Monday, May 25, 675, at 8:45 AM.
The refreshing breeze of Jeju Island brushed through the students' hair, bringing with it a sense of comfort and tranquility.
The island was brimming with life energy—enough to dispel the negative energy dwelling in their hearts and amplify the positive energy within, granting them a profound sense of mental ease.
One student muttered, his voice filled with relief:
"Jeju Island would be the perfect retreat for mental and psychological restoration, were it not for the more than 300 million dungeons of various ranks scattered about! Even though there are currently 'only' 246 million dungeons—half of which remain unopened, with no sign of ever opening—the place is still incredibly dangerous!"
"Haa... Jeju Island is like a paradise set right in the middle of hell!"
A sigh of frustration escaped another student. Jeju Island was the ideal location for them to recover their depleted mental strength and heal their spirits from any injuries sustained, thanks to a Rank 9 'Life Gu' that permeated the island's land with life energy.
Furthermore, there was a Rank 9 'Time Gu' that accelerated the flow of time on the island fourfold; in other words, twelve days spent on the island were equivalent to just three days in the outside world.
For this reason, the island served as one of the best places for practicing the refinement and fusion of Gu—not only because of its abundant life energy, but also because time itself flowed there at a significantly faster pace than usual. The students on Jigua Island felt a profound sense of ease, remaining entirely unconcerned by the gazes of the people across the five continents fixed upon them.
As they roamed the island, they encountered several waves of monsters—ranging from Rank C to Rank A—mere minutes after entering the dungeons.
Yet, the students of Versalkin Academy faced no significant difficulty in combat. This was due to their prior expeditions into high-rank dungeons, their rigorous training, and the demanding missions they had routinely undertaken at the academy.
Consequently, dungeons ranging from Rank A to Rank SSS proved to be, at most, of moderate difficulty for them.
In the southeastern region of one of the continents, a group of 45 first-year students—comprising 23 from the Regular Class, 12 from the Elite Class, and 10 from the Legendary Class—was engaged in battle against a wave of monsters that had emerged from an SS-rank dungeon.
Despite the overwhelming number of monsters—nearly three thousand in total—the students remained unfazed by the massive numerical disparity. In fact, they were brimming with excitement!
Thanks to the "Life Gu" and "Time Gu," they felt remarkably refreshed, noting a significant boost in their energy recovery rates.
However, these advantages did not come without a price.
Upon leaving Jigua Island, they would effectively lose nine days of their own lifespans. Yet, even upon learning this, they remained largely unperturbed. The lifespans of the "Awakened" in this world span thousands of years; thus, a mere nine days would have no significant impact on their lives.
"You filth—taste my blade!"
One of the students shouted with fervor, cleaving through ten monsters in a single stroke, as if it required no effort at all.
Warm blood splattered across his clothes and face, yet he paid it no mind.
He then turned toward another group of monsters, a chilling grin spreading across his face. He unleashed several blades of energy, which hissed as they tore through the air.
*Slash... slash... slash...*
Dozens of monsters fell dead at his hands, offering barely any resistance—a fact that only served to further inflate his arrogance.
His gaze then shifted toward a colossal beast—a black lion standing twelve meters tall.
A cold smile touched his lips, while a frigid green glow emanated from his eyes.
Gripping his sword in an offensive stance, he muttered, his voice dripping with conceit:
"The dungeon boss will be a fine prize. Killing it will earn me a massive haul of achievement points!"
A pale blue aura surged from his body as he locked eyes with the SS-rank dungeon boss.
The boss fixed its crimson-glowing eyes upon him and let out a thunderous roar that shook the entire area.
"RAAAAAAAARGH!" A five-meter stretch of ground was transformed into a two-meter-deep crater by the sheer force of the roar.
Following this, the lion lunged toward the student—whose expression remained entirely unchanged.
As the beast drew near, a cunning smile flickered across the student's face. He whispered, barely audibly:
"Art of Heaven and Earth: Second Form—Flower of Hope!"
With a fluid, effortless motion, the student swung his sword just as the lion—radiating an intense killing intent—leapt toward him.
A sharp, swift sound cut through the air.
*Slash!*
The dungeon boss came to a halt twelve paces away. It stood motionless for several seconds before its body split in two, each half collapsing in a different direction.
