Martial Artist Combat Assessment (12)

The Quasi-Warrior assessment was over, leaving only the Martial Artist combat assessment.

This was the standard procedure. Even Direct Descendants of a top-tier family like the Polenas Family could not avoid it.

Nor was there any need to avoid it.

The purpose of the Martial Artist combat assessment was to temper one's resolve.

Real-life slaughter was not a game where numbers could define everything. In a true life-and-death battle, good physical fitness and superb combat skills did not necessarily mean much. Some people could not even bring out a tenth of their strength at the sight of blood or when faced with death.

No matter how strong such people were, they would still be of little use.

But ultimately, this was only an assessment, meant to test whether Quasi-Warriors truly possessed the ability to fight Monsters. Thus, the Monsters placed within were all the weakest H-class Monsters, equivalent to the 'Beginner Warrior level' among Martial Artists. Though they were bloodthirsty and frenzied, their low intelligence was an obvious weakness. Coupled with Martial Artist equipment capable of resisting the claws of H-class Monsters and dedicated Martial Artists standing ready to provide rescue, the survival rate was still fairly high.

"Roar—"

"Hah—"

Outside the town, heavy trucks drove in one after another. Each truck was loaded with cages, and each cage held a Monster. Their furious roars resounded through the sky, sending chills through the many Quasi-Warriors waiting below.

At the same time, a loud voice came through the speakers scattered throughout the town:

"Everyone."

At once, all the Quasi-Warriors, Vinina included, raised their heads toward the inside of the town. An officer stood there, speaking to them all. "The rules for this combat assessment remain unchanged. It will begin promptly at six tonight and end promptly at six-thirty tomorrow morning."

"During this time, the more Monsters you kill, the more Points you earn!"

"For every Monster killed, you must cut off its left ear as proof."

"The top sixty percent will advance, while the bottom forty percent will be eliminated and wait for the next Martial Artist assessment. In the event of equal Points, judgment will be based on the time spent killing Monsters and the severity of injuries sustained."

"So once you have killed enough, leave the town as soon as possible."

"Remember, Quasi-Warriors are forbidden from killing one another. All your actions are under surveillance. Violators will be shot on sight!"

"And if you are seriously injured, you may press the emergency button on your communication watch. Someone will come to rescue you immediately. However, the moment you do so, it means you have voluntarily forfeited this combat assessment."

As the officer announced the rules, the Quasi-Warriors received the weapons they would use in this combat assessment.

Vinina had arrived early and was already fully equipped.

Alloy Combat Boots, Military Trousers, and a Combat Vest containing special materials such as Kro Alloy. However, unlike most Martial Artists, who carried a saber or sword paired with a one-handed shield, she held an alloy spear weighing more than one hundred and fifty kilograms.

The former combination balanced offense and defense while remaining agile enough, but a spear had greater killing power. Its wider attack range also gave it an advantage against opponents of the same level.

Of course, the most important thing was that the spear was easy to learn.

Vinina had undergone Soul Transmigration. After only a short period of training, choosing a long spear was naturally more suitable.

Block, parry, thrust;

Once she mastered those three moves, combined with sufficient physical ability and mental fortitude, they would be enough to handle simple combat!

After explaining the rules of the Martial Artist combat assessment, the officer standing in the center of town leaped straight down from the roof more than ten meters high. Then, after two successive bounds, he arrived at the outskirts of the town.

"Move out!"

At once, the entrance into the town opened.

More than a thousand Quasi-Warriors entered in order, then quickly scattered to hunt their own prey.

Vinina did the same.

The moment she entered the town, she sprinted away. Only after venturing deeper inside did she gradually slow down and begin carefully searching for prey.

She had not chosen to form a team with anyone else.

That would not actually have been difficult for her. Even without relying on the Polenas Family's influence, her looks alone would have made it easy to invite several Quasi-Warriors to team up. Completing the Martial Artist combat assessment under someone else's protection would not have been hard.

But that was clearly not what she wanted.

If I don't even dare to take a Martial Artist combat assessment alone, how the hell am I supposed to resist later?

With her spear in hand, Vinina walked through the shadows, her gaze cold.

She knew full well that this was a test of courage!

If she did not want to be gunned down,

Then she had to become ruthless.

Especially toward herself!

Monster Town contained more than a thousand scattered Quasi-Warriors and over ten thousand H-class Monsters, so the density was not particularly high. As Vinina searched, her first hunting target soon appeared.

It was a cat with gray fur!

"Shadow Cat."

Vinina murmured softly as information on Shadow Cats immediately flashed through her mind. "One of the most common Monster species, found across every continent on Earth. They are fast and exceptionally agile, but their defenses are extremely weak. Their attacks are simple and limited in power."

"It poses little threat to me."

"You'll do!"

Vinina made her decision immediately.

Then she stepped out from the shadows, exposing herself to the Shadow Cat's sight.

"Hah—"

The Shadow Cat's beastly eyes immediately fixed on the human girl holding a spear. It let out strange, low growls before suddenly pouncing. Under the faint light reflected from distant searchlights, the fangs in its mouth gleamed with a chilling cold light!

"Hah!"

The instant the Shadow Cat lunged at her, Vinina swiftly dodged, then thrust out her spear.

Pfft!

The Shadow Cat's body was pierced straight through by the alloy spearhead!

With a flick of her spear, Vinina flung the Shadow Cat away. It twitched on the ground for a while before finally dying completely.

Blood flowed out, quickly staining the dusty concrete ground red.

"This Shadow Cat's speed must be close to forty meters per second."

Vinina walked over to the Shadow Cat's corpse, drew her dagger, cut off its left ear, and tossed it into her backpack.

Its speed and agility would naturally be advantages against Martial Artists of the same level, but against someone like Vinina, whose abilities were outstanding even among Intermediate Warriors, those original shortcomings became its most fatal flaws.

It had been a complete stomp.

"This does nothing to temper me."

Looking at the bloodstained spearhead, Vinina murmured softly. Then she turned and headed back toward the shadows, searching for her next prey.

Whether it was the influence left behind by the original owner of this body or simply Vinina's naturally indifferent temperament, when her spear pierced through the Shadow Cat's body and blood sprayed out, what arose in her heart was not fear or nervousness, but—

Excitement!