Chapter 70: The Exam Begins

The Exam Begins

A girl with acne on her face approached.

Her name was Riley.

"I have my own plans."

Leon’s voice was cold.

"Come on, let’s go. If they’re late, it’s none of our business. Stop meddling."

"Yeah, I was just trying to be helpful."

"Miss, hurry up. Don’t let a moment’s impulse ruin your future."

Riley glanced at Leon once more.

Then turned and walked away.

Evelyn could only offer a bitter smile.

It’s not like I want to be forced into this.

But what choice do I have?

"We’re here."

Leon stopped.

Ahead lay a field of reeds.

Wild boars and ducks roamed.

All Level 30+ demonic beasts.

"Leon, are you insane?! These are all Level 30+ demonic beasts!"

"Relax. I’m not expecting you to fight them."

"Not you."

"Selena—you’re up."

Selena stepped forward.

Evelyn was shocked to see Selena was already Level 25.

"Even if you’re Level 25, fighting these will be tough, right?"

Selena began chanting.

An intimidating aura radiated from her body.

Evelyn flinched.

She looked up.

The entire sky was being torn apart!

"My god... what kind of terrifying skill is this?!"

BOOM!

Everything in front of her was engulfed by a colossal energy storm.

Level 30+ demonic beasts died by the dozens.

Evelyn’s experience bar skyrocketed.

In seconds, she shot from Level 10 to Level 20!

"Now I understand why you said we could still level up before the exams."

"This is how."

Evelyn was stammering.

She looked at Selena.

Who had only taken a few deep breaths and was already back to normal.

No trace of exhaustion.

How is this possible?

This defies all common sense.

"Alright. Time to head back."

Leon checked his watch.

"There’s still some time left. No rush."

Of course there’s still time!

You just wiped out everything in one shot!

They retraced their steps.

They ran into Riley again.

"Is this... what you call ’leveling’?"

Riley’s voice trembled.

Leon didn’t answer.

They didn’t live in the same world.

Explanations were meaningless.

They had crossed paths briefly.

They hadn’t caused him any trouble.

That was enough.

Well, sorry about that.

I’m in a hurry.

Sending you on your way wouldn’t be out of the question.

They walked away.

Evelyn glanced back.

Riley was still staring.

Her face pale.

Her eyes wide.

They don’t understand, Evelyn thought.

They can’t understand.

What it’s like to be part of Leon’s world.

What it’s like to have this kind of power.

What it’s like to be wanted by someone like him.

Leon’s hand found hers.

Squeezed gently.

"Ready for the exams, dear Evelyn?"

She looked at him.

Then at Selena.

Who was walking on his other side.

Her face relaxed.

Her eyes soft.

Evelyn nodded.

"Yes. I’m ready."

Leon smiled.

"Good girls."

---------------

The examination venue was located on the outskirts of Aurelia City.

Most students had already arrived.

The crowd surged like a living tide.

"What’s going on? Why hasn’t Evelyn arrived yet?"

A teacher from Aurelia No. 1 High was growing anxious.

Evelyn was one of the school’s rarest assets.

An S-rank beast-girl student.

If she was absent, it would deal a significant blow to the school’s overall performance and annual evaluation.

But Evelyn made it just in time.

She arrived alongside Leon and Selena.

"Evelyn—thank goodness you’re here! You had me worried sick."

Evelyn’s homeroom teacher let out a sigh of relief.

Her name was Cecilia.

"This year, you’re our school’s ace! You could even make it into the Great Dawn Dynasty’s top academy!"

Cecilia kept rambling on.

But when she noticed the two people beside Evelyn, her brows furrowed in disapproval.

"Evelyn, go sign in quickly. The exams are about to start. Don’t go associating with just anyone."

"The Blackheart family is a prestigious household. Some people have no sense of propriety, but you—don’t follow their example."

Cecilia was the homeroom teacher of the elite class.

Her class was filled with students of exceptional talent and aptitude.

All of them had awakened A-rank beast-souls.

And even among A-ranks, her students were noticeably stronger.

The regular classes couldn’t compare.

They all came from privileged backgrounds.

Accustomed to rubbing shoulders with the children of the wealthy and powerful, Cecilia felt an instinctive revulsion at the sight of Leon.

So she made her disdain clear with pointed sarcasm.

Evelyn’s brows furrowed.

To be honest, she was in a difficult position right now.

She knew exactly what kind of person her homeroom teacher was.

But Leon was no longer the same person he used to be.

Not only that—he had killed Levis.

The thought made Evelyn tremble slightly.

"Teacher, propriety? You dare lecture others about that?"

Leon’s expression hardened.

Cecilia’s husband was a mid-level manager at a factory.

He had once come to the school to make a scene.

Because he had discovered that the three children they had raised together were not biologically his.

The scandal had been massive.

A woman like you—lecturing others about "propriety"?

Fuck that.

"Why don’t you go find the real fathers of your three kids first!"

Leon brushed past Cecilia with a cold snort.

He had no time for such a repulsive old woman.

"Y-You—!"

Cecilia’s face turned the color of a pig’s liver.

Red and purple with fury.

Though her dirty laundry was known to many, few dared to speak of it openly at school.

She never expected Leon to strike at her weak point so directly.

To slap her in the face in front of everyone.

"Leon! You! You... stop right there!"

Cecilia finally lost control.

Her voice shrill with rage.

But Leon acted as if he hadn’t heard her.

Continuing forward without looking back.

Selena, however, paused slightly and glanced back at Cecilia.

The look in her eyes sent a chill down Cecilia’s spine.

She shuddered involuntarily.

"Evelyn, look at you—hanging around with the wrong crowd!"

Cecilia turned and snapped at Evelyn.

But her voice carried a hint of unease.

A clear sign of her bluster.

"Teacher, I think you should reflect on yourself first."

Evelyn’s response was cool and detached.

She turned and walked away.

"Evelyn—you too?!"

Cecilia stood there alone, frozen.

A mixture of anger and shame twisting her features.

"Leon! Do you think I can’t touch you just because you’re graduating from martial high school?!"