Not long after, Raziel Phoenix began to deeply regret the words he had spoken to Alfred.

Alfred was a man who always kept his word.

That very morning, he began the physical training he had mentioned the day before.

The foundation of physical training was simple.

Running.

The intermediate division of West Ocean Academy had a track field with an 800-meter loop. Alfred ordered them to run ten laps as a warm-up.

However, when he produced two heavy chains, each weighing ten kilograms and fashioned into metal shirts, and personally handed them to Ray and Raziel Phoenix, neither of them dared to complain.

In fact, they could only rejoice inwardly.

If this had happened yesterday, Raziel Phoenix would definitely have exploded on the spot. But today, he didn't resist at all. Despite his arrogance, he followed every order precisely. Raziel Phoenix truly admired Alfred.

Cold. Proud. Overwhelmingly powerful.

The title Icily Arrogant Prince Charming was absolutely deserved.

Ray, on the other hand, was silent. Training of this intensity only made him excited.

At the start, even with the ten-kilogram metal shirt, Raziel Phoenix's pace was extremely fast. As an Agility System Battle Soul Master, his speed was still outstanding. Ray wasn't fast, but his steps were steady and unhurried, like a marching soldier.

After two laps, the difference began to show.

By the fourth lap, heavy panting echoed across the track. Their lungs burned, and the metal shirts felt heavier with every step. Soon, Raziel Phoenix didn't even have the energy to regret his earlier bravado.

"How are you holding up?" Ray's voice suddenly sounded from behind.

Raziel Phoenix turned his head. Ray was drenched in sweat, but his breathing was still steady. Compared to him, Raziel Phoenix felt miserable.

"I'm… fine!" Raziel Phoenix gritted his teeth and sped up. There was no way he would let this guy pass him.

Ray said calmly, "Teacher, he is right. Carrying weight makes sense. After all, we're representing our class in the Class Promotion Tournament."

Raziel Phoenix didn't reply. Even breathing felt like hard labor now.

Five laps.

Raziel Phoenix's body felt as heavy as lead. His legs barely obeyed him anymore.

Ray had already passed him. To Ray, the ten-kilogram metal shirt was almost negligible. Five laps were nothing more than a warm-up.

Without a word, Ray reached out and supported Raziel Phoenix under the arm.

Instantly, Raziel Phoenix felt lighter, and his pace picked up.

He looked at Ray in shock.

Ray only smiled, increasing his pace and dragging Raziel Phoenix into a run.

Alfred stood in the center of the field, watching the struggling students with a calm expression, occasionally frowning.

"Ray," Alfred said coolly, "you seem to have too much energy. Since you're helping him, run an extra ten laps."

Raziel Phoenix turned to Ray, expecting outrage.

Instead, Ray remained calm. "Then I'll need to speed up. I can't miss lunch. I already skipped breakfast, and I'm starving."

Raziel Phoenix couldn't help but ask, "Are you even human? Aren't you tired at all?"

"I'm still fine," Ray replied.

At that moment, a girl entered the field through the academy gates.

She was dressed in white and looked to be around the same age as the first-year students. She wasn't stunning, but she was delicate and pleasant. Long black hair, dark eyes, and a well-proportioned figure. Her eyes were lively, and her steps carried a strange rhythm.

There was something unusual about her presence.

Alfred noticed her immediately. She wasn't wearing a school uniform, and class was still in session.

"What class are you from?" Alfred asked as he walked over.

The girl's attention seemed focused elsewhere. She was watching Ray dragging Raziel Phoenix along, clearly intrigued by the two students wearing metal shirts.

"I'm here to enroll," she said, looking up at Alfred. "But I was told the registration period has already ended."

Alfred frowned. "You're not a West Ocean Academy student?"

"Not yet," the girl replied. "But I want to be. Is that possible, Teacher?"

Any ordinary teacher would have sent her away immediately.

Alfred was not ordinary.

"This is a Soul Master academy," he said coldly. "If you want to study here, you must prove you have the ability."

"I can take a test," the girl said, smiling.

Alfred asked, "Your name?"

"Lily."

