VERSATILE MAGE: RISE OF A LEGEND

Chief Instructor Zhankong had just flew into the cavern at lightning speed. However, something felt off. Even with his speed, there was no way he would've made it in time to kill the Spirit Wolf.

But the Spirit Wolf was dead.

"After a summoned beast dies, the summoner will suffer damage to their spirit and soul. It seems like the Spirit Wolf is really dead," Tangyue's soft voice carried across the stunned silence that filled the cavern.

Bai Yang, the summoner, stood in shock. His trembling, ghostly appearance confirmed that the Spirit Wolf had indeed been slain. It was not something that could be faked.

"Yeah… but how did it suddenly die?" another voice murmured, breaking the growing tension.

Even if all 40 students had attacked the Spirit Wolf simultaneously, it shouldn't have been enough to kill it. The beast's power was beyond their capabilities.

"Let's go and check," Tangyue said, her voice composed despite the unease crawling up her spine.

"Yes, let's hurry," another teacher echoed, equally perplexed.

Chief Instructor Zhankong, a man who had seen many battles, couldn't comprehend what lay before him. The Spirit Wolf—a beast that even a squad of experienced hunters would struggle to defeat—lay headless on the ground, lifeless.

The combat prowess of the Spirit Wolf was immense. It wasn't just a magical beast; it was a summoned creature meant to challenge these students, offering them a taste of real battle. But to defeat it? That wasn't something any of them should have been able to do.

Zhankong had rushed into the cavern, hoping to find fewer casualties than expected, only to witness something unbelievable.

"This…this was done by you?" Zhankong's voice was filled with disbelief as his gaze locked onto Light, standing calmly near the beast's corpse.

"Yes," Light replied, his tone steady and confident.

"How… How did you do this?" Zhankong asked again, still struggling to process the scene before him. However, as the words left his mouth, he immediately regretted asking. Light's calm demeanor and the fact that the impossible had already been done spoke volumes.

Before Zhankong could continue his line of questioning, Light stepped forward. "Chief Instructor, I found this blue bracelet while passing through the cavern. Does this mean I've completed the bounty? Where's my Magic Equipment?" Light asked with a faint smile.

Zhankong's eyes widened as he suddenly recalled something. He had promised a reward for the completion of the bounty. But in truth, he had never expected any of the students to succeed, much less survive. The Spirit Wolf was meant to be a formidable opponent, a test that none of them were meant to pass.

Yet here Light stood, having completed the impossible.

Zhankong was speechless. He hadn't prepared any Magic Equipment because the idea of the students succeeding had been laughable at best. According to his plan, half of the students should have been eliminated at the earlier checkpoint, and the rest would have been defeated by the Spirit Wolf. There was never supposed to be a winner.

But now, he had no choice but to honor the promise.

As Light was about to turn and leave, a shadow swirled along the cavern walls. His eyes narrowed as he watched the dark form descend and solidify in front of him. From the shadow emerged a woman with a delicate, curvy figure and a graceful step.

"Mrs. Tangyue…" Light murmured, recognizing her flawless face, delicate brows, and captivating, fox-like eyes.

"You're alright?" Tangyue's voice was filled with relief, her smile bright as she took in the sight of him unharmed.

"I'm okay," Light responded casually.

Tangyue's gaze shifted, landing on the headless Spirit Wolf lying in the cavern. Her calm demeanor faltered as shock registered on her face.

"This… This is…" she stammered, her voice filled with disbelief.

"You have nurtured a demonic student," Zhankong commented, his tone tinged with admiration and astonishment. "The Spirit Wolf was killed by him."

Tangyue's mouth hung open as she stared at Light, her thoughts racing.

Outside the cavern, students sat around the mountain pass, nursing their injuries. The teachers moved from one group to another, helping to wrap wounds and offering words of comfort.

"In the course of this bounty, we've been observing you all the entire time. We will now grade the students who performed well. Among them are Zhang Xiaohou, Zhou Min, Mu Bai, Jiang Li, Xu Zhaoting, and Wang Sanpang…" Zhankong announced to the students.

A murmur swept through the crowd as students realized they had been watched throughout the Practical. Some who hadn't performed well were filled with regret.

Mu Bai, his brow furrowed, spoke up with frustration. "Then why didn't you step in when the Magical Beast appeared? Were you going to wait until we were dead?" he asked resentfully, his voice trembling with anger.

Zhankong's expression darkened. "If this Spirit Wolf had truly intended to kill you, you'd already be dead. Especially you," he snapped, his eyes narrowing as he glared at Mu Bai.

Mu Bai bit his lip, realizing the truth behind Zhankong's words. The Spirit Wolf had been terrifyingly powerful. If it had struck with full force, none of them would have survived.

"Wait, Chief Instructor," Zhou Min interrupted, suddenly piecing things together. "What did you say that beast was? A Spirit Wolf?"

