Chapter 80: Exam Begins
Leo's eyes widened, his breath hitching in his throat. His usually composed expression twisted into one of sheer disbelief as he stared at the shattered remnants of the mana orb. Fine motes of glowing dust floated in the air, gradually fading, but the pressure that lingered was undeniable—heavy, electric, and stifling.
"You… you weren't joking," he finally muttered, tapping urgently at the tab in his hand. "Mana count—exceptional.... Supreme-grade platinum talent… high-purity mana core…"
His hands froze mid-air. His gaze sharpened.
"This..."
"What is it?" Lei Feng asked, raising an eyebrow.
Leo's golden eyes slowly lifted. "Why isn't the system displaying your elemental affinity?" he asked, voice low, nearly a whisper.
Lei Feng crossed his arms casually. "Probably because I have more than one affinity."
Leo's jaw clenched. "Unbelievable... What are you?"
Lei Feng exhaled, his expression unreadable. "Just an Awakener," he said lightly. "One who hasn't found his limits yet."
Leo gave a dry, humorless chuckle, but his grip on the tablet tightened. "No… you're something else entirely."
He turned back to the screen, hiding the furrow in his brow. "Even the strongest orb couldn't handle your energy... I'll have to log this under a unique case." His fingers moved swiftly, inputting manual entries for the shattered results.
Meanwhile, Lei Feng stood quietly, his thoughts stirring.
> Supreme-grade talent... high-purity mana core… hmmp, If the system couldn't register my talent and Mana core I don't think any technology or device out there can!
"Let's move on," Leo said at last, snapping him out of thought. "Final step—stat analysis and class confirmation. This device can register hybrid affinities and even unique class structures."
He gestured toward the last device—a sleek pedestal with a glowing golden scanner. It hummed softly, like it was waiting.
Lei Feng stepped forward, placing his palm firmly on the sensor.
BEEP!
A pulse of golden light surged up his arm. A holographic display flickered to life in midair above the pedestal, and line by line, detailed information spilled out:
---
Name: Lei Feng
Age: 18
Current Level: 28
Class: [?? — Unregistered]
Mana Capacity: 3,400
Mana Affinity: Lightning / Wind / Dark
Combat Aptitude: C
Magic Efficiency: B
Stat SynchronizationRate: 98.7%
---
Leo's eyes widened once again. For a moment, it looked like he was frozen in time.
"YOU HAVE THREE MAGIC AFFINITIES?!"
Lei Feng scratched the back of his neck with a sheepish smile. "Yeah… surprise."
"Impossible!" Leo roared, his aura flaring. His mane stood on end like a wild beast sensing danger. "This is a high-end stats analyzer! And It couldn't even determine your class?! Just what kind of class allows this level of elemental combination?!"
Lei Feng's smile thinned. "I'm a Storm Swordsman," he said cautiously.
> No way I'm revealing the Shadowstorm Swordsman or my Summoner class... That would blow everything.
Leo's eyes narrowed with suspicion, golden irises scanning him with unnerving intensity. "The Shadowstorm Swordsman… I've heard of that class. Only three people in recorded history ever awakened it—and that was only after rare class upgrades. None of them had more than two affinities. And definitely none had dark affinity…"
Lei Feng gave an awkward chuckle, rubbing his temple. "I guess... there's a first time for everything?"
Leo remained silent for a moment, then slowly turned away, the weight of his thoughts visible on his face.
> "This is dangerous… If this boy's abilities get out, every major faction in the Federation will come scouting him. He's not just a talent—he's a weapon."
"…That affinity combination, that synchronization rate…" he muttered. "Not even top-tier Federation elites under Level 30 reach these figures."
Lei Feng let out a subtle breath, tension draining from his shoulders.
"Damn... that was dangerous."
Leo finally dismissed the interface with a swipe and turned toward the center of the hall. "You're a peculiar existence, Lei Feng. A terrifyingly talented one."
"Uh… thanks?" Lei Feng replied, not sure whether to feel complimented or concerned.
