Snap!

  With a crisp crack, the copper lock, strong enough to confine a wild beast, was rudely torn asunder. The Dire Boarman threw open the heavy lid of the chest.

  Pierce stood patiently in place, waiting until he confirmed there were no secondary trigger traps inside the chest before stepping forward and lowering his gaze.

  The interior of the large treasure chest appeared rather empty, containing only a crystal ball the size of a fist and a slip of yellowed parchment lying quietly at the bottom.

  Pierce picked up the parchment and scanned it; inscribed upon it were the activation incantation and usage instructions for the crystal ball.

  To his pleasant surprise, this was a high-tier magic item that stored a Divination spell.

  When encountering complex forks in the labyrinth, one merely had to activate the divination spell within, and the crystal ball would indicate the correct path leading to the destination.

  The only drawback was that this crystal ball contained only ten charges of the spell. Once exhausted, it would become a useless bauble.

  It seems this is the key item prepared by the Dawn Council for the participants.

  The corners of Pierce's mouth lifted slightly.

  With this Divination Crystal, the journey through the maze would become significantly easier.

  As for what to do after the ten charges were used up... given the sheer scale of the labyrinth, there could not possibly be only one such crystal ball.

  As long as he acquired a sufficient number of them, he could travel unimpeded straight to the maze's core.

  And there were only two ways to obtain these crystal balls.

  The first was to search for secret chambers containing treasure chests and claim the loot after defeating the guardian beasts.

  The second was to hunt down those Wizard Apprentices who held the crystal balls and seize them from their still-warm corpses—or their trembling hands.

  As expected, the Dawn Council would inevitably find ways to intensify the slaughter and confrontation between the participants.

  Pierce clicked his tongue softly and stowed the crystal ball in his pouch.

  At that very moment, his expression shifted abruptly, his gaze shooting like a bolt of lightning toward the arched exit on the other side of the room.

  Accompanied by light, cautious footsteps, three men stepped slowly out of the shadows.

  The moment their eyes met, both sides paused.

  Pierce’s sharp gaze swept over the grey robes worn by the three men. Through the gaps in their collars, he clearly glimpsed the standard-issue leather armor underneath.

  City Guard? Or Silver Legion?

  Simultaneously, the three men were sizing Pierce up with faces full of wariness.

  When their gazes landed on the crystal ball in Pierce's hand that he had not yet fully put away, three pairs of eyes lit up in unison, revealing a gleam of greed.

  A Divination Crystal!

  The three exchanged glances and instantly reached a tacit understanding. They spread out rapidly, surrounding Pierce while subtly blocking the retreat routes on both sides of the room.

  Hand over the crystal ball, and we might let you live!

  Among the three, a man of about thirty with a face as rugged as granite spoke coldly, his tone laced with unquestionable dominance.

  The other two also wore fierce expressions, hands resting on their waists as they stared fixedly at Pierce.

  Judging by their stance, if Pierce uttered even half a word of refusal, they would strike with thunderous force.

  However, to their surprise, facing the encirclement of three men, the seemingly tender youth before them showed not a trace of fear or unease. Instead, he revealed a smile of... amusement?

  Pierce was, of course, amused.

  Since these three could recognize the crystal ball in his hand at a glance, it implied a high probability that they had obtained similar items before.

  Therefore, it was extremely likely they carried extra crystal balls on their persons right now.

  He had just been pondering where to search for these key items, and in the blink of an eye, someone had delivered them right to his doorstep. How could he not be happy about such good fortune?

  Halfway up the mountain.

  Night had fallen, shrouding the entire mountain range in darkness.

  However, almost none of the spectators chose to leave.

  Many apprentices picked up stones from the ground, casting Light spells upon them to serve as temporary illumination.

  The densely packed magical cold lights illuminated the entire mountainside as if it were day.

  Everyone’s eyes remained glued to the light screens suspended high in the sky, unwilling to look away for even a moment.

  As more and more participants were cruelly eliminated, the number of screens in the sky gradually decreased.

  At this moment, only fifty or so images remained flickering.

  During this period, Gwen, Ingram, and Monkay had kept their attention firmly locked on Pierce's actions.

  Thus, they had witnessed the entire process of Pierce slaying the Minotaur with thunderous methods, and the shock on their faces had not yet faded.

  Too strong!

  That was a Minotaur possessing legendary bloodline, yet it was beheaded so easily!

  Pierce is as terrifyingly strong as always!

  The Wizard Apprentices of The Spire Academy uttered heartfelt exclamations of awe.

  In contrast, the students from the Shadow Academy looked at each other, rendered speechless for a time.

  They had once believed the rumors of Pierce killing a Legendary Knight contained exaggeration, that the authenticity was debatable.

  But now, it appeared that the rumors were not only true but perhaps even conservative!

  Forget exaggeration; Pierce's actual combat power was even more terrifying than the stories suggested.

  To dispatch an adult Minotaur with such ease placed Pierce’s strength firmly among the very pinnacle of the hundreds of elite participants.

  Apart from a handful of individuals like Sanford, Monville, and Sutherland, likely no one could surpass him.

