A Violent Bear roars, rising onto its hind legs as it towers over the group of Wizard Apprentices, its massive body casting a shadow that presses down on them, its breath hot and heavy as it tries to intimidate them into retreat.
The five apprentices spread out in a practised formation, circling the beast, with a burly male apprentice stepping forward to take the front, his stance wide and steady as he prepares to receive the charge.
The Violent Bear drops back onto all fours with a heavy thud and immediately lunges forward, its claws digging into the ground as it barrels toward him with terrifying speed.
Behind him and slightly to the left, a female apprentice with long golden hair speaks sharply, her voice steady despite the danger.
"Tiekun, follow the plan. Keep the bear engaged."
Tiekun nods, letting out a roar of his own as his hands and feet begin to transform, turning into solid stone, thick and heavy, anchoring him to the ground as he braces himself.
The bear reaches him in the next moment, its claw sweeping forward with brutal force.
Tiekun raises his stone arm and blocks the strike, the impact sending vibrations through his body as he slides backwards, his feet carving lines into the ground.
"Yuehua, your turn," the golden-haired apprentice, Sofia, calls out without hesitation.
A female apprentice with black hair tied neatly in a bun steps forward, her gaze fixed calmly on the left side of the bear.
"Rise," she says.
At her command, thick vines burst from the ground beneath the Violent Bear, twisting upward and wrapping tightly around its four legs, pulling them inward and dragging the massive creature down.
The bear roars in anger and struggles violently, but the vines hold firm.
Tiekun seizes the moment.
He steps forward and begins hammering punches down onto the bear's head, each strike heavy and relentless.
Sofia turns her head toward another male apprentice.
"Yi, your turn."
Zhang Yi grins slightly and dashes forward, his sword already drawn as flames erupt along its blade, flickering with heat and intensity.
He leaps into the air and drives his sword downward, piercing it deep into the bear's back.
The Violent Bear lets out a cry of pain, its body convulsing as it struggles even harder against the vines and Tiekun's assault.
"Light Chain," Sofia calls out.
Brilliant chains of light erupt from her hands and shoot forward, wrapping tightly around the bear's body, binding it further.
Tiekun grips the bear's head, straining to keep it in place.
Sofia focuses her strength on maintaining the chains.
Yuehua reinforces the vines, preventing any escape.
Zhang Yi remains atop the bear's back, driving his sword deeper.
Working together, the four of them overwhelm the Low-Level Violent Bear with coordinated precision, never once needing Wang Hui's assistance.
From atop the bear, Zhang Yi glances toward Wang Hui and sneers.
"I told you all, the four of us are enough. We don't need to bring the loser."
His tone is filled with disdain.
Sofia does not rebuke him.
Instead, she says calmly, "The task requires five apprentices."
Yuehua adds, "We could just put his name down. No need to bring him at all."
Tiekun, still holding the bear's head, turns slightly and glances toward Wang Hui, who stands silently at the edge of the formation.
"You'll only get the contribution points," Tiekun says.
Wang Hui does not respond with words.
He simply nods.
He does not argue.
He does not defend himself.
Within the academy, his reputation has sunk to its lowest point.
After cutting ties with Olivia and refusing to interact with others or accept arena challenges, he has become an outcast.
But he does not care.
His goal remains unchanged.
To reach peak Wizard Apprentice within three years.
Nothing else matters.
As the Violent Bear lets out a cry, blood spilling onto the ground, another roar suddenly echoes from deeper within the forest.
The sound is louder.
Closer.
The dying bear trembles as the second roar approaches.
The four apprentices exchange glances, tension immediately rising.
Sofia looks toward Wang Hui.
"Stop the new bear for a moment. After we finish this one, we'll help you."
Wang Hui nods calmly.
"Okay."
He moves without hesitation, running forward and positioning himself between the approaching threat and the group behind him.
With his back to the dying bear, he faces the forest.
From between the trees, another Violent Bear emerges.
Larger.
Heavier.
More imposing.
Yuehua's expression changes instantly.
"Curse of the Night God… It's a female Violent Bear."
A female bear is stronger than its male counterpart.
The situation shifts in an instant.
The four exchange another glance, and Sofia subtly signals retreat, preparing to escape behind Wang Hui if necessary.
She does not consider his survival.
In her mind, he is expendable.
She carries a deeper resentment toward him than the others, knowing how Olivia suffered after Wang Hui cut ties with her.
