Chapter 52 - Unit Test (6)

All around the testing grounds, beasts were dropping like flies.

The cadets were cutting through them with such ease that the instructors watching from the control room began to question the whole purpose of this test.

The creatures, which were supposed to challenge the cadets, were being obliterated with almost laughable efficiency.

The instructors exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions a mix of pride and concern.

"This is ridiculous," Paul muttered, running a hand through his hair as he stared at the live feed from the drones.

"These cadets are way too strong. Especially for first-years, this is abnormal. Are we sure we didn't miscalculate the difficulty of this test?"

Laura sighed, leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed.

"Paul, why are you still surprised? Or have you already forgotten that there are cadets in this academy who are already stronger than some of the instructors? This isn't the first time we've seen monsters like these."

Paul gulped, his mind flashing back to the current third-year cadets.

They were a different breed entirely as well.

In fact, as of now, many of them had already taken certification exams and were officially recognized as Class Two and Three soldiers.

And then there were the two who stood above the rest—cadets who had already reached Class Four.

The faces of a red-haired girl and a golden-haired boy popped into his mind, their power and skill leaving an indelible mark on the academy.

He shook his head, trying to dispel the memories. "Yeah, you're right. I guess I just didn't expect this year's batch to be so... intense like the Third Years."

Morgan, who had been silent until now, chimed in with a smirk.

"Relax, Paul. This is a good thing. Strong cadets mean a stronger military.

Besides, they haven't faced a pseudo-evolved beast yet. So I guess that'll have to do as the real test."

Paul nodded, though he still looked uneasy. "I guess. But there are only six of those things in the entire testing grounds. How much of a measure is that going to be?"

Laura shrugged. "I guess we'll see then. For now, let's keep watching."

Unbeknownst to the instructors, something was approaching the testing grounds from a distance.

Flying creatures—gryphons—soared through the sky, their powerful wings cutting through the air.

On their backs were riders clad in black hoods, their faces obscured. Their presence was ominous, and their intentions were very far from friendly.

************

A wolf-like creature, three times the size of a car, let out a final, guttural roar before collapsing to the ground.

Its neck was slashed open, the wound deep and fatal. Nathan stood over the beast, his katana dripping with blood as he caught his breath.

He then turned to see the rest of his unit finishing off their own opponents.

Maria's vines had ensnared a massive wolf, crushing its bones, while Lucas decapitated another with a single, precise strike.

Marcus and River were dealing with the last of the pack, their combined efforts reducing the creatures to charred and broken remains.

They had been fighting for almost an hour now, and the exhaustion was starting to set in.

Nathan deactivated his nano-tech suit, the sleek black material retracting into his implant.

He wiped the sweat from his brow, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. The others followed suit, their suits retracting as they collapsed onto the ground.

"Haa... I'm tired," Maria complained, her voice childlike and whiny as she flopped onto her back. "Can we rest for a bit? Please?"

River chuckled, glancing at Nathan for confirmation. He nodded, his own fatigue evident. "Yeah, we could all use a break. Let's take fifteen minutes."

River checked their watch, her eyes scanning the accumulated points. "We've got 250 points so far as a unit. Not bad."

The group lay on their backs, the cool ground a welcome relief after the intense fighting.

The break was supposed to be fifteen minutes, but as the minutes ticked by, they unanimously decided to extend it to thirty. The world, however, had other plans.

A loud, earth-shaking roar echoed through the forest, sending shivers down their spines.

The ground began to tremble, the vibrations growing stronger with each passing second.

BOOM BOOM

The sound of massive footsteps grew closer, each one shaking the earth beneath them.

"Oh crap," Nathan muttered, his eyes widening as he saw the creature emerging from the trees.

It was a monstrous hybrid—part ape, part lion, part eagle, and covered in thick, scaly armor.

Its size was staggering, towering over them like a building. Its eyes glowed with a feral intelligence, and its roar was deafening, a sound that seemed to reverberate through their very bones.

A pseudo-evolved beast had appeared.