At five fifty the next morning, Luo Li arrived punctually at the entrance of the Zhenhuan Martial Arts School, sporting faint dark circles under both eyes.
He had barely slept the night before, repeatedly going over today's "combat assessment" in his head.
Show all my strength? Including the [Spacetime] Path and the Bloodblade Enma?
No, that would be far too unwise.
The tallest tree caught the strongest wind.
A streamer who had possessed nothing but a C-rank support ability just a few days ago suddenly displaying bizarre powers comparable to S-rank and a growth-type weapon-if word got out, it would probably bring more than attention. It could bring trouble and danger he couldn't begin to predict.
An in-depth investigation by the guild's higher-ups, prying eyes from other factions, perhaps even the "interest" of higher-ranking vampires...
He only wanted to earn money steadily to support his family and live a quiet little life with Castorice, not become everyone's target.
But hiding all his strength wouldn't work either. If he couldn't pass the assessment, he couldn't accept lucrative A-rank missions, putting a roadblock in his grand money-making plan.
So he had to strike the right "balance."
A balance that proved he possessed "B-rank combat capability" without being too shocking.
The best approach was... to use his original "Super-Speed Reaction" ability, combined with the most basic, least noticeable applications of the [Remembrance] Path, supplemented by the physical abilities subtly strengthened by Path power, to demonstrate fighting skills and reaction speed "approaching B-rank."
As for his lack of attack power... he would make up for it with "resilience" and "willpower"!
Put plainly, he would be a competent human punching bag, showing enough ability to take a beating to make Lei Zhen acknowledge his "potential" and "combat value."
After all, he had the [Spacetime] Path as his trump card. Afterward, he could simply activate his ability and rewind his body's condition to before the beating.
A little physical suffering in exchange for avoiding bigger trouble and quickly raising his publicly recognized rank... that was no losing deal.
"Creak-"
The school's front door was pulled open from inside, and Lei Zhen's burly figure appeared in the doorway. He still wore the same fitted black training clothes and looked full of vigor.
"Hmm, at least you're punctual!" He glanced at Luo Li and nodded.
"Come in!"
There were only the two of them in the training room.
Morning sunlight streamed through the windows, casting dappled light and shadows across the footprint-covered wooden floor.
"Kid, let's skip the bullshit."
Lei Zhen walked to the center of the room and assumed a traditional boxing stance. His aura abruptly changed, like a tiger about to pounce on its prey.
"The combat assessment is simple! Last ten minutes against me! Or make me think you deserve a B-rank rating! Ready?"
"Ready, Senior Lei!"
Luo Li took a deep breath and adopted a defensive stance. He focused his mental power, pushing [Super-Speed Reaction] to its limit while quietly incorporating [Remembrance Perception] to predict attack trajectories.
"Here I come!"
With a low shout, Lei Zhen moved, closing the distance in an instant as though the ground had shrunk beneath his feet.
A punch drove straight down the centerline, plain and unadorned, yet carrying a suffocating pressure.
So fast!
Luo Li's pupils contracted. [Super-Speed Reaction] and his predictions barely let him catch its trajectory. His body instinctively slid half a step sideways as he crossed his arms to block.
Thump!
An enormous force struck him. Luo Li's arms went numb, and he staggered uncontrollably backward seven or eight steps before regaining his footing.
"Good reactions! But your strength is too dispersed!"
Lei Zhen offered his assessment without letting up. Shifting his footing, he swept a vicious roundhouse kick toward Luo Li's legs like a steel whip.
Luo Li hastily jumped to dodge while trying to find an opening to counterattack.
He seized the brief opening as Lei Zhen withdrew his leg and slashed a knife-hand strike toward his neck-holding back most of his strength, of course.
But Lei Zhen seemed to have anticipated it. His blocking arm remained utterly motionless, like cast iron, while his other hand darted out like a phantom and caught Luo Li's wrist.
"Too green!"
A deft force came through his grip. Luo Li felt the world spin before he was slammed hard onto the floor.
Bang!
Agony shot through his back, and all his internal organs felt as though they had been knocked out of place.
"Cough, cough..."
He struggled to get up.
"Can't get up already?"