Blood erupted into the air like a fountain, accompanied by internal organs, undigested food, and waste—all spilling out from its stomach and intestines.
The scene was both terrifying and repulsive, made all the more visceral by the pungent stench of blood and the foul remains of the creature's final meal.
Several students turned their gaze toward the youth—a member of the 'Legend' class—their faces etched with clear admiration.
"Wow! Edward Brezik is incredibly strong! He's one of the most gifted students to qualify for the second year!"
"So what? Have you forgotten about Armin and Tom? They're both commoners, yet they achieved perfect scores! They're among the strongest in the 'Elite' class—in fact, they're even more powerful than most students in the 'Legend' class!" .........
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A sigh, heavy with annoyance and fury, escaped Edward's lips as he listened to the students talking.
Though he longed to beat them to death, he found himself forced to admit that what they were saying was true.He hails from a noble family and, as a student in the "Class of Legends," receives training resources, potions, and refinement pills ranging from the ninth rank to the legendary tier.
As for the others, they only have access to resources of the seventh and eighth ranks.
Therefore, the speed of their progression can only mean one thing: they possess exceptional, unparalleled talent!
Edward gathered his scattered thoughts and muttered under his breath, a faint smile playing on his lips:
"Status!"
A system interface—glowing in a blend of blue, red, and pale yellow—appeared before him, displaying his current statistics.
[Name: Edward]
[Family Name: Edward-Brezik]
[Age: 16]
[Incarnations:
- Perfected Sacred Void Emperor Body (Zhao Jin-Wu)
- Ideal Celestial Body - Divine Elemental Body.]
[Primary Wing: The Great Void — Locked]
[Wing Type: Sub-wing]
[Secondary Wing: Wing of Benediction]
[Synchronization Rate: 75%]
[Wing Type: Sub-wing]
[Title: None]
[Occupation: Student at Versalkin Academy]
[Talent: ????]
[Kono Rank: Demonic Sovereign — High, Intermediate]
[Mana Rank: MA∞]
[Refinement Rank: Ninth Stage — Transcendent: World-Crossing Entity]
[Gu Rank: Level Eight — Intermediate]
[Wall Points: 135,465]
[Contribution Points: 3,000,000]
A satisfied smile appeared on Edward's face as he gazed at his status window.
Had anyone else seen these statistics, they would have died from the sheer shock. He possessed one of those rare physiques that emerge only once every few centuries—the "Zao Li" body—which grants its bearer extraordinary talent in the realm of cultivation. Furthermore, he held the Dantian Roots and the Perfect Sacred Body—a combination rarely seen throughout history, bestowing upon its possessor absolute talent and power that is nearly impossible to contend with.
Even more astonishingly, he possessed all of these, coupled with a system that allowed him to level up!
His luck was, quite literally and blatantly, defying the heavens.
Yet, he remained composed, smiling in contentment at his one-of-a-kind fortune. As Edward assessed his current level and planned his future moves—such as obtaining a spirit ring crafted from a forest spirit tree that dated back billions of years, to the era of Alessandra and Zhao Li—a series of system notifications appeared, causing his smile to stretch from ear to ear.
[Midterm Exam Questline, Task 1: Participate in the midterm exam on Jeju Island — Completed.]
[Reward for Midterm Exam Questline, Task 1 (Participate in the midterm exam on Jeju Island):
54 Achievement Points; all stats increased by 5.]
[Midterm Exam Questline, Task 2: Reach Jeju Island — Completed.]
[Reward for Midterm Exam Questline, Task 2 (Reach Jeju Island):
35 Achievement Points, 3 Grade-VI Cultivation Enhancement Potions, and 2 Grade-VIII Healing Potions.]
[Midterm Exam Questline, Task 3: Clear an SS-rank dungeon — Completed.]
[Reward for Midterm Exam Questline, Task 3 (Clear an SS-rank dungeon):
An SS-rank Beast Mana Stone and a Saint-rank Beast Master's Robe.]
Edward stored the quest rewards in his personal dimensional space. He was well aware of what they were; while he had no immediate need for them—nor any expected need in the near future—he understood that the future is inherently unpredictable. Nevertheless, a look of bewilderment crossed his face as he gazed at the entries for the "Blessing Wing" and the "Great Void Wing"—the latter of which had remained locked until now.