  Monkay naturally understood this, and his face had long since become gloomy enough to drip water.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Even if he racked his brains, he could not comprehend how a first-year freshman could be powerful to such an illogical degree.

  Damn it, what exactly is this kid's background?

  Monkay felt a secret anxiety rising in his heart; the feeling of assured victory was gone.

  The power Pierce displayed at this moment made him feel a tangible threat.

  If he truly lost the bet with Gwen, that debt of five hundred Magic Stones would be enough to break his bones, perhaps even bankrupt him.

  Monkay could only comfort himself repeatedly in his heart: There were still the three mountains of Sanford, Monville, and Sutherland. The three winning quotas were almost certainly pre-determined. As long as no accidents befell them, Pierce could not possibly secure a spot.

  On the other side, Ingram stared at the screen in a daze, his heart unable to calm down for a long time.

  Hearing about it was one thing; witnessing Pierce kill a Legendary Knight-level magical creature with his own eyes was entirely another.

  In this moment, he deeply felt the massive chasm between himself and Pierce.

  Among the group, Gwen was actually the most composed.

  She had long guessed that after not seeing him for a time, Pierce must have experienced another leap in growth.

  Otherwise, she would not have used reverse psychology to trap Monkay into that gamble of five hundred Magic Stones.

  And facts proved that Pierce indeed had not disappointed her.

  I’m going to make a fortune this time!

  Gwen calculated happily.

  But just then, a suppressed cry came to her ears, startling her from her joyful reverie.

  Gwen subconsciously looked up, and what met her eyes was the tense scene of Pierce confronting three Wizard Apprentices.

  Is that the City Guard? or the Silver Legion?

  It's the City Guard! I recognize the leader; that's Tanyan!

  Tanyan? Seriously? I heard he's the number two figure among the City Guard participants, second only to Sanford!

  That's right, it's him. I remember that face.

  Ah, then isn't Pierce in big trouble!

  The sudden turn of events instantly swept away the joyous atmosphere.

  The faces of everyone from The Spire Academy were filled with gravity and worry.

  Conversely, the students from the Shadow Academy, including Monkay, looked delighted, hope reigniting in their eyes.

  Tanyan had a resounding reputation among the participants, recognized as a leader of the second tier, just below Monville's trio.

  Facing such an expert, the outcome for Pierce was already unpredictable. Added to that were two capable helpers; he was at an absolute disadvantage.

  After all, anyone who hadn't been eliminated by this point was no amateur.

  However, Monkay soon realized something, and the joy on his face stalled slightly.

  In this situation, as long as Pierce was sensible enough to hand over the crystal ball, Tanyan and his group would certainly not risk injury and mana consumption to fight to the death with Pierce. After all, defeating Pierce offered them no additional benefit.

  If that happened, wouldn't Pierce’s crisis be solved easily?

  Monkay felt a sudden wave of disappointment.

  But in the next instant, the scene on the screen left him dumbfounded, doubting his own eyes.

  Pierce suddenly raised his hand, and a Magic Missile blasted toward Tanyan's group without warning.

  He actually initiated the attack!

  Recovering from his shock, Monkay was ecstatic, almost laughing out loud.

  Haha, this kid is actually seeking death! Truly arrogant to the extreme!

  Ingram was tongue-tied, completely expecting Pierce to be pragmatic, not to choose war without a word.

  Only Gwen wore a calm expression that said, As expected.

  As the battle erupted, the crowd's gaze was drawn to the light screen like iron filings to a magnet, terrified of missing a single detail.

  Tanyan and his men never expected Pierce to strike so abruptly. Caught off guard, they were thrown into disarray by the howling force missiles.

  However, this was merely the beginning of the nightmare.

  Before they could adjust their posture from the chaos, Pierce's next spell was already prepared.

  A visible grey ripple exploded from his center, spreading madly in all directions, sweeping through the entire room in an instant.

  Fear!

  Under normal circumstances, a standard Fear spell had little effect on spellcasters with strong mental fortitude, perhaps causing only a slight palpitation in a peer.

  However, what Pierce cast was no ordinary spell, but an enhanced version improved through the Omniscient Eye.

  The moment Tanyan and his men were hit, unsuppressed panic and terror surfaced in their eyes. Their movements suffered a fatal stiffness, and it took them a full half-second to barely shake off the trembling that rose from the depths of their souls.

  And this half-second was enough for Pierce to pronounce the death sentence.

  Just as Tanyan recovered clarity from the fear, he watched in horror as Pierce flickered like a phantom behind one of his companions. That slender hand, bearing a greeting from the reaper, pressed lightning-fast onto the man's skull.

  Under the dim torchlight, one could faintly see violent, dense blue arcs flowing across Pierce's palm.

  Shocking Grasp!

  Crack!

  Blinding thunderlight exploded from Pierce's palm. The surging current instantly annihilated the Mage Armor on the man's body into nothingness.

  Immediately following was a crisp snap; the Ring of Protection on the man's finger shattered from the overload.

  Fortunately, after breaking through two layers of defense, the violent arc finally exhausted its kinetic energy and dissipated invisibly.

