Chapter 672: The Assessment Begins
Orphelia and Xili were both at level 120.
They were the highest-starred and strongest students among the White Tier.
If nothing unexpected occurred, these two would likely choose the most challenging level-121 advanced demon soldiers for this assessment.
And they would face them in a one-on-one duel!
As previously mentioned.
The monsters in the Abyss of Ten Thousand Demons have attributes and combat power panels far surpassing those in the other three forbidden zones!
This is because the Abyss of Ten Thousand Demons occupies half of the Holy Continent and has been nourished for countless years by the Tree of Life.
Moreover, the Abyss of Ten Thousand Demons harbors extreme hatred towards lower-world beings, unleashing the utmost malice and killing intent against all creatures.
Hence.
For a Professional to single-handedly face a demon soldier of the same level is almost considered a suicidal and foolish choice.
But today is an assessment.
And if Orphelia and Xili, the top White Tier Nine-Star students, wanted to become Blue Tier students, they had to single-handedly slay a level-121 advanced demon soldier!
Only by doing so could they prove their capability to survive on the battlefield of Ten Thousand Demons.
Even so...
These two, recognized as the peak combat strength among the White Tier students, still couldn't decipher the specifics of the non-specialist's earlier fight.
But one thing was certain: this non-specialist must have prepared some hidden tricks; otherwise, how could the insects have mysteriously appeared on the opponents' necks?
As the two noble powerhouses pondered.
Ling Zhan indeed had made preparations, though they were neither overly profound nor excessively complicated. He had simply scattered some insect eggs on the ground after stepping onto the stage!
And these eggs were all SS-tier insect skills!
Don't forget...
Ling Zhan's all-around talent had already undergone a complete evolution!
All his beginner skills had been elevated to SS-tier, comparable to order-tier skills!
The insect master beginner skill he used was effectively an SS-tier skill!
Once the eggs hatched and silently climbed onto the bodies of the three opponents, the match was decided.
Facing the bombardment of three order-tier skills, Ling Zhan easily avoided them using the SS-tier invincibility skill 'Void.'
If Ling Zhan hadn't minded extra effort...
He could have dodged the bombardment using the 'Arrow Step' mobility skill from the Archer class or the Gunner's 'Slide Step' skill instead of 'Void.'
Both 'Arrow Step' and 'Slide Step' had evolved to SS-tier!
After reaching SS-tier, these two mobility skills came with innate invincibility effects, granting nearly two seconds of invincibility during each movement.
Thus, avoiding these order-tier skills was effortless for Ling Zhan!
The difficulty level was akin to drinking water!
However, in the eyes of the uninformed spectators, Ling Zhan enduring the order-tier bombardment unscathed seemed unnervingly intimidating.
After all, order-tier skills were the hallmark moves of every fourth-tier powerhouse.
Yet this non-specialist dodged them with ease, which was enough to astonish anyone.
At this moment.
The Sacred Academy's Dean, Bai Yuechan, was surprised by Ling Zhan's victory but refrained from commenting.
Instead, she announced the official commencement of this year's year-end assessment.
The assessment had minimal rules or restrictions.
Once inside the demon soldier mystic realm, each student could choose a demon soldier of varying difficulty as their target.
Of course...
As Sacred Academy students, selecting a demon soldier below their level would not count as passing the assessment, even if they defeated it.
All Sacred Academy students were above level 100.
Therefore, demon soldiers between levels 80 and 99 were off-limits.
They could only choose intermediate demon soldiers from levels 100 to 120.
For White Tier Nine-Star students aiming to advance to Blue Tier One-Star, they could only challenge level-121 advanced demon soldiers.
Only Blue Tier students were qualified to enter the legendary battlefield of Ten Thousand Demons.
And only Blue Tier students were eligible to enjoy the true benefits of the Sacred City.
Because Blue Tier students would officially be registered in the Holy Knights.
The Holy Knights were an elite force comprised of global military legions.
You could think of them as the special forces among Professionals.
In other words...
Every Professional dreamed of becoming a member of the Holy Knights.
"You have three minutes to prepare!"
"After three minutes, the demon soldier mystic realm will open!"
...
During the three minutes.
All students in the hall immediately assumed serious expressions and began checking their equipment and items.
Some polished their weapons, others counted their ammunition, while some stretched to loosen up their bodies.
Some even preemptively drank potions to boost their attributes, striving to shave off an extra second or two in the assessment.
For these students.
The assessment was not only a test of their strength but also a reshuffling of the rankings among the White Tier students.
Since White Tier students were ineligible to enter the battlefield of Ten Thousand Demons, they couldn't earn military merits from killing demon soldiers. Instead, they relied on academy-issued credits to exchange for resources.
Hence...
The assessment rankings were particularly crucial for those unable to advance to Blue Tier yet. They had to take it seriously.
It was evident...
Even students who initially seemed indifferent grew intensely focused at this moment.
They had no choice. Rankings influenced their resources, and the demon soldier monsters were formidable!
Formidable to an extreme!
It was no exaggeration to say that the success rate of this assessment rarely exceeded 50%!
Meaning half the students would fail!
This was no exaggeration!
The watching mentors, observing this diverse group of students, all wore looks of anticipation.
Perhaps influenced by the earlier promotion assessment.
Many mentors unconsciously directed their gaze toward the tall and composed figure of the non-specialist.
Unlike the other students, who busily checked and prepared, this non-specialist remained utterly calm, his handsome face tranquil.
It was as though the upcoming assessment was of no concern to him.
This led several mentors to silently mutter to themselves.
This kid...
Could it be he genuinely believed defeating three challengers from Kelan Academy meant the demon soldier mystic realm would be simple?
If so, his arrogance would cost him dearly!
Soon, the ferocious and terrifying demon soldiers would teach this boy a lesson!
Hopefully, his performance wouldn't be disappointing. It was a rare chance to see if the non-specialist path had any future prospects!