"The test will begin in ten seconds-"
Hu Yan's folding fan suddenly dissolved into motes of light, and his figure bled into the air like ink in water.
"Have fun, everyone."
As the countdown sounded, the testing grounds began to warp. Web-like cracks suddenly split the lush grass, and spine-chilling rustling came from the distant forest.
[3...2...1...Test begins!]
"ROAR!"
Amid deafening roars, dozens of green-skinned goblins crawled out of the fissures, brandishing rusty weapons.
At the forest's edge, three minotaurs standing a full three meters tall smashed through the trees. They carried enormous Great Axes, scorching white vapor puffing from their nostrils.
"You've got to be kidding. How could Minotaur Chiefs show up in a rookie test...?"
A girl wearing glasses beside Qi Wu spoke in a trembling voice.
Inside the viewing room, a holographic projection displayed the battlefield in real time. Wolf Team stood before the observation window with his arms folded.
Beside him, a sultry woman with nine spectral fox tails frowned.
She was Qing Xiaoran, captain of Qingqiu, an A-rank team under the branch's command.
"Old Wolf, isn't this difficulty setting a bit much?"
Qing Xiaoran twirled a strand of hair around her fingertip as she asked,
"Minotaur Chiefs are fifth-tier Demons. Aren't you worried they'll wipe out all the rookies?"
Fifth-tier Demons already counted as elite Demons.
Very few of the rookies taking the test had fifth-tier combat strength.
That meant the rookies present would struggle to contend with the Ghost-level Minotaur Chiefs.
Wolf Team grinned, revealing sharp canine teeth.
"Didn't we bring someone in through S-Rank Special Recruitment?"
His gaze settled on the silver-haired Qi Wu on the screen.
"I have to see what he's made of."
The battlefield was in chaos.
Faced with the sudden appearance of the Minotaur Chiefs, most of the rookies had panicked. Some even turned and ran.
One Minotaur Chief raised its massive axe and charged straight at Feng Yuyao, who stood ahead of the others.
Fine beads of sweat formed on Feng Yuyao's forehead.
"Damn it, isn't this supposed to be a rookie test? Why are there fifth-tier Demons here!?"
She was rattled, but that did nothing to diminish her fighting spirit.
Yu Yao gave a cold snort. Crimson flames erupted around her, her long hair lifting as her fighting spirit surged.
"You think a mere minotaur can scare me off!?"
She brought her hands together, condensing the flames into a crimson spear. Its tip glowed as hot as lava as she lunged at the minotaur.
Boom!
Flames exploded. The minotaur bellowed and swept its massive Great Axe sideways, unleashing a violent blast of air.
Feng Yuyao flipped nimbly through the air, dodging the blade while flicking her spear up to stab straight at the minotaur's throat!
But the minotaur's hide and flesh were thick. The flaming spearhead sank barely an inch before its muscles trapped it.
Roaring in fury, it slammed its other enormous hand toward Feng Yuyao!
"Tch!"
Feng Yuyao gritted her teeth, wrenched her spear free, and retreated. The gust from its palm still grazed her, sending her flying backward. She rolled several times before regaining her balance.
Whoosh.
Just then, the shadow of an enormous axe fell over Feng Yuyao.
The Minotaur Chief held its axe high, brilliant red light blazing from the weapon.
It was about to unleash its skill, Earthquake Slash!
Feng Yuyao's pupils contracted.
BOOM!!!
Wreathed in scarlet energy, the enormous Great Axe crashed down. The ground instantly fractured, and a fan-shaped shock wave erupted forward.
At the last possible instant, Feng Yuyao rolled sideways.
A scorching blast howled past the flying tips of her hair, blasting a crater five meters wide behind her.
"Cough!"
She knelt on one knee and coughed up blood. The skin between the thumb and forefinger of her spear hand had split.
When she looked up, she saw Qi Wu strolling leisurely within another minotaur's attack range nearby.
Each time, he avoided its heavy axe by a hair's breadth, his silver hair dancing lightly in the gusts.
"Hey, princess. Need a rescue?"
Qi Wu even had time to wink at her.
"Worry about yourself!"
Feng Yuyao was furious, clenching her little canine teeth.
Before her words had faded, her eyes suddenly widened. The Minotaur Chief before Qi Wu abruptly turned bloodshot, its muscles swelling all over.
It was about to use Earthquake Slash too!
In desperation, Feng Yuyao hurriedly called out a warning.
"Hey, watch out!"
Qi Wu did not even look up. He merely raised his left hand casually.
BOOM!!!
The Great Axe descended, charged with seismic energy.
Yet as it approached Qi Wu's palm, it gradually slowed until it stopped in midair.
The space between the axe blade and his palm stretched infinitely, and the raging scarlet energy struck what seemed to be an invisible barrier.
Feng Yuyao's red lips parted as she exclaimed in surprise,
"That mysterious superpower again. It can even stop Earthquake Slash..."
Inside the viewing room, the branch's experts exclaimed in amazement as they watched Qi Wu effortlessly stop the minotaur's Earthquake Slash.
Qing Xiaoran's nine fox tails swayed rapidly, and her lips, painted with blue-green gloss, parted slightly.
"Is this his second superpower? A spatial ability?"
Wolf Team's eyes lit up, and he unconsciously leaned forward.
"No. It might be something even more terrifying than that."
[The Nanjiang branch's senior officials are heatedly discussing your ability] [Popularity Points +50] [Popularity Points +100]
[Popularity Points converted. Current Satoru Gojo fusion progress: 38.7%]
On the battlefield, the minotaur let out a bewildered roar, desperately trying to pull its axe back.
Just then, Qi Wu chuckled and brought his right index and middle fingers together.
"Blue!"
A flash of blue light streaked past. An invisible force suddenly blasted the minotaur's enormous body over a hundred meters away. It smashed through more than a dozen towering ancient trees before crashing to the ground.
It struggled to rise, only to feel its entire body go limp, all its strength draining away.
Looking down, it saw a hole the size of a tree stump punched through its chest.
One strike-an instant kill on a Minotaur Chief!!
As the first Minotaur Chief fell, an eerie silence settled over the entire battlefield.
The rookies taking the test stared at Qi Wu with wide eyes, as though he were a monster.
That was a fifth-tier Demon.
Even veteran agents from the bureau would need some effort to take one down.
Yet this handsome, blind, silver-haired guy had killed the minotaur instantly.
Was he really a rookie?
And not some expert who had sneaked into the beginner zone to stomp newbies??
[The rookies are beginning to fear you] [Popularity Points +100] [The rookies are beginning to admire you] [Popularity Points +120] [Popularity Points +150]
[Popularity Points converted. Current Satoru Gojo fusion progress: 39.5%]
The remaining goblins backed away in terror, barely able to hold their weapons steady.
Qi Wu shook out his wrist, his silver hair drifting gently in the lingering energy.
"Warm-up's over."
His figure suddenly blurred-
Teleportation!
Bang! Bang!!
Two explosive reports rang out in succession, accompanied by the sound of shattering bones. The other two Minotaur Chiefs were sent flying backward.
In a single instant, Qi Wu killed two fifth-tier minotaurs!!
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