The moment Rex Hao stopped holding back completely, the pressure spreading throughout Training Sector Three increased to a level that caused even nearby students to instinctively step backward. Dense spiritual energy erupted violently around Rex's body while reinforced patterns spread visibly beneath his skin like glowing cracks of power. The already damaged combat platform beneath his feet continued fracturing under the sheer force leaking from his body while shockwaves spread outward across the arena.
At this point, the fight no longer resembled a normal first-year evaluation match.
Several upperclassmen watching from nearby sections had stopped speaking entirely because even they understood something abnormal was unfolding in front of them. What originally started as entertainment—a weak Trainee Warrior getting crushed publicly—had transformed into something none of them could properly explain anymore.
Huang Ming stood numerous meters away while breathing heavily, his body trembling beneath the strain of forced synchronization. Chaotic spiritual energy continued flowing visibly around him while faint distortions rippled subtly through the surrounding air every time he moved. Unlike earlier, however, the unstable energy no longer looked completely uncontrollable.
It was adapting alongside him.
Synchronizing.
And somehow—
Evolving.
Yet despite the improvements, Huang could clearly feel his body approaching its limit. Every heartbeat sent painful surges through his meridians while his muscles constantly trembled from the pressure spreading throughout him. It felt as though his body continuously reconstructed itself faster than it could properly stabilize.
Inside his mind, Lyra's calm voice echoed once more.
"Warning. Physical stress levels continue increasing."
"… I figured that out when my skeleton started hurting," Huang answered internally while trying to steady his breathing.
"Synchronization efficiency has surpassed expected parameters."
"… That sounds less like good news and more like future medical debt."
Despite the overwhelming tension filling the arena, several nearby students nearly laughed nervously after hearing Huang apparently continue arguing with himself during the middle of an increasingly terrifying battle.
But nobody truly felt relaxed anymore.
Because Rex Hao's current pressure felt dangerous.
Far above the arena, the observation room had fallen completely silent while instructors continued watching the match with increasingly serious expressions. Multiple holographic screens displayed violent fluctuations across both combat profiles while warning signals continuously flashed throughout Huang's readings.
"The synchronization rate keeps increasing…"
"How is his body still functioning?"
"He should've collapsed several minutes ago…"
The older instructor standing near the center of the room remained focused entirely on Huang's combat data. The deeper he analyzed the readings, the more abnormal they became.
Then slowly—
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"… His body isn't just adapting anymore."
Another instructor immediately turned toward him.
"What do you mean?"
The older instructor remained silent briefly before finally speaking.
"It's beginning to anticipate combat patterns before they fully develop."
Those words immediately caused various instructors' expressions to change.
Because reaction speed and anticipation were entirely different concepts.
One required perception.
The other required predictive adaptation.
And predictive adaptation—
Should have been impossible at Huang's level.
Meanwhile, down on Platform Seven, Rex Hao suddenly vanished again.
This time his speed exploded far beyond anything he displayed earlier. The platform beneath him shattered violently from the force of acceleration while shockwaves spread across the arena hard enough to shake nearby sections of the stadium.
Numerous weaker students completely lost sight of him.
But Huang saw him clearly.
Not perfectly.
But enough.
The moment Rex moved, Huang's sharpened perception immediately detected the shifting flow of spiritual energy through Rex's body. Muscle tension. Weight transfer. Attack trajectory. Even the slight fluctuations hidden beneath Rex's reinforcement became painfully obvious within Huang's senses.
Everything appeared within his perception almost instinctively now.
Rex's reinforced fist rushed directly toward Huang's head.
Huang moved sideways.
The second strike exploded toward his ribs.
Huang twisted backward instinctively.
The third attack descended immediately afterward with overwhelming force.
Huang stepped inward.
BOOM.
Rex's punch shattered another section of the platform instead of Huang's body while fragments of reinforced metal scattered violently throughout the arena.
The crowd erupted instantly.
"He dodged again?!"
"That speed shouldn't even be trackable!"
"How is Huang reacting to this?!"
Even Rex's expression gradually began changing.
Not frustration.
Confusion.
Because Huang's movements no longer looked accidental.
They still lacked refinement.
Still lacked proper martial structure.
But now—
They looked instinctively efficient.
As though Huang's body itself had begun calculating the optimal movements necessary for survival without conscious thought.
Rex launched another barrage of reinforced strikes while dense spiritual energy exploded violently around the platform. Shockwaves continuously spread outward while fragments of shattered metal scattered across the battlefield.
Yet Huang continued avoiding every attack.
Barely.
But consistently.
His body twisted, stepped, shifted, and reacted almost automatically while chaotic spiritual energy flowed visibly around him. Every dangerous strike forced another subtle adaptation throughout his nervous system.
And slowly—
Huang himself began realizing something terrifying.
He wasn't consciously thinking during movement anymore.
His body reacted before his mind fully processed danger.
Inside his head, Lyra spoke calmly once more.
"Synchronization between instinctive response and physical adaptation continues improving."
"… I'm genuinely starting to feel scared of my body."
"Fear response acknowledged."
"… That somehow doesn't help."
Across the platform, Rex Hao's breathing gradually became heavier while frustration visibly spread across his expression. Spiritual energy surged violently around him as he clenched both fists harder.
"You're not stronger than me," Rex growled coldly.
"… I never said I was."
"Then STOP MOVING LIKE THIS!"
Rex suddenly exploded forward once more with even greater force than before. The reinforced power surrounding both arms intensified violently while the pressure spreading throughout the arena became almost suffocating.
This attack was different.
More dangerous.
More unstable.
Even Huang instinctively sensed it.
The moment Rex approached, Huang's sharpened perception immediately noticed something unusual hidden within Rex's spiritual flow.
Instability.
Tiny.
But present.
Rex was pushing his reinforcement beyond safe limits out of frustration.
And without consciously understanding why—
Huang's body reacted automatically.
Instead of retreating—
He stepped directly toward Rex again.
The crowd gasped instantly after seeing Huang advance directly into another reinforced attack.
Rex's fist rushed toward Huang's chest with overwhelming force capable of crushing reinforced steel.
But at the final moment, Huang twisted sideways while instinctively striking toward another unstable point hidden within Rex's reinforcement pattern.
BANG.
A violent ripple exploded throughout Rex's arm.
His reinforced spiritual flow destabilized instantly.
Rex's eyes widened in shock before his entire body staggered violently backward across the platform.
This time—
The reaction was far greater than before.
Cracks spread visibly throughout Rex's reinforcement layer while unstable spiritual energy burst outward around him chaotically. The force of the destabilization caused even the surrounding air to distort momentarily.
The crowd stared in absolute disbelief.
Because Huang Ming—
The weakest-ranked student in Ling High School—
Had just disrupted a fully reinforced combat technique.