At the Versalkin Academy, the expressions on the faces of the exam proctors—including the instructors in charge of the regular, elite, and legendary-tier classes, as well as Headmaster Soliver and his deputy, Carter—reflected a complex mix of astonishment, anxiety, anger, and disbelief; it was a truly surreal scene.
"How many people have attacked Gigwa Island? Speak!"
Headmaster Soliver demanded, his voice laced with fury, as he stared at the portals displaying real-time footage of the events unfolding on Gigwa Island.
One of the proctors stepped forward, his features etched with concern. Consulting the data on the enemy forces—belonging to the "Scorpion" organization, one of the most dangerous and secretive groups in the world—he replied:
"There are 234 fighters of the Legendary tier, 145 of the Master tier, and 34 of the Saint rank."
Another proctor continued, his face betraying clear signs of fear:
"Furthermore, there are 12 individuals of the Semi-Ruler rank, 10 of the Novice Ruler rank, and 5 of the Expert Ruler rank—not to mention their leader, known as the 'Crimson Scorpion,' who holds the rank of Supreme Demonic Ruler. This brings the total number of enemy combatants to 441."
It was an overwhelming force; the Scorpion organization was among the most perilous groups in the entire fantasy world, so it was hardly surprising that their ranks included such a large number of high-level fighters. Furthermore, the island hosted students from the Grand Duchies, as well as the heir to the Mount Hua Sect—individuals capable of boosting their strength by two full ranks. The academy also housed over a hundred professors, ranging in rank from Expert Ruler to Sacred or Demonic Ruler.
Although the Scorpion Organization's forces were fewer in number than the 566 students and professors combined, their fighters possessed immense combat experience—honed through centuries of battle and war—which more than compensated for their slight numerical disadvantage.
Soliver unleashed his power, exerting a crushing pressure that forced everyone to their knees—everyone, that is, except for Carter. As a fellow "Master Ruler," Carter was able to withstand the overwhelming force.
"Call for help from Reinhardt de Molière! It seems they've erected a barrier, sealing the island—no one can enter or leave. Eighty students had already left the island to return to the academy after being eliminated; the enemy must have deliberately left the teleportation devices intact to lower our guard!"
Soliver continued, his voice laced with fury:
"What a bunch of damned scoundrels! Still, once Reinhardt arrives, the problem will be solved. But I need to head out there myself."
Just as Soliver rose to leave, Carter gripped his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.
"Master Soliver, we must find the traitors first. They are likely in contact with the Crimson Scorpion as we speak." Soliver placed his hand on his forehead and shook his head from side to side, letting out an involuntary sigh before replying:
"Fine, have it your way. Recruit some reliable people and hunt down the traitors; I'll take care of the rest. None of them will leave until they've spilled everything they know. The 'Demonic Raven' will be quite thrilled to see them."
---
A few minutes later, Kaito Ishikawa gazed at the portal—which displayed the events unfolding on Jigwa Island—for several seconds, remaining completely silent.
"So, Yuta meant that the 'Scorpion' organization would attack Versalkin Academy... yet neither I nor the other spies were informed that they would target the students. How strange."
He then pondered to himself:
"But how did Yuta know? Is it because he harbors a grudge against the Scorpion organization? Or is he one of the children who underwent the genetic infusion of dragons, angels, and demons?"
Kaito mused to himself as he watched the unfolding scene.
He then shifted his gaze toward Catherine Yusopra—the instructor in charge of the elite class—as well as Bao Xin-Yi and Professor Tao Xin-Bei, an expert in the history of 'Qi' and alchemy.
They were observing the situation with calm expressions, which drew a faint smile from Kaito.
"In the end, the strong will survive, and the weak will perish. Why not seize this opportunity to indirectly weed out the useless ones?"
This same thought was circulating in the minds of the academy director, his deputy, and the professors alike; for Versalkin Academy was never a place for comfort or easy growth. It was the greatest academy in the world, yet the death of students was a common occurrence—a significant number perished every single year.
