Chapter 98: Victor’s Arrival!

Ryan saw his life flash before his eyes.

Throughout his life, ever since he was born, he had always felt special, far more special than his peers.

Things others struggled with came easily to him. Techniques that took years to master, he could learn in mere months. And despite being a commoner, he had always felt that he had a greater purpose and destiny to fulfill.

’Was all of that just something I made up in my mind?’ he couldn’t help but wonder in what he believed were his final moments.

Could it be that he was just like the average person out there who thought they were the main character of their own world?

’Damn it! I didn’t even get to humiliate that arrogant bastard!’

Even in the face of death, what he regretted most was failing to prove to Victor that commoners and nobles were equal.

Just then, when he thought everything was over, a faint ray of starlight suddenly shot in from the side.

"Starfall!"

Boom!

Astral mana exploded against the Abyssal Bone Spike Wolf’s shoulder.

The explosion was far weaker than Leah’s Starfall in her normal condition, but it still succeeded in attracting the beast’s attention.

It slowly turned its head toward the attacker. Not far away, Leah was leaning against a tree trunk, struggling to remain standing. Cold sweat covered her forehead, and all color had drained from her lips.

That last attack had nearly exhausted the remaining mana she could still control.

But she had to buy time. At the very least, she needed to give Ryan a chance to stand up.

However, when the Abyssal Bone Spike Wolf saw her, an almost greedy light appeared in its crimson eyes once again.

It opened its enormous mouth.

Whoosh!

The surrounding dark purple mana rapidly gathered, forming a continuously rotating black vortex.

Her Astral Core began vibrating violently once again.

This time, even her consciousness started to blur.

"This is bad..."

She tried to retreat, but her legs had already lost their strength.

The Abyssal Bone Spike Wolf began advancing toward Leah, its crimson eyes glowing with a sick glee.

Ryan’s pupils contracted sharply.

"LEAH!!"

He couldn’t let her die. No matter what, even if it meant sacrificing himself.

He struggled to reach out, only to realize that he couldn’t stop it in time.

The distance between them was too great.

And the Abyssal Bone Spike Wolf’s speed was terrifyingly fast.

At the same time, at the outer monitoring station of the Third Enclosed Ecological Zone.

A piercing alarm suddenly echoed throughout the entire monitoring hall.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

[Warning! Abnormally high tier mana fluctuations detected!]

[Warning! A lifeform exceeding the screening restrictions has appeared in the northern region!]

[Target: Level 45 Abyssal Bone Spike Wolf!]

[Target Life Tier: Second Tier!]

[Danger Level: Extremely High!]

[Recommendation: Initiate emergency teleportation procedures immediately!]

The entire monitoring hall instantly descended into chaos.

"Second Tier?!"

"Are you kidding me?! Isn’t this supposed to be a freshman screening?!"

"What happened to the defensive barrier?! Where are the instructors responsible for monitoring?!"

Several academy staff members turned pale and immediately rushed toward the control panels.

Cecilia’s previously calm expression changed completely. She abruptly turned toward the monitoring screen displaying the northern region.

On the screen, Ryan lay covered in blood beside a boulder, while Leah stood unsteadily within the Abyssal Bone Spike Wolf’s attack range.

"Abyssal Bone Spike Wolf..." Cecilia’s eyes narrowed.

She recognized the species. Furthermore, the Abyssal mana emanating from the creature bore an extremely close resemblance to that of the beast that had appeared at the Seventh Magical Beast Trial Ground.

That beast had been artificially enhanced to Level 34 before collapsing. But the creature before her was a Level 45 Abyssal Bone Spike Wolf!

"Activate emergency teleportation!" an instructor shouted sternly.

"It’s already been activated!"

The staff member operating the system was drenched in cold sweat.

"But the spatial coordinates in the northern region are experiencing abnormal interference! The teleportation array can’t accurately lock onto the target for some reason!"

"Then send in the rescue team!"

"The nearest rescue team will need at least another two minutes!"

Two minutes!

