Standing on one side of thebat tform, Thomas stretched out his right hand, summoning two silver hexagram arrays in front of him. From these, he called forth his mystical beast, the Lightning Demon Ape, along with the Dual-Headed Electric Eel.


    As Charles looked on, a screen before him shed with several lines of information.


    ——[Lightning Demon Ape]——


    [Element]: Lightning


    [Level]: 18


    [Quality]: Silver


    [Abilities]: Arc Swing, Ball Lightning


    [Weakness]: Wind Element


    ...


    ——[Dual-Headed Electric Eel]——


    [Element]: Lightning


    [Level]: 17


    [Quality]: Silver


    [Abilities]: Lightning Strike, Death Coil


    [Weakness]: Wind Element/Lower Abdomen


    ...


    Having read the details about Thomas''s mystical beasts, Charles, unruffled, raised his right arm. A single white hexagram array appeared before him, summoning his own mystical beast, the Nine-Tailed Demon Wolf.


    With his current strength, facing Thomas, merely using Max was already sufficient.


    Around them were senior Beast Masters from the three major academies of the imperial capital, each possessing powerful scouting abilities. In the brief test moment earlier, Charles had already sensed several subtle energy probing waves.


    Summoning Mousie at this time would surely reveal its true form, which could not be hidden from their keen eyes. The dark attribute, in Genosha and even throughout the Abyssal Depths, was absolutely forbidden!


    If his dark attribute energy were exposed, there would be no need for Sly to act; the members of the Beast Master Guild would not let him off.


    To the audience in the great hall, Charles''s actions appeared to be a provocation towards Thomas.


    In the VIP seats, Lily looked on at Charles with some concern.


    Although Charles''s performance at today''s enrollment ceremony had been full of surprises, was using just one mystical beast to challenge Thomas, a pinnacle second-level Beast Master, too reckless?


    From the recent scans, Charles''s Nine-Tailed Demon Wolf was at Level 21, indicating that Charles had not been a third-level Beast Master for long. This situation did not give him an overwhelming advantage over Thomas.


    "Do you think Charles or Thomas will win this battle?" asked a tutor from Nova Academy, smiling at Theron who was seated next to him.


    Theron pondered for a moment, her gaze sweeping over the two youngpetitors on the tform: "I believe Charles will win."


    "Oh, you have that much confidence in him?" The man was somewhat surprised by Theron''s assured tone. "With only one mystical beast summoned, hisbat strength can barely reach 60%. Facing a pinnacle second-level Beast Master, he''s at a significant disadvantage.


    Although his power is formidable, realbat isn''t just about brute strength." He quickly analyzed the situation unfolding on the tform.


    Theron''s long eyshes fluttered as her gaze settled on the resolute-faced young man, sensing a calmness about him that seemed far beyond his peers.


    "Your analysis makes sense, but I don''t think Charles is the type to act rashly. Moreover, I trust the vice-chancellor''s judgment in people," Theron responded with a serene smile, looking forward to what kind of spectacr match Charles would bring.


    ...


    In the center of the grand hall, on thebat tform, the tension between the two young men was palpable. Thomas''s eyes swept over Charles and his mystical beast, his face reddening with anger.


    Not summoning an equal number of mystical beasts was the greatest mockery to a Beast Master. Thomas was immediately enraged and issued abatmand to his beasts:


    "Show no mercy, kill him!"


    From the outset, Thomas had not nned to let Charles off, intending to eliminate him as quickly as possible. As for the consequences, given the Draven family''s influence in Lsengard, he reckoned it would be swiftly dealt with.


    Receiving thebat order, the already impatient Lightning Demon Ape and Dual-Headed Electric Eelunched their most powerful abilities.


    The Lightning Demon Ape, thundering toward Charles, swung its colossal arms, crackling with electricity.


    Behind it, an electric arc formed between the two heads of the Dual-Headed Electric Eel, its body''s voltage surging...


    "Roar!!!"


    With an angry roar, the Lightning Demon Ape''s tree-like thick arms swung at Charles, and at the same time, the Electric Eel initiated its long-range ability [Lightning Strike], beginning to charge up its attack.


    Watching Thomas''s attack with an unruffled expression, as they came within three meters of him, a barrier appeared around Charles.


    "Ice and Fire Barrier!"


    Boom!


    The attack from the Lightning Demon Ape hit Charles''s barrier, dissipating like a fist into cotton, its force instantly neutralized; meanwhile, the Dual-Headed Electric Eel hadn''t evenunched its attack before being impaled by an ice spear descending from the sky!


    Pale mes burned across the ground, devouring everything in their path.


    Atop the high tform, Kevin looked on in surprise at the scene unfolding on thebat tform, his grip on the armrest so tight it cracked.


    He had thought Charles was merely a brute, but he hadn''t expected hisbat skills to be so formidable!


    Seeing Charles dodge Thomas''s attack and begin to counterattack, Kevin abruptly stood up from his seat: "Oh no! This kid''s going for the kill!"


    "He couldn''t even break his defense..." Watching as a man and a beast continued to advance toward him, Thomas''s heart raced uncontrobly. He never imagined that his strongest attack would be so effortlessly neutralized by Charles!


