Lance swept a bored gaze over the group. He had zero interest in this fight—they were simply too weak. Since they were determined to stir up trouble, he decided to dial up the sarcasm.

  The air in the combat arena went still.

  Every onlooker stared at Lance as if he’d grown a second head. Even the other freshmen were baffled. Brother, you might be talented, but Corbin is an S+ Rank genius and a 3rd Rotation Grandmaster. You’re not just challenging him—you’re telling him to bring his whole gang?

  "Vance, end him. Solaris Academy regulations permit one lethal duel per year. You can use my quota!" Corbin commanded, his voice as sharp as a razor.

  A collective shiver ran through the crowd. No one had expected Solaris Academy to be a place where murder was institutionalized.

  "With pleasure!" Vance’s face split into a predatory grin.

  He’d been at the Academy for seven years, living every day in fear of being stepped on by some high-tier powerhouse. Finally, it was his turn to be the executioner.

  "Ahem. You guys are being a bit obvious about this, aren't you?" Lance broke the silence, looking thoroughly unimpressed. "If I don't agree to the challenge, you can't touch me. Right?"

  Corbin and his crew froze. The bloodlust drained from their faces, replaced by a look of sheer, confused frustration. Lance was right. For a duel to be lethal—or for a duel to happen at all within the campus—both parties had to formally consent.

  Unsanctioned attacks resulted in immediate and severe disciplinary action.

  "Holy sh*t, he’s right. If Lance refuses, they can't do anything!"

  "Psh, talk about a plan falling apart. Corbin looks like an idiot now."

  "I was actually scared for a second. I thought they could just kill whoever they wanted."

  The freshmen whispered among themselves, their fear turning into amusement. Corbin’s "tough guy" act now felt like a poorly scripted play. Realizing that they could simply say "no" to a fight allowed the tension in their shoulders to vanish. Why worry about being bullied if you can just be a pacifist?

  Corbin’s face turned a bruised shade of green. He had allowed his rage to cloud his judgment, making him look like a fool in front of the very recruits he was supposed to impress.

  "Ahem... Look, junior," Vance said, his voice suddenly shifting to a tone of forced reason. "How about a friendly spar? I promise, I won't use lethal force."

  "Do you even believe that yourself?" Lance sighed. Is high talent inversely proportional to IQ? Who would fall for a lie that blatant?

  Corbin’s entourage looked away in embarrassment. Vance was only making things worse.

  "Damn it! Are you a man or not!?" Vance barked, resorting to the most basic of provocations. "If you've got any balls, step into the ring!"

  "The more you talk, the less I want to fight you. If you’re so tough, why don't you just attack me right now and see what the Academy guards do?" Lance chuckled.

  "Psh! Senior Vance’s IQ is definitely in the negatives."

  "Right? Who tries to use a middle-school taunt on a genius?"

  "Shh, keep it down! If he hears you, he’ll try to duel you next!"

  "So what? I’ll just say no. Is he going to punch me and get expelled?"

  "Fair point."

  The jeers of the freshmen stung like hornets. Corbin felt his hard-earned prestige evaporating in real-time. He had only taken this "tour guide" job to recruit the new elites; the initial show of force was supposed to make his club look like an exclusive, powerful sanctuary. Instead, even Chase looked like he was reconsidering his membership.

  "Enough! We’re leaving," Corbin spat, glaring at Lance with murderous intent. "Lance, was it? Just make sure we don't cross paths outside the campus walls!!"

  He turned to leave, his followers trailing behind him, each offering Lance a final, hateful glare.

  "Wait."

  Lance’s voice rang out, the playfulness suddenly gone from his tone.

  Corbin stopped and looked back, hope flickering in his eyes. He expected a retort, an insult, or perhaps a change of heart.

  "You wanted to fight, didn't you? I’ll agree. But I have one condition," Lance said calmly.

  The plaza went silent.

  "Is he insane? He’s actually accepting?"

