Sealand City was the third-largest city in the Skysea Alliance, second only to Skysea and West Ocean. Its people were known for their valor, and Sealand Academy's reputation even surpassed West Ocean Academy's.

Their three representatives were nearly fifteen. Two three-ringed soul masters and one two-ringed, whose cultivation hovered around rank twenty-five. In previous matches, they had crushed opponents with sheer power. Many believed they were strong contenders for the championship.

Their captain possessed a thousand-year soul ring, though he hadn't revealed its abilities yet.

"Oh, by the way," Raziel Phoenix said with a grin, "I ran into some old acquaintances earlier."

"Who?" Ray asked.

"Barbara and Volt. They're in the fourth group. Seems they've been winning steadily under the guidance of a senior student."

At the mention of those names, Ray's heart tightened. Memories of their battle against the Man-Faced Demon Spider resurfaced. A dull ache spread through his chest. If it weren't for me, they wouldn't have had to leave.

"I chatted with them a bit," Raziel Phoenix continued. "You know what Jinxi said? The team they hope they never run into is us!"

Ray let out a soft sigh. "If they were still in Class Zero, we'd only be missing one person for the seven-man team."

Raziel Phoenix's smile faded. He sighed as well. "There's no one to blame. Everyone has their own path. But we're still here, still Class Zero. Let's win today for our class."

Ray lifted his head, resolve blazing in his eyes. "Victory."

"Victory!" Lily and Violette echoed.

The arenas used after the start of the round-robin were larger and sturdier than before.

Only junior division matches were scheduled for the afternoon. Though they were broadcast, many spectators remained indifferent. Most wouldn't truly pay attention until the top sixteen emerged. After all, this was only the three-versus-three competition.

*

Inside box one.

This box was reserved for Skysea City's officials. During important matches, the alliance's heavyweights would gather here.

Today, however, it was quiet.

Only two men sat on the sofa, watching the matches on the screen. Both appeared to be in their fifties.

One was tall and broad-shouldered, with blazing red hair. The moment he spoke, his deep voice resonated through the room.

"Brother Oswin, Sealand Academy is really shining this time."

The man addressed was lean, with bronzed skin and sharp eyes. He smiled modestly. "Brother Conrad flatters us. Skysea Academy remains number one in the alliance. No one can shake that position."

The two were well-known figures within the Skysea Alliance.

The red-haired man was Conrad, president of Skysea Academy, a six-ringed Soul Emperor.

The other was Oswin, president of Sealand Academy. Though his cultivation lagged slightly behind, he, too, was a Soul Emperor.

"Brother Oswin," Conrad said curiously, "why did you invite me here today? Surely not just for the junior division?"

Oswin nodded. "My academy has produced several promising talents recently. I wanted to discuss granting us three quotas this time."

Conrad's gaze sharpened.

Of course, he knew exactly what those quotas referred to.

They were the precious quotas for taking the Central Academy's entrance examination.

Unlike ordinary soul master academies, Central Academy only recruited students once every three years.

When enrollment season arrived, alliances and unions across the continent would carefully select their most outstanding youths to apply. Applicants had to be under fifteen years old.

There was no strict minimum requirement for soul power, but each candidate had to demonstrate exceptional talent in at least one field.

Because the Skysea Alliance lagged behind other regions in overall soul master strength, it was allocated fewer spots. Each enrollment cycle, the alliance received roughly one hundred and twenty quotas.

Those precious places were then divided among dozens of cities, leaving most with only two or three chances.

As the foremost academy in the Skysea Alliance, Skysea Academy kept twenty quotas for itself. The remaining academies could only hope for favorable allocation or the goodwill of the alliance.

Naturally, Skysea Academy stood far above the rest.

"Brother Oswin," Conrad said evenly, "Sealand Academy has always managed to secure its share of quotas through strength alone. Why are you asking me for more this time?"

Oswin fell silent for a moment before answering slowly, "I'm not referring to the ordinary quotas. I'm asking for inner court examination quotas."

Conrad's eyes widened as a powerful aura spilled unconsciously from his body.

"What did you say? Inner court quotas?"

Out of the one hundred and twenty standard quotas, the entire Skysea Alliance only received five inner court examination quotas in total. Five. No more, no less.

These five were almost always monopolized by Skysea Academy. On the rare occasion another academy received one, it came with heavy compensation and numerous conditions.

The gap between the Central Academy's outer court and inner court was like heaven and earth. Anyone who entered the inner court would become the pride of the entire Skysea Alliance.

