Armin's black aura surged from his body with intense fervor as he fixed his gaze upon the followers of the Scorpion Organization.
Tom's expression remained calm. As a "Supreme Sovereign"—a rank several tiers above most of those present—he also possessed billions of years of accumulated experience, drawn from his past incarnations as the Sacred Yang, Zhao Li, and the Sacred Yin, Alessandra, as well as the memories he held from his time as Ji Yao Li.
Jian Yi had reached the rank of "Sacred Sovereign" following the grueling, hellish training he endured under Yuta. Beside him stood Beatrice, whose true level of power remained an enigma to everyone.
Lucy and Armin, however, showed faint signs of concern; Lucy held the rank of "Saint," while Armin—thanks to the "remanufacturing" ability granted by his pact with Azwer, the Sovereign of the Eternal Abyss—had attained the rank of "Novice Sovereign."
Nevertheless, Armin possessed the draconic ability to analyze mana, along with the "Crimson Phoenix Heart," which granted him the greatest mana capacity and the fastest flow rate among his peers—surpassing even those gifted with terrifying, innate talent.
Without a word, Jian Yi and Tom surged forward. As the strongest members of the team, they had no time to waste on pointless skirmishes.
*Shlak... Shlak... Shlak...*
The sound of blades rang out across the area, forcing nearby entities to flee, overwhelmed by the crushing aura and the terrifying bloodlust radiating from the two. "Plum Blossom Art: Second Form — Spring Breezes!"
A member of the Scorpion Organization launched an attack on Jian Yi using a technique from the Mount Hua Sect—an act that incensed him to the extreme.
Jian Yi unleashed his "Sacred Sovereign" rank battle aura without the slightest restraint. The faces of the Scorpion Organization members turned ashen with sheer terror; the strongest among them was merely an "Expert Sovereign."
They were so vastly outclassed that their combat experience could do nothing more than delay their deaths by a few fleeting seconds.
Jian Yi raised his hand, and the bodies of the Scorpion Organization members began to twist and warp in a grotesque, horrific fashion.
One moment, their forms shifted into those of deformed beasts; the next, they became bizarre, repulsive entities.
Then, Jian Yi detonated them, reducing them to an explosion of viscera, blood, and shredded flesh.
A flicker of shock crossed the faces of Armin and Lucy, though they returned to their composed state within seconds.
Moments later, Armin activated his "Reconstruction" ability. Pale, unnervingly slender arms shot forth, gathering every remnant of the Scorpion Organization members—leaving not even a single drop of blood behind.
The arms converted these remains into energy, fueling Armin's advancement in rank, while simultaneously restoring the destroyed weapons to their original state.
As he absorbed the energy harvested from the soldiers, a pitch-black beam of light surged toward the heavens, signaling his breakthrough.
"Wow!" "He is breaking through to the rank of Expert Ruler, fueled by the energy of the soldiers—whose ranks ranged from Saint to Expert Ruler. Their combined energy was more than enough to propel him to a higher level!"
"Armin, watch out! The Heavenly Bestowal is descending. Remember, you must hold on!"
Jian Yi spoke calmly, sending over an impurity-purifying potion and a lightning-absorbing pill, which were promptly caught by slender arms.
Thus, Armin gained the benefits of the purifying potion and the lightning-absorbing pill without needing to consume them directly.
In the midst of the breakthrough, several bolts of dark purple lightning surged toward Armin with overwhelming force.
Jian Yi, Lucy, and Tom were stunned by the sheer power of this Heavenly Bestowal; the presence of purple lightning meant that this trial would be five hundred times more intense—and dangerous—than a standard Heavenly Bestowal.
"Armin is in real trouble. If he fails to overcome this, he'll surely die—or worse, end up crippled, which is a fate even crueler than death!"
"You're right, Jian Yi. But remember, while Tom might be a coward, he's also incredibly tenacious; he won't give up easily."
Jian Yi glanced at Lucy, Tom, and Beatrice, noticing the confidence in their eyes regarding Armin's survival. A smile spread across his face.
