The main courtyard was silent.
Not quiet—silent. The kind of silence that falls before lightning strikes. Before blood hits stone.
Elara Lyn stood at the center, silver hair catching the wind like a banner of war. She hadn't moved since arriving. Didn't need to.
Three instructors had approached her earlier.
They were now unconscious.
Not dead.
But not lucky either.
Inside Class V Dormitory
Lin Fang straightened his collar in the cracked mirror. Behind him, the team was gearing up.
Carlos was tightening his spirit corded wraps.
Ember rubbed flame powder on her gloves.
Zeke shook with nerves but didn't speak.
Lira just stared out the window, arms crossed, eyes locked on the silver shadow in the distance.
"She's stronger than all of us," Zeke finally muttered.
"Yes," Lin Fang said. "That's why we say hello first."
[System Alert]
External S-Class Aura Detected
Threat Level: "Superior"
Recommended Action:
A. Retreat and observe
B. Confront with controlled intent
C. Submit
Authorizing Override: Custom Option Selected – D. Intimidate her back.
Lin Fang walked out alone.
No music. No drama.
He simply stepped into the courtyard and faced Elara head-on.
Students gathered on rooftops, behind walls, in trees—anywhere they could watch without getting vaporized.
Elara opened her eyes.
"You're the villain?"
"I'm the instructor," Lin Fang replied. "The villain's still warming up."
Elara took a slow step forward.
The entire courtyard shifted—flagstones cracked, the wind stilled, a dozen birds dropped from the sky.
Her spiritual pressure wasn't loud.
It was precise.
Targeted.
Designed to erase.
Zeke, watching from a third-story window, stumbled backward. "That's not aura—that's a guillotine."
Ember's flame fizzled out mid-palm.
Carlos growled under his breath. "Let me fight her."
"No," Lira said. "You'll die."
Carlos turned, ready to argue—then saw her face.
She wasn't joking.
Down below, Lin Fang raised his head.
He didn't summon a weapon. Didn't flare his qi.
He just… smiled.
[System Alert]
External Pressure Attempt Detected
Resistance Mode: Passive
Activating Trait: "Villainous Will"
Bonus Unlocked:
Immune to first wave of spiritual intimidation
Return pressure: 1.3x with delay burst
Elara blinked. Just once.
Then she raised her hand—and unsheathed her sword two inches.
That alone turned the air metallic.
Lin Fang exhaled once.
The courtyard cracked outward in a perfect circle around him.
[System Counterattack Triggered]
Villainous Aura Release – Tier 2
Effect: Suppresses enemy's blood flow by 7% for 30 seconds
Status: Elara Lyn - Slightly startled
Passive Effect: Nearby observers' loyalty +2
The spectators watching from the walls gasped.
Someone whispered, "She flinched…"
Another muttered, "That guy's not normal."
Elara let out a slow breath.
"You've impressed me," she said.
Then vanished.
One moment she stood twenty feet away.
The next—
Her sword was at Lin Fang's throat.
The blade hovered an inch from Lin Fang's throat.
He didn't move.
Didn't blink.
Didn't even tense.
Instead, he looked her dead in the eye and said:
"Fast."
Elara narrowed her gaze. "You didn't dodge."
"I didn't need to."
[System Triggered: Proximity Threat Detected]
> Activating Sub-Trait: Counterkill Protocol – Villain Tier I
Effect: If enemy's killing intent exceeds 60%, reflect 20% psychic pressure and immobilize for 0.8 seconds.
Status: Target Intent = 72%
Executing…
A ripple of invisible force surged outward.
Elara's hand twitched.
Her blade trembled.
She took half a step back—just one.
But the courtyard noticed.
Everyone noticed.
From above, Ember whispered, "He made her back off."
Carlos stared, jaw tight. "She could've killed him."
"She tried," Lira said flatly.
Lin Fang didn't follow up.
He just adjusted his collar.
"You came to test us," he said. "Consider the test passed."
Elara slowly resheathed her blade.
"I came to gauge your worth," she replied. "Now I'm curious."
She turned to walk away—but paused.
"Three days. Arena One. Our vanguard will meet yours."
Then, over her shoulder, almost lazily:
"Try not to embarrass yourself."
[System Notification]
Apex South Challenge – Official Duel Scheduled
Time: 72 hours
Location: Arena One, Liberty High
Condition: Class V Vanguard vs Apex Trio
Reward: Regional Reputation + System Evolution Trigger
Penalty: Automatic classification downgrade – "Class Null"
Back in the dorm, Lin Fang gathered his team.
"No more games," he said.
Carlos straightened.
Ember grinned.
Zeke looked like he might throw up.
Lira simply asked: "When do we start?"
Lin Fang smiled.
"Now."
The moment Elara vanished, it felt like gravity returned to normal.
Zeke collapsed onto a bench, wiping sweat he didn't realize he had.
"Okay," he gasped. "I'm 85% sure I peed a little."
Ember clapped him on the back. "Good. That's spirit leaving the body. Perfectly normal."
Carlos stood like a statue, eyes locked on the spot where Elara had stood.
"She moved faster than I could think."
Lin Fang nodded. "That's what real pressure feels like. Now you know."
He turned to face the group.
"You have three days."
Carlos asked, "To prepare?"
Lin Fang smiled.
"To evolve."
[System Alert: Internal Training Arc Activated]
Time Remaining: 72 hours
Available Options:
Forbidden Combat Simulation
System-assisted Weapon Trial
Psychological Breakthrough Ritual
Bonus Unlock: If at least 3 students unlock new traits, full team buff "Death Doesn't Scare Us" will activate.
Lira raised an eyebrow. "Breakthrough ritual?"
Lin Fang's eyes glinted. "It involves fire, screaming, and spiritual hallucinations. You'll love it."
Zeke whimpered.
Carlos cracked his knuckles. "Bring it."
The countdown had begun.
Class V wasn't fighting for glory.
They were fighting to survive.
Later that night, while the rest of Class V slept, Lin Fang remained awake—seated cross-legged at the edge of the rooftop, eyes closed.
The system interface hovered silently before him.
[Villain Curriculum – Stage III: Pre-War Phase]
Class Status: Stabilized
Individual Potential: In Flux
Hidden Condition Detected:
"Someone in your class harbors a secret that may either save you… or destroy you."
He opened his eyes slowly.
A breeze passed.
And in the shadow of the dormitory, someone was watching him.