The tough silk ropes stretched tightly between two massive boulders, forming an enormous web-like trap.
Zhao Mu gritted his teeth and pulled backward with all his strength.
Every muscle in his body tensed.
The silk cords groaned under the strain as they stored more and more force.
When the tension reached its limit, Zhao Mu released everything at once.
Bang!
His body shot forward like an arrow launched from a giant bow.
The sudden acceleration sent him soaring high into the air.
Wind roared past his ears.
Below him stood the Beast King—a towering monster nearly ten meters tall, its massive frame struggling against the restraints that bound it.
At that moment, Zhao Mu's eyes were calm.
Focused.
Determined.
His right hand reached behind him and grasped the weapon he trusted most.
The Silver Sword.
A first-grade Jinhai weapon with a synchronization rate of ninety-two percent.
The blade immediately responded to his will.
Spiritual Ability surged into it like a raging river.
In an instant, brilliant silver light erupted from the sword.
The weapon shone like a moon descending from the heavens.
Its dazzling radiance illuminated the battlefield.
Everyone watching below held their breath.
This was Zhao Mu's final strike.
His strongest attack.
The finishing move of the Gentle Wind and Fine Rain Sword Technique.
Soul-Severing Night of Wind and Rain.
The Beast King sensed danger.
Its instincts screamed at it.
Death was approaching.
It desperately tried to turn around.
Unfortunately, the restraints still bound its body tightly.
Its unusual physique made matters worse.
Unlike ordinary creatures, it possessed almost no neck.
Its head seemed buried directly into its shoulders.
Turning around was an awkward and painfully slow process.
That delay was fatal.
Zhao Mu descended from above like a meteor.
The silver sword flashed through the sky.
At first, the blade pointed forward.
Then, midway through the attack, it abruptly changed direction.
Like a crescent moon falling from the heavens, it plunged downward.
Straight toward the Beast King's skull.
The monster roared in terror.
It immediately gathered its Spiritual Ability around its head.
A thick layer of protective energy appeared.
It hoped to withstand the attack.
But Zhao Mu wasn't worried.
Because he knew something the Beast King did not.
The Silver Sword wasn't an ordinary weapon.
It had been forged from the claws and fangs of a Silver Wolf.
Its unique ability was simple.
Sharpness.
Absolute sharpness.
Silver Wolves were famous for their offensive power.
Even creatures with far higher Combat Levels feared their bites.
The sword inherited that terrifying characteristic.
Zhao Mu gripped the hilt with both hands.
His eyes blazed with determination.
"Break!"
He poured every remaining ounce of strength into the attack.
Crack!
The protective Spiritual Ability shattered instantly.
The blade pierced through the defense as though it didn't exist.
The next moment—
Crunch!
The sword penetrated the Beast King's skull.
The meter-long blade disappeared completely.
Only the hilt remained visible.
The enormous monster froze.
The battlefield became silent.
Everyone stared in shock.
The Remnant Beast's body trembled violently.
Its massive arms twitched.
Its legs shook.
For a brief moment, it seemed as though the creature might somehow survive.
Then Zhao Mu twisted the sword.
The blade stirred everything inside.
The Beast King's brain was destroyed completely.
The Remnant Beast let out one final scream.
A short.
Desperate.
Pitiful cry.
Then silence followed.
Boom!
Its enormous body crashed to the ground like a collapsing mountain.
The earth shook violently.
Dust billowed into the air.
The battle was over.
The Beast King was dead.
Zhao Mu landed lightly beside the corpse.
His face had become pale.
Every drop of Spiritual Ability within him had been exhausted.
His body felt heavy.
His muscles ached.
Even standing required effort.
Yet none of that mattered.
They had won.
To be absolutely certain, Zhao Mu grasped the hilt and twisted the sword a few more times before finally pulling it free.
A mixture of blood and pale matter followed the blade.
The sight was unpleasant.
But compared to what he had witnessed during Boot Camp, it was nothing.
Zhao Mu took a long breath.
A smile slowly appeared on his face.
"We won."
The words were quiet.
Yet they carried immense weight.
For a few seconds, nobody reacted.
The victory felt unreal.
Then everyone finally accepted the truth.
The Beast King was truly dead.
"Yeah!"
A thunderous cheer erupted.
"We actually did it!"
"Oh my God!"
"We killed a Combat Level 30 Beast King!"
"This is insane!"
Many students screamed excitedly.
Some laughed.
Others cried.
Several simply collapsed onto the ground in relief.
After all, they had entered the battle prepared for casualties.
Yet somehow they had achieved complete victory.
Not a single person had died.
Not a single serious injury had occurred.
The achievement was unbelievable.
Zhang Yuan covered her mouth and smiled brightly.
"Zhao Mu is incredible."
Nearby, Jin Xiangcheng's eyes were red.
Tears streamed down his face.
"That's my Ember Remains..."
He pointed toward the silver sword.
"Why does he use it better than I ever could?"
The scene filled him with complicated emotions.
