The Return of Godkin

Chapter 207: The Eighth Trial (Part-3)

Ten minutes passed in this manner, minute by minute, until Ray finally met the requirement for a passing score. He had endured for a full ten minutes, earning the minimum six points. Even then, he did not collapse. He continued to fight on, teeth clenched, eyes sharp, stubbornly refusing to yield.

As time dragged on, the girl's astonishment grew.

She had never expected her opponent to be this difficult to put away. He reminded her of a fragile-looking boat caught in a raging storm, battered again and again by towering waves, yet somehow still afloat. That tenacity unsettled her. However, she did not dare to rush in blindly.

Ray was a control-type soul master, and one careless misstep could turn the entire situation against her in an instant.

So she chose patience.

Allowing him to pass the trial was acceptable, since it would merely cost her a potential reward.

Losing outright, however, would mean having points deducted, an outcome she absolutely could not accept. As a result, she remained composed, continuing the slow grind, confident that time was on her side.

Seconds stretched into minutes.

The force behind both of their attacks weakened noticeably as their soul power approached its limits. The swirling snow gradually thinned, revealing the girl's silhouette once more.

Ray's Silverfalls Vine no longer thrashed with its earlier ferocity, and the faint glow running through its veins dimmed further with each passing breath.

Without warning, the snow surged toward him again with renewed intensity. Ray's eyes flickered as he instinctively retreated two steps, urging his grass to lash out and intercept the attack.

At the same moment, the girl made her move.

After the prolonged stalemate, she was left with only about thirty percent of her soul power. Judging from his condition, she was certain Ray was already at the end of his rope.

No matter what tricks he might still possess, he could not possibly sustain the fight much longer. It was time to decide the outcome.

Hidden within the swirling snow, she advanced like a snow leopard baring its fangs, her killing intent fully revealed as she pounced.

Snow slammed into Ray's Silverfalls Vine, devouring the last of his remaining soul power. Compared to her, he had only around forty percent of her soul power capacity to begin with. Without the Mysterious Heaven Method, he would never have lasted this long.

A white figure burst through the snow in front of him, sleet crashing over his body and chilling him to the bone. As stiffness crept into his limbs, a pale, clawed hand shot forward and seized his shoulder.

By this point, nearly twenty-five minutes had passed under Giselle's supervision. Ray had already earned nine points, meaning it would not matter even if he lost now.

From Giselle's perspective, the result was all but decided. Setting aside the mystery of his golden soul ring, his martial soul was still Silverfalls Vine, a far cry from the truly dominant martial souls.

That said, she had to admit that his calm thinking and careful execution were impressive. He might not be a peak-level genius, but his talent was undeniable.

Even so, she believed his overall strength still fell short. If student number ten had fought more aggressively from the beginning, this match would likely have ended within minutes.

Now, Ray was being thoroughly suppressed by someone who was not even a control-type soul master. With her speed, power, and elemental advantage, Giselle could see no realistic way for him to turn the tables.

Yet what puzzled her was the reaction of the rest of class zero. Not one of them looked anxious. None of them showed even a hint of concern at what appeared to be their captain's imminent defeat.

Are they just that calm… or do they know something I don't?

Her thoughts were cut short by a sudden eruption of golden light.

The instant the snow-white hand landed on his shoulder, Ray smiled.

It's about time.

His two purple soul rings vanished along with his Silverfalls Vine, replaced by a tyrannical surge of blood essence that exploded outward from his body. He had not eaten all those steamed buns for nothing. They had restored his blood essence completely, waiting for this very moment.

The oppressive golden aura blasted away the surrounding cold. Soul power retreated from his veins, replaced by raw, overwhelming physical strength.

The girl struck his right shoulder, only to recoil in shock. It felt as if she had hit a solid block of metal. Her hand went numb from the impact.

Impossible. I only have thirty percent of my soul power left. He should have even less. He's a control-type soul master!

Even so, she did not panic. As a Central Academy student, she reacted instantly, abandoning any thought of victory and focusing instead on minimizing losses.

But the moment she lifted her head, a pair of glowing purple eyes filled her vision. The world spun violently, destroying any chance she had to retreat and create distance.

Before she could escape, a massive golden hand clamped down on her shoulder, mirroring the very strike she had attempted moments earlier. In the next instant, it slid up to her neck and tightened around her carotid artery. With her soul power sealed and blood flow cut off, her struggles weakened rapidly until her body went limp.

The snow dispersed, and the golden light faded, revealing the final scene. Ray stood calmly in the arena, holding the unconscious girl in one arm to keep her from falling.

This…

He actually won?

Leopard-type soul masters were renowned for patience, yet in this prolonged contest of endurance and calculation, student number ten had been the one to fall.

Raziel slapped his forehead in disbelief. "Captain is getting more and more devious! He actually spent thirty whole minutes luring her into a trap. In the end, she never realized that his true strength isn't control at all, but brute force!"

In truth, Raziel had misunderstood him. Ray disliked such drawn-out strategies. He much preferred ending battles quickly and decisively. However, for Violetta's sake, he had no choice but to stall. Against a Central Academy student, a failed all-out attack would have been disastrous.

The outcome had been sealed the moment the girl chose to close the distance. In close combat, Ray was terrifyingly absolute, capable of overcoming even a soul ring disadvantage and making opponents with greater cultivation regret every step they took.

"Raymond… ten points." Giselle's voice rang out, her eyes wide with disbelief as she announced the result.

Ray hadn't merely won his match. To anyone with eyes, it had been a clean, ruthless suppression.

He's only thirteen… How could someone that young be so patient, so precise? This isn't just talent anymore.

What Giselle didn't know was that Ray's second profession was that of a solitary blacksmith.

Ever since he had met Mang Tian, his temperament had been tempered day after day, strike after strike, like steel under a hammer. He had begun forging at six years old, and seven years spent alone at a forge was enough to reshape anyone's character, let alone someone with Ray's terrifying aptitude. Endurance, restraint, and timing had long since been carved into his bones.

Student number ten soon regained consciousness. The first thing she did was stare straight at Ray, disbelief written plainly across her face.

She replayed the battle again and again in her mind, but no matter how she reconstructed it, she couldn't understand how he had won after his soul power had clearly been exhausted.

What kind of body does he have? And what was that purple light in his eyes?

She had lost consciousness in the final instant, and the snowstorm had blocked everyone's view. The decisive moment remained a mystery.

"Next," Giselle announced.

Raziel and student number two stepped into the arena simultaneously.

Ray returned to his teammates without a word.

He immediately sat down cross-legged and began circulating the Mysterious Heaven Method, drawing in his soul power with practiced ease.

The previous fight had drained him completely, and with two more trials remaining, he couldn't afford to relax. Even though he had already secured the sixty points needed to pass, his real goal had never been himself. He needed enough strength left to ensure his teammates could also pass.

They had nearly lost their chance at Central Academy because of him. That kind of loyalty wasn't something Ray would ever forget.

"Begin!"

The moment the command was given, both fighters surged forward.

Raziel took the initiative, sprinting straight at his opponent. As a pure agility-type soul master, close combat was his only viable path to victory. Student number two charged as well, his expression eerily calm, far too composed for someone his age.

The distance between them vanished in seconds. In terms of raw speed, Raziel clearly held the advantage.

Neither of them released their martial souls immediately. Both were waiting, probing, searching for an opening.

Only when the distance shrank to less than ten meters did their soul rings flare into existence.