"That's it…?"
A flash of disbelief appeared in his eyes.
The Shadow Cat also froze for a brief moment, as if it couldn't understand why its attack had failed.
That moment was fatal.
Lin Chen's spear had already pierced forward.
Puchi!
The tip of the spear stabbed straight into the beast's side, tearing through flesh.
The Shadow Cat let out a sharp, painful cry and attempted to retreat.
But Lin Chen didn't give it the chance. His grip tightened, and he twisted the spear violently before pulling it back and thrusting again.
This time, it stabbed straight through its neck, causing the beast's body to tremble before it collapsed.
Silence returned once more and Lin Chen stood there, staring at the corpse.
Then he slowly looked down at his armor, not even a mark.
"…Incredible."
He could clearly feel the difference. If it had been before, that attack would have torn his chest open.
But now, it couldn't even break his defense.
A surge of excitement rushed through him.
"This is the power of a Sacred Beast Spirit…"
Without wasting any more time, he pulled out his spear and continued forward.
This was the academy's official training area and they were not allowed to take these bodied with them.
Time passed quickly as Lin Chen hunted through the forest.
This time, he was far more confident. Whenever he encountered a beast, he didn't hesitate and attacked directly.
Even when facing danger, he relied on the armor's defense, turning what would have been fatal situations into opportunities.
One beast after another fell beneath his spear. Blood stained the ground. The sharp scent of iron filled the air.
With each battle, his movements became more precise.
But alas, his momentum didn't last long, and half an hour later.
Beep—Beep—
A sharp electronic sound suddenly broke the rhythm of battle.
Lin Chen stopped and raised his wrist. A message flashed across his smartwatch:
[Hunting Time Ended — All students must return immediately.]
"Already? I just started hunting seriously."
He frowned slightly. Looking around at the fallen beasts, he counted silently.
He had only killed five beasts in total. Although his results weren't bad, he knew he could have done better.
Still, rules were rules. And it's not that he would not have any opportunity to kill the beasts.
Without hesitation, he turned and headed back. As he moved, the dense forest gradually thinned and light grew brighter.
Soon, the temporary camp outside the jungle came into view.
Like him, many other students were already gathering there. Some limped back with injuries, some looked exhausted. Others had empty expressions, clearly gaining nothing.
Lin Chen walked calmly toward the crowd.
"Chen!" However, just then a voice called out his name.
Lin Chen didn't need to turn around to recognize the voice. He was turned to see Zhang Wei, his only best friend approaching him quickly.
Zhang Wei let out a relieved breath and teased with a smile.
"Good, you're safe. Your Grandfather was worried for a moment."
"You should care about yourself, otherwise your old bones would not handle the weight of your big mouth."
A smile also appeared on Lin Chen's face as he also fought back.
This caused both of them to laugh out loud and the intense pressure of wilderness area vanished from the environment.
Looking around them, most of students had already returned. They were talking about the experiences in the wilderness area.
As well as, some lucky students obtained their first Beast Spirit. They were showing off in front of their classmates, while others were looking at them with envy and jealousy.
Of course, all of them had only gained Ordinary level Beast Spirit and not a single one was Primary level!
"But my luck is not so good, I didn't get any Beast Spirit. Then did you get any Beast Spirit?" After joking for a while, his friend asked with some serious tone.
"How could it easy to get the Beast Spirit!" Lin Chen shook his head without hesitation
He had no intention of revealing about his Sacred Beast Spirit. That was something he had to keep hidden.
And even if he revealed, no one would believe it. After all this forest area only contained ordinary beast inside, with only a few primary beasts.
Where is this Sacred Beast Spirit comes from?
"What a bad luck!" Zhang Wei scratched his head, looking frustrated.
At that moment, a figure slowly stepped forward from the center of the camp, drawing everyone's attention without the need for any deliberate action.
It was a middle-aged man dressed in a dark, close-fitting combat uniform. His face was stern and sharp, with defined features that showed no trace of softness.
However, what truly caused the students to fall silent was not his appearance, but the aura he carried.