Everything comes at a price; progress, glory, and the privilege of living in an environment equipped with every resource for advancement all carried their own costs—and death was one of the expected outcomes.
However, what truly incensed the headmaster and his deputy was not the attack itself, but the sheer audacity of the "Scorpion" organization in striking the academy openly—a blatant attempt to shatter its reputation and its prestigious global standing.
Yet, Headmaster Soliver's gaze remained radiant with confidence, as if he were certain of his ability to resolve every issue and prevent any decline in the global stature of Verselkin Academy.
As for the students who had died, Soliver was entirely unperturbed. Healers who had reached or surpassed the rank of "Sacred Sovereign"—possessing power at a "High Outerversal" level—were capable of resurrecting the dead. For them, such a feat was not merely possible; it was as effortless as drinking water.
Soliver had, in fact, anticipated an intervention from the Scorpion organization; having once been a member himself, he understood their way of thinking all too well. For this very reason, he had brought along five of the world's finest healers.
"It seems my plan is unfolding exactly as I intended. I shall use the Scorpion organization as a tool to weed out the useless students. How delightful—how truly entertaining!"
Soliver then turned his thoughts toward Kaito Ishikawa:
"Kaito Ishikawa... do you truly believe I am unaware of your secret?" "You are nothing more than a chameleon-type monster spirit, hiding inside the body of one of the brightest human fighters. What a pathetic creature you are!"
"Hahahaha! And yet, your time has not yet come, you wretched chameleon. I shall have a long talk with you when the moment is right."
Soliver spoke to himself in a calm, certain tone, all the while observing the events unfolding on the island of Jigwa.He glanced alternately at Kaito Ishikawa and at the events unfolding within the island.
---
Inside Jigua Island, members of the Scorpion organization were advancing rapidly toward the island's center, cutting through constant waves of monsters that obstructed their path—showing no intention of stopping.
Upon hearing a signal from one of the Crimson Scorpion lieutenants—who was currently engaged in battle against Lucy and Beatrice near the heart of the island—the group accelerated even further, having sensed the presence of a student possessing immense power.
As they sprinted, they encountered Jian Yi, who waited perched upon a tree branch. His gaze was cold, and his pupils were shaped like pink plum blossoms.
Jian Yi's eyes burned with intense killing intent and profound disgust as he watched them approach at high speed, maneuvering through the dense canopy of Jigua Island.
Although capable of flight, they refrained from using it, as doing so would have risked detection and forfeited the element of surprise.
The contingent—numbering 26 fighters—came to a halt. Their ranks ranged from the Legend tier to the Saint tier, and among them was a Sovereign-tier expert—one of the Crimson Scorpion's lieutenants.
Five Saint-tier fighters, alongside the Sovereign-tier expert, took the lead, commanding the rest of the group with firm resolve and strict discipline. Jian Yi studied the members of the Scorpion Organization with an analytical gaze, soon realizing that the strongest among them was exactly one rank below him—for he had already reached the rank of Sacred Sovereign.
Holding his sword, he spoke coldly:
"So, you are followers of the Scorpion Organization, it seems."
Without a change in his expression, he continued:
"But that is of no consequence right now. There is one thing you ought to know: you are going to die. Any last words?"
As he spoke, Jian Yi channeled his energy throughout his body. His opponents were so far beneath him in strength that their combat experience—while perhaps sufficient to delay the inevitable—would be entirely inadequate to save them in a direct confrontation.
Yet, Jian Yi had no intention of engaging in a prolonged fight; he had already decided to eliminate them all in a single strike.
Silence descended for several seconds as the group stared at Jian Yi.
The atmosphere remained tense for a moment before the members of the Scorpion Organization burst into laughter. They still believed Jian Yi to be a "Half-Sovereign," and were convinced that the "Saint-rank" fighters among them could easily take him down by joining forces.
"Hahahahahahahaha!"
"Hahahahahahahaha!"
"You arrogant fool! Do you think you're above everyone else?"
"Your own conceit will be the death of you—don't blame anyone but yourself, you scoundrel!"
