Chapter 17 Steel Forger.Harper Carter

　　"What, she's one of the Top Ten Heroes of Shanhai?!"

　　"No way, we get to see one of the legendary Top Ten Heroes of Shanhai right off the bat?"

　　"Hey, hey, did you guys catch the key point? She said she's the third in rank! That's in the top three of the Top Ten Heroes!"

　　Amidst the crowd of thousands, murmurs like these were heard all around.

　　William Garcia looked left and right, only able to dumbly turn to Liam Evans for help. "Liam, what are the Top Ten Heroes of Shanhai?"

　　John Smith perked up his ears as well, since he didn't study very diligently after his last-minute transfer to the academy and was only somewhat familiar with the place.

　　Rolling his eyes, Liam Evans could only sigh as he saw his three buddies all looking at him expectantly.

　　"There's a list of the top 50 Knights in the academy called the Hero Ranking, and those who make it to the top 10 are called the Top Ten Heroes of Shanhai, each with their own moniker."

　　"Are they strong?" William Garcia scratched his head.

　　"More than just strong!" Liam Evans was a bit exasperated, his tone becoming a bit agitated.

　　"The Top Ten Heroes of Shanhai hold a position in the academy that even ordinary instructors can't match. "

　　"After all, the fighting strength of ordinary instructors is only at the level of Perfect Rank's initial stage, while those ranked higher in the Top Ten Heroes might even be at the mid to late stages of Perfect Rank, and can easily crush countless instructors."

　　"More importantly, the Top Ten Heroes of Shanhai make up the Shanhai Ten Heroes Committee, which is a special executive agency directly under the Dean. "

　　"According to the order of their ten seats, they enjoy various privileges from low to high, and can even influence many things related to the operation of the academy!"

　　"In a sense, the will of the Top Ten Heroes of Shanhai represents the will of the academy, understand?"

　　Liam Evans finished speaking in one breath, then looked up with a slightly longing gaze at the golden-robed woman on stage, murmuring, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, such a shapely figure, such a noble and graceful bearing, and what kind of beauty lies behind that mask..."

　　"Whoosh, whoosh."

　　Suddenly, the pterosaur on top of the stone pillar lifted its head and let out two loud roars.

　　Although the sound wasn't particularly loud, it seemed to radiate outward like sound waves, instilling a kind of terrifying spiritual oppression that silenced everyone, and for a moment, there was not a sound to be heard.

　　"Dragon's Might?!" John Smith's heart jumped, and at the same time, he sensed his Galaxy awakening in his chest, cautiously poking his head out to look outside.

　　|ᴥ•́)✧

　　"I'll be in charge of this year's freshman trial. I hope everyone will listen attentively and refrain from interrupting. "

　　"If you have any questions, please save them until the end. Don't be disobedient, or else..."

　　Harper Carter casually patted the wings of her pterodactyl, which understood and snorted heavily.

　　It lifted its head and menacingly gazed at the crowd, as if daring anyone to cause trouble.

　　Satisfied with the response, Harper opened the holographic screen on her wrist and began her official presentation.

　　"The core theme of this year's freshman trial revolves around one thing - contract beast pets!"

　　"I understand that you are all excited to become official spirit masters and eager to have your first pet partner."

　　" The Academy can understand your feelings, so we've prepared the secret realm 'Island' specifically to provide you with an opportunity to contract a beast pet."

　　"In the 'Island' secret realm, there are over 50,000 different types of supernatural creatures."

　　" You can find ordinary species that roam the wilderness and also rare and precious breeds that are seldom seen in the world. "

　　"Whether it's demon beasts, ghosts, bone races, insect tribes...you will find what you are looking for!"

　　Harper Carter's voice was undeniably pleasant to the ear, and her rhythm and intonation were spot on.

　　She immediately aroused the anticipation of everyone in the room, who listened attentively.

　　"However, you must be aware of the Academy's founding principle. All resources here are only open to the most outstanding individuals."

　　" Those who fail will be dismissed, and this trial is not only about taming beasts but also a survival game. Anyone who fails to meet the passing line in the trial will be directly expelled by the Academy."

　　"Now, let me announce the specific details of the trial: 2578 freshmen will be randomly divided into 26 groups, and each group will be placed in one of the 26 independent regions of the 'Island' secret realm. "

　　"Whatever treasures, herbs, or supernatural creatures you encounter in the realm can be freely hunted and obtained if you have the ability. The Academy won't impose too many restrictions."

　　In principle, the trial allows for collaboration while also encouraging competition, but causing disability or death is strictly prohibited.

　　Violators will not only be immediately expelled, but will also face accountability from the senior management of the academy, and will bear the consequences of their actions.

　　The trial lasts for a total of 15 days, and each student is required to participate with light gear, and is prohibited from carrying any protective equipment, medicines, storage rings, or any other auxiliary items.

　　Additionally, all functions of their wristwatch will be temporarily disabled.

　　Before entering the secret realm, the academy will provide each trial participant with a dimensional backpack containing replacement clothes, an exquisite dagger, a specially crafted sachet, and a distress signal.

　　The specially crafted sachet will protect the trial participant from being actively attacked by extraordinary creatures for the first 5 days, and the distress signal can be crushed during a crisis to automatically transform into a barrier to protect their physical body.

　　Note that if the distress signal is used, the trial will immediately terminate, and a mentor will directly escort the participant out of the secret realm.

　　If the participant has already completed a beast contract before termination, they will have achieved the minimum qualification standard for the trial, and will be deemed to have passed the assessment.

　　If they have not completed the contract, they will fail the trial and will be expelled.

　　For those who succeed in completing the beast contract and survive the full 15 days of the trial, the academy will award additional prizes, with each person receiving 10 secret energy points!

　　"Alright, that was the detailed explanation of the trial provided by the academy. We will now move on to the question and answer session. If you have any questions, please raise your hand."

　　Harper Carter played with a strand of green hair, speaking in a relaxed tone, but her authority was unquestionable:

　　"Remember, think carefully before asking, I will only answer three questions!"

　　Hands sporadically raised from the crowd, even Liam Evans actively participated.

　　"The small guy with glasses and yellow hair over there, do you have any questions?" Harper Carter casually pointed to a new student.

　　The yellow-haired student looked around to confirm that Harper was addressing him before stuttering, "Wha...what is secret energy?"

　　Harper Carter's hand playing with her hair froze, and even her voice instantly became cold and indifferent: "I already said, think carefully before asking!"

　　" I believe that at least half of the over two thousand new students present here can answer that question for you. You have wasted a precious opportunity to ask a question!"

　　Harper Carter's gaze seemed to be piercing, firmly fixed on the yellow-haired student, and she spoke frankly: "If I'm not mistaken, your initial soul power is only at the level of a beginner spirit master."

　　" For you, completing a beast contract is already a difficult task. So, asking about the reward for a perfect pass seems a bit unrealistic, doesn't it?"