Mei leaped out of the accelerating spacetime. The spacetime energy encompassing the entire galaxy recoiled back into the Spacetime crystal. Her figure flickered, then vanished in a blink.

  She moved to the next galaxy, continuing to harvest faith marker tokens.

  Silently, invisibly.

  A supreme will swept across the cosmos, but failed to detect Mei's presence.

  Soon,

  A month passed. During this time, Mei had harvested a considerable number of faith marker tokens, causing a significant increase in her total.

  【Remaining Tokens: 524.3 billion】

  She was still some way short of 750 billion, but with increased efforts next month, she might be able to gather enough. Then she could gather all the chapters of the Star Spirit's unified force form, completing the inheritance.

  While sweeping the Earth Universe with the ālaya-Vij?āna, Mei had already obtained one of the four unified forces—electromagnetism. The remaining three in the faith marker marketplace had a total value of 750 billion.

  Tier 7 within reach!

  Regardless, the unified force form was a Tier 7 inheritance for the Star Spirit. Even if it couldn't directly break Mei into Tier 7, it would at least allow her to touch the door to Tier 7.

  Furthermore,

  Mei also possessed the Voidborn Tier 7 inheritance. This advancement method was extremely difficult, but if successful, would instantly elevate her to the Tier 7 ranks.

  Mei had two paths, two sources of power. If her luck was good enough, she might even find another way to reach Tier 7 within a mission world.

  A prompt flashed on the interface.

  【Mission commencing.】

  At that moment,

  Mei entered Hyperdimensional Space.

  It was just as bustling as before. Groups of Void Wanderers preparing for or awaiting mission entry were mingled with those relaxing and socializing.

  "Ugh, another mission world."

  A passing Void Wanderer sighed. For weaker individuals, each mission world was a gamble with death.

  You might never return.

  Even members of large Legions couldn't avoid death.

  Unless you possessed overwhelming power far exceeding your current Grade, that was a different story. You could roam freely in the mission world; survival was assured, at least.

  Just don't provoke the background characters.

  【Mission Type: Tethered Mission】

  【Mission Difficulty: Tier 2】

  Tzzz—

  This was Mei's second mission since reaching Tier 2. As the mission information appeared on the interface, her figure flickered and vanished.

  She had entered the mission world.

  ...

  Whoosh—

  A warm, gentle breeze swept past, feeling incredibly comfortable. Mei stood on a hillside overlooking a peaceful, charming little town.

  The docks bustled with activity; boats came and went, large quantities of seafood being transported to the market, with many people trading directly on the docks.

  Suddenly,

  A commotion erupted on the docks; the crowd was excited.

  Someone asked,

  "What's going on?"

  An informed person, beaming, spread the news: "They say that Sullivan lad found an underwater ruin out at sea! It might contain a huge treasure!"

  "Really?!"

  "Of course it's true!"

  The townspeople buzzed with envy.

  Mei sensed the world's state while simultaneously using the ālaya-Vij?āna to subtly infiltrate and observe its secrets. She quickly gained a complete understanding of this world.

  This was a world brimming with wonders and mysteries. The landmass was vast, its borders yet unexplored by humanity, holding infinite possibilities.

  Over countless millennia, various civilizations had risen and fallen on this land, burying different eras. This imbued the land with an extremely rich history and culture.

  No one knew how many eras and civilizations had existed on this land, what ruins were buried in which corners of the world, or where the treasures and mystical powers of bygone ages lay hidden.

  Mystery and treasure were everywhere.

  Therefore,

  The most popular profession in this world was adventurer. Becoming a professional adventurer meant you could explore ruins and excavate treasures.

  Overnight riches were commonplace.

  Across the land humanity had claimed, numerous large and small nations existed, maintaining a state of overall peace interspersed with localized conflicts.

  The current technological level had advanced to an electro-mechanical civilization. Steam trains traversed the railways, and airships and warships dominated the skies and seas.

  Automobiles were slowly entering the public eye.

  However, disparities existed between different regions. Developed areas boasted high-rise buildings, electric lights, and advanced technology, while underdeveloped areas didn't even have electricity.

