Battle with a level 3 beast

The moment the deafening roar echoed through the wilderness, a wave of tension spread among the participants. The eerie sound came from deep within the training ground, and every examinee instinctively turned in the direction of the noise. Some clutched their weapons tighter, their faces filled with apprehension. Even Ray, who had been boasting just moments ago, looked pale.

Alexander, along with the two other level 5 warriors from Base City 15 and 16, immediately got into an alert stance, ready to intervene. However, before they could act, their communication watches lit up with a message from Nick.

"Stand down. Give them some time. They need to experience real battlefield danger."

Alexander furrowed his brows but relayed the command to the other instructors. Though he understood Nick's reasoning, he couldn't help but feel uneasy. A level 3 beast egg shouldn't have been in this area. Someone had tampered with the training grounds. But since the eagle had only just hatched, its strength was at most at the peak of level 2, making it a challenging but not impossible fight for the examinees.

"Let's observe them for now," Alexander muttered.

Meanwhile, in the wilderness, Rehan stood among the trees, his eyes scanning the surroundings carefully. His senses were sharper than ever, and he could already feel the pulsating presence of the newborn beast. Even though it was still young, its aura was oppressive. He could tell that if a normal level 1 warrior faced this creature, they wouldn't stand a chance.

The examinees were in chaos. Some hesitated, wondering if they should retreat and wait for the instructors to handle the situation. Others, more reckless, considered fighting the beast for a chance to prove themselves.

Ray, still eager to show off, gritted his teeth and stepped forward. "It's just a newly hatched beast. If we work together, we can take it down!" He unsheathed his sword and looked around at the other participants.

Several hesitated but eventually nodded. "If we take down a level 3 beast, won't the instructors be impressed?" one of them muttered.

Rehan didn't respond. He simply observed. His instincts screamed that something was wrong.

Who the hell planted a level 3 beast egg here? This was supposed to be a level 1 and 2 training ground.

Then, from beyond the trees, the sound of flapping wings filled the air.

A shadow loomed over them.

The beast had appeared.

The moment the eagle-like monster emerged from the dense foliage, a wave of killing intent swept over the group. Even though it was only recently hatched, its body was already massive, spanning nearly three meters in height with a wingspan of five meters. Its sharp golden eyes reflected intelligence and malice, and its talons gleamed under the sunlight, capable of tearing through flesh effortlessly.

The participants felt their throats dry up. They had fought level 1 and weak level 2 monsters before, but this… this was something else.

Ray took a deep breath and charged forward, shouting, "Attack together!"

The others followed reluctantly, but their movements were stiff. The pressure from the eagle's gaze alone was enough to make them hesitate.

Ray swung his sword at the beast's legs, aiming to cripple its movement. However, before his blade could land, the eagle flapped its wings violently, sending a powerful gust of wind outward.

Boom!

Ray was sent flying backward, his body slamming against a tree. He coughed out blood.

The others froze.

The beast let out another piercing screech before lunging at the nearest participant. The examinee barely managed to dodge, but the eagle's talons still grazed his arm, leaving deep claw marks.

"Shit! It's too fast!" one of them yelled.

Rehan watched carefully. He had seen enough.

The others were too weak. If this continued, they would be slaughtered one by one.

But if he acted recklessly, he would expose too much of his strength.

His eyes flickered with golden light for an instant before he suppressed it. He would have to play this carefully.

Just as the eagle prepared to attack again, Rehan stepped forward.

"Get back. You guys will just get in my way."

His voice was calm, but the weight in his tone left no room for argument. The participants, despite their bruised egos, obeyed.

The eagle sensed the shift in atmosphere. It turned its sharp eyes toward Rehan, sensing a different kind of threat.

Rehan gripped his sword tightly. "Let's finish this."

The eagle lunged at him, its beak aiming straight for his head.

Rehan dodged with the slightest movement, avoiding the strike by mere inches. At the same time, he countered with a quick slash at the eagle's wing joint.

The beast screeched in pain as blood splattered the ground.

The examinees gasped. "He actually injured it!"

The eagle, now enraged, flapped its wings wildly, sending another gust of wind. But this time, Rehan didn't budge. He simply anchored his stance and pushed forward through the force.

The beast attacked with its talons, aiming to rip him apart.

Rehan's eyes gleamed. He dodged at the last second and slashed at the other wing, cutting deep.

The eagle howled, stumbling backward.

Rehan took a deep breath.

"Time to end this."

This time, he didn't hold back.

Using his raw physical power, he kicked off the ground, closing the distance in an instant. His sword glowed slightly as he focused his energy.

One clean strike. That was all he needed.

Slash!

The sword cleaved straight through the eagle's neck.

Silence.

The beast's massive body crashed to the ground.

Everyone stood frozen, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

Ray, who had just gotten back on his feet, watched in disbelief. "He… he took it down… by himself?"

The instructors, who had been watching from a distance, had similar expressions of shock.

Alexander narrowed his eyes. "That kid… his movements were too precise for a beginner."

Nick, watching through a screen in the command room, smirked. "Interesting… very interesting."

Meanwhile, Rehan sheathed his sword and looked at the fallen beast.

His mind was spinning.

"That was easier than I expected."

But before he could process it further, he heard hurried footsteps behind him.

Alexander approached, his expression unreadable. "You… what's your name?"

Rehan met his gaze. "Rehan."

Alexander stared at him for a moment before nodding. "We'll talk after the test."

Rehan remained silent. He knew this was only the beginning.

If he wanted to hide his power, he would have to be even more careful from now on.

But one thing was clear.

He had just made an impression. And now, people were watching.