"A warrior's strength is not just in battle, but in the power they wield."
Academy Training Grounds – The Day of the Assessment
The morning sun hung high over the Hunter Academy of China, bathing the training grounds in golden light.
Students gathered in groups, buzzing with anticipation for the ranking assessment—a test that would determine their official standing in the academy's combat rankings.
The best performers would rise in status, gaining access to elite training, better resources, and recognition among instructors.
And for many—this was the moment to prove their worth.
Joshua stood among the crowd, calm and relaxed, hands in his pockets.
Across the field, he spotted Wei Cheng, cracking his knuckles with a nervous grin.
A few steps away, Lee Sung En stood with her arms crossed, her violet eyes focused ahead, unreadable.
Her aura was calm, but Joshua could tell—she was taking this seriously.
Then, the voice of Instructor Zhao boomed across the grounds.
The Rules of the Assessment
"All of you, listen up!" Zhao's voice carried authority, immediately silencing the murmurs.
"The ranking assessment consists of two parts," he continued.
First: Aura and Mana Measurement.
• Each student will place their hand on the Evaluation Crystal, which will gauge the strength of their Aura or Mana.
• Fighters and warriors are measured in Aura output.
• Mages are measured in Mana capacity.
• This will determine your base potential and current ranking.
Second: Combat Simulation.
• Students will enter an isolated battle simulation chamber.
• You will fight waves of monsters, increasing in strength with each round.
• The test will evaluate your real combat ability, adaptability, and endurance.
He let the information sink in before glancing across the crowd.
"The results of this test will determine your future in this academy."
The students tensed at the weight of his words.
"Understood?"
A collective "Yes, Instructor!" rang out.
Zhao nodded. "Good. First group, follow me to the assessment room."
The ranking evaluation had begun.
Part One: Aura and Mana Measurement
The assessment chamber was a high-tech facility within the academy, built with reinforced walls to withstand surges of energy.
At its center stood a large, glowing Evaluation Crystal, pulsating with faint golden light.
One by one, students stepped forward, placing their palms against the crystal.
The results were displayed on a screen, revealing each student's Aura or Mana ranking.
Notable Results:
• Lin Hao (4-Star Saber User): Aura Strength: 4-Star
• Wei Cheng (Spear User): Aura Strength: 3-Star
• Lee Sung En (Wind & Fire Mage): Mana Capacity: 4-Star (Mid-Tier)
When Sung En's result flashed, murmurs spread through the room.
"As expected of the Lee family heiress!"
"A rare dual-element mage at a 4-star level… she's a monster."
But Joshua noticed something else.
"She's still not at her future peak."
In his past life, Sung En had become a 6-star legend. Right now, she was just beginning to tap into her potential.
Finally—it was Joshua's turn.
He stepped forward, placing his hand on the crystal.
The moment he did—
The crystal pulsed violently.
A powerful surge of energy radiated from his body, sending shockwaves across the chamber.
Instructors and students alike stiffened.
Then—
The screen flashed.
Joshua Lim
Aura Strength: 5-Star
Mana Capacity: 4-Star
Hybrid Classification: Confirmed
A dead silence filled the room.
Then—chaos.
The Shockwave of the Revelation
"WHAT?!"
"A… 5-star?!"
"At seventeen? That's insane!"
Students stared in disbelief, their faces pale with shock.
Even among prodigies, reaching 5-star before adulthood was unheard of.
And then there was the other revelation.
Hybrid.
Joshua wasn't just an Aura user.
He had Mana capacity as well.
Meaning—he was both a warrior and a mage.
Even Instructor Zhao, who rarely showed emotion, narrowed his eyes.
"What kind of monster is this kid?"
Joshua, meanwhile, simply stepped back calmly, unfazed by the reaction.
He could feel Sung En's gaze on him.
When he met her eyes, he saw something new.
Not just curiosity.
Something deeper.
Part Two: Combat Simulation – Testing Their Limits
The second part of the test took place in a massive arena, filled with projection devices capable of generating lifelike monster simulations.
Each student was given a turn to step inside alone, where they would face increasing waves of simulated monsters.
The goal?
Survive as long as possible.
Defeat as many waves as you can.
As the test began, notable students took their turns—
• Lin Hao (4-Star Saber User): Cleared Wave 6 before getting overwhelmed.
• Wei Cheng (3-Star Spear User): Cleared Wave 5, showing impressive endurance.
• Lee Sung En (4-Star Mage): Cleared Wave 9, using high-level elemental magic.
The students were amazed by Sung En's performance.
But then—
It was Joshua's turn.
He stepped into the arena, rolling his shoulders.
The system chime echoed in his mind.
[New Challenge Detected: Do you wish to activate Advanced Combat Mode?]
[YES] / [NO]
Joshua smirked.
He pressed YES.
Joshua's Combat Test – Defying Expectations
The first wave appeared—goblin-like creatures wielding daggers.
Joshua disappeared.
WHOOSH!
One second he was standing still.
The next—he was a blur of motion.
His Twin Daggers of Equinox manifested in his hands, shifting between Light and Shadow forms as he carved through the enemies effortlessly.
Each strike was precise, brutal, and completely controlled.
Wave after wave fell.
Wave 6.
Wave 9.
Wave 12.
The audience was dead silent.
Then—
Wave 15.
A massive beast appeared—an Ogre-Class monster, wielding a giant club.
It roared and swung at Joshua—
But Joshua vanished in an instant.
Shadow Form Activated.
He reappeared behind it, his dagger flashing—
SLASH.
The monster collapsed instantly.
Wave 16.
Wave 17.
Wave 18.
Joshua finally stopped at Wave 20.
A new record.
The crowd was speechless.
Joshua simply walked out of the arena, completely unscathed.
And then—his results appeared on the screen.
Final Evaluation: 5-Star Hunter
Combat Performance: Exceptional
Hybrid Status: Confirmed
The entire academy erupted into chaos.
Joshua grinned.
"This is going to be fun."
After the Assessment – A Different Kind of Problem
The moment Joshua left the arena, he was surrounded.
Girls from different grades flocked toward him, giggling, flirting, and trying to get his attention.
Among them—Xin En.
His past-life wife.
Joshua's expression darkened.
He turned away immediately, trying to slip through the crowd.
But behind him, Sung En watched everything unfold.
For some reason, she didn't like what she was seeing.
Her fingers clenched slightly.
"Why are all these girls suddenly surrounding him?"
Then—
A strange heat rose in her chest.
She blinked.
"Wait… am I feeling… jealous?"
Her face flushed red.
Joshua, meanwhile, was doing his best to escape.
"This is getting annoying."
End of Chapter