Rayelle arched an eyebrow.

She’d actually anticipated something like this.

But.

It wasn’t exactly difficult to handle.

Yawning, Rayelle stood up.

In the blink of an eye, her figure dissolved into a cherry blossom-hued afterimage—and vanished.

The next second, she reappeared right beside the axe-wielding man.

*Click.*

The terrifyingly descending axe froze mid-air, pinched between two of Rayelle’s fingers. Not an inch could it drop further.

“What?!”

The man’s eyes bulged in disbelief.

Just a second ago, this pink-haired loli had been beneath his axe, seemingly about to be split in half.

Yet in the space of a breath, she’d ghosted to his side, casually gripping his heavy, razor-sharp weapon—and effortlessly crushing his prideful strength.

The onlookers’ jaws dropped too.

None had expected this petite, seemingly frail cherry-haired loli to wield such monstrous power.

How could such a tiny body contain such overwhelming force?

Nearby, Lucas’s expression shifted to one of deep reverence.

With years of street-hardened experience, he recognized it instantly: this loli examiner hadn’t used a shred of Extraordinary Power. Not even a drop of mana.

Meaning she’d achieved this with pure physical skill alone!

The sheer terror of her true strength was unimaginable.

*Is this the combat prowess of a Chaos Cultist?* Lucas marveled inwardly.

He’d assumed few in the Sect surpassed him. But if even an examiner held such might… truly, there were always greater mountains beyond the peaks.

*Are Chaos Cultists all Third Rank experts?!*

“You’re genuinely stupid,” Rayelle murmured behind a dainty hand, a hint of mockery lacing her otherwise flat tone. An inexplicable chill slithered down the spines of everyone present.

It felt less like facing a soft, petite pink-haired girl—and more like staring into the abyss of an ancient, primordial horror.

“Goodnight.”

A flicker of icy killing intent flashed in Rayelle’s eyes.

The next instant, she blurred into motion again—slamming straight into the man’s face.

Her pale, tiny fist crashed into his cheek like a falling meteor.

***BOOM—***

Skin split and flesh tore as his face caved inward like dough hammered by a maul.

The sheer force sent his stout body screaming through the air, kicking up violent gusts of wind before slamming into the ground. A deafening crash echoed as a crater several meters wide erupted where he landed.

As dust settled and silence returned, the figure in the crater lay utterly still.

Every gaze fixed on Rayelle now brimmed with deeper awe.

*This is the true power of a Chaos Cultist?!*

One-shotting a Second Rank beginner Extraordinary Being? This examiner must be Third Rank… or even Fourth Rank!

Amidst the shock, Aerin—standing in line—narrowed her eyes. This self-proclaimed “Aelora,” this pink-haired loli, fought with a style eerily familiar.

*Rayelle fights like this too.*

*Could all Dragon Kings share similar combat styles?*

But Aerin felt the gap between this “Aelora” and Rayelle was vast.

One was scheming and nasty—enough to spike your blood pressure.

The other was gentle and obedient—making you want to scoop her up and cuddle her.

A shared fighting style alone proved nothing.

*This cherry-haired loli radiates pure scum,* Aerin decided. *She shares nothing with Rayelle.*

“Terrifying… She’s this brutal…?”

“Hey, buddy back there—you weren’t just bragging about pinning her down and making her cry later?”

“Shh! N-no way! Don’t jinx me! If my little brother gets chopped off later, it’s your fault!”

“Hah! Real men fear nothing!”

“Shut your damn mouth before I silence you permanently!”

Rayelle dusted off her hands, ignoring the waves of stunned murmurs below. She turned and sauntered back to her seat, swinging a small foot idly.

Her face remained utterly placid, as if nothing had happened.

The crowd watched, silently awed.

*This is a Chaos Sect examiner!*

Facing troublemakers with such unshakable calm… She hadn’t even considered that brute worth her attention.

What immense strength and confidence did it take to remain this detached?

“Next.”

“Y-yes! Coming!”

After dealing with the stout man, Rayelle noticed those who followed grew far more obedient.

Men dripping with bloodthirsty aura, burdened with countless lives and sharp weapons on their hips and backs, now cowered like timid rabbits at her feet—daring not a word.

Rayelle inwardly chuckled, but her face stayed cold as ice, sending shivers down spines.

“Speak.”

“I… I’ll dedicate everything to the Sect! If allowed, I’d gladly be your dog forever!”

“…”

Rayelle raised an eyebrow at the man, sighing.

“You look too weak. Frail as a reed. To be my dog, you’d at least need to survive one punch from me.”

A faint, wicked smile curled her lips.

“Can you?”

“I—I can’t! Sorry! I’ll leave right now!”

Under Rayelle’s gaze, the man’s fanatical fervor evaporated. Cold sweat drenched his face as he scrambled away.

He’d felt the wind of her fist up close.

That terrifying gust tearing past his body—if it had been just a hair closer, it would have shredded him.

Taking a direct hit? Keeping a full corpse would be a miracle.

“Good. Next.”

Rayelle yawned, rubbing her eyes.

But as she saw the next figure, her eyes widened almost imperceptibly.

Before her stood a black-haired, red-eyed girl, a pure black greatsword strapped to her back.

Rayelle studied her for a long moment, brow furrowed.

*Why does she look familiar?*

*Where have I seen her before?*

Tilting her head, Rayelle pondered—then gave up.

*Can’t recall. Probably just some random passerby.*

“Alright. Speak. Why do you wish to join the Chaos Sect?”

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

Meanwhile, deep in the forest.

“The ritual materials are finally gathered… Ugh, I’m dead tired…”

Seth, clad in dark robes, brushed dust and leaves from his shoulders. Weary, he trudged along a winding forest path through the gloom.

This initiation exam was critical—it determined whether the Crimson Moon Day sacrifice six days from now would succeed.

Seth took it seriously. The moment preparations finished, he rushed toward the exam site.

He intended to personally oversee the screening, selecting worthy candidates.

Though only eleven o’clock—still an hour before the exam began—Seth planned to arrive early. He wanted to see who came ahead of time, who cut it close.

*Those who arrive late,* he thought grimly, *aren’t truly devoted to the Chaos Sect. They might even be spies from the Adventurers Guild or the Church.*

“…This Chaos Sect exam is so brutal…”

A despondent murmur suddenly drifted from the bushes ahead.

A crowd of fierce-looking figures emerged from the exam site’s direction, their shoulders slumped in defeat.

“Yeah, I thought I’d breeze through. Got rejected by that examiner on the spot.”

“But… that examiner truly understands the Chaos Sect. I learned a lot. Worth the trip.”

“True. I’ll train harder. Try again next time…”

Hearing this, Seth froze mid-step. His mouth fell open in a long, dumbfounded “Huh?!”

*This… this isn’t right.*

Swallowing his shock, Seth darted forward and grabbed one man’s shoulder.

“Brother! Is the exam over already?”

“Yeah.”

The man eyed Seth pityingly.

“Friend, your aura’s nowhere near that examiner’s level. Save yourself the humiliation—just turn back with us.”

“?”

A giant question mark popped over Seth’s head.

*Examiner? What examiner?*

*Wasn’t I supposed to be the one conducting it?!*

*Who the hell dares to hold my exam?!*

Heart pounding, Seth melted into a pool of shadow and raced toward the site.

There, lounging casually atop the altar, he saw Rayelle—pointing imperiously at a crowd of awestruck, bowing figures.