Return Of The SSS-Class Hunter-Chapter 137: A Feat Beyond Imagination

The arena was still buzzing. Even after Cecilia Glaciblade had been carried away, even after the third trial had officially ended, the noise refused to die down.

Excited voices, shocked whispers, and disbelieving shouts overlapped into a chaotic storm.

An E-class cultivator. Defeating a D-class sword mage.

And doing it head-on.

But while most of the students and instructors were still trapped in the aftershocks of that battle…

Not everyone was looking at the arena with admiration. High above the stands, beyond the regular seating area, lay the VIP gallery.

This place was reserved for important guests, such as legacy family heads, influential sponsors, and figures who could shake the kingdom with a single word.

In one of the best seats, a man sat quietly.

He looked to be in his forties. His head was half-bald, the remaining hair combed neatly back. His face was thin and stern, and his eyes were sharp like a hawk's — cold, calculating, and utterly devoid of warmth.

He wore golden robes embroidered with complex patterns that radiated both wealth and authority.

Willy Nelson. The head of the Nelson family.

His gaze was fixed on the arena, but there was no excitement in his eyes. Only a deep, simmering coldness.

Beside him stood a young man in his mid-twenties, dressed in a refined suit. Suddenly, two people walked up to him and handed him a chit. The young man's eyes narrowed dangerously as he read it. He leaned down slightly and whispered something into Willy's ear.

The moment Willy heard those words… His expression darkened. His fingers slowly curled. Then clenched. Veins bulged on the back of his hand as a terrifying pressure leaked out from his body for just an instant.

"How dare he!" His voice was low. Dangerous.

The young man swallowed but remained silent.

Willy's eyes narrowed, locking onto a distant figure on the arena floor — Derek.

"So he's the one who ruined everything." He let out a cold chuckle. "Make sure he can't even participate in the next round," Willy said slowly, each word heavy with killing intent. "But don't kill him yet." The corners of his lips curled into a cruel smile as if he were a madman.

"I want him to know what despair feels like."

The young man nodded immediately. "Understood."

He turned and left without another word. Willy leaned back in his seat, his gaze never leaving the arena.

"Enjoy your glory while you can, boy," he muttered. "It won't last long."

Meanwhile… In another part of the gallery,

Nicholas — housemaster of Lion's Heart- was sitting stiffly in his seat.

His face was pale.

No.

Not pale. Distorted.

"How… how could she lose as well?" he muttered, his voice trembling with rage and disbelief. "How… how is that possible?!"

He clenched his fists. "That brat… he's just a cultivator! And only at E-class!" He shook his head again and again, as if refusing to accept reality. "Then how?! How did he defeat her?!"

His chest heaved. The outcome was unbelievable. Outrageous.

Cecilia Glaciblade was supposed to be untouchable among the first-years. A monster. A genius. A D-class sword mage.

And yet…

She had lost.

To Derek.

"No… this doesn't make sense…" Nicholas muttered.

What he didn't know was that Derek was wearing the ring Yami had given him — the artifact that perfectly concealed his true cultivation realm.

To everyone's senses… Derek was still just an E-class.

Everyone…

Except for three.

From a distant corner, a pair of calm, deep eyes watched Derek silently. Those eyes narrowed slightly. Then there was Yami, who already knew. And the headmistress. To her, such tactics were meaningless.

Soon, the arena began to clear. The third trial was over.

Only five teams remained. The surviving teams were guided to their designated resting areas to recover and prepare for the fourth trial.

In Derek's team's resting zone…

The situation looked a little strange. All of his teammates were still lying on the ground.

Unconscious.

A healer had already arrived and was moving between them, channeling gentle waves of healing energy into their bodies.

Derek stood nearby, calm and composed, his arms crossed.

The first one to regain consciousness was Emma.

Her eyelids fluttered. Then opened.

"…Huh?"

Her vision was blurry for a moment. Her head felt heavy, and her thoughts were in chaos.

The last thing she remembered was standing in the arena, worrying about how their team would survive the upcoming crisis.

And then…

Nothing. Just darkness.

She suddenly sat up. "W-Where…?"

Her eyes darted around. She wasn't in the arena anymore. She was in the resting area.

Her heart skipped a beat. A terrible thought flashed through her mind. 'Did we… lose? Were we… disqualified?'

Panic surged in her chest. Then… Her eyes fell on a familiar figure.

Derek.

He was standing there, perfectly fine, his expression calm as ever.

Fragments of memory rushed back into her mind. Derek stepping forward. Derek knocking everyone out.

Her expression immediately changed. She jumped to her feet. "Derek! What the hell is wrong with you?!" she shouted.

He turned to look at her.

"We were disqualified because of you!" Emma said angrily, her voice shaking. "I know it was tough, but we could at least try! But you—!"

She was about to continue. But Derek cut her off. "Who said we were disqualified?"

Emma froze. "…What?" She stared at him.

"We… weren't?" she asked, half in disbelief, half in desperate hope.

Derek looked at her and smiled slightly. "No."

Her eyes widened. She didn't know what to say. But she knew one thing. Derek wasn't lying.

Slowly, Eva, Henry, and Art began to wake up one by one. Each of them went through the same process. First, confusion. Then, anger.

Then…

Shock.

Henry rubbed his head and groaned. "Why does it feel like I got hit by a mountain…?"

Art sat up and looked around. "Did we lose?"

Eva's face turned pale. "Wait… the trial… what happened?"

Their gazes all turned toward Derek.

He sighed. "We passed."

Silence.

"…Huh?" Eva blinked.

"Passed?" Henry repeated.

Art stared at him. "You mean… we're still in?"

Derek nodded. "Only five teams remain. We're one of them."

For a few seconds…

No one spoke.

Then....

"What?!" they shouted in unison.