Claire and her friends moved quickly through the corridor, following the direction from which the powerful energy fluctuation had come.
They turned around a corner.
And immediately ran into someone.
A tall young man carrying a long black spear was walking toward them.
It was Kael.
Claire hadn’t expected to encounter him again so soon.
For a moment, surprise flashed across her face.
“Heading home?” she asked.
Kael nodded.
“Training’s finished.
I want to get back early and make a few final preparations.”
Claire looked at the spear strapped across his back.
Then she gave him a small nod.
“All right.
Good luck with tomorrow’s Combat Examination.”
She hesitated before adding,
“And remember to stay safe.”
Although Claire still believed that Kael was taking an unnecessary risk by entering the Combat Examination with an E-rank ability, he was still her cousin.
She couldn’t bring herself to simply watch him walk into danger without saying anything.
Kael smiled.
“Thanks, Claire.
You do your best too.”
With that, he walked past them.
Claire and her friends continued in the opposite direction, still searching for the source of the earlier explosion.
None of them paid much attention to Kael as he left.
But Claire couldn’t help glancing back once.
There was something different about him.
She just couldn’t figure out what it was.
There weren’t many training rooms in this part of the building.
Only eight.
That made the search relatively easy.
After checking the nearby rooms, Claire and her friends finally found the one where the energy fluctuation had originated.
The moment they looked inside, all four of them froze.
The wall had been damaged beyond recognition.
The memory-metal target at its center was completely ruined.
Deep cracks spread outward from the impact point like a gigantic spiderweb.
Several cables had been exposed, with tiny electric sparks still flickering between them.
Claire’s normally calm expression changed.
Even her lips parted slightly in shock.
“What…?”
The young man in the white shirt stared at the destroyed equipment.
“Seriously?”
He walked closer, his face filled with disbelief.
“Even the memory metal was destroyed.”
He could still feel traces of the violent energy left behind by the attack.
“How powerful was that strike?”
The young man with the silver earring also became serious.
His C-rank Spiritual ability allowed him to sense residual energy more accurately than the others.
He slowly shook his head.
“I can still feel an incredible amount of force in the residual energy.”
“Whoever made this attack must be at least a High-Tier One Ability User.”
He paused.
“Possibly even a Tier Two Ability User.”
Everyone fell silent.
Sophie stared at him.
“A Tier Two Ability User?”
“Could someone like that really be a high school student from Redhaven City?”
The young man shook his head.
“I don’t think so.”
“Maybe an Ability User accidentally came onto this floor and used the training room to test their strength.”
Claire looked at the destroyed equipment.
“That makes more sense.”
An attack of this magnitude was simply too unreasonable for a high school student.
“Even the most talented students from the major cities of Westhaven Province probably couldn’t produce an attack like this.”
The others nodded.
They finally relaxed.
The high school students in Redhaven City who had already broken through the Awakener stage were rare enough.
If one of them had actually reached Tier Two…
Then the rest of them might as well give up on competing.
They had spent years consuming expensive resources and receiving the best training their families could provide.
Yet none of them had even become official Ability Users.
The thought alone was discouraging.
Suddenly, Sophie blinked.
“Wait.”
Everyone looked at her.
“Kael was the only person we saw walking through this corridor just now.”
She tilted her head.
“Could that attack have been caused by him?”
The others stared at her.
Sophie continued with an increasingly playful expression.
“What if Kael is actually some hidden genius?”
“Maybe he’s been pretending to be weak all this time and is planning to shock everyone during tomorrow’s examination.”
The young man with the earring stared at her.
Then he sighed.
“You’ve been reading too many stories about protagonists pretending to be weak.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
Sophie pouted.
“Why?”
“Because you need strength before you can hide it.”
He pointed toward the ruined training room.
“Kael awakened an E-rank ability.”
“An E-rank Awakener would already be doing extremely well if their physical attack intensity reached around three hundred Ka.”
He shook his head.
“Someone capable of producing an attack like this would have to be far beyond that level.”
“The corridors on both sides lead outside.
Whoever caused this probably left through the other side before we arrived.”
Sophie thought about it.
That explanation did make sense.
Ability rankings weren’t assigned randomly.
They represented the potential and limitations of an ability.