  The town where Mei found herself was called Sea Town, located on a coastal strip of land, relying on the docks for its seafood trade, and thus enjoying a relatively prosperous economy.

  Electricity had reached the town a few years ago, so electricity and electrical appliances were commonplace.

  The interface flashed.

  【Main Mission · Phase One: This world holds countless mysteries. To uncover this world's secrets, you must first become a professional adventurer.】

  【Mission Reward: 1000 points】

  In this world, being an adventurer wasn't just a title; it was a respected, high-level profession. One had to pass the Adventurer's Guild examination to gain professional certification.

  Obviously,

  This was no problem for Mei.

  ...

  【Name: Mei】

  【Grade: Tier 2】

  【Points: 1,104,600】

  【Abilities: Star Spirit ·LV30, Planck Membrane Lifeform, Limit Break ·LV10, Super Burst ·LV11, Death Evolution, Guaranteed Hit ·LV11, Causality Manipulation ·LV1, Truth Manifestation ·LV1】

  【Items: Personal Spatial Storage ·Galaxy, Chapter of Gaia, Tyrant's Heart, Fundamental Core】

  ...

  Even though this world seemed weak, Mei remained cautiously vigilant, removing the Fundamental Core from her Personal Spatial Storage and submerging it within the Planck membrane.

  She had purchased an Information Cloaking Device with faith marker tokens in the Earth Universe. It couldn't be brought into Hyperdimensional Space or mission worlds, so it didn't appear on the interface, temporarily spatially isolated in an unknown location.

  In this new mission world, Mei eagerly anticipated her random ability acquisition, but this selection was unexpected.

  【Target detected】

  【Authority installation in progress】

  【Installation complete】

  【Entering random selection】

  【Random selection: ???】

  【??? upgrade complete】

  ...

  【Upgrade Task 1: Repair the Book of Truth. Reach 10% repair, receive one random reward.】

  【Upgrade Task 2: Repair the Book of Truth. Reach 20% repair, receive one random reward.】

  【Upgrade Task 3: Repair the Book of Truth. Reach 30% repair, receive one random reward.】

  ...

  "Huh?"

  Mei was stunned.

  This was the first time she'd seen this kind of random selection. What did the series of question marks mean?

  As Mei pondered, a grey stone slab radiating ancient energy appeared in mid-air. This was the so-called Book of Truth.

  Despite its name, the stone slab couldn't be opened like a book; it was just a stone slab with a withered tree carved onto its surface.

  With the Book of Truth in hand, the interface offered no further prompts. If it were equipment or an item, Mei would have received a notification.

  Mei suddenly understood.

  "So that's it."

  The Book of Truth was merely a medium for completing the upgrade tasks, not equipment or an item Mei could obtain. After the mission, she likely couldn't take it back to Hyperdimensional Space.

  That made sense.

  Or at least, that was the only way Mei could understand this random selection.

  The moment she touched the Book of Truth, information flooded Mei's mind, revealing the process of repairing it.

  A progress bar appeared on the interface.

  【Repair Progress: 1/100,000】

  One hundred-thousandth.

  The Book of Truth contained all the truths of this world, encompassing all concepts and ultimate powers, equivalent to the world itself. Theoretically, it was a being far surpassing Tier 7.

  However,

  In an indescribably distant past, this world had undergone numerous destructions, fragmenting and becoming incomplete.

  The Book of Truth was therefore fragmented and incomplete, its power diminished.

  Mei's task was to repair the Book of Truth, piecing together all the scattered fragments of truth that had drifted to unknown locations, restoring it to its former glory.

  For each progress milestone reached, the Book of Truth would reward Mei with a generous random prize—payment for her services in this world.

  Mei understood.

  This seemed like a deal struck between this world and an external entity, which was acceptable; at least it wasn't unpaid labor.

  She anticipated with interest.

  "Generous random rewards… very enticing."

  It wasn't impossible to collect the fragments of the Book of Truth passively. Even if Mei did nothing, merely carrying the Book of Truth would eventually lead to its repair.

  Mei possessed the power to manipulate the causality of all things. To a certain extent, she was causality itself. As long as she carried the Book of Truth, it would eventually reach a complete state.

