Kong Kun and Feng Qingqing were both stunned for a moment.

Gao Neng was using his energy with such fanfare, which was tantamount to exposing his own position. ’Is he really going to face the Four Teeth Team head-on?’

Just as they were thinking this, the Four Teeth Team did indeed see the display.

"Over there!"

"He actually exposed his own position?!"

"Four Teeth Team, charge!"

A few roars erupted.

Led by Song Jingyan, the three Fatties charged toward Gao Neng like madmen.

But Gao Neng... he was dancing.

As his hands continuously moved in front of his chest, the liquid black energy flowed around his body like strands of black silk.

"What is he doing? Could it be... Energy Manifestation?"

"Energy Manifestation?!"

"Gao Neng can use Energy Manifestation? That’s impossible!"

The Four Teeth Team was shocked.

It wasn’t just the Four Teeth Team. The students in the viewing hall, and even Gui Zian, stared wide-eyed at the screen.

A Tier One Early Stage freshman...

...is using the Energy Manifestation technique?

’What the hell...’

’Is this a joke?!’

Setting aside the requirements for using Energy Manifestation, the fact that a magnetic core’s power cannot be released externally should make a successful manifestation impossible.

But what was the reality?

Er...

The reality was exactly as everyone had expected.

After Gao Neng danced for a bit, the black energy on his hands vanished. Forget manifesting anything—he’d even managed to play away all his energy.

"..."

The viewing hall fell silent. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Then, it erupted with jeers.

And on the hunting grounds, the Four Teeth Team was also momentarily dumbfounded.

’He made such a huge scene, only for it to fizzle out?’

’The freshmen nowadays...’

’Are all their minds this bizarre?’

"Gao Neng, where’s the thing you manifested?" Kong Kun felt he shouldn’t be asking this question, but he really couldn’t help himself.

Feng Qingqing was equally stunned.

Both of them were staring at Gao Neng.

’Exposing our position is one thing.’

’But after playing around with Energy Manifestation for so long, you should have at least made *something*.’

’But in the end, there was nothing?!’

It wasn’t just Kong Kun and Feng Qingqing who were baffled; even Fang Tangtang, who knew Gao Neng could successfully manifest things, wore a look of confusion.

’That’s not right!’

’Didn’t Gao Neng manifest something back in the dorm?’

’Why can’t he do it now?’

’Could it be that his body has been... drained?’

"You didn’t see what I manifested?" Gao Neng casually replied to Kong Kun, the smile on his lips growing wider. "That’s right. It’s normal that you didn’t see it!"

"It’s normal that we didn’t see it?"

Kong Kun and Feng Qingqing exchanged a look, their eyes filled with question marks.

’What does he mean?’

"Yeah! Kong Kun, what are you spacing out for? Get them! You’re the one who can take a beating!" Gao Neng didn’t want to not explain; he just didn’t have the time.

"..." Kong Kun was speechless.

However, now that their position was completely exposed, there was no longer any chance for a sneak attack. Given the circumstances, Gao Neng’s words were actually on point.

He *could* take a beating!

"Kill!"

Kong Kun didn’t hesitate any longer. With a roar, he shot forward, simultaneously covering his arms and torso with Alloy Steel.

Meanwhile, the charging Four Teeth Team was also left a bit speechless by this turn of events.

’After all that...’

’...it still comes down to a direct confrontation?’

"Er Pang, you take Kong Kun. Big Fatty, you take Fang Tangtang. Feng Qingqing is yours, San Pang. As for Gao Neng... leave him to me!" Song Jingyan immediately issued her commands.

The two sides were now less than fifty meters apart.

A single charge was all it would take to truly engage.

Closer!

Closer!

Thirty meters!

Twenty meters!

Ten meters!

Kong Kun finally clashed with Er Pang.

Both of them had a head-on fighting style, a contest of strength and physical fortitude. Although Kong Kun was only a Tier Two Mid Stage, he was by no means at a disadvantage against the Tier Two Late Stage Er Pang.

BOOM!

The two fists collided.

Waves of energy radiated outwards.

Feng Qingqing also made her move, two Alloy Swords in hand, constantly using her slight speed advantage to entangle San Pang.

As for Fang Tangtang, she brought out her Scythe of Death and began slashing wildly.

"Witness my Thirteen Death God Slash!"

In terms of sheer might, it was quite formidable.

However, Big Fatty’s Defense Power was clearly the super-strong type. He blocked Fang Tangtang’s Scythe of Death with just his bare arms, and with his advantage in strength...

...Fang Tangtang was quickly forced to retreat again and again.

As for Gao Neng...

...he was also locked in combat with Song Jingyan.

Song Jingyan wielded a Double-Handed Large Alloy Axe. Brass-colored armor covered her entire body, and her Tier Three strength was on full display.

Aside from her head, she was, you could say, fully armed.

"Gao Neng, with just this, you dared to choose Hunt Mode?! I really don’t know where you get your nerve!"

"I can use Energy Manifestation, why can’t I choose Hunt Mode?" Gao Neng shouted as he dodged back and forth.

"You can use Energy Manifestation? Then where’s the thing you manifested?"

"Isn’t it right behind you?"

