Alfred looked at him intently. "They're extremely peculiar. Your physical strength increased by at least threefold when they appeared. That's why your soul power was consumed so quickly. You also lack control over this power. I did sense fluctuations in your soul power, but I can confirm that the golden scales themselves are not born from it. Your soul power was drained only after the power manifested, not because it was the source."

He exhaled softly.

"It's complicated. Simply put, you can consider these golden scales a kind of spirit tool. They consume soul power, but their activation does not rely on it. I've never seen anything like this before, so I can't say whether it's good or bad. But for you, it's undeniably an advantage. Such explosive power is rare. You must find a way to control it. I suspect that as your soul power grows, these golden scales will continue to evolve."

"I understand," Ray replied softly.

Still, disappointment flickered in his eyes. Even Teacher couldn't explain the origin of this power. If even he didn't know, who else could Ray turn to?

Raziel Phoenix scratched his head in frustration. "So it really isn't a fusion skill? But without me, he wouldn't have triggered it."

Alfred shook his head. "It's not a fusion skill. However, it does seem to have some connection to your Light Dragon Dagger. In other words, your dagger is acting as a trigger, awakening this power within his body."

He continued calmly, "Once Ray learns to control it, he should be able to activate it without your help. This power is extraordinary. If it truly is a martial soul, then it would rank among the highest I've ever encountered. With only one soul ring, it already produced an oppressive force. Such pressure is innate to powerful martial souls."

"Yes! I felt it too!" Raziel Phoenix said quickly, nodding.

Ray looked both hopeful and uncertain. "Teacher… what should I do now?"

Alfred answered without hesitation. "First, cultivate harder and increase your soul power. Greater soul power will allow better control. Second, strengthen your spiritual power. That will be critical. Third, continue experiencing this power. Raziel Phoenix can help you trigger it. With repeated exposure, your control may gradually improve. I'll need more time to think this through."

"Yes!" Ray responded firmly.

Although he still lacked answers, the confirmed existence of the golden scales reignited his hope. Even the teacher had acknowledged the terrifying level of this power. If he could truly master it, his strength would soar.

*

Life soon returned to normal.

The match between first-grade class five and class four had ended just a day earlier, but it stirred little discussion within the academy. After all, it was merely a clash between the lowest-ranked classes of the lowest grade.

Still, it did not go entirely unnoticed.

For instance, first-grade class three had taken note. They would be facing class five that very afternoon.

Class three's teacher, Claire, was young and newly appointed. She was even a few years younger than Alfred. With her pleasant appearance and earnest teaching style, she was quite popular among her students.

She still remembered the first time she had seen Alfred. Her heart had skipped a beat.

The Icily Arrogant Prince Charming wasn't just admired by female students from the advanced academy; he had caught her attention as well.

It was said he was already a five-ring Soul King. At his age, that was nothing short of astonishing. Even more astonishing was the rumor that he had once studied at that place.

If not for his cold personality, Claire thought, he would have been perfect. More importantly, he was still single.

Perhaps his standards were simply too high.

Alfred truly lived up to his title. Even the so-called worst class had been trained into something formidable under his hand.

Claire had personally observed yesterday's match with her class's participants. She had been deeply shocked when Raziel Phoenix and Lily revealed their hundred-year soul rings.

Hundred-year soul rings!

Why were such students placed in the last class? There wasn't even a single student with a hundred-year soul ring in her own class three.

Even so, the tournament had to continue.

She hoped her class could defeat class five, if only to leave a strong impression on Alfred.

As for Ray and the others, their match time was the same as before.

After afternoon classes ended, the intermediate academy's field once again became the battleground.

It was the second day of the tournament. As expected, the crowd was sparse.

Claire arrived early. Her class three representatives stood neatly in formation. At the front stood a delicate-looking boy.

What was strange was that all three participants looked almost identical. If not for her familiarity with them, even Claire herself might have struggled to tell them apart.

Alfred led the first grade's class five onto the field, with Ray, Raziel Phoenix, and Lily following closely behind him. The rest of class five wore expressions brimming with excitement. After yesterday's overwhelming victory, their confidence in the trio had risen sharply.

Claire approached with a gentle smile.

"Hello, Teacher." She nodded politely in greeting.

Claire was undeniably beautiful. Standing over 170 centimeters tall, her figure was graceful and well-proportioned. Her eyes were bright and lively, and her long, light-green hair, a rare color, was tied neatly into a ponytail. Combined with her fair skin, oval face, and delicate lips, she looked more like a student from the advanced academy than a teacher.

She had joined West Ocean Academy at the age of twenty-three and was already a four-ring Soul Ancestor. Even Alfred had to admit that this was quite impressive for her age.

"Hello," Alfred replied with a simple nod.

"I'm the teacher in charge of class three, Claire," she said, deliberately emphasizing her name. She was certain that the legendary Icily Arrogant Prince Charming had no idea who she was. In fact, throughout the academy, no one knew how many female teachers' names he actually remembered.

"Mm." Alfred responded indifferently, his gaze already drifting back toward the stage.

Standing nearby, Raziel Phoenix watched with unconcealed admiration. What he envied most about Alfred was precisely this natural, bone-deep arrogance. It wasn't something one could imitate; it was innate. Compared to him, Raziel Phoenix felt he still had a long way to go.

Claire didn't mind Alfred's cold reaction at all. She turned instead to her own students and beckoned them forward. The students of class three hurried over and lined up neatly before her.

"Friendship comes first, competition comes second," Claire said warmly. "Philip, Ryan, Daniel, do you understand?"

"Yes, Teacher Ian!"

The three answered in perfect unison, making it sound as though only a single voice had spoken.

Alfred cast them a glance. When he noticed their identical appearances, a flicker of interest appeared in his eyes.

At that moment, Teaching Director Aaron stepped onto the stage.

"The second match of the Class Promotion Tournament will now begin," he announced. "First grade class five, are you sending the same three participants as yesterday?"

Alfred nodded.

Ray, Raziel Phoenix, and Lily stepped onto the stage together, walking calmly toward the center.

Claire smiled gently. "You may go now as well."

The three identical brothers stepped onto the stage. Slender in build and sharp-eyed, their movements were perfectly synchronized, the result of years of understanding and cooperation.

Alfred offered no instructions. The purpose of the Class Promotion Tournament was to temper his students. If they relied on his guidance at every turn, they would never truly grow.

Ray's trio formed a triangular formation, with Ray once again taking the lead. He stood firm, steady as a mountain.

The three of them lined up side by side. Philip stood in the middle, Ryan on his left, and Daniel on his right.

"Are both sides ready?" Aaron asked. After receiving confirmation, he waved his hand decisively. "Begin!"

The trio released their martial souls simultaneously.

The moment Ray's trio saw what appeared, they were stunned.

The three brothers' martial souls were identical. That alone wasn't shocking, given that they were triplets. What truly caught everyone off guard was what happened next.

Wings unfurled from their backs.

Three pairs of wings spread open at the same time as three white soul rings appeared beneath their feet. The trio took to the air together, soaring upward in perfect synchronization.

Even Aaron was momentarily stunned.

A flying martial soul!

Flying martial souls were rare to begin with. Three of them appearing at once, and on triplets no less, was extraordinary. Even if their soul power was mediocre, such students should have been placed among the elite classes. It seemed the academy had made an error during enrollment.

In truth, it really was a mistake.

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