On a concealed small hill, a makeshift shelter had been erected. Despite the scorching sun overhead, the shelter stubbornly cast a cool shadow.
Underneath the shelter, several chairs were arranged, and the elder of the academy sat upright in the main seat. Alongside him were other elders, with a few Ascendants standing behind them.
Hidden among the surrounding trees were also some Ascendants.
Suddenly, there was an unusual commotion in the front forest.
Whoosh!
A Ascendant figure darted out of the woods and swiftly approached, then knelt outside the shelter.
"How's the situation?" the head of the academy asked him.
"Reporting to the elder, so far, none of the students have been injured," the Ascendant replied hastily.
"Good, good."
"It's already been a morning since the mid-year assessment began, and there haven't been any injuries. This is quite rare compared to previous years."
"It seems your teaching has been effective," one of the other elders remarked with satisfaction.
The head of the academy shook his head slightly, knowing the reason. It was all because of Aidan's sudden appearance and extortion of his classmates, which led to this year's students practicing basic combat skills diligently, resulting in the current situation.
He looked at the kneeling Ascendant and continued, "So far, which students have performed particularly well?"
The Ascendant immediately responded, "Reporting to the elder, so far, Aidan, Isolde, Ewan, Tristan, and Emeric are among the top performers. Among them, Emeric has killed three wolves, Tristan has killed five, Isolde and Ewan have each killed eight, and Aidan has the most, with twelve."
"Oh? I didn't expect Aidan to be leading for the time being!"
"Throughout the years, it's rare for a student with such ordinary talent to be leading like this. Although his talent for cultivation is lacking, his talent for combat is indeed extraordinary."
"You may leave," the head of the academy waved his hand at the kneeling Ascendant. "And remind the others to take strict precautions. Especially for Isolde, Ewan, Tristan, and Emeric, their safety needs to be strictly monitored!"
"Yes, elder," the Ascendant retreated.
This kind of wilderness battle was the first time for most of the students. Therefore, it was risky, and the castle had naturally made arrangements. Dozens of high-level Novice Tier or peak Ascendants were hidden in the mountains, monitoring the safety of the entire assessment. Additionally, four junior Ascendants of the Awakened Tier were specifically tasked with protecting Isolde, Ewan, Tristan, and Emeric. At the same time, several elders of the Confluent Tier were also present, ready to respond to any emergencies.
The scorching sun gradually descended from the highest point in the sky, nearing the northwest mountains.
The evening glow was like burning clouds, the last burst of warmth from the sun.
In the midst of the mountains and forests, another wolf fell to the ground.
"That's the twenty-third," Aidan calculated in his mind, then crouched down and skillfully extracted a pair of fangs.
He carried a bag on his back, which already contained many wolf teeth.
"Speaking of which, before my rebirth, I spent some time as a hunter to make a living. With my rich experience in wilderness survival and combat from my past life, plus the powerful wolf as rewards for the top performer this time, the efficiency of others in hunting wolves must not be as high as mine. But the person following me is a bit strange."
Aidan naturally knew that there would be Ascendants monitoring secretly during the assessment. However, for someone like him, with his qualifications, no one would protect him for an extended period. But from the moment he entered the forest, relying on his combat experience and counter-surveillance abilities from his past life, he confirmed that this person had been following him in secret.
"Based on some clues, this person's level is not much higher than mine, probably high-tier or peak Novice Tier. This is in line with the castle's usual practice, but such people often need to protect 2-3 students at the same time. Why is he specifically following me?"
Although Aidan had consistently ranked at the top in the previous competitions, the castle wouldn't value him just for that; the castle still believed in the quality of qualifications.
To verify his speculation, Aidan deliberately pretended to continue hunting wolves and headed deeper into the forest.
After distancing himself from the other students, this person still followed behind him. It seemed he had ulterior motives. Aidan's eyes grew cold as he turned and headed towards the cave entrance.
Half an hour later, he arrived at the entrance of the cave where Malagor's body was buried, and he didn't hesitate to enter.
...
After Aidan entered the cave, a cold voice rang out from behind him: "So this is the secret of your leveling, Aidan."
"Who's there?" Aidan pretended to be startled, asking with a trembling voice.
At the same time, he turned his head and saw a wolf's claw attacking him.
He pretended to be in a panic, but in reality, he followed his plan and immediately rolled to the side.
When he stood up again, he happened to be standing next to his giant wolf. His wolf bared its teeth and raised its body, looking like it was ready to attack this uninvited guest.
The assassin was surprised. He actually managed to dodge it? Was it luck? But he had heard that Aidan had exceptional combat talent.
The bloody glow of the sunset shone through the cave entrance, illuminating the wound on Aidan's back, which was slowly bleeding. The blood flowed down his back, dripped onto the ground, and seeped into the soil.
The werewolf's attack was too fast. Even though Aidan had reacted in advance, he couldn't avoid being injured with his current physical condition.
Aidan raised his head, his eyes filled with a frightened expression as he looked at the intruder.
"Who are you? Why are you trying to kill me? Aren't you supposed to be guarding this trial?"
In the dim light of the setting sun, the figure of the werewolf stands tall and imposing.
His fur, peppered with streaks of silver and gray, speaks of battles fought and challenges overcome.Muscles, honed from years of hunting and survival, still boast formidable strength, though perhaps not as swift or reckless as in his youth.
Seeing the fear in Aidan's eyes, a hint of uncontrollable joy flashed in the werewolf's eyes. He enjoyed the feeling of controlling life, being superior, the feeling of a hunter facing its prey. He licked the blood on his claws.
"Someone in the castle offered 1000 Essence Gems for your life, kid."
"It must be my uncle and aunt," Aidan replied through gritted teeth. It seemed that unlike in his previous life, Aidan in this reincarnation did not foolishly give up his inheritance rights. Moreover, Aidan's remarkable growth speed forced his uncle and aunt to resort to hiring an assassin to prevent Aidan from inheriting the family property.
This event did not happen in his previous life, was this the butterfly effect? The flapping of a butterfly's wings could cause a storm on the other side of the ocean. Tiny variables could, through successive influences, ultimately brew into a huge change.
Since his reincarnation, Aidan had made many changes, and his current situation was already different from his previous life. These changes, like the flapping of a butterfly's wings, indirectly began to affect the surroundings. This change was just the first obvious sign.
Will my continued influence lead to a complete alteration of the impending history? If so, my advantage from reincarnation will be greatly diminished.
Aidan sighed inwardly. A sense of powerlessness and urgency enveloped his mind, but he quickly adjusted and recovered.
Regardless, since things were already happening, they couldn't be stopped. I need to actively change myself. Even if everything ends up completely different, I won't slow down my growth because of these concerns!
In my previous life, I faced an unknown future and still forged ahead. Am I lacking in courage in this life?
Even if the world is filled with thorns, I will still forge a path through, clearing a way with blood!