Before leaving the arena, I looked back at the older students as they flocked to Kyle's position like vultures fighting over fresh carrion. Second and third years were already positioning themselves to make recruitment offers, recognizing the incredible potential they'd just witnessed.
Then I turned and made my way out of the examination grounds.
Heading toward the main gate, my thoughts focused on my next plans. With this new change in the timeline, I had to improvise rather than rely on predetermined knowledge.
While reaching Elite rank this early would place me among the top students, that wasn't enough anymore. Just like Kyle had the ability to reach Royal rank within two years in the original story, there was nothing stopping me from achieving the same progression myself.
I made my way toward the forest beyond the academy grounds. The reason for my confidence wasn't baseless optimism. I had something with me that could help me survive even Transcendent-rank threats if necessary.
Glancing down at the Crimson Moon Pendant hanging around my neck, now filled with precious Transcendent-rank blood that I'd carefully stored within its matrix.
When I'd been hunting with my father and he'd encountered that unexpected Transcendent beast, I hadn't wasted the opportunity. While he'd been focused on harvesting the creature's valuable hide and core, I had discreetly collected every drop of blood I could manage.
My father had been somewhat confused about my interest in the beast's blood, but I'd made a plausible excuse about wanting to conduct some experimental research on high-rank biological materials. The academy encouraged such scholarly pursuits, so he'd accepted my explanation without pressing for details.
After extraction, I was able to extract around ten litres of blood, with some being stored inside the pendant and others in vials inside my storage ring.
I couldn't exactly tell him I was a vampire who needed blood to maintain my rationality, after all.
The Transcendent blood would serve multiple purposes. Not only could I convert it into raw life force enhancement through my pendant's abilities, but the sheer quality of the blood would provide exponentially more power than the Elite-rank beast blood I'd been subsisting on.
More importantly, if I encountered any genuine threats during my training expedition, I could use the blood to temporarily boost my capabilities far beyond my current Elite rank limitations and escape.
The forest ahead represented both opportunity and danger, but with my current resources and abilities, I felt confident about pushing my boundaries further than ever before.
...
Arriving in the forest, I was spotted by a few hunters who looked at me as if I had a death wish.
"What is a young man like him doing in these woods? He's trying to get himself killed," one of them muttered to his companions, shaking his head in obvious concern.
Clearly they had no clue about my identity. I wasn't wearing my academy uniform or any identifying markers that would reveal my noble status.
I proceeded without paying them any attention. These small adventurer teams were bound to be nothing but cannon fodder when the real crises appeared in the coming months. I quickly assessed their capabilities through my enhanced senses. They were mostly Common-rank bloodline awakeners, with their leader possessing what felt like an average Uncommon-rank ability.
They were all at the elite-rank which was by no means impressive considering their age.
Their equipment was standard adventurer stock, and their experience was probably the only thing that had kept them alive this long in dangerous territory.
A few minutes deeper into the woods, I heard the pained wailing of a wolf echoing through the trees. Unlike when I'd first entered this world and would have found a different route to avoid potential trouble, this time I headed directly toward the sound.
Based on the tone and proximity, it was probably a Noble-rank wolf in distress. The wailing was unusual though, not the typical hunting call or territorial display I'd expect. Something interesting must have happened.
I retrieved the Two Faces mask from my storage ring and put it on, activating the alternate appearance I'd stored within it. The face that materialized was actually my own from my previous world.
Average brown eyes and black hair with a decently slim facial structure. I was by no means magazine-cover handsome, but I'd been somewhat above average in my original life.
This disguise would allow me to act without worrying about my actions being traced back to Adrian Blackwood.
I arrived at the source of the disturbance and found a large bear, clearly Elite-rank based on its size and the energy radiating from its form. The creature was in the process of ripping apart a wolf that had probably been the source of the earlier wailing.
Next to the first wolf's mangled corpse lay two more wolves, both Noble-rank based on their size and the residual mana signatures. It seemed like the bear had massacred an entire small pack.
The bear's head turned as it sensed my approach, and our eyes met across the blood-soaked clearing.
Its gaze was intelligent and calculating, not the mindless aggression I might have expected from a beast in feeding frenzy. This creature was assessing me as a potential threat, trying to determine whether I was prey, predator, or something to be ignored.
I drew my Razor Edge Sword slowly, analysing the situation more carefully. The bear was definitely Elite-rank, but it showed signs of recent light injury, possibly from its fight with the wolf pack. Dark blood matted its fur in several places, and its breathing was slightly laboured.
After assessing the threats In front of me, my eyes traced the entire area around me. I was searching for any hidden threat, just in case the bear wasn't alone or the wolves had backup.
After making sure that there was no threats left unidentified I walked into the clearing with my sword unsheathed.
Sensing my approach, the bear locked eyes with me almost immediately, stopping its rampage on the poor, dead corpse of the wolf.
Thud!
The corpse dropped from its mouth and onto the forest floor.
I could feel its death intent locking onto me, and I smiled.
"Bring it on, big guy."