The moment he stepped forward, an invisible pressure spread through the camp.
It was not something he deliberately released, but rather something that naturally existed around him.
Lin Chen's expression gradually became serious as he felt that pressure settle over him.
This mentor had most likely already completed the majority of his evolution across all four stages. He had reached a level far beyond what the current students could comprehend.
Compared to such a person, Lin Chen clearly understood how far he still had to go.
"Form up the lines."
The mentor's voice sounded at that moment, carrying a weight that made it impossible to ignore.
The earlier noise and scattered conversations disappeared almost instantly, replaced by a tense silence as everyone adjusted their posture unconsciously.
Lin Chen stood alongside Zhang Wei within the formation, his expression returning to calm as he blended into the group without drawing attention.
The mentor's gaze slowly swept across the students, pausing briefly on those who showed visible injuries, before continuing onward without comment.
"This hunting camp was arranged to allow you to experience real combat under controlled conditions."
His voice carried clearly across the camp, neither loud nor harsh, yet every word was distinct and heavy.
"The beasts you encountered today were deliberately limited to the lowest range of threat within this area."
A faint stir passed through the students.
Some of them subconsciously tightened their grip on their weapons, while others showed traces of disbelief in their eyes.
Even the weakest beasts had already pushed many of them to their limits.
"If you believe that what you faced today was dangerous," the mentor continued without pause,
"then you should clearly understand that you are still standing at the very bottom of this system."
"Prepare to leave."
The mentor concluded without adding anything further, turning slightly as if the matter was already settled in his mind.
A few moments later, a deep mechanical hum began to rise from the distance.
The sound was low and steady, gradually growing louder as it approached, accompanied by a faint vibration that could be felt through the ground beneath their feet.
The students instinctively turned their attention toward the source.
From beyond the edge of the camp, several large transport vehicles emerged, their massive frames constructed from dark alloy that reflected light in muted tones.
The surfaces of the vehicles were layered with reinforced plating, and thin streams of blue energy flowed along engraved lines across their exterior.
As they drew closer, the vehicles hovering slightly above the ground before stabilizing in position.
A soft mechanical sound followed as the rear compartments opened.
"Board in the vehicles."
The mentor's voice sounded once more and they began moving forward in groups, stepping into the transport vehicles one after another.
Lin Chen walked alongside Zhang Wei, his pace steady.
"I didn't realize how tense I was until now," he muttered quietly, glancing back toward the forest behind them.
Lin Chen did not respond. He stepped into the vehicle, his expression calm, but his thoughts were far from it.
He had already begun thinking about his future.
Now that he had finally obtained his own opportunity—
How could he be willing to remain a mere local snake, struggling at the bottom?
A faint light flickered in his eyes.
This world was vast, filled with endless dangers… but also endless possibilities.
If others could rise—
Why couldn't he?
He would not stay confined to this small place forever.
One day—
He would rise like a dragon and soar beyond the heavens.
The doors closed with a heavy sound, sealing the interior.
The vehicles lifted slightly, their anti-gravity systems activating as they rose just above the ground, before accelerating forward in a smooth, controlled motion.
The camp, along with the forest behind it, gradually receded into the distance.
"I didn't realize how tense I was until now," he muttered quietly, glancing back toward the forest behind them.
Lin Chen did not respond. He stepped into the vehicle, his expression calm, but his thoughts were far from it.
He had already begun thinking about his future.
Now that he had finally obtained his own opportunity— how could he be willing to remain a mere local snake, struggling at the bottom?
A faint light flickered in his eyes.
This world was vast, filled with endless dangers… but also endless possibilities.
If others could rise, why couldn't he?
He would not stay confined to this small place forever.
One day, he would rise like a dragon and soar beyond the heavens.
The doors closed with a heavy sound, sealing the interior.
The vehicles lifted slightly, their anti-gravity systems activating as they rose just above the ground, before accelerating forward in a smooth, controlled motion.
The camp, along with the forest behind it, gradually receded into the distance.