Chapter 37: Reapers

Ethan waited for the next wave.

The sand started moving again, and ten Level 10 beasts crawled out of the ground.

The Shadow Wraiths immediately moved toward them.

[Shadow Strike]

The attacks landed together.

But this time, none of the beasts died.

They were injured, but they were still standing.

Ethan wasn’t surprised.

The difference between Level 9 and Level 10 wasn’t small. The beasts had become strong enough to survive a single Shadow Strike.

The Shadow Wraiths attacked again.

[Shadow Strike]

The ten beasts finally fell.

[EXP +100]

Ethan checked his experience.

He was only 15% through Level 9, so he still had a long way to go before reaching Level 10

Then the sand began moving again.

Ten Level 11 beasts crawled out.

Ethan was about to send the Shadow Wraiths forward when more movement came from the sand.

Another ten beasts appeared.

Twenty Level 11 beasts surrounded him.

"Their numbers have doubled..." Ethan thought.

That changed things.

Until now, the ten Shadow Wraiths could each deal with one beast. With twenty targets, that was no longer enough.

Ethan watched the twenty Level 11 beasts rushing toward him.

Two Shadow Wraiths for each beast should be enough.

"So then, let’s summon more."

Not wasting any time, Ethan activated his Legion Formation again and summoned another thirty Shadow Wraiths.

Now there were forty Shadow Wraiths on the battlefield.

The legion spread out, with two Shadow Wraiths moving toward each beast.

The beasts rushed forward.

[Shadow Strike]

Twenty beasts were hit, but none of them fell.

The Shadow Wraiths attacked again.

[Shadow Strike]

The twenty beasts collapsed almost at the same time.

Ethan’s EXP increased by 5%.

It seemed the Level 11 beasts gave him a small boost.

He was now 20% through Level 9.

The next wave soon appeared.

This time, there were twenty Level 12 beasts.

Ethan summoned another twenty Shadow Wraiths.

Now he had sixty Shadow Wraiths, giving him three for each beast.

The battle ended quickly.

When the Level 13 wave appeared, Ethan summoned another twenty.

Then another twenty for Level 14.

The number of Shadow Wraiths kept increasing with each wave, but the battles were still easy for him.

By the time the Level 15 wave appeared, Ethan had one hundred and twenty Shadow Wraiths.

His EXP continued to rise, and he reached Level 10.

Back at the academy’s monitoring area, the representatives were watching the assessments from different areas.

Several candidates were already showing impressive results.

Ethan’s performance, however, was on another level.

The display showed the battlefield from his assessment space.

Twenty Level 15 beasts had just been defeated.

One of the representatives stared at the results.

"He’s still killing them that easily?"

"He hasn’t slowed down at all."

"The monsters are already five levels above him."

Another representative checked Ethan’s level.

"Level ten."

He looked back at the display.

"Then why does it look like he’s fighting monsters below his level?"

The others didn’t have an answer.

The Order Academy representative finally spoke.

"Then let’s make it harder."

The others turned toward him.

He continued before anyone could respond.

"I’m sure I’m not the only one who wants to see how far he can go."

He looked at Ethan’s profile again.

"And besides, he’s not the first candidate to receive this kind of treatment. We’ve had others in the past who were given stronger opponents because the normal assessment wasn’t enough to show their limits."

One of the representatives nodded.

"That’s true."

"So what are you suggesting?"

The Order Academy representative smiled slightly.

"Increase the monster level for the next wave."

The representative operating the assessment system hesitated.

"How much?"

"Make them two levels higher."

"And the number?"

"Double it."

"That will make forty monsters."

"Exactly."

"And increase their physical strength?"

"Yes. Give them much higher defense and stronger attacks."

"That could make the assessment quite difficult."

"That’s the point."

The representative operating the system entered the changes.

"Done."

The display changed as the beasts for the next wave were replaced.

This time, the beasts were different.

They were larger than the ones before them, with thick carapaces covering most of their bodies. Their arms and legs ended in curved blades instead of normal limbs.

One of the representatives recognized them.

"Isn’t that..."

"Reapers."

"You’re using Reapers?"

"They should be strong enough."

The Order Academy representative continued watching Ethan’s profile.

"Let’s see how he handles these."

...

Ethan noticed the change as the next wave appeared.

Forty Reapers stood across the sandy battlefield.

They were all Level 16.

Ethan had just reached Level 10, making them six levels above him.

The Reapers were completely different from the beasts he had fought before.

Their bodies were covered in thick carapaces that served as natural armor. Their arms had no hands. Each one ended in a large curved blade, and their legs were shaped the same way.

They were killing machines.

And we’re far notorious the laughing fiends.

A Reaper could rush an opponent with incredible speed and tear them apart before they had time to react. Its blades were strong enough to cut through most ordinary armor, while its carapace could withstand powerful attacks.

And their strength wasn’t limited to their level.

Reapers were known for being able to fight opponents several levels above them.

Forty of them had appeared at once.

Ethan looked at the forty Reapers and shook his head.

If one or two Shadow Wraiths couldn’t handle one, then he would just use more.

What about five?

What about ten?

What about a hundred?

There was no need for him to worry about the number.

Ethan activated his legion formation and started summoning.

One Shadow Wraith after another appeared around him.

He kept going until there were enough for every Reaper.

"Ten each."

The Shadow Wraiths immediately spread across the battlefield, ten surrounding each Reaper.

The Reapers didn’t wait.

They charged forward, their bladed limbs tearing through the sand as they rushed toward the Shadow Wraiths.

The Shadow Wraiths moved at the same time.