C2 My Choice, Abyss Level!!

"Please take your seats promptly."

"Focus on the Mind Concentration Mirror on stage, enter the secret realm, and commence the trial!"

Bai Le had no time to fully explore the Intent Blade's capabilities before he followed the proctor's directions, found his designated spot in the examination hall, and sat down. His gaze then shifted to the mirror.

The martial examination process was straightforward.

The Battle Simulation Machine, known as the Mind Concentration Mirror, would transport examinees into a virtual secret realm.

Within this realm, there were three maps, each randomly generated.

Examinees had the liberty to choose one and set the difficulty level.

To accommodate unique talents, the system could even conjure a virtual teammate for assistance.

The trial was timed at 30 minutes.

Footage of the battle would be automatically recorded and sent to the relevant authorities.

A panel of ten experts from top schools and the military would evaluate and score based on talent, martial skills, aptitude, and physicality.

Fairness was guaranteed, treating every 'blank slate' examinee with impartiality.

In no time, Bai Le's consciousness was drawn into the secret realm.

He was presented with choices: a lakeshore blanketed with fallen leaves, the Shadow Forest, or the Gale Forest.

Difficulty options ranged from Easy to Normal, Difficult, and Abyss.

"The lakeshore and two forests, huh?"

His instructor had covered these secret realms during martial examination prep classes.

With each exam, the secret realm's terrain and the vicious beasts within would vary unpredictably.

The invigilator set the overall difficulty, but the maps' features and the BOSS remained constant.

As Bai Le mulled over his instructor's words, another prompt from the Intent Blade surfaced.

Achievement Mission (A Rank): Rewards are tiered based on martial examination performance—first place, second place, third place, or failure.

"So, the better my exam results, the greater the rewards?"

"I'll have to defeat the boss then, and on the highest difficulty, no less."

"That's the only way to vie for the top provincial spot."

After some thought, Bai Le chose the 'Abyss level' for the lakeshore secret realm.

"The boss is a golden crocodile—tough and armored, yet not very agile."

"It's the perfect target to test the might of the Intent Blade."

As for the difficulty...

He naturally opted for the most challenging: Abyss level!

Better to err on the side of ambition than caution—it was a once-in-a-lifetime shot, and failure was the worst-case scenario.

After all, there was no real harm done within the secret realm.

...

Outside the examination hall, thousands of faculty and students were spectating this year's martial examination.

Class 7's teacher, Hou Chunhua, glanced at Class 1's Murong Lianjie and Class 2's Wang Doukun.

Predictably, both had selected the Difficult level.

It made sense.

The Difficult level was a perfect fit for them—aiming to severely damage the boss rather than complete the level.

The Abyss level, the pinnacle of challenges, remained untouched by anyone in Huthwaite City's history.

Only the elite from places like Yan Emperor City, Rising Dragon City, and Aermagh dared to take on the Abyss level secret realm.

Hou Chunhua's attention then turned to his own students' choices.

Jiang Jiaojiao, a C-class combat talent Awakened he had high hopes for, had chosen Normal Difficulty.

Not a bad choice. With a strong performance, she might last ten minutes against the boss and break into the city's top hundred.

Zhang Ning, with his D-class combat talent, opted for Normal Difficulty?

Admirable courage, there's still a glimmer of hope!

Looking further, it seems most have gone for Easy Difficulty.

And there's one for Abyss Difficulty.

Impressive, it seems everyone...

Holy shit?

Hold on!

Abyss Difficulty?!

Hou Chunhua, nearly fifty, thought his vision was failing him.

He wiped his glasses for a clearer look.

Bai Le (No Talent Awakened), the lakeshore blanketed with fallen leaves, Abyss Level Difficulty

Bai Le?!

What's this kid up to?

"Damn, someone's gone for Abyss Level Difficulty!"

"Really? Are you serious?"

"Wow, it's true. I see it! Right there in the bottom row, in the red box."

"Bai Le, an Awakened without talent? Has he lost his mind?"

"Messing with Abyss Level is asking for brain death!"

"A show-off clown. Not even B-class fighters like Murong Lianjie and Wang Doukun would dare to take on the Abyss."

Gasps of shock rippled through the crowd.

Bai Le's choice was drawing more and more attention.

Hou Chunhua was sweating bullets.

If Bai Le ended up brain dead, he, as the class teacher, couldn't escape responsibility.

Bai Le might be an ordinary person.

But his parents were heroes, fallen in the line of duty against the beast tide.

He was the son of true valor!

This was a fact unknown to outsiders.

Hou Chunhua himself had only learned of it from the principal over a year ago.

No matter what, Bai Le couldn't come to harm.

If the military came looking for someone to blame, who would take the fall?

With this in mind, Hou Chunhua hurried to the center of the stands to find the principal.

Principal Du Mei of Huthwaite High School was visibly upset.

"Hou Chunhua, what kind of class teacher are you?"

With her B-level 'Insight' talent, she couldn't help but publicly reprimand her subordinate.

"Principal Du, I..."

Hou Chunhua was at a loss for words.

He had failed to fulfill his duties to Bai Le and Zhuo Yunhang.

He hadn't shown much concern, nor had he taken the time for heart-to-heart talks before the exams.

In class, Bai Le was practically invisible.

Mediocre grades, quiet and unassuming.

Aside from his good looks, he didn't stand out.

Hou Chunhua had nearly forgotten he even existed.

"Enough!"

Du Mei withdrew her gaze, exasperated.

She turned back to the screen showing Bai Le's battle scene.

She had often observed him at school.

He was a clever kid.

He must be just toying with the idea, planning to take a quick look and then bail out.

That had to be it.

What else could it be?

Without any Awakened talents and only average in practical combat;

Beyond the compulsory martial education's free basic techniques, the Five Animal Play and the Twenty-Four Skysplitting Forms.

He had no other means to defend himself.

Was he truly bold enough to face the Abyss Difficulty Secret Realm alone?

This wasn't the way to court death!

Aside from the fretting Teacher Hou and Principal Du, most onlookers were eager to see Bai Le's blunder.

"I'll bet a hundred Bai Le doesn't last three seconds."

"Hahahaha, that's harsh. Less than three seconds, and you call him a man?"

"This guy, really... Even without hope, you shouldn't be so reckless."

"Utterly foolish. I say strip him of his college entrance exam eligibility for good!"