On the bottom floor, he was stopped by two tough-looking security guards.

They raised their bushy eyebrows as they extended their hands. "Newbie? If so, give your credentials?" they demanded strictly.

Raizel gulped, seeing their intimidating stature and build. Regardless, as a grown man, he forced himself to stay composed and took out the credentials given by the Apex Guild recruitment officials.

The security guards examined it before handing it back to Raizel after a second.

"You can go in!" they said before focusing their sharp eyes on others.

Raizel wanted to ask where he should go, but seeing no mood for conversation, he dismissed the thought.

He directly went inside the building and, at first glance, was met with the shiny decor and immaculate interior design.

But everything inside looked tough as if enchanted by powerful magic.

Just then, his gaze drifted to the reception center, where a lady sat behind the glass lazily.

Step, step!

"Hello, may I know where the Guild Examination for the entrance test is being held, Miss?" Raizel asked politely.

The lady with glasses heard him, waved, and answered simply, "30th floor!"

"30th floor?"

Raizel was shocked inside but didn't let it show on the outside.

Calmly, he looked for the elevator to reach there soon because time was running out.

Behind him, the lady smiled strangely while looking at his back.

"Let's see what this one is capable of," she murmured, her eyes fixed on the monitor, which displayed Raizel's every movement with keen interest.

On the other hand:

Raizel's frustration grew as he stared at the inactive elevators, some even displaying signs of malfunction.

How was he supposed to reach the 30th floor now?

His gaze shifted to the stairwell, where a few men were already making their way up.

Could he really climb 30 floors on foot?

Each floor had roughly 20 steps, meaning he would have to ascend at least 600 steps—within a limited time.

There was no point hesitating.

With a sigh, he stepped forward, determined to push through.

The first five floors were manageable. His enhanced physique, nearly three times stronger than the average human, made the climb feel effortless. However, as he progressed, the strain gradually set in.

10th floor.

12th.

15th.

17th.

By the time he reached the 20th floor, his legs trembled from exhaustion.

[ Stamina: 20/32 ]

He had already burned through a significant amount of stamina.

Yet, stopping was not an option.

Taking a deep breath, he steadied himself and forced his body to keep moving. But something felt off.

The fatigue creeping into his limbs was unnatural, as if an invisible force was weighing him down.

Was this part of the test?

If so, he refused to show any weakness.

[ Red Berserker Activated ]

A surge of power coursed through his veins as his muscles swelled, glowing faintly red. Steam rose from his body as his movements became faster, more explosive.

With newfound speed, he dashed up the remaining steps like a blur.

Whoosh—

In the blink of an eye, he arrived at the 30th floor, marked by a large sign on the wall.

As soon as he reached his destination, he deactivated Red Berserker, his body instantly hit with exhaustion.

His breath came in short gasps, but he held firm, pushing through the fatigue with sheer willpower.

[ Stamina: 10/32 ]

He retrieved a water bottle from his bag, taking deep gulps to quench his thirst and regain some stamina.

If only he had brought stamina potions, this climb would have been much easier.

But there was no point dwelling on it now. Next time, he would make sure to stock up in Green Leaf Village.

On the 30th floor, Raizel glanced around curiously.

After stepping through the door, he found himself in a spacious hall where several young men and women stood in a line, waiting.

They were likely applicants, just like him.

As he joined the queue, some of them cast curious glances in his direction. However, upon noticing his modest attire, a few snorted in disdain, their expressions filled with arrogance.

Raizel remained unfazed, ignoring their condescending attitudes.

The line moved slowly, with each participant stepping forward and disappearing through a large glass wall that separated the waiting area from the examination hall.

Beyond the glass, the details of the test remained hidden, but the presence of high-ranking officials overseeing the process was clear.

"Hey, do you think they're going to make us fight in a simulation, or will we have to face them directly?" one of the boys asked, his voice tinged with nervousness.

A tall young man with striking red hair chuckled at his unease.

"Relax, bro. No matter who they put in front of us, we just have to make sure we win," he said with a confident smirk.

A girl with midnight-black hair, standing ahead of him, shot him a glance—one that carried an air of skepticism.

"What's wrong, lady? You don't think I can win?" the red-haired youth taunted.

"We'll see in a few minutes, won't we?" she replied coolly, exuding equal confidence.

Raizel chuckled quietly, seeing through their antics.

"Oh, we're next—five of us. I'm going to love this," the red-haired youth declared, his eyes gleaming with predatory excitement.

The nervous boy flinched slightly, while the black-haired girl and Raizel remained composed.

Then, the red-haired youth turned to Raizel, his expression dripping with disdain.

"Ready to crawl back to your slum, plebeian?" he sneered.

Raizel smirked, his crimson eyes narrowing dangerously at the provocation.

"Yes," he whispered, his voice low, almost devilish. "Ready to send you to hell."

The red-haired youth's ears twitched at the chilling response. The others, too, glanced at Raizel with mild astonishment.

They had assumed he was just another silent, inferior applicant from the poor district. But now, seeing his devilish smirk and unwavering confidence, they shivered slightly, realizing they were up against someone unpredictable.

Inside that room, they would face a trial where only the strongest would prevail.

There would be no mercy.

No kindness.

The competition would be ruthless and Raizel was more than ready.

"Enter!"

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