Alfred shook his head. "No. Because they can drop soul bones. Humanity is the greediest species of all. Soul beasts are disappearing not because they threaten us, but because killing them benefits us too much."

Ray was shaken. For the first time, he truly understood the imbalance between humans and soul beasts. Even though the creatures in the spirit ascension platform were illusory, the bitterness lingered.

*

"Big brother, please don't be angry," Violetta Fireheart whispered timidly.

Veyron Fireheart's face was twisted with rage. Their clan had paid a heavy price for those rebellion spirit ascension platform entry cards, yet both of them had been eliminated because of his carelessness.

The memory of being swallowed by elemental devastation still haunted him. It had taken a full day just to recover.

"The only Soul Masters in that area yesterday should've been from West Ocean City," Veyron Fireheart muttered grimly. "Judging by their age, they should be students at an intermediate academy. Could they really be from West Ocean Academy?"

Violetta Fireheart froze. "If so… then they're my seniors."

House Fireheart was the largest family in West Ocean City. Their father, the city's finance minister, wielded immense influence. Veyron Fireheart was talented, but stubborn and arrogant. In contrast, Violetta Fireheart was gentle, timid, and cherished by the elders.

When her martial soul awakened three years ago, the clan discovered something shocking. She already had rank seventeen soul power, and her martial soul triggered a rare starlight phenomenon recorded only in ancient clan records. She was an even greater genius than Veyron Fireheart.

Overjoyed, their father spared no expense to secure rebellion spirit ascension platform entry cards for both siblings, ordering Veyron Fireheart to protect his sister at all costs.

But Violetta Fireheart was too afraid to fight. From start to finish, she hid behind her brother, refusing to kill even a single soul beast. Veyron Fireheart absorbed plenty of spirit energy, but she gained almost nothing.

Then they met Ray's group.

And everything ended.

"If I find out who they are," Veyron Fireheart said darkly, "I won't hold back."

Yet in his mind, Lily's calm, distant expression surfaced again. Not as beautiful as his sister, perhaps, but her presence was unforgettable.

How could she control so many elements?

*

"Teacher, the final phase of the exam is about to start," Barbara asked hopefully. "Will today's combat class be postponed?"

Alfred replied coldly, "No. Because of the spirit energy you absorbed, the academy will test your soul ring levels and physical limits again. Don't think youth gives you the right to slack off. If you don't work hard now, it'll be useless later."

He turned and walked out. "Combat class proceeds as usual. You won't be entering the spirit ascension platform again for a while. Your training methods will be adjusted. Follow me."

Barbara sighed miserably. "Teacher is completely unreasonable…"

Raziel Phoenix twitched his lips. "Be satisfied already. Do you know how many students from the advanced department are lining up, begging for Teacher to teach them?"

"Move it," Ray cut in curtly.

The five of them followed Alfred toward the academy's combat training facilities.

These grounds were specially designed for real combat training. A powerful soul barrier surrounded each field, greatly reducing the damage caused by stray soul skills.

"Are we… getting demoted?" Barbara whispered to Volt with a troubled expression. This place was usually used by ordinary students. Ever since joining Class Zero, they had rarely come here, spending most of their combat training inside the spirit ascension platform instead.

Volt shot him an annoyed glance. "Can you stop talking nonsense for once?"

"Eh…"

Alfred located the instructor in charge and reserved a training field.

The facility had three floors, each containing four training fields of varying sizes, ranging from thirty to fifty meters in diameter. Most of them were packed with students from different grades, but the third floor was currently empty, allowing them to train undisturbed.

Alfred led them into a fifty-meter-wide field.

Raziel Phoenix's eyes lit up. "Teacher, are we splitting into three versus two? Hehe." He glanced mischievously at Barbara, already eager to fight.

"No," Alfred replied coldly. "All five of you will fight me."

"Five against one? That's unfair… huh? Against you?" Raziel Phoenix stared at him in disbelief.

Alfred said calmly, "This isn't the spirit ascension platform. You won't revive here. I may not be able to hold back completely. I'll suppress my soul power to your level and won't amplify my soul rings. But I will use my martial soul. Begin."

Before anyone could respond, soul rings rose beneath his feet.

