The road to the hunting forest stretched long and quiet under the afternoon sun.
Notting Academy's first-year students walked in loose groups, teachers leading the way. Today was simple in theory—assist students in acquiring their first soul ring.
In practice, it was chaos waiting to happen.
Lin Chen walked near the rear, hands in his pockets, eyes scanning the forest line. Tang San stayed close, alert but composed. Xiao Wu bounced along ahead, humming lightly, looking carefree as ever.
Too carefree.
She's not hiding it well, Lin Chen thought.
As they crossed into the forest boundary, the air shifted.
Soul beasts stirred.
Not violently—but attentively.
Yu Xiaogang slowed his steps.
"Strange," he muttered. "The outer forest should be noisy."
Lin Chen felt it clearly.
They're kneeling.
Then—
A sharp cry rang out.
"Help!"
A student stumbled backward from the trees, face pale with terror.
"Snake—no, python!"
The ground trembled.
A massive Mandala Serpent, nearly four meters long, slithered out from the undergrowth, yellow-black patterns glowing faintly. Its aura was far too strong for the outer forest.
"Four hundred years!" a teacher shouted. "Retreat!"
Panic spread.
Xiao Wu froze.
Her pupils contracted as she stared at the serpent.
The Mandala Serpent's gaze locked onto her.
And it hissed.
Not in aggression.
In recognition.
Yu Xiaogang's breath caught.
"…It bowed."
Impossible.
Soul beasts did not bow to humans.
Xiao Wu took an unconscious step back.
It knows, she thought in panic.
Before anyone could react, the serpent lowered its massive head—submission unmistakable.
The students screamed.
"This isn't normal!" a teacher shouted.
That was when Spirit Hall's white-robed figure appeared from the treeline.
Bai Ling.
Her expression was no longer gentle.
"That serpent," she said calmly, "is reacting to something… ancient."
Her eyes swept across the students—
And stopped on Xiao Wu.
For one heartbeat—
Killing intent leaked.
Lin Chen stepped forward.
He didn't summon his spirit.
He didn't activate a skill.
He simply placed himself between Bai Ling and Xiao Wu.
The air locked.
Bai Ling felt it instantly—like standing before a sealed execution blade.
"…Move," she said softly.
Lin Chen smiled.
"No."
The Mandala Serpent suddenly collapsed, its body going limp, soul power extinguishing as if erased by an unseen will.
A purple soul ring rose slowly from its corpse.
Silence.
Everyone stared in horror.
Yu Xiaogang's face was deathly pale.
"That beast…" he whispered. "It didn't die from damage."
Bai Ling's pupils shrank.
Authority-level annihilation… again.
Lin Chen turned to Xiao Wu.
"Take it," he said calmly.
Xiao Wu stared at the ring, trembling.
"…I can't."
"You must," Lin Chen replied quietly. "Or they'll ask why you don't need one."
The system interface flickered invisibly.
[Soul Ring Override: Active][External Ring Compatibility: Forced Stabilization][True Nature Concealed]
Xiao Wu bit her lip—then nodded.
She sat down, crossed her legs, and began absorbing the ring.
The purple light wrapped around her harmlessly, perfectly synchronized.
Bai Ling watched.
And said nothing.
Minutes later, Xiao Wu opened her eyes, sweat on her brow.
"It worked…" she whispered.
Lin Chen nodded.
"For now."
That night, Bai Ling wrote a second report.
[Subject: Xiao Wu][Status: Suspicious — Beast Affinity][Action: Monitor Only]
She hesitated before sealing the document.
If I'm wrong… I die.If I'm right… I still die.
Far away, in the deepest reaches of the Star Dou Forest—
The Silver Dragon King's eye closed slowly.
"The dragon has chosen," she murmured.
"And the rabbit is no longer alone."