  "Does he think killing a Rank 1 demon makes him invincible? These guys have been here for years!"

  "Yeah, Lance is throwing his life away. Those seniors might not be S+ geniuses like Corbin, but they can easily handle Rank 2 or Rank 3 threats. Lance is outmatched."

  Even Selina frowned, her voice hushed with concern. "Lance, don't. They’ve had years more training than you."

  "Don't worry," Lance replied, his eyes never leaving Corbin. "They’re just some trash."

  "I see... so that’s why you're so arrogant. You killed a Tier 4, 1-Star demon," Corbin said, his eyes narrowing. "That puts you at the S+ level, I suppose. I underestimated you."

  The news of Lance’s kill sent a jolt through the seniors. To kill a [Grandmaster] demon as a freshman required immense power; Vance would have a hard time winning, let alone securing a kill. What the freshmen didn't realize was that a [Grandmaster] Cinder Demon’s fire affinity evolved into [Flame Power]—even an elite student would struggle to take one down without sustainng heavy injuries.

  "So," Corbin sneered, trying to save face. "What’s your condition?"

  Vance felt a bead of sweat roll down his neck. He was nervous, but he couldn't back down now. He figured if Lance’s condition was too extreme, he could just reject it and call Lance a coward. It was a perfect exit strategy.

  "I’ll fight you," Lance said, a sharp, dangerous grin spreading across his face. "But only if you all attack me at once. If even one of you stays out of the ring, the deal is off."

  Corbin was an S+ genius. He wasn't just capable of killing a one-star demon; he could theoretically hunt a three-star demon with his foundation. His strength was on a completely different level than the lackeys surrounding him.

  "Well? Are you coming or not? If you’re too scared, then get the hell out of my sight!"

  Lance’s playful demeanor had vanished, replaced by an arctic calm. Corbin’s previous declaration of wanting to kill him had flipped a switch. Lance now had every intention of ending them.

  "Fine!! Since you’re begging for death, we’ll all give you a hand!"

  Corbin roared. He kicked off the ground and landed squarely on the energy-reinforced platform at the center of the arena.

  Flash! Flash! Flash!

  His followers followed suit, leaping onto the stage one by one until only Chase remained standing below, looking torn and uncertain.

  "Are you joining them? You haven't officially joined their little club yet, so you can stay out of this if you want," Lance said, his eyes shifting to Chase.

  The boy's survival depended entirely on the choice he was about to make.

  "Chase! If you don't step up now, don't bother applying to our club later," Corbin shouted from the stage, his voice cold. "And don't blame us for being 'ruthless' when we run into you on campus!"

  The threat hung in the air. But instead of the submission Corbin expected, a cold, sharp anger ignited in Chase’s eyes.

  "Join your club? You absolute morons. Do you really think I want to be part of your pathetic circle jerk?" Chase barked, his laughter sounding jagged and mean. "I thought you were actually worth something, but you're just a bunch of dogs barkin' at the moon.

  "Run into me later? Hah! Do it. I dare you. If I’m afraid of you lot, my name isn't Chase. But keep this in mind: if anything happens to me, my master, the Sword Sovereign, will personally erase the Kaslan System from the star charts!"

  Chase’s outburst left Corbin and his group ashen-faced.

  The Sword Sovereign? One of the few [Planetary Class] legends? Since when was this boy his disciple?

  "Lance! Are you coming or not!? Or are you too busy hiding behind a girl?" Corbin barked, trying to regain his composure after the second blow to his pride today.

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  Being an S+ genius had been a curse for Corbin. He had been bullied by upperclassmen since the day he arrived, and it had taken him years to cobble together this ragtag band of followers. Today, he’d finally found a potential recruit in Chase, only to find out the boy was a disciple of a living legend. Every plan he had was turning to ash, and he blamed Lance for all of it.

  Lance didn't say a word. He simply kicked off the floor and landed gracefully on the platform.

  [System Alert: User 'Lance' has not yet been authenticated as a student of Solaris Academy via the official portal. User is currently exempt from lethal-duel protection and lethal-duel restrictions.]

