Dark wiped the dust from his face, a smile spreading across his features as he looked at his companions. The five days spent together, side-by-side, had subtly drawn them closer. The five hundred li trek felt more like a forging process; in just a few days, everyone seemed to have matured considerably. Only Qian Jin remained unchanged, his expression entirely devoid of weariness or growth, looking exactly as if he were on a casual stroll in the suburbs.

In the distance, a cavalryman spurred his mount, kicking up a cloud of dust as he approached Qian Jin and the others. He pulled sharply on the reins, and the warhorse reared high, letting out a loud neigh before pivoting sharply on the ground and settling down.

Dark felt a twinge of envy toward the rider. That horsemanship was clearly the product of specialized training. He hadn't expected the cavalry of a small earth fortress to possess such skill.

The cavalryman, clad in leather armor that was far from brilliant, sat atop his horse and looked down at the twelve students—magicians and warriors—below him. "Your Headmaster has already notified our General. Here are identification plaques for each of you; you may now enter the camp! Remember this: even though you are only students, once you step into the military camp, you are temporarily soldiers! Within the camp, everything adheres to military regulations. Those who violate military discipline! Regardless of your status, you will all be dealt with according to the army's rules! Is that understood?"

Under the sharp gaze of the cavalryman, the dozen students involuntarily straightened their backs and chorused in loud unison, "Understood!"

The cavalryman’s eyes flickered over Qian Jin a few times, a silent curiosity stirring within him. Though this young man had answered just as loudly, the trooper felt something was off. Why did he have the peculiar sensation that he was the recruit in this young man’s presence?

The cavalryman quickly averted his gaze, wheeled his horse around, and galloped back toward the main camp, calling out, "Hurry in! Your Headmaster is waiting for you."

Dark took the lead, jogging toward the military camp. Under Rodriguez’s guidance over the past few days, most of the students had grown accustomed to his role as the main leader, and they quickened their pace to follow him.

The cavalryman returned to the camp and dismounted. A nearby soldier quickly took the reins of the warhorse and smiled at the dismounting trooper. "Chiliarch, how do these new chicks compare in quality to that group from Audej Academy yesterday?" "That... generally, they don't measure up to the Audej group..." The Chiliarch removed his helmet, revealing a dark, furrowed brow, and stated, "However, there is one warrior student who is very peculiar."

"Oh? How does he compare to Duan Fengbuer from Ovilah Academy the day before yesterday?" The soldier pressed with his question. Nearby soldiers, hearing Duan Fengbuer's name, gathered closer. Duan Fengbuer had become the most talked-about warrior student at the Earth Fortress in recent days, surpassed only by Fen Tu Kuangge. Many even believed that if not for the overwhelming fame of the Fen Tu family, Duan Fengbuer, who had only been there for two days, would have been the most renowned student of all. "I don't know," the Chiliarch shook his head without hesitation. "This new one... perhaps he’s just accustomed to grand scenes, which is why he seems so composed."

The soldiers garrisoning the earth fortress exchanged knowing smiles. Warriors accustomed to real bloodshed only respected those who possessed genuine strength, not those who had merely witnessed grand spectacles without true substance. "Oh, hello there, brothers in arms! Are you taking a break today, or are you busy?"

The soldiers who had just dispersed broke into wide smiles as they saw the young man approaching them in the distance, swaying slightly as he greeted everyone passing by.

Duan Fengbuer had tied his thick, healthy black hair back with a piece of black sheepskin. The sleeves of his warrior tunic were rolled up halfway, revealing his solid forearms, where muscle contours were defined, shining appealingly—a picture of vibrant vitality, imbued with resilience and power.

He walked slowly, yet his long strides exuded a nimble grace, reminiscent of a leopard. While his features weren't overly handsome, his eyes were naturally bright. His two long, dark eyebrows were as sharp as twin blades, making his eyes shine even more brilliantly, like distant stars. "Little fellow, we’ve got nothing good to eat anymore," an old soldier laughed, watching Duan Fengbuer approach. "Gone, nothing left." "No way?" Duan Fengbuer narrowed his crescent-shaped smiling eyes. "Uncle, I know you have that pipe bowl. Come on, let me try a puff or two."

"Get lost," the old soldier laughingly kicked Duan Fengbuer’s backside. "Do you think I don’t know you swindled Old Liu out of his pipe bowl last night, and when you returned it, not even tobacco residue was left?"

Duan Fengbuer cheerfully rubbed his backside. "Uncle, don't listen to what Uncle Liu says. Don't you know how stingy he is? He only put two flakes of tobacco in there; of course, it vanished in one draw. How can that compare to your generosity?"

The old soldier chuckled, watching Duan Fengbuer. "Flattery won't work, lad. Tell me, are you wandering around just to get a few puffs of my tobacco?"

