Furnace Proving Ground.
Lin En stood at the center of the field.
Deep within his sea of consciousness, two main battle Crystal Cores and the amber-colored defensive core spun at a stable and powerful frequency, radiating invisible waves of mental energy.
On his body, the intangible [Honeycomb Bulwark] had quietly activated.
These past days, he had undergone hellish tempering within this furnace.
Elvin had condensed everything a mage might encounter on a real battlefield into a death rehearsal seared into his memory—delivered in the most brutal and direct way: sudden mental assaults, cunning Magic disruption and countermeasures, poison-laced daggers thrust from the shadows like phantoms, and even once, at the peak of a fierce exchange with Elvin, when his mental strength was nearly depleted, Vice Dean Morton himself had intervened, sending a Compressed Fireball from an impossible angle outside the arena to test Lin En’s last line of defense in desperation.
Each time, he was battered and forced to the brink of death. The Honeycomb Bulwark was triggered countless times, and the Crystal Cores within his consciousness came close to collapse from the relentless pressure.
But he endured.
And with every failure and agony, he devoured the lessons, forging those life-and-death experiences into his combat instincts.
Elvin stood several steps away, still in his pristine Assistants’ Uniform. His face showed no emotion, only those hawk-like eyes—sharp as tempered blades—studying Lin En with the precision of a finely tuned instrument.
Deep within those frozen eyes, a faint, nearly invisible trace of appraisal and expectation lay hidden.
No preamble.
No warning.
Elvin moved.
His right hand rose, five fingers like plucking invisible strings, then clenched!
Boom!
The silence was shattered by a violent surge of energy!
Spiritual Spike—a focused, invisible impact capable of piercing steel will—ripped silently through the air, targeting the center of Lin En’s brow!
Chaotic Mana Turbulence—multiple streams of madly fluctuating energy like countless invisible whips—lashed from every direction, assaulting Lin En’s shields and concentrating mental force!
Wraithfire Minefield—countless orange-red flames appeared from nowhere, swirling like deadly fireflies to encircle Lin En. Each was a volatile trap, sealing off all escape routes as they drifted.
Mirror Image Clone—three figures, each radiating energy nearly indistinguishable from Elvin himself, materialized at Lin En’s left, right, and rear, blurring the line between real and false, adding lethal confusion!
The interference was far stronger than any previous training—a full-spectrum storm of destruction!
Simultaneously, a cold chill slithered from the shadow of a massive stone pillar at the field’s edge, serpent-like and deadly, aimed straight at Lin En’s heart. Yingya’s killing intent had locked onto him—a formless dagger ready to strike from any angle at any moment!
The storm descended!
Lin En’s eyes snapped open.
Deep within his consciousness, the three Crystal Cores blazed to life!
Buzz—!
On his body, the Honeycomb Bulwark activated! Dense hexagonal energy grids shimmered where molten rock threatened, enduring the destructive heat and suction with a sizzling hum of energy dissolution!
The chaotic Mana Turbulence battered the bulwark, sending ripples across its stable, composite field like ocean waves slamming into stone—unyielding.
At the instant of attack, his hands rose in a flash!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Twin spheres of crimson light materialized above his palms—Compressed Fireball spells, their structure precise and glow restrained like heated iron.
The storm of interference raged!
The Spiritual Spike struck the crystalline lattice of his consciousness like a diamond, ringing with a sharp chime before shattering and fading.
Mana Turbulence tried to sever the mental threads anchoring his spells, twisting and wrenching the energy flows!
Yet the Fireballs in Lin En’s palms seemed welded in place by invisible force, burning steadily, immune to the chaos.
The Crystal Cores spun furiously, the web of mental power binding every atom of the Fireballs like the toughest silk.
Inside, fire-attribute Magic surged between core and multiple redundant nodes Lin En had constructed, flowing faster than ever, leaving no room for disruption!
This was the result of his relentless training—ultra-stable magical configurations, above all else!
A subtle shift flickered in Elvin’s frozen eyes.
The Fireball in Lin En’s left hand shot out in silence, extinguishing the Mirror Image Clone on the right with unerring precision.
But in that fleeting instant, his mental focus split between targeting and maintaining the second Fireball—a brief, nearly imperceptible vulnerability!
The shadows moved!
Yingya’s assassination was swifter, deadlier, more poisonous than before! As if born from the killing intent fixed on Lin En’s heart, a Magic-Breaking Arrowhead materialized at his left-rear carotid—devouring light as it appeared—silent, undetectable.
Through days of battle, Lin En’s enigmatic [Honeycomb Bulwark] had grown, its outer layer resilient enough to withstand his dagger.
For this, Yingya had long borrowed a trophy from Vice Dean Morton—the Magic-Breaking Arrowhead used by Dark Elf Archers from the Ashen Forest.
What he now held was no longer the spectral dagger of the past, but a specially modified assassin’s weapon, its blade forged from a Demon-Breaking Arrowhead!
Death, within reach!
Shrrrk—!
A sharp tearing sound rang out!
The once-indestructible outer layer of the [Honeycomb Bulwark] shattered before the Demon-Breaking Arrowhead like brittle glass, ripped open with ease!
Boom—!!!
The mid-layer’s volatile liquid flame erupted, sending a devastating surge of energy up the arrow’s path, slamming into Yingya’s arm!
This counterattack was more vicious and wild than any before!
Yingya didn’t even have time to grunt. He was hurled off his feet like he’d been hit by an invisible battering ram, slamming into the wall of the Trial Field several meters away before crumpling to the ground!
Pain!
Numbness!
And a sense of utter disbelief!
