The sky above East Sea Academy's training field was a pale blue, streaked with silver clouds. A crisp wind carried the scent of iron, sweat, and the subtle static of gathered soul power.
From his place near the edge of the track, Wu Zhangkong stood silent, arms folded, his white robes unmoving even as the breeze swirled around him. His sharp, silver-blue eyes tracked the motion of the students below without expression.
Class 5 was running in circles. Again.
And at the far end of the track, three students stood out.
Tang Wulin, Qiang Ming, and Xie Xie were all bound by massive metal chains—each loop nearly as thick as a grown man's arm, their sheen dulled from use but still clearly heavy.
They weren't for decoration.
They were training tools. Shackles of weight designed to build stamina, leg strength, and endurance. The chains dragged through the dirt with every step.
Qiang Ming, hammer not summoned, ran as if the burden didn't exist. His expression was calm, gaze steady, posture unwavering. Each step was precise, his breathing measured.
Tang Wulin, a bit red in the face, nonetheless held pace beside him. Sweat clung to his brow, but his eyes were focused, his teeth grit in quiet determination.
Then there was Xie Xie.
His cheeks were flushed crimson, his lips parted in loud gasps, and sweat poured off him as if he were being melted by the sun. His legs quivered every few steps, and he leaned forward at an awkward angle as if willing himself to go faster just to get it over with.
"Why… do I train with monsters…" he wheezed to himself.
Wu Zhangkong didn't offer encouragement.
He never did.
His gaze flicked to the side when a faint presence approached from the edge of the courtyard.
A girl, walking alone.
She was small—about the same age as the others. Her figure was slender, her bearing quiet but confident. She had long, straight black hair, tied into a simple braid, and black eyes, if one looked very carefully, deep in those eyes there was a flash of violet.
She stopped a few paces away from him.
"Excuse me," she said softly.
Wu Zhangkong turned toward her, raising a single silver brow.
"My name is Gu Yue," the girl continued. "I heard this is where Class 5 trains."
"It is."
She nodded. "Is there still a spot in the class?"
He narrowed his eyes. "You're late."
"I know."
"Why should I make space for you?"
In response, Gu Yue raised her hand.
A shimmering glow coalesced above her palm, splitting into four separate elemental lights—fire, water, earth, and wind—all rotating with startling precision..
"Martial Soul - Elementalist - Rank fifteen," she said plainly.
Wu Zhangkong was silent for a moment.
Then he looked back toward the training track.
The boys were just now slowing down.
Qiang Ming was the first to reach them, calmly removing the training chain and resting it beside a nearby bench. Wulin arrived moments later, dragging his with a grunt. Xie Xie stumbled in after them, practically falling forward, the chain bouncing awkwardly behind him.
"Water… please… no, a bucket…"
He froze when he saw the girl standing next to their teacher.
Qiang Ming tilted his head.
Wulin blinked.
Xie Xie squinted, then frowned. "Who's this?"
Before Wu Zhangkong could answer, the girl stepped forward, expression steady.
"I'm Gu Yue," she said. "I'm joining this class."
Xie Xie raised a brow. "Oh yeah? Prove it."
"I could beat you to prove my worth," Gu Yue replied smoothly, voice still soft.
Xie Xie's face darkened. "What did you say?"
"I said I could beat you," she repeated. "To prove I belong here."
That did it.
"Teacher," Xie Xie said quickly, his voice low and biting, "let me."
Wu Zhangkong stepped back.
"You may begin."
The duel between Xie Xie and Gu Yue was brief—but not because it was boring.
Xie Xie fought fast, aggressive, full of precision honed by months of focused training. He struck from shadows and angles. He used both daggers. He flowed with the grace of a high-level agility-type.
And Gu Yue?
She didn't move as fast.
She didn't need to.
Her control over elements was flawless. She redirected Xie Xie's strikes with gusts of wind, blocked him with walls of earth, and sent him flying with explosive bursts of water.
By the time Xie Xie landed flat on his back, wheezing, Gu Yue hadn't broken a sweat.
"Any more questions?" she asked, brushing invisible dust from her sleeve.
Xie Xie groaned.
She turned toward Wulin and Qiang Ming.
Her black eyes scanned them both, lingering a little longer on Wulin's surprised face.
Then her gaze locked onto the boy with the hammer.
"You two," she said calmly. "Do you want to try?"
Tang Wulin took a half-step back, mouth slightly agape.
But Qiang Ming took a step forward.
His Blackstone Abyss Hammer shimmered into view on his shoulder, faint purple mist trailing from its edges. The sheer density of its presence made the air feel heavier.
"I would like to go a round or two with you," he said.
"Recover your energy first."
Gu Yue said nothing.
She simply sat down in place, crossed her legs, and began regulating her breath. A low pulse of elemental energy swept around her, converging as she cycled her soul power with almost unnatural efficiency.
Wulin stared. "She's… serious."
Xie Xie sat up with a grunt. "She's crazy."
But Qiang Ming said nothing.
He just waited.
A few minutes passed.
Then Gu Yue stood.
She moved into the ring.
So did Qiang Ming.
Wu Zhangkong stepped between them.
His hand raised.
Then dropped like a blade.
"BEGIN."