Alfred nodded. "Very well. I'll give you a chance."

He turned toward Ray and Raziel Phoenix. "Raziel Phoenix, take off your metal shirt and give it to Ray. Come here."

With Ray's help, Raziel Phoenix had finished the last two laps more easily. He stopped, removed the metal shirt, and handed it over. "Will you be fine wearing two?"

Ray put it on calmly. "Still lighter than you." Then he picked up his pace again.

Raziel Phoenix stared after him in disbelief.

That physical strength… It's not human.

Panting, Raziel Phoenix walked over to Alfred. "Teacher."

Alfred glanced at him. "Your physical endurance is terrible."

Raziel Phoenix retorted defiantly, "Agility System Battle Soul Masters only need explosive power and speed. We don't need that much stamina."

Alfred sneered. "Shallow thinking. Fine. I'll give you a chance today. Defeat her, and you won't have to run this afternoon."

Only then did Raziel Phoenix notice the girl standing nearby. He sized her up, took a deep breath, and adjusted his soul power.

"No problem."

Alfred said, "You have twenty minutes to rest. After that, we begin."

Raziel Phoenix didn't complain. He immediately sat down cross-legged and began meditating. Running had drained both his soul power and stamina. For an Agility System Battle Soul Master, endurance training was truly a weakness.

Lily didn't even spare Raziel Phoenix a glance. Instead, she looked around the field with open curiosity, as if the battle hadn't even begun yet.

Alfred shot her a cold look. "Underestimating your opponent is never a wise choice."

"I'm not underestimating him," Lily replied calmly.

Yet the indifference in her eyes made it painfully clear that, to her, Raziel Phoenix wasn't even worth being looked down upon.

Alfred didn't pursue the matter. He turned his attention back to the students still running laps.

Even with two metal shirts weighing him down, Ray's pace remained steady and unwavering. It wasn't fast, but it was relentless.

Somehow, he had already taken the lead. Close behind him was Miel, whose powerful physique gave him a natural advantage in endurance training.

As he ran, Ray's gaze drifted toward the center of the field. He was curious about the girl who had appeared so suddenly.

At that exact moment, Lily turned her head.

Their eyes met.

Her gaze was sharp and penetrating, as if it could see straight through him. Ray felt an inexplicable chill before quickly refocusing on his running.

Twenty minutes passed in the blink of an eye.

Raziel Phoenix sprang to his feet and stretched briefly. His exhaustion had vanished, replaced by a taut, ready energy.

Alfred nodded. "Thirty meters apart. Prepare."

Raziel Phoenix stepped back with measured precision, each step exactly the same length as the last. From beginning to end, his eyes never left Lily.

From the moment he'd first seen her, he'd felt an instinctive sense of danger. Now, he treated her as a true opponent.

His earlier battles with Ray hadn't only pushed Ray forward. Raziel Phoenix had learned as well. At the very least, he now understood one thing clearly.

Even a tiger uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit.

Once the distance between them reached thirty meters, Lily's wandering gaze finally settled on Raziel Phoenix.

"Begin," Alfred said simply.

The instant the word left his mouth, Raziel Phoenix exploded forward.

His martial soul was released at once. His body surged ahead like a cheetah unchained, explosive power erupting beneath his feet. Thirty meters vanished in seconds.

Lily didn't move.

She didn't even raise her hand until Raziel Phoenix was barely ten meters away.

The Light Dragon Dagger flashed. Raziel Phoenix still hadn't activated his soul skill. As a one-ring Soul Master, he only had one chance to use it. He needed the perfect moment. And judging by her delayed reaction, he might not even need it.

Around the track, the students of class five slowed almost to a stop. Every pair of eyes was fixed on the battle in the center.

Raziel Phoenix was the strongest among them. No one believed this strange girl could possibly defeat him.

A yellow soul ring rose beneath Lily's feet.

It was also a hundred-year soul ring.

But Raziel Phoenix was already right in front of her.

Unless she was an Agility System Battle Soul Master, it was too late.

However, she wasn't.

A green halo suddenly burst from Lily's chest.

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