In about thirty minutes, the recruited group was escorted by the hunters. They walked down the sandy steps outside the base, making their way to a large, barren patch of land below. The ground was cracked and littered with scraps, and the area was enclosed by a fence of electric poles standing inches apart.
The group gathered at the entrance, waiting. The hunters brought over foldable chairs, settling into their spots with a sense of detachment. They were mostly here to observe.
The group murmured among themselves, some checking their weapons. Riven, however, felt weak. He winced as he sat down on a nearby rock, lowering his head in thought. He needed to find a way to shake this weakness.
Maybe I'll eat something to boost my life stat, Riven thought to himself.
"Feeling nervous?" a voice broke through his thoughts. Riven looked up to see a masked person in a gray suit standing before him.
"No, just tired," he replied weakly.
The masked figure studied him for a moment, tilting his head. "You're sweating more than usual."
Without another word, the masked person pulled out a candy bar and tossed it to him. "Here, take this. It'll give you energy."
Riven wasn't used to this kind of kindness, but he was in no position to refuse. He unwrapped the candy bar and took a bite.
Riven blinked in surprise, his face paling. What? The bar hadn't done anything for his life stat—it only gave him XP.
The masked person chuckled at his expression. "Didn't know you didn't like chocolate."
"It's not that," Riven said, shaking his head. "I've just never had one of these before."
Despite his initial disappointment, he could feel a small surge of energy. His vision cleared a bit, and he began to feel a little better.
Just then, Chief Kade stepped forward in front of the group, his commanding presence quieting the murmurs. A series of drones the size of stingrays hovered into the area, each carrying a large blue box. They set the boxes at the edges of the training ground.
"This is how it's going to work," Kade began, his voice carrying authority. "You'll be called in teams of five, and each team will fight a beast. Got it?"
The group murmured in agreement.
"Don't worry. You'll only be facing basic-tier beasts," Kade continued, adjusting his glasses. He flipped through a notepad, scanning for names.
"Iris Moon, Sean Mayor, Taro Monk, Rillie Walker, Lila Peterson."
The five of them stepped forward and made their way to the middle of the training ground.
"Get into your positions and prepare," Kade instructed, raising a hand to signal them.
The five took their stances, and at Kade's signal, men in blue uniforms opened a large blue cage. Out poured a swarm of bees, each one the size of a backpack, their buzzing echoing across the ground.
The group stepped aside, leaving Kade to stay close to the action. The first team was efficient. Taro Monk, though not showcasing any flashy abilities, wielded an amber weapon—a weapon that grew in power according to the user's ability level. He swung his nunchucks with deadly precision, bashing the bees into pieces.
Iris Moon, on the other hand, formed ice swords from thin air, slicing through the bees as they swarmed. Lila and Sean seemed to have little trouble. The bees passed right through Sean as if he were a ghost, while Lila, more interested in her nails than the fight, petrified a few bees with her gaze.
Rillie Walker used eye lasers to burn through the swarming insects, her aim impeccable.
It wasn't long before all the bees were dead, their tiny bodies littering the ground. The hunters clapped, seemingly indifferent.
The group, meanwhile, was buzzing with excitement. Riven didn't get to see the fight in full, but he noticed Hugo sitting off to the side of the training ground in a high chair, his expression distant and unimpressed.
"That was pretty good," Kade said, his voice almost approving.
He began calling names again. "Aidan Crest, Oliver Vaus, Peter Quinn, Phoebe Tinder, Zoe Eres."
The second team moved to the center of the training ground.
Riven noticed one of them—Peter—who looked anxious, his hands trembling.
Kade signaled the start, and another hive of bees was unleashed. This time, the team was quicker. Aidan Crest, with his wavy hair and suit, moved with precision, using martial arts to grab the bees by their stingers, throwing them at each other with grace.
Riven watched, impressed, as he heard some girls whispering, blushing at the sight of Aidan in action.
Oliver Vaus's arms were covered in octopus-like tentacles that tore through the bees with brutal efficiency. Phoebe Tinder used her telekinesis to send the bees into Zoe Eres, who electrified them with crackling energy.
Peter, however, struggled. He had portal powers, but he could only open one at a time. One bee got through his portal, and another stung him in the hand.
Peter collapsed to the ground, groaning in pain as the bees, now angered, focused on him. Aidan quickly threw a knife, hitting one of the bees mid-flight.
The test ended for the second team. Kade addressed them. "You all did well, except for—" He paused, glancing at Peter, who was still lying on the ground, his hand swollen. Medics in blue uniforms rushed over to carry him away.
Riven gripped his gun tighter. He wasn't sure he was ready for this.
Kade was about to call the third set when he was interrupted by Hugo, who had stepped forward, a scowl on his face. "What is the meaning of this?"
Kade calmly replied, "It's their test, sir."
Hugo scanned the training ground, his eyes narrowing at the corpses and their cores scattered across the sand. "What level is this beast?" he asked.
"Level 1," Kade answered.
"Level 1?" Hugo scoffed, a laugh escaping him. "And a boy got defeated by a Level 1 beast?"
He turned to face the group, his expression hardening. "I didn't create this program for you to simply pass tests. This is to show you what real hunting is like. And you can't see that with just basic-tier beasts. The creatures roaming this world now make these bees look like rodents."
Hugo paused, letting his words sink in. "I've made this program to give the unprivileged a chance at a better life." He let the silence hang for a moment. "But that better life doesn't come easy."
Riven could hear the edge in Hugo's voice.
"If you want to quit, raise your hands," Hugo said, his eyes scanning the group.
No one raised a hand.
Hugo's lips curled into a smile. Behind him, a larger drone appeared, carrying a massive cage.
The drone dropped the cage, causing the ground to shake. The box was violently shifting, and guttural growls could be heard from inside. Riven felt his stomach drop.
"Don't worry," Hugo said with a grin, "they're still basic beasts. Just... more challenging."
Kade stepped forward. "I don't think we should proceed with this. They should start small."
"They asked for this, Kade," Hugo replied with finality. "Let them begin."
Kade sighed but stepped aside.
"Call the names," Hugo ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument.
Kade put on his glasses, his eyes scanning the list. Riven's heart pounded. He didn't want to be next. He could feel the tension in the air. Everyone else was just as nervous.
Riven clenched his fists. This was it.
Then, the next names came.
"Blake Armin, Jex Walter, Clarisse Justin, Beth Sam, and Riven Kale."