  Through Mei's causal influence, the Book of Truth could repair itself by one hundred-thousandth each day, a process clearly shown by the progress bar.

  Theoretically, even if Mei did nothing, after one hundred thousand days—roughly 274 years—the Book of Truth would automatically complete its repair.

  Mei could passively complete ten upgrade tasks. Collecting the fragments of truth only served to accelerate the repair process, saving time.

  Hum—

  Truth Manifestation!

  In accordance with this world's legends, a map revealing the location of any treasure suddenly appeared. However, this map didn't show the location of the remaining fragments of truth.

  The ālaya-Vij?āna offered no clues.

  If the Book of Truth were complete, its inherent power would far surpass Mei's current abilities, making it highly improbable that Truth Manifestation could detect its whereabouts.

  But now that the Book of Truth was shattered, could each fragment possess a complete concept, granting it the power to evade Truth Manifestation's observation?

  Unlikely.

  Even if several fragments possessed such power, it was improbable that every fragment did. This suggested the fragments existed beyond the scope of Truth Manifestation's search.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  They were either deliberately hidden or scattered throughout the void beyond this world. Mei didn't mind; it just meant staying in this world a little longer.

  A chance to relax.

  This world was truly interesting.

  Regardless of the possibility, Mei patiently waited for the right moment. Due to the Book of Truth's causal influence, the unclaimed fragments' power would gradually return to the stone.

  The claimed fragments would eventually appear before her.

  Considering some fragments might contain extremely powerful concepts, this seemingly weak world might actually harbor several conceptual-level powerhouses.

  Of course,

  That was mere speculation.

  In any case, Mei remained low-key. She went to the Sea Town Adventurer's Guild office and submitted an application.

  "Hello, I'd like to become a professional adventurer."

  "Please wait a moment."

  Since the upgrade tasks offered no clues, she'd focus on the main mission first. After submitting her adventurer examination application, Mei left the office and brushed past a young man.

  The office worker, seeing the young man, exclaimed enviously, "Sullivan! I heard you found a ruin at sea. Are you here to register it?"

  "Haha, just good luck."

  Ordinary people who discovered ruins lacked the ability to explore them independently. However, registering newly discovered ruin information with the Adventurer's Guild brought a reward.

  If the ruin was valuable, the Adventurer's Guild might award additional funds later. Sullivan's luck was the envy of the entire town.

  After registering the ruin information, Sullivan pulled out an application and gave it to the worker. "Register me for the adventurer examination as well, please."

  "You're eighteen this year, right?"

  The worker wasn't surprised; everyone in Sea Town knew Sullivan constantly talked about becoming a great adventurer.

  He'd just turned eighteen, reaching the minimum age for application.

  "Yes."

  Sullivan grinned.

  "Good luck then."

  The worker stamped the application with a red seal. Many people applied for the adventurer examination each year, but few passed.

  He didn't try to discourage Sullivan; the kid was quite enthusiastic. He then informed Sullivan, "The Sea Town examination applications are periodically sent to the branch office. Someone will pick you up for the exam. I'll notify you when I have news."

  "Thank you."

  Sullivan concealed his excitement; he couldn't wait to excavate ruins and treasures, and explore the world's mysteries.

  Time to train!

  After finishing his work for the day, Sullivan began his usual physical training. Adventurers had to traverse mountains and seas, enduring various dangerous environments; a strong physique was essential.

  Despite his seemingly slender build, Sullivan possessed a powerful physique.

  Mei leisurely sat on the hillside, watching Sullivan run laps around Sea Town. The kid had excellent stamina, running for long periods without a single break.

  The humans of this world were truly extraordinary. They could repeatedly push their limits, continuously improving their physical strength and exceeding the physical capabilities of ordinary people.

  However,

  Few could achieve this level of fitness.

  Similarly human, yet those in this world who had broken their physical limits were almost a different species from ordinary people, the difference so vast.

  Breaking one's limits wasn't easy; it required a certain talent and luck. Those lacking these two, no matter how much they trained, would only train themselves to death.

  Sullivan possessed this talent and potential. His extraordinary training alone demonstrated that his physical abilities were far beyond those of ordinary people.

  Moreover,

  This world's power system was called "Willpower"—a power generated from intense mental intentionality combined with the body's own strength.

