Zhao Mu repeated the same trick; dealing with these delicate flowers inside the school was like a deus-ex-machina to him.
Their simple tactics were obvious at a glance.
The heavenly halberd lay across his fragile throat; even though he panicked and wrapped a thin layer of Spirit Power around his body, it was useless.
He was a Spirit Power User at Battle Rank 3, yet he could only release Spirit Power from his spirit power meridians—he hadn't reached the level of Condensation.
"Three seconds. Hand over your number tag and forfeit!"
The boy was unwilling, but feeling the icy killing intent in front of him, he obediently complied.
In less than three minutes Zhao Mu had picked two chickens from the coop and slaughtered them—clean, decisive, without hesitation.
This practiced fighting style left Zhang Biao and everyone in the monitoring room dumbstruck!
"Damn it! Is this guy really a fresh graduate, not a veteran back from the battlefield?"
Zhao Mu's strikes were clean and sharp.
To the untrained eye, his opponents just seemed too weak—one-shot in an instant.
Only those eliminated by Zhao Mu understood how terrifying he really was!
This was a battlefield where people could die; killers could leap out from anywhere.
Danger lurked on every side—you never knew who might appear next.
Their hardest trial wasn't the enemy, but overcoming the fear inside themselves.
Yet Zhao Mu had no fear; he was like a farmer come to cut grass, casually harvesting points.
Liu Weiguo Liu Weiguo of Qingfeng Camp, who had been silently observing the battlefield with only an assessor's interest, suddenly flashed a strange light in his eyes.
"His fighting style… why is it so familiar? Just like that man who vanished from the battlefield ten years ago. Could it be…?"
"Two number tags in under three minutes—this guy… I'm starting to suspect the military's rating system is broken!"
Xu Zhixiong said, arms folded.
Hearing that, Shen Moran's pupils quivered violently.
But Instructor Xie Yingxue immediately added, "His Awakening Battle Rank was 1, and his ability isn't particularly strong—his talent really isn't high."
"It's just… he has talents beyond Spirit Power."
Her gaze burning, Instructor Xie Yingxue had gone from dismissing the E-rank Zhao Mu to now focusing on this handsome, extraordinary youth.
"Second only to Marquis Changfeng? Could he be the one?"
Hearing both instructors praise Zhao Mu so highly, Shao Han's face turned visibly ugly.
"Just a Battle Rank 2 and a Battle Rank 3—if it were me, I'd insta-kill them too. Big deal."
Shen Moran's eyes dimmed; she said nothing, but her fists clenched tighter.
Gradually, a trace of panic crept into her heart.
She didn't want to see the man she'd abandoned keep shining… Within five minutes of the trial's start, Zhao Mu had already claimed his second number tag.
He looked down at the tag, stance seemingly casual, but his body was shielded by the tree where the last Trial Participant had hidden.
"Over two thousand Trial Participants in the second round, only 160 advance. That means the minimum to pass is thirteen number tags."
"But how many will I need to eliminate if I want first place?"
Zhao Mu lowered his eyes while his ears sorted every sound around him.
Breathing.
His hearing was good, but not good enough to pick up normal Breathing—unless it was far too loud.
Zhao Mu had long known three people were nearby.
But after he dealt with the first two, the third stayed hidden and refused to show.
Zhao Mu's right hand held the heavenly halberd; his left rested lightly at his waist—when needed, his ten-pace-killing throwing knife could strike at any moment.
He turned toward the woods. "With Breathing that heavy, why don't you just surrender?"
Sure enough, someone was hiding behind those bushes.
He carried a bow as well, but his Archery was poor; he only brought it to gamble when necessary.
His real weapons were the round shield in one hand and the curved blade in the other.
Right now his Breathing was ragged, heartbeat racing above normal.
At first he'd planned to play the mantis stalking the cicada, with himself as the yellow sparrow behind.
But after arriving he'd watched Zhao Mu eliminate two opponents in three minutes flat!
Only then did he realize the prey he wanted to hunt was actually a fierce tiger!
Zhao Mu lifted the heavenly halberd and strode step by step toward that spot.
Spirit Power flowed across his body.
At the crucial instant he could gather it where the enemy struck, cutting the damage taken.
Suddenly the Trial Participant leapt from behind the bushes.
"You bastard!"
He roared, sword and shield in hand as he charged Zhao Mu. "Die!!"
He'd realized Zhao Mu's winning weapon was the bow; though he held the heavenly halberd, he hadn't used it.
A swordsman with a shield could seize the advantage by closing the distance and fighting in close quarters!
When facing a crack shot, trying to run or keep your distance was the dumbest move.
Zhao Mu blinked in surprise, then the corner of his mouth curled in a faint smile.
"Bring it on!"
Zhang Biao also sat up straight to watch the fight.
"That guy's profile… Liu Hu from Yangkai High, C-rank talent, Combat Level 4!"
His eyes flashed. "This is a tough opponent!"
Right now Zhao Mu had only just risen to Combat Level 2.
Liu Hu was cloaked in pale-blue Spirit Power, shield forward in his left hand, blade trailing as he sprinted at Zhao Mu!
With Spirit Power reinforcing him, his speed and strength soared.
Close-quarters fighting carried extreme risk; youngsters like them could easily lose control and fight to the death.
Facing the charge, Zhao Mu simply raised the heavenly halberd and delivered a plain, slashing downward cut!
Liu Hu's blade was barely a meter long and weighed six kilograms, whereas Zhao Mu's heavenly halberd stretched over two meters and weighed twenty-five!
Before Liu Hu even got close, the huge halberd smashed straight down!
On the battlefield, an inch longer is an inch stronger—the advantage of a long weapon is overwhelming.
Liu Hu used fury and roars to boost his Battle Intent, keeping himself from fearing Zhao Mu.
So he didn't retreat and could hardly dodge; instead he channeled Spirit Power into his shield and raised it to block!
Clang!!
The clash of metal rang out sharply!
Under the blow, Liu Hu—who'd been confident in his Strength—felt his knees buckle; unable to withstand Zhao Mu's power, he dropped to his knees in front of him!
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)