Chapter 1600: Climbing the Impossible Wall The sheer scale of the final test, a smooth, dizzyingly high wall, elicited uneasy murmurs from the assembled participants. The challenge immediately struck fear into the hearts of many, and even the supposedly elite members of the Rock Guild viewed the impossible climbing wall as an exceptionally hard task. Their faces, usually composed, now showed obvious strain and calculation. "You need exceptional grip strength, impeccable balance, incredible overall body strength, instantaneous agility, and relentless endurance just to clear the first half," Siz commented. "It’s designed almost as if all of the previous tests, the endurance run, the strength trial, the agility course, have been combined into one brutal, exhausting assessment. And with how soon this is happening after the last few tests, which already pushed us to our limits, it’s really going to test our fundamental physical capacity and willpower now." The Rock Guild members quickly broke formation, huddling together to conduct a frantic, last-minute discussion about strategy. They knew what the traditional final part of the assessment was, and it was a form of combat where their collective strength would offer little advantage. They needed to secure every point possible now. "We need to capitalize on our combined numerical strength from the very beginning to get a definitive head start," Oppo declared. "Just like we successfully did with the first test, we can block the rivals from the very top, maybe even strategically break sections of the hand-holds and path to make it harder for them to climb and maintain their progress." He surveyed his comrades and pointed directly to one of their most naturally agile and stealthy members. "Fenix, you are our best climber. Your job is critical: stay precisely behind the main group. If you have to, use whatever means necessary to pull them down, slow them, or force them to fall." The Rock Guild members exchanged firm, resolute nods. They were reasonably pleased with the tactical, albeit ruthless, plan they had devised, believing it was their last hope for group success. The fifty participants were instructed to line up immediately in front of the colossal wall. It spanned a significant distance, wide enough to allow every contestant their own unique starting position without crowding. However, a quick scan confirmed what the veterans already suspected: not all sections of the wall were structurally equal. If any contestant wanted to find a reliable path to the summit, they would be required to move laterally across sections of the wall, searching for better holds, rather than just climbing directly up. The rest of the contestants assumed, perhaps naïvely, that the assessors would be taking this unevenness into account when calculating the final scores. "Alright, everyone! It’s time to prove yourselves. Today is the final chance to show your worth!" the assessor boomed, his voice amplified across the practice grounds. "BEGIN!" 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚 Oppo wasted no time. He turned his head slightly, his mouth forming a confident grin as he reached up and placed his hand on the wall, preparing his body to climb. He glanced over to where he expected to see his chief rivals starting, preparing to track their ascent, but then he halted. He blinked once, hard, then twice. "Where... where are they?" Oppo muttered in genuine confusion, scanning the starting line. It wasn’t just a single person missing; the entire trio of Gary, Lupus, and Kai were gone from the ground. That’s when the realization hit him, seeing that every single participant, from the sluggish climbers to the stunned assessors, had their heads thrown back, staring straight up the vast expanse of the wall. "What in the world!" Oppo gasped, forgetting his own starting position. Gary, Lupus, and Kai were already scaling the wall at an unbelievable, incredible speed. They were latching onto the almost invisible grips and moving along the path with such fluid, effortless grace that it looked as if they were literally just crawling on a flat floor. They moved with the economy of trained spiders, their limbs barely needing support. "What the heck are those guys, are they even human?" Siz exclaimed, his voice tinged with both admiration and shock. The sight jolted him into action. He knew he couldn’t afford to hang around staring. He quickly pulled himself up onto the wall, the sheer shock granting him a slight, desperate head start over the rest of the disorganized pack. Only now were the remaining participants beginning their climb, their minds reeling. When they did begin to climb, they were even more amazed as they watched the three leaders rapidly getting further and further ahead, reducing themselves to tiny, distant specks near the top. "I thought this was going to be easy when the three of them did it, but how were they able to climb this thing so incredibly fast? This defies all sense of human physics!" one participant yelled, his muscles already straining with the initial effort. A few ambitious individuals even tried to follow the exact, specific path the trio had taken, despite only seeing it for a moment. But where Gary and the others had moved, there were holes and grips barely large enough for a few fingertips, holds that seemed utterly impossible to utilize. The others struggled, wondering how they were meant to pull their entire body weight up on such precarious and fragile holds. The three leaders were driven by a unique internal motivation. Seeing the impossible wall had instantly reminded them of the fierce, grueling race they had once run against Steve to climb the mountain. They had all, humbling, lost that previous race, and they now instinctively viewed this assessment as a chance for some highly competitive, friendly competition among themselves. This focused, singular objective was why they were climbing with such frightening, singular speed. As they continued their rapid, coordinated ascent, they reached the very top in record time. But scaling the wall was only the first half of the test; they now needed to make their descent. Just as they reached about a quarter of the way back down on the other side, Gary abruptly decided to do something. He simply let go of the wall. He dropped, plummeting through the air before landing perfectly on the ground below, absorbing the entire impact with a smooth, fluid motion that showcased his innate control over his body. He had, indisputably, won the race. "Sometimes, you just have to use your head a little bit and think outside the box," Gary commented with a casual shrug, dusting off his gear as if he’d just finished a pleasant stroll. Kai and Lupus, seeing their friend’s success, immediately followed his lead, dropping and landing beside him a moment later. "You really think you have the right to say that, after all the spectacular things you’ve pulled in your life. " Kai countered, though his tone was light and teasing. The three waited patiently for the final results. It was undeniably clear to everyone that out of every physical test and challenge conducted so far, they had come out comprehensively on top of them all. In the end, the Rock Guild couldn’t execute any part of their planned sabotage; they had been too stunned and demoralized by the sheer, overwhelming spectacle of the trio’s unmatched performance. Only Siz, fueled by his early lead and stubborn resolve, managed to secure the second-fastest time, finishing quickest out of everyone else still climbing. "Alright, everyone," the assessor finally announced, managing to regain his composure despite the shocking display. "Your physical assessment is now complete. And now, the true final test begins. That is sparring with your weapon of choice!" **** ** For updates on MWS and future works, follow me on my social media below. Instagram: jksmanga P.a.t.r.e.o.n: jksmanga When news drops about My Vampire System, My Werewolf System, or any other series, you’ll hear it there first. Feel free to reach out, if I’m not too busy, I tend to reply.