One Does Not Visit Without Cause

But challenges were a good thing. Without any difficulty, how could they bring out the trainees' potential?

Without any difficulty, if they could graduate with ease, what would be the point of the assessment?

That was precisely why Zephyr had ultimately chosen Pirate Island.

After the location was announced came the rules of the competition, which were actually quite simple. Within seven days, the trainees had to eliminate every pirate on the island.

As for the rankings, they would be calculated based on the bounties of the pirates each person killed. Whoever accumulated the highest total would take first place.

As a reward, first place could be directly promoted to rear admiral at Headquarters, with an exclusive warship and an independent unit under his command.

Second and third place would become Headquarters colonels and enjoy benefits such as exclusive warships as well. Fourth through tenth place would become lieutenant colonels, eleventh through fortieth would become majors, and the final five would be eliminated.

Upon hearing that the bottom five would be eliminated, everyone's expressions tightened. Especially those at the bottom of the training camp—their hearts gradually sank.

If anyone was going to be eliminated, they were naturally more likely to be the ones.

If someone strong was eliminated, it could only mean one thing: bad luck. They either failed to encounter any pirates, or the pirates they encountered had very low bounties.

But that possibility was exceedingly slim.

"Eliminating five people at once is too cruel, isn't it?"

"Only five people were eliminated in the entire past year, but now a single assessment will eliminate as many people as the whole previous year did. This is really—"

"Hmph, the tide washes away the sand. If you're eliminated because you're weak, who can you blame?"

"The strong remain, and the weak