The doorknob clicked.
His roommate stepped inside, sweat-soaked from exercise. That physique made sense now.
The man's eyes narrowed. "Are you okay?"
The concern caught Tianlei off guard.
"I'm fine," he replied. "Just tired."
After a lingering glance, the roommate turned away and headed into the bathroom.
Tianlei pressed a hand to his chest. It felt like he had grown another heart.
A grin crept onto his face.
Destiny Star growled.
"I guess you're not completely useless," Tianlei said.
A softer growl answered him.
"…Fine. You're useful. In a pathetic way."
The roommate emerged, water dripping from his face.
"Hey," Tianlei hesitated. "We're living together, but I don't even know your name."
"And yet I know yours," He replied casually, grabbing a book from his bedside table. "It's getting late. First day of classes. You should prepare."
The conversation was short and efficient.
But it made Tianlei smile.
He dressed quickly and checked the drawer. It was full of blank textbooks, definitely academy-issued. He grabbed two and followed his roommate out.
Despite not eating since arriving, hunger barely registered.
The academy grounds were quiet. Only a few students jogged in casual attire. Tianlei, already in uniform, stood out. Even the Beast Hall was deserted.
"Guess I'm early."
"No, you're not."
A girl sat on top of one of the pillars. He recognized her immediately. She was the one contracted with the Talon Hawk.
"My name's Feather Lady," she said. "It sounds ridiculous, but it fits."
"I'm Feng Tianlei. You already know that."
She smirked. "Of course. The guy with the Destiny Star healing beast."
"That one's mine," he said lightly.
"Well," she continued, "you're not alone. I contracted a level-two Talon Hawk. Before you showed up, that made me Bai Kun's favorite target."
She paused.
"They say two outcasts make a perfect combo."
Tianlei didn't like the word outcast, but he understood her intent.
"What are you doing here so early?" he asked.
She sighed. "I wanted to fight the second person who arrived."
Her eyes flicked to him.
"Looks like I picked the wrong day."
Tianlei grinned as he set his books aside.
"So the little miss wants to exchange blows with me?" he said lightly. "Are you sure you can handle it?"
Feather Lady rose, lifting the bow beside her along with the quiver.
"Take three shots from me," she said calmly. "If you endure them, we're partners."
Partners.
The word alone made Tianlei forget how weak he supposedly was. But according to what he saw, she was a nine-star Soldier-class, just one step away from Vanguard class. He needed any ally, or he would only attract more enemies.
Feather Lady stepped down from the pillar.
Her boots touched the stone without a sound.
"Three shots," she said. "If you're still standing, I'll acknowledge you."
"Go on," Tianlei said, forcing a smile. "Try not to miss."
Tianlei swallowed his weakness despite the enormous gap in strength.
Feather Lady lifted her bow.
The Talon Hawk above her stirred, its eyes glowing faintly. Thin streams of wind gathered around the bowstring, compressing the air.
"This arrow weighs twenty kilograms," she said calmly.
The string snapped.
The arrow didn't seem to fly but simply appeared in front of Tianlei.
A sonic boom detonated as it formed in front of Tianlei's chest.
His pupils shrank. His arm shot up on pure reflex.
CLANG!
The impact sent a shockwave through his bones. His boots slid backward across the stone, leaving two long black grooves.
Twenty kilograms? That was momentum compressed into a needle.
Tianlei's fingers trembled as he tossed the arrow aside.
Feather Lady's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Oh? You caught it."
She drew again.
The air screamed.
This time Tianlei didn't try to catch it.
His Black Tortoise armor flowed over his arms like liquid steel as he twisted his body, letting the arrow scrape across his shoulder instead of piercing his chest.
BOOM!
The projectile slammed into a pillar behind him, blasting a crater into the stone.
Feather Lady smiled.
"Huh, you didn't die."
Tianlei wiped blood from his arm.
That arrow would have torn through him without the armor.
"Careful," he said. "You're starting to flirt."
"Brother Tianlei, please accept my last strike."
This time, Tianlei felt it before she even released it.
The hawk screeched. Wind pressure crushed down around him like invisible hands.
So that's it… she's stacking weight with airflow compression.
Tianlei scoffed. "Interesting. Then try this."
Golden fluid surged from his legs to his right arm, forming a metallic claw.
The arrow launched. It punched through the wind like a meteor.
Tianlei threw forth his claw hand and it collided with the arrow, but it didn't stop.
It kept pushing.
His feet cracked the stone beneath him.
"Brother Tianlei, give up."
