The Virtual Battlefield Begins
Inside the grand viewing hall, warriors from the three dominant factions observed the massive virtual battlefield on an enormous holographic screen. Among them, a group of individuals sat in the most prestigious seats—powerful warriors with no apparent aura, yet their very presence commanded the utmost respect.
One of them was General Dominic Stroud, a towering figure with sharp blue eyes and short gray hair, clad in a crisp military uniform adorned with golden insignias. His sharp jawline and hardened expression reflected years of battlefield experience. He was a level 8 warrior, a high-ranking officer of the Military Faction.
Seated opposite to him was Professor Aldric Vance, representing the Institution Faction. A old-aged man with silver-rimmed glasses and a neatly combed head of brown hair, he wore a sophisticated black coat, exuding the demeanor of an intellectual yet dangerous man. Despite his scholarly appearance, his sharp gaze revealed his own strength—he was also a level 8 warrior.
The third individual was Damien Holt, representing the Martial Hall Faction, a rugged man with long red hair tied in a messy ponytail, his lean yet muscular frame wrapped in a combat robe. Unlike the other two, he sat casually with one leg over the other, smirking as if he found amusement in everything.
As they observed the battlefield, General Dominic suddenly chuckled."This year's competition is interesting. That boy—Rehan, was it? His growth rate is abnormal. Look at his points, already surpassing 2000 within 40 minutes."
Aldric Vance adjusted his glasses, his eyes narrowing."Interesting, indeed. His battle style is unique. Instead of brute force, he's utilizing high-level spirit control to maneuver his flying knife with surgical precision. It's rare to see such mastery at this level."
Damien Holt snorted, resting his chin on his palm."Tch. What's the point of being a genius if you end up shackled by an organization? The Martial Hall offers freedom. That kid should join us instead of these bureaucratic strongholds."
General Dominic's gaze turned cold."Damien, you rogue martial artists think freedom means anything? The battlefield is where true warriors are forged. If Rehan enters the Military, he'll become an unstoppable force, far beyond what your mercenaries can offer."
Aldric Vance smirked, sipping from a glass of wine."Gentlemen, let's not be so hasty. True power requires knowledge and cultivation resources. The Institution Faction has access to ancient ruins, historical texts, and cutting-edge research. If Rehan joins us, his potential would be limitless."
Damien laughed mockingly."Oh please, your Institution is just a fancy school for bookworms. The battlefield doesn't care about research papers."
Before Aldric could respond, Dominic slammed his fist on the table, cracking it."If you want Rehan, fight me to the death right here!"
Aldric sighed."Dominic, this is why no one respects the Military Faction. You think everything is solved by fists."
Damien smirked."Yeah, if Rehan sees how dumb you guys are, he'll come to the Martial Hall for sure."
The audience watching their heated argument was left utterly speechless.
Are these the leaders of the strongest factions?
Even some of the level 6 warriors had their faces twitching.
Inside the virtual battleground, Rehan's eyes glowed golden as he expanded his spirit sense, covering an 800-meter radius. His flying knife floated beside him, shimmering dangerously.
There!
A colossal Level 4 Giant Ape roared from a distance, its muscular black-furred body towering at five meters tall, its golden eyes locked onto Rehan. The sheer pressure from its strength cracked the ground beneath it.
Rehan took a deep breath and launched his flying knife.
SWISH!
The blade cut through the air at an astonishing 2000 meters per second, aiming for the beast's chest. However, the Giant Ape reacted instantly, raising its steel-like forearm to block. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield.
BANG!
Rehan's eyes narrowed."As expected, it's tough."
The ape charged forward, smashing its fists down like a meteor.
BOOM!
Rehan leaped back, barely dodging the attack, then used his spirit energy to manipulate his knife mid-air, changing its trajectory to strike from behind.
The knife pierced into the ape's shoulder, causing it to bellow in pain.
Enraged, the beast grabbed a massive boulder and hurled it at Rehan.
Instead of dodging, Rehan's flying knife split into five separate blades, each controlled precisely by his spirit force.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
The boulder was reduced to rubble before it could even reach him.
With a final flick of his fingers, his main knife pierced the ape's skull, ending its rampage.
Ye Han, the Chinese-blooded genius, stood calmly as a Level 4 Shadow Panther lunged at him. Without moving, his spiritual energy flared.
BOOM!
The Shadow Panther froze mid-air, its body trembling violently before collapsing lifelessly.
"A true mind attack…" one of the observers whispered.
Ye Han didn't even touch the beast.
Vladimir, the Russian warrior, wielded two massive battle axes, his muscular frame covered in blood as he fought against a pack of Level 3 Dire Wolves.
With each swing, he split wolves in half, his attacks fueled by sheer physical strength.
"Come on! Give me a real fight!" he bellowed, his bloodlust growing.
