Ragnar hissed through clenched teeth, drawing in a ragged breath as he watched the countdown.He was running out of time. If he didn't make a move now, he would be ejected from the trial, and all his efforts would amount to nothing.He exhaled sharply, stretched out his arms, and summoned a raging gale.A gray storm erupted around him, swirling violently as it swept through the hall and disrupted the airflow in every direction.The response was immediate.The needles increased in intensity, shooting out from the walls with even greater speed as the mechanism adjusted to the sudden disturbance.At the other end, the instructors watching the screens narrowed their eyes.Ragnar had disappeared from view, swallowed whole by the gray gale, which had grown so powerful that even their transmissions began to fluctuate.“What's he doing? The wind might disrupt the airflow within the unit temporarily, but once the system adjusts, it'll use the wind to its advantage and increase the penetration

The sun had climbed high into the sky. Two hours had passed since the Sea of Needles was activated, and everyone had finally completed their trials.No, that wasn't entirely accurate.Those who possessed the ability to clear the trial had already made it out. The rest were either receiving treatment in the medical booth or shedding tears over their own failures. Some had panicked the moment the needles began shooting out of the walls, abandoning their attempts and fleeing back to the initial point, which had been designated as the safe zone. They had waited there until the system ejected them, automatically disqualifying them from the competition.Ragnar scoffed, then shook his head with something resembling pity.How interesting.When it had been his turn, every single one of these people had seemed to have something to say about the time he took to complete the trial. They had questioned his abilities, accused him of deliberately delaying the process, and even suggested that his pr

Everyone's attention shifted to the middle of the Power Court, toward the area furthest from where the students were gathered. Silver radiance flooded the surroundings, bathing the enormous court in an ethereal glow. Then came a colossal shadow, slowly descending through the shimmering light. Ragnar's gaze sharpened as he focused on the spectacle unfolding before him. For a fleeting moment, the entire scene seemed almost ephemeral, like an illusion conjured from the depths of some ancient dream. A gigantic bell descended from the heavens, as though invisible chains were lowering it from the skies above. Beneath it stood a massive golden platform at the centre of the Power Court. Shaped like a trapezoid, the structure rose in six successive tiers, each level forming a series of steps that ascended toward the summit. Its golden surface gleamed beneath the silver radiance, lending the entire structure an air of solemn grandeur. At the very top stood a smaller, trapezoidal platfo

The assistant made no comment. With clean, practised strokes, he used a crystal brush to imprint the three options onto separate white paper films. Once he had finished, he held them up for everyone to see.The rotating scanner mounted in the tech booth immediately turned toward the papers, capturing each option and recording the data for public display.Professor Lan watched the process with evident satisfaction before chuckling and nodding.“Damn, bro. You're cooked this time.” Thane muttered to Ragnar, his brows furrowed.Ragnar sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth. “Yeah. How reassuring.”The three papers were folded and placed inside an empty wooden box, which was then carried to the second tier of the trapezoidal platform.Professor Lan's smile broadened, making his already handsome face appear almost dazzling.“Little prince, come on up. Help us choose the most interesting way to run this section.”Ragnar bit down on his lower lip, refusing to move an inch.No matter how

Ragnar stared at Ji Cangmin for a moment. Then, without warning, he scoffed and burst into laughter.The unexpected sound startled the students who had settled in to watch the confrontation, their anticipation of a good show briefly giving way to confusion.Ji Cangmin's eyes narrowed slightly, but he quickly maintained his composure. The hatred and loathing churning in his chest barely showed on his face. He had expected Ragnar to become defensive, perhaps even lose his temper, but laughter was the last response he had anticipated.Even Professor Lan's interest sharpened. Rather than crumble beneath the accusations or desperately defend himself, Ragnar seemed thoroughly amused.Professor Lan chuckled, nodding as though he had just witnessed something worthy of approval. "Interesting."Ragnar took a step towards Ji Cangmin, his eyes burning with an intensity that seemed at odds with the mocking smile on his face."Red Earth sold fake jades to me and tried to pass them off as the real t