Wang Hui, unaware of their thoughts, raises his palm steadily.
"Magic Missile."
A rune formation appears in his palm, intricate and precise.
A streak of condensed energy shoots forward and strikes the bear directly in the face.
The impact forces the bear to rear back, its eyes squeezing shut as it roars in pain.
In that moment, something changes.
Crimson runes begin to appear across Wang Hui's skin, on his face, his arms, every exposed part of his body.
An aura rises from him.
The unmistakable aura of a mid-level Wizard Apprentice.
Shock spreads across the faces of the four behind him.
Wang Hui steps forward.
His body gleams faintly, covered in a thin layer of purple light, the colour of circulating mana.
Without hesitation, he charges toward the Violent Bear.
The ground trembles beneath their approach as man and beast close the distance in a heartbeat, and instead of retreating or relying on spells from afar, Wang Hui steps directly into its range, meeting it head-on in raw physical combat.
The female Violent Bear roars and swings its massive claw downward.
Wang Hui raises his arm, mana coating his skin, and blocks the strike.
The impact sends a shock through his body.
He feels the force travel through bone and muscle, but he does not step back.
Instead, he twists his body and drives a punch into the bear's side.
The bear howls.
It retaliates instantly, its other claw raking across his shoulder, tearing through cloth and flesh.
Blood sprays.
Wang Hui grits his teeth but does not slow.
They exchange blows.
Claw against fist.
Flesh against fur.
Blood against blood.
Both are determined.
Both intend to kill.
Behind them, the male Violent Bear lets out its final dying cry.
The sound echoes through the trees.
Sofia, Tiekun, Yuehua, and Zhang Yi regroup, standing together as they watch the battle unfold before them.
Yuehua hesitates, her voice uncertain.
"Should we help?"
Sofia presses her lips together, her gaze fixed on Wang Hui.
"Let's wait. Our spells might hit him."
Her eyes narrow slightly.
The image before her does not align with what she believed about Wang Hui.
This is not the quiet, withdrawn student she had dismissed.
This is something else.
Back in the fight, the female Violent Bear lets out a furious roar, its body swelling with rage as its strength surges.
Its muscles tense.
Its movements grow faster.
More violent.
More desperate.
Wang Hui feels the pressure increase.
Without hesitation, he activates his spell.
Liberation.
There is no chant.
No gesture.
The spell is embedded within his Blood Nourishing Array.
With a single thought, mana flows through the array and activates the effect.
His body responds instantly.
Strength floods his limbs.
His muscles tighten.
His speed sharpens.
His power rises—just enough to surpass the bear.
The balance shifts.
The next clash is different.
The bear lunges forward, but Wang Hui sidesteps and drives his fist into its jaw.
A crack echoes.
The bear stumbles.
He follows with another strike.
Then another.
Each blow is heavier than the last.
The bear swings wildly, landing hits that bruise and tear, but its movements begin to slow.
Its mana drains.
Its strength fades.
Wang Hui presses forward relentlessly.
He does not give it space.
Does not give it time.
The sound of breaking bone becomes clearer.
Sharper.
The bear lets out a final, pained cry.
Then its massive body collapses.
It slumps to the ground.
Still.
Dead.
Silence follows.
Wang Hui stands over it, his chest rising and falling heavily as he deactivates the array.
The crimson runes fade from his skin.
The purple glow disappears.
He exhales deeply, steadying himself.
Then he turns.
Without a word, he walks back, passing the corpse of the male bear and the four apprentices, who now look at him with shock, awe, and confusion written clearly across their faces.
He does not meet their eyes.
He does not acknowledge them.
He walks to where he had placed his space bag.
He picks it up calmly and takes out a potion.
Opening the bottle, he pours the liquid over his wounds.
The liquid reacts instantly, solidifying over the injuries and sealing them shut.
He closes the bottle and places it back inside.
Then he takes out another bottle—an energy potion—and drinks it in one go.
His breathing steadies.
His strength begins to recover.
He places the empty bottle back into the bag and slings it diagonally across his shoulder.
Then he walks back to the female Violent Bear.
He kneels beside the corpse.
Taking out a knife, he begins his work.
Precise.
Efficient.
He cuts into the body, extracting valuable parts with practised care.
Then he takes out empty bottles and begins draining its blood, ensuring nothing of value is wasted.
Behind him, the four apprentices remain silent.
Watching.
Trying to understand what they have just witnessed.