"Very well—let's see if he makes it through." Inside the pillar of energy, Armin's eyes took on the appearance of a dragon's, while his heart—now transformed into a phoenix's heart—pumped mana with an intensity a thousand times greater than what an ordinary human could produce. This allowed him to endure the immense energy surging into his body.
With the perception of a dragon, the heart of a phoenix, and an unyielding human will to survive, Armin managed to withstand the Heavenly Trial. As he did, his body began to shrink, gradually morphing into a hybrid egg—a fusion of the characteristics of both a dragon egg and a phoenix egg.
Outside, the others breathed a sigh of relief; the Heavenly Trial had concluded successfully, and Armin had managed to overcome it.
Watching the pillar of energy fade into the distance, Tom remarked:
"It seems the rascal managed to break through, reaching the rank of 'Adept Sovereign'—he's truly worthy. He's even surpassed his own Heavenly Trial... it looks like he's attained a 'hidden rank'!"
Astonishment washed over everyone. Hidden ranks could exist at any level; they are achieved when a fighter undergoes a Heavenly Trial at the exact moment of their breakthrough.
Should a fighter survive such a trial, they earn their rank, and their abilities are significantly bolstered—making them far stronger than others at the same level, sometimes even rivaling those a full rank above them.
Once the pillar of energy vanished, an egg the size of a car wheel was left in its place, leaving everyone staring in utter confusion.
Where was Armin? What on earth was happening? And where did this massive egg come from? These questions were weighing on all of their minds.
Beatrice stepped forward—she was the most adept among them at sensing mana, having been born with a heaven-defying talent for perceiving mana and various other forms of energy.
She held the egg for several minutes before looking up, her expression as blank as ever, and said:
"This egg is Armin. He possessed the eyes and nerves of a dragon, along with the heart of a phoenix."
She continued:
"Following his recent breakthrough to the rank of 'Expert-Tier Sovereign,' his body underwent a spontaneous evolution, transforming into a hybrid that combines the essence of both a phoenix and a dragon. As you know,
When one reaches the rank of an expert sovereign, their entire physical structure undergoes a transformation, becoming capable of containing their immense power."
"So that's how it is! But when will he awaken, and when will the egg hatch?"
Lucy asked, looking puzzled as she held the egg with the utmost care.
Beatrice replied, brushing the dust from her clothes:
"I don't know. It could hatch in a day, an hour, a year, a hundred years—or perhaps even a million years from now. His internal energy is incredibly potent, and his body requires time to fully reabsorb and integrate it."
She continued:
"However, thanks to his 'reconstruction' ability, his body has adapted to absorbing vast quantities of energy in a very short span of time. Even so, the exact moment of his awakening remains a mystery; he could wake up at any instant—and when he does, he will be terrifyingly powerful."
"His body will evolve into a hybrid, a fusion of dragon and phoenix. No—there's more! He will manifest twin incarnations: the Imperial Dragon and the Crimson Phoenix..."
Astonishment washed over everyone's faces once again—so much so that Beatrice, viewing them as nothing more than useless fools, simply ignored them and pressed on.
"Moreover, these two incarnations appear to complement one another. It seems Azuir, the Sovereign of the Eternal Abyss, had planned this from the very beginning: he bestowed upon him the heart of a Crimson Phoenix—the purest and most powerful lineage among all phoenixes—alongside the mind and nervous system of a dragon." "Furthermore, the ability granted to him by Azwer, the Ruler of the Abyss, does not interfere with the terms of the contract in any way."
She then added:
"This points to one conclusion: what is happening to Armin was planned from the very beginning. Typically, when one enters into a contract with a Ruler, one receives nothing more than that Ruler's core power. In this case, Armin should have simply gained the ability to control the Abyss—nothing more, nothing less."
Jian Yi rested his hand on his chin, attempting to piece together past events and connect them with Beatrice's deductions—conclusions that seemed both strange and highly suspicious.
