The moment the heavy gates of the castle slammed shut, the atmosphere shifted. Darkness swallowed the vast hall, dust swirled in the air, and a suffocating stench of rot filled every corner.
Noah narrowed his eyes. He instantly understood what Ethan Jiang was plotting. The level 25 Black Wolf wasn't just a test boss—it was a death trap. According to the system's mechanics, once combat with this boss began, the gates would seal completely. No one could leave unless the wolf's health bar—tens of millions in value—was completely shattered.
Which meant only one thing. If Ethan wanted to strike at them, there would be no escape.
A cold sneer tugged at Noah's lips. "So this is your plan. A true caged hunt…"
From deep within the castle, a bone-chilling howl echoed. The sound was like claws dragging across glass, vibrating straight through the eardrum. Several students instinctively clutched their ears, their faces paling as adrenaline spiked through their veins.
Panic started to ripple through the group. Some swallowed hard, others darted their eyes around the dark chamber, their breaths shaky.
"Quiet." Ethan Jiang's voice was calm, commanding. His silhouette at the front was half-hidden by shadow, his tone heavy with authority. "Don't waste time. You only have two hours. Move."
His presence alone seemed to steady the others. After all, a level 160 powerhouse was leading them. With him around, what was there to fear? Reluctantly, the students tightened their grips on their weapons and followed Ethan into the main hall.
…
Inside the castle's grand chamber, the scene was terrifying. A hulking wolf-beast, its fur dark as midnight, stood chained at the center. Its massive arms and legs were restrained by iron links as thick as a man's torso, but even those chains rattled violently under its strength.
ROAR!
The Black Wolf's guttural bellow shook the walls, and the students shrank back instinctively. They had spent their days fighting small mobs in the beginner village; none of them had ever stood face to face with such a monstrous creature. The beast's single glowing eye swept over them, filled with murderous intent.
Legs trembled. Palms slickened. Faces drained of color.
Only two people remained steady—Noah and Ethan Jiang.
Ethan stepped forward, his voice carrying across the chamber. "Listen well. Even though this is a training exercise, you only have one chance. Watch carefully. I'll teach you techniques, skill rotations, and team coordination in real-time during the fight."
He raised his hand. "Begin!"
Immediately, the formation shifted. Priests and mages lifted their staffs, incantations spilling from their lips. Golden light cascaded down, coating the front lines with buffs and blessings. Knights took their places in the vanguard, shields raised as they cautiously advanced toward the chained wolf.
Whispers broke out among the students.
"That thing looks insanely strong. Can we even kill it in two hours?"
"Who cares? It's just a game. If we die, we'll respawn. No big deal!"
"You guys are forgetting something—Noah's with us. If anyone can do this, it's him."
Heads turned instinctively. But then came a collective gasp.
Noah wasn't standing with them anymore.
He was already walking straight toward the boss.
"Noah, what the hell are you doing? Get back here!" Tang Xia's voice cracked with panic. Just moments ago, Noah had told her not to wander off. Now he was the one standing right in front of the Black Wolf?
The beast's single eye locked onto him. A guttural growl rolled from its throat. Then, like stones grinding together, words emerged:
"Hu…mans… insects… cour…ting… death…"
Gasps filled the room. The monster could speak!
Noah smirked, drawing the colossal Tempest greatsword from his back. The sound of steel leaving its sheath echoed across the chamber.
"He's not—he's not planning to solo it, right?" someone stammered.
From the back, Ethan Jiang's lips curled into a mocking sneer. "Fool. Even at level 28, you think you can solo a level 25 boss? Keep dreaming. Not even with an S-tier combat talent…"
Still, he didn't stop Noah. He wanted to see just how far this "talent" could go.
Suddenly—
BOOM!
Noah's blade cleaved down, striking the wolf's knee.
Critical Hit!
-999!
A red number floated into the air. Nearly four percent of the wolf's health vanished instantly.
The wolf howled in agony, snapping its chains with raw force. BAM! Its claws slammed down, narrowly missing Noah. The battle had officially begun.
The hall erupted into chaos. Students froze in disbelief, their mouths hanging open.
"Did he just… deal a thousand damage with a normal strike?!"
"Holy crap, that's not human!"
"Noah's a monster—look at that! One basic attack, and the boss's HP chunked like butter!"
Excitement rippled through them, awe mixing with terror.
Ethan Jiang's expression darkened. For ten whole seconds, he watched as Noah danced around the wolf, dodging its every strike with uncanny precision. But Noah wasn't casting a single skill.
"Why the hell aren't you using abilities? What's the point of just swinging?" Ethan spat, his voice dripping with contempt.
Noah's grin widened as he leapt back, dodging a claw swipe with ease. "If I used skills now," he said casually, "then you wouldn't even have a chance."
Ethan blinked, frowning. "A chance? What are you—"
But Noah didn't bother explaining. He knew if the fight dragged on, Ethan might make his move, and the others would suffer. He couldn't allow that.
It was time to end this quickly.
With a flick of his wrist, Tempest ignited. Flames wrapped around the blade, intertwining with icy winds. The weapon trembled, as though resonating with the heavens themselves.
Suddenly, seven blazing stars lit up above the hall, forming the constellation of the Northern Starfire. Their light shimmered blue, but every spark carried searing fire.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Like meteors falling from the sky, the stars descended one after another, slamming into the Black Wolf's body.
-3565!
-3648!
Critical! -8152!
Flames engulfed the hall, consuming the beast entirely. The wolf didn't even have time to scream. Its massive form disintegrated into ash, erased in a single strike.
The hall fell silent.
Students stood frozen, their eyes wide, their breath caught in their throats.
"No way…" someone whispered.
"It—it's dead? Just like that?"
Tang Xia clutched her lips, trembling as she stared at Noah's silhouette standing amidst the firestorm. Her eyes sparkled with awe.
But Ethan Jiang's face twisted into pure rage. His pupils shrank as recognition hit him. That skill—he'd seen it before. Yesterday. Snow had unleashed the same devastating ability.
His voice cracked with fury. "Impossible! How do you know that skill?!"
Noah turned, his smile cutting like a blade. "Why not? I'm Snow's boyfriend. Isn't it natural that I'd know?"
The words slammed into Ethan like a hammer. His carefully laid plans, destroyed in an instant. He had been counting on the wolf to trap Noah. With the boss dead, everything was ruined.
A student raised their hand timidly. "Um… Senior Ethan, since the boss is dead, does that mean the exercise is over?"
Ethan's face twitched. His aura flared, his features warping with malice. Slowly, he drew his greatsword, his voice dropping to a deadly growl.
"No… it's not over yet. Tonight, every talent above B-rank will be crippled here!"
Gasps echoed through the chamber. The students staggered back, eyes wide with shock.
And then they realized—the true battle was about to begin.