  It was a product of mental and life force combined; the stronger one's will and physique, the stronger their Willpower, and vice versa. A relatively simple, brutal power system.

  Mei released some void energy and effortlessly transformed it into Willpower. This was the strength of void energy: its adaptability to all worlds and power systems.

  The instant the void energy transformed into Willpower, the air around seemed to thicken, then returned to normal.

  "..."

  Even Mei was slightly surprised; the disturbance had been quite significant. Her physique was already incredibly strong, yet converting internal void energy into Willpower further enhanced it.

  The limits of Willpower were higher than she'd imagined.

  Of course,

  Willpower's effects extended beyond enhancing willpower and physical strength. There were many applications, such as external projection and other advanced techniques. Advanced Willpower could even manifest as weapons and items.

  The tools used to manifest Willpower in this world were called "Willpower Vessels," possessing powerful Ideal amounts. They were a manifestation of pure thought and imagination, wielding unimaginable power.

  Ideal.

  This was a power lacking in the Self-Awareness system.

  To a certain extent, as long as one's power was strong enough, Ideal could withstand all telekinetic forces, its upper limit unimaginable.

  Mastering the Willpower system allowed Mei to touch upon the realm of Ideal, a significant gain. In the subconscious, information about Willpower techniques flooded her mind from the ālaya-Vij?āna.

  In an instant,

  Mei mastered all techniques of the Willpower system. The extremely high level instantly propelled her to the peak of Willpower. She experimented with manifesting her own Willpower Vessel, intensely curious about its form and the power it could wield.

  However,

  The more powerful the Willpower Vessel, the longer it took to manifest. The gestation and creation of Ideal amounts on the Willpower Vessel required time.

  She would wait.

  Mei had plenty of time.

  Meanwhile,

  "Two hundred ninety-eight, two hundred ninety-nine, three hundred!"

  Sullivan continued his push-ups impassively, the numbers flowing from his mouth like an inexhaustible torrent.

  A fortnight later, the Adventurer's Guild airship appeared in Sea Town's sky. A colossal shadow swept across the ground, and a gigantic vessel entered their view.

  "That's an airship!"

  On the ground,

  Sullivan and the others stared, mouths agape, their eyes wide with excitement. They had received notification from the office; this airship was here to take them to the examination site for the adventurer's test.

  Sea Town was the only town nearby with an Adventurer's Guild branch office, so applicants from several surrounding towns had to come here to board the airship to the exam location.

  Besides Mei and Sullivan, there were a dozen other applicants—young people, middle-aged individuals, and even elderly people.

  Just as everyone expected the airship to land, it sailed directly over their heads. A rope descended from the cargo hold.

  Then,

  A voice boomed from the airship.

  "Anyone wanting to take the exam climb up this rope. Those who can't climb are deemed unqualified and won't get another chance."

  "What?!"

  The crowd was stunned. When did the exam rules change?

  Sullivan, the quickest to react, chased after it like a blur. The airship looked slow, but its speed was anything but. He easily caught up, grabbed the rope, and began climbing.

  The others scrambled to follow.

  On the airship,

  A blue-eyed, black-haired young man looked down at the chasing crowd with a sneer. "Hmph, a bunch of clueless country bumpkins!"

  Unlike the other applicants, Blaise already possessed Willpower, and to a considerable degree.

  In his estimation, these easily discernible ordinary people would fail. Going to the exam site was just a waste of resources.

  With that,

  He turned away, slightly bored. Just as he was about to sit down, his eyes widened in shock. He sensed another person in the cabin.

  When had that happened?!

  Mei glanced at Blaise, then ignored him. Blaise, however, stared intently at Mei, his expression grave and incredulous.

  He asked a nearby applicant,

  "When did that person get on?"

  The other applicant was equally bewildered.

  "I don't know."

  Hearing this,

  Blaise felt uneasy. His Willpower hadn't detected Mei's presence, leading him to conclude that Mei was also a Willpower user.

  After his initial shock, he found the examination more interesting—at least it wasn't just a bunch of country bumpkins and weaklings. Blaise approached Mei.

  "Hello, my name is Blaise."

  "Aure."

