As the Cadet Soldier regiment ventured deeper into the Trial Zone, the number of Remnant Beasts they encountered steadily increased.
The ruined city around them had long since lost all traces of civilization. Broken streets stretched endlessly beneath cracked buildings, while abandoned vehicles rusted beneath layers of dust and dried blood.
Everywhere they went, the smell of death lingered in the air.
Yet the deeper they advanced, the more confident the Cadet Soldiers became.
Under the instructors' guidance, they had already killed dozens of Remnant Beasts. The fear they once felt toward these monsters was gradually disappearing.
But what none of them realized was that their large-scale advance had finally disturbed the true predators hidden within the Trial Zone.
The Head Beasts.
These Private-Rank monsters had been specially cultivated by Qingfeng Camp for training purposes. Their combat levels were carefully controlled around Level 15 so the recruits could experience real danger without suffering catastrophic casualties.
Still…
Even weakened Private-Rank beasts were terrifying opponents for ordinary Cadet Soldiers.
Fortunately, Shao Han's squad had already received advance intelligence through connections his father maintained among Qingfeng Camp's higher-ups.
Because of that, their progress had been incredibly smooth.
Even when they encountered a Head Beast, they handled it without much difficulty.
Meanwhile, Mo Guanguan's unit had split off from the main force. Only a dozen recruits followed behind her as they searched through the ruins of an abandoned district.
Inside a shattered building, a monstrous figure suddenly emerged from the darkness.
Unlike ordinary Remnant Beasts, this creature was clearly different.
Its body was larger, its muscles more compact, and the bloody aura surrounding it was far denser than normal.
The moment the recruits saw it, their expressions changed dramatically.
"A Head Beast!"
Some instinctively stepped backward in fear.
But Mo Guanguan's reaction was completely different.
Not only was she unafraid…
She looked excited.
A fierce smile appeared on her delicate face as she cracked her knuckles eagerly.
"A Head Beast, huh?"
"Just a Combat Level 15 trash mob."
"I'll handle it myself."
As she spoke, she rotated the ring on her pinky finger.
A crimson flash erupted instantly.
Flame-patterned gauntlets materialized around both of her hands, radiating scorching heat.
Shen Moran frowned immediately.
"Guan Guan, that's too dangerous!"
"We'll support you!"
Mo Guanguan tilted her head slightly and gave Shen Moran a look full of disdain.
"Dangerous?"
"Who do you think I am?"
Shen Moran opened her mouth but found herself unable to answer.
Without another word, Mo Guanguan crouched low like a hunting leopard.
Boom!
Flames erupted violently from her body.
The intense heat forced the surrounding recruits to retreat several steps instinctively.
One of them swallowed nervously.
"So this is… the strength of an A-Rank Special Recruit?"
The pressure radiating from Mo Guanguan alone made everyone feel suffocated.
"She's completely different from us…"
"She's on another level entirely!"
The next moment, Mo Guanguan exploded forward.
Wrapped in flames, her small figure shot toward the Head Beast like a blazing meteor.
The monster roared furiously and charged to meet her.
But Mo Guanguan moved faster.
Her body twisted with astonishing agility as both hands formed claw-like shapes.
"Intermediate Combat Technique: Tiger Leopard Capture!"
Her fists and feet descended upon the monster like a violent storm.
Boom! Bang! Crack!
Every strike carried explosive force.
Though her opponent was nearly twice her size, Mo Guanguan moved around it effortlessly, her attacks resembling a tiger and leopard hunting prey.
Wild.
Fast.
Brutal.
The recruits watching from behind were utterly stunned.
What they expected to be a difficult battle had become a complete one-sided suppression.
From the moment Mo Guanguan attacked, the Head Beast had been overwhelmed entirely.
Only now did everyone truly understand why A-Rank recruits were treated differently from ordinary Cadet Soldiers.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Trial Zone…
Zhao Mu's team continued advancing steadily.
Along the way, they encountered increasing numbers of Remnant Beasts, but under Zhao Mu's leadership, every encounter ended in victory.
The recruits gradually grew accustomed to combat.
Their fear disappeared with each battle.
Although the instructors had lost fewer than five people overall, the transformation within the regiment was enormous.
These recruits were no longer frightened rookies.
They were beginning to resemble true soldiers.
At that moment, after Zhao Mu casually killed another Remnant Beast, the atmosphere suddenly changed.
Boom!
A nearby building exploded apart.
Dust and rubble scattered everywhere as a massive creature emerged from the ruins.
The monster's body was far larger than ordinary Remnant Beasts.