"That's correct. It wasn't a One-Eyed Magic Wolf, but a Spirit Wolf—a summoned beast," Zhankong clarified.

The students exchanged shocked glances. Their homeroom teacher, Xue Musheng, stepped forward to provide further explanation. "The bounty Practical was arranged by us and the instructors. The Spirit Wolf belongs to Bai Yang. While we wanted you to face a magical beast, we also didn't want you to actually die."

The students, previously filled with terror, now let out relieved sighs.

"So it was just practice?" a student muttered, wiping away tears of relief.

Zhang Jianguo, another instructor, quickly corrected him. "No, you're mistaken. Something happened that exceeded our expectations. The Spirit Wolf went out of control and stopped responding to Bai Yang's commands."

However, something remained unexplained.

"I was just thinking about how Light could have killed it," Zhao Kunsan said with disdain. "It was only a summoned beast, after all."

Bai Yang, the summoner, was the most affected. His jaw nearly hit the floor as he stared at Light, unable to comprehend what had happened.

"My Spirit Wolf… was killed by you?" Bai Yang asked in disbelief, his voice trembling.

Light simply nodded, his expression unreadable.

Bai Yang's face twisted into a mixture of shock and devastation. The Spirit Wolf, a beast that had required a squad of trained hunters and extensive resources to capture, had been slain by a student in his first Practical.

The magnitude of this event weighed heavily on everyone present.

Zhankong, attempting to maintain composure, sighed and addressed the students. "There is one more piece of good news. Because Light completed this impossible mission, all of you from the Elite Class will receive an A grade."

A chorus of cheers erupted from the students, their spirits lifting instantly. For many, this grade would secure their futures.

Light had become a hero in their eyes. He hadn't just saved them from the Spirit Wolf—he had ensured they all received top marks for the Practicals.

Despite the celebratory atmosphere, not everyone was pleased. Mu Bai's face remained twisted in bitterness. He had been the first to use magic against the Spirit Wolf, only to be knocked out. Now, the glory he sought had been stolen by Light.

Nearby, a group of hunters in the stronghold overheard the news.

"A student completed that bounty? No way," one of the seasoned hunters scoffed. "I'll eat the bounty liquid crystal if that's true."

"Well, you better prepare to eat it," Pan Lijun, one of the instructors, retorted as she passed by. "The bounty's been marked as completed by Light, a second-year student."

The stronghold fell into stunned silence as the realization set in. Light had done the impossible.

Back inside the stone house, Zhankong, clearly exasperated, clutched a case in his hands. "Damn it… that merchant's starting price for this Bone Scythe Shield was 600,000!" he cursed under his breath, begrudgingly preparing to hand over the promised reward.

Finally, with a heavy sigh, Zhankong called for Light. But before he could finish, Light raised his hand.

"I've been here the whole time," Light said, his tone casual.

Zhankong glared at him before reluctantly handing over the Bone Scythe Shield.

On the side, Luo Yunbo, Pan Lijun, and Bai Yang said nothing, their expressions mixed with surprise and confusion. None of them could quite process what had just transpired—especially Bai Yang, who still couldn't believe his Spirit Wolf had been defeated by a mere student.

Meanwhile, Chief Instructor Zhankong was fuming internally. He had promised a hefty reward, never imagining it would actually need to be given out. A Bone Scythe Shield. This thing was really not cheap. It had cost quite a bit, and worst of all, Zhankong had pledged it himself. The government wasn't going to cover it this time. His salary had taken a hit, all because of this kid!

"Call the kid over, hmph!" Zhankong ordered, still in a bad mood, gesturing for someone to fetch Light.

Before anyone could move, Light raised his hand and stepped forward calmly. "Chief, I've been here this entire time," Light said with a faint smile, watching as Zhankong's frustration simmered.

Boss Zhankong's head wasn't very clear at the moment. He had expected to deal with chaos, not to hand out a reward to some overly talented student.

When Zhankong saw Light, he felt somewhat angry. This was the kid who had thrown his entire plan off balance, forcing him to part with such an expensive piece of equipment.

"Take it," Zhankong grumbled as he handed the Bone Scythe Shield over to Light, his face twisted in reluctance.

Light accepted the shield without hesitation, a look of mild interest in his eyes as he examined the item. The Bone Scythe Shield was indeed valuable, far more so than anything the students had imagined receiving.

"Kid, if you can't find a suitable job after you've graduated, you can come here and report to me," Zhankong added, attempting to salvage his pride by acting like a mentor. He tried to present himself as a gentleman, even though deep down, he was still bitter about the whole situation.

Even if his heart was reluctant, Zhankong couldn't help but admire this youngster's courage and quick thinking. There was something about Light's demeanor, his calm under pressure, that Zhankong respected—even if it cost him a small fortune.