Outside Grayridge Town, inside the military observation area, the atmosphere suddenly became tense.
The massive projection screen showed Kael Veyron standing alone at the entrance of the residential complex.
He had deliberately stepped into the open.
The moment the students and teachers saw him appear directly in front of the pack of Ferocious Beasts, gasps erupted throughout the observation area.
“What is Kael doing?”
“Why did he walk straight into the beasts’ line of sight?”
“Even Ethan Blake and the others knew to observe from a safe position first!”
“Run, Kael!
Get out of there!”
The teachers were visibly anxious.
The principals and Victor Mason, the director of the Redhaven City Education Department, were all Tier Two Ability Users.
Their eyesight was far beyond that of ordinary people.
They could clearly see the situation on the battlefield.
Kael’s current combat strength was certainly enough to deal with two or three High-Tier One Ferocious Beasts simultaneously.
But dozens?
That was an entirely different matter.
And behind those dozens of High-Tier One beasts was an even more terrifying opponent…
The Tier Two Bloodthirsty Violent Bear.
Against a creature like that, Kael had almost no chance of winning through conventional combat.
So when they saw him walk openly into the residential complex, everyone immediately panicked.
Several teachers from Rivergate Second High School shouted toward the screen.
“Kael, retreat!”
“Don’t fight them!”
“Activate your Safety Sphere if you have to!”
But Kael was thousands of meters away.
He couldn’t hear a single word.
Instead, his arrival had already alerted the entire beast pack.
The Ferocious Beasts roared.
Then they charged.
Within seconds, Kael disappeared beneath the swarm.
Martin Cole’s expression became solemn.
“Kael is too confident.”
He shook his head.
“Walking directly into the Inner Region like that…”
Victor Mason’s expression was equally serious.
“Even if he survives somehow, this kind of reckless behavior could negatively affect his evaluation.”
The major Ability User universities didn’t only evaluate examination scores.
They also paid attention to combat judgment, temperament, and survival instincts.
Charging alone into a battlefield filled with High-Tier One Ferocious Beasts and a Tier Two Beast King was undoubtedly an extremely dangerous decision.
Martin’s face gradually paled.
“Don’t tell me…”
“After finally producing a student like Kael, we’re going to lose him here?”
Daniel Carter immediately looked toward the Safety Sphere indicator.
“Principal Cole, doesn’t Kael still have his Safety Sphere?”
Martin shook his head.
“Even if he can activate it in time, I’m not convinced it can withstand this many High-Tier One beasts.”
“And even if the electrical barrier holds for a while, the Bloodthirsty Violent Bear could probably destroy it.”
The concern in Daniel’s eyes deepened.
Martin immediately turned toward the examination commander.
“Commander Hale, prepare a rescue team.”
The military had made extensive preparations to minimize candidate deaths during the Combat Examination.
Every candidate possessed a Safety Sphere.
But there was another emergency measure.
Rescue teams.
Unlike the inexperienced students taking the examination, these Ability Users were veterans who had survived countless real battles.
Their team compositions were carefully designed.
Although each member was only a Tier One Ability User, their combined combat strength could rival a Tier Two Ferocious Beast.
However, there were only a handful of such elite teams stationed throughout the military district.
They were normally reserved for rescuing candidates with extraordinary potential.
And Kael Veyron…
The current first-place candidate…
clearly qualified.
Commander Hale immediately nodded.
“Understood.”
He activated his communicator.
“Dispatch the nearest elite rescue team to the Inner Region.”
Martin clenched his fists.
“Please…”
“Hold on until they arrive.”
Then…
The projection suddenly exploded with light.
Boom!
Countless purple bolts of lightning erupted from the center of the beast swarm.
Every Ferocious Beast surrounding Kael was struck.
Their bodies were instantly charred black.
Several were blasted backward.
The tightly packed formation was torn apart in an instant.
The teachers in the observation area fell silent.
Kael’s figure slowly emerged from the center of the battlefield.
Purple lightning surrounded his body.
His eyes seemed to contain thunder.
His black combat suit fluttered violently.
He held the Obsidian Spear in one hand.
He looked nothing like a student facing certain death.
He looked like….
A ruler of thunder.
The situation had completely reversed.
The Bloodthirsty Violent Bear charged from behind.
But it couldn’t touch him.
Kael moved through the swarm of Ferocious Beasts at terrifying speed.
The Obsidian Spear flashed.
One beast fell.
Then another.
Then another.
The Tier Two Beast King could only roar helplessly as Kael continued harvesting the lives around it.
The teachers stared at the screen in disbelief.
The rescue team commander even paused.
Martin Cole’s mouth hung slightly open.
Victor Mason’s eyes widened.
Daniel Carter was completely stunned.
The battlefield had changed in less than a second.
Martin finally managed to speak.
“That…”
He swallowed.
