CHAPTER 58: DUEL WITH A B RANKER: LAST ASSESSMENT (1)

Chapter 57

"So? Who are we fighting?" Jasmine asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Me. You will be duelling against me." Ben said with a wide devilish grin.

"Holy hell! Why the hell would we duel against a B ranker? Isn’t that going overboard? Especially with the fact that most of us aren’t even hybrids or that strong. What the hell is the association thinking?!" Jasmine roared in shock, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"Exactly. A B rank hunter? You all can solo King tier beasts alone. And you want us to fight someone on that level?" Zach asked in horror as he stared at Ben.

’King tier beasts? The fuck is with all these ranking systems? How much more am I missing from this world?’ Max thought as he stared at Zach in confusion.

"This is absurd for real. Can’t we get a C ranked hunter or something? Why do you want to torture us?" Joe asked in absolute horror. His face was pale as he realized the predicament he was in.

He barely got the bare minimum required to pass the previous two assessments, and now this? He knew it was the end of the road for him if he went ahead with this setting.

It wasn’t only him feeling like this. Every other person in the room, except Jake, agreed with Joe and Jasmine’s reasoning as they knew they were cooked if they went against Ben. Even the confident ones shifted uneasily, their minds flashing with the memory of the pressure he unleashed minutes ago.

Forget the rank. Even with the little display of pressure he exerted just a few minutes ago, it was enough to make the applicants tremble to the bone. It wasn’t something any of them could withstand twice in a row.

"Silence!" Ben shouted as he clapped his hands loudly, and a hush befell the whole room. The thunderous sound echoed through the walls and shut everyone up instantly. The hunter’s presence alone was suffocating, his aura sharp and domineering as he glared at each one of them.

"In the battlefield, when faced against an enemy or foe, will you beg them to switch with you because the one you are facing against is overwhelmingly strong?

Do you think you will have the leisure or opportunity of picking what opponent you want to battle against? This isn’t a gang war where you get to pick a gang weaker than you, a gang you can easily decimate.

This is war! War between humans and the filthy monsters trying to wreck havoc and tear apart our peace. It is because of us hunters that no beast has infiltrated any human city or town. It is because of our blood, sweat, and sacrifice that the walls are still standing.

And you think it is that easy? If you can’t do this assessment, then just move aside. You will be teleported back home, and your memories of today will be wiped clean." Ben shouted in rage, his voice like a whip, while his aura flared again.

His words pierced into the hearts of the applicants like blades. A heavy silence hung in the air, filled with the sound of nervous breathing.

’That’s right. I never got the opportunity to pick my fight wisely. I was weak, yet I was pit against a demon vessel who was far stronger than I was. Then I jumped into a fight with a real demon and almost lost my life.

This world is dangerous and we don’t have the leisure of picking our fights. The only thing we can do is to keep growing stronger... and that’s exactly what I plan to do.’ Max thought as he clenched his hands tightly in determination.

"Come on, you all. Why are you being a pussy?" Jake asked as he cracked his knuckles while staring at Ben in front of him. His grin widened as if he was enjoying the tension. "He’s just a B rank hunter, we will be fine."

"Easy for you to say when none of us has broken your damn record!" Zach clapped back in anger, his face flushed red. But Jake paid him no attention, his eyes fixed only on Ben, as though itching for the fight to begin.

"So... who’s coming first? And I will also give you all an advantage. If you are a hybrid, transform when it’s your turn. If you are a human, I will hold back immensely for you." Ben said as he leapt two metres away, giving space, while the applicants all shuffled back nervously.

"The rule is simple. To pass this assessment, you need to land a hit on me in one minute. Failure to do that, and you can’t join the association."

"A hit in one minute? That’s going overboard!" Joe cried out in horror, his knees almost buckling at the thought.

Ignoring him completely, Ben continued. "So who’s coming first?"

"Oh you know that will be me." Jake exclaimed with a wide grin plastered on his face. Without hesitation, he dashed forward with immense speed, his body almost like a blur.

BANG!

He exploded from where he stood with such overwhelming force that the entire ground beneath his feet caved in, cracking under the pressure, as he hurled himself towards Ben. The hunter, however, remained calm, his hands still tucked neatly into his pockets as if nothing alarming was happening.

Jake dropped from mid-air like a meteor, his speed terrifying, and was about to crash down straight into Ben.

But the hunter swiftly sidestepped at the last moment, avoiding the impact. Jake slammed into the ground with catastrophic force, kicking up a violent storm of dust.

The earth beneath shattered and erupted outward, sending tremors across the entire hall. A mini shockwave burst through the room, rattling the weaker applicants who could barely stay on their feet.

’The fuck is with his strength?! Who the hell is he really?’ Max thought inwardly, his eyes narrowing as he followed the exchange with deep focus. Some of the others couldn’t even keep up—the duel had instantly escalated to a level beyond their comprehension.

BAM!

From the cloud of dust, Jake suddenly burst forward, his grin never leaving his face. In less than a heartbeat, he appeared in front of Ben. His fist, packed with terrifying force, shot out with frightening speed, aiming to smash directly into the hunter’s face.

Ben’s eyes widened as his instincts screamed. ’Crap! How strong is this kid?!’ He quickly ducked low, narrowly avoiding the punch.

BANG!

The sheer pressure from Jake’s fist struck the air itself, creating a concussive boom that rattled the hall like a cannon blast. Ben rolled back to his feet, his heart thundering in his chest as he leapt back several metres.

’Shit! And he hasn’t even transformed yet. Who am I even kidding? Considering who his dad is, why the hell did I think he even needed to transform?’ Ben thought as he steadied his breath, his body trembling slightly despite his attempt to appear composed.

"You ready? Cause I’m bringing the heat!" Jake roared, his voice echoing through the room as his grin widened even more.

In a blink, he blitzed forward again. His speed was so overwhelming that even the afterimages he left behind seemed solid. In a split second, he was right in front of Ben, his fist rising in a brutal uppercut.

Ben, not knowing how to avoid it, pivoted sharply to the side, hoping to lessen the impact. But that was exactly what Jake wanted. A wide, almost devilish smile crept onto his lips, and Ben’s eyes widened in horror.

BAM!

Jake’s foot swung around with monstrous speed, smashing into Ben’s ribs from the side. The blow carried such devastating force that Ben’s body was lifted and sent skidding several metres across the ground. A wet cough burst from his lips as specks of blood flew into the air.

The entire room went silent, the applicants frozen with wide eyes. Nobody had expected this. Nobody had expected a hunter of Ben’s caliber—a B rank to actually bleed from a single exchange.

Max’s heart pounded heavily as he stared at Jake.

’This bastard... he’s not just a monster. He’s a walking disaster in human skin.’