Combat Assessment.
The Electric Bear fought five battles, winning three and losing two.
It exposed many problems.
For instance, lack of combat experience, lack of combat experience, and lack of combat experience.
Against that Great Ape that had just stepped into the Elite level, it could gain an advantage with a killing move like 'Meatball Thunder Sphere,' using the sphere's formidable impact to crush the opponent.
But against those seasoned Elite-level opponents, the Electric Bear couldn't hold its own.
"When using Meatball Thunder Sphere, the attack trajectory is too obvious... it doesn't utilize the sphere's flexibility."
It had been predicted once, taking a full-force Flamethrower head-on, nearly losing half its life.
After all, it was just a weak, gluttonous, entry-level Electric Bear that had been contracted for only a few months.
"Wah wah wah~!"
The Electric Bear looked at its beautiful white fur, now scorched black, and nearly burst into tears.
Su Hao patted it... on the spots that weren't burned, comforting it.
"Don't worry, you've improved quickly. Just a few dozen more fights, and you'll debut as a powerhouse bear."
The Electric Bear's "wah" paused mid-sound.
Why did it have to endure this pain that no bear should bear?
Probably because of its love for the game.
Wah~!
...
After the final exams, Sun Gaoyang, the instructor overseeing Guanhu Court's assessment, found Su Hao.
He asked, "Are you sure you want to apply for the Special Training Camp challenge?"
The Special Training Camp was one of the most mysterious places... on the Whale Island University campus.
Some freshmen didn't even know such a place existed.
Out of thousands of students across the country, all considered geniuses, only a hundred could step into the Special Training Camp.
The best of the best!
There, the most advanced and expensive facilities awaited.
Along with richer resources for cultivation.
All to nurture true powerhouses.
"You want to challenge the Special Training Camp's trainees... that's fine. Your results are good enough. Trying it out is okay; it'll build experience."
Instructor Sun said, "Since you're prepared, I'll submit your name. Don't leave campus in the next few days. You'll get a notice in as little as two or three days, at most a week."
"Thank you, Instructor."
"Let me go over the rules again, though you might already know them."
He said, "When the time comes, you and the other challengers will take on the bottom ten in the Special Training Camp's rankings. Defeat any one of them, and you earn entry.
"The combat style is real, practical fighting—meaning you and your spirit beast fight together.
"With this year's college entrance exam reforms, you should have experience, but the Special Training Camp trainees' experience... is even richer."
...
Four days after the finals.
Early in the morning, Su Hao set off for the Special Training Camp, located in the mid-rear part of Whale Island.
He rode the Water Scale Beast, with Butterfly perched on his head.
The Fire Crow soared in the sky.
The Electric Bear sprinted on all fours.
All four spirit beasts were with him.
"What kind of facilities are inside the Special Training Camp?"
Su Hao didn't know.
He had asked Senior Jiang Xiuqi, who mysteriously replied, "You'll know when you get there."
He wanted to flip a table.
But undoubtedly, the seniors and juniors in the Special Training Camp were incredibly strong!
"Even if they're at the Elite-level limit, their combat power is extraordinary!
"An ordinary Elite-level limit could likely be taken down in one move."
Looking at himself.
Electric Bear... skip.
Water Scale Beast, mainly for getting him around.
The real mainstays were still Butterfly and the Fire Crow.
Two spirit beasts.
Butterfly was roughly at Elite Advanced.
The Fire Crow... after evolving, its growth rate had sped up, but it still hadn't reached the Elite-level limit.
The gap was huge!
The enemies were too strong!
He had to give it his all!
...
At the same time, several others were also heading from the dorms and other areas to the Special Training Camp's location.
Some, like Su Hao, were challengers.
Others were the bottom-ranked trainees in the camp, the ones being challenged.
"A waste of time!"
A boy in yellow sat cross-legged on a Pure Jade Lotus, snorting impatiently. "At the end of last semester, we were the victors. With another semester of Special Training Camp training, those weaklings couldn't beat us six months ago, and they sure can't now!
"I don't know why the school lets them challenge. What a waste of time!"
"Just one day, maybe two."
Another spoke, his shirt emblazoned with a prominent lightning bolt symbol.
He rode a Thunder Roar Deer.
The final evolution of the Little Electric Deer, its antlers crackling with lightning.
Behind the lightning boy followed a humanoid spirit beast with a belly like a thunder drum.
—The Thunder Boar King.
In the sky, a Purple Lightning Wing, with a wingspan of seven or eight meters, soared.
Three lightning-type spirit beasts!
The lightning boy came from a lightning-type spirit beast family. As a sophomore, he was already a member of the Special Training Camp.
Boundless potential.
He had a 99% chance of becoming a Master-level Spirit Master before graduation.
And a strong candidate for the school team.
"Sometimes you need a change of pace. Crushing others keeps our spirit beasts mentally healthy."
His words brimmed with confidence.
Anyone who had made significant progress in half a year would share that same confidence.
Only a boy sitting on a Great Ape shook his head.
He opened his mouth to urge the other two to be cautious.
But then he thought, as long as Special Training Camp members didn't slack off, it was nearly impossible for other students to surpass them.
...
The Special Training Camp.
Stretching out like an enclosed town, it was filled with countless training facilities.
Su Hao didn't go deep.
He was only led to a high-level battle arena on the camp's outskirts.
When he arrived, many were already there.
Some standing, some sitting.
They were vaguely split into two groups.
'The smaller group is the Special Training Camp trainees, the ones being challenged.'
As Su Hao entered, many eyes glanced at him, then looked away.
He was a nobody.
Actually, he wasn't entirely unknown.
The name 'Su Hao' had been heard by quite a few.
But his face...
No one recognized him.
Except for a few senior girls who thought he was kind of handsome, very handsome, extremely handsome.
They kept glancing over.
Su Hao felt those gazes and grew wary.
'As expected, my reputation is too big. I've drawn attention the moment I arrived.'
'They must be observing and analyzing. I can't let them see through me.'
'After all, there's competition among challengers too!'
Su Hao thought.
A few minutes later, several instructors arrived.
The lead male instructor had artistic long hair. Su Hao forgot his name, only remembered he was a water-type instructor.
A first-level instructor.
He counted heads and said, "Since everyone's here, let's begin.
"Each of you has up to three challenge attempts. You can freely choose your opponent. Who goes first?"
As the instructor finished speaking, a boy with a crew cut jumped in.
"I'll go. I challenge you, Xiang Qi!"
He stepped forward, approaching a burly boy.
Their eyes met, and they stared at each other for a long moment before breaking apart.