He knelt, gasping, the web of his right hand torn, blood pouring as he gripped the broken weapon. The precious Demon-Breaking Arrowhead was now riddled with cracks, its glow extinguished.
Yingya stared at Lin En, eyes wide with shock.
Counterattack!
Almost simultaneously with the dagger’s deflection, the Compressed Fireball in Lin En’s right palm adjusted course—not targeting Yingya’s revealed body, but anticipating the most probable path of retreat!
Yingya’s pupils constricted.
He twisted desperately, merging into another shadow. The blazing Fireball roared past his fading afterimage, detonating against the distant magic-resistant wall and leaving a scorched scar.
Pursuit!
A second highly compressed Fireball condensed instantly.
“That’s enough.”
Elvin’s cold voice rang out.
The storm abruptly ended.
Elvin withdrew all power.
Lava solidified.
Turbulence dissipated.
Phantoms vanished.
The chilling killing intent in the shadows receded like the tide, Yingya’s presence vanishing completely.
Deathly silence returned to the furnace.
Only Lin En’s rapid breathing and the low hum of the Honeycomb Bulwark echoed in the emptiness.
In his right palm, the sole remaining Compressed Fireball floated steadily, its glow restrained yet indomitable.
Elvin’s gaze lingered on the unmoving Fireball in Lin En’s hand, then on the stark white scar at his neck.
For the first time, the stone-carved mask of his face seemed to crack with a barely perceptible smile.
He gave Lin En a faint nod.
“Qualified.”
Elvin’s voice remained cold.
“As a mage, your survival foundation is in place.”
“Remember the feeling of the furnace. Remember the rhythm of the storm, the chill of death. Carve them into your bones.”
“The Endless Forest,” Elvin’s words were ironclad, brooking no argument, “offers no second chances.”
With that, he turned away, footsteps silent and precise as a machine completing its task, disappearing into the shadow at the furnace’s entrance.
Yingya’s presence vanished with him.
***
The heavy oak door of the Vice Dean’s Office swung open without a sound.
Morton stood by the vast window, gazing toward the distant Endless Forest.
Elvin and Yingya entered, still carrying a trace of the Furnace Proving Ground’s sulfuric scent.
“It’s done?”
Morton didn’t turn, his voice as deep as ever.
Elvin handed over a detailed report recorded on a Magic crystal tablet.
“Special training complete. Conclusion: qualified.”
Morton slowly turned, his gaze passing over Elvin to rest on the battered figure of Yingya, especially the bandaged right hand.
“You speak.”
There was a note of unquestionable authority in his tone.
Yingya took a deep breath.
The expression usually hidden in shadow was now complex.
He raised his bandaged hand, managing a bitter smile.
“Vice Principal, my assassination is no longer effective.”
He recalled the final strike, fear still lingering in his eyes.
“Lin En’s growth is too fast. The first time I pierced his Magic barrier, the rebound was 1. The second time, 3. This last time… at least 10! Now, without Demon-Breaking weapons, it’s almost impossible to breach his first layer of defense.”
Elvin added calmly,
“He told me it’s the [Honeycomb Bulwark] he developed, specifically to defend against Demon-Breaking weapons. Its energy structure self-optimizes after taking hits. During training, the synergy between its outer physical resistance and mid-layer energy backlash increased by at least 40%. Also—”
He paused, his voice carrying a hint of admiration.
“Lin En’s spell-anchoring ability has taken form. Under my intense Mana interference, his core spell stability surpasses most high-level mages at the Academy. His mental core… is unbreakable.”
A brief silence fell.
Morton listened quietly, expressionless, but deep within his eyes, a trace of pride and comfort flickered.
This child, once judged to have minimal Magic affinity, had grown in ways that defied all past understanding and experience—a star breaking all constraints, greedily drawing in everything and growing wild.
“But his weakness is still fatal.”
Elvin’s words were ice, dragging Morton from his moment of relief.
“His spellcasting—the mental extensions constructing Magic outside the body—while stable, can still be interrupted by stronger forces. His combat experience was forcibly instilled through our high-pressure training. Against true veterans, he may still make deadly mistakes.”
Morton nodded.
He moved behind his desk, retrieving a dark-gold badge and an ancient leather Map from a sealed box, placing them on the table.
“This is the Silent Walker Badge.”
He sounded like he was reciting protocol.
“It conceals Magic fluctuations and blocks most tracking and detection spells.”
“This Map marks relatively safe routes through the Endless Forest’s outer rim, as well as several Elven Hidden Supply Points. Remember, the Map only goes to the Mourning Marsh. Beyond that is unknown. Give these to Lin En.”
“Yingya,” he said without looking up, “lend him your Shadow Cloak.”
Yingya paused, then nodded without hesitation.
“Yes.”
“Elvin.”
Morton’s voice brooked no dissent.
“Go to the Alchemical Department and bring out my best Purification Potion, Mana Regeneration Potion, and highest-energy rations. Prepare a full set of top-grade Wilderness Survival Toolkit for him as well.”
Elvin bowed slightly.
“Understood.”
He knew the Vice Principal was offering up his personal reserves.
Once all was arranged, Morton waved them off.
But as Elvin and Yingya reached the door, he couldn’t help adding:
“…Tell him, his own safety matters most. His mother… is still waiting.”
Elvin paused, then departed with Yingya, leaving the troubled Vice Principal alone.
Morton returned to the window, staring out at the ancient forest that had claimed countless lives.
He let out a long sigh.
Within it were comfort at a genius’s growth, deep worry for the future, and the awkward but heartfelt blessing of a teacher for a disciple about to embark on a journey of life and death.
He had paved every road he could for this young man.
The rest, he could only leave to Lin En himself.
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