Chapter 114: The Hunting Ground’s Monster

The Hunting Ground’s Monster

Then weaker.

Finally, they stopped moving.

[+7 Points]

[+7 Points]

[+7 Points]

The notifications continued.

Leon watched the numbers rise.

A faint smile touched his lips.

The Heavenly-tier hunting ground really was different.

Even the monsters in the middle zone were worth seven points.

And the deeper they went, the stronger the creatures became.

Suddenly—

Rumble.

The ground trembled.

Leon stopped.

Several sleek figures emerged from the shadows.

Their bodies were almost completely hidden by the mist.

Only their glowing eyes could be seen.

Then they stepped forward.

Long claws.

Powerful limbs.

Bodies built for speed.

Leon immediately recognized them.

[Shadow Leopards]

[Level: LV.27]

[Rank: Boss]

Leon’s eyebrows lifted.

"Level 27 boss-level creatures."

There were more than the two he could see.

He couldn’t determine their exact number with his eyes alone.

The mist was too thick.

That was precisely what made this area dangerous.

Leon didn’t hesitate.

He activated his soul skill.

[Soul Drain.]

His spiritual perception exploded outward.

The grey world inside his mind suddenly became clear.

Every tree.

Every rock.

Every movement.

Every hidden creature.

It was as if the mist no longer existed.

"Three to the northeast."

Leon raised his hand.

"Two to the south."

Selena immediately shifted her position.

Evelyn turned toward the southern side.

Leon suddenly shouted.

"Watch out—they’re about to strike."

The next instant, several shadows exploded from the mist.

Selena’s claws flashed.

Evelyn’s web shot outward.

Leon had already revealed their positions.

The two women didn’t need further instructions.

Their coordination had become almost instinctive.

Evelyn laid down control effects.

Selena finished them off.

A huge web unfurled across the air like a black canopy.

It swallowed the Shadow Leopards.

The creatures struggled violently.

Their claws tore through several strands.

But the more they struggled, the more tangled they became.

Their speed continued to drop.

Selena’s golden eyes narrowed.

"There."

She disappeared.

Whoosh!

A silver-white streak crossed the battlefield.

The first leopard barely had time to turn its head.

Selena’s attack landed.

Bang!

The beast was thrown sideways.

Before it could recover, Selena was already beside the second.

Then the third.

Her movements were clean and decisive.

Within moments, the Shadow Leopards’ resistance disappeared.

Growl...

A low growl came from deeper within the mist.

Leon immediately became still.

That sound was different.

Something else was hiding nearby.

He took a slow breath.

The grey mist surrounded them from every direction.

Good thing I have a detection skill.

Without Soul Drain, this place would have been much more dangerous.

The greatest danger wasn’t necessarily to Selena or Evelyn.

It was to him.

A beast-soul master without a powerful physical body was fragile.

If a monster suddenly emerged from the mist and attacked him directly, he could be killed before his beast-girls even had time to react.

Low-level beast-soul masters were especially vulnerable.

Their beast-girls could be terrifying.

But their own bodies were still human.

Leon looked deeper into the mist.

The middle zone was clearly on another level compared to the outer zone.

If the middle zone is already this tough...

His eyes narrowed.

What about the inner zone?

Instead of fear, excitement began to rise inside him.

The Heavenly-tier hunting ground was filled with boss-level creatures.

And the inner zone was supposed to be even more terrifying.

That meant more powerful monsters.

More points.

More soul energy.

And more opportunities for Selena and Evelyn to grow.

Leon smiled.

"Let’s see what you’ve got."

"Who has the highest score right now?"

"It’s Leon!"

"What?! It’s only been an hour—how does he have 300 points already?!"

The enormous screen in Jade City displayed the rankings.

The numbers continued changing.

But one name remained firmly at the top.

Leon.

300 points.

The crowd erupted.

"Visibility in the inner zone is terrible!"

"No way—how is he doing this?!"

Nobody understood.

For most examinees, simply surviving the middle zone was already difficult.

The inner zone was even worse.

Yet Leon’s score continued climbing at an absurd speed.

After an hour, the massive screen in Jade City displayed the top ten scores in neat rows.

Leon’s name stood at the top.

Clearly first.

"He’s incredibly strong. This year’s provincial champion might be him."

Another spectator shook his head.

"No contest. The second-place student just barely broke 100 points. The gap is insane."

The difference was so large that many people couldn’t help wondering whether they were watching the same examination.

But not everyone was happy.

"Tch."

Shin’s face was dark with resentment.

"It’s just because of his beast-girl!"

A recruiter nearby frowned.

"Don’t be so dismissive. The kid’s got real talent."

Another recruiter nodded.

"Exactly. He hasn’t even trained, yet he can control two beast-girls. That’s a miracle. I’ve been through several martial exams—very few students bring two beast-girls."

"Yeah."

A third recruiter folded his arms.

"Most students don’t have the mental strength for two. It hurts their performance."

"Which proves Leon’s spiritual talent is exceptional."

Shin’s expression became even uglier.

"Shut up, all of you! I’m from Supreme Heaven University. Watch your mouths!"

The other recruiters lowered their heads.

Supreme Heaven University’s influence was enormous.

Nobody wanted unnecessary trouble.

But then a cold, proud female voice came from the side.

"Supreme Heaven people sure have big egos."

Shin immediately turned.

His expression darkened.

"President Rias—what are you implying?"

Rias didn’t even bother answering immediately.

Her long crimson hair rested over her shoulders.

Her red robe fit elegantly around her narrow waist, secured by a golden sash.

Her crimson eyes remained fixed on the examination screen.

Before Rias could respond, a sharp voice came from behind the door.

"Shin—your recruiter status has been revoked. I’m taking over your duties."

A young man in a meticulously tailored suit stepped into the viewing hall.

He carried a thick folder in one hand.

Shin’s face changed.

"Solaris—who do you think you are? You can’t revoke my position!"

He had reached his breaking point.

First, Selena had rejected him.

Then he had been beaten.

Then other university recruiters had questioned him.