Two yellow, two purple, and two black soul rings appeared in succession. A terrifying pressure surged outward before rapidly dropping to around rank twenty.

An ice-blue sword materialized in his right hand. His usual icy indifference seemed to condense into that blade, and for the briefest moment, a rare trace of gentleness appeared in his eyes.

White robes. Blue sword. Sky and frost united.

Those words flashed through Ray's mind.

He still vividly remembered the battle where Alfred revealed his martial soul against Eren. He hadn't even understood what had happened before the fight was already over.

And now… they were facing the Skyfrost Sword head-on.

"Formation!" Ray roared, snapping everyone out of their shock.

Lily reacted first, flashing behind Ray. Volt, Barbara, and Raziel Phoenix moved instantly, forming a cross formation with Lily at the center, all facing Alfred.

"Be careful!" Ray shouted. "I'll restrain him. Lily, control the field. The rest of you, attack. Go!"

Silverfalls Vine surged into his hand. Compared to before, his control was noticeably sharper, the vines responding with fluid precision.

Strand after strand of Silverfalls Vine shot toward Alfred, while behind Ray, Lily's two soul rings gleamed as she raised her hands.

Fireballs erupted into the air.

Some flew straight. Others arced unpredictably. Dozens of blazing projectiles rushed toward Alfred from every direction, forming a dense net of flame.

Ice could extinguish fire, but fire could also melt ice.

Taking into account that Alfred had suppressed his soul power, Lily decisively chose to suppress his attribute first.

At the same moment, Ray's Silverfalls Vine exploded forward, wrapping toward Alfred's body.

Raziel Phoenix, Barbara, and Volt charged from three directions, converging rapidly. Silverfalls Vine was tied around their waists, allowing Ray to coordinate them perfectly.

The fireballs arrived first.

Alfred's gaze never left his Skyfrost Sword.

He took a single step.

In that instant, time itself seemed to slow.

A bone-chilling aura flooded the training field. One by one, the fireballs extinguished silently, their cores annihilated before they could explode. When the flames vanished, the field returned to its original clarity.

Lily's expression flickered. She had clearly felt her fireballs collapse from the inside.

The next instant, Alfred moved.

His footwork was strange and elusive, weaving between the vines of Silverfalls Vine as if he were half-real, half-illusory. He was like a phantom general striding across a frozen battlefield.

The three attackers felt a chill run down their spines.

Not good!

Ray yanked hard on the vines. "Withdraw!"

Against Teacher, overextending was suicide. Survival came first.

Raziel Phoenix had already anticipated this. The moment the order was given, he twisted mid-charge and retreated at full speed.

Barbara and Volt, however, were a fraction too slow.

Frost crept up their bodies.

Without hesitation, they grabbed each other's hands, black light bursting forth.

Martial soul fusion skill!

Shadow Eagle Dragon!

They didn't dare hold back.

Dark waves rippled outward. Volt's aura surged noticeably stronger, yet something felt off. A discordant tremor ran through the fusion.

The two groaned and were violently forced apart.

Two cold lights landed on their bodies, freezing them in place as Alfred appeared before them.

"What happened?" He stopped attacking, his gaze sharpening as he examined them.

The fusion failed?

During the Class Promotion Tournament, their fusion skill had at least partially succeeded. Yet now, it had collapsed entirely.

Barbara and Volt's faces drained of color.

Their individual martial souls weren't exceptional. Their fusion was the reason they could stand among geniuses, the key to their future potential.

And now… it had failed.

"Try again," Alfred said calmly as he stepped back, Skyfrost Sword lifting once more. The cold returned instantly.

The two exchanged a glance, teeth clenched, soul power surging to its limit.

Barbara's wings unfurled as he swept Volt into his arms once more.

Volt mirrored Barbara's movement, and the two collided head-on.

A deep, draconic roar erupted from Volt's throat as his Bone Dragon King surged forth, attempting to fuse with Barbara's Shadow Phantasm Eagle. Yet the fusion barely began before something went wrong. Volt felt it instantly. His body rejected the union with brutal force, as if every fiber of his being was trying to expel the Shadow Phantasm Eagle the moment it drew close.

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