Third Life Reincarnation: Finally Born Into a Magical World

"Hey… Holy Land is so huge. How could Li Wei appear here? Just accept reality."

When one of the North District candidates said this, the faint hope that had appeared in everyone's eyes faded again.

They looked at the towering Gold-Winged Black Wind Beast before them.

Despair spread quietly.

Among them, Bai Ye's expression was the ugliest.

Once upon a time he had been the first genius of the thirty-six cities in the North District.

Once he had been proud beyond measure.

Once people surrounded him, flattering him and praising his talent.

Back then he believed himself extraordinary, almost like a chosen son of heaven.

But now?

Now he was no different from a helpless insect.

All the glory of the past meant nothing in the face of death. All those shining titles seemed dim and meaningless.

Worse still, Bai Ye knew something in his heart.

It was his decision that had dragged everyone here.

If he had not agreed to cooperate with the other districts, none of them would have fallen into this deadly trap.

That guilt pressed heavily on his chest.

"Maybe… we should crush the SOS Stone," Bai Ye said weakly.

There was no fighting spirit left in his voice.

"If we give up now, at least you can survive."

The other North District candidates immediately shook their heads.

"Brother… no."

"Brother, don't say that!"

"I won't crush the SOS Stone even if I die!"

Bai Ye froze.

"Why?"

He truly didn't understand.

They were about to die, yet none of them wanted to surrender.

A young candidate beside him clenched his teeth.

"Brother, I don't have a way back."

"My entire family is counting on me. My parents, my clan… everyone is waiting for me to enter Western Mansion."

"If I go back like this, how will they look at me?"

He forced a bitter smile.

"I'd rather die here."

Another candidate spoke next.

"My family has enemies too. They only stay quiet because I'm taking the entrance exam."

"If I return in disgrace, not only will I be mocked… my family will also face danger."

"I won't give up."

A third candidate tightened his grip on his weapon.

"I'm afraid of death too. I've already held the SOS Stone in my hand."

"But crushing it…"

His voice trembled slightly.

"It's harder than drawing my sword."

One after another, the North District candidates spoke.

Every face carried determination.

"Everyone…"

Bai Ye's chest tightened.

"Damn it… this is all my fault."

"If I hadn't been greedy… if I hadn't led everyone to cooperate with those people… we wouldn't be here now."

Because his mind was in turmoil, Bai Ye's movements slowed slightly.

The Gold-Winged Black Wind Beast seized the opportunity instantly.

A massive wing swept toward him.

Bai Ye barely reacted in time before several North District candidates rushed forward to block the attack.

"Brother, don't blame yourself," one of them shouted while struggling against the monster's assault.

"This wasn't your fault. We also agreed to that decision."

Another candidate nodded.

"Brother Bai, you were thinking about everyone. You wanted us to complete the entrance exam faster."

"We chose this path ourselves."

A third voice joined in.

"Even if I die here, I won't blame you."

Hearing these words, Bai Ye felt his chest tremble.

His earlier thought of giving up suddenly felt shameful.

He was supposed to be the first genius of the thirty-six cities.

How could he lose his courage before the others did?

His eyes slowly regained their sharpness.

The hesitation disappeared.

"Alright!"

Bai Ye raised his weapon and shouted.

"Since no one here wants to give up, then let's kill this Rank 5 monster together!"

"We already survived once on the Void Warship. Life and death have never been far from us."

"If we must die today…"

His voice grew firm.

"Then at least we die fighting side by side!"

"Well said!"

"Even death will leave no regrets!"

"If we don't fight for glory, why live at all?"

"Kill! Either we die today, or this monster dies!"

"I won't crush the SOS Stone!"

The North District candidates roared.

Their fighting spirit exploded like flames.

They rushed forward again.

Without the candidates from the other districts, the Gold-Winged Black Wind Beast focused all its attacks on the North District group.

Yet the sudden surge of determination changed everything.

Their attacks became wild.

Fierce.

Desperate.

Previously thirty or forty candidates had barely managed to suppress the monster through numbers.

But now only a handful of North District candidates, driven by sheer willpower, were actually forcing the monster back.

It was shocking.

High above them, Ryan watched from the tree branch.

He nodded slowly.

"Not bad."

"Good thing I didn't step in immediately."

When the other districts fled earlier, Ryan had almost intervened.

But after thinking for a moment, he decided not to.

If he saved them immediately, the North District candidates would gain nothing from the experience.

Only those who faced life and death could truly grow.

Relying on others for protection would never forge real strength.

Of course, Ryan was not worried about their safety.

With his Phaseless Shadow Step and divine equipment, reaching them would take less than a heartbeat.

Even if someone was gravely injured, a single healing pill could drag them back from death.

So he sat calmly, watching.

Ten minutes passed.

The North District candidates fought with everything they had.

Gradually, their strength began to fade.

Their attacks slowed.

Their breathing became ragged.

And despite all their effort…

The golden feathers of the monster remained unbroken.

"Damn… I used everything…"

"It still won't break…"

"Our strength… just isn't enough…"

"It's fine… at least we tried."

"Heh… brothers… if there is a next life…"

"Let's still be brothers."

The North District candidates smiled faintly.

They were ready to die.

As the massive wings of the Gold-Winged Black Wind Beast rose again, none of them showed fear.

Only relief.

Only acceptance.

But just as death seemed inevitable—

A calm voice suddenly drifted down from above.

"End?"

"Who said you're finished?"

"End? You think it's over… and I agreed to that?"

The calm voice fell from above as a pebble dropped into a silent lake.

Before the North District candidates could even react or look up to see who had spoken, a shadow flashed through the air.

It moved so quickly that it resembled a streak of lightning cutting through the forest.

"Whoosh!"

The figure descended in front of the Gold-Winged Black Wind Beast and landed between the monster and the exhausted North District candidates.

The newcomer stood with his back toward them.

The enormous beast immediately launched another furious attack. Its massive wings tore through the air with terrifying force, sharp feathers slicing like blades.

But the figure merely shifted his body slightly.

A small step.

A light turn of the shoulder.

Each terrifying attack slipped past him effortlessly, as though the monster were striking empty air.

The figure held a broken sword.

The blade had no sharp tip. The edge looked dull and worn.

Yet when he casually lifted it and swung it a few times in front of the beast, something strange happened.

The Gold-Winged Black Wind Beast suddenly froze.

Its huge body stiffened in place.

For a few seconds, nothing happened.

Then a breeze drifted through the forest.

"Crack…"

The three-meter-tall monster suddenly split apart.

Its body collapsed into dozens of neat pieces of flesh that slid apart and scattered across the ground.

The Golden Winged Black Wind Beast… had been cut into fragments.

The monster whose golden feathers had resisted the attacks of thirty to forty candidates now looked like soft tofu beneath that broken sword.

No grand martial skill.

No powerful aura.

Just a few casual swings.

And the terrifying Level 5 monster died instantly.

The entire scene took less than a single breath.

"So… strong…"

"Hiss…"

The North District candidates were completely stunned.

That monster had nearly wiped them all out.

Thirty or forty candidates together couldn't break its defense.

Yet this person killed it as if slicing vegetables.

What kind of power was that?

After finishing the strike, the figure slowly landed on the ground.

He stood upright with the broken sword in hand, his back still facing the North District candidates. His posture was straight and calm, carrying an indescribable presence.

Because everything had happened so quickly, none of them had clearly seen his face.

They could only stare at his back.

For some reason, that back looked strangely familiar.

Bai Ye hesitated for a moment before calling out carefully.

"…Li Wei?"

He wasn't certain.