Time flowed on.
After the Stellar Abyss Academy’s freshman enrollment list was posted, everything settled.
Countless people fought desperately for a spot in this academy—yet fewer than one percent were accepted.
Some rejoiced wildly. Others grieved. And some simply didn’t care.
Following this, freshmen were thrust into the academy’s annual tradition: the Realm War.
Inside the artificial realm crafted by the academy, newcomers had to find the exit while veterans stationed at key points competed against them.
Losers had to pay winners a set amount of Star Points.
Star Points served as the universal currency within the Stellar Abyss Domain, redeemable anywhere for needed items.
Upon enrollment, freshmen received generous Star Points based on their final rankings—even those at the very bottom got a hefty sum.
This was precisely what cash-strapped veterans craved.
In past years, veterans would scramble to sign up for the Realm War, itching to "farm" freshmen’s coins.
*It’s a fish pond setup.*
*Aren’t we just slaughtering them?*
*Pure profit, no loss at all, right?*
Yet this year, barely any veterans volunteered.
They couldn’t even fill the required slots.
The final spots were filled by randomly selecting students and forcing them to participate.
Many trembled upon receiving their notices.
*Damn it.*
*They didn’t dare enter this year’s fish pond!*
*There were damn whales in there!*
*Killer whales!*
Thus, something bizarre unfolded during the Realm War—
Freshmen breezed through the trials.
Even when encountering veterans, battles ended swiftly. Veterans held back fiercely, terrified that making too much noise might attract something terrifying.
“Your Highness, this way please!”
A veteran bowed deeply to Salros, personally guiding the prince toward the exit.
The prince nodded. The veteran visibly relaxed.
As the emperor’s most valued heir, Salros wouldn’t stoop to stealing resources from nobodies like them.
He hadn’t come to the academy to exchange Star Points for trinkets.
His goal had always been clear—
The Star Devouring Legacy.
......
“You useless minnow—how dare you run your mouth?”
“‘Uncle’ really is pathetic. Can’t even take one hit~”
“What a slowpoke adult…”
No time was wasted mourning defeated freshmen. Louise arrived at the battlefield instantly.
Desperately poor, she was hypersensitive to Star Points. At the first hint of combat, she’d rush to the scene and hunt veterans.
Her speed left weaker veterans no chance to escape.
Even at thirty percent power, crushing them was effortless.
After looting their Star Points, she’d add verbal barbs—
leaving them clenching fists, watching her swagger away.
......
As for Luyi’s side? The scene grew even more surreal.
“Don’t come closer… DON’T COME CLOSER!!!”
After a brief stare-down with the first veteran, he collapsed in terror, scrambling backward on the ground while shrieking.
......
“Lady Luluie, please spare me! I’ll do anything!!!”
The second veteran’s voice echoed through the forest, thick with pleading, nearly sobbing.
He prostrated himself before Luyi, offering his student ID card.
......
“Lady Luluie… please trample me… crush my face beneath your tiny feet…”
The girl’s voice grew feverish, breath quickening, heart symbols glinting in her eyes.
*Wanting everything will ruin you,* Luyi thought dryly.
......
Ever since witnessing her battle with Louise, even veterans avoided crossing her.
And after unconsciously unleashing the Demon Sovereign’s brutality during that fight, most veterans now trembled at the mere sight of her in friendly matches.
*Didn’t I just want to be a quiet, trouble-free student here?*
But this worked too, she consoled herself.
At least the outcome was similar—
She got peace. No fool dared bother her.
......
With the Realm War over, freshmen enjoyed a brief respite.
Finally idle, Luyi turned her thoughts elsewhere.
**BOOM—BOOM—BOOM—**
Dark energy rippled around her as she devoured this world’s Source of Magic once more. Space twisted, cracks splintering the air.
She broke through.
From first tier to second tier.
**Name:** Luyi
**Gender:** Female
**Level:** Tier 2 (Level 20)
**Authorities:** [Demonic Sovereign Eternal Ash] (SSS-rank) / [Constellation Dragon] (SSS-rank) / [Virtuous Maiden] (A-rank)
**Stamina:** 100%
**Mana:** 100%
**Strength:** 7380 (4100+3280)
**Intelligence:** 7560 (4200+3360)
**Agility:** 5330 (4100+1230)
**Constitution:** 5330 (4100+1230)
Unlike others’ cultivation methods, Luyi leveled up by devouring and plundering this world.
Reaching tier two unlocked new skills.
Skills from the Demonic Sovereign Authority were all active abilities.
As the most powerful—and extreme—offensive Authority, Demonic Sovereign Eternal Ash granted mostly active skills with top-tier hit counts and multipliers.
In contrast, Constellation Dragon offered a balanced set: one active, one passive.
With two SSS-rank Authorities and two pieces of equipment boosting her stats, her primary attributes had shattered the 7,000 threshold.
*Freakish…* even Luyi murmured to herself.
Next came Authority Ascension.
*Constellation Dragon’s ascension can wait…*
*Demonic Sovereign Eternal Ash…*
Following the perfect ascension method documented in *Dusk*, she’d gathered most materials from her inventory.
But one core component remained missing—
**Blood.**
Blood potent and ancient enough.
Demonic Sovereign Eternal Ash’s ascension required frenzied blood to forcibly awaken its dormant potential.
The older and mightier the blood, the deeper the hidden power it could unleash.
But where to find ancient blood in this pathetic Abyssal Demon Realm?
A Demon King?
*Just thinking about that lineage makes me sick.*
The prince?
*No. Still trash.*
Only the emperor’s blood might barely suffice.
*Should I just kill the emperor?*
“…”
Luyi dismissed the thought. Unrealistic for now.
*I wonder if the Star Devouring Demon Emperor left any blood in the academy…*
she muttered. *Alices mentioned he vanished, but his Illusion Beast—bound by a soul contract—guarded the academy until death…*
*Surely the academy kept some of that beast’s blood?*
At the mention of Illusion Beasts, a rare flicker of sorrow crossed Luyi’s eyes.
*Dusk* had an Illusion Beast system.
She’d once owned the game’s highest-potential beast.
But…
