The Return of Godkin

After a sigh, Godfrey smiled faintly. "What a good child. Nigel is truly fortunate. If one day West Ocean City is no longer enough for you, Skysea's doors will always be open."

He gently patted Ray's head, then turned and left with broad strides.

Ray remained silent until the two figures disappeared into the distance.

"That offer sounded pretty good," Raziel Phoenix said with a foxlike grin. "Why reject it? You don't want to leave us?"

Ray forced a bitter smile. "Pretty good? That was incredible. You don't understand how important Spirit Refinement is. Only fifth-rank blacksmiths can attempt it, and it's one of the most critical steps in a blacksmith's life."

He exhaled slowly. "It burns through absurd amounts of rare metals. Fail once, and everything turns to scrap. Just thinking about all that money going up in smoke…"

Raziel Phoenix stared at Ray in disbelief. "You love money that much, yet you still rejected him? Are you out of your mind?"

Ray frowned, looking oddly serious. "That's exactly why I rejected him so fast. If I hesitated even a little, I was afraid I'd really agree. The conditions were simply too tempting." He paused, then softened his tone. "Besides, my teacher has treated me well, and I don't want to leave you guys either. I still have several years before I even need to think about Spirit Refinement. If I focus on strengthening my foundation now, maybe I won't need to burn through so many resources later."

He glanced toward the arena and clenched his fist lightly. "Alright. Our match is about to start."

With that, he strode onto the stage.

*

Godfrey climbed the steps to the upper floor and stopped in front of a private box. The people who had followed him remained outside as he entered alone.

Inside the box sat a middle-aged man.

"Teacher," the man said respectfully, standing up to greet him.

Godfrey waved a hand and moved to stand beside him. Together, they watched the battles unfolding below. "Your eye for talent hasn't dulled. You found a good seed. It reminds me of when I found you." He chuckled softly. "You know, the boy refused me outright."

The middle-aged man smiled, pride evident in his eyes. "He's even more talented than I was at his age. I haven't told you this yet, but he's already a fourth-rank blacksmith."

Godfrey froze. "Fourth rank? Are you joking?"

Nigel laughed. "I wouldn't joke about something like that. His talent is far beyond what you imagine. If his cultivation were higher, and if the materials were available, I'd even dare say he could attempt Spirit Refinement in two years."

Godfrey exhaled heavily. "So that's how it is. No wonder his second-grade thousand refinement looked so natural. You hid him well. Were you afraid I'd snatch him away?"

Nigel shook his head. "I only let him advance after he proved he could second-grade thousand refine blue coppertite. As for Rachel… her breakthrough really was unexpected. I suspect Ray pushed her over the threshold. He normally wouldn't choose heavy silver. The fact that they started and finished together says everything."

Godfrey muttered, half in awe, half in envy, "Truly blessed by heaven. Absolutely blessed." He snorted. "Looks like I'll have to work harder if I want to steal him."

Nigel smiled faintly. "I'll honor our agreement. But give me fifteen to twenty years. Let him grow. Once he catches up to me, I'll step aside."

"Fifteen to twenty years?" Godfrey grumbled. "By then my bones will be dust."

Nigel burst into laughter. "Stop pretending. With your cultivation, you'll live another fifty years easily. Don't tell me you kept our relationship secret all these years just for this moment?"

Godfrey's wrinkled face spread into a sly grin. "Blacksmiths have been suppressed for too long. Preparation is everything. If the world had known you were my disciple, do you think headquarters would've backed you so strongly? Just wait. When that kid matures, the tides will turn. You'd better hurry and advance. Once you become a Divine Blacksmith, our position will be unshakable."

Nigel sighed. "Easier said than done. The higher you climb, the clearer you see how steep the path truly is."

*

Ray, Raziel Phoenix, and Lily stepped onto the arena and spread out in a triangular formation.

Ray stood at the front like an immovable stake driven into the ground, while Raziel Phoenix and Lily flanked him on either side.