  The synthesized voice echoed through the entire arena.

  The silence that followed was heavy. Corbin and his group looked like they had just swallowed a mouthful of needles. Lance wasn't protected? That meant they could have killed him anywhere! But the flip side was more terrifying—if Lance wasn't restricted, neither was he bound by the "one kill per year" rule.

  The other freshmen turned pale, immediately tapping their [Wrist Communicators] to finalize their enrollment.

  "That was close! I can't believe I almost forgot to register," one muttered.

  "Corbin is supposed to be our guide! How did he 'forget' to mention something that life-threatening?"

  "He’s too busy trying to scam us. Is he really an S+ genius, or did he just cheat his way through the exams?"

  The jeers from the crowd rained down on Corbin. In their eyes, Lance’s talent was clearly superior, and if they had to choose a side, they were going with the one who didn't threaten them. Plus, Lance was standing next to Selina, another S+ powerhouse, and the disciple of the Sword Sovereign was on his side too.

  "I was planning to kill you all and just run for it," Lance said, his voice light but dangerous. "I didn't realize I wasn't even under the kill restriction. It seems the heavens themselves don't want you to survive the day."

  He had made up his mind. Not a single one of them would leave this ring alive. If the Academy tried to punish him, he’d just activate his [Star-Thunder Wings] and vanish into the void. Besides, once he revealed his actual SS-Rank—or SSS-Rank—talent, who would dare touch him for a few dead "geniuses"?

  [System Alert: Duel established. Commencing in 3... 2... 1... Fight!]

  "KILL HIM!" Corbin shrieked.

  Rumble!!!

  The seniors unleashed their full Grandmaster-level auras, transforming into streaks of light as they lunged at Lance from all sides. To the onlookers below, their movements were a blur of impossible speed.

  "Pathetic," Lance muttered.

  To his eyes, they were moving in slow motion. He reached out his right hand and tapped his finger against the void.

  Buzz! Buzz!

  In an instant, thousands of pinpoint beams of brilliant white light erupted from his fingertips.

  The speed of the [Holy Light Power] was beyond physical reaction. Before any of the seniors could even blink, the beams had reached them.

  Psh! Psh! Psh!

  The beams punched through their skulls with surgical precision. Even the roaring Corbin found himself staring down a ray of light a millisecond before his head was vaporized.

  BOOM!

  The momentum of the charging students carried them forward, and their lifeless bodies slammed into the arena barrier like high-speed missiles, detonating into clouds of fine crimson mist.

  It happened in a single heartbeat. One moment, Lance was surrounded by the Academy's elite; the next, he stood alone in a hangar painted red with the remains of the Grandmasters who had dared to challenge him.

  The students below were paralyzed. They hadn't seen a fight; they had seen an execution.

  Holy Light Power? How the hell does this kid also have Holy Light Power!?

  High in the rafters of Selina’s mind, Sovereign Glacia was having a crisis of faith. She had been "slapped in the face" by Lance’s performance time and time again, but this was different. Even with her vast experience, she hadn't detected his SS-Rank trait.

  There was only one explanation: Lance possessed a technique or an artifact capable of shielding his very essence from her perception. And that meant there was an eighty-percent chance that the boy was already aware of her existence.

  Ever since Selina’s strength had skyrocketed, Lance hadn't shown even a flicker of suspicion. It was as if he had known all along that her power had changed, and the lack of surprise was telling.

  "Master, even you didn't notice it? How is that possible?" Selina asked, her mind reeling from Sovereign Glacia’s admission.

  Her master was a supreme powerhouse from the depths of the universe! How could she fail to see through someone like Lance?

  "How should I know!?" Sovereign Glacia snapped, mentally rolling her eyes.

  However, a newfound sense of vigilance toward Lance began to take root in her mind. If this boy could shield himself from her detection, there was an eighty-percent chance he could sense her presence as well. Yet, despite that, he continued to linger around her without fear. That suggested one thing: Lance was confident he possessed the means to protect himself even against her.