Among the warriors, a tall, dark-haired youth wielding a golden spear was seen battling a peak level 4 Ironclad Bull.
His name was Dante Cross
Unlike the others, he was already Level 4 Advanced warrior, making him the second strongest after Rehan.
Dante twirled his spear, unleashing a devastating thrust.
CLANG!
His spear tip met the bull's metallic hide, barely piercing through.
"This is tough," Dante muttered, sweat forming.
Still, with precise strikes, he weakened the bull's defenses before finishing it off with a final lightning-infused stab to the heart.
After 40 minutes of relentless fighting, the warriors ventured deeper into the jungle within the virtual battlefield. Towering ancient trees cast long shadows, their thick roots sprawling across the ground like slumbering beasts. The distant howls of monsters echoed through the air, sending shivers down the spines of many.
As Rehan stepped forward, he sensed something different. A powerful presence lurked in the distance, more than just the mindless level 3 and 4 beasts they had been slaughtering until now. He wasn't the only one who noticed—other top contenders had caught onto the change as well.
10 Level 5 beasts and 2 terrifying Level 6 monsters prowled ahead.
At that moment, Dante Cross, the second-ranked warrior, turned to the others with a confident smirk.
"Since we've all come this far, how about we add some fun to this?" he suggested.
The other geniuses turned their heads toward him.
"What do you have in mind?" Ye Han asked, his cold eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Dante pointed toward the level 5 beasts, their hulking frames moving menacingly in the distance.
"There are ten of them—just enough for each of us to take one. Let's see who can kill theirs the fastest."
A glint of excitement flashed in Vladimir's eyes. "Hah! I like the sound of that."
"Fine with me," Elizabeth Frost said, flipping her silver-white hair behind her shoulder. Her icy blue eyes remained indifferent, but her aura carried the arrogance of someone confident in their abilities.
One by one, the others agreed—except for Rehan, who stood with his arms crossed, looking completely uninterested.
Dante turned to him. "What about you?"
Rehan glanced at the level 6 monsters lurking in the shadows.
"Tch, I don't have time for this."
Dante raised an eyebrow. "What? Scared you'll lose?"
Rehan sighed. "Fine. Let's just get this over with."
Each of them picked their respective level 5 beast, and in the next instant—
BOOM!
The battle began!
Dante's muscles bulged as he punched a Mammoth Boar, sending it skidding backward. Ye Han's Crimson Phantom Wolf tried to attack his mind, but his powerful spirit energy overwhelmed it instead. Vladimir, using sheer speed, sliced through the armored hide of a Steel Gorilla.
Before anyone could react, a massive Thunderfang Lion, chosen as Rehan's opponent, collapsed lifelessly to the ground—a clean, thin cut across its throat.
It happened so fast that even the other geniuses couldn't react.
The moment the battle started, Rehan had already finished.
Stunned silence filled the air.
Rehan turned to them, waving lazily. "Bye guys, see you later. I'm in a hurry."
Before anyone could recover from their shock, he vanished into the depths of the jungle.
Deeper into the jungle, the two level 6 beasts stood like kings of the battlefield.
One was a Stormwing Hawk, its metallic feathers shimmering under the artificial sunlight, crackling with electricity. Its sharp golden eyes locked onto Rehan, sensing a powerful foe.
The other was a Darkfang Tiger, its massive body rippling with muscle. Its dark fur seemed to absorb the surrounding light, and its crimson pupils glowed with eerie intelligence.
Two apex predators.
One challenger.
A bloodthirsty grin spread across Rehan's face.
"Let's make this quick."
The Stormwing Hawk was the first to strike.
ZAP!
A bolt of lightning shot from its wings, searing through the air. The ground exploded where Rehan stood—
But he was gone.
Rehan had vanished from the spot before the attack even landed.
High above, the hawk flapped its wings, trying to locate him—
SHIIING!
A silver streak shot through the sky—Rehan's flying knife!
The hawk barely twisted its body in time, avoiding instant death, but its left wing was sliced open. Blood splattered in the air.
"SCREECH!!"
Enraged, the beast dived toward Rehan at full speed, talons glowing with electric energy.
BOOM!
The ground trembled as the hawk struck—but Rehan had already jumped onto its back!
"Too slow."
With a flash of his sword, he slashed downward—
SCHLICK!
The hawk's body split apart, its head rolling onto the ground a second later.
The Darkfang Tiger saw its companion fall in mere seconds—
And it knew.
This enemy was dangerous.
A low growl rumbled from its throat as its body blurred, vanishing from sight.
Rehan's golden eyes flickered as his spirit sense expanded.
The beast was hiding in the darkness.
SHAAA!
A sudden strike from behind!
Rehan twisted his body just in time, parrying the tiger's massive claws. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the jungle.
"Not bad," Rehan admitted.
The tiger's eyes glowed, and suddenly—
ROAR!!!