Leo's gaze grew solemn. "There's no point in delaying anymore."
The floor beneath them began to hum softly. The chamber responded.
Pillars of light rose along the pristine jade walls. Lines carved into the ground lit up with mana. The floor segmented like puzzle pieces, revealing ancient runes deep below. A gust of wind stirred as the entire chamber began to transform.
"The real test begins now," Leo said. "You passed the pre-evaluation. Now comes the combat simulation—custom-built by the Arcane Division."
"Simulation?" Lei Feng asked, eyes narrowing.
"It's not a simple fight," Leo warned. "It's tailored to push you to your breaking point. Because of your C-rank combat aptitude, the system has set you for the C-rank trial. But if you pass… you'll have the option to attempt the B-rank trial due to your high magic efficiency."
Lei Feng dropped into a loose battle stance. "And the objective?"
Leo gave him a grim smile. "Survive. Overcome. Conquer. And don't hold back. If you hesitate... the system will crush you. Accidents are rare—but not unheard of."
"I see…" Lei Feng muttered, his eyes scanning the shifting environment. "Then I'll make sure to go all out."
Of course he was lying as going all out means revealing all his abilities and secrets by going all out he meant with the Storm Swordsman Class.
BOOM.
A mechanical quake thundered through the room.
The white cube around him rippled—then shattered like glass. The sterile chamber gave way to a sprawling rocky battlefield under a thunderous sky. Jagged cliffs rose from all directions, swirling storm clouds crackled with mana, and the air itself buzzed with raw magical tension.
Leo was gone.
Lei Feng now stood alone in the middle of a war-torn wasteland. The ground beneath his feet trembled. Loose stones and fragments floated in the wind.
"…It feels real. Too real," Lei Feng whispered. "But something tells me… this is just the beginning."
"Welcome to the C-rank combat simulation trial."
A soft, artificial female voice echoed through the battlefield.
Lei Feng flinched, turning in all directions. "Who's there?"
"I am Synthia, the Advanced AI of the Association's Technological Division."
"An AI?" Lei Feng blinked. "You sound… alive."
"This is the first phase of the C-rank combat exam," Synthia said evenly. "To pass, you must survive five waves. Each wave introduces a new elemental avatar. Fail even one… and the exam ends."
Lei Feng smirked. "Heh. Sounds like a challenge."
"What is your preferred weapon?" Synthia asked.
"Sword," Lei Feng said without hesitation. "Longsword."
"Confirmed. Deploying weapon now."
SWOOOSH!
A blue holographic sword materialized mid-air, flickering with data trails, before descending into his hand. The moment it touched his palm, it solidified—its form stabilizing into a gleaming silver longsword, perfectly balanced.
Lei Feng twirled the sword, testing its weight and flexibility. "Nice grip. Feels like a Bronze-rank weapon, at least."
He adjusted his stance, raising the sword above his shoulder.
"Initialization complete. The trial begins in ten seconds."
A glowing countdown hovered midair.
10… 9… 8…
Lei Feng grinned, lightning flickering across his eyes. "Let's see what you've got."
Suddenly—
DING!
A system alert flashed before his eyes:
---
━━『 Instant Quest 』━━━
Objective: Clear all five waves of the combat simulation with dominant might
Time Limit: 15 minutes
Wave Count: 5
Progress: 0 / 5
Reward: Rare Skill Book
Penalty: None
---
"Wooh! The system's finally being generous," Lei Feng laughed, energy surging through his veins.
BOOM!
The ground trembled. The first wave emerged.
A horde of elemental avatars—ten in total—rushed forth. Some were humanoid, others beast-like, all constructed of solid rock and pulsing with hostile intent. Their eyes glowed red, locked on their prey.
Text flared once more:
> Wave 1 Initiated
Danger level: Moderate
Eliminate all targets
Lei Feng tightened his grip.
Thunder rolled in the skies above.
"I see…" he whispered, stepping forward. "Then let's test how far I've come."
Lightning exploded from his sword.
And the battlefield roared to life.