Furthermore, the System refused to answer his questions, no matter how hard he tried, citing his level as still being too low.
But what surprised him most was what happened when he activated the Blessing Wing for the first time—after completing a mission assigned by the System to locate the corpse of a member of the Kathali family.
He discovered that activating this wing granted him the same effect that members of the great ducal houses, as well as certain major sects and clans, experienced when tapping into the "blessing" of a specific entity—a blessing originally bestowed upon a group of humans by Normana.
This led him to a single conclusion:
"There is something hidden from the eyes of the inhabitants of this world, and I shall soon discover what it is."
Edward muttered to himself, then dismissed the System window.
He turned his gaze toward the students around him, a smile as cold as winter frost spreading across his face.
At that very moment, a System window appeared, announcing a new mission.
[Mission 4 of the Midterm Exam Questline:
Eliminate 44 students from Verselkin Academy, drawn from the three classes: Ordinary, Elite, and Legendary.
Ordinary Class students: 23.
Kills: 0/23.
Elite Class students: 12.
Kills: 0/12.
Legendary Class students: 10.
Kills: 0/10.
Mission Duration: 1 hour.] Penalty: A heavenly ordeal, a hundred times more intense than a standard one, with an 89% chance of death.
Reward: A dungeon key (Rank XXX+) and a treasure map.]
Edward stared at the system window, a cold, detached smile playing on his lips as a murderous intent surged within him.
The system had issued this quest three days before the written examination—ample time for him to devise a plan and gather the required number of students.
Edward was no fool; he would never sacrifice his life for the sake of others. On the contrary, he was more than willing to kill to achieve his objectives.
In a brutal world where the strong prey upon the weak, concepts like "good" or "evil" held no meaning for him. There was only one imperative: do whatever is necessary to survive in this harsh reality.
"System, are there any recording devices in this area right now?"
Edward asked internally, and a window promptly appeared with the answer:
[No, Host. The recording devices have not yet reached this sector. They will arrive in three hours.]
Edward's detached smile twisted into something truly terrifying. Glancing once more at the students, he muttered in a chilling tone:
"Let the hunt begin, students of Versalkin Academy... or, should I say—An expression, my dear friends."
Edward turned toward one of the students from the 'Legend' rank class—the second strongest in the group, right after him.
This student had reached the 'Magister' rank just three days prior, while the rest of the students ranged from the peak of the 'Legend' rank down to 'SSS++'—the lowest rank among them.
A look of bewilderment crossed the student's face as he gazed at Edward Brezik, from whose body a murderous intent surged, growing more aggressive with every passing second.
"Master Edward Brezik? Is something wrong? You're starting to scare me."
The young man's tone was slightly strained, unsettled by Edward's silence and the murderous aura enveloping him.
Edward clutched a sword, from which dripped blood—a mixture of green, dark red, and yellow—leaving a trail of gore wherever he stepped.
*Slash!*
Edward's blade darted forward with immense speed, cutting through the air with a faint hiss before slicing across the student's neck.
The student's head was severed from his body with ease.
The tension on his face shifted to shock and disbelief, followed by a look of indignation, just before his head tumbled into a small, blood-filled hollow.
A dull *thud* echoed as the head landed in the pool of blood.
*Thump!*
With his head gone, the student's body collapsed onto its knees. Warm, crimson blood gushed violently from his neck—like a fountain—drenching Edward's clothes and body in a deep, scarlet red.
At that very instant, the moment the student was slain, a system window appeared. [Mission 4: Kill 44 students from Versalkin Academy, drawn from the three tiers: Ordinary, Elite, and Legendary.]
[Student Bao Xin—from the Legendary tier, at the late stage of the Magister rank—has been killed.]
[Reward: Obtain all possessions of the student Bao Xin, from the Legendary tier.]
[Total students in the Legendary tier: 10.]
[Number killed: 1/10.]
The students' expressions shifted into a mix of shock, horror, and fear as they stared at Edward, who remained fixated on the system window, completely indifferent to their state.
The mission reward and the system notification acted like fuel poured onto a fire, intensifying his drive to carry out the mission.
The prospect of seizing the students' belongings and converting them into contribution points by selling them to the system was an incredibly tempting opportunity.