Its skin resembled bronze armor, while thick muscles covered its body like steel cables. Blood-colored veins pulsed visibly beneath its flesh.
Most horrifying of all were its eyes.
The creature had no eyelids or lips.
Its exposed eyeballs rolled violently as it stared at the humans before it.
A terrifying bloody aura spread through the street instantly.
The recruits behind Zhao Mu felt chills run down their spines.
But instead of fear, excitement flashed across Zhao Mu's eyes.
"A Private-Rank Head Beast…"
Only monsters that reached the Private Rank could develop spirit sources within their bodies.
Their hearts could be harvested to increase Combat Levels.
Even more valuable, certain body parts from Private-Rank monsters could serve as rare materials for refining ember remains.
And right now, Zhao Mu desperately needed high-quality materials to improve his Jinhai Manufacturing proficiency.
Seeing the Head Beast appear, Zhu Meng and Wang Jiaojiao immediately stepped forward with their weapons.
"With over sixty people, we should be able to handle it," Zhu Meng said cautiously.
"We just need to stay careful."
But before anyone could relax—
Rumble!
A loud crash echoed from the alleyway behind them.
Everyone turned instantly.
Another Head Beast emerged from the ruins.
Unlike the first one, this creature possessed a tall, thin body nearly five meters high. Its appearance was bizarre, almost stick-like, with arms hanging so low they nearly touched the ground.
Its body swayed unnaturally as it walked, as though a strong wind could knock it over.
Yet the bloody aura radiating from it was no weaker than the first monster.
"There are two Head Beasts?!"
The recruits' faces instantly turned pale.
One in front.
One behind.
Their entire team had been trapped.
Because Zhao Mu's group contained over sixty people, their movement through the Trial Zone had become an obvious target.
While humans hunted monsters…
Monsters hunted humans as well.
Fortunately, after experiencing repeated battles, the recruits no longer collapsed into panic immediately.
Still, facing Private-Rank monsters was completely different.
Zhu Meng's expression turned grim.
"What do we do?"
"Should we split up?"
If they divided their forces, casualties would become inevitable.
The recruits' strength varied too greatly.
Many of them would simply become burdens in direct combat.
But the Head Beasts gave them no time to think.
The two monsters exchanged glances briefly before attacking simultaneously.
The bronze-skinned beast in front opened its massive mouth.
Spiritual energy rapidly condensed within it.
Externalized spiritual energy.
A terrifying ability only possessed by Private-Rank monsters and Private-Rank ability users.
At the same time, the tall, thin monster behind them raised both elongated arms.
Its scales suddenly stood upright.
Then—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Countless scales shot outward like a rainstorm of bullets.
The attack targeted the densest part of the Cadet Soldier formation.
The battlefield descended into chaos instantly.
Yet in the middle of the danger, Zhao Mu remained terrifyingly calm.
His eyes were cold and sharp like executioner's blades.
"You guys handle the one behind us."
"I'll deal with the one in front."
The moment those words left his mouth, everyone nearby froze.
Zhao Mu…
A Combat Level 5 recruit…
Wanted to fight a Combat Level 15 Private-Rank Head Beast alone?!
Wasn't that suicide?
Not only the recruits, but even the three instructors thought Zhao Mu had gone insane.
The gap between their levels was simply too large.
No amount of combat skill should be capable of bridging such overwhelming differences in raw strength.
Especially not in direct combat.
There was no preparation time.
No traps.
No strategy.
Only a frontal confrontation.
But the battle had already begun.
There was no longer time to argue.
Though confusion and disbelief filled his mind, Zhu Meng ultimately chose to trust Zhao Mu.
Because up until now…
Zhao Mu had never made a wrong judgment.
"Let's go!"
Zhu Meng gritted his teeth and rushed toward the rear monster alongside Wang Jiaojiao.
At that exact moment, the scales fired by the tall Head Beast descended like a torrential storm.
Their power exceeded even modern thermal weapons.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The recruits' spiritual energy shields shattered almost instantly upon impact.
Screams erupted throughout the battlefield.
More than a dozen recruits were wounded immediately.
Two of them died on the spot after the scales pierced directly through their vital organs.
Blood splattered across the ruined street.
Panic spread rapidly.
But Zhao Mu never looked back even once.
His eyes remained locked firmly onto the bronze-skinned Head Beast before him.
The monster roared violently.
Spiritual energy surged around its massive body as it charged forward like a runaway tank, smashing apart the cracked pavement beneath its feet.
Facing the terrifying monster head-on, Zhao Mu slowly tightened his grip on his weapon.
His expression remained utterly calm.
Because unlike everyone else…
He had never intended to fight this battle fairly.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)