Volt nodded slightly. Even after recently breaking his arm, his strength had increased. This result satisfied him.

"Ray."

Alfred's gaze settled on him.

Ray stepped forward, eyes bright with anticipation. He clenched his fists, his skeleton popping faintly as the aura of the Golden Dragon King stirred. Even before he struck, the pressure he radiated set him apart.

Barbara's lips trembled.

It won't be that high… It won't be that high…

Bang!

Left fist: 1,156 kilograms.

Bang!

Right fist: 1,348 kilograms.

The room shook.

No one spoke.

Even knowing Ray was strong, none of them had expected this. Volt's power wasn't even a third of his.

Volt recovered first. The tournament had already shown him the gap. What shocked him wasn't that Ray was stronger, but how much stronger.

"Is… is he even human?" Barbara muttered weakly.

Alfred didn't let Ray leave. "Once more. Right hand. Activate the scales."

Ray nodded. Golden light surged as dragon scales spread across his arm.

The moment the Golden Dragon King's aura appeared, Volt instinctively stepped back. His martial soul trembled in fear… or perhaps submission.

Bang!

2,700 kilograms.

Barbara felt numb from head to toe.

Others celebrated when their combined arm strength surpassed a thousand. Ray's single arm had already crossed two thousand.

Even Ray himself was stunned.

No wonder his Heavy Silver Hammers felt light now… especially the one in his right hand.

Alfred spoke calmly. "Now test the dragon claw."

Ray hesitated, then asked earnestly, "Teacher Alfred… if I break the machine, do I have to pay?"

Alfred frowned. "It can withstand up to five thousand kilograms. Even if you break it, you won't pay."

"Okay."

Golden light flared. Ray's pupils narrowed into slits as a tyrannical, ancient aura burst from his body, filling the room like the roar of an awakening dragon.

Volt stood there, utterly stunned.

He knew better than anyone how terrifying Ray's aura was. Under that tyrannical pressure, even without directly opposing him, his strength was already being suppressed. If they truly clashed head-on, Volt was certain he could only unleash at most half of his full power.

And Ray hadn't even struck yet.

Golden light surged as Ray's fingers thickened and elongated. His joints became solid and imposing, bones shifting beneath the skin. In the blink of an eye, his right hand fully transformed into the Golden Dragon Claw.

Fragmented golden scales layered over it like ancient armor. The three-inch claws gleamed with a mirror-like sheen, sharp enough to reflect light.

Honglong—kacha!

A number flashed briefly on the screen.

Then the testing machine exploded.

Metal shards burst outward as a gaping hole appeared where Ray's fist had landed. The reinforced alloy hadn't merely cracked. It had been utterly crushed.

This was the true meaning of crushing.

The room fell into a dead silence.

The four students stared blankly at the ruined machine, their minds completely blank. None of them had managed to see the number before the display vanished.

Only Alfred had caught it.

He calmly wrote it down in his record book.

3998 kilograms.

Even the always-composed Alfred couldn't help swallowing dryly.

Barbara felt a phantom ache surge through his legs. Yet strangely, his resentment faded. Compared to this kind of strength, broken legs no longer felt so tragic.

I don't want revenge anymore, he thought bitterly. Not ever.

Volt remained speechless. His expression eventually returned to normal, but his hands still trembled faintly.

"Next," Alfred said coolly, "reaction speed test."

As expected, Raziel Phoenix ranked first.

What surprised everyone was second place.

Ray.

Lily followed in third, while Barbara and Volt placed fourth and fifth.

Barbara's confidence crumbled further with each result.

Strength. Reaction. Resilience.

Ray ranked first in almost everything, with Lily close behind.

Are they even human?

Are they really human?

Did they grow up eating food meant for beast spirits?

"The tests are finished," Alfred said. "Today's assessments focused on physical attributes and do not represent everything. Martial souls are still crucial, so some of you should not feel discouraged."

His gaze lingered briefly.

"Class dismissed. Ray, follow me."

Alfred turned and left.

Ray followed, while Barbara stood frozen in place, a cold wind seemingly brushing past his forehead.

Some of you…

Who exactly was that aimed at?