  A chilling theory began to coalesce in Glacia’s mind.

  Wait... could it be that he also hosts the soul of a powerhouse? Perhaps one even stronger than me? If not, how else could he have elevated his strength to this degree in such a short time?

  Her spirit flickered at the thought. If true, she was in a dangerous position. To remnant souls like them, other spirits were the ultimate tonic. However, she quickly dismissed the immediate threat. If there were another "old ghost" in Lance’s body, they either bore her no ill will or weren't strong enough to devour her yet. Otherwise, they would have struck the moment they sensed her to maximize their chances.

  Now that she was on guard, any such ambush would be far more difficult to execute.

  "I need to find a time to meet this boy properly," Sovereign Glacia mused, her spiritual presence turning solemn. "Since he already knows about me, there’s no point in hiding any longer."

  THUD!

  On the dueling platform, the remains of Corbin’s torso finally hit the floor, the sound echoing through the sudden silence. The onlookers were snapped out of their stupor by the finality of the sound.

  "This... how is this possible!?"

  Chase, standing nearest to the stage, stared blankly at the blood-spattered arena and the lifeless husk of the S+ Rank genius. Corbin was dead. If this news broke, the entire Solaris Intermediate Sector would be shaken to its foundations.

  When Corbin had first been certified as an S+ Rank genius a few years ago, the news had been broadcasted across every star system in the sector as a beacon of hope. Now, that beacon had been snuffed out by a freshman—one who had deleted him and his entire entourage while being outnumbered.

  The freshmen looked at Lance with a mixture of terror and awe. They didn't even know he was only fifteen yet; if that fact were revealed, their shock would be magnified ten-fold. Even so, a single thought echoed through every mind: Lance isn't just S+... he must be an SS-Rank Genius!!

  "He was that arrogant with such pathetic strength?" Lance remarked, his voice dripping with disdain as he looked down at Corbin’s corpse. "It seems Solaris Academy has been far too peaceful for its own good."

  He turned and prepared to step off the stage.

  RUMBLE!!!

  Suddenly, a soul-crushing pressure erupted from the direction of the teleportation array. The aura was so immense it didn't just cover the plaza; it blanketed the entire Solaris Academy.

  Lance and the others froze, their heads snapping toward the gate.

  Buzz!!!

  The array flared with a blinding light. A split second later, an elderly man shot out from the portal, flying into the air with an aura that commanded the very laws of the world.

  "The High Speaker? What is he doing here?!"

  "Don't be stupid. The High Speaker is the Director of Solaris Academy. Of course he's here!"

  "He looks like he’s in a hurry! Does he already know Corbin was killed?"

  The surrounding freshmen broke into a flurry of speculation. High in the sky, the High Speaker’s gaze swept across the entirety of Solaris Academy, his massive divine sense instantly locking onto Lance.

  "Found him at last!"

  The High Speaker let out a massive sigh of relief seeing that Lance was unharmed. He plummeted toward the ground in an instant.

  "Wait—what is this?!"

  However, as he descended, his eyes fell upon a dead student lying on the holographic arena that had yet to dissipate. The ground was stained with blood, littered with the shredded remains of a Solaris Academy combat suit. One look at Lance standing on the platform was all the High Speaker needed to piece together what had happened.

  "Hmph. These students only know how to throw their weight around. Now look at them—they went and provoked a genius like Lance, and now they're all dead. Serves them right!"

  As the only witness to Lance soloing a Rank 1 Grandmaster Cinder Emperor, the High Speaker knew exactly how terrifying the boy’s strength was. Killing a few first-year students was as easy as breathing for him.

  "Lance, was someone looking for trouble? You aren't hurt, are you?" The first thing the High Speaker did upon landing was rush to Lance’s side, his face full of genuine, smiling concern.

  The onlookers were stunned. Why was the High Speaker so worried about Lance? Did he already know about Lance’s talent?

