The Soldiers were gathered in a room that they had never been to before.
The room had weapons sprawled out all over the walls and at the center was a large ring.
There were also punching bags and other training equipment. This was clearly a place for battle and training.
A dark skinned man with an eye patch over his left eye and scars across his face was staring them down.
"I am Mr. Daniel and I will be taking your Battle Class." Mr. Daniel was wearing a black tracksuits similar to theirs.
He tilted his head to the side.
"Just like the tests, there will be no use of your Battle Suits or new weapons. Instead, I will train you to fight using your weapons or at least survive." He paused.
"For reference, there are five tiers of beasts that you will undoubtedly encounter. Tier 1."
He raised a finger.
"These are far stronger than regular animals. They're like a bear on heroin wearing armor. Those beasts have relatively tougher skin and far greater agility."
Kale shifted slightly. 'Was that the tier of the black creature we encountered? Or the harpie?'
Mr. Daniel raised another finger.
"Tier 2. These aren't too different from Tier 1 beats when it comes to physical strength. The major difference however, is a sort of bizarre power that these things have unlocked."
Images of the tiger and the Phoenix flashed in Kale's mind.
"They are generally different in looks compared to the Tier before. Even the weakest of this Tier can kill a quarter of you before it is killed."
Ian and Ming Lee just stood while their eyes turned distant.
And so, a third finger was raised.
"Tier 3. The beasts in this Tier are considered Transcendent. They possess immense might that is capable of destroying countries if unchecked."
He paused and traced some of the scars on his face. "I faced a recently evolved Tier 3 beast yet it almost killed me and left me with this."
Kale took in everything that was being said.
"Tier 4." Mr. Daniel raised his fourth finger.
"These beasts are considered Demi gods. At this point, their powers begin to shift from mere physical effects to universal laws." He walked to a student.
"Take that Phoenix you saw for example. His power is to burn yet imagine he chooses to burn time, or space or better yet reality. That's what begins to happen at Tier 4."
Kale's eyes shrunk to needle points. 'That isn't possible!! How are we meant to face something like that??!!'
Mr. Daniel raised his last finger and his expression turned dead serious.
"Tier 5. The god Tier. Any creature within this Tier absolutely wrecks universal laws. Theoretically, at least. We haven't had the bad luck required for that to happen."
The Soldiers started to mumble and express worry.
If what he said was true and it was, remembering the clash they had witnessed, then how could they survive.
"You people worry too much." Mr. Daniel's voice echoed through the room.
"Why would we even bother fighting if there wasn't a way." He reached for his eye patch and pulled it off.
Nothing filled his left eye yet it seemed to hunger for everything around it.
Pointing at a punching bag, a black energy swirled around his finger at fired at it.
The bag didn't move or shake, it just vanished.
"I have undergone a procedure known as Beast Infusion. This process grants you the power of the beast it was gotten from."
The revelation by Mr. Daniel lit a sort of fire in the Soldiers bellies.
"Is he saying that he has powers?" Kale whispered to Ming Lee's hearing and she scoffed.
"Of course you would say that." She rolled her eyes.
Mr. Daniel placed the eye patch over his eye once again.
"But for you to qualify, you have to kill fifty Tier 2 beasts or four hundred Tier 1 beats."
The Soldiers groaned and he spoke calmly.
"There is another way." Those words drew their attention.
"Kill one Tier 3 beast." And the room went silent.
While the Soldiers were beginning to pick their weapons off the walls, Mr. Daniel was lost in his thoughts.
'I lied to them, we have seen only one Tier 5 beast and I pray the seal keeps it trapped for years.'