Why would Azwer, the Ruler of the Abyss, go to such lengths to cultivate Armin and bestow upon him twin incarnations?
Even more suspicious is the fact that Armin's contract with Azwer took place immediately after Yuta recruited him into his team, the Blood Moon Assassins.
Although Jian Yi was not present at the time, he learned of these events from Armin during a conversation about how they had each formed their respective contracts with the Rulers.
After several minutes of deep thought, Jian Yi spoke calmly:
"It seems there is a game being played behind the scenes—one we know nothing about. In fact, we are merely pawns in it, not even secondary players."
The others glanced between Jian Yi and Armin—who had by now taken the form of an egg—before nodding in agreement with Jian Yi's assessment, which appeared entirely logical.
"Well, even if Jian Yi is right, now is hardly the time to be dwelling on such matters." "Enemies lie in wait for us everywhere, and death lurks around every corner and turn."
"Therefore, we must locate Geri, Ryoichi, Yuta, Chiba, and Gother—along with the new students: Christian, Kazuhiro, Nicholas, Leon, and Inuyasha. They will be of help to us until reinforcements arrive."
Tom continued, his tone cold as he gazed toward the towering Tree of Origin, which reached high into the sky:
"Our goal now is not heroism or glory; it is survival. A friend today could become an enemy tomorrow, and saving everyone indiscriminately will only lead to our own deaths. Is that clear, everyone?"
Yet, none of them showed the slightest hint of annoyance or disdain; no one was in the mood to feign heroism or chivalry at a time like this.
Their own lives mattered more than anyone else's—a sentiment shared by every student on the island.
As for the instructors, they were merely performing their duties, driven by neither affection nor compassion for the students.
Ultimately, this is not a world where heroes save everyone without cost; it is a world where every individual must figure out how to protect themselves from death—by any means necessary.
Lucy placed Armin into her own personal dimensional space, then looked at her companions with a calm expression.
"Very well—let's move out and gather our peers to increase our chances of survival."
Upon hearing Lucy's words, they all vanished from where they stood, heading toward the locations of the remaining elite first-year students. ---
In the northern part of the central region of Jeju Island...
At the moment, Jia was wandering across the island, keeping a sharp sense out for any unusual energy disturbances.
After analyzing the attack patterns employed by members of the "Scorpion" organization, the students realized that the group possessed precise intelligence about them—including their power levels, weaknesses, and exact locations on the island.
This led Jia to conclude that a tracking device had been embedded within the academy emblem, which also housed the teleportation spell.
Consequently, she destroyed it.
As a result, she was able to roam the island in relative safety, free from the attacks of the Scorpion organization's operatives. Even if they were to strike, they would lack up-to-date information regarding her current strength; she had reached the rank of "Sacred Ruler," far surpassing the "Novice Ruler" status indicated by their outdated intelligence.
She felt no fear—her level was several tiers above that of the "Crimson Scorpion," who held the rank of "High Demonic Ruler."
In her view, she could defeat him with absolute ease, even without invoking a "Blessing."
"Hello there, Jia Guilford. You seem a bit lost."
Yuta spoke calmly, his gaze fixed on Jia.
Jia tried to mask her surprise; she hadn't sensed Yuta's presence at all before he appeared before her. Moreover, she was struck by a strange, inexplicable sensation—something she couldn't quite grasp.
Yet, she was certain of one thing: something highly unusual was unfolding.
"Something is wrong." "My strength grows whenever I am by his side; furthermore, the tremor that seizes my very being whenever we fight—that is not normal at all."
Jiya mused to herself, her gaze fixed upon Yuta.
She decided to set the thought aside for later; they were currently facing a dire crisis that had to be resolved before dwelling on such matters.
"What brings you here, Yuta Caseral? Is there something you wish to do?"
Jiya's eyes were as sharp as a sword's blade as she looked on.Yuta wore an enigmatic smile.
"Nothing at all. I was just passing by and happened to run into you—pure coincidence. That said, it seems you've discovered the surveillance device hidden inside the academy emblem."
