War God Temple

Night, black as ink, shrouded Eastsea Academy. Inside Class Zero's private training room, the lights still shone brightly.

Wu Changkong stood with his hands behind his back, his silver hair gleaming coldly beneath the lights. He looked at the three remaining students before him—Tang Wulin, Gu Yue, and Xie Xie. A barely perceptible ripple seemed to stir across his usually icebound face.

"Originally," Wu Changkong broke the silence, his voice low and resonant, "I planned to take you for your final assessment tomorrow. But the original plan was designed for five people."

Tang Wulin frowned slightly and instinctively asked, "A difficulty level meant for five people?"

"Correct." Wu Changkong nodded, his gaze sweeping over the three with a hint of scrutiny. "The original assessment was designed around the composition and coordination of a five-person team. But now, Wang Jinxi and Zhang Yangzi have left."

He paused, and his tone suddenly sharpened. "Still, this is a good thing."

"A good thing?" Xie Xie froze, unable to stop himself from muttering, "We're two people short, but the difficulty stays the same, and that's a good thing?"

"The weak always have the most excuses." Wu Changkong shot him a cold glance, frightening Xie Xie into immediately shutting his mouth.

Wu Changkong turned toward the training room's thick metal walls and said slowly, "With two people gone, all the pressure that was supposed to be shared through teamwork will fall on the three of you. This isn't merely a reduction in fighting strength. It's the ultimate test of your adaptability, your mutual understanding, and your individual limits."

He spun around, his gaze like lightning piercing straight into their hearts. "The original assessment might have allowed you to hold something back under your teammates' protection. But now, there's no retreat. You must unleash power beyond