Tianlei chuckled and let the arrow pass through. It struck his chest hard, but it didn't pierce; it exploded outward, sending Tianlei flying as he hit the ground.
The arrow split in two and buried itself into the floor behind him.
Silence.
Dust drifted through the air.
Tianlei was breathing hard, one knee pressed to the ground, his arms shaking violently.
Feather Lady stared at him.
"…You didn't block it."
Tianlei slowly stood.
"You were stacking weight with airflow compression to create enough force, but my Black Tortoise armor has suppressive frames that can redirect force."
Feather Lady walked toward him and extended her hand.
"Partners."
Tianlei took it.
"You don't look like a smart person, but your brain works. Still, your Black Tortoise armor will redirect some of that force to you while repelling the rest."
Tianlei clutched his chest. The pain in his ribs made it hard to breathe.
Slow clapping echoed through the Beast Hall.
The sound was lazy… yet domineering.
"Well done," a smooth voice said.
"Truly inspiring."
Tianlei turned.
Bai Kun was walking toward him, a thin smile on his lips. Behind him were four followers, all silent, all tense.
But it was Bai Kun's aura that mattered.
It rolled outward like a tide.
Students several meters away instinctively stepped back. Even the Talon Hawk above Feather Lady let out a low, uneasy cry.
"You couldn't catch a proper contract beast, so you decided to catch arrows? How adorable."
Feather Lady stepped half a step forward.
"Did your parents not teach you manners," she said coldly, "or were you born with that rotten personality?"
A few students nearly choked.
Bai Kun slowly looked at her.
The air turned heavy.
"You," he said quietly, "should be careful. Pretty things break easily."
Feather Lady calmly lifted her bow.
The hawk screamed as massive currents of wind converged.
"This arrow weighs two hundred kilograms," she said sweetly.
"Want to test how strong your mouth really is?"
The pressure exploded.
Cracks spread through the stone floor beneath her feet.
Bai Kun's smile vanished.
For the first time, his killing intent spiked.
Tianlei felt it hit his chest like a hammer. Only a Vanguard-level master could unleash such terrifying intent, and for a Soldier-class master, it was like standing in the path of a storm.
So this is what a true genius feels like…
"Interesting," Bai Kun said slowly.
"So you've decided to stand beside trash."
"Buzz off," she said casually. "You look like someone who practices insults in front of a mirror every morning."
She tilted her head.
"Mirror, mirror—you're shiny, but you're no diamond."
The insult landed harder than Tianlei expected.
Having a friend isn't so bad, he thought.
Bai Kun's face contorted. His followers wanted to laugh, but fear kept them silent.
"How dare you—"
Feather Lady calmly raised her bow.
"This arrow weighs two hundred kilograms, Mr. Bai," she said sweetly. "It should hurt your ego more than your body."
Bai Kun's killing intent surged, thick and oppressive.
"Just wait," he snarled. "I'll tear you apart."
Footsteps echoed through the chamber.
"Students," a voice commanded. "Line up."
They obeyed. There were fewer than expected,around sixteen at most.
"Today marks your first class," the instructor said. "As beast masters, formal lectures are limited. Field trials are your true teachers."
He paused, letting that sink in.
"You've succeeded in forming your first contracts, but those beasts are restrained by seals. In the wild, there are no such safeguards."
"The Great Di Forest contains millions of demonic beasts," he continued. "That will be your classroom for today."
They followed him deeper into the Beast Hall, past towering pillars that supported nothing but empty space. Training grounds and sealed chambers lay scattered throughout.
They entered a chamber dominated by a massive, pot-like structure that seemed bottomless, filled with darkness.
"This is a teleportation channel," the instructor said. "It leads to the Great Di Forest. Your rings will record your energy signature. In danger, tap them to return instantly."
Tianlei's eyes narrowed.
So that's why so many never return…
Feather Lady stepped forward. "Sir, are we allowed partners?"
"Your choice," the instructor replied. "The longer you survive in the forest, the more merit points you earn. Merits buy everything—food, weapons, resources."
Tianlei frowned. "Wait… food isn't free?"
Bai Kun snorted. "Of course that's what you care about."
"Silence," the instructor snapped.
"Everything is free for the first week. After that, only merits sustain you. Tasks and assessments are your sole income."
That explained a lot. Even his admission into the academy now made more sense, though how he'd arrived here at all was still unclear.
The instructor turned back to them.
"Today's task is simple," he said.
"Each of you must obtain at least ten beast cores."
He stepped aside, gesturing toward the dark portal.
"Proceed with caution."