C25 Second Round of Assessment

"It's fine! Big brother, I thought you were already an adult!" Feng Yixiu exclaimed, somewhat astonished.

It was understandable why he would say that; Han Xiao seemed unusually mature for his age. One could barely make out the faint stubble on his face, and he stood a couple of centimeters taller than Feng Yixiu.

Yet, despite this, Han Xiao was the epitome of a brooding heartthrob. If not for his stoic expression, he'd likely be inundated with girls asking for his contact information.

"Ah? Do I really look that old? I always thought I had a baby face..." Han Xiao lamented.

"Uh... Big brother, are you perhaps misunderstanding the term 'baby face'?" Shen Ruyu couldn't help but tease.

"Third sister! Why do you have to say that too?" Han Xiao looked utterly dejected.

...

After awakening their Battle Companions, the three of them remained seated in their places, waiting for the awakening ritual to conclude.

The latter half of the ceremony lacked the excitement of earlier; no more Elemental Spirits appeared. Nonetheless, this year's batch was considered quite exceptional, with the emergence of three Elemental Spirits being nothing short of miraculous.

"The awakening ritual is now complete. Congratulations to all the examinees still present—you are the fortunate ones. Regardless of your Battle Companion's quality, you have successfully awakened it, meaning you've passed the first round of the combat test. We will now proceed to the second round, which involves entering the Iron Forest to obtain a gray iron level Dark Companion card!" Mr. Lee announced, having reemerged to take his place at the front of the podium.

"Mr. Lee? What exactly is a Dark Companion card?" a student inquired from the audience.

"A Dark Companion card can be earned by slaying magic beasts. On average, one card drops for every ten beasts defeated, giving you a roughly 10% chance. To obtain a gray iron level Dark Companion card, one must defeat low-level magic beasts. These cards are crucial for Fighters, so this will be your second challenge. Apart from Class A students, everyone must pass this stage of the test to be admitted to Blue Sky Academy," Mr. Lee explained earnestly, addressing the student's question.

"What exactly is a low-level magic beast? Could there be higher-level magic beasts in the Iron Forest?" Another student inquired.

"Why do you newcomers know so little? Magic beasts are categorized as low-level, intermediate, advanced, and Lord-level. Above that are the Minor Disaster-level magic beasts. But don't worry too much. The Iron Forest has been specially prepared by our academy for the combat test, and it contains only low-level magic beasts. So, you shouldn't fear encountering anything more dangerous. However, if you do find yourself in danger, just shout for help. We have staff on standby to rescue you, but be aware that calling for help means you forfeit the exam," Mr. Lee explained, pushing up his glasses with an air of impatience.

"Now, follow your team leader to the Iron Forest immediately. The assessment will last 24 hours. I wish you all the best of luck..."

With that, Mr. Lee once again vanished from sight.

Subsequently, Feng Yixiu, Shen Ruyu, and the rest of the group, under the guidance of Hai Yunxing, prepared to depart for the Iron Forest. To their surprise, they were not boarding a bus this time; instead, they were whisked away in a large helicopter, heading for the Iron Forest on the outskirts of town.