Waiting was always a form of torment.
An open stretch strewn with rocks marked the end of the forest.
As the sun sank westward, its light spread across the ground like a veil of golden gauze.
On a raised slope not far from the rocky ground, five young men sat or stood. They wore white robes and tower-shaped badges on their chests, marking them as the White Baleful Squad.
Today was the first day of the Fire-Energy Hunting Competition. Judging by past competitions, the White Baleful Squad rarely had to make a move.
To the new students, the White Baleful Squad was the ultimate terror. To the squad, however, the Fire-Energy Hunting Competition was like a cage.
"So boring." One impatient young man raked his fingers through his hair.
Elsewhere on the slope, two elders sat cross-legged on a platform piled from boulders. Hao Elder, whom Xiao Yan and the others had met, and Liu Elder had arrived at some point.
"Bored?" Liu Elder said with a smile. "Things are about to get interesting."
The five young men looked over. What was interesting about waiting?
"This year's new students are quite different," Liu Elder said. "All nine veteran student teams that entered the forest have been defeated."
"What? All of them?" The young man who had complained of boredom stared wide-eyed. The Fire-Energy Hunting Competition had begun less than a day ago. Had this year's new students already grown that strong? It was unprecedented.
The other four were just as shocked. One of them could hardly believe it. "Even the Black Baleful Squad?"
"Even them," Liu Elder said with a smile. "Three formidable figures have emerged among this year's new students, and, unusually, they've come together."
In past Fire-Energy Hunting Competitions, some had tried to gather all the new students