Their opponents followed them onto the stage: three youths around fourteen years old, clad in Skysea Academy uniforms.

Their demeanor alone set them apart from previous opponents. Calm. Reserved. Alert.

They too formed a triangle.

The leader stood tall and broad-shouldered, his expression steady and unhurried. The youth to his left was slender and sharp-featured, while the one on the right was shorter and stockier.

"I am Sigurd," the tall youth said. "Captain of Skysea Academy's second team."

"I'm Adelina," the slender one added.

"Eustace," said the stocky youth.

The three spoke together, voices firm and polite. "Please advise us."

Ray returned the courtesy. "Ray of West Ocean Academy, Class Zero, first grade."

"Raziel Phoenix."

"Lily."

Sigurd's gaze lingered on Ray. His eyes narrowed slightly, and a powerful pressure rolled outward from his body. Ray's heart skipped a beat.

This guy's soul power is higher than mine.

"Three, two, one, begin!"

Sigurd moved instantly.

Ash-gray light surged from his right arm, condensing into a massive shield nearly a meter long and half a meter wide. Its surface rippled like still water, thick and oppressive. At the same time, soul rings rose beneath his feet.

One. Two. Three.

Three yellow rings.

A three-ringed Soul Elder.

Behind him, Adelina and Eustace released their martial souls, each displaying two yellow soul rings.

A Soul Elder leading two Soul Grandmasters.

Skysea Academy's B-team was no ordinary opponent.

Sigurd charged forward like a battering ram, shield raised high. Adelina and Eustace followed closely, maintaining perfect formation.

Class Zero reacted instantly.

Raziel Phoenix summoned his Light Dragon Dagger and vanished to the side in a flash. Lily halted, hands already weaving elemental power.

Ray stood firm.

His single purple soul ring gleamed beneath his feet as Silverfalls Vine surged outward, weaving into a dense net in front of Lily.

A thousand-year soul ring? With only one ring?

Sigurd's pupils shrank. And that Silverfalls Vine… it didn't look anything like the ordinary kind.

The vines were as thick as eggs, glowing with azure light. Scales shimmered across their surface, and faint golden veins ran through them like a living network. Clear, powerful, and unmistakably dangerous.

Adelina's first soul ring flared.

His body expanded, muscles bulging as arcs of blue-violet lightning danced across his skin. His arms elongated, claws bursting from his fingertips.

Martial soul: Thunder Wolf.

Eustace followed suit. Electric sparks slithered around him, gathering into a pulsing sphere of pure lightning in front of his chest.

Lightning tore through the air.

Adelina launched a bolt straight at Ray, while Eustace hurled his crackling sphere from the opposite side.

A perfect pincer attack, closing in from both directions at once.

Sigurd abruptly lowered his center of gravity mid-charge. When he was still ten meters away from Ray, his first soul ring flared to life, ash-gray light surging through his body as he exploded forward once more, shield raised high.

At the same time, Adelina and Eustace attacked in perfect coordination.

They were targeting Ray from the very start.

Sigurd's heart tightened. That single purple soul ring beneath Ray's feet gnawed at him. A thousand-year-old first ring was no joke. Instinct screamed that this boy, despite his cultivation, was the most dangerous person on the field.

Ray didn't retreat.

With three opponents attacking at once, evasion was pointless. Instead, he chose to meet them head-on.

Silverfalls Vine lashed out toward Adelina, wrapping around his transformed limbs. At the same time, scales surged over Ray's right arm as he reached straight for Eustace's lightning sphere.

A heavy silver hammer appeared in his left hand.

He brought it down on Sigurd's shield.

He was actually trying to block all three by himself.

Even the referee's eyes widened. A one-ringed soul master was taking on a Soul Elder and two Soul Grandmasters head-on. It was sheer madness.

Adelina struck first.

Facing Ray's mutated Silverfalls Vine, he didn't dare underestimate it. Skysea Academy's training had drilled one rule into them: never hold back just because an opponent looks weaker.