"Uncle understands me," Duan Fengbuer showed no shame at having his petty scheme uncovered. He glanced towards the Oakland students walking in the distance. "I heard that the Oakland Academy, which never ventures out to gain experience, also sent people here for observation this year. I wanted to meet some new friends, see if there were any interesting guys. Huh, looks like I’m not the only one interested; even those Audej guys are here."

Rodriguez smiled as Dark jogged up to him. His academy's students had finally taken this crucial step. If this experience helped improve their scores in the upcoming assessment, it wouldn't have been a wasted trip.

"This is the Earth Fortress," Rodriguez asked Dark, "How do you feel about it?"

The dozen students looked around. Dark retracted his gaze, his excitement carefully masked in his response: "A little nervous, a little thrilled." "That's normal," Rodriguez said, fulfilling his duty as a teacher. "Once you adapt to the environment here, then on the future assessment, you definitely will..." "Still finish last—~~" A tone of lofty superiority, drawn out with a faint, long note, echoed from behind Rodriguez. The Oakland students simultaneously withdrew their gazes and looked with Rodriguez towards the source of the voice behind him.

"Audej Magic and Warrior Academy?" Rodriguez’s face instantly darkened. He looked toward the middle-aged teacher in the group, who was dressed in faculty attire. "Teacher Auliuke, please discipline your students. Don't they know what manners are?"

"Discipline?" Auliuke stroked his slick, shiny head, innocence flickering in his eyes. "I’m not sure what Teacher Rodriguez wants me to discipline him about? I have always believed that true warriors should not be overly constrained; they should be allowed to develop freely. That’s why, for the past decade, Audej Academy students have consistently ranked in the top four among low-level warrior-magic academies in Yongliu Province, while your Oakland is always stuck at the bottom."

Dark and the other students’ expressions shifted sharply. Audej Academy? The academy that consistently ranked in the top four low-level warrior-magic academies in Yongliu Province! They hadn't expected them to be here to witness the brutality of the battlefield. "Teacher Auliuke, I don't understand."

Standing next to Auliuke was a male warrior student who stood nearly two meters tall, yet he deliberately pitched his voice to sound naive, his face holding a mocking smile as he assessed Rodriguez and his group.

"What don't you understand, my student Jianar?" Auliuke and Jianar engaged in a theatrical exchange. "Teacher, I am your mentor on the path of the warrior; ask anything you don't understand."

"I want to know, why would a subpar academy like Oakland pay to come here? Isn't failing the assessment enough? Must they also embarrass themselves on the Human-Demon Battlefield? Must they be thrown to the demons before they are satisfied?"

The Audej students erupted in loud laughter. They had anticipated stealing the show at the Earth Fortress this time, but they hadn't expected Fen Tu Kuangge, the top warrior student from the Jinxizhou assessment, to appear alone on the Earth Fortress battlefield, insisting on undergoing a trial before the school year began.

Faced with this news, the Audej students could only feel silent fury but dared not voice any opposition. Fen Tu Kuangge was not merely the first-ranked low-level magic and warrior student from Jinxizhou, the breeding ground for fierce warriors; he held another, far more illustrious title—one that genuinely intimidated the Audej students.

The Fen Tu Clan! A super-clan that dominated the Jinxizhou Legion, also known as the God of War Clan without bloodline powers! In the Zhence Dynasty, very few Legion Commanders were bloodline warriors, yet the Jinxizhou Legion was an exception! The Fen Tu Clan was a family devoid of bloodline power, the pride of nearly all ordinary warriors, and a sanctuary in their hearts.

Warriors from the Fen Tu Clan through the generations always undertook the heavy responsibility of challenging bloodline warriors! Fen Tu Kuangge’s appearance, as the top student from the Jinxizhou assessment, was truly praiseworthy, regarded by countless warriors as the genius among geniuses, having seized the Jinxizhou top spot in an arena traditionally monopolized by bloodline warriors. The presence of such a figure at the Earth Fortress made the Audej students feel immensely oppressed and deeply wounded.

Today, upon hearing that students from the Oakland Magic and Warrior Academy would also be present, the Audej students instantly felt that the opportunity to regain their footing had finally arrived. The proud fourth-ranked low-level warrior-magic academy of Yongliu Province felt as towering as a mountain compared to the Oakland Magic and Warrior Academy.

"Apologize!" Dark shouted coldly, stepping forward and glaring at the Audej students. "Apologize immediately for your rudeness!" "Apologize?" Jianar laughed, bowing slightly and poking Dark’s shoulder with his finger. "You want me to apologize? If I don't apologize, what can you do to me?" Dark’s eyes slowly narrowed to slits, and thin threads of anger leaked from between his tightly clenched teeth. "Otherwise, I won't be polite."

"You want to fight me?" Jianar spread his arms and shrugged his shoulders. "Go ahead. Don't worry about military rules; just treat it as a spar between our two academies. If you’re afraid, I’ll allow the rest of your classmates to join in."