Adolf surveyed the two hundred-plus recruits with satisfaction. Further screening was still needed among them. The previous round had merely weeded out the utterly useless wastes.

Now came the true selection of elites.

These newcomers were to be whetstones for his granddaughter. But whetstones couldn’t all be trash—even as whetstones, they belonged to Vicky alone.

The only one who truly impressed him was the girl Xu Yueyin. Calm and composed from start to finish, she seemed detached yet stunned everyone with her performance.

Her magic control had reached perfection, faintly surpassing his younger self. Combining three low-tier spells, she triggered a massive explosion exceeding 6000 magical fluctuations. He still silently praised her talent.

Truly moldable material.

If Sky Qi heard this, he’d rush over and curse the old man out. "I’m the Continent Strongest! Who’re you to judge me? I only joined this lousy academy to unseal my seal!"

Sky Qi knew of Adolf’s talents. His S Rank strength matched Lin Xiarri’s, but his mastery of magic arrays was world-class. He could indeed unseal the Six Paths Seal.

But first, Sky Qi had to get close to the old man!

"Good," Adolf pinched his nose. "Passing this second test means you’re not elites—but not wastes either."

"Now’s when you truly prove yourselves. The third test—your final assessment."

"Free-for-all Arena Battle!"

A massive magical arena with flat terrain. Each recruit entered from separate gates, then combat began.

"Only the top ten qualify for Cassius Academy—and receive A Rank treatment!"

The crowd erupted. A Rank perks meant free food, easy campus access, and research privileges. But top ten? With over two hundred people, odds were one in twenty.

Many shook their heads in disappointment. C Rank strength meant instant elimination. Yet others clung to hope.

What if they made top ten? No loss in trying.

Everyone wore mandatory magical shields. A broken shield meant defeat—all damage absorbed. Only risk was being startled by close-range spells.

Past Cassius Academy recruitments had five or six tedious tests. Now only three—but far harder.

Sky Qi stood aside, arms crossed, looking drowsy and uninterested.

No one noticed him now. Everyone sweated nervously.

The supervising girl held a stack of cards. "Find your numbered room. Battle starts in ten minutes."

Her tone dripped impatience. She couldn’t care less about these newbies.

Sky Qi’s card bore a big "13". "Damn, unlucky number," he muttered, mouth twitching.

An ominous premonition nagged him. With his shitty luck in this free-for-all, trouble felt inevitable. He grew uneasy.

Worse—he’d entered in women’s clothing. Must prevent skirt-flipping. Damn, why hadn’t he considered this trope?

Regret was useless now. He gritted his teeth and found Room 13.

The room was sparsely furnished—just a toilet and sofa. A barred gate sealed the other side, etched with a protective magic array.

Light seeped through the bars—not sunlight, but artificial magic lamps. Sky Qi knew the arena lay beyond.

He waited, tugging his skirt lower. This arena was a damn paradise for upskirt shots! Battle gusts would send skirts flying.

Why hadn’t he foreseen this? Sky Qi facepalmed. He’d no choice but to constantly blow wind magic downward to pin his skirt.

Cross-dressing wasn’t easy! After unsealing his seal with Adolf, he’d switch back to men’s clothes immediately, he thought bitterly.

Ten minutes passed. The iron gate slowly lifted. Sky Qi’s eyelid twitched. This felt like a prison—or a gladiatorial pit.

Without the gate, the room brightened. Sky Qi stepped forward. A ceiling lamp glowed molten gold, its flickering beams illuminating the ground.

The arena stretched vast and magnificent despite sparse decor.

Two hundred gates lined the walls, each with a recruit watching. An invisible force yanked them outward. The moment they exited, the gates slammed shut.

All two hundred were trapped inside.

Time to start? Sky Qi stayed calm. He’d wait—let them fight till exhausted, then reap the rewards.

Awkward silence hung. Two hundred pairs of eyes locked. No one struck first. The tension was absurd.

"Ugh," Sky Qi wiped sweat. This stalemate wouldn’t end. Someone had to stir trouble.

He focused his will. A sharp earth spike shot from the arena’s center—piercing an unprepared giant’s foot sole.

The man’s foot shield shattered halfway. The impact stunned him; he stumbled, nearly collapsing.

Whoosh! The spike vanished like a mole ducking underground.

The giant roared in fury. He slapped the nearest person. "Fuck you! Ambushing me?"

The victim, caught off guard, flew ten meters from the blow’s force—crashing hard into the crowd.