Alfred was no longer a Soul Emperor.

He had stepped into the realm of a Soul Sage.

"Congratulations, Alfred." Giselle flew to his side, the words sincere.

Yet there was no joy on his face. The instant his breakthrough stabilized, his gaze snapped toward the golden cocoon of light nearby.

It was dimming.

Alfred vanished in a blur and reappeared beside it.

The cocoon dissolved.

Lily sat on the ground, eyes closed, her face deathly pale. It looked as though all the blood had been drained from her body, leaving behind only faint wisps of life.

Ray lay nearby, still soaked in blood. The terrifying wounds that had once riddled his body were gone, healed completely. His breathing was weak, his pulse faint—but steady.

"So these little brats really don't know how to stop surprising people," Giselle muttered.

She waved a hand. A soft green glow bloomed from her body, condensing into two plant-like lights. They drifted forward and merged gently into Ray and Lily.

Only then did the tension leave Alfred's shoulders.

He looked up at Giselle. "You specialize in healing. Tell me. How are they?"

Her expression turned complicated. "The boy's injuries were fatal. His organs were crushed. Any ordinary person would have died instantly. And yet… his heart was untouched. He endured the full force of a soul fusion skill and should not be alive. But he is. That's the first thing I can't understand."

She paused, then looked at Lily.

"And this girl… she's frighteningly brave. She burned her life's light to save him. Light is the purest element, the essence of vitality itself. She ignited her own life force to repair his body. His wounds, his organs—they're already restored. Truly… you Central people really know how to raise monsters."

Alfred's brows knit together. "Will this affect their future?"

Giselle shook her head slowly. "I don't know yet. They overexerted themselves far beyond their limits. I'll need to examine them after they wake. For now, they need rest. I'll go back with you and watch over them until they recover."

"Thank you." Alfred nodded.

He carefully lifted Ray into his arms, as though holding something fragile beyond measure. Azure light flowed from his Sky Ice battle armor, shielding them from the outside world. With a brief gesture toward Raziel Phoenix and Violetta, he strode away.

Giselle picked up Lily and followed close behind.

They ignored the stunned spectators.

They ignored Conrad and Oswin.

And no one dared stop them.

*

Far from the arena, Nigel stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his expression dark as gathering storm clouds. Godfrey stood beside him.

By all rights, Nigel should have been seated in the viewing boxes. But the moment he saw Ray pierced and bleeding on the stage, it felt as if a blade had been driven straight through his heart.

His martial soul lacked speed. He had been unable to keep up with Alfred's arrival. Godfrey had forcibly restrained him, warning him not to act rashly.

Then Alfred had revealed his terrifying might.

For the first time, Nigel truly understood just how formidable Ray's teacher was.

Nigel considered himself powerful—but this unassuming academy instructor had exceeded him by a wide margin. Once Alfred donned his battle armor and suppressed the entire stadium, Nigel knew there was nothing left for him to do.

Ray's safety was assured.

"Teacher, let's go check on him," Nigel said quietly.

Godfrey's eyes lingered on Giselle's retreating figure. "Don't act impulsively. That child should be fine. Otherwise, a battle armor master wouldn't leave so calmly. Your disciple… he's remarkable. To have a battle armor master as a teacher."

Nigel gave a bitter smile. "This is the first time I've met his teacher, too. I just wish it weren't under circumstances like this. I hope there are no lasting injuries."

Godfrey sighed. "Go. If you need anything, let me know."

*

Ray felt himself sinking into a deep, irresistible sleep.

When he regained awareness, the first thing he saw was Lily's tear-streaked face.

Golden light surrounded them, warm and boundless like a cocoon. His body still felt cold and numb, the memory of countless icicles piercing him lingering in his bones. The chill had nearly frozen his blood solid. Only his stubbornly beating heart had kept him alive.

Shielding Lily had been instinct.

Yet even in that instant, his mind had raced. He had activated the Purple Demon Eyes, barely managing to avoid having his heart pierced.

The numbness dulled the pain, but he had felt his life slipping away, his consciousness fading.

Then warmth had arrived.

Gentle. Comforting.

Wrapped in that golden world, the cold retreated little by little. And with that soothing heat cradling him, he lost consciousness.

*

Three days passed.

Alfred sat beside the bed, watching over his two sleeping disciples.

Neither had awakened.

Their faces were still pale, but their breathing was steady now, their heartbeats strong.

Giselle had confirmed there would be no lasting damage and allowed them to recover naturally before departing. Central Academy demanded her attention, and she had already lingered far longer than expected.

According to her, Ray's self-healing ability was extraordinary. His shattered organs had been repaired by life's light, leaving the rest to his body. Survival was certain.

Only one thing remained unknown.

Whether this ordeal would affect his cultivation.

That answer would come only with time.

Alfred, however, felt no doubt.

He remembered clearly the source of Ray's terrifying vitality.

His bloodline.

The Skysea Alliance's government neither investigated the incident nor issued an apology. The matter was buried in silence, swept beneath the carpet as if it had never happened.

With two of its core members incapacitated, class zero had no choice but to withdraw from the tournament.

"Mn…"

A faint groan broke the stillness.

Alfred turned at once.

Lily struggled to open her eyes. The first word that slipped from her pale lips was barely audible. "Ray…"

Alfred was already at her side. He reached out, pinching Ray's wrist to check his pulse. "He's fine. He's right next to you. You're still very weak. Rest."

"Teacher…" Lily forced her eyes open wider, the whites tinged red with worry. She turned her head slightly, gaze falling upon Ray.

He slept peacefully, his breathing steady, his expression calm, as if nothing had ever happened.

"He's tired…" she murmured, relief softening her voice.

Then her eyelids fluttered shut once more, and she slipped back into sleep.

Alfred stood there, unmoving, his brows slowly knitting together.

Her words lingered in his mind.

Since taking Ray as a disciple, Alfred had noticed something early on. Of all the students, this boy worked the hardest. Before dawn, even before the roosters crowed, Alfred would see him running, training, cultivating.

Not once had Ray complained.

On the Spirit Ascension Platform, his recklessness had nearly led to a cultivation deviation. Days ago, he had fought through grievous injuries, healed overnight, and then thrown himself into yet another life-or-death battle.

I've been too demanding of him.

And he's been even harsher on himself.

Ray knew better than anyone how large the gap in talent was between him and Lily, Raziel Phoenix, or Violetta. That awareness drove him relentlessly forward. He trained twice as hard as the others, shouldering everything in silence.

His body is exhausted. His mind is exhausted.

And I ignored that.

Alfred turned and walked to Ray's bedside. Perhaps… it was time to make adjustments. At the very least, some short-term changes were necessary.

They were still children.

Nigel had come three days earlier to confirm Ray's condition. Only after seeing with his own eyes that the boy was stable did he return to West Ocean City. That visit pushed Alfred toward a decision.

Ray can't keep going like this. I need to speak with Nigel about his future.

The appearance of battle armor masters at the tournament had been shocking, but in the grand scheme of things, it was merely a ripple. With no official follow-up, the news cooled quickly.

Class zero's brilliance was like a night-blooming flower. Dazzling for a moment, gone by dawn.

Their early dominance in the round-robin secured them a place in the top sixteen, but that was the end of the road. They could not continue.

When Conrad and Oswin tried to gather information on class zero afterward, West Ocean Academy had already sealed everything tight.

No answers.

No traces.

Class zero vanished.

Not only from the tournament, but from West Ocean Academy itself. No one saw them again. No one heard from them again.

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