticeably older.
Xu Feng's burly figure stood in the middle of the line, especially eye-catching.
He quietly observed his surroundings from the corner of his eye.
Quite a few people had slightly puffed cheeks. They were secretly chewing something, their eyes darting about with an unspoken caution.
So I'm not the only one who knows this method, Xu Feng realized. If that's the case, the Magic Power Content assessment probably won't carry much weight. The association must have more comprehensive evaluation methods.
He lowered his gaze to his large-knuckled hands, which held tremendous strength, and slowly tightened his fingers.
What level had his strength reached now?
He had no idea himself.
But at the very least, if those E-class Octopus Monsters from last night appeared before him again, they probably wouldn't be able to withstand even one of his punches.
Having broken through from the Qi Realm to the Blood Replacement Realm, his Body Realm had also been tempered and entered the First Refinement Realm.
Relying solely on this pure physical strength, he was confident that he would be hard-pressed to find an opponent among E-class hunters.
What if he... activated that thread of qi and blood within his body?
The thought flashed through his mind, warming his heart.
Perhaps, even against a D-class opponent, he might have the strength to fight.
Xu Feng clenched his fist and felt the power filling it. At last, he gained a faint sense of security.
With the help of Breakthrough Points, he would climb higher step by step!
He would become...
"Ding—"
The notification that the door had opened brought Xu Feng back to reality.
Before he realized it, the line had already moved up to him.
"Handsome boy, it's your turn."
The automatic door to the assessment office slid open silently. A young woman in a black professional skirt suit and sheer black stockings leaned out, wearing a professional smile.
When her gaze landed on Xu Feng, a trace of astonishment flashed through her eyes.
The young man before her was not only exceptionally handsome, but also tall and powerfully built. That youthful air brimming with strength made her look him over several more times.
"Yes."
Xu Feng took a deep breath to calm himself, then turned around instinctively.
Not far away, Xu Shan was waving his fists at him vigorously, his face full of encouragement and expectation.
Warmth filled Xu Feng's heart. He gave his parents a slight nod, then composed himself and followed the staff member into the assessment room.
"First item: Magic Power Content detection."
The room was brightly lit. A sophisticated silver-white instrument resembling a CT scanner stood in the center.
Xu Feng walked to the designated spot as instructed, smoothly removed his shirt, and revealed his lean, powerfully defined body, tempered through cultivation.
A soft pale-blue light swept down from the top of the instrument, slowly passing over his entire body.
A moment later, the scan was complete.
"D-class Intermediate Magic Power level, physical type."
The young woman glanced at the data displayed on the tablet in her hand and nodded lightly.
She had worked in hunter-level assessments for two or three years. She could usually tell at a glance who possessed genuine ability and who had merely "packaged" themselves by temporarily eating Monster flesh.
Someone like Xu Feng, with an abnormally strong physique and a faint, restrained pressure radiating from him even while standing still, was undoubtedly an awakened hunter.
"He looks about seventeen or eighteen. Could he be the type who failed to awaken at twelve and only awakened 'late' recently after a burst of good luck?"
She speculated secretly. Her gaze uncontrollably drifted over the nearly perfect muscle lines of Xu Feng's upper body and the face that combined strength with handsome features. The tip of her tongue unconsciously brushed her lower lip.
Tsk, it's rare to find a strong and handsome young pup like this... I'll have to find a chance to get his contact information later...
"Miss?"
Xu Feng's slightly puzzled voice by her ear interrupted her reverie.
He had already put his shirt back on and was standing before her, looking at her dazed expression in confusion. He had even noticed the suspicious trace of moisture at the corner of her mouth.
Was she hungry?
Xu Feng scratched his head, baffled. Still, the result of the D-class Intermediate Magic Power assessment had been within his expectations.
After all, the dried meat he had swallowed had come from a D-class Monster.
The young woman quickly collected herself. A flash of regret at the disappearance of the "beautiful scenery" flickered in her eyes before she resumed her gentle, professional smile.
"Oh, it's nothing. Handsome boy, let's move on to the next item."
The second item was the Punch Force Test.
A device shaped like a gigantic punching target stood nearby. Several thick composite springs supported its rear, while a display screen was embedded in the center of the target.
Xu Feng stood before the target and slowly adjusted his breathing.
He stared at the dark bull's-eye. The muscles in his right arm tensed slightly before pulling back like a drawn bowstring.
"Whoosh—!"
His feet planted themselves firmly on the ground. His spine rose and fell like a great dragon, and the strength throughout his body linked together, finally converging in his right fist!
Boom—!!!
A tremendous, muffled crash like a war drum suddenly exploded!
The test target shook violently, and the springs behind it groaned under the strain.
The numbers on the display began jumping wildly:
E-class Low-grade... E-class Intermediate... E-class Higher Rank... D-class Low-grade (flickering indistinctly)...
In the end, the numbers stabilized at:
[E-class Higher Rank]
"E-class Higher Rank punch force?" Xu Feng was fairly satisfied with the result.