****

Alfred's Office;

"Sit," Alfred said, gesturing toward the sofa.

"Thank you, Teacher." Ray complied.

Alfred got straight to the point. "Explain what is happening with your body. Your spiritual power increased by nearly a third in an extremely short time. You gained control over those scales, manifested a dragon claw, and your strength, reaction speed, and resilience have all risen drastically. Something happened to you during the hurricane. Am I correct?"

Ray nodded inwardly. He had expected this.

"Teacher," he said carefully, "the bloodline transformation I mentioned before… it occurred. During the hurricane, I suffered tremendous pain. When I woke up, my body had already changed. I don't fully understand it either, but there seems to be a special energy within my blood. It transformed my body, my Silverfalls Vine, and even my spirit soul."

As he spoke, he summoned his martial soul and released Gold.

Alfred's pupils shrank.

The little snake was clearly larger than before, its scales now glowing with a faint golden hue.

"Your spirit soul mutated as well?" Alfred murmured. "That is extremely rare. This means the energy in your bloodline is extraordinarily powerful… I've seen something like this before. In ancient records."

Ray's heart skipped a beat.

Ancient records?

Alfred paced slowly, eyes bright with thought. After a long moment, he stopped.

"I remember now. This resembles a martial soul awakening."

Ray blinked. "A martial soul awakening?"

Alfred nodded. "Yes. Think carefully. What usually causes a spirit soul to change?"

"Fusion," Ray answered immediately. "When a spirit soul fuses with a martial soul, it's influenced by it and can mutate."

"Correct," Alfred said. "Your situation is similar. There are historical cases where a second martial soul lay dormant within a Soul Master. It failed to awaken during the ceremony but began to stir as the body matured, triggering mutations that affected the original martial soul and the body itself."

Ray understood immediately.

This explanation wasn't the truth, but it was close enough to serve as a perfect cover.

Alfred continued, "Such cases usually develop along two paths. The first is the full awakening of the second martial soul, resulting in twin martial souls like Raziel Phoenix. The second is fusion, where the dormant power merges with the original martial soul, transforming it and strengthening both. Your situation aligns more with the second path."

"That seems accurate," Ray replied calmly.

Alfred nodded. "During this mutation process, danger exists. Your body must endure the transformation. If you ever feel something abnormal, come to me immediately. I'll ensure your safety and help stabilize the process."

Warmth quietly filled Ray's chest.

Despite his cold exterior, Alfred was clearly protecting him.

"These changes will only benefit you," Alfred added. "They strengthen your body and will greatly aid your future growth. Endure them. The more transformations you experience, the greater your potential."

"I understand," Ray said earnestly. "Thank you, Teacher."

"You may go."

Ray stood and turned to leave.

"Wait."

He stopped and looked back.

Alfred frowned slightly, eyes deep in thought. After a pause, he asked, "Do you remember the footwork I used during combat training?"

Ray's eyes lit up. "Yes! Of course. Teacher, will you teach us?"

Alfred shook his head slowly. "That footwork does not belong to me. It originates from a powerful organization. If you wish to learn it, you must join them."

Ray's breath caught.

"Unfortunately," Alfred continued, "I do not have the authority to recruit you directly. I can only recommend that you take their entry test."

An unseen door had just opened in Ray's path.

A mysterious organization?

Alfred, being connected to something like that, instantly caught Ray's attention. Yet at the same time, hesitation welled up in his heart.

It wasn't that he distrusted Alfred. On the contrary, he respected him deeply. But Ray's parents had disappeared because of a mysterious organization. Ever since then, the words mysterious organization carried an instinctive sense of resistance for him.

"Teacher," Ray asked after a moment of silence, "what kind of organization is it? What does it do?"

Alfred's expression turned solemn. "It is an organization founded upon righteousness, equality, justice, and protection. It spans all three continents. As for its name…" He paused briefly. "You will only learn it after passing the test."

Ray shook his head. "I'm sorry, Teacher. I don't think I can join."

The refusal was clean and direct.

Alfred was visibly taken aback. He clearly hadn't expected Ray to reject the offer so decisively.

"You're refusing without even knowing what the organization is?" Alfred asked, puzzled.

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