  But before the man could reveal even a trace of relief at surviving, a streak of light, shrill as lightning, struck. It pierced into the back of his head and exited through his mouth, carrying dripping blood with it!

  With a cracking explosion, the residual current on the blade detonated the man's skull into fragments.

  From beginning to end, Tanyan didn't even have time to offer support; he could only watch helplessly as his companion died miserably under Pierce's sword.

  You bastard! You actually dare to kill! Tanyan roared, his eyes splitting with rage.

  Pierce glanced at him indifferently, his tone as flat as if stating a simple truth. Since you dare to draw your blade, you must be prepared to be killed. If you don't even understand that simple logic, you are a disgrace to the army.

  Tanyan flew into a rage, his eyes blood-red, and roared as he charged at Pierce.

  The other companion woke from his stupor, hurriedly trying to encircle from another direction, but was intercepted halfway by the moving fortress that was the Dire Boarman.

  The City Guard emphasized combat efficiency. Their fighting style was quite similar to Pierce's, combining physical melee with magical strikes—casting spells to kill instantly during the gaps in close-quarters combat.

  This fighting style relied on two core qualities.

  First, one must possess a robust physical constitution.

  Second, one must be proficient in Combat Casting, constructing spell models synchronously during intense melee.

  And to achieve the second point perfectly, the best path was to master the Silent Spell technique.

  But that was an extremely difficult metamagic feat.

  Among the thousands of Rank 3 Wizard Apprentices in the City Guard, only Sanford had mastered it.

  The rest, even Tanyan, had failed to cross that threshold.

  However, after truly engaging, Tanyan was horrified to discover that Pierce was crushing him on both counts.

  Not only had the opponent mastered Silent Spell, but his physical constitution had reached the terrifying level of a Peak Grand Knight, a small realm higher than Tanyan himself.

  Under this desperate disparity, it didn't take long for Tanyan to be beaten into a clumsy, wretched state by Pierce.

  Then, he discovered something even more wrong.

  Pierce's speed in preparing spells was surprisingly fast—a fluidity that Silent Spell alone could not explain.

  Moreover, the power of his spells was unusually strong.

  The same spell, cast by Pierce's hand, was more than twice as powerful as his own.

  Damn it, what kind of monster is this kid?

  Tanyan finally realized that this time, he had kicked an iron plate capable of shattering his leg bones.

  The youth before him was not some weak greenhouse flower from the academy, but a terrifying powerhouse on the same level as Sanford!

  What he couldn't understand was, this person clearly looked only sixteen or seventeen; why was he so powerful?

  When did The Spire Academy produce such a monstrosity?

  Even that Pierce... Wait, Pierce!

  Tanyan's pupils contracted to pinpoints, his mind suddenly flashing back to the horrifying rumor he had heard some time ago.

  Could it be that this person before him was the evil star who killed the Drinker and the Legendary Knight Harlan?!

  It must be! The Spire Academy could not possibly have a second young student this heaven-defying!

  Thinking of this, a wave of bitterness rose in Tanyan's mouth.

  He had calculated everything, but he never expected that the lone student he stumbled upon would be the legendary fiend.

  And this strength was even more terrifying than the rumors.

  Damn it!

  Cursing inwardly again, Tanyan abruptly released his familiar—a giant lizard covered in thick, rock-like armored plating.

  At the same time, his companion also summoned a massive toad, its body entirely deep purple, clearly incredibly venomous.

  Seeing this, Pierce smiled derisively. The black bracelet on his wrist suddenly disintegrated, transforming into a roiling cloud of pitch-black mist.

  In the next instant, countless Mist Crows rushed out of the mist, scrambling over one another, sweeping toward Tanyan and his companion like a black flood.

  Tanyan turned pale with horror. He only had time to cast a Shield spell on himself before he was completely submerged by the flood of crows.

  His vision was instantly occupied by darkness. Countless sharp claws struck frantically from all directions, raining down like hail upon his shield and Mage Armor.

  In just the span of a single breath, both the Shield and the Mage Armor shattered, dissipating into particles of light.

  At the critical moment, Tanyan activated the Ring of Minor Stoneskin he carried. His skin instantly took on a greyish-green hue, becoming as indestructible as metal and stone, barely saving him from being torn to shreds by the Mist Crows.

  But before he could heave a sigh of relief, a shrill scream pierced his ears.

  The sound lasted only a fleeting moment before stopping abruptly.

  Tanyan's face turned ghastly pale; he knew his companion was likely dead.

  Immediately following, his mental link with his familiar snapped—his Rock-Armored Lizard had fallen in battle.

  At this moment, Tanyan could no longer care about the loss; a profound terror and despair welled up from the depths of his heart.

  He struggled internally for a moment, finally gritting his teeth and making up his mind to activate his Teleportation Ring to flee this place.

  The competition quota was tempting, but no matter what, his own life was more important.

  He didn't want to die here obscurely like his two unlucky companions.

  But just as Tanyan was about to activate the teleportation spell on the ring, he suddenly felt the suffocating pressure around him lift. The sky-filling flock of crows suddenly scattered.

  He looked up in astonishment, meeting Pierce's eyes, which were as cold as ice.