A hoarse voice echoed through the arena. "I will come and verify it myself."

All eyes turned toward the source of the voice.

Standing there was none other than Nicholas, the House Master of Lion's Heart.

Every gaze in the arena followed the figure striding forward. Nicholas, House Master of Lion's Heart. His steps were measured, but the fury simmering inside him was anything but calm.

Fredrick — his pride, his trump card, was missing. Cecilia, the gem of the first year, was also from his house. But she also failed in the last phase. He had expected her to shine, to remind everyone why Lion's Heart stood at the top. But she had failed.

And now?

Now, a first-year cultivator brat from Raging Bulls was standing at the center of the arena, overshadowing everyone else.

Nicholas's jaw tightened. 'Unacceptable.'

There was no way in hell he could accept this outcome.

He reached the arena floor and walked straight toward Derek. Without a word, he bent down and inspected the blindfold himself. He tugged at it, adjusted it, even infused a faint trace of perception magic to check for gaps.

But nothing. It was perfectly secure. For a brief moment, doubt flickered in his eyes. But it vanished instantly.

Nicholas straightened and snorted coldly.

"Even if the blindfold is fine," he said loudly, "I am certain he cheated."

A ripple went through the audience. "This time," Nicholas continued, "I will blindfold him myself. And I will personally launch the attack."

His eyes narrowed. "There will be no sound. No unnecessary disturbance. If he dodges again, only then will I accept the result."

The announcer froze. He instinctively looked up toward the upper balcony, toward the Headmistress and Vansel.

Vansel's expression darkened. He was already stepping forward to intervene....

"Enough..."

But the Headmistress raised a single finger.

"Let him," she said calmly.

Vansel stopped.

Her lips curved into a faint, confident smile.

"Let him satisfy his urge to verify," she continued. "That child will pass anyway."

Vansel hesitated, then exhaled slowly. There was nothing more he could say. He gave a subtle nod toward the announcer.

Daniel, the announcer, swallowed and nodded back.

Nicholas let out a low chuckle, clearly pleased.

Ice mana surged around his hand as he approached Derek again.

Crack!

A thin layer of translucent ice formed instantly, shaping itself into a flawless blindfold — cold, dense, and completely opaque. Nicholas fixed it firmly over Derek's eyes, far tighter than before.

Then he stepped back.

From the gallery, Yami watched quietly. He didn't like what Nicholas was doing. Misusing authority. Turning a trial into a personal vendetta.

But he didn't move. Instead, a slight grin tugged at his lips. 'That kid… If anyone can deal with this, it's him.'

Nicholas stopped several dozen meters away. He turned slowly, facing Derek. His eyes were cold.

Without warning....

He thrust his hand forward. A massive whirling ice sphere formed instantly, spinning at terrifying speed. Its surface was smooth, its aura tightly compressed. The surrounding air barely stirred.

It shot forward like a silent meteor.

Gasps erupted across the arena.

"That spell! Isn't it looking too destructive?!"

"Yeah! Isn't that too much?!"

Even several instructors stiffened. If Derek failed to dodge this...

He wouldn't just fail the test. He would be seriously injured. And maybe, he won't be able to participate in the subsequent trials.

Emma's eyes widened in horror. "Stop....!" she wanted to shout.

But it was already too late. The ice sphere was already there. A hair's breadth away.

Then...

Derek moved.

His body arced slightly to the left. A minimal shift. Barely noticeable.

The ice sphere screamed past him, missing by less than a finger's width, before crashing into the arena wall behind him and exploding into countless shards.

Silence. Absolute silence.

No one breathed.

Dodging was one thing. But this...

This wasn't panic. This wasn't desperation.

It was confidence. Overwhelming confidence.

Derek stood there calmly, posture unchanged.

He hadn't even flinched.

Nicholas froze. "H... how…?" he stammered. "He… he dodged it?"

'Impossible.' Nicholas knew exactly how much he had suppressed the aura so that the change in the air would be minimal. He had minimized airflow, condensed the mana, and erased sound and heat.

Even high-level instructors would struggle to sense that attack. Yet Derek hadn't just dodged it...

He had done so effortlessly. As if the attack meant nothing.

In truth, Derek wasn't pleased. Nicholas's intent had been obvious. That attack wasn't just a test; it was an attempt to hurt him.

But Derek said nothing. He was still a student. So instead...

He chose humiliation.

High above, the Headmistress chuckled softly.

Yami laughed openly. "That brat…" he said, shaking his head. "He's an oddball for sure."

Nicholas's face flushed crimson. He turned sharply, teeth clenched, and stormed out of the arena without another word.

There was nothing left for him to say. The final remaining participant stepped forward next.

And failed.

With that, the phase came to an end. The arena buzzed with a lingering sense of shock, awe, and disbelief.

The announcer drew in a breath, about to declare the conclusion of the second trial,

But then a calm voice echoed from above.

"Daniel," the Headmistress said, her tone unhurried, "continue with the second trial."

The entire arena stilled.

"I want to see," she continued, "how much the remaining participant has truly comprehended."

Yami's chuckle echoed softly from his seat. "Just what I was expecting," he murmured.

Below, Derek stood silently at the center of it all.

Daniel nodded once, looking toward the Headmistress, and raised his voice. "The next phase is a combo attack. The remaining participant, Derek Hale from the first year, will face simultaneous attacks while blindfolded."

A hush fell. No one could believe what was going on anymore.

Derek slowly walked toward the center of the arena and stood there, calm and unmoving.

Five instructors stepped forward, positioning themselves at five different corners around him, forming a perfect encirclement.

This time, there will be no sound, no heat, and no warning.

Everyone's breath caught.

Daniel lowered his hand.

"Begin."

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