Alfred hadn't actually watched the recording in detail. Although the scene had been displayed on the screen, his attention had been entirely consumed by Raziel's condition.

Raziel's jaw fell open. "T-that's really possible? A soul bone? You actually got a soul bone! Ray, then you can just pay me back with that."

Lily frowned instantly. "Now you're trying to steal it?"

Raziel snorted. "What, not allowed? Fine, fine. Then you can forge my battle armor for me instead, Ray."

Ray gave a helpless smile. "Alright."

Lily paused, then smiled as well.

As teammates and comrades-in-arms, they were bound to help one another forge their battle armor sooner or later. Otherwise, they wouldn't have chosen such demanding secondary professions in the first place.

Alfred's voice cut through their chatter, firm and calm. "You've all passed your final exam."

With that declaration, the first semester of their fourth year officially came to an end. Yet for class zero, this ending marked only the beginning. Ahead of them lay the next chapter of their lives—one that led directly toward the sanctuary they had dreamed of for years.

*

In a chamber steeped in darkness, a faint purple radiance bloomed, forcing back the oppressive gloom inch by inch.

"My Lord," a deep voice said reverently. Its owner knelt on one knee. Though his appearance was human, his aura was as terrifying as a bottomless abyss.

"Mn."

A petite figure stepped forward. Her silver hair flowed all the way to the floor, and her violet eyes pierced through the darkness like twin stars.

"How is the progress?" Her voice was soft and youthful, yet it carried an authority that made the air itself tremble.

"We have fully integrated and gathered intelligence from all sides," the black-robed figure replied respectfully. "Please take a look."

"Mn."

A silver claw flashed forth and clasped the man's head. His body convulsed violently for an instant before the tremors gradually subsided, leaving behind only a faint shudder.

*

A high-speed train sped across the land, racing from West Ocean City toward Central City.

In an ordinary second-class carriage, the four students of class zero could barely contain their excitement. This was their first journey to a place so far from home.

More importantly, this trip would forever alter the course of their lives.

The two girls sat together on one side of the aisle, while Ray, Raziel, and Alfred occupied the seats opposite them.

RaCziel and Violetta chatted noisily from time to time, their laughter light and unrestrained. Lily, meanwhile, gazed quietly out the window. Ray was also looking outside, but his eyes were unfocused, his thoughts drifting far away.

Alfred leaned back in his seat, eyes closed, already fast asleep.

As scenery flashed past the window, Ray's mind returned to the words of another teacher—the advice he had received before leaving West Ocean.

*

"Ray, I wish you success on your trip to Central Academy. But remember, you must not neglect your blacksmithing. You must forge every day. In these past three years, your progress has been astonishing—even by my standards. Once you obtain your third soul ring, Spirit Refinement will come naturally."

The praise carried great weight. After all, the speaker was Nigel, a Saint Blacksmith.

Three years ago, after recovering from his injuries, Ray had rapidly achieved first-grade thousand refining and applied it to every metal he could acquire. He had completed countless such refinements.

Typically, a blacksmith would attempt Spirit Refinement only after reaching a thirty percent success rate at first-grade thousand refining. Some daring individuals even tried it at ten percent.

Ray, however, had reached a one hundred percent success rate.

When Nigel had first attempted Spirit Refinement, his own success rate had been only fifty percent.

Ray's situation was special. His soul power cultivation lagged behind, but his forging talent was overwhelming. He refined metal tirelessly while steadily cultivating, never allowing either path to falter.

He sought Nigel's guidance on every nuance of thousand refining, perfecting his technique to an almost inhuman degree. Over the past three years, he had engraved the properties and temperaments of countless metals into his mind. Even Nigel found it difficult to find a single flaw in him.

Nigel never discouraged Ray from leaving for Central City. If he passed the entrance exam, Ray would not only become a powerful soul master but also a true battle armor master.

Soul power and blacksmithing complemented one another perfectly. Nigel genuinely hoped his disciple would soar as high as possible.

"Yes, Teacher," Ray replied respectfully.

"If you pass the Central exam," Nigel continued, "give me a call. I'll make arrangements for your blacksmithing studies."

"Understood," Ray answered, his tone even more reverent.

Without Nigel's support, Ray would never have gained access to the rare metals he had refined. Many of them were materials reserved for master craftsmen preparing for Spirit Refinement. Yet Nigel had given them freely, teaching Ray their properties one by one.

Ray understood this kindness well. In return, he forged alongside Rachel whenever possible, guiding her rhythm and helping her improve. In just three years, her skills had advanced by leaps and bounds. At seventeen, she was already a fourth-rank blacksmith and widely regarded as West Ocean City's number one blacksmithing genius.

Nigel patted Ray's head. "Be safe. Even if you don't pass, you can come back. I'll find you a good academy."

"Thank you, Teacher," Ray said, tears welling in his eyes as he hugged Nigel.

If he passed the Central exam, who knew when he would return? The thought of parting made his chest ache.

Nigel laughed softly. "Silly child. What are you crying for? With today's soul technology, you can visit whenever you want. Go on now. Say goodbye to your senior disciple sister. She's been depressed ever since she heard you were leaving."

Rachel hadn't appeared at the Blacksmith's Association for days. After learning about his departure, she ignored him completely—rejecting his calls and leaving him no way to reach her in the girls' dormitory.

Back at the academy, Ray finally dialed a number.

"Ms. Uriel," he asked softly, "is my senior disciple sister there?"

"She's here," Uriel replied. "Come over."

After three years of jogging together, Ray and Uriel had grown genuinely close.

She had already entered the advanced department, and while her talent didn't quite rival Rachel's, graduating into a higher-level academy would be effortless for her.

According to Rachel, Uriel possessed remarkable aptitude in mecha design and was exactly the kind of fresh blood many advanced academies were eager to recruit.

Lacking the courage to stroll through the front entrance of the girls' dormitory, Ray took the familiar detour. Slipping around the back, he flicked his wrist and sent his Silverfalls Vine shooting upward, climbing the wall and pulling himself toward a third-floor window.

The window was already open.

It led straight into a washroom, one that was rarely used during the day. Ray slipped inside soundlessly.

Uriel was waiting for him. Seeing him land as lightly as a cat, she burst into laughter. "You really are getting better at this. Careful now, don't go philandering everywhere once you grow up."

Ray's face flushed all the way to his ears. He hurriedly waved his hands. "Big sis Uriel, don't tease me like that. How is senior disciple sister?"

Uriel sighed. "She's been wearing a tiger face these past few days. Completely gloomy. Honestly, you're leaving so suddenly… I never imagined that the little boy from back then would be heading off to take the Central entrance exam so soon."

When they first met, Ray had truly been just a child. Now, the two of them stood at nearly the same height.

Central Academy was the dreamland of all soul masters. Uriel knew she herself had no chance, yet watching the junior brother she jogged with every morning prepare to leave filled her with an indescribable frustration. If he succeeded, the distance between them would only grow wider.

Ray smiled sheepishly, the apples of his cheeks tinged red. "It's not guaranteed I'll pass. If I fail, I'll just come back here!"

A gentle smile curved Uriel's lips. "I believe in you. And so does your senior disciple sister. Otherwise, why would she be so upset?"

Ray froze. That thought had never crossed his mind.

"Come on," Uriel said, pulling a coat from nearby and draping it over his shoulders. "I'll take you to her."

Her closeness made Ray's ears burn and her faint fragrance only made things worse.

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