This Isn't Chen Ming's Limit-It's the Test's!

"Level... level 10?!"

"Are you serious?"

"Is this even still a test?"

The expressions of many people below the stage changed.

Every single person gathered at the border of the city—

if they faced a level 10 mechanical creature, not one of them could withstand even a single hit.

This had completely gone beyond the scope of a test!

And yet, not a single person voiced any objection.

Chen Ming's performances against levels 2 and 6 had already proven that there was no need to worry about his safety, even in a level 10 test.

Besides, at this moment, everyone wanted to see...

Just where Chen Ming's limit was.

Could he really withstand the level 10 test?

At that moment, on the raised platform.

The hum of metal rang across the entire area.

This time, no new creature appeared on the mechanical platform. Instead, the entire platform began to shift and change.

Its shape stretched and assembled itself.

A moment later, amid a series of rumbles, a mechanical ape nearly six meters tall landed on the platform.

With a bang, a steel hammer just as large landed alongside it.

[Mechanical Great Ape]

[Level: Lv. 10]

Looking at the hulking figure on the platform, its entire body gleaming with metallic luster—

quite a few people below even swallowed nervously.

This was level 10?

They'd believe it if someone said it was a level 20 Exotic Beast!

The Mechanical Great Ape grabbed the steel hammer and swung it once, stirring up a powerful gust of wind.

"Roar!"

It let out a furious roar, unleashing a savage aura as if it were a true wild Exotic Beast.

The Mechanical Great Ape raised its foot and stomped down hard, making the entire testing platform tremble.

Then its massive frame leaped into the air, shooting high above the platform.

Gripping the steel hammer with both hands, it brought it crashing down toward Chen Ming.

The attack was imposing, its force terrifying.

Even the Class Changers near the testing platform felt their legs weaken and hurriedly backed away.

A hammer that huge would leave you black and blue—or smash you into pieces!

"He moved, he moved! He finally moved!"

At that moment, everyone's eyes focused on Chen Ming atop the platform.

They saw that Chen Ming had finally made a move.

That was right—he raised his hand!

Was he finally about to use a skill?

But the next moment, everyone was stunned.

Chen Ming really had raised his hand, but damn it, that was all he did!

There was no next move.

Was he planning to block a level 10 ape's hammer blow with his bare hand?!

Boom—

Before the crowd could react to Chen Ming's seemingly arrogant move, the Mechanical Great Ape's hammer came crashing down from above!

A thunderous impact erupted.

A blast of fierce wind swept across the raised platform and rushed in every direction.

The violent gust tore across the area below, knocking down some Class Changers who were only level 2 and sending them tumbling to the ground.

But no one paid them any attention. Everyone was focused on the raised platform.

The instant the aftershock of the gale faded, the crowd anxiously looked toward the middle of the platform.

On the platform—

The towering ape still gripped the hammer with both hands, frozen in its attacking posture.

Yet no matter how hard it strained its metallic arms, the steel hammer wouldn't budge. It was as if it had been pinned in place.

And beneath the hammerhead was a palm...

[-1!]

"Finally, some damage."

Chen Ming sighed.

But soon...

[+1!]

The automatic recovery effect of 'Battle-Hardened' took effect.

His constitution was back to full.

The entire border fell silent.

Everyone was dumbstruck.

That enormous hammer, larger than a person and crashing down with tremendous force, had been stopped by Chen Ming with one hand.

To describe just how outrageous the sight was, it was like a mantis really had stopped a cart!

"He really... caught it with his hand. He didn't even use a skill."

"That defense is insane."

"Is Chen Ming really human? There's no way a human Class Changer could have defense that ridiculous."

Even the people who'd been saying Chen Ming was showing off fell silent.

He'd just taken a terrifying hit from a level 10 mechanical creature without even changing his expression.

Let him show off a little...

To be honest—

Chen Ming really wasn't trying to show off.

After all, that was simply how his defensive 'mechanism' worked.

It wasn't as if he could change the damage calculation by using some defensive technique or skill to resist the blow.

If it was supposed to be -1, it was still -1. If it was supposed to be -0, it was still -0!

Chen Ming just thought that having a steel hammer that huge smash into his head wouldn't look very dignified.

That was why he'd raised his hand.

He hadn't raised it to apologize. He'd raised it to keep up appearances.

As for testing his limits?

Well, sorry, but—

he didn't have a thing called a limit.

Even if an immortal came to test him and attacked ten times,

the result would still be [-10].

On the platform—

After its first attack failed, the Mechanical Great Ape stopped moving.

It didn't launch a second attack. Instead, it returned to its original position.

Then its form changed back into the mechanical platform.

[Testing complete!]

The next second—

Light flashed across the illusionary screen overhead.

On the defense test leaderboard, new information appeared at the very top, knocking Song Chuan from first place.

[1. Chen Ming - C-Rank Shield Guard - 9999 points]

[2. Song Chuan - S-Rank War Soul Vanguard - 720 points]

"How many? One point short of ten thousand?!"

"Holy crap, he's ahead by more than nine thousand points! He's taken first place by an overwhelming margin!"

"No, this isn't Chen Ming's limit. It's the test's limit!"

Only then did the crowd understand.

Chen Ming could block even the highest-level test, level 10, with one hand.

His limit was far beyond this!

"This has completely changed how I see things."

"I can't even look at his C-Rank Shield Guard class the same way anymore."

After witnessing Chen Ming's defense, which was practically like cheating,

the crowd finally understood why he'd dared to enter the Exotic Beast Forest alone and level up by himself.

At the high-rise building—

The several principals had been dumbfounded for a while now.

In all their years of living, they'd met generation after generation of new Class Changers.

This was the first time they'd ever seen anything like it.

By the window, the Inspector stared at Chen Ming's figure, lost in thought.

Perhaps he'd previously felt an inexplicable urge to compete, wanting to see just how far this young man could go.

But after seeing Chen Ming's performance in the level 10 test, he immediately regained his composure.

As an Alliance Inspector, the first thing on his mind now was—

the terrifying potential Chen Ming possessed!

At the same time—

After finishing the defense test, Chen Ming walked down the steps.

Then, under countless watching eyes, he headed toward another raised platform.

The attack testing platform.

"He's choosing to test his attack power?"

"Isn't a Shield Guard supposed to test defense and recovery?"

Chen Ming ignored the strange looks and walked straight up.

Then he took the Rock-Shattering Blade out of his mental space.

The next moment, azure flames ignited along Chen Ming's arm and spread across the entire blade.

The Rock-Shattering Blade became a flaming greatsword.

"Whoa, what's that?"

"Blade-Igniting Infusion—what kind of skill is that?"

"So cool!"