Yet for several consecutive cycles, not a single inner court disciple had emerged from the region.

Central Academy was famously strict. Sometimes, not even ten students would be admitted into the inner court in one cycle. There were even years when none passed at all. That alone spoke volumes about the difficulty of the examination.

Ordinarily, inner court disciples were promoted from the outer court. Direct admission into the inner court was a miracle that occurred perhaps once in a generation.

Even so, an inner court examination quota was priceless. Possessing one was akin to holding a guaranteed ticket into Central Academy's outer court at the very least. From the alliance's perspective, it meant nurturing a future battle armor master.

Though Central Academy forbade its students from interfering in continental conflicts while enrolled, many restrictions were lifted after graduation. As long as they upheld the academy's reputation and avoided criminal conduct, graduates were free to choose their own paths.

A battle armor master endorsed by Central Academy carried immeasurable weight.

"How could I not be shocked?" Conrad said gravely. "Brother Oswin, do you realize what you're asking for?"

Oswin inclined his head slightly. "I do. That's why I wouldn't make this request lightly. My students this time are truly exceptional. If I didn't believe they had a real chance of passing the inner court examination, I wouldn't dare mention it."

He paused before continuing, voice steady. "Sealand Academy is part of the Skysea Alliance. If my students succeed, it would bring honor to the entire alliance. It might even increase the number of quotas we receive in the future."

There was, after all, a rule at Central Academy. Any region whose students successfully entered the inner court would receive additional quotas in later years.

Conrad's expression remained stern. "You should know that I don't have sole authority over the inner court quotas. Ultimately, the decision belongs to the alliance."

Oswin smiled faintly. He understood this was merely a polite refusal.

"Then how about this?" he suggested calmly. "Watch a few of my disciples' matches first. If they can truly stand out in the junior division, perhaps you'll reconsider. Time is short before the examinations."

Conrad gave a noncommittal nod. "Very well. Let's watch for now."

The screen in box one shifted to an arena where two teams had just entered.

One team consisted of three girls.

At their head stood a tall girl with sky-blue hair. Though not yet fifteen, she was slender and graceful, already carrying the poise of a young lady.

To her left stood another girl who looked almost identical. The only difference was her hair, which shimmered in a light green hue like spring grass. The contrast between identical features and different hair colors immediately caught Conrad's attention.

The final member of the team was a blonde girl. She was tall and thin, almost like a reed, with strikingly bright eyes that seemed alive with lightning.

Oswin began his introduction. "The blonde one is Margery. Her martial soul is the Thunderflash Sword. She has three soul rings and is a rank thirty-two assault-type soul master."

He gestured to the twins. "The blue-haired one is Ursula, and the green-haired one is Matilda. They're twin sisters. Ursula has three rings at rank thirty-one. Matilda has two rings at rank twenty-seven."

Conrad nodded slowly as he examined their records. His eyes narrowed slightly when he saw the results.

Four wins in four matches.

That alone wasn't surprising. What startled him was their opponent.

West Ocean Academy's tertiary team also had four victories.

West Ocean City was large, but it wasn't known for producing exceptional talents. West Ocean Academy usually ranked slightly below average within the alliance. That their tertiary team had reached this point was unexpected.

And they were so young.

"Brother Oswin," Conrad asked thoughtfully, "have you been paying attention to this team from West Ocean Academy?"

A peculiar expression flickered across Oswin's face before he nodded. "I've watched them a bit. They're… strange. Very strange. Despite their age, their combat strength is extraordinary."

"Oh?" Conrad turned to him, intrigued. He knew Oswin well. Praise like this was not given lightly.

"That team is made up entirely of ten-year-olds," Oswin explained. "Their captain is named Ray. He only has one soul ring, but it's a thousand-year ring. In previous matches, he withstood combined assaults by himself."

He continued, eyes glinting. "His martial soul is supposedly Silverfalls Vine, though it's clearly a variant. His physical strength is terrifying, and his right hand can transform into a dragon's claw. From what I've observed, he doesn't appear to have twin martial souls. I haven't seen a second ring either. It might be a rare soul bone."

Conrad was no longer merely surprised. He was stunned.

Oswin had paid this much attention to West Ocean Academy's tertiary team?

Seeing the disbelief on his old friend's face, Oswin smiled knowingly. "You'll understand once the match begins. These kids are anything but ordinary. If they hadn't met my team today, they might have kept winning all the way through."

His gaze sharpened. "West Ocean Academy must have recruited an extraordinary teacher. Otherwise, how could they nurture talents like this?"

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