"Behind... me?!" Song Jingyan was startled. Looking back on a battlefield was the most foolish choice, but she was genuinely curious. So, she instinctively glanced back out of the corner of her eye.

The result...

...was nothing!

’He’s messing with me?!’

BAM!

Song Jingyan took a punch to the chest.

’My boobs hurt!’

After all, Gao Neng’s explosive power was over two thousand points!

"You beast, you won’t even spare me?!" Song Jingyan was furious. She had always thought her incredibly safe pancake face would protect her, but she never expected to fall victim anyway.

’Just as the rumors say, this guy really does specialize in hitting women in the chest!’

’This is infuriating!’

’I have to beat him to a pulp.’

This time, Song Jingyan was truly enraged. She charged forward bravely, her Double-Handed Large Alloy Axe raised high, about to cleave Gao Neng in two.

But just then, Gao Neng shouted again.

"Watch your back!"

"Trying that again?! I don’t believe you!" Having been fooled once, how could Song Jingyan possibly believe him again?

"Captain, watch out!"

"Behind you!"

Just as Song Jingyan was ignoring him completely, the voices of Big Fatty and San Pang rang out. Because they were fighting Fang Tangtang and Feng Qingqing, they weren’t actually far from Gao Neng and Song Jingyan.

"What behi—" Song Jingyan never finished her sentence, because her head was already flying through the air.

’Huh? How can I see my own body?’

’I’m dead?!’

’Wait, how did I die?’

Before Song Jingyan could even figure it out, she appeared at the training room’s exit.

Even at the moment of her death, she didn’t know how she died.

She did know one thing, though: her head seemed to have been sliced off by something. But what was it that had sliced her head off?

At that moment, Song Jingyan was truly and utterly baffled.

And in the viewing hall...

...there was complete silence.

"..."

Everyone had seen the moment Song Jingyan died.

A black shadow had suddenly shot out of the swamp. Then, with a flash of black light, Song Jingyan’s neck was easily severed.

And then, quick as lightning, the black shadow darted into another part of the swamp.

And vanished!

"What was that?!"

"That black shadow just now, what the hell was that thing?"

"So fast!"

"It was hiding in the swamp... Could there be a ninth person on the battlefield?"

The students were equally baffled.

Strange ideas popped up one after another, but they all knew that the possibility of a ninth person on the battlefield was nil. That left only one possibility.

Energy Manifestation!

Gao Neng had really done it—Energy Manifestation!

And what’s more, the thing he manifested had been hiding in the swamp.

But what was it?

Just as they were wondering, the black shadow appeared again.

And this time...

...it appeared behind Er Pang, who was locked in a deadly struggle with Kong Kun.

If there was anyone on the Four Teeth Team who hadn’t sensed the danger, it was definitely Er Pang, because he was the farthest from Gao Neng.

There were at least fifteen meters between them.

But in the few short seconds after killing Song Jingyan, the black shadow had appeared behind Er Pang. Its movement speed was simply astonishing.

Most importantly...

...the black shadow had clearly submerged back into the swamp in front of Gao Neng.

So, how did it appear behind Er Pang?

"It’s burrowing underground!"

"The thing Gao Neng manifested can burrow underground!"

"That thing wasn’t hiding in the swamp in front of Gao Neng at all! It was constantly burrowing underground, looking for the perfect opportunity to strike!"

There was no shortage of upperclassmen and instructors in the viewing hall.

The answer quickly came to light.

At the same time, the completely defenseless Er Pang followed in Song Jingyan’s footsteps. His head was also sent flying by a single slash, and he died without ever knowing how it happened.

"I was ambushed?"

"Who ambushed me...? There’s no one here."

"Could it be a ghost?"

Countless question marks flashed through Er Pang’s mind.

Then, he saw Song Jingyan also standing at the training room entrance.

"Huh? Captain, you died too? How’d you die?"

"How the hell did I die, don’t you know?!" Song Jingyan was still fuming. She smacked Er Pang on the head, sending him sprawling to the ground.

’Damn it!’

’So infuriating!’

’I died first, and this guy had no idea.’

"..." Er Pang felt wronged.

’Weren’t we clear that I was only supposed to deal with Kong Kun?’

’I wasn’t paying attention!’

"Energy Manifestation! Gao Neng actually managed to use Energy Manifestation! He used it to ambush me! I... I, Song Jingyan, refuse to accept this!" Song Jingyan stomped her feet in anger.

She refused to accept it.

But it was completely useless.

Because if this had been a real battlefield, she would already be dead.

...

In the viewing hall.

As Er Pang was slain...

...the black shadow finally landed on the ground.

All the students, including Gui Zian and several instructors, stared wide-eyed at the roughly one-meter-tall monster on the screen.

It truly was a monster...

Its entire body had an undulating, streamlined shape, looking like a long beetle with a pointed head. But unlike a normal beetle, this one had powerful hind legs.

Two powerful hind legs supported its body, allowing the monster to stand upright like a person.

And the monster’s forelimbs were even more exaggerated.

It had two massive arms that were like scythes, with a dark light flowing over them. No one would dare question that if that thing slashed you from behind, your neck would not remain intact.

"What is that monster?!"