A colossal black dragon dominated the painting. Its golden eyes burned fiercely against its obsidian scales, wings spread wide as if to blot out the heavens. Violet light erupted from its body, filling the space with an oppressive, tyrannical aura.

It was only a mural.

Yet it felt alive.

Every scale was rendered with terrifying clarity. The pressure radiating from it was suffocating, as if the hall itself were collapsing beneath the dragon's might.

Violetta's face drained of color as her body shook violently, barely able to remain standing.

Raziel fared even worse. His knees buckled almost instantly.

Ray caught him before he hit the ground.

The moment Raziel came into contact with Ray, a strange sensation surged through him. The oppressive fear retreated just enough for him to regain his footing.

Compared to the others, Ray stood far steadier.

When the pressure crashed down on him, his bloodline roared in response. Arrogant. Defiant. His blood rejected the black dragon's dominance outright, flooding him with courage.

Lily wavered only briefly before regaining her composure, her resolve shining through.

At some point, Giselle had vanished.

Ray's brows knit together.

This isn't just a hall.

This is a test.

Wave after wave of invisible pressure hammered down on them, each more brutal than the last. Raziel trembled violently, on the verge of collapse once again.

Ray's eyes sharpened.

Golden light flared deep within them.

His bloodline power surged.

Golden scales rippled across his right arm, far brighter and stronger than before. Power flooded through his veins like a roaring tide.

The scales spread past his shoulder, across his collarbone, down the right side of his torso, and up his neck.

His blood essence burst outward, extending beyond his body.

It wrapped around Lily, Violetta, and Raziel like an invisible shield.

Against the overwhelming pressure of the ancient dragon, Ray stood tall.

And this time, he did not stand alone.

Ray himself found the change a little baffling, but he didn't dwell on it. With a cold snort, his bloodline surged again, forcibly dispersing part of the black dragon's crushing pressure.

Once enveloped by Ray's blood essence, Raziel finally steadied himself.

Although he couldn't actually see anything, an indescribable sense of safety wrapped around him. Standing beside Ray felt like leaning against an unbreakable wall. As long as Ray was there, nothing could truly go wrong.

"Hm."

Giselle stepped out from behind a stone pillar. An elderly man followed close behind her, dressed in a dark-green robe. His eyes were sharp, and surprise flickered across his aged face when he took in the scene before him. His gaze lingered on Ray for a long moment before he nodded slowly.

"Not bad," the old man said. "That boy has the makings of a little monster. It's been many years since I last saw someone capable of enduring the pressure of the Gold-Eyed Black Dragon King."

What class zero didn't know was that the mural above them had been painted by a demigod who specialized in art. Yet its terrifying presence came from a single drop of blood embedded into the painting.

A drop of blood from the strongest soul beast of the Great Star Dou Forest.

The Gold-Eyed Black Dragon King.

That blood had been obtained during a legendary battle between the dragon and Central Academy's peak powerhouses.

This mural was designed to test spiritual power. The longer one endured the pressure, the higher their score.

Giselle was equally astonished. She had always regarded Lily as the most outstanding student of class zero, but now Ray had revealed himself as another startling talent.

In the long history of Black Dragon Hall, no one had ever resisted the mural using their own aura. Examinees relied solely on grit and willpower.

"Elder," Giselle asked carefully, "what about the score for this trial…?"

He glanced at Ray again. "Give that boy full marks. As for the other three… luck is also a part of strength. Give them eight points."

"Thank you, Elder." Giselle's eyes brightened.

The four students immediately turned and bowed deeply.

The old man waved his hand, smiling faintly. "I'm just giving face to that old fellow. Don't forget, you were still late." He turned to leave, then paused and nodded once more at Ray before departing, his meaning unclear.

"The exam consists of multiple trials," Giselle explained. "Each trial is worth ten points. You need at least six points per trial, and your total score is calculated at the end. Full scores add points, failures deduct them. All things considered, your luck in the first trial wasn't bad."

"Follow me."

We've already finished the first trial?

Raziel shot Ray a thumbs-up, only now fully realizing that the test had been one of spiritual endurance. His own spiritual power was above average, but by Central's standards, it was lacking. Without Ray, he would have failed outright.

Lily could have scored higher, but even she wouldn't have been able to help Violetta reach eight points on her own.

The reality that they had passed the first trial finally sank in. Almost instinctively, they fell into formation as they walked. Ray took the lead, Raziel half a step behind, while Lily and Violetta covered the rear.

After passing through a corridor, they entered another hall. Giselle stopped and turned to face them.

"Wait here. The second trial will begin shortly."

She left without explaining further. Being allowed to take the exam at all despite arriving late was already an exception. Unlike other examinees, they wouldn't have time to rest between trials.

With a quick glance, Ray signaled to Raziel and Violetta. Both immediately sat down cross-legged to meditate, still recovering from the strain of the first trial.

Lily shook her head slightly, indicating she was fine.

Then the hall suddenly darkened.

It was as if night had fallen.

But it was still noon.

Silver lights bloomed across the ground, weaving into complex patterns. The painted sky on the domed ceiling transformed, expanding into a vast and lifelike starry expanse.

Lily's brows jumped in surprise. Ray quickly nudged Raziel and Violetta to their feet.

The silver patterns faded.

In the next instant, it felt as though they were floating in a boundless cosmic void.

"Hold hands!" Ray barked.

He grabbed Raziel with one hand and Lily with the other. Lily seized Violetta's hand, and Violetta grasped Raziel's, forming a tight circle.

Two purple soul rings rose beneath Ray's feet as Silverfalls Vine burst forth, wrapping around them and forming a protective barrier.

Without knowing what awaited them, securing their formation was the only sensible move.

Then the world shifted again.

Light returned, and they found themselves in an enormous open space.

Before they could orient themselves, a deafening roar shattered the air.

A crushing pressure slammed into them.

A massive soul beast emerged, more than ten meters long and over five meters tall. Two horns jutted from its skull, one longer than the other. Its hide was thick like armor, and its scarlet eyes burned with ferocity.

"Earth Demon Rhinoceros," Raziel said grimly. "At least three thousand years."

They had never encountered one on the spirit ascension platform. This beast ruled the savanna, not the forest.

It wasn't as terrifying as the Duskgold Dreadclaw Bear, but it was still a fearsome opponent.

"Earth attribute," Lily assessed instantly.

Ray said nothing, responding only with a series of swift hand signals.

Lily and Violetta retreated to open up distance while Raziel dashed sideways.

Silverfalls Vine wrapped around their waists, linking the four together.

A flash of golden light appeared on Ray's shoulder.

Gold.

The little snake had grown significantly compared to three years ago. It was now half a meter long, thick as a chestnut, its golden scales sharper and denser, eerily similar to those on Ray's right arm.

Gold slid down his left arm and coiled tightly around his forearm, its golden eyes gleaming.

The Earth Demon Rhinoceros roared again, pawed the ground twice, and charged.

Instead of fear, Ray felt his blood ignite.

His heart thundered with exhilaration.

This was perfect.

A perfect chance to test how much stronger he had become after breaking the second seal.

Rather than retreat, Ray surged forward, charging straight toward the oncoming beast.

At the same moment, a yellow glow spread across the ground before the rhinoceros.

The earth softened under Lily's control, turning into a treacherous marsh.

Yet just as the beast was about to sink, another burst of yellow light flared beneath its feet. The ground hardened instantly.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.