Their true mettle would soon be tested under the gaze of hundreds of thousands of people, leaving nowhere to hide.

As an annual event for the ten major military academies, all ten principals naturally attended the recruit competition. The strength of these ten principals varied. The most powerful, like Su Tiankuo, had reached the Legendary Crown level, while the weakest, like the principal of Mountain City Military Academy, was merely a Gold-rank High Tier Combat Professional.

However, regardless of their strength, these principals were all veteran warriors hardened by decades of blood and fire. Even though they were only holographic projections and the principals had intentionally restrained their overwhelming presences, they still exerted immense pressure on all the participating cadets.

Especially Fang Zhou. As the cadet with the strongest individual capabilities among the competitors, he naturally garnered the most attention. Watching Fang Zhou with his steady and composed aura, the ten military academy principals and the high-ranking officials from the Longxia Federation military all fixed their gazes upon him.

Faced with the attention of these legendary figures, Fang Zhou remained calm, his breathing even and his demeanor perfectly composed.

Su Tiankuo looked at Fang Zhou and nodded with slight satisfaction. "Fang Zhou, you're doing well."

He turned to the principal of Dragon City Military Academy and smiled. "Haha, it seems our academy's cadet is a cut above the rest."

The principal of Dragon City Military Academy, who was also the strongest expert present, was a Senhan Warlock of the Legendary Crown level. He responded indifferently, "The competition hasn't started yet. Don't celebrate too soon."

Su Tiankuo stated confidently, "With Fang Zhou's performance, it's only natural for him to win the upcoming recruit competition. You have no objections to giving him that prize, do you?"

"Those are the established rules. Naturally, we have nothing more to say," the principal of Dragon City Military Academy stated firmly.

"Good." Su Tiankuo produced an object encased in a silver iron box and handed it to Fang Zhou. "Fang Zhou, this is the treasure you've earned."

A glimmer flashed in Su Tiankuo's eyes; clearly, it was a remarkable item.

Su Tiankuo continued, "Although this treasure is just a simulated projection here, its data has been recorded. It can be used in the upcoming recruit competition."

"Do you see this cadet receiving his reward? Do you feel no shame?" At this moment, the principal of Dragon City Military Academy shouted at the participating cadets from his own academy.

"That's right. This is the reward a true genius deserves. Fang Zhou is the first military academy cadet in history to break through to the Apprentice Upper Rank before the recruit competition. I think you should all share in his joy."

As Su Tiankuo spoke, he summoned another projection of a silver iron box, sharing its data with all the spectating cadets.

A multicolored light flashed. The cadets craned their necks to look at the projection and saw a dazzling, radiant Array. It was exquisite and compact, inlaid with a circle of Runes that shone with a pale blue light. At its center, an invisible force seemed to ripple, emitting a faint glow.

[Portable Concentration Meditation Array Type I] (Blue Fine, Marvel): The latest research achievement from the Longxia Federation Military. A groundbreaking product that miniaturizes the originally vast and complex Concentration Meditation Array, making it portable. By carrying this Marvel, one can enjoy the effects of the Concentration Meditation Array anytime and anywhere, as long as there is sufficient Energy.

This revelation immediately caused an uproar. Not only were the participating cadets practically drooling, but even the spectators were filled with envy. Although it was a Blue Marvel, it was clearly a special one that could be upgraded. More importantly, its powerful effect would allow these cadets to enjoy the benefits of the Concentration Meditation Array even in a real combat environment.

"Envious, aren't you? Longing for it, aren't you?" the Dragon City Military Academy principal's voice echoed throughout the arena. "That's right. The reward Senior Sergeant Fang Zhou just received was also a Portable Concentration Meditation Array like this one. I can also tell you that the Portable Concentration Meditation Array Fang Zhou obtained is no ordinary assembly-line product. It is a primal item, personally crafted by an Alchemy Master from the Longxia Federation Military. Not only are its materials superior, but its effects are also far stronger than the mass-produced versions."

The principal's voice rang out, clear for every cadet to hear. He continued, "I see the desire in your eyes. Very good." He smiled with satisfaction. "Currently, the Portable Concentration Meditation Array is still in its experimental stage. It cannot be mass-produced yet, nor is it officially available to you. For now, there are only two ways for you to obtain one."

"First, achieve victory in the recruit competition. Secure a top rank and become the most outstanding warrior."

"Second, during the upcoming recruit competition, the Portable Concentration Meditation Array is a guaranteed drop upon death. You can defeat Fang Zhou in the competition and acquire the very same array he was just awarded."

Fang Zhou was just about to examine the effects of the array in his hand when he heard this. His expression instantly darkened.

Just like that, I've become everyone's target.

I'm not afraid, but dealing with so many persistent pests is going to be a real nuisance.

"By the way, I forgot to mention the rules for this recruit competition." A cruel smile touched the lips of the Dragon City Military Academy principal. "The venue for this competition is just through the upcoming Teleportation Gate. At the very center of the battlefield is a ruined city. The Demons there are naturally the most numerous, powerful, and dangerous. Your job is to accumulate as many points as possible."

As he spoke, he displayed a projection of the ruined city. Fang Zhou looked at it and saw a dilapidated urban landscape. In the distance, colossal building remains were draped in green vegetation, yet statues hundreds of meters tall and grand, temple-like structures still stood. Though they were now crumbling ruins, it wasn't hard to imagine their former glory.

"This was once a bustling city," the principal explained. "It was destroyed in a great war and has now become a paradise for Demons. Your mission is to survive in this environment and accumulate as many points as you can."

Then, the principal detailed the rules for scoring points.

"There are two ways to obtain points. The first is by killing the Demons inside. Killing an ordinary Apprentice-rank Middle Tier Demon earns you one point. An elite Apprentice-rank Middle Tier Demon is worth two points. An ordinary Apprentice-rank Upper Tier Demon is worth three points, and an elite Apprentice-rank Upper Tier Demon gets you four points. If you're lucky, you might encounter a rare Black Iron-rank Lower Tier Leader-Level Demon. They are worth ten points. Of course, with your current strength, if you really encounter a Black Iron-rank Lower Tier Demon, you'll be lucky to escape with your lives."

"The second way is to kill your fellow competitors. Killing a cadet from your own academy earns two points, while killing a cadet from another academy earns four points."

"Rest assured, in this Simulation Battlefield's configuration, each of you will have three chances to respawn. After being killed, you will reappear at a random respawn point."

The principal of Dragon City Military Academy continued, "Don't even think about hiding. This recruit competition will last for one day. After that, the top twenty cadets in the point rankings will receive enormous rewards. The rankings of the ten military academies for the next year will also be determined by the sum of their participating cadets' scores."

The principal's words caused a massive stir. The rules this time were shockingly open-ended. They wouldn't just be hunting Demons; they would also have to engage in fierce combat with cadets from the other military academies.

The eyes of the participating cadets flashed with greed. They were all confident, having passed through several rounds of selection at their respective academies. Everyone wanted a shot at first place. Of course, if they could take down Fang Zhou and seize his Portable Concentration Meditation Array, that would be the icing on the cake.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.