Kaelix stood in front of his newly evolved beast in his private testing room. The muscular beast had fur, claws and fangs crackling with thunder. The beast was a 3-Star Thunder Wolf.
Kaelix grinned as he looked at it again. He was proud and satisfied after evolving into such a strong beast. "Finally, a beast worthy of crushing that arrogant bastard."
The Thunder Wolf growled low to respond to Kaelix's emotions. Kaelix chuckled as he patted its head with his only arm. "Soon, Lucius. Very soon."
Kaelix stepped away from the Thunder Wolf and turned toward a communication crystal that he had snuck in with his spatial ring. He noticed that it had been glowing, meaning that there was a message.
He lightly tapped it, activating the crystal and projecting the image of a man strikingly similar to Kaelix—his older brother, Kaltrik Kryndal, a Diamond Class student and a 4-Star Evolist.
Kaelix bowed his head a bit and excitedly asked, "Brother, can I assume that everything is already in place?"
Kaltrik was calm as he nodded and answered, "Of course. I ensured that Lucius received a beast that even the most skilled 3-Star Evolists would struggle to handle."
Kaltrik smirked as he explained what the beast was. "The beast was a berserk Poison Spider. Its aggression is unparalleled, and its poison alone could incapacitate him if he's careless."
Kaelix smirked the moment he heard it, as he was pretty happy about it. "A Poison Spider? Brilliant. He'll either lose control and be devoured by his own test subject or fail the exam outright."
Kaltrik raised an eyebrow and cut him. "Do not underestimate him, Kaelix. Lucius may be arrogant, but his cunning rivals yours. This is merely the first step in dismantling him. Ensure he does not leave this exam unscathed."
Kaelix's smirk didn't falter. Instead, he clenched his fist and shouted out, "He dared to sever my hand and this is only half the price for what he's done. If he survives this, I'll make sure the other half is paid in full."
Kaltrik's image began to flicker around as he reminded Kaelix, "Control yourself. A Kryndal does not simply punish—we dominate."
Kaltrik also warned Kaelix about it: "Your anger is useful, but only when directed strategically. Do not let it cloud your judgment."
Kaelix took a deep breath and forced a smile. "You're right, brother. I'll focus. But when Lucius falls, everyone in this academy will remember the Kryndal name as the apex of power."
Kaltrik smiled after hearing Kaelix's words. "Good. Prove your worth, Kaelix. Show them the strength of our bloodline."
With that, the communication crystal dimmed, and Kaltrik's image faded, leaving Kaelix alone once more. He stared at the crystal for a moment, his smirk returning as he turned back to his Thunder Wolf.
Kaelix kneeled beside the Thunder Wolf, running his hand through its electrified fur and whispered, "You'll be my weapon. Together, we'll crush Lucius and anyone else who dares to stand against me."
Kaelix left the Thunder Wolf and walked toward the steel door of his exam room. He spat out in anger, "Lucius, you'll regret ever crossing me."
Kaelix then held his empty hand. "Severing my hand was just the beginning. When I'm done, you'll beg for mercy—and I'll deny you every ounce of it."
The exam was about to end and the doors of the private room began to open an hour earlier than scheduled automatically.
One by one, the Golden Class students emerged from their respective rooms, their faces filled with confidence and satisfaction.
The examiner stood near the center of the pavilion and began to scan the students that came out of each room.
He began to tell them something before being examined. "Whether you pass or not, you may choose to keep your evolved beast or sell it back to the academy."
The announcement didn't seem to faze the students, who held their heads high as they guided their beasts into the pavilion.
None of them had stored their beasts in a beast ring. It was clear—they wanted to show off their best beast evolution.
Kaelix also came out of his room, his Thunder Wolf crackling with electricity and walking beside him. Kaelix began to search for Lucius.
The moment he could not find him, he smirked, "It seems that he's either dead or too humiliated to show his face."
He reached down to pat his Thunder Wolf's head, murmuring, "Looks like we've already won even before going to war."
The examiner glanced at the gathered students, noting that four of the five had emerged. He looked at the remaining room, which was Lucius'.
Kaelix then stepped forward and looked at the examiner, frowning. "Examiner, perhaps you should check on Lucius. He might be... get sick. Or worse."
The examiner turned to Kaelix and firmly said, "Silence. The exam is not yet over. Until the time is up, he is entitled to every second."
Kaelix's smirk faltered a bit as he frowned and muttered, "Protecting him, are you? Figures."
The examiner turned his attention back to the group. He then looked at the beasts and said, "Now, let us assess the results of your efforts. Bring your beasts to the Beast Insight Terminal for evaluation."
The students guided their beasts forward one by one, their expressions ranging from confident smirks to quiet determination.
Kaelix followed, his Thunder Wolf padding beside him, sparks crackling along its fur. As the beasts approached the massive terminal, the machine hummed to life, its glowing screen ready to display the results.
The truth was that Lucius was still inside his exam room. It was not that he was not ready but he was still sleeping inside the test room.
He had evolved his beast in an hour and he had so much time left. The previous night, he didn't get enough sleep because he was preoccupied with his future plans.
This exam held little significance to him, as it was merely a boring obligation he had to fulfill due to his status as the academy student.