  "Uh, just a few first-years who wanted to spar. I guess I overdid it a little and ended up killing them all," Lance explained nonchalantly.

  "In a real fight, life and death are decided in an instant. As warriors, they should have been prepared to be killed the moment they stepped up!" the High Speaker declared with an air of righteous indignation.

  The crowd was speechless. One second you're worried about Lance being hurt, and the next you're saying the dead should've been prepared to die. Even the big shots are such hypocrites!

  "By the way, let me see exactly who you killed. I’ll personally have a word with their families to make things clear!" The High Speaker's voice was laced with a hint of Psionic Pressure. His "making things clear" was nothing more than a warning—if any of those families dared to cause trouble, they would be wiped out immediately.

  The High Speaker hadn't been on vacation this past day. He had traveled seventy thousand light-years back to Ancient Earth to report Lance's situation to the High Guardians of humanity. Those powerhouses were supreme beings at the Stellar Class level! After reviewing the footage of Lance’s battle, they had issued a single directive: protect Lance at all costs.

  If necessary, they were even prepared to sacrifice a Planetary Class Emperor to ensure his safety.

  The High Guardians had given the High Speaker a timeline: twenty years. If Lance could grow into a Great Grandmaster within twenty years, they would personally summon the Martial Paragon to return and request that he take Lance as a disciple! That promise carried the weight of a mountain. The status of the Martial Paragon’s disciple would be even higher than that of the High Guardians themselves. This was the terrifying weight of an SS-Rank genius.

  As long as an SS-Rank genius didn't fall prematurely, there was a seventy to eighty percent chance they would reach the Stellar Class. At that point, Lance would become the next High Guardian of humanity, potentially surpassing all who came before him.

  Thinking of this, the High Speaker quickly pulled up the data of the combatants. However, the name "Corbin" made him freeze in his tracks.

  The person who died was Corbin?

  "Wait... Lance killed Corbin?! Doesn't that mean his combat strength has already reached the level of a Rank 0 Grandmaster?!" The High Speaker's expression shifted drastically, his heart hammering against his ribs in shock.

  The nearby freshmen, seeing the High Speaker’s reaction, assumed Corbin’s death was too serious a matter and that Lance was about to be punished.

  "Damn it, Corbin and his crew were the ones who started it. I hope Lance is okay."

  To their utter surprise, the High Speaker suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter. "Hahaha! Good! A damn good death! Trading one Corbin for one Lance? That’s the bargain of the century!"

  The High Speaker then turned to the surrounding freshmen, offering a smiling, reassuring wave. "None of you need to worry. At Solaris Academy, no one is held responsible for deaths occurring during martial exchanges. If anyone tries to retaliate, the Academy will send forces to suppress them. Even if the retaliator is a Great Grandmaster, they will die!"

  His words struck a chord of awe and respect in everyone present.

  "Right, Lance. I’m looking for you and Selina for another reason: the Solaris Emperor wants to see you!"

  At the mention of the Solaris Emperor, Lance remained indifferent, but a flicker of suppressed fury flashed deep within Selina’s eyes.

  "I’m free right now, so I’ll go. What about you, Selina?" Lance asked.

  "Okay," Selina whispered after a moment of hesitation, giving a curt nod.

  The High Speaker coughed awkwardly at the tense atmosphere, then shifted his will, instantly enveloping the two of them.

  Voom!

  Their forms tore through the void, vanishing into a teleportation array.

  Moments later, they appeared in the center of the Imperial Hub on Planet Solaris. A majestic skyscraper, reaching a height of a hundred thousand meters, stood tall—the headquarters of the Planet Solaris Warrior Alliance. But behind the headquarters lay a sprawling imperial city that stretched for tens of thousands of kilometers.

  At the very heart of the imperial city, a palace pierced the clouds. Above its gates were four massive characters: The Hall of the Solaris Emperor.

  System Notification: A massive stockpile has been detected!

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