Chapter 319: Peak S-Class

Steven stood frozen for a long time until Emily’s voice brought him back to his senses. "Are you just going to stand there or start the next phase?"

"Y-yes. Starting the next one right now." Steven said. ’If I knew, I would have started with S-Class monsters. So that’s why Mr. Flemming said I was about to waste my time. But maybe even he isn’t well aware of this boy’s full strength. It hasn’t even been five minutes.’ He looked at Sol first. Then at Emily and Snow.

After that, he sighed slowly and tapped another button. The surroundings changed once more.

This time, Leon was standing in an urban area. Tall buildings, structures, and various vehicles filled the area.

Leon was about to check the surroundings when...

Thud!

The ground shook slightly.

Thud!

Buildings trembled as a window shattered.

And then...

It came into view. A giant creature stood almost eighteen meters tall. It had black horns jutting out from its head. Its muscles were bulged. In its arm, it was carrying a double-bladed axe. The weapon head was resting on its shoulder.

"Huf!

Huf!"

As it exhaled heavily, thick air escaped from its nostrils and curled up.

A minotaur.

"This time it’s a peak A-Class monster. If he can defeat it, he is an S-Class. Miss Emily..." Steven looked at Emily. "I think your youngest S-Class hunter title is going to be snatched away soon."

"Just S-Class?" Sol looked at him, amused. "You have no idea what show you have signed up for." Sol chuckled.

Emily and Snow’s eyes were fixated on the screen.

Meanwhile, Steven froze before looking at Sol. ’He’s still taking it casually. Does that mean this boy is even stronger than an S-Class? No.’ He screamed in his mind. ’That’s utterly impossible. He’s nineteen at best. No way he’s a Disaster Class.’

The minotaur stopped at twenty meters’ distance from Leon. Its crimson eyes locked on Leon. Leon also looked at it. For a moment nobody moved.

In the testing chamber, both Steven and Jason held their breath. Jason was excited because Leon finally would have to show his real strength now. Disaster Class or not, a peak A-Class monster was no joke.

The young man Dylan had deployed was also watching intently.

And then...

The minotaur moved. Its hulking figure bolted forward at great speed. Leon stood where he was. He didn’t advance, didn’t make any fighting or blocking gestures either.

The minotaur appeared before him in a flash. Its front foot dug into the ground. The right heel lifted slightly as it steered the axe back. And then...

Whoooooosh!

The axe cut through the air. The ground cracked beneath the minotaur’s left foot.

Leon was watching everything calmly. But just when the axe was at best two inches away from striking his head, just when Steven thought he had misjudged Leon, his left hand moved. Nothing flashy. Nothing special. His left hand raised and the bare palm stopped before the incoming axe.

Boooooooom!

The metal met flesh. A loud explosion erupted. The ground beneath Leon’s feet cracked and shattered. His body sank in, sending a shockwave outward. But the axe. It had stopped moving...

At all.

The minotaur blinked. The next moment, dread filled its heart. It yanked the axe, wanting to free itself. But Leon’s grip felt like an iron grip. The axe didn’t even budge.

The minotaur abandoned the weapon and turned to flee. But Leon jumped in the air. Tossing the axe in the air, he grabbed its handle. He twisted his body in the air, giving his own body motion.

Before the minotaur could go further, the axe now in Leon’s hand whistled through the air. The sharp edge landed on the minotaur’s neck, spraying blood. The blade moved forward, tearing through flesh.

Blood flew out wildly.

The blade came out from the opposite side of the minotaur’s neck. For a moment, only silence.

Leon landed on the ground, his feet not even making a sound.

And then...

The minotaur’s head rolled down, dropped on the ground, bounced once, and then... It didn’t move anymore. The hulking body without the head collapsed to the ground with a loud bang.

Dead. The minotaur, the peak A-Class monster, was dead in just one move.

"He... He’s a peak S-Class hunter. Fuck. How old is he?" Steven asked, almost collapsing on his back. "He’s the youngest S-Class hunter now," Steven said with shock, excitement, disbelief, and who knew how many more emotions.

Snow chuckled seeing his expression. "The show has started, Mr. Examiner. Go ahead and change the location. Take Leon to face even stronger enemies."

Steven didn’t say anything and stood up. He tapped the button. The next moment, everything around Leon changed once more. But when Steven saw which area it was, his face paled.

Leon was standing in a coastal region. Once he looked around, he found that he was standing on an island.

"Isn’t that the territory for sea beasts? All are above mid-level S-Class monsters." Sol said.