A powerful sonic boom erupted from its mouth, sending trees crashing down. The air trembled under the sheer force of the attack.
Rehan gritted his teeth, his body resisting the overwhelming sound waves.
"Annoying."
His spirit energy surged, nullifying the mental pressure.
The tiger pounced once more—
But this time, Rehan was faster.
He dashed forward, his sword cutting through the air at four times his base speed—1000 meters per second!
Before the tiger could even react—
SLASH!
Its entire body was cleaved in half.
Thud.
The battle was over.
With his final kills, Rehan's points soared to 3200, securing his first-place ranking.
But while he was celebrating his victory—
The battle concluded after one hour.
The final rankings:
1. Rehan Alistair – 3,200 points
2.Dante Cross – 1,900 points
3.Ye Han – 1,600 points
4.Vladimir Arkov – 1,400 points
5. Leon Hart – 1,300 points
6.Julius Fang – 1,200 points
7.Raymond Black – 1,150 points
8.Elizabeth Frost – 1,100 points
9.Darius Quinn – 1,050 points
10.Felix Mercer – 1,000 points
Outside the battlefield…
As the final rankings flashed on the giant holographic screen, the entire observation hall went silent for a brief moment.
Then—
BOOM!
A loud explosion echoed, not from the battlefield, but from the VIP section where the three faction leaders sat.
General Dominic Stroud had slammed his fist onto the metal table, leaving a deep dent as his voice boomed like thunder throughout the hall."REHAN IS OURS! No discussion! The military needs warriors like him!"
Professor Aldric Vance elegantly adjusted his glasses, his eyes filled with an intellectual sharpness."General, brute force isn't everything. A talent like Rehan would be wasted in the military. The Institution Faction is the only logical choice. He needs proper guidance, research, and—"
Before he could finish, Damien Holt burst out laughing, his feet propped up on the already-damaged table."HAH! You two sound like desperate old men fighting over a piece of gold! The Martial Hall is clearly the best place for him. We offer absolute freedom! No restrictions, no annoying rules, just pure combat and growth. He'd love it."
Dominic's veins bulged."Freedom? You call running around like a homeless dog freedom?! Your Martial Hall is nothing but a glorified street gang!"
Damien sneered."At least we don't treat our warriors like brainless meat shields!"
Aldric let out a mocking chuckle."Please, both of you sound ridiculous. Only the Institution Faction can give Rehan the best future. The greatest geniuses in history came from our faction."
Dominic crossed his arms and smirked."Oh? Remind me, Aldric, how many of your so-called 'geniuses' actually survived a real battlefield?"
Aldric's face twitched."Survival isn't the point—"
Damien roared in laughter, slamming his palm on the table."Oh, that's rich! So your 'geniuses' just sit in a library, learn fancy theories, and then die the moment they see blood?"
Aldric's eyebrow twitched as he pushed his glasses up aggressively."At least we don't train mindless muscleheads like the Military! You throw people into warzones and hope they don't die!"
Dominic grinned."And yet, our warriors live longer than your 'intellectuals'."
Damien grinned too."And they fight better than your dumb robots!"
Aldric scoffed."Fight better? You mean swinging sticks around with no brain power? That's exactly why the Martial Hall is just a glorified bar brawl club."
Damien slammed his hands on the table, veins popping on his forehead."WHAT DID YOU SAY, YOU FOUR-EYED RAT?!"
Aldric smiled condescendingly."I said, Martial Hall is just an organized monkey fight with sticks."
Dominic laughed so hard that his chest armor shook."HAHAHA! Even I agree with that!"
Damien jumped onto the table, pointing aggressively at Aldric."YOU BOOKWORM BASTARD! SAY THAT AGAIN, I DARE YOU!!"
Aldric smirked and slowly enunciated each word:"A. Monkey. Fight. With. Sticks."
Damien EXPLODED.
"THAT'S IT! I'M KICKING YOUR NERDY ASS!"
Before he could lunge at Aldric, Dominic grabbed Damien by the collar and lifted him off the table."Oh no, you don't! You'll have to fight me first! Rehan belongs to the Military, and I'll beat that into your thick skull!"
The entire VIP seating section was in chaos.
The audience, including high-level warriors, sat frozen, unable to believe what they were witnessing.
One of the younger officers whispered,"…Are these… really the leaders of the strongest factions?"
Another warrior muttered,"…I feel like my worldview has been shattered."
A female instructor rubbed her temples."…So the future of our greatest talent is being decided by three grown men acting like kindergarteners."
Meanwhile, in the background, a security officer was desperately making a call."Uhm… HQ? We have a situation. The top three faction leaders are about to physically fight over a recruit. Please send backup."
Rehan, still inside the virtual battlefield, had no idea that the outside world had descended into madness because of him.
He cracked his knuckles, looking at his score."3200 points. Not bad for a warm-up."