Suddenly, a ripple of movement swept through the crowded arena like a gust front before a storm—heads turning in unison, the soft rustle of hundreds of robes and the sharp intake of collective breath creating a wave of sound that rolled across the tiered stands. Necks craned, eyes widened, and whispers erupted in a rising crescendo, carried on the warm, mana-laden air now laced with an enticing new scent: the sweet, smoky aroma of living flames mingled with delicate floral nectar.
Everyone around me turned to look into the distance, where a beautiful girl strode confidently toward the central platform. Su Yu—her long, raven-black hair cascading in silky waves that caught the floating mana-lights in shimmering highlights, her elegant features softened by a calm, knowing smile—walked with graceful poise. At her side hovered a magnificent Flame Butterfly, its enormous wings a mesmerizing tapestry of living fire: translucent membranes veined with molten orange and crimson, edges flickering with real, dancing flames that released waves of gentle heat and the rich, intoxicating perfume of smoldering jasmine and charred honey. Tiny sparks drifted from its wingtips like glowing embers, winking out harmlessly in the air and leaving faint trails of luminous smoke.
A cluster of admiring students and assistants trailed her, their footsteps echoing softly on the stone, voices buzzing with excitement.
"Look quickly!" one exclaimed, voice pitched high with awe, pointing eagerly as the butterfly's wings beat slowly, sending warm gusts that tousled nearby hair. "A fire-element beast—that's a top-tier beast! You can't buy one without tens of millions of spirit crystals. The auction houses guard them like imperial treasures."
Another leaned in, eyes gleaming with envy, the heat from the butterfly warming his cheeks to a faint flush. "And I heard Su Yu is a direct descendant of a legendary beast taming family. Her grandfather is a Monarch-level beast tamer—one who commands storms of flame that can incinerate entire battlefields."
"What? How… how did you know all this information, you creep?" a girl nearby hissed playfully, swatting at her friend's arm with a light slap that drew laughter. "Get out of my sight! Monarch-level… I haven't even seen one on the crystal projection broadcasts. Just hearing the name makes my skin tingle."
The discussion spread like wildfire, voices overlapping in heated whispers, the arena air growing warmer and sweeter from the Flame Butterfly's radiant presence, the distant crackle of its ember-like wings underscoring every excited word.
Meanwhile, the smiling proctor from earlier—one with rounded cheeks and kind eyes framed by laugh lines—wove through the dispersing crowd, his deep green robes swishing softly against the stone as he approached Su Yu with familiar ease.
"Su Yu, are you done over here?" he asked, voice warm and paternal, a faint smile deepening the creases around his mouth.
"Yeah, pretty much," Su Yu nodded gracefully, her tone light and assured, the Flame Butterfly settling delicately on her outstretched arm with a soft whoosh of heated air and a shower of harmless sparks that danced across her sleeve like living jewels.
The proctor had originally wanted to conclude the examinations the moment he witnessed my performance with Luan—the flawless lightning projections still echoing in his memory like distant thunder—but necessary procedures had to be followed: every candidate recorded, every score verified, the ancient protocols of the academy observed without exception, no matter how extraordinary the talent that had just shaken the arena's foundations
Su Yu stepped onto the central obsidian platform with quiet grace, the Flame Butterfly hovering just behind her shoulder—its translucent wings beating slowly, releasing gentle pulses of warm air laced with the sweet, intoxicating scent of smoldering jasmine and honeyed embers that drifted across the front rows and softened the lingering ozone tang from earlier demonstrations. The expectant crowd fell into a hushed, breathless stillness; the vast dome seemed to contract around her voice, every rustle of robes and nervous shuffle of boots dying away until only the faint, rhythmic flutter of fiery wings and the low hum of floating mana-lights remained.
She lifted the heavy ledger, its thick vellum pages whispering softly as she turned to the final entries, her calm gaze sweeping the assembled tamers beneath long, dark lashes.
"I have recorded all your scores," Su Yu announced, her voice clear and melodic yet carrying effortless authority that echoed smoothly off the vaulted ceiling. "Now I will announce the results."
She began reading names in steady succession, each score landing like a pebble into still water.
"Lu San—76 points."
A disappointed murmur rippled through the stands.
"Zhang Quan—89 points."
Zhang Quan's chest swelled instantly; warm relief flooded his veins like sunlight after rain. He exhaled a long, quiet sigh that stirred the crimson mane of his Red-Haired War Bear, the beast's smoldering heat washing over him in reassuring waves. A proud smile broke across his face, eyes gleaming with certainty as he took one confident step forward, boots ringing firmly against the stone, already imagining the exclusive high-grade evolution method that was surely his—its ancient scroll heavy with promise, the scent of aged parchment and sacred ink soon to be in his hands.
For a fleeting moment, it seemed the outcome was destined: Zhang Quan had been the first to exceed 80 points, the highest mark yet called, and the watching crowd shifted subtly in silent agreement, a low wave of approving whispers rising like warm smoke.