At the same time, Shen Moran remained silent.
Her head lowered.
Her fists clenched tightly.
Something inside her hurt.
The spotlight should have belonged to her.
That was how things were supposed to be.
She possessed superior talent.
A higher Combat Level.
Better starting conditions.
Yet once again, Zhao Mu had stolen everyone's attention.
An E-rank Talent.
An Awakening Combat Level of only one.
By all logic, he should have been ordinary.
Yet he continued accomplishing impossible feats.
Shen Moran hated the feeling growing inside her chest.
Regret.
No.
She immediately rejected the thought.
She had made the correct choice.
Even if she could return to the past, she would make the same decision again.
Yet...
Why did it feel as though she had lost something precious?
Why did watching Zhao Mu succeed make her feel so uncomfortable?
She couldn't answer those questions.
Meanwhile, Mo Guanguan had already rushed toward the Beast King's corpse.
Her eyes sparkled.
"Wow!"
She immediately activated her custom electronic wristband and began taking photos.
Compared to the standard models everyone else used, hers looked significantly more advanced.
After taking several pictures, she turned toward Zhao Mu.
Her ponytail swayed proudly behind her.
"Zhao Mu!"
She crossed her arms and raised her chin.
"I admit you're pretty amazing."
Then she paused dramatically.
"But compared to me, you're still a tiny bit inferior."
Several nearby students rolled their eyes.
Only Mo Guanguan could say something like that immediately after witnessing Zhao Mu kill a Combat Level 30 Beast King.
She pointed proudly at herself.
"However, you've officially earned this young lady's approval."
Zhao Mu laughed.
The excitement from battle gradually faded.
"Then I should feel honored."
"Obviously!"
Mo Guanguan nodded seriously.
"There aren't many people worthy of receiving my approval."
"You should be celebrating."
Everyone around them burst into laughter.
The tense atmosphere immediately lightened.
Meng Qiuqiu suddenly spread his arms and charged toward the corpse.
"Wahahaha!"
"This is my first real trophy!"
He jumped onto the Beast King's body.
"I'm sending pictures to my dad immediately!"
His actions inspired everyone else.
Soon students surrounded the corpse from every direction.
Photos.
Poses.
Celebration.
The Beast King's body became the center of attention.
For Spirit Power Users still at the beginning of their journeys, this battle would remain one of the most unforgettable experiences of their lives.
Mo Guanguan eventually dragged Zhao Mu over.
"Take a picture for me."
She struck a cute pose beside the Beast King.
"And make sure I look good."
"Got it."
Click.
Click.
Click.
After reviewing the pictures, Mo Guanguan nodded with satisfaction.
"Not bad."
Then she handed the wristband to Zhao Mu.
"Your turn."
Zhao Mu hesitated.
Who should receive the photo?
His parents?
Friends?
Classmates?
Then a familiar figure appeared in his mind.
Golden armor.
A long spear.
A woman standing beneath the night sky like a goddess of war.
Bu Yanhuan.
The person who had raised him for ten years.
The person who had changed his fate.
A faint smile appeared on Zhao Mu's face.
Without hesitation, he posed beside the Beast King's corpse.
The picture was taken.
Then he immediately sent it.
Along with a short message.
"First time fighting something this big."
"Combat Level 30."
"Not bad, right?"
After sending it, Zhao Mu looked toward the distant horizon.
He wondered how she was doing.
Since her departure, they hadn't communicated often.
Neither of them enjoyed meaningless conversation.
Yet distance had never weakened their bond.
Far away, in the southeastern territories of the Xuanfeng Empire, another battlefield had only recently fallen silent.
Broken weapons littered the ground.
Smoke drifted through the air.
Soldiers moved among the corpses, cleaning up the aftermath of battle.
At the center of it all stood Bu Yanhuan.
Golden armor covered her body.
The Thunder-Chirping Musket rested on her shoulder.
Fresh blood stained both weapon and armor.
She had been preparing to wash away the evidence of another hard-fought battle when her wristband vibrated.
Her expression immediately changed.
Very few people occupied the highest priority contact list.
Military Headquarters.
And one troublesome brat.
A faint smile appeared on her face.
She opened the message.
A holographic image appeared.
There stood Zhao Mu.
Smiling awkwardly.
Posing proudly beside a gigantic Beast King.
The message floated beneath the image.
"First time fighting a big guy."
"Combat Level 30."
"Not bad, right?"
For a moment, Bu Yanhuan simply stared.
The little boy she once protected had grown stronger.
Far stronger than before.
Pride filled her heart.
Yet she would never admit it openly.
Instead, she snorted.
"Brat."
"Showing off already?"
Her smile widened despite herself.
Then she quickly typed a response.
"So-so."
"You still have a long way to go."
After sending the message, she looked up at the darkening sky.
The corners of her lips remained raised.
No matter how dangerous the battlefield became.
No matter how far apart they were.
The boy she had raised was growing into someone remarkable.
And that was enough.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)