"Just because you're a great talent doesn't mean you can't die." "Remember my words well, Jian Yi!"
They continued to mock him, while Jian Yi listened to their chatter for several minutes without showing the slightest sign of annoyance.
Suddenly, his body began to dissolve into dust—a cloud of beautiful, pink plum blossoms.
In this form, he surged toward the followers of the Scorpion Organization, catching them completely off guard.
The cloud of plum blossoms collided with the group, each petal as sharp as a sword's blade.
Sweeping through their bodies, the cloud tore them apart, reducing them to mangled masses of flesh, blood, and bone.
Fragments of bone, chunks of flesh, and shreds of clothing flew into the air, creating a gruesome spectacle. The corpses were utterly disfigured—eyeballs bulged from their sockets—a sight so horrific that some onlookers fainted or suffered severe psychological trauma.
Jian Yi flicked his sword, clearing away the clinging blood, and muttered calmly:
"I told you that you would die. And to think—you assumed I was still at the Semi-Sovereign rank! What fools! I endured training far worse than hell itself to reach the rank of Sacred Sovereign. Hah! Idiots!"
Jian Yi vanished from the spot, leaving behind a battlefield strewn with the shredded remains of the Scorpion Organization's followers. No sooner had he departed than wild beasts began to devour the corpses. Across the entire island of Jigwa, the students shared the same grim realization: it was kill or be killed.
There was no longer any place to rest; death loomed over them, as if the blades of swords were already pressed against their throats.
Only one path to survival remained: to fight for their lives. Surrendering to death was simply an end—one that no amount of drama or complaining could possibly avert.
As the students struggled in increasingly desperate situations, about fifteen professors—all holding the rank of "Expert Ruler"—appeared on the scene.
The professors attacked the members of the Scorpion Organization without a shred of fear; they were confident in their ability to return to life, thanks to high-level magic.
Upon noticing the arrival of the professors, the students—exhausted by the harrowing events of the past eleven days—felt their wavering confidence begin to return, along with the renewed vitality needed to keep fighting.
"The professors are on the island? How? We weren't told they were here!"
The leader of one of the groups exclaimed in shock, even as he barely managed to parry an attack from one of the professors.
Given that the academy's hiring criteria required professors to be exceptionally gifted fighters, the "Expert Ruler" rank was effectively the minimum standard; anything less would not have sufficed for a position at an institution as prestigious as Versalkin Academy.
For this reason, battling the minions of the Scorpion Organization proved to be no great challenge for the professors.
Nevertheless, they were utterly exhausted. They endured the same hardships the students had faced over the past eleven days, forced to repel waves of monsters emerging from dungeons ranked XX and XXX.
The professors took on the task of confronting these creatures in place of the students, as the monsters were far too dangerous for the students—given their current power levels—to handle.
Furthermore, the followers of the Scorpion Organization were cunning and deceitful, showing no regard for fair play.
Nevertheless, the involvement of the Scorpion Organization was, in fact, part of the test.It was a hidden mechanism implemented by the Versalkin Academy to weed out students—a testament to the academy's ruthless stance toward the weak, and its commitment to honing an elite class of students capable of unlocking their true potential.
Although these events were bound to spark a commotion lasting for months, the academy's director, Soliver, and the professors overseeing the test remained entirely unconcerned.
---
Across the five continents, all eyes were fixed on the events unfolding on Gigua Island, watched with intense anticipation.
Yet, the major powers showed no intention of intervening; their own children—the finest fighters from their respective sects and clans—were already on the island, navigating the situation while sharpening their skills and abilities.
As for the clans that had sent their kin to the island, they could only stand by, helpless. Even if they were to dispatch reinforcements to protect their heirs, they would never arrive in time—Gigua Island lay hundreds of kilometers from the mainland.
Furthermore, the vast majority of the students—roughly 68%—hailed from the Central Continent, with the remaining 32% distributed across the other four continents.