  Mei still used the shortened version of Aurelia. She held a newspaper, casually reading it as a pastime.

  As they spoke, a head popped up from the cargo hold.

  "Haha, made it!"

  Sullivan, breathless but unfazed, found a seat and sat down. Then, he stood up again, staring at Mei.

  He remembered being the first to run, so how was this person faster?

  Unclear.

  Sullivan couldn't figure it out.

  Blaise was arrogant, disdaining the weak while eager to challenge the strong, proving his superiority. He was remarkably adept at seeking out challenges and possessed a high degree of self-awareness.

  In his eyes, Mei was a strong individual, capable of concealing her Willpower from his senses. Blaise acknowledged Mei's strength.

  Blaise's arrogance knew no bounds; he was intrigued by Mei and wanted to test her abilities.

  Before he could make a move, Mei spoke calmly. She disliked trouble but wouldn't hesitate to strike if provoked.

  "If you cause me trouble, I'll throw you out."

  "Wouldn't dream of it."

  Blaise offered a polite smile, abandoning his intentions.

  Finally,

  Excluding Mei, only three people in Sea Town successfully climbed the airship via rope; the others were deemed unfit.

  This year's adventurer qualification examination had undergone significant changes. The person in charge was a radical reformer, and simply getting onto the airship eliminated many candidates.

  The message was clear:

  If your physique wasn't up to par, don't bother.

  Only after boarding the airship did the candidates learn this, causing many to look worried and apprehensive about the examination.

  Adventurers enjoyed extremely high benefits in every nation. Possessing a professional adventurer's certificate meant free travel on all non-privately owned transport.

  They also received various monthly allowances.

  This alone made it a highly sought-after position.

  The generous benefits meant a highly competitive environment. Last year's examination was already difficult; increasing the difficulty this year was only natural.

  Mei acted as if she were on a sightseeing trip, showing no nervousness. She ate an apple leisurely while enjoying the scenery.

  Blaise leaned closer.

  "Aure, with your abilities, you could easily get by anywhere. There's no need for you to become an adventurer. Why participate in this examination?"

  Mei thought for a moment.

  "To find something to do."

  It was for the main mission, and finding something to do was also true. She planned to spend some time in this world, slowing down her pace.

  Otherwise, she could have instantly teleported away.

  The upgrade tasks weren't urgent, so she might as well enjoy herself.

  "..."

  Blaise hadn't expected such a mundane and almost speechless reason. He preferred reasons driven by hidden dreams and intense emotions.

  Such as wanting to become the world's greatest adventurer—a naive dream that made him want to laugh—or wanting to find an enemy, a reason fueled by intense resentment.

  Blaise was a little disappointed.

  Of course,

  He also understood that they were strangers; Mei might not be telling the truth. He quickly continued the conversation, aiming to understand Mei better.

  This was Blaise's habit and interest.

  He enjoyed uncovering a person's true nature and secrets by observing their words, actions, and hidden intentions in their lies. This gave him a sense of accomplishment.

  However,

  After their conversation, he only found Mei to be an incredibly boring person with nothing better to do. This woman seemed to have "Relaxation" and "Don't bother me" engraved on her forehead.

  This seemingly dull and unremarkable demeanor, however, subtly hinted at Mei's exceptional willpower, mental strength, and ideology.

  Blaise keenly sensed this.

  A truly unremarkable person couldn't awaken Willpower. Although Mei hadn't revealed even a fraction of her Willpower, Blaise firmly believed she possessed exceptionally strong Willpower; he just hadn't figured out how strong.

  He was confident in his own abilities and thus certain of his perception.

  "Not curious about my reason for taking the exam?"

  "Not interested."

  Blaise seemed to find this amusing, smirking and saying, "I'm like you, a normal nobody, incredibly boring. I thought the people in the Adventurer's Guild might be more interesting."

  He felt he was somehow similar to Mei, making him even more interested in her. Mei, however, found him talkative and maintained a consistently cool demeanor.

  The airship circled before heading directly towards the examination grounds with fifty candidates.

  Each day, the Book of Truth's repair progress steadily increased by one hundred-thousandth. After more than ten days, Mei's progress reached twenty percent.