"It appears you've noticed it too; the Versalkin Academy emblem is missing from your school uniform."
Without another word, the two continued on their separate paths.
Several minutes passed in silence before Jiya spoke, her cold tone masking a hint of admiration.
"It seems you've grown significantly stronger."
"Indeed—and you've evolved as well. Reaching the rank of 'Master of Rulers' at such a young age is truly remarkable."
Yuta's voice carried a touch of friendliness, though his inner thoughts remained cold.
"I am now able to wield 3% of my total power, following the evolution of both my 'Soul-Manipulation Eye' and 'Soul-Enslavement Eye'."
"Though the increase—a mere 0.5%—was modest, it wasn't part of my calculations. It seems the temporary surge in power from the evolution of these eyes weakened the seal on my 'Infinite Evolution and Absolute Adaptation' ability, allowing my body to evolve and withstand a greater portion of my full strength."
"I suppose I'm fortunate. Reaching 3% isn't bad at all. Once the time comes to refine this vessel and advance it to the second stage, I'll be able to access 20% of my power. But first, I must complete the integration between my second half and my original self." "The holiday will be the perfect opportunity to uncover the truth, reunite with my other half, complete the binding process, meet Aspheros—the ruler of the dragons—and finally obtain the upgrade I need to bring my dragon genes to the third level."
"After that, only the angel and demon genes will remain—both currently at the second level—awaiting their evolution to the third and final stage."
As Yuta contemplated his future plans, he noticed individuals watching him from various locations outside the island.
Some were from the Arctic, others from the Bai Ting Clan or the Imperial Capital, while some were positioned on a mountain near the Bai Ting Clan's territory.
A cold smile spread across Yuta's face as he muttered under his breath:
"Enemies and allies alike, tracking my every move. How utterly amusing—don't you think, BO 00 01?"
A calm voice, tinged with a hint of amusement, echoed within Yuta's mind:
[Indeed. I'd love to kill them all—they're such a nuisance. And that includes you, Yuto.]
"No, now is not the time for that. Besides, eliminating the 'Heavenly Blessing Venerable'—Normana, currently known as Elizabeth, the Mistress of the Blessing Pavilion—along with the 'Patchwork Venerable' Ping Tao Shen, the 'Star-Hunting Venerable' Zendaya, and the 'Demonic Ice Venerable' Lighard, would do us more harm than good."
BO 00 01, still within Yuta's mind, let out a sound of annoyance as he listened to these words. At that moment, an image of him appeared in Yuta's mind: a young man with black hair, large dark eyes, a handsome round face, and dark circles under his eyes. He wore loose white clothing, with a scarf covering his mouth.
Unlike Yuta, who stood 1.85 meters tall, this individual was no more than 1.75 meters.
[You're annoying. If I keep talking to you, I might just end up killing you. So, goodbye.]
Yuta chuckled to himself, amused by BO 00 01's remark, then turned his gaze toward Jiya, whose senses were on high alert, tracking even the slightest suspicious movement.
"It looks like this battle won't last much longer. Both sides have suffered heavy losses, and the Academy's reinforcements are about to arrive."
Yuta's tone was brimming with confidence as he looked at Jiya, who appeared taken aback by his utter certainty.
Jiya nodded, then drew her sword and severed the head of a monster that had been lying in wait, ready to pounce on her.
She remarked indifferently:
"Even so, our enemies aren't just the followers of the Scorpion Organization. The island of Jigwa itself is an enemy; dungeons are scattered everywhere, constantly unleashing monsters."
"It won't wait for us to defeat our foes and recover our strength—it will simply keep sending new waves of monsters."
"I'm well aware of that. After all, I never open my mouth unless I'm 100% certain." Yuta swung his sword with the speed of light, cleaving a monster in two as easily as slicing through butter.
He then returned his blade to its sheath, and both continued on their way without a moment's pause.
Time waits for no one; if you do not face it with seriousness and perseverance, you will be crushed by regret and despair.