Cecilia looked at the monitoring screen, her expression growing increasingly grim.

The Abyssal Bone Spike Wolf was already approaching Leah, who could barely remain standing.

At this rate, she would never survive until the rescue team arrived.

"Victor..."

Cecilia had just opened her mouth when she realized the space beside her was already empty.

She turned her head.

Victor was already striding toward the emergency passage on the side of the monitoring hall. At its far end was a spatial portal connected directly to the different regions of the ecological zone, allowing authorized personnel to enter during emergencies.

"What are you doing?!"

"Going in." Victor’s answer was exceptionally brief.

Cecilia’s expression changed. "Are you insane?! That’s a Level 45, Second Tier Abyssal Bone Spike Wolf! And you don’t even have permission to enter the screening area right now!"

"So?"

Victor stopped and glanced back at her.

"Should I wait for the rescue team to go in and collect her corpse?"

Cecilia was momentarily speechless.

Of course, she understood how urgent the situation was.

But the problem was that Victor was only Level 22.

There was also a massive gap in strength between him and that Abyssal Bone Spike Wolf.

"I’m coming with you!"

"No."

Victor rejected her immediately.

"Stay here and have them prepare the rescue and evacuation procedures. There are still other students inside."

With that, he turned and headed toward the passage.

Cecilia gritted her teeth but ultimately made no further attempt to stop him.

She then turned toward the control panel and issued an order.

"Bring up every monitoring feed from the northern region! Notify the vice dean and activate the highest level emergency rescue protocol immediately!"

...

’Elias, what a man you are,’ Victor thought as he strode forward.

Elias was right that he would end up inside.

The northern Mana Core Badge and its Abyss Induction Crystal were not a false lead. Someone had also placed this wolf in that region.

Moments later, Victor reached the end of the emergency passage, where a thick metal door blocked his path.

[Warning: Current personnel do not possess emergency entry authorization.]

[Forced entry will be considered a violation of academy screening regulations.]

Victor stared at the flashing red warnings before him, his expression completely unchanged.

The next moment, Crimson Flame Fang appeared in his hand.

Scorching flames instantly ignited along the blade.

Boom!

A fierce flaming sword light struck the metal door with tremendous force.

Accompanied by a piercing explosion, a massive opening was torn straight through the thick metal door.

The alarm suddenly grew even more shrill.

[Warning! Emergency passage has been breached!]

[Warning! Unauthorized personnel entry detected!]

Victor put away his longsword and walked straight through the shattered doorway.

He was fully aware that he was violating academy regulations.

But right now, the rules no longer mattered.

If Leah died here, all the resources and effort he had invested in her, along with his plans for the future, would completely go to waste.

Besides, since when did anyone else have the right to hunt down someone he had personally cultivated?

Victor raised his head and looked toward the spatial portal at the end of the passage. After selecting the northern region, he stepped forward without hesitation.

At the same time, a system notification suddenly appeared before his eyes.

[Warning! High intensity fate interference detected!]

[Major changes have occurred in the First Direct Confrontation with Fate event!]

[Host has actively intervened!]

[Original Objective: Secure the Mana Core Badge!]

[Additional Objective: Ensure the survival of investment target Leah Vane!]

[Event rewards will be recalculated based on the final outcome!]

Victor glanced at the system notification and quickly dismissed it.

He had no time to study such things right now.

The spatial light rapidly swallowed his figure.

Meanwhile, in the Northern Rocky Forest, the Abyssal Bone Spike Wolf’s enormous mouth, filled with razor sharp teeth, had already descended toward Leah’s head.

Ryan summoned the last of his strength and struggled to rise from the ground.

But just as he prepared to charge forward again, the space in the distance suddenly distorted violently.

A dazzling blaze of fire abruptly tore through the shadows between the trees.

Boom!

Scorching sword energy swept across dozens of meters, slashing fiercely toward the Abyssal Bone Spike Wolf’s flank!

Immediately afterward, a cold, deep voice echoed throughout the entire rocky forest.

"Get away from her."