The atmosphere in the combat field remained frozen after Mu Zhuoyun's confrontation. Even as he withdrew with his entourage, the damage had been done. The students could barely concentrate.
Yu Ang.
The name alone carried enough weight to crush the spirit of most first year students.
Mo Bai looked proud, as if Yu Ang's existence validated him by association.
The normal students whispered nervously.
Chen Yi and the other classmates glanced at Mo Fan like he was standing in front of a firing squad.
But Mo Fan only clenched his fists once, hiding the spark of lightning deep in his palm.
Xu Mang leaned slightly closer.
"You know this is going to get messy, right?"
Mo Fan snorted.
"Have not things always been messy since the demon teacher scammed me?"
Xu Mang chuckled under his breath.
"That is fair."
Lu Jun stepped forward, expression calm as always.
"Yu Ang targeting Mo Fan means the entire Mu Family will be watching us more closely. Be careful."
Mo Fan nodded.
Lu Mei's gaze drifted down from the stands, landing briefly on Xu Mang and Lu Jun. She had clearly sensed the change in atmosphere.
Mu Ningxue, still expressionless, turned her attention away as if none of this concerned her.
But she had paused a moment too long when looking at Mo Fan.
She knew something was off about him.
Something the Mu Family had not sensed.
Something they would regret not finding sooner.
Xue Musheng clapped loudly to regain order.
"The combat evaluation continues! Everyone, return to your groups!"
Slowly, the tension loosened.
The Combat Trial Begins
Students fought low level beasts first. Panic screams, bursts of magic, and clashing spells filled the arena.
Mo Bai displayed brutal efficiency, crushing his opponents with ice spikes.
Chen Yi barely passed.
Zhang Hou stumbled through but survived.
Lu Jun stepped forward like a calm blade of silver water.
His attacks were precise, beautiful, controlled.
Even senior instructors nodded approvingly.
Xu Mang fought his beast with zero effort, as if swatting a fly.
He did not summon Wolfie – the impossibility of bringing a Warrior beast into a novice exam would have caused chaos.
But his lightning alone was enough.
One flash.
One strike.
The controlled beast was on the ground.
The instructors exchanged glances. "…dangerous."
Mo Fan stepped up last among them.
He used fire alone.
He hid lightning perfectly.
He held back to look like a strong novice two star, nothing more.
Even then, his control and aggression made the crowd cheer.
The three boys stepped back, their scores secured.
The Unexpected Arrival
Just as the instructors prepared the next stage, the barrier formation flickered.
A terrifying aura swept across the training field.
Cold.
Sharp.
Predatory.
Students froze in place.
Teachers stiffened.
The air itself felt as though it was being carved open.
A figure with a long black trench coat stepped through the distortion. His boots made a deep echo as he approached the center of the arena.
He carried the heaviness of someone who had walked through countless battlefields and survived every one.
Zhan Kong.
Captain of the Demon Hunting Squad.
Students gasped.
Even the board members straightened in respect.
His eyes, sharp and golden, scanned the entire field in a single sweep. It felt like every student was being dissected down to their cores.
Mo Fan shivered.
Xu Mang's expression grew serious.
Lu Jun lowered his head respectfully.
Mu Bai gulped.
Zhan Kong's gaze paused briefly on three people:
Mo Fan.
Xu Mang.
Lu Jun.
His pupils narrowed almost imperceptibly.
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Interesting generation."
He turned toward Xue Musheng.
"I come with an announcement. All students who are residents of Bo City are to report to their parents immediately after the exam."
The instructors looked confused.
"Captain Zhan… what happened?"
Zhan Kong's voice was calm, but beneath it was a thunder that made even the elites tense.
"Demon activity is increasing."
The students stiffened.
"The city may face elevated danger levels. Preparations must be made."
A cold silence gripped the field.
Lu Jun swallowed hard.
Xu Mang felt Wolfie stir in the Summoning Plane, sensing danger.
Mo Fan's heart began to race.
Zhan Kong stepped back once, letting the gravity of his words settle.
"The exam will continue – but understand this. Your strength today may determine whether you survive tomorrow."
He turned and vanished into the distortion as quickly as he had arrived.
The barrier sealed behind him.
No one spoke for a long moment.
Then Xue Musheng exhaled shakily.
"Let… let us continue."
But everyone knew the truth.
This year end examination was no longer just a school event.
It was the first tremor of a coming storm.
And within that storm stood three young mages whose destinies were already shifting—
Mo Fan with his hidden lightning.
Xu Mang with his rising frost crowned Wolfie.
Lu Jun with the White Tiger's legacy pulsing in his veins.
Bo City was changing.
And this generation would either rise with it…
or be swallowed whole.