This reward convinced him that his plan would yield countless benefits, causing his desire to complete the mission to grow with every passing second.
"What have you done, Edward Brezik? Have you lost your mind? Why did you kill him?!"
"You despicable wretch! You'd better stop what you're doing, or you'll face severe punishment from Versalkin Academy!"
"You piece of filth! Are you trying to kill us after we trusted you and helped you for the past few days? Is this how you repay us, you ungrateful, rotten bastard?!"
"You'd better surrender." "It's true that you killed Bao Xin, but that was just a stroke of luck! You won't be able to kill us—we have a teleportation feature that will whisk us away to the academy!"
"Yeah, my friend's right. The moment we're in real danger, we'll be teleported to Versalkin Academy, and then we'll tell the proctors all about your dirty deeds!"
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Edward listened to the insults hurled at him by the students of Versalkin Academy. They were entirely confident that they couldn't die, relying on the teleportation spell that would carry them to safety.
That was why they dared to confront him with such words—while Edward remained silent, not uttering a single syllable in response.
His cold expression wasn't born of fear or anxiety; rather, it stemmed from his absolute certainty that he would face no trouble—all thanks to the impending catastrophe set to strike Jeju Island, a detail he had uncovered through the fifth quest in the midterm examination series.
A cold smile spread across his face, and his eyes took on an icy, piercing glow.
Then, he let out a loud laugh—dismissing their words as nothing more than a pathetic joke.
"Hahahaha! Hahahahaha!"
The students looked on, bewildered, as Edward laughed like a madman.
"Has he lost his mind?"
"I don't know, but this is starting to feel... wrong. We'd better get out of here."
"You're right." "There are only thirty minutes left until our teleportation to Versalkin Academy—right before the midterm exam begins! If this scandal breaks, it will be an indelible stain on our reputation; the whole world will see us, students of Versalkin Academy, in total disgrace!"
The students—forty-three in number, following the death of Bao Xin—began to murmur among themselves.
Yet, none could mask their apprehension; they were certain of one thing: they wouldn't last long against Edward.
The disparity in power between them and him was simply immense.
The strongest among them had only reached the peak of the 'Legend' rank, whereas Edward stood at the 'Supreme Demon Sovereign' rank.
There was a gap of seven full ranks between him and the strongest student—and a gap of ten full ranks between him and the weakest.
Though they did not know the true extent of Edward's power, they felt instinctively that a single strike from his blade would be enough to end them all.
"Are you done with your chatter? You are truly pathetic! You rely on the academy's power, don't you?"
"Those who grow arrogant and prideful, boasting of strength that isn't their own—they are always the first to die in this world."
"And today, you shall die. As for the teleportation spell you're counting on to escape? I disabled it a long time ago." Terror washed over the students, their faces darkening as they stared at Edward. They recalled the past few days—how he had treated them with such kindness and gentleness, despite being far more powerful than any of them.
"You deceived us! You planned to kill us from the very beginning, didn't you, Edward Brezik?!"
The voice of one of the students from the 'Legends' class was thick with horror and disbelief.
His words caused everyone to look at Edward with even greater fear than before.
"Yes, I planned to do this from the start. Still, I didn't expect it to be so easy to fool you all. It seems you're nothing but a bunch of fools, In the end..."
Edward spoke with blunt, mocking derision, then pointed his sword toward them, having just tossed the headless corpse of Bao Xin toward a nearby tree.
The body struck the tree with a violent thud, followed by the sickening crunch of breaking bones as parts of the corpse shattered from the force of the impact.
Every student—save for Edward—fixed their gaze upon the mangled, headless remains of Bao Xin; a body so disfigured that even his own family would have found it impossible to identify.
Without a second's hesitation, the students bolted in different directions, desperate to save their own lives—realizing that remaining for even one more moment could mean their absolute end.
Edward watched them flee for their lives, a cold, derisive smile playing across his face.
Then, he murmured in a low, quiet voice:
"Slavery Pill... Activate!"
"Slaves—I command you to halt at once!"
A faint red light manifested within the bodies of the fleeing, terror-stricken students. They froze instantly, rendered completely unable to move.
They collapsed to the ground, having managed to cover only about twenty paces from the site of the SS-rank dungeon.
