Passing through the city gate, Ben and the others discovered that behind it was not a town, but a military camp. A cavalryman led them into a tent and said, "You all wait here!"
Seeing the cavalryman about to leave, Joe Root quickly asked, "How long will we have to wait?"
"The General will summon you later!"
Leaving these words behind, the cavalryman left. The group had no choice but to look around. The tent wasn't big, just enough for the ten of them. Duminy couldn't hold back and stuck his head out of the tent to look around.
A moment later, the kid suddenly exclaimed, "Yo? What kind of military camp is this? There are even female soldiers?"
Hearing this, the others rushed over to take a look. They lifted the tent flap and, sure enough, saw a team of female soldiers holding spears and patrolling. The female soldiers also noticed Joe Root and the others peeking, but they didn't do anything, focusing on their patrol, displaying good military discipline.
Not long after, the group discovered that other transcendents were being led into the camp and taken to other tents.
"Looks like quite a few people chose this checkpoint like us!" Alwin said.
"That's normal," Hales said. "The number of new students is far greater than the number of checkpoints, so it's inevitable that multiple people will choose the same checkpoint."
"Eh?" Joe Root suddenly said, "That team that just passed by… looks like the team from Sanford University."
"Really Sanford? We really have a connection with them! We ran into them last time too," Styen said.
As the group spoke, the sky gradually darkened. Just as it was about to get dark, a soldier finally came to inform them that the General was summoning them to the drill ground.
When the group followed the soldier to the drill ground, they found many people gathered there. Half of them were transcendents, all in teams of ten, from various ethnicities, clearly random transmigrators from all over the world.
When Leo and the Henry family arrived at the drill ground, almost all the transcendents' expressions changed. Some were happy, others worried.
Leo was now recognized as the number one new student, the strongest among the newcomers. Those who looked happy were unambitious transcendents who just wanted to get through this spiritual realm safely. Having a strong person like Leo around meant less pressure from monsters and better safety.
Those who looked worried were aiming for good results. Having someone like Leo at the same checkpoint would increase competition—they feared Leo would steal their monsters!
There were also some with malicious intent in their eyes. Despite the amnesiac spiritual realm, the wanted orders for Leo hadn't been revoked.
Noticing those gazes, Ben immediately said, "Leo, you stand in the middle, and the rest of us will stand around you to protect you."
Although Leo was very strong now, she hadn't reached the point of elementalization. With so many new students here, it would still be dangerous if someone launched a sneak attack.
Unlike Ben, who, with the Body of Steel and Grandmaster-level Armament Haki, could stand still and not get hurt even if chopped at.
Hearing this, Joe Root and the others immediately formed a circular formation, protecting Leo in the middle. They stood on the periphery of the drill ground, avoiding the center crowd.
"Leo!"
Suddenly, a voice came. Everyone looked over and found that it was Conrad from Sanford University, a Magma Fruit ability user with considerable strength and fame among new students.
"I didn't expect us to meet again in the spiritual realm," Conrad said confidently. "This time, I definitely won't lose to you again!"
Everyone: ???
No one knew where this guy's inexplicable confidence came from. Leo didn't want to talk, thinking he was childish and not worth her time.
Conrad wouldn't let it go easily. "Last time you guys won mainly because of that Ben's command, right?" He scanned the crowd, paused briefly on Ben, then turned back to Leo. "This time it's a monster-killing spiritual realm. I won't lose again."
Leo still didn't respond.
Joe Root couldn't help but say, "Our Leo is recognized as the strongest new student. Where do you get the confidence to say that?"
Conrad snorted but didn't explain much: "You'll know later."
At this time, a large number of guards with knives rushed onto the drill ground, forming a battle formation.
Then, a general in armor, escorted by a group of guards, appeared—it was a middle-aged woman. Surprisingly, most officers around her were women too, hinting this was a female-led military camp.
The general gave a morale-boosting speech and ordered transcendent teams to send representatives to draw lots to determine their defense areas.
The city wall was massive, linking two mountain peaks, at least a thousand meters long, divided into hundreds of defensive areas.