Meanwhile, those students who had not received assistance from the professors remained in a state of panic, especially after hearing an announcement from one of the lieutenants of the Crimson Scorpion. Ultimately, they were merely students facing adversaries who possessed immense combat experience and terrifying levels of power. Furthermore, the Scorpion Organization consisted of 441 fighters, divided into 16 squads spread across the island of Jeju.
Each squad was composed of 26 fighters, while their leader, the Crimson Scorpion, roamed the island in search of something.
However, the panic did not last long; instructors joined the fray in several areas to support the students, though some locations remained without such reinforcement.
And so, numerous battles erupted between the students and the members of the Scorpion Organization.
---
Meanwhile, inside a private reception hall at the Tai family estate, Tai Hoon and Tai Shini—the leader of the great Tai clan—sat on floor mats. Before them stood a table holding a bottle of fine wine.
"How are you, brother Tai Shini? I hear the Scorpion Organization has made its move and begun attacking the students of Versalkin Academy."
Tai Hoon spoke calmly, taking a sip from his wine cup.
Tai Shini replied:
"Indeed—it will be a grueling ordeal for those students. I had intended to recruit some of them into our clan, but then I caught sight of that student, Seok. He wields a peculiar type of 'dome'—something I have never encountered in my entire life. Some of these domes provide healing, while others draw energy from the atmosphere; he is even capable of manipulating the very concepts and laws within them." He continued:
"These are remarkable abilities—they would prove quite useful in our ongoing struggle against the Demonic Path, wouldn't you agree?"
"Indeed, you are right. But that depends on whether he survives this ordeal first. If he does, we shall consider recruiting both him and his companion, Su-ho; they would make an excellent duo."
A smile spread across Tai Shini's face as he downed his entire cup of wine in one go.
He then remarked:
"You are always so wise, Elder Tai Hoon. That is precisely why I have made you my right-hand man—the one I turn to above all others."
"Hahahaha! Thank you, Brother Tai Shini! Hearing that from you makes my heart leap with joy!"
Tai Hoon laughed heartily, then drained his own cup, clearly relishing his standing within the clan.
As they spoke, a clan subordinate arrived, his expression etched with anxiety and fear.
He knelt before Tai Shini and Tai Hoon, struggling to steady his trembling body.
"M... Master Tai Shini, Great Investigator Tai Hoon—I bring bad news!"
The expressions of both Tai Shini and Tai Hoon shifted as they fixed their gaze upon the visibly shaken subordinate.
In a calm, composed tone, Tai Shini asked, waiting patiently for the reply:
"What is it? Has one of the criminals escaped from the Underworld Prison, or is it something else?" The subordinate remained silent for several moments, struggling to gather his thoughts, before finally speaking:
"My lord, Tai Sao Mei has died under inexplicable circumstances. The spirit stone—which indicates whether its owner is alive or dead—has shattered."
He continued, his expression growing increasingly anxious:
"And that is not all. Through our spies embedded within other clans, we have learned that Jiang Ji Jinhai, of the Heaven and Earth Sect, has reached the rank of Supreme Ruler. The same is true for Chai Ming, the Saintess of the Imperial Jade Sect, who has attained that very same rank."
He added:
"Furthermore, Mao Ling Xin—a young master of the Mao Clan who held the rank of Expert Ruler—has also perished, along with several others. All of these deaths occurred at the same time as that of Young Master Tai Sao Mei, and all under equally mysterious circumstances."
Tai Xinyi gripped his wine cup so tightly that it shattered, crumbling into a fine, scattered dust, while he fixed his subordinate with a gaze of pure, unadulterated rage.
In a furious tone, he demanded:
"It seems this individual—the one known as the 'Last Domain Master,' Peng Tao Xin—must be the one who killed Tai Sao Mei and these other prominent figures from such powerful sects and clans, is that not so, Tai Hun?"
Tai Hun replied calmly:
"No, you are mistaken, Tai Xinyi. The 'Last Domain Master,' Peng Tao Xin, is not the killer."
A sense of bewilderment crept into Tai Xinyi's heart, momentarily eclipsing his rage.
He then ordered the subordinate to leave, before he could voice any further thoughts weighing on his mind.