However, Su Yu did not lower the notebook. Her delicate fingers held the page steady, the faint crackle of the Flame Butterfly's wings underscoring the sudden tension as she spoke again—softly, almost faintly, yet every syllable cut through the arena with crystalline precision.
"Li Wei—100 points."
The words hung in the charged air like a thunderclap yet to sound.
In that instant, the world seemed to pause: the floating mana-lights flickered brighter for a heartbeat, casting sharp shadows across astonished faces; a collective gasp sucked the warmth from the space, leaving a sudden coolness that prickled exposed skin; the sweet jasmine scent from the butterfly mingled sharply with the resurgent ozone clinging to Luan at my side.
Zhang Quan froze mid-step, his triumphant expression fracturing into disbelief—eyes widening, lips parting soundlessly as color drained from his cheeks. He and dozens of others turned their heads toward me in perfect, stunned synchrony, the scrape of boots and rustle of robes filling the silence like dry leaves in a sudden gale.
Hundreds of gazes locked onto me—some wide with shock, others narrowed in confusion, a few flickering with reluctant awe—while little Luan shifted closer to my leg, his blind head tilting upward, the faint electric tingle of his aura brushing my skin as if sensing the electric shift in the atmosphere.
Astonishment rippled outward through the arena, thick and palpable, the crowd's collective heartbeat thundering louder than any storm yet summoned that day
A thousand doubts swirled in the heads and hearts of the onlookers—whispers rising like a restless wind through the vast arena, carrying the mingled scents of lingering ozone, smoldering jasmine from Su Yu's Flame Butterfly, and the sharp tang of shocked sweat beading on foreheads. Eyes darted back and forth, brows furrowed in confusion, lips parting in silent questions as the reality of a perfect 100-point score sank in like cold rain on heated stone.
"Let's go," Su Yu said gently, stepping forward with graceful poise, her raven hair swaying softly and catching the warm glow of the floating mana-lights. The Flame Butterfly hovered close, its fiery wings beating with a low, rhythmic whoosh that sent gentle waves of honeyed warmth brushing across my face. She looked at me kindly—her dark eyes soft with genuine appreciation, a faint, encouraging smile curving her lips as the subtle perfume of charred nectar mingled with the cooler electric tingle still radiating from Luan at my side.
"They will take you to see the director," she continued, voice warm and reassuring amid the growing murmur of the crowd. "They always value such talent." Several senior proctors and academy officials were already approaching, their deep green robes swishing against the polished obsidian floor, golden sigils glinting with each purposeful stride, the air around them humming with quiet authority.
"As for your defective beast," Su Yu added softly, glancing down at Luan with a trace of sympathetic pity, "he could just switch to another one later."
Not far away, Zhang Quan turned his head stiffly—his neck muscles taut, jaw clenched so tightly that the faint grind of teeth was almost audible over the rising buzz of conversation. His once-triumphant expression had shattered into raw disbelief, eyes wide and burning as they fixed on me now surrounded by a growing circle of admiring students and proctors—hands reaching out to congratulate, voices overlapping in awed questions, the press of bodies bringing a mix of warm breaths and curious gazes that closed in like a tightening ring.
His heart filled with disbelief, pounding heavily in his chest like war drums. That's impossible… what the fuck… that's clearly a crippled beast! The words screamed silently in his mind, his fists clenching at his sides until knuckles whitened, the dry heat from his Red-Haired War Bear washing over him in futile waves, its crimson mane bristling as if sensing its master's turmoil.
Zhang Quan gritted his teeth harder, a low, frustrated growl escaping his throat—cheating. That was the only thought his self-proclaimed "1000 IQ" brain could latch onto. Aside from cheating, he couldn't figure out why I could beat him. After all, he was the true protagonist of this world, the one blessed with a golden finger system that should have guaranteed his dominance.
He had spent a fortune in effort, connections, and spirit crystals to obtain that very Thunderbird back then—remembering the dim, dusty black-market stall reeking of stale incense and beast blood, the unscrupulous dealer's sly grin as he handed over the blind, featherless wreck. If it was really stronger than his Red-Haired War Bear… why would anyone have sold it so cheaply?
Watching Zhang Quan's rigid figure—shoulders hunched, face flushed with barely contained rage, the bear beside him pawing restlessly at the stone and sending faint sparks of heat into the air—I secretly found it hilarious. A quiet bubble of amusement rose warm in my chest, my lips twitching into a faint, hidden smile as Luan shifted closer to my leg, his scaled talons scraping softly against the floor, the subtle ozone scent of his aura tickling my senses.
Just imagine, I thought, if he ever found out what kind of divine bird this truly was—the legendary Thunderbird of ancient bloodlines, destined to become the supreme god of storms. Wouldn't he just kill himself in regret?
I ignored him completely, turning my attention to the approaching officials, the arena's charged atmosphere thrumming around me like the calm before the greatest tempest yet to come.