  【Repair Progress: 20/100,000】

  She occasionally used Truth Manifestation to search for clues to the fragments of truth, but so far without success. After several days of travel, they finally arrived at the examination grounds.

  A large island twenty kilometers in diameter.

  Lush, swaying trees formed rolling green waves, their edges bordering the boundless ocean. Loud noises and the growls of wild beasts occasionally echoed from the island's interior.

  The airship landed gently. The candidates, full of curiosity, disembarked, gazing at the surrounding jungle, a mixture of apprehension and excitement filling their hearts.

  "Welcome to the examination grounds. This is the 143rd examination site for the 85th Professional Adventurer Qualification Examination. I am your chief examiner, Saches."

  On the clearing,

  A middle-aged man with glasses and blond hair had been waiting. Saches wore a clean white suit, a friendly smile on his face.

  Blaise's eyes lit up.

  A Willpower Awakener!

  As expected.

  The Adventurer's Guild was a den of hidden dragons and tigers!

  Saches' gaze swept over the candidates, pausing only briefly on Blaise; he sensed Blaise's Willpower.

  Ignoring Blaise's sharp gaze, Saches addressed Sullivan's question: "Mr. Saches, what is the examination?"

  Hearing this,

  The candidates pricked up their ears, silently hoping the reformed examination wouldn't be too demanding.

  "Simple."

  Saches produced a large numbered card, pointing towards the jungle behind him. "The Guild has hidden five such numbered cards on this island. These five cards are hidden in various ways. Those who find them and bring them to me pass the examination."

  Fifty candidates, five cards—a ten percent pass rate. The candidates exchanged glances; the competition was fierce, but perhaps manageable.

  The very nature of adventurers was treasure hunting and exploration; this examination was perfectly reasonable. The dangers of the island were simply challenges adventurers needed to face.

  The candidates understood this.

  Danger was inevitable. Those unwilling to take the risk could leave; no one was forcing them. If they couldn't handle even this, they shouldn't be adventurers.

  "Ten percent pass rate? That high?"

  "Of course not."

  Saches chuckled. "You are the first candidates to arrive at the 143rd examination site. More candidates will arrive, one after another, until all five numbered cards are returned to me."

  "!!!"

  "Therefore, make use of your time advantage. You may begin immediately. The Guild will not provide food or shelter. You must survive on this island using your own strength. Airships will patrol and provide emergency medical assistance to the severely injured, but this will mean failing the examination."

  "..."

  The candidates fell silent for a moment, then immediately dispersed, pushing their way into the jungle to search for the five hidden numbered cards.

  "Hurry!"

  "Don't let anyone get ahead!"

  ...

  It wasn't entirely clue-less. The island's area was roughly 200 square kilometers; a blind search was essentially impossible for ordinary people.

  The Guild had left numerous clues when hiding the cards. With enough caution and killing power, clues could be found and traced.

  Compared to the others' frantic scramble, Mei and Blaise were exceptionally calm and unhurried as they entered the forest.

  Saches watched Blaise's back, then curiously glanced at Mei's. He noticed Blaise seemed to be intentionally or unintentionally paying attention to Mei.

  However,

  He didn't sense any Willpower from Mei and didn't think much of it.

  At that moment,

  A mature woman in a black suit approached Saches. "Blaise is a rather dangerous individual; he has a notorious reputation in the Ai'erke Kingdom."

  Saches nodded.

  "I can see that; his Willpower is quite dangerous."

  The Guild had already investigated the candidates upon receiving their applications. Individuals like Blaise, malicious yet powerful, naturally drew special attention.

  But the Guild didn't treat such individuals differently. As long as their actions weren't excessive, the examiners wouldn't interfere; they'd be treated like any other candidate.

  Matters exceeding the defined limits were left to the chief examiner's discretion; after all, fighting treasure hunters and enemies was a situation adventurers had to face.

  A certain level of casualties was acceptable to the Guild. The candidates understood the nature of being an adventurer; those who participated in the examination had to accept the inherent dangers.

  The woman changed the subject.

  "All monitoring routes are online."

  "Good."

  Saches and the woman went to a small hill where numerous monitors were set up. Hidden surveillance cameras provided a comprehensive view of the island.

