Chapter 11: Assessment-3!!!
*Grtth* *thud*
Orion gritted his teeth instinctively, stepping back as his body trembled. He felt the itch turn into searing pain deep within his bones, as though something inside him was changing and reorganizing.
Endure! I have to endure it and not give up!
He said to himself as he tried to steady his emotions and embrace the change taking place within his body.
After a minute of steadying himself, he turned his gaze to Randel. Like him, Randel was also clutching his chest, his usual smile and friendly demeanor faded and was replaced by a hideous expression of madness.
The man was clearly struggling as he absorbed and withstood the potion's power.
Orion couldn't be sure if his impression was accurate, but the way he saw it, Randel resembled a mad beast ready to pounce on anyone who dared to approach him.
Fierce eyes, twisted expression, bulging veins, dripping saliva, and smoke rising from his body... This was all he observed. He couldn't help but wonder if his appearance was equally hideous at the moment.
Boom! Boom!
Just as he struggled to observe Randel's condition, a sudden explosion echoed through the room, and when Orion saw the source of the explosion, he immediately stabilized his emotions and body, recalling Angus and Dave's advice.
"Hii!! I-I don't... I don't want to die... Help!"
"Calm down and endure the pain." Navarro bellowed at the agitated participant, yet before the man could regain control over his body—like a delicate cap that could not contain the water, he overflowed unable to hold the torrent within.
"Ahhhh!! Help... I!" Boom...
"Tsk... Why can't these fools understand? Such a waste."
"Now, now, Navarro, it's not entirely their fault," Terry replied with a calm smile. "It would be hard for them to contain such power, especially when their bodies are already struggling in pain and agitated by death caressing their lives." His gaze shifted to the three lifeless bodies, then to Orion and Randel, whose faces expressed pain, agony, and beastly.
Meanwhile, Marco didn't bother to say a word.
.
.
Witnessing the death of the third participant, Orion realized he also needed grit to endure such excruciating pain.
Without grit, it would be almost impossible to undergo such torture.
'I must endure, no matter what. I'm going to become a hunter and live to the fullest!'
'I promise that I will live and survive!'
Unlike the first and second tests, which were completed quickly, the process of absorbing the potion and undergoing the changes took significantly longer.
To Orion and Randel, it felt as though they had been enduring relentless torture for ten grueling hours, their insides churning and twisting. In reality, only two hours had passed—a fact Navarro, Marco, Terry, and the remaining observing participants could readily confirm.
.
As the promotion continued, Orion could feel the sharp pain gradually dissipating and was replaced by a soothing warmth sensation spreading through his whole body as if healing his damaged tissues and more.
Just as he felt at ease in completing the promotion, a sudden popping sound echoed in his mind.
In an instant, he saw the 'Primal Core'.
This time, the orb's illusionary aura grew even fiercer, its translucent color turned pale silver, while the mark in an unknown language representing the number zero (0) remained unchanged.
A surge of knowledge flooded his mind, unveiling the orb's true potential. Aside from the knowledge he discovered on his own, such as slowly helping him enhance his physique, cleanse him of impurities, or grant him some rare visions, this time he learns the orb's true strength.
As for how to activate and freely sense the orb, this was also intricately connected to his strength, meaning the continuous consumption of beast potion.
'Primordial Beast physique, danger sense, and mental protection!'
'This is the power of the orb... So that's how it works.' Orion clutched his temples as a sharp pain shot through his head, the knowledge of the orb's three abilities flooding his mind all at once.
For an ordinary person completing the promotion to a fledgling, their overall attributes would be enhanced to at least five times that of an ordinary man, and acquire a single offensive physical trait inherited from their chosen blood animals.
But Orion was different...
Thanks to the existence of beast's physique, his strength became double that of a seasoned fledgling, making him ten times stronger than an ordinary person.
According to the knowledge, the Primordial Beast Physique of the Primordial Orb would also ensure a smoother path to future advancement.
Additionally, with every support or beast-based potion he consumed, his body would expel all impurities and toxins, adapt to the potion's effect, and significantly enhance his speed, strength, endurance, and perceptions.
Though the Primordial Beast's physique seemed unremarkable at first, offering little benefit during Orion's fledgling days, its true potential lay in the future. As long as he continues to grow and consume potions, his strength will become limitless.
This alone made the orb terrifying.
Not to mention the danger sense and mental protection that allowed him to sense incoming danger and identify dangerous opponents but also shielded his mind from the pollution of stress and the influence of stronger predators.
Aside from the orb, Orion also found that he obtained a talent from becoming a fledgling that is directly connected to the blood animal he chose... The talent was retractable claw, a weapon he can use to fight monsters.
As Orion absorbed the information, he couldn't help but feel excited about his newfound strength, forgetting the rules of a hunter...
Pak!
"You fool! Snap out of your fantasies and get a hold of yourself," Navarro slapped his back.
Before Orion could respond, a powerful roar erupted from Randel, revealing his razor-sharp teeth.
"Arghhhh!" Swish!
"Did he succeed!"
"Hahaha, good, good! Out of the first five participants, two beasts have emerged." Navarro laughed in control before raising his hand and saying. "Well done, you two."
"I succeeded." Randel weakly smiled before turning his gaze to his friend. "Lo... Cough... Louis, you better not fail—otherwise you won't get to see me marry your sister," he teased.
"Fool! As if I'll be weaker than you," Louis stated seriously. "And who said I'll let you marry my sister? Keep dreaming."
"Hahaha... Cough."
As the second batch of participants prepared themselves, Natasha, who had been recording notes on those who passed and failed (died), stood up and approached Orion and Randel.
"Congratulations." She offered a curtsy in respect for their determination. "Now that your promotion is complete, could you please follow me to another room?"
Cough!
"Why? Can't we just wait until everyone's finished?" Orion asked as he stood up.
"I'm afraid not," she replied, shaking her head as she glanced at Randel. "It's best if you followed me now. Waiting for others will only waste more time. As you can see, a promotion can take several hours to complete."
Natasha smiled kindly.
Orion fell silent. Though he wanted to stay and watch the others complete their promotion, he understood that the process took hours—he had experienced it himself.
"Sigh... It can't be helped." Randel muttered and looked at his friend who was about to participate in the second promotion. "Orion, right? I'm Randel... It's probably best to follow Ms. Natasha and complete the process."
"I understand." Orion, along with Randel, followed Natasha as they made their way to the next room, beginning to get acquainted with each other along the way while also asking some questions.
This time they were briefed on some rules known only to the hunters and the beliefs that shaped the current hunters.