    Whizz, whizz, whizz!


    With a crisp sound, Thomas couldn''t even see what happened before his two mystical beasts were riddled with ice spears, their bodies full of gaping wounds, with blood spurting continuously.


    "Charles, you bastard!" Thomas bellowed, clenching his fist andunching his ability [Arc Swing]. A vicious punch aimed directly at Charles''s face smashed forward...


    This punch, with a force of 4200 kg, would explode Charles''s head like a watermelon if it connected!


    Feeling the wind-breaking force from Thomas approaching, Charles''s expression remained utterly calm, his heart not even skipping a beat.


    To him, this speed was no faster than a turtle''s crawl; he easily dodged Thomas''s punch. Before Thomas could even react, Charles had already closed the distance.


    High in the air, after dodging another of Thomas''s attacks, Charles''s palm forcefully pressed down on Thomas''s head, and the two plummeted to the ground like a meteor...


    Boom!


    With a dull thud, Thomas''s head was smashed directly into the ground!!!


    On the marble floor, cracks spread like a spider web, and within those cracks, blood began to seep through...


    Looking down at Thomas, whoy twitching slightly on the ground, Charles scoffed coldly: "I didn''t want to strike so hard, but you should never have harbored a killing intent during a spar!"


    ...


    50 seconds!


    Someone nced at the big screen. In less than a minute, Thomas had been defeated by Charles!


    Seeing the time on the big screen, all the students in the great hall stared at Charles, cold sweat beading on their foreheads.


    Thomas, as a powerhouse from Lsengard''s second highest-ranking high school, was well known among his peers for his strength. Now that even Thomas couldn''tst a minute against Charles, it was clear they wouldn''t stand a chance against even a single move from Charles!


    The resolute and ruthless aura Charles disyed had genuinely chilled everyone to the core, immediately dissuading any thoughts of challenging him.


    Up in the stands, Celestine, who had been quietly watching everything, suddenly widened her eyes in disbelief.


    Could Charles, who just defeated Thomas in a single strike, really be just a recently advanced third-level Beast Master?


    "Hard to tell, this young man''s strength ismendable, easily the strongest graduate this year from Lsengard," Celestine''s heart raced as she watched the handsome young man walk down from the tform, though her face still bore a trace of disdain: "But... he''s still a bit behind the real monsters at the academy."


    ...


    "It seems, Charles''s strength isn''t just on paper, his practicalbat ability is equally formidable!" David, sitting in the VIP section, appeared calm, but inside he was overjoyed seeing Thomas''s disgraceful defeat on the ground.


    He had no love for the Draven family; Thomas had broken his son Daniel''s ribs during a sparring session three days ago, and Daniel was still in the hospital. Seeing Thomas suffer a simr fate was immensely satisfying!


    If it weren''t for the sake of family dignity, he would have loved to rub it in Kevin''s face.


    Beside him, Brown, the chief appraiser from Misubi, looked at the young man on thebat tform and couldn''t help but marvel: "Last time I saw young Charles, he had just be a Beast Master, his mystical beast at only Level 5!"


    "Just two monthster, to see such astonishing progress is truly astounding."


    Charles''s impressive performance hadpletely won over the admissions tutors in the judges'' seats, with everyone awarding him a perfect score of 40 points!


    [Assessment Three: Practical Combat]


    [Name: Charles]


    [Score: 40!]


    [Total: 200!]


    [Rank: First ce!]


    Lines of text scrolled across the screen in the grand hall, causing another wave of excitement!


    Charles had scored an impressive 200 points, undeniably marking him as this year''s rookie king among Lsengard''s graduates!


    As the crowd buzzed about which academy in the imperial capital such a talented young man would choose, a sudden shout erupted through the great hall:


    "A youngster so ruthless in his attacks, if we don''t deal with you today, who knows what you''ll be!"


    "An uncouth brat, let me teach you the lessons your parents failed to give you!"


    Before Charles could even react, a middle-aged man had already shed in front of him—it was Kevin from the audience?!


    The terrifying oppression from a fourth-level Beast Master almost suffocated Charles.


    In his bloodshot eyes, Charles saw a clear intent to kill...


    Noticing the chaos on stage, the crowd realized that Kevin, who should have been in the stands, had somehow made his way to thebat tform.


    "Kevin, how can you raise your hand against a junior? Where is your honor?" Matthew, the lord of Lsengard, bellowed, simultaneously summoning his four mystical beasts.


    If Lsengard''s most talented youth were to be killed, he as the lord would undoubtedly be held ountable!


    Meanwhile, Theron on the judges'' panel had already drawn her sword and leaped toward the center of the hall.


    Beforeing to Lsengard, Vice-Chancellor Emma of Nova Academy had entrusted her with Charles''s safety, instructing her to bring him back to Nova Academy.


    How would she face the vice-chancellor if something happened to Charles under her watch?


    "Boy, your life is mine!"


    In the great hall, Kevin charged at Charles with lightning speed, and being at the peak of fourth-level Beast Masters, killing Charles was as easy as squashing an ant.


    Thomasy in a pool of blood, his fate unknown, and hatred had driven Kevin beyond reason.


    This strike was merciless; he intended to kill Charles!


    ---