"SILENCE!"
A hush instantly settled over the crowd of 10,000 applicants.
Kairo silently looked at this middle-aged man, awe silently rising in his chest. He knew him, he'd read about him in comics related to Nexus Academy.
His name is Major Pain, a family man who set extremely strict standards for himself, his family, and his students. He is the famous Head Combat Instructor of Nexus Academy, a bonafide S-Ranked Awakened.
He is ranked 67th in the Hero Ranking, meaning of all the human Awakened in the world, his power was ranked 67th!
The Hero Ranking is an official ranking board created by the Hero Union that is updated every year to celebrate the foremost Heroes of humanity, helping humans stand strong in the fight against the Demon race.
Major Pain is rumored to have three abilities, but his most famous ability is the Eye of Pain, a God-tier graded visual ability.
With it, he's rumored to be invincible as he has no blind spots in combat. Kairo had read so many comics with this man as the main character that he knew his personality from A to Z, at least the comic version.
Major Pain scanned his eyes through the applicants, making sure that no one dared say a word. Only after he was satisfied did he continue.
"Welcome to the Entrance Tournament". His deep guttural void boomed.
"My name is Major Pain, and I am the Head Combat Instructor of Nexus Academy. If you are among the best ten applicants to make it out of the tournament, you will have the honor of learning under me".
"Like in previous iterations of the tournament, phase one is Trial of Steel".
"This phase will assess your instinct, resilience, and ability to endure pain. All participants will be split into randomized groups of five, and you will all be deployed into isolated zones".
"The objective is simple, survive for 6 hours".
"You may decide to team up or complete the trial individually".
"Of course, there will be hazards. This time, the hazards are simulated battlefield constructs. Bonus rewards will be granted to those who eliminate enemies or assist teammates".
His one eye turned harsh. "Now, let me warn you. Death is real". His voice rose up a notch.
"It's rare, but very real. But injury is not rare".
His stoic face stared at the applicants with an impassiveness that made some of them shudder. He didn't even need to release his aura, his mere presence was overbearing enough to keep the applicants on their toes.
"Let pain teach you what privilege did not".
Major Pain snapped his fingers, and then…
BZZZ!
A force field seemed to engulf the 10,000 applicants as their bodies lifted into the air. They began to float.
Kairo flailed slightly, a tug on his waist pulling him up. Arcane sigils flared, circling his body; he was being teleported. And then, he disappeared.
All the applicants disappeared.
…
Everything was white.
Kairo felt weightless, almost like his body was floating in space as he lost all feeling of his body. The strange sensation lasted only an instant before…
BZZZ!
He was back.
He landed hard in a scorched forest zone, coughing dust. He was in a forest with dead trees, scorched bark, and mist rolling through the underbrush.
Kairo felt his stomach churn as the effects of teleportation hit. It took all of his self-control to keep his stomach's contents where they should be.
But the others were not that resilient.
"Argh…!" The sound of vomiting attracted him to the presence of the others.
To his right, a tall girl with sunburnt skin pulled herself out of a thornbush, cursing loudly. To his left, a short boy in armor was already panicking, muttering about map markers and formation grids.
Two more dropped down nearby. They were the ones vomiting.
They both looked miserable. Kairo didn't know any of them before now.
After observing both of them, Kairo glanced at the tall girl who nodded at him. "Hi, I'm Mira," she introduced herself.
"Kairo".
Kairo turned his head to stare at the short boy in armor, but they didn't even get to do the introductions when something howled.
Snap! Snap!
The sound of dead trees falling reverberated as from the trees emerged a molten golem construct. It was humanoid with glowing seams and a bone-sword arm. Its glowing crimson eyes instantly locked on the group.
It howled again as its aura flowed out like an avalanche.
'F-Rank,' was the first thing that went through Kairo's mind.
The golem was the same rank as them, but due to its menacing design, clearly designed to intimidate, the applicants reacted in panic.
Mira cursed, retreating even as the armored boy froze in fear. The others hesitated, not knowing what to do.
Kairo?
WHOOSH!
He acted without thinking.
~----~
[Hypermuscle Charge Activated]
>Muscle Charge: 1/6.
~----~
Mana surged through Kairo's body as he surged forward with a Hypermuscle Charge. His form was perfect as he punched, shattering the golem's sword-arm with one punch before it could react.
Immediately after that punch, the system lit up.
DING!
~----~
[Congratulations! You have unlocked New Skill: Muscle Lock]
>When activated, temporarily harden muscle like armor.
~----~
"…"
For a moment, Kairo was stunned, but then a grin crept up his face.
'Yeah baby!' He screamed in his mind.
All his training for the past week was not in vain, all he needed was a real battle to stimulate him. He was adapting, his muscles were becoming both weapon and shield that he could use.
Like the instructor advised, focusing on his body was the way with his ability.
Thud!
The golem charged again, furious after losing its sword-arm. But having lost its sword-arm, its danger diminished significantly.
Flexing his muscles, Kairo met it head-on.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Activating Muscle Lock, Kairo deliberately took it head-on, enduring hits as he countered with raw force.
The brutal exchange left him bruised and bloodied, but the golem eventually collapsed in ruins.
In a direct exchange, he overpowered a golem construct!
It should be known that mechanical and golem constructs made by Nexus Academy were made to be durable enough to go toe to toe against same-ranked Demons, meaning physically they were supposed to be stronger than humans.
After the fight, breathless, Kairo sat on a rock as he massaged his slightly swollen fists.
His teammates stared at him in awe and disbelief.
"That guy… he just took out a golem construct in direct combat, didn't he?" One of the two boys who vomited on teleporting asked, stunned.
Mira finally asked. "That was a golem construct! What… are you?"
Kairo ignored the question, wiping blood off his knuckles as he looked up at the glowing sky projection showing 5+ hours remaining.
More constructs and traps awaited for the next 5 hours.
He clenched his jaw. "Let them come".
"I'm ready".