An E-rank ability had an extremely low upper limit.
At least, that was what everyone believed.
“You’re right.”
Sophie nodded.
Claire had been silent the entire time.
But now, for some reason, her thoughts returned to Kael.
She remembered the way he had walked past them.
His posture.
His eyes.
His calm expression.
And that faint smile.
A strange feeling appeared in her heart.
Was Kael really overestimating himself by taking the Combat Examination?
For the first time, Claire wasn’t completely certain.
The Day of the Combat Examination
The Academic Examination in Redhaven City was held inside the teaching buildings of various high schools.
The Combat Examination was different.
Because it involved real Ferocious Beasts, the examination was conducted inside a military-controlled zone near the outskirts of the city.
All candidates had to gather at the Redhaven City Gymnasium first.
From there, they would be transported to the examination area in groups.
The gathering time was 8:00 a.m.
The next morning, Kael woke early.
He immediately began preparing his equipment.
His most important weapon was already secured across his back.
The approximately 2.1-meter-long F-grade Obsidian Spear.
He also wore a complete F-grade black combat suit.
Matching combat boots covered his feet.
The combat suit and boots had been manufactured from the hides of Ferocious Beasts.
Despite being only F-grade equipment, they were extremely durable.
They could withstand claws, teeth, and a portion of the impact from attacks.
They wouldn’t tear easily during combat.
Kael finished checking his equipment.
Spear.
Combat suit.
Boots.
Everything was ready.
He looked at himself in the mirror.
A sharp determination appeared in his eyes.
“Tomorrow’s the day.”
“The Combat Examination…”
Kael adjusted the spear on his back.
“Here I come.”
He stepped out of his room.
Redhaven City — Silverbrook District
Silverbrook District was one of the most prestigious residential areas in Redhaven City.
Large villas lined both sides of the quiet streets.
Inside one of those villas, Claire had just finished breakfast.
She was already dressed in her combat gear and preparing to leave.
Her mother suddenly called after her.
“Claire.”
Claire turned around.
Her mother was an elegant woman whose facial features bore a strong resemblance to her daughter’s.
“Are you and Kael going to the same examination site?”
Claire sighed.
“Mom, I told you before.”
“There is only one Combat Examination venue in the entire city.”
“Of course we’re going to the same place.”
While speaking, Claire continued checking her equipment.
Her awakened ability was a B-rank Special-type ability ….
Shadow Cat.
When activated, Shadow Cat greatly enhanced her physical attributes.
Her speed increased.
Her flexibility increased.
Her reaction speed became far sharper.
Because of this fighting style, Claire preferred a dagger.
Unlike a heavy weapon, a dagger allowed her to move freely and take full advantage of her enhanced agility.
Her combat suit was also lightweight and tightly fitted to prevent it from interfering with her movements.
Claire checked the dagger at her waist one final time.
Her mother looked worried.
“If you see Kael at the examination site, help him if you can.”
Claire looked at her.
“Mom…”
“Your cousin only has an E-rank ability.”
Her mother’s expression became increasingly concerned.
“The Combat Examination is dangerous enough even for strong Awakeners.”
“With an E-rank ability, the danger is much greater.”
She paused.
“And you need to be careful too.”
“Don’t push yourself just to get a higher score.”
“If you encounter a powerful Ferocious Beast, retreat if necessary.”
“Your safety matters more than your result.”
Claire knew her mother was genuinely worried.
She wanted to explain that the examination area was enormous and that the chances of finding Kael after entering were almost nonexistent.
But seeing her mother’s expression, she simply nodded.
“I know.”
She finished checking her equipment.
Everything was ready.
A car was already waiting outside.
Claire walked out of the villa and got inside.
The vehicle immediately began heading toward the Redhaven City Gymnasium.
Redhaven City Gymnasium
Redhaven City had three major high schools.
Together, they had approximately three thousand graduating students.
After removing those who had chosen the Academic Examination, roughly 1,400 students remained for the Combat Examination.
Transporting more than fourteen hundred candidates was no small task.
The city had arranged more than forty buses.
They were parked in orderly rows outside the gymnasium.
Each bus was assigned to a specific school and class.
Students only needed to find their designated bus and board.
Parents stood around the entrance.
Some students arrived alone.
