I. The Black Heaven Academy's First Night
The dormitory was too quiet.
Xiao Chen lay on his cot, fingers laced behind his head, staring at the cracks in the ceiling. The Void Fox—now named Shadow—curled on his chest, its tiny body rising and falling with each breath. Across the room, his Abyss-Shell Predator gnawed lazily on a Fiend-core, its jagged teeth grinding bone into dust.
He should've been exhausted. But sleep wouldn't come.
"Pathetic," a voice sneered from the doorway.
Xiao Chen didn't move. He'd sensed the intruder the moment they'd stepped into the hall—light footsteps, the barest whisper of steel against cloth.
Leng Xueyi.
Her frost-gem sword glinted in the moonlight as she stepped inside, her S-rank Frost Phoenix looming behind her like a specter.
"You really think you belong here?" She kicked the turtle's shell. It hissed, venom dripping onto the floorboards. "The headmaster's pity won't save you for long."
Xiao Chen sat up slowly. "You came here just to say that?"
Her blade flashed, stopping a hair's breadth from his throat. "I came to warn you. The Fiend Moon Festival starts tomorrow. Cultists will be crawling through these halls like roaches." She leaned in, her breath cold against his skin. "If you get in my way, I'll cut you down myself."
Then—she vanished, leaving only a trail of frost in her wake.
Shadow chirped, nuzzling Xiao Chen's hand.
"Annoying woman," he muttered.
But his lips curled.
II. The Fiend Moon Festival
Dawn came too soon.
The academy's central courtyard had been transformed overnight—blood-red banners hung from the walls, their edges embroidered with golden serpents. Students milled about, their Genomes restless.
Mei Ling found Xiao Chen near the back, her Silverfang Lynx twitching nervously.
"You look like hell," she said.
"Feel like it." He hadn't slept.
"Good. Because today's trial is brutal." She tossed him a black jade token. "Fiend Moon rules: no alliances, no mercy. Last ten standing get a B-rank Genome egg."
Xiao Chen's fingers tightened around the token.
A B-rank.
That was worth killing for.
III. The Blood Tournament
The trial took place in the Shattered Arena—a ruined coliseum where the stones wept blood from centuries of battles.
Fifty students stood in a circle, their Genomes snarling.
Headmaster Mo's voice boomed:
"Begin."
Chaos.
A flame-wreathed tiger lunged at Xiao Chen. His turtle slammed into it, spikes tearing through fur and flesh. The tiger screamed, collapsing in a heap.
[4/10 highborn lives consumed.]
Shadow blinked in and out of existence, its tiny claws slitting throats before its victims could react.
Then—the ground shook.
A massive figure clad in black iron armor strode onto the field, his SS-rank Fiendbear Genome roaring.
Gao Zhen.
The academy's top disciple.
"Slum trash," he spat, crushing a student's skull underfoot. "This is my arena."
Xiao Chen smiled.
And charged.
IV. The Betrayal
Their clash split the arena in half.
Gao Zhen's bear tore chunks from Xiao Chen's turtle, but the beast healed faster, its chaos bloodline stitching flesh back together.
Then—a dagger slid between Xiao Chen's ribs.
He whirled, catching a glimpse of Mei Ling's panicked face before she Shadow Stepped away.
Poison.
His vision blurred.
Gao Zhen laughed, raising his axe for the killing blow—
A blade of ice intercepted it.
Leng Xueyi stood between them, her Frost Phoenix screeching.
"He's mine," she snarled.
Gao Zhen hesitated.
That was all Xiao Chen needed.
His hand shot out, crushing Gao Zhen's throat.
[5/10 highborn lives consumed.]
The crowd erupted.
V. The Cult Revealed
As Gao Zhen's body hit the dirt, his armor shattered—revealing a Fiend-mark burning on his chest.
Headmaster Mo roared, "CULTIST!"
The arena exploded into madness.
Fiend-marked students turned on their peers, their Genomes mutating into grotesque abominations.
Mei Ling reappeared at Xiao Chen's side, her lynx missing an ear.
"I didn't have a choice," she gasped. "They have my sister—"
Xiao Chen snapped her wrist.
"I don't care."
Shadow teleported onto her shoulder—and bit down.
Mei Ling shrieked, her body twisting as the Void Fox's venom took hold.
Then—she was gone.
"Interesting," Leng Xueyi mused, wiping blood from her blade. "You really are a monster."
Xiao Chen grinned.
"You have no idea."
Chapter 3 End