  Though human civilization had entered the electrical age, it was still in its early stages; current technology couldn't produce the sophisticated cameras and monitors used here.

  Telephones and radios were considered the most advanced communication technology.

  These bulky surveillance machines were products of Willpower Vessel technology and couldn't be mass-produced. Only large organizations and wealthy individuals could afford them.

  The monitors were small and crude, with blurry black-and-white images that flickered constantly. However, this represented the most advanced technology of the time.

  Blaise was a priority target, easily found on the screens. On an inconspicuous monitor, Mei's figure suddenly appeared.

  Saches hadn't paid attention to Mei initially, but her target was exceptionally clear. She went directly to a tree, dug up a small box, and pulled out a numbered card.

  The number on the card was one!

  "She found one already?!"

  Saches was astonished.

  Suddenly,

  He realized this person wasn't ordinary. The clues they'd planted weren't meant to directly lead to the cards; Saches realized he'd misjudged.

  "Who is she?"

  "Aure."

  The woman instantly brought up Mei's information: "Mysterious background; her history and past are blank. She submitted an application in Sea Town twenty days ago."

  Saches instructed,

  "Add 'Willpower Awakener' to her file. Strength… currently unknown."

  "Yes."

  Saches concluded that Mei was a Willpower Awakener; otherwise, she couldn't have possessed such an extraordinary ability to locate the card so quickly.

  She hadn't even looked for clues!

  At the same time,

  In the forest,

  As Mei took the numbered card from the box, a passing burly man bumped into her. The man stopped in his tracks.

  His eyes widened as he stared at the numbered card in Mei's hand. He stood there, stunned and disbelieving, then decisively pulled a dagger from his waist.

  His face was a mask of manic glee.

  "Kid, give me that card."

  Mei glanced at the man out of the corner of her eye, ignoring him as she continued walking. The man's face darkened; he brandished his dagger and lunged at Mei.

  Tzzz—

  The image on the screen flickered. Less than a second later, when the image stabilized, the burly man was lying on the ground.

  He appeared to be dead.

  Saches frowned: "What just happened?"

  "..."

  The woman couldn't answer.

  A Willpower Awakener instantly killing an ordinary person was commonplace; the difference in combat ability and physical attributes was too vast.

  But the instantaneous flicker had obscured Mei's actions, shrouding her strength in mystery.

  The woman said, "This person is dangerous. Even for a Willpower Awakener, such decisive and deadly efficiency is rare."

  "Add that to her file."

  "Understood."

  Saches couldn't help but marvel, "I hit the jackpot! Just the first group, and the quality is this high. Two Willpower Awakeners among fifty candidates!"

  And two exceptionally powerful Awakeners at that.

  While the other candidates were still struggling to find clues, Mei returned to the landing site with the numbered card. Saches was waiting, personally receiving the card from her.

  "Does that mean I passed?"

  Saches nodded with a smile.

  "Congratulations, you passed. Please wait a while; the Adventurer's Guild will issue professional certificates to all who passed together."

  "Okay."

  Even at such close proximity, Saches couldn't sense any Willpower from Mei, causing a tremor in his heart. He suspected her strength far exceeded the norm.

  Mei knew what Saches was thinking but didn't care. Her low-key approach was about not revealing her true strength; she didn't need to be overly cautious during casual encounters.

  When Blaise, covered in blood, returned, he discovered Mei had already returned a numbered card, prompting an exclamation.

  "You're really fast!"

  "Not bad."

  Mei was exceptionally relaxed.

  Blaise had gone on a killing spree on the island. After finding a card, he deliberately lured others to steal it, mercilessly killing those who took the bait.

  He'd had a lot of fun.

  Despite wasting considerable time satisfying his twisted amusement, he was still the second person to return a card to the examiner.

  Meanwhile,

  Three airships successively delivered more than one hundred candidates, joining the search and scramble for the cards. The competition became increasingly intense.

  At that moment,

  Three numbered cards remained on the island, and the examination continued.

  Just as everyone thought the examination would drag on until the end, a massive shadow suddenly swept across the sky above the island, followed by a deafening, ferocious roar.

  "ROAR!"