C6 Choice 19

With a muffled "pfft," Lin Yuan's abdomen took another hit. Luckily, the double-edged spear was slightly off-target, grazing past his waist instead of impaling him. Had it not, he would have been gutted for sure.

Lin Yuan felt at his limit. His physical strength couldn't be replenished quickly enough, and waves of darkness began to cloud his vision. In hindsight, he regretted using the Forward Charge; he would have been better off playing it safe, sticking to the sidelines and fighting there.

Killing monsters more slowly was one thing, but safety was another—he hadn't anticipated the toll his skills would take on his body.

Another "bang!" and his head reeled from the impact of a wooden stick. Running on fumes, Lin Yuan mustered what strength he had left and swung his machete mechanically in front of him.

A Goblin, too slow to evade, was sliced by the blade, clutching its neck as it collapsed. A black aura seeped from its body, quickly merging with Lin Yuan's.

"Race: Human; Level: Dark Iron Fifth Rank."

With the appearance of this information, Lin Yuan's strength was miraculously restored. A surge of power coursed through him, the might of the Dark Iron Fifth Rank equating to the strength of twenty-five men.

"Hahahaha, the heavens favor me yet!" Lin Yuan's eyes sparkled with renewed vigor. He parried the double-edged spear with his left arm and brought his Zhanmadao down with a ferocious chop.

"Pfft!" The third Goblin captain was cleaved in two.

Forward Charge!

Lin Yuan barreled into the midst of the elite archers.

"Kill!"

His blade whirled, felling seven elite archers in quick succession. Without pausing, Lin Yuan turned and charged into the swarm of Goblins, flinging aside the cumbersome iron plate. With both hands on his blade, he laughed heartily as he cut them down.

The clamor of battle crescendoed before dwindling down, eventually fading to silence.

Lin Yuan slowly withdrew his Zhanmadao as the final Goblin captain fell, clutching his belly.

He flicked his blade, casting off the blood, and smiled broadly. Now a Seventh Rank Dark Iron, he wielded the strength of thirty-five men!

In his past life, it had taken a year to reach the Seventh Rank of Dark Iron. But today, in just half a day, not only had he achieved this rank, but he had also acquired a skill. The start of his journey was worlds apart from his previous life.

Upon sheathing his Zhanmadao, Lin Yuan inspected it closely. The blade, forged from hundred-refined steel, was riddled with notches, the deepest of which nearly reached a third of the blade's width. Lin Yuan's brow furrowed in concern; the sword was on the brink of becoming useless.

It was a pity that his forging skills from his past life were gone; otherwise, he could have restored it.

In that life, Lin Yuan had managed to survive five treacherous years, largely thanks to his forging abilities. Without them, even basic survival would have been in jeopardy.

Surveying the corpse-strewn parking lot, Lin Yuan pondered for a moment before heading toward the exhibition hall.

Advancing from Seventh to Eighth Rank required the defeat of over seven hundred ordinary Goblins, and from Eighth to Ninth Rank, nearly fifteen hundred. To reach the Tenth Rank, the numbers doubled.

To ascend to the Tenth Rank, he'd need to eliminate nearly half of the Goblin army. Although Lin Yuan was already a Seventh Rank Dark Iron, charging in headfirst would be suicidal.

Based on his memories from the previous life, the Goblin army would begin their withdrawal tomorrow. Comprised of several tribal vanguards, they would retreat to the forest in waves before ten o'clock. That was his final opportunity!

En route, Lin Yuan encountered and effortlessly dispatched two Goblin patrols, then made his way back to the exhibition hall, where he found the remaining students gathered, including Young Master Soong.

"Follow me. There are over ten Goblins in the neighboring auditorium. Your survival in this world is now in your own hands."

With that, Lin Yuan turned to leave, but Lee Xia's voice halted him.

"Lin, Lin Yuan, why are there so many monsters in the school? What's happened? Do you know?"

The rest of the group crowded around, their faces etched with fear. The once peaceful campus had transformed into a nightmarish battlefield overrun by monsters, as surreal as a dream.

"I have some idea, but this isn't the time for explanations. Grab your belongings and head to the auditorium. I'll fill you in after we've dealt with the situation."

With those final words, Lin Yuan strode away.

The rest of the group quickly caught up, with Yang Yang and Lee Xia supporting Young Master Soong as they followed suit.

Upon reaching the auditorium entrance, Lin Yuan casually passed the Zhanmadao to a male student before addressing everyone, "Stay here. I'll call you in once I've taken care of things." With a clench of his fists and a crackle of his joints, Lin Yuan entered the auditorium with an unreadable expression.

The seven left behind exchanged glances, choosing to remain silent. There was a palpable tension emanating from Lin Yuan now, instilling a sense of fear in them.

"Class monitor, is that really Lin Yuan? How could he have changed so drastically in just a few hours?" Liu Sanli scratched his face and asked Lee Xia in a low voice.

Lee Xia nodded, then hesitated with a shake of her head. "Yes, that's Lin Yuan, but I can't explain why he's so different."

"It's probably because he's killed a lot of monsters," Young Master Soong commented, his tone laced with oddity.

The rest turned to Young Master Soong as one. He simply shrugged and explained, "After I killed some monsters, this black substance seeped into my body, enhancing my strength and speed. Once I had defeated three monsters, my physical condition improved significantly. Then, a voice in my head declared that I had reached First Rank Dark Iron."

The group was left bewildered by Young Master Soong's account. The idea that slaying monsters could empower them and trigger mysterious voices was alien to the world they knew. "Is this really our world? Can we ever go back home?" Liu Sanli's voice shook as he struggled with the thought of his family possibly facing similar horrors, staring at his phone that showed no signs of life.

No one had an answer; they were all lost in their own concerns, fretting over their safety and that of their loved ones.

"Everyone, come in!" Lin Yuan emerged from the auditorium, wiping his hands clean of blood with a tablecloth and gesturing towards the interior. "I've taken care of the fourteen Goblins inside. There are two for each of you. Whether or not you gain abilities is now up to fate."

Lee Xia and the others entered the auditorium in silence to find the goblins contorted and strewn across the floor in grotesque positions, resembling dolls mangled by mischievous children.

"Class monitor, you're up first," Lin Yuan said, drawing the Rapier from his back and offering it to Lee Xia.

Lee Xia grasped the rapier and, without a moment's hesitation, plunged it into the writhing goblin!

Lin Yuan gave a slight nod of approval. Despite being a woman, Lee Xia's decisiveness was no less than a man's. Her skill in killing, though, was a bit too enthusiastic.

"Hey, squad leader, poking at his belly isn't going to do much."

Lin Yuan pinned the goblin's head under his foot and motioned towards its neck.

"Aim here. In battle, aim to kill with a single strike and don't leave your enemy any chance to strike back."

"Pfft!" Lee Xia didn't wait for Lin Yuan to finish; her rapier came slashing down!

Green blood gushed as the goblin's head separated from its body.

"..."

Lin Yuan, who had swiftly dodged five meters away, had a twitch in his smile. This lady was fierce, nearly hacking at his own leg.

"This sensation is incredible."

Lee Xia, clutching her right arm, trembled as she spoke.

"Finish this one off too. I need to feel that again."

Without a word, Lin Yuan kicked another goblin towards her, and Lee Xia delivered another swift cut to its neck!

"How does it feel?"

"I feel so powerful. It's truly exhilarating!"

With shining eyes, Lee Xia advanced towards the remaining goblins. Lin Yuan smirked and wrested the rapier from her grip.

"This belongs to someone else. If you're itching for a thrill, go find your own kills!"