"Are you worried about him?" Jason asked.

"Worried about him? Nahh." Sol replied, waving his hand dismissively. "I am just worried that big bro will destroy that whole place."

"No..." Steven suddenly shouted.

"What’s wrong?" Jason snapped toward him.

"I mistakenly sent him to the wrong place. That area is for Disaster Class hunters’ test."

"You finally did the right thing, though mistakenly," Sol said.

"No, no, no. You don’t get it. In that area, monsters respawn continuously."

Jason was silent. He knew that place very well. But looking at Sol’s relaxed expression, he didn’t know whether to worry or not. After a few seconds, he spoke. "Don’t worry. It’s not like he’s going to die."

"Yes, he won’t die. But that kind of experience can leave a mark in his heart. He may suffer trauma, nightmares in the future."

"Nightmares? Him?" Snow asked in an amused tone. "Trust me, if anyone is going to have nightmares, it’s definitely not him."

Steven wasn’t done but before he could start...

"It has started." Emily’s voice interrupted everyone. Everyone looked at the screen immediately.

Ten monsters had surrounded Leon already. Two monsters had humanoid bodies with shark-like heads. Their bodies were covered in scales. Their muscles looked hard like iron.

One was a giant scorpion. Its claws glinted under the sunlight.

A massive octopus was still in the water, but its tentacles were hovering in the air dangerously.

One serpent’s head was moving left and right, slowly, dangerously. Its eyes were locked on Leon.

A humanoid crocodile was standing on its limbs. It was carrying a strange looking chained weapon.

The other four, Leon had no idea what they even looked like. They could be described with just two words. Grotesque and dangerous.

The two shark monsters were first to act. They leaned forward, the ground cracking beneath their feet. The next moment, they rushed Leon from opposite sides. One swung its claw toward Leon’s neck while the other aimed directly for his abdomen.

Leon didn’t move until the last moment.

Whoosh!

A sword suddenly appeared in his hand. The black claymore.

Clang!

Leon tilted the blade, deflecting the first claw. At the same time, he stepped sideways, allowing the second shark monster to rush past him. His eyes turned cold.

"Third Form..."

Leon pulled the sword backward.

"Destructive Thrust."

He thrust the sword forward. An explosive force shot out.

BOOOOOOM!

The second shark monster, which had just turned around, was struck by the invisible destructive force.

Its upper body exploded instantly. Blood and pieces of flesh scattered everywhere. Before the first shark monster could attack again, Leon vanished from his position. A black streak swept past it. The next moment, the shark monster’s head rolled down.

Jason was shocked. "What kind of sword technique was that just now?" He whispered.

Two monsters were already dead. The giant scorpion attacked next. Its massive tail descended from above.

Whooooosh!

Leon stepped forward instead of retreating. The sword moved.

Slash!

The scorpion’s tail separated cleanly. Before it could react, Leon vanished beneath its enormous body. Another flash of black appeared. Its body split from the middle.

The serpent lunged immediately afterward, its jaws opening wide enough to swallow Leon whole.

Leon bent slightly. "First Form... Sword Dance."

He bolted forward like lightning.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

His figure blurred. For a moment, dozens of Leon seemed to surround the serpent. Cuts appeared all over its scales. Then Leon appeared behind it and flicked the blood from his sword.

The serpent froze.

A second later...

Splurt!

Its enormous body fell apart into dozens of pieces.

The crocodile monster roared and swung its chained weapon. Leon caught the chain with one hand.

"Grrrhhhh?"

Leon pulled. The crocodile flew toward him helplessly.

Slash!

Its head separated from its shoulders.

The octopus’s tentacles descended next, covering the sky above Leon. Leon disappeared between them.

One tentacle fell.

Then another.

Then another.

Within seconds, all of them had been severed. Leon jumped from the island. His sword stabbed directly through the octopus’s enormous head.

Boom!

Its body collapsed into the ocean.

Leon landed back on the shore. The remaining four grotesque monsters hesitated. Leon looked toward them.

"Your turn." Then he disappeared. Four sword flashes illuminated the island.

Slash!

Slash!

Slash!

Slash!

Four heads fell almost simultaneously. Silence returned to the coastal region.

Ten monsters.

Ten corpses.

Leon stood among them, his face calm. It was as if the monsters meant nothing to him.

Inside the testing chamber, nobody spoke. Steven’s mouth hung open.

Then the ocean behind Leon suddenly began to churn. More monsters were already respawning.