Lei Zhen sounded displeased.
Gritting his teeth, Luo Li propped himself up with his arms.
I can't give up this quickly! I have to show enough resilience!
What followed became an entirely one-sided lesson in taking a beating.
His attacks landed on Lei Zhen like mere tickles.
Lei Zhen's fists, feet, elbows, and knees, meanwhile, rained down on his body and face like a violent storm.
Relying on his "superfast" reactions and predictions, he avoided vital areas as much as possible and blocked with his arms, shoulders, and other parts of his body. Even so, his face was battered and bruised, the corners of his mouth split and seeping blood, and his eyes rapidly swelled purple.
Thump!
Another punch struck his abdomen. Luo Li doubled over in pain, his stomach churning.
"Unsteady footwork! Not enough core strength!"
"Decent judgment, but your body can't keep up with your brain!"
"Keep your footing when you're taking a beating! Do you understand how to dissipate force?"
As Lei Zhen beat him, he mercilessly pointed out his "shortcomings."
Luo Li smiled bitterly inwardly. Of course he understood how to dissipate force. He could even use [Space Folding] to deflect most of it, but he couldn't do that.
He could only tough it out, taking most of every blow squarely while working to adjust his posture so that he looked as though he was "doing his best to learn and adapt."
Ten minutes felt as long as a century.
By the time Lei Zhen finally stopped, Luo Li could barely stand. Willpower alone kept him from collapsing.
He looked utterly wretched-disheveled hair, a face covered in purple bruises, swollen and split lips, and clothes covered in dust and specks of blood. He looked like a rag doll that had been battered countless times.
Watching Luo Li pant for breath, a complete mess yet still standing stubbornly, Lei Zhen rubbed his chin. A barely perceptible trace of satisfaction flashed through his eyes.
"Hmm... your attack power is a complete disaster. You hit like a girl."
"But your ability to take a beating and your willpower are passable."
"And your reaction speed really is far beyond an ordinary C-rank's. Almost like a 'bug.'"
"All right!" Lei Zhen waved his large hand.
"Kid, you passed!"
He produced a tablet from somewhere and quickly tapped it a few times.
"I've certified you. B-rank combat rating! From now on, you can take B-rank and some A-rank joint defense missions!"
"Now scram! Go home and train properly! Don't spend all day hiding at home playing games!"
"Th-thank you, Senior Lei!"
Enduring the aches all over his body, Luo Li mumbled his thanks and inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
Mission accomplished!
He forced himself to walk out of the school. Only after turning the street corner and making sure no one was nearby did he lean against a wall and let out a long breath.
"Hiss... that really hurt..."
He touched his swollen cheek and sucked in a sharp breath.
Still, it had all been worth it.
He closed his eyes, concentrated, and reached for the power of the [Spacetime] Path within him.
"Rewind...!"
A faint, mysterious ripple spread outward from him.
He didn't rewind very far or change anything that had happened. He targeted only his own "physical condition," restoring it to the moment before he stepped into the martial arts school that morning.
As though invisible hands were brushing over his body, the bruises and swelling on his face faded at a speed visible to the naked eye. The wounds at the corners of his mouth healed, and the aches and exhaustion in his body receded like the tide.
A few seconds later, Luo Li opened his eyes, took out his phone, and checked his reflection in the screen.
Excellent. He was still that devastatingly handsome gaming streamer, his face clean and free of any trace of a beating.
Only a little mental fatigue remained from being so relentlessly battered.
"All done!"
He brushed nonexistent dust off himself and headed home in high spirits.
He had hidden his crucial trump cards, avoided potential trouble, secured an official B-rank rating, and gained the right to accept lucrative missions...
Aside from a little mental torment and the mental power spent rewinding his condition, it was almost perfect!
Most importantly-he could go home to his Castorice completely unharmed, fresh and clean.
If he went home with a face covered in injuries... he hardly dared imagine how Castorice would react.
If she saw the man she considered her lover beaten to a pulp, she might just grab her scythe and go straight to Lei Zhen to "reason" with him...
That picture was too beautiful. He dared not imagine it.
For the sake of world peace, this little expenditure of mental power was an absolute bargain!