Nigel nodded calmly. "His martial soul and physique are both unusual. As a blacksmith, he's truly heaven-blessed. Innate divine strength aside, his insight is frightening. Right now, his cultivation is actually holding back his blacksmithing talent. That's why he's stuck at fourth rank.

"To him, blacksmithing started as a way to earn money. Unlike mecha crafting or designing, it isn't directly tied to becoming a battle armor master. But its importance shouldn't be underestimated.

"I'd even say that becoming a Saint Blacksmith is more helpful than becoming a mecha craftsman or designer. I'm certain he won't switch professions.

"This is a case where guidance is better than suppression. I won't stop him from pursuing the path of a battle armor master. I'll encourage it instead. As long as he understands that the foundation of a battle armor master begins with blacksmithing, that's enough.

"Battle armor masters may be the pinnacle profession on the continent, but fewer than one in a hundred soul masters can walk that road. Even the Central Academy can't guarantee success for its students. However, if he becomes a Saint Blacksmith, then his chances become very real. He's a smart child. He'll know which path suits him best."

Godfrey gazed at Nigel for a long moment, his eyes deep and probing. Then he let out a slow breath. "I really am getting old. My thinking can't keep up anymore. Perhaps you're right."

Nigel smiled faintly. "You can rest easy. No one wants him to become a blacksmith more than I do. I'm looking forward to seeing whether I can raise a Divine Blacksmith."

Godfrey laughed. "Just like how I, a seventh-rank blacksmith, raised an eighth-rank blacksmith like you?"

*

Ray and his teammates descended from the arena in high spirits.

In today's match, Ray had finally unleashed his full strength in close combat, overwhelming their opponents with a decisive blitz.

Yet as he reflected on the battles of the past few days, he noticed a common flaw across the entire junior division.

They lacked real combat experience.

Most competitors failed to display their true strength. It was true for both the individual and team events. Even Skysea Academy's B-team had relied on rigid execution, activating soul skills mechanically with little adaptability or finesse.

Compared to them, Ray's control and timing were leagues ahead. That was how he could crush opponents with higher cultivation.

"They were way too weak," Raziel Phoenix said confidently. "Looks like soul power isn't everything after all."

Lily shook her head slightly. "It's not that they were weak. Our combat experience just surpasses theirs."

Violette nodded vigorously. "Exactly! Teacher Alfred doesn't teach us like normal academies do. Other schools focus on theory. Even combat training is done in the safest way possible. Students just stand there exchanging soul skills. That's nothing like real combat."

Since joining Class Zero, Violette had quickly realized how far Ray, Lily, and Raziel Phoenix were ahead of her. Before training on the spirit ascension platform, she couldn't understand why. Now, after countless harsh sparring sessions, she finally did.

Alfred never held back.

Bruises and cuts were a daily occurrence. His training methods were brutal compared to ordinary classes. While their soul power growth slowed, their combat strength skyrocketed.

Raziel Phoenix rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "The Skysea Alliance has always lagged behind the central and western regions in soul master strength. Maybe it's because of teaching methods and history. Mechas exist now. For anyone under four rings, a mecha is often stronger than they are. A lot of people choose the easy path."

He shrugged. "As long as your soul power reaches a certain level, you can become a mecha pilot. It's a solid profession. That's probably why most students entering advanced academies choose the mecha department instead."

"I've heard that things are different in the central and western regions," Raziel Phoenix went on. "Becoming a battle armor master is far more popular there. Because of that, many people choose to walk a pure soul master's path instead of rushing their cultivation blindly. To become a true battle armor master, you first need to be a powerful soul master. That mindset makes a huge difference."

He grew more animated as he spoke. "In their eyes, battle armor masters are the continent's strongest military force, so everyone strives toward that goal. I think it's this difference in outlook that's created the current gap in strength between regions."

Lily nodded slightly. "Teacher Alfred's teaching style feels very similar to what you're describing. It's probably influenced by the Central Academy's inner court. That might be why we're stronger than others our age."

Ray raised an eyebrow, surprised. "How do you know all this?" He found it hard to believe Raziel Phoenix had uncovered this information on his own.

Raziel Phoenix grinned smugly. "When I went home during vacation, I wanted to relax, but my old man insisted on testing me. I gave him quite a scare. After I told him about our training, he explained all of this to me. My old man's pretty sharp, you know."

Ray nodded thoughtfully. "What Uncle said makes sense. Then let's all work hard and become battle armor masters."

As he spoke, he stretched out his hand.

Lily placed hers beneath his, followed by Raziel Phoenix and Violette. The four exchanged smiles, confidence surging between them.

*

The next three matches passed smoothly.

Ray's team secured easy victories, encountering only a single three-ring opponent throughout. From beginning to end, Ray served as the team's anchor. He controlled the battlefield, shielded his teammates, and dealt the most decisive blows. In every sense, he carried the team.

Though his cultivation level was low, his innate divine strength and golden dragon claw more than compensated. Within the team competition, he still hadn't met a truly worthy opponent.

By their fourth consecutive win, the other teams in their group began to take notice. More specifically, they began to fear Ray.

His performance was too eye-catching. His attacks were too oppressive. The purple soul ring beneath his feet only added to the pressure. Everyone noticed that he always charged first, pinning down the enemy while his teammates worked freely behind him. Before long, he became the focus of attention and analysis. Teams began studying his combat habits, techniques, and potential weaknesses.

Ray himself maintained a strict daily routine.

At dawn, he cultivated the Purple Demon Eyes and practiced Controlling Crane, Capturing Dragon. In the afternoon, he competed. At night, he meditated. His days were full and productive.

Actual combat proved invaluable. As he grew more familiar with Controlling Crane and Capturing Dragon, he began testing them in battle.

Though his execution was still clumsy, his understanding deepened with every attempt. He discovered that the technique wasn't just another method of attack. It also enhanced his control over the soul power compressed by the Mysterious Heaven Method.

His goal was simple: squeeze every ounce of power out of his limited reserves.

"I heard today's opponents are strong," Raziel Phoenix said quietly. "Probably the strongest team in our group."

Ray nodded. "That's right. Sealand Academy's primary team. Two three-ringed soul masters and one two-ringed. Our group's overall strength isn't very high, but they've won four matches in a row, just like us. If we win one more, we're basically guaranteed a spot in the top four."

"What's the plan?" Raziel Phoenix asked eagerly. "You should let me shine for once. You've been hogging all the spotlight. No one even notices me!"

Ray lowered his voice, eyes glinting. "The ones who explode at the end are the true trump cards. People like me burn too fast. I can only show my strength early on."

Raziel Phoenix stared at him in disbelief. "Seriously? But all the girls from other teams only look at you! I don't get it. I'm clearly more handsome."

"You really have thick skin," Violette said, barely holding back laughter. "You're not even one-third as handsome as our captain."

Raziel Phoenix's face twisted like a shriveled prune. "I hate people who are this blunt. Fine. I don't want to be a trump card anymore. Just let me show everyone how amazing I am."

Ray shrugged. "Alright. We'll adjust our tactics."

Alfred had given them full autonomy. He neither interfered nor offered advice. Every strategy they used came from Ray himself.

That freedom gave Ray room to maneuver.

His earlier displays of strength were deliberate, meant to draw attention away from Raziel Phoenix and Lily.

They hadn't yet faced the strongest opponents, and he wanted to preserve his teammates as hidden weapons for as long as possible. Stronger battles lie ahead. They might even encounter a Central Academy team with Scarlet and Jacob. Better to conceal what they could.

Today's opponent, Sealand Academy's primary team, was no joke.

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.