Expressions of utter shock washed over their faces as the realization struck them: they had consumed the Slavery Pill—a substance that binds anyone who ingests it into total servitude to its master. At that moment, they recalled Edward's words from the previous day, when he told them that the pills he had given them were ninth-rank refinement pills—pills that would prevent the effects of Gigua Island from accelerating their aging.
But they only realized the truth when it was already too late.
Flashback
One day before the start of the examination, Edward and the forty-four students were gathered in training hall BT 04 34, located in the East Wing.
A warm smile graced Edward's face as he looked at the students, holding a black box containing forty-four pills, each a reddish-pink hue.
"My dear friends, you have helped me so much over the past few days. It is thanks to your assistance and genuine dedication that I succeeded in the written exam."
"I shall never forget your kindness."
The students looked slightly embarrassed as they listened to Edward's polite and gracious words—words that ignited a warm, glowing joy within their hearts.
"Think nothing of it, Master Edward Brizik; we are friends, after all."
"Why thank us? We're friends—and friends look out for one another."
"We made a pact to finish the year together; your success is our success."
A radiant, joyful smile spread across Edward's face as he gazed at his friends.
Suddenly, salty tears began to stream from his eyes, and mucus ran from his nose—he quickly wiped it away.
"Thank you! No one has ever treated me this way before. Everyone else just saw me as trash within the Brizik family." "As for you—even though you've only known me for a few days—you supported me, helping me succeed in the written exam. For that, I'd like to offer you a token of my gratitude."
He then lifted the small black box slightly and said:
"Please, take these. They are ninth-rank refinement pills. They counteract the effect that Jigua Island has on your lifespan—meaning you won't lose any extra days of your life; you'll only lose the standard three days."
At first, the forty-four students intended to decline the offer, but the look on Edward's face made it clear that he would not take "no" for an answer.
Moreover, ninth-rank pills and elixirs are exceptionally rare—especially those free of impurities—and are typically considered treasures possessed only by members of powerful clans, sects, or kingdoms.
Seeing such an enticing offer, they found no reason to refuse; to turn it down would not have been a noble gesture, but rather an act of sheer foolishness.
Edward began distributing the pills to the students, a gentle smile gracing his face, even as the traces of his recent tears remained visible.
Deeply moved, the students felt a growing sense of sympathy toward him.
Yet, inwardly, they were laughing with cunning delight, convinced that Edward was a fool and that they had just secured an invaluable treasure.
"What an idiot!"
"A naive fool—who just gives something like this away to others?!"
"It seems I've stumbled upon a goose that lays golden eggs!" ...........
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The students mocked Edward with all manner of insults in their hearts, while smiling at him on the surface.
Hypocrisy radiated from deep within them as they spoke to him and offered their thanks, all the while concealing their true selves behind deceptive masks.
In Edward's view, human beings often show one face while hiding another—donning various masks of affection, gratitude, friendship, and kindness, or even masks of hatred, arrogance, and cowardice.
"Thank you, Edward!"
"We will never forget your kindness!"
"You're a true friend. On behalf of everyone, thank you!"
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Edward scratched the back of his head, feigning shyness in response to the insincere praise and thanks that were being heaped upon him without end.
"Think nothing of it! You're my friends, after all—I'll help you with whatever you need."
Beaming smiles of joy appeared on the students' faces, while, deep in their hearts, expressions of malice and wickedness lurked as they looked at Edward.
End of flashback.
Meanwhile, Edward advanced toward them with steady, deliberate steps.
A smile, brimming with a thirst for slaughter, spread across his face as he unleashed his aura and killing intent—without holding back even the slightest bit.
"He... he's at the level of a Supreme Demon Ruler!"
The voice of one of the students from the regular class was thick with terror—just before Edward sliced him in two with a single blow.
"Wh—what?!" The student's upper torso hit the ground—a surface already slick with the blood of the monsters they had previously slain—producing a distinct, heavy thud.
The students' hearts stopped from the sheer shock; they even forgot how to breathe.
A few seconds later, blood erupted from what remained of his body like a fountain, mixed with the remnants of his breakfast, while his intestines spilled out.
"Let's get this over with quickly. I'm quite bored."
Edward's tone was laced with contempt as he spoke to them.
But they offered no reply; they were rendered unable to...