Equipment collection point
Despite the vast queue of over a thousand Prospective Martial Artists, it was Chu Tiannan's turn to choose equipment within minutes.
"Please select the weapons and equipment you need! To prevent cheating, any powerful weapons you brought yourself are prohibited."
"You're actually wearing a grade-B combat suit? Take it off and change into a grade-E combat suit."
As Chu Tiannan changed equipment, the military personnel removed his grade-B combat suit while he rolled his eyes.
As for the Heaven-Deriving Sword?
Chu Tiannan could only hand it over to them for safekeeping for now. After all, he couldn't put it inside his body in front of everyone, could he?
Wouldn't that immediately turn him into a human research subject?
However, a minor incident occurred when Chu Tiannan set down the Heaven-Deriving Sword.
Because this weapon was exclusive to Chu Tiannan, the Heaven-Deriving Sword's actual weight instantly crushed a table.
Under everyone's astonished gazes, it took several military personnel considerable effort to carry the sword away.
"Give me a longsword with a constant weight!"
"Um... do you have any short blades here?"
"What do you want a short blade for?"
"To use it, of course. If you have one, please give me one!"
After collecting his equipment, Chu Tiannan still carried a sword on his back, though it was now an ordinary sharp sword provided by the military.
But it was enough to kill soldier-class Demon Beasts.
As for the short blade? It was secured to the outside of Chu Tiannan's thigh.
After all, he was a Controller. Chu Tiannan also wanted to take this opportunity to properly practice his close combat and ranged attacks.
Although Wang Jinhai had told him to display his full strength, Chu Tiannan had no intention of revealing it.
After all, he knew that Controllers held a highly revered status in this world.
It was better to keep a low profile while he was still weak.
Once all the Prospective Martial Artists had collected their equipment, a middle-aged soldier stood atop a raised platform at the entrance to the ruined city.
"Prospective Martial Artists, you are about to enter the ruined city for your assessment. Here, apart from food and water..."
"You will receive no assistance!"
"Your assessment objective is to kill as many Demon Beasts as possible. The more you kill, the greater your advantage!"
"The black wristbands you are wearing will record the number of Demon Beasts you kill throughout the city. They must be returned after the assessment."
"If you can't hold on and wish to withdraw midway, call for help through your black wristband. The military will come to rescue you immediately."
"Only the top three hundred on the Demon Beast kill rankings will be accepted!"
"Here's a tip: killing around five Demon Beasts will safely secure you a place!"
"Good luck to you all. The path of a Martial Artist is incredibly bloody, and the annual assessment has a death rate as high as thirty percent!"
Even Chu Tiannan couldn't help his expression changing when he heard this.
A death rate of nearly thirty percent?
Didn't that mean that if a thousand people went in, only seven hundred would come out?
The crowd immediately grew restless. Many of the young people's expressions changed drastically, but everyone who had come here had absolute confidence in themselves.
Even so, the annual death rate was still as high as thirty percent. One could imagine how dangerous this Martial Artist assessment was!
Moreover, the acceptance rate was also thirty percent. There was clearly a pattern to it.
After all, the path of a Martial Artist was one of growth through endless battles against Demon Beasts.
So death was hardly surprising.
"It's a shame I can't Devour without the Heaven-Deriving Sword." Chu Tiannan wasn't worried about this assessment. What left him helpless was this.
He had no way to Devour the Demon Beasts after killing them. Although soldier-class Demon Beasts offered Chu Tiannan only a negligible improvement.
There would be so many of them!
Even a fly was still meat, however small, and that thought made Chu Tiannan inwardly ache at the loss.
"Does anyone still wish to withdraw? Once you enter this gate, withdrawing means giving up your status as a Martial Artist, and you will be barred from taking the assessment for life. The Martial Artist System has no need for cowards!"
The middle-aged soldier's booming voice immediately jolted all the young people out of their shock. Many of them clenched their teeth.
Clearly, they were unwilling to give up!
Inside the East Martial Arts Hall's camp
The enormous projection screen currently displayed the entrance to the ruined city. Wang Jinhai stood respectfully to one side.
He gazed reverently at a gray-clad figure seated before him, not daring to make any move.
The gray-robed figure simply drank tea, occasionally glancing at the screen without speaking.
The powerful pressure emanating invisibly from the figure made the hearts of several instructors of the same standing as Wang Jinhai tighten.
At the entrance to the ruined city.
The middle-aged soldier swept his keen gaze over the thousand-plus young figures below and grinned. The enormous gate behind him slowly opened.
"Very good! Since no one is withdrawing, I hereby announce!"
"The Martial Artist assessment begins! The time limit is half a month. Good luck to you all."
"Go kill as many Demon Beasts as you can!"