To reach this level through pure physical strength alone proved that the tempering effect of the First Refinement physique was considerable.
"Punch force: E-class Higher Rank. The next item is the Impact Resistance Test... Do you need to test your punch force one more time?" The young woman noticed that Xu Feng had not immediately left the testing device. Her eyelashes lifted slightly as she asked.
Xu Feng nodded. "There's another kind of strength inside me that I haven't used. If I use it, my strength should rise another level."
"A special ability that enhances your Magic Power?" The young woman understood.
Some hunters developed special abilities when they awakened, such as increased strength, explosive speed, or transformations. Most were achieved by instantly erupting with the Magic Power inside their bodies.
Xu Feng's thoughts stirred, and he drew a thread of pure, scorching qi and blood from his dantian.
In an instant, the skin of his right arm visibly turned crimson. Its circumference swelled, blue veins bulging like horned dragons. His entire arm resembled a red-hot branding iron, radiating astonishing heat and power.
Boom—!!!
When he threw the punch, the air compressed violently and actually let out a sharp explosion!
The numbers on the display surged again. After flickering violently, they finally stopped firmly at:
[D-class Low-grade]
"Activating my qi and blood increased my punch force by at least double." Xu Feng felt the surging strength in his right arm gradually settle. His skin color and muscular state also slowly returned to normal.
After undergoing the First Refinement, his physique could withstand an eruption of this level without suffering any damage.
It seems this still isn't my limit. I should be able to contain at least one more thread of qi and blood. He estimated it silently, but did not choose to continue testing.
It was always necessary to keep some trump cards hidden.
"Your final rating for strength is D-class Low-grade." The young woman carefully recorded it on her tablet.
Without pausing, Xu Feng walked straight toward the Impact Resistance Test room beside them.
At the center of the room, a huge mechanical fist covered in special Monster hide hovered in midair. The hide could effectively transmit impact while also possessing tremendous toughness, making it difficult to damage.
"Next is the Impact Resistance Test.
I'll gradually increase the striking force. Once you feel that your body can no longer endure it, you must immediately speak up or clearly signal me to stop."
This time, the young woman's relaxed expression faded, replaced by a serious look.
The test acted directly on the body. Even though the Hunter Association possessed advanced medical technology, there was still a risk of accidental serious injury.
"Understood. You can begin."
Xu Feng stood in the center of the room and took a deep breath. His muscles bulged, and his bones and tendons crackled together.
His entire body seemed to swell a little further, like a steel statue entering battle mode.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The mechanical fist began striking Xu Feng's chest and abdomen in a steady rhythm. Each collision produced a muffled sound, with the force increasing each time.
Xu Feng remained as steady as a boulder, enduring the impacts until one heavy blow sent his qi and blood roiling, forcing him to retreat half a step.
The mechanical fist immediately stopped.
The screen displayed the result:
[Impact Resistance, D-class Intermediate]
The final item was the Speed Test.
The result was similar to the Punch Force Test.
Without erupting with qi and blood, his speed rating was E-class Higher Rank.
When he infused both legs with a thread of qi and blood and erupted into a sprint, his speed reached D-class Low-grade.
In the end, his overall assessment was determined to be:
[D-class Intermediate]
"So the hunter-level assessment takes the highest rating among the other categories, excluding the Magic Power level."
Holding his freshly issued assessment report, Xu Feng understood. "This evaluation method is indeed somewhat lax. It seems that even hunters of the same rank can have considerable differences in actual combat strength."
He walked out of the assessment room with the results.
Behind him, the young woman watched his departing back with a satisfied smile. She lowered her head and added a note beside one of the contact numbers on her tablet:
[D-class strong young pup, promising prospect √]
Becoming an officially certified hunter meant formally entering the ranks of the superhumans, along with the corresponding benefits.
For example, D-class hunters could receive a basic monthly subsidy of 5,000 yuan from the Hunter Association, while C-class hunters received 10,000 yuan.
Of course, compared with the wealth that could be obtained through the high-risk, high-reward profession of hunter, this subsidy was merely a drop in the bucket.
The true value lay in the gateway this identity opened to a broader world and greater resources.
"Next, I need to consider whether to become an independent hunter or join a dungeon-raiding team." Xu Feng pondered as he walked.
A hunter's identity brought not only rights, but also obligations.
According to regulations, every registered hunter had to assist the association in completing a certain number of dungeon-raiding missions each year.
A D-class hunter like him had to participate in at least four D-class dungeon-raiding missions annually.
Of course, the rewards were also quite generous.
If he chose to become an independent hunter, he would have to go to the Hunter Association's mission hall himself and look for a suitable team to "join" through the notice board.
If he joined a fixed dungeon-raiding team, the team could directly undertake the entire mission and coordinate the arrangements.
To minimize risks as much as possible, the association had explicitly stipulated:
Teams of three or fewer were forbidden from entering dungeons.
Hunters were ultimately a scarce resource, and the association did not want to see pointless casualties.
Before you continue