"Joe Root, you represent our team to draw lots!" Ben said.
"Okay, Ben." Joe Root agreed and went to line up.
Moments later, Joe Root returned holding a lot labeled "17."
Brevis couldn't help but ask, "Is the lot a number lot?"
"Yes!" Joe Root showed the wooden plaque marked "17."
"Strange!" Brevis muttered. "Have you noticed that no one in this military camp seems surprised by us transcendents, and the lot system seems prepared in advance?"
"There's nothing strange about that," Hales explained. "I estimate this layer of the spiritual realm operates with normal time flow, not resetting after each batch of transcendents leaves."
"There are realms like that?" Brevis asked in surprise.
"Of course," Hales said. "Most spiritual realms reset, but some, like the fourth layer, freeze time when transcendents leave. The sixth level likely runs continuously, with previous transcendents teaching the locals things like the lottery system."
Brevis suddenly understood.
...
After the lottery ended, the sky completely darkened. Torches illuminated the camp.
Everyone climbed onto the city wall and found their assigned area—area 17.
To their surprise, the commander was a young, heroic-looking woman armed with a long spear.
Joe Root and others admired her beauty but sensed her intense killing aura.
She only reminded them, "The monsters will be here soon, you'd better be prepared!"
Everyone quickly focused, peering into the darkness beyond the wall.
Even under the bright moon, visibility was poor.
"You guys come over here, I have a task for you!" Ben said.
Everyone gathered around him.
"Next, you don't need to kill monsters. Your only task is to guard against others attacking Leo!"
Everyone was surprised.
Only Leo stayed calm, accepting Ben's arrangement without question.
"Areas 16 and 18 are guarded by foreigners. I don't trust them," Ben said. "Protect Haitang-jie. Leave the monster killing to me. You guys just relax!"
Everyone looked at each other, shocked at Ben's arrogance.
"Ben, this is the sixth level. It's dangerous," Joe Root said. "Letting you kill monsters alone..."
Ben waved his hand: "Just listen to my arrangements!"
He clenched his fists and smiled: "I also want to test my current strength."
Actually, he didn't want his teammates becoming burdens. It was safer for him to fight alone.
Still, to his teammates, it seemed recklessly arrogant.
Ben didn't give them a chance to argue. He strode to the wall edge and asked the commander:
"Commander, what kind of monsters are we facing?"
The female commander, scanning the darkness, answered coldly:
"Monsters from the abyss. Strange, terrifying shapes. They come every year and can't be completely eradicated."
Ben nodded. "What's their strength?"
"Ordinary monsters can be killed by three to five soldiers. But some leaders are invulnerable and very hard to kill," she explained.
Ben asked further: "If they're so strong, how did you defend before?"
"Sometimes we can't. But they hate daylight. They retreat at dawn."
Ben cupped his fist: "Thank you, Commander."
The commander asked: "Are you their captain?"
Ben nodded.
She asked: "How will you defend?"
Ben smiled: "One word: Kill!"
The female commander was stunned.
At that moment, a beacon tower caught fire, and a huge horn sounded.
"Enemy attack! Prepare for battle!"
Ben turned his gaze outward.
A black tide—an endless army of monsters—rushed toward the city wall.
Seeing the number, Ben frowned slightly. There were a lot... but it wasn't a big problem!!
He returned to his teammates.
"Stick to the plan. Guard Leo. I'll handle the monsters."
The team had no choice but to trust him.
Ben looked at Leo again.
"If you're bored, you can attack remotely, but don't overdo it. Keep your strength."
Leo smiled confidently: "Don't worry, just kill monsters!"
Rumble—
The city wall trembled as the monster army approached.
Everyone looked down and saw monstrous beasts, as strong as oxen, with black manes, sharp horns, and limbs built for killing.
They had no eyes, only huge ears below their necks—hunting through hearing.
Joe Root and the others were awed and a little frightened.
Because there were so many!!
"Dong, dong, dong…"
War drums pounded across the city wall.
The female commander raised her spear and shouted:
"Kill!"
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