The following few tests were a blur.

Death by 1000 cuts is a popular curse that is spouted to those who deserve to die a slow and painful death. But I didn't think that they would actually do it to me. They started with a sheet of paper, and once that stopped working, they moved on to knives, and once that stopped working, they moved on to enchanted blades.

Even with a piece of paper, if they applied more force, they probably would have broken my skin with their higher stats, but they allowed their weapon of choice to do the work for them. They wouldn't let me heal myself until a 1000 cuts were covering my flesh. At this point, I was just tempted to say enough and leave.

They must have sensed my small amount of frustration because they allowed me to meet up with my tamed beasts that they had kept somewhere.

Rain really liked Rob. She gave him a goody bag filled with things that she would not let me know the contents of until after my tests were over. All I know is that she definitely gave him a gun. He was practicing his fighting techniques on some training dummies nonstop.

Duchess was training her mind magic. She wouldn't tell me what exactly she was doing, but I know she was trying to make more spells. I made a mental note to find out some mind spells that Duchess could take inspiration from on the Internet. Master Wang has a bunch of exotic animals on the other side of his compound. Unfortunately for them, they are now guinea pigs for Duchess’ spell weaving.

I don't know what Flash Gordon was doing for the past day, but it seems that just prolonged exposure to this area is giving him a healthy glow. I asked Master Wang about this and he said that there's a formation surrounding this entire courtyard. He wouldn't tell me what it did or get into any deeper details so I dropped the subject. That wasn't enough. He ended my break.

~ Test 10

The next test wasn't that bad, but I felt like it was just an excuse for them to blindfold me and throw rocks at me. The perception test was testing my ability to anticipate an attack rather than dodge or block it. I had trouble at the beginning and after I started getting used to it they started increasing the pace and power they used to throw the rocks. At no point was I not feeling pain from the stones being thrown. They mostly aimed for my head or crotch.

When they believed I had a satisfactory score, they moved on to the next test.

~ Test 11 & 12

The hammer test was very straightforward. They just hit me with a hammer for a while until they decided they were done. At this point, the mana I need to heal these types of wounds is getting less and less, so I could last for a longer amount of time and heal more grievous wounds.

The next test however was really hard on me. They kept passing volts and milliamps through my body. Think they figured out my uncanny resistance gain because at this point they are just seeing how much electricity I could take before it starts to seriously hurt. Then they would lower it down until it didn't hurt anymore. They keep doing that over and over again. I asked them how far they were going and they wanted to go as strong as a lightning bolt coursing through my veins.

I tried the veto that idea because that would take such a ridiculously long time at this slow pace. Plus if you get struck by lightning, you're most likely not taking the full brunt of it since electricity tends to diffuse itself into the ground or the surroundings.

They actually listened to my idea, and instead of how high they could take the electricity, they decided on how long I could take it. I had to constantly heal my heart and brain to keep myself from going under cardiac arrest or just simply passing out. I don't know how long this test went on, but it felt the longest. Even longer than the flamethrower, or the "literacy" test.

The day ended with me going to bed with my hair still filled with static electricity. I don't even know if that is scientifically accurate. I ignored all the glaring issues I had with my decision to come here and just went to bed.

~ Test 13

I was awakened to rattlesnakes and scorpions. My next test started in my bed; apparently, it was to get stung/bit by venomous creatures.

I was more upset that they cut into my sleep rather than getting stung. My time here may be affecting my mind. I completed the test with relative ease. Although poison and venom are very different things, they essentially boiled down to the same component. A harmful substance that damages the body internally. Since my body doesn't really care about the means of delivery of harmful substances, My previous experience with the poison managed to make this experience more annoying than life-threatening. I'm just glad these are F-Rank creatures and nothing crazy.

They told me after the fact it was a courage test and I passed. I don't know if that is the case. I'll take any win under my belt at this point. The sooner I complete all 16 tests, the sooner that entire thing will end.

~ Test 14

I only have 3 tests left and this is the last day that I can complete them. The 14th test that they put in front of me was for me to forge something using my bare hands. They allowed me to use tongs for the furnace hope besides that I have nothing else.

I started with a scrap of iron. I have no idea how to forge. I just heated the damn thing until I thought it was hot enough, then took it out with my tongs and put it on to an anvil. I use my bare hands to punch and mold it into a shape. I could've gone for a weapon like a knife or something more delicate like jewelry but I decided to know my limits and make an ashtray.

It came out misshapen and Master Wang called it a bar of soap holder for the shower. I don't know if those exist. He does not care about what I made, but the fact that I went through with making it.

The heat was scorching and unbearable. I thought my flesh was gonna melt to the iron. It had to stay hot enough for it to be malleable but not too hot where I couldn't even touch it at all. It almost burnt down to my bones but I just healed myself and kept back at it.

~ Test 15

Master Wang said the second to the last test is going to be the second hardest test. He walks me to the middle of a dojo that's in his house and sits me down.

“Disciple, you have come a long way, and I admire your perseverance. To be honest, we have been going harder than we should have since we've noticed that you can take anything we throw at you.

That pisses me off.

“But for this test, we are going to keep it the standard that we would have done for any of the disciples that have gone this far.”

“…”

“This test is called the bone breaker. As your master, it is my job to be the 1st one to break your body.”

!!!

“Now hold still disciple, I don't want to accidentally kill you.”

~ Final Test

That fucking piece of human trash broke every bone in my body at least once. It was such a fast and violent experience, that I couldn’t even heal myself. Rain had to come in after Master Wang was finished and put me in a full-body cast before I could heal my wounds. If I started healing preemptively, I was afraid that a bone wouldn't heal correctly and It would need to be broken and reset.

When I met back up with Master Wang in the dojo, I was staring daggers at him. He saw but didn't care about my feelings.

“Sit down disciple, for your final test will be upon you. The hardest one a martial practitioner can do, and the hardest test of the series of tests that you just went through.”

I gulp.

“Here it is, disciple.”

I wait anxiously for the reveal, will I be sent off into the wilderness to live with wolves for the next month? Will I be forced off into a fracture and have to claw my way back home? What if it’s something supremely fucked up like having to execute an innocent civilian.

“Here is a written exam you will have to complete.”

“…”

“Only a handful of people have made it this far, and all of them failed at this final test. To truly prove that you are deserving of being the successor of the Martial Way of the Broken Body. You must get a passing grade.”

“...”

“It covers topics ranging from math to monster biology. It will be a difficult journey but fret not. Half of the questions are multiple-choice and the essay about environmental welfare only has to be two pages.

“...”