Others came with their parents.
And almost every parent repeated the same words before their child boarded.
“Son, I don’t care about your score.
Just come back safely.”
“I know, Dad.”
“Don’t take unnecessary risks.”
“Remember to protect yourself.”
“Stay safe.”
The same words could be heard everywhere.
Kael had just arrived when he stopped for a moment.
He watched the scene from a distance.
A father patted his son’s shoulder.
A mother straightened her daughter’s combat suit.
Another parent hugged their child before letting them board the bus.
Kael stood quietly among the crowd.
A faint ache appeared in his chest.
He couldn’t help feeling envious.
His parents had died when he was only ten years old.
Since then, he had grown up alone.
Even after transmigrating into this world, he had never experienced the warmth of having his parents beside him.
Kael took a slow breath.
He pushed those emotions aside.
Today wasn’t the day to dwell on the past.
He looked toward the rows of buses.
Then he found the one marked:
Rivergate High School ….Grade 12, Class Five.
Kael walked toward it.
The moment he stepped onto the bus, several students turned their heads.
Then whispers began spreading.
“Wait…”
“Is that Kael Veyron?”
“I almost didn’t recognize him.”
“He looks completely different.”
A girl stared at him.
“I never realized he was that handsome.”
Another student looked at the spear on his back.
“His presence feels completely different too.”
“Yeah.
He’s always been quiet, but today he looks…”
“Sharp.”
“Really sharp.”
Kael ignored the whispers.
He walked toward an empty seat.
The difference between the old Kael and the current Kael was obvious.
The original Kael had been introverted and withdrawn.
He often lowered his head while walking.
His shoulders were slightly hunched.
His eyes lacked confidence.
Although he had naturally good physical features…standing around 1.86 meters tall and possessing a handsome appearance…his mannerisms made him easy to overlook.
But that Kael was gone.
The person sitting in his place was different.
Kael’s gaze was clear and steady.
His posture was straight.
His shoulders were relaxed but strong.
Years of spear training had given him a natural warrior’s stance.
And the black combat suit made his tall frame look even more imposing.
The long, heavy Obsidian Spear strapped across his back added another layer of intimidation.
He didn’t need to say anything.
His presence alone was enough to attract attention.
Several girls quietly glanced in his direction.
Some looked surprised.
Others couldn’t help staring.
Even the students who had barely noticed him during the past three years were looking at him differently now.
At the front of the bus sat Daniel Carter, Kael’s head teacher.
He was responsible for checking the attendance list.
When Kael boarded, Daniel looked up.
For a moment, he didn’t recognize him.
Then his eyes widened slightly.
“Kael?”
Kael nodded.
“Good morning, Mr.
Carter.”
Daniel recovered quickly.
“Good morning.”
He looked down at the registration sheet.
Then he found Kael’s name and marked it.
But even after doing so, Daniel couldn’t help taking another look at his student.
He’s changed.
He couldn’t explain exactly how.
But Kael’s entire demeanor was different.
It was as though someone had replaced the quiet, withdrawn student he remembered with another person.
One who possessed confidence.
Determination.
And an almost impossible-to-ignore sharpness.
Daniel didn’t say anything.
He simply continued checking the attendance list.
One student after another boarded the bus.
The seats slowly filled.
The noise gradually increased.
Some students discussed their equipment.
Others talked about the examination.
A few tried to hide their nervousness by joking around.
Eventually, only one student remained.
Daniel looked down at his list.
Then he checked the bus entrance.
The final student from Class Five stepped aboard.
Daniel immediately closed the attendance sheet.
“Everyone from Class Five is here.”
He stood up.
“Let’s go.”
The bus engine roared to life.
Outside the windows, parents waved goodbye.
The students of Class Five watched the familiar city streets slowly disappear behind them.
None of them knew what awaited them beyond the city.
None of them knew how many Ferocious Beasts they would encounter.
And none of them knew that among the ordinary-looking candidates sitting on this bus was an Awakener whose true strength had already far exceeded what his E-rank ability should have allowed.
Kael quietly looked out the window.
His hand rested lightly against the Obsidian Spear beside him.
Tomorrow’s examination would change everything.
And for the first time since arriving in this world…
Kael was looking forward to it.