“Is that Kael’s Lightning-type ability?”
Victor Mason stared at the purple lightning covering the screen.
His expression was almost comical.
Then he slowly turned toward Martin.
“Principal Cole…”
He pointed toward the screen.
“You call that an E-rank ability?”
His voice was filled with disbelief.
“You have to be joking.”
Grayridge Town — Inner Region
Kael continued moving through the battlefield.
The Purple Sky Thunder surged around his body.
The Bloodthirsty Violent Bear had finally realized something.
It couldn’t catch him.
Every time it charged, Kael simply disappeared.
Every time it swung its enormous paws, Kael was already somewhere else.
Eventually, the Bloodthirsty Violent Bear stopped.
Its enormous body sat in the center of the residential complex.
Its crimson eyes remained locked on Kael.
It didn’t pursue him anymore.
Instead, it waited.
It understood that Kael would eventually come for it.
And Kael did.
Whenever another Ferocious Beast died, the killing intent in the bear’s eyes became heavier.
There had originally been 34 High-Tier One Ferocious Beasts in the residential complex.
During Kael’s first lightning burst, thirteen had been severely injured.
Their bodies were charred black, and they were barely alive.
The remaining twenty-one were still capable of fighting.
But they didn’t last long.
Kael activated his internal lightning stimulation state.
His Physique surged.
His speed became terrifying.
Within less than a minute…
All twenty-one remaining High-Tier One beasts had been killed.
The battlefield fell silent.
Only the occasional crackle of electricity remained.
Crackle…
Crackle…
Kael’s figure flashed.
He stopped approximately eight meters in front of the Bloodthirsty Violent Bear.
He looked at the massive beast.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
“You’re pretty smart.”
“You realized I’d eventually come for you and decided to wait here.”
Purple lightning flickered within Kael’s eyes.
The description of “electric eyes” had never been more accurate.
The Bloodthirsty Violent Bear responded with a low growl.
Its nostrils flared.
Heavy breaths escaped from its mouth.
Its enormous chest rose and fell.
Its blood-red eyes were filled with cold killing intent.
An ordinary Awakener facing such a creature might have already collapsed from fear.
But Kael’s expression remained calm.
He slowly raised his left hand.
The Purple Sky Thunder surrounding his body began gathering toward his palm.
The scattered lightning rapidly condensed.
Buzz…!
A brilliant purple bolt formed.
Kael’s fingers tightened.
Then…
He threw it.
BOOM!
The lightning struck the Bloodthirsty Violent Bear directly.
Purple electricity spread across its enormous body.
But…
The bear didn’t even move.
The lightning merely danced across its fur.
Aside from making its appearance more terrifying, the attack seemed to have caused almost no meaningful damage.
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
“As expected of a rare Tier Two species.”
“Your defense really is ridiculous.”
The Bloodthirsty Violent Bear’s greatest defensive advantage came from its fur.
Unlike domesticated animals, Ferocious Beasts had no habit of grooming themselves.
Over time, the bear’s thick fur had clumped together into extremely dense layers.
The result was essentially natural armor.
Its fur was comparable to E-grade alloy.
Even more troublesome….
It was highly resistant to electricity.
Kael’s Purple Sky Thunder was incredibly powerful.
But he was still only an Awakener.
Trying to cross an entire cultivation stage and seriously injure a Tier Two Beast King was clearly not going to be easy.
Kael’s gaze became focused.
I need to break through its defense first.
But before he could make another move—
The Bloodthirsty Violent Bear suddenly roared.
“ROAR!!!”
A terrifying surge of energy erupted from its body.
Red vitality began flowing around it.
The energy formed an upward current, almost like a blazing aura.
Its muscles expanded.
Its already enormous body grew even larger.
Veins bulged across its face.
The ground beneath its feet began trembling.
Loose stones jumped from the pavement.
Kael’s expression changed.
The bear suddenly bent its legs.
Then…
BOOM!
The ground exploded.
The Bloodthirsty Violent Bear launched itself forward.
Its enormous body shot through the air like a missile.
Kael’s eyes widened.
“What the hell?!”
For an instant, he had the bizarre feeling that a tank had been fired directly at him.
He immediately moved.
The bear crashed down exactly where Kael had been standing.
BOOOOOOM!
The already-damaged concrete pavement couldn’t withstand the impact.
Cracks spread outward in every direction.
Dust erupted into the air.
The entire area shook.
Kael retreated several meters and stared through the dust.
Slowly, the enormous figure emerged.
The Bloodthirsty Violent Bear stood in the crater.
Its red aura continued to surge around its body.
Its muscles bulged.
Its eyes burned with murderous intent.
Kael tightened his grip around the Obsidian Spear.
A serious expression appeared on his face.
The previous beasts had merely been the warm-up.
Now….
The real battle had begun.