Third Life Reincarnation: Finally Born Into a Magical World

"Your strength?"

Yu Mu stared at Ryan with a gloomy expression, and after a brief moment of silence, he suddenly let out a mocking laugh. His face was filled with contempt, as if he had just heard the most ridiculous joke of the year.

"Are you… imitating me?"

He raised a hand and gestured broadly behind him toward the large group of candidates from the three districts, his voice gradually becoming louder as he spoke.

"Take a good look over here," Yu Mu said arrogantly. "There are twenty-five candidates standing behind me, all from the Western, Southern, and Eastern districts. Every single one of them is a young elite who fought their way through their cities to reach this entrance examination. Their talents are extraordinary, their strength outstanding, and together they represent the true meaning of what I called 'strength.'"

He then slowly turned his head back toward Ryan, his gaze sliding up and down Ryan's body as if examining something utterly insignificant.

"And what about you?" he asked with a sneer. "What exactly do you have? Just you alone… and yet you dare to imitate me and talk about 'strength'? Don't you think that's laughable?"

Yu Mu folded his arms and shook his head disdainfully.

"I advise you to stop wasting everyone's time and hand over the Rank 5 monster crystal right now. That way you'll spare us the trouble of having to take it by force, and you'll also spare yourself from the disaster that's about to fall on you."

His words immediately triggered waves of laughter among the candidates of the three districts.

"Pfft! Did you hear that?" someone shouted mockingly. "That North District idiot actually pointed at himself and said 'strength, my strength.' I almost died laughing!"

Another candidate wiped imaginary tears from his eyes.

"I've seen shameless people before, but I've never seen someone this shameless. And I've seen confident people before, but never someone this absurdly confident. The North District really produces some amazing specimens."

"What's wrong with this guy's brain?" a third candidate said. "Of all things to copy, he tries to copy our words. Do you think you're qualified to imitate us?"

One of the Western District candidates sneered loudly.

"One person dares to call himself 'strength.' Does he think the more than twenty of us standing here don't exist?"

The mockery grew louder.

"Stop wasting time talking with them," someone shouted impatiently. "Let's just grab the crystal already. With their pathetic strength, they still think they can guard a Rank 5 monster crystal? What a joke."

Laughter rippled through the group like a spreading wave.

However, Ryan did not seem bothered in the slightest by the storm of ridicule directed at him. He stood quietly in the same spot, his expression calm and relaxed, as if the insults around him were nothing more than meaningless noise.

After allowing the laughter to fade slightly, he spoke in a tone so casual that it almost sounded bored.

"In any case," Ryan said slowly, "the Rank 5 monster crystal is something I'm definitely not going to hand over. I don't have the habit of giving away my things to strangers."

He raised the crystal slightly between his fingers and continued.

"If you really want it, the solution is simple."

Ryan's lips curved faintly.

"Come and take it."

Yu Mu blinked once, clearly not expecting such a straightforward answer.

"Come… take it?" he repeated.

He had assumed that after so many threats and insults, Ryan would at least show hesitation or fear.

Instead, the other party looked completely indifferent.

Yu Mu's eyes narrowed.

"You'd better think carefully," he said in a colder voice. "Once we start moving, it won't just be you who suffers. The North District candidates behind you will also be dragged into it."

Ryan shrugged lightly.

"I've already thought it through."

He gestured casually behind him.

"They won't be involved. Even if you attack, they won't help me. This Rank 5 monster crystal is right here in my hand. If you have the ability, come take it."

Before Yu Mu could respond, the North District candidates immediately spoke up.

"Exactly! We won't interfere!"

"With Brother Wei here, why would we need to help?"

"If you want to rob Brother Wei, you're simply looking for death. He alone is enough to deal with all of you."

"That's right! You think you can threaten us? Dream on."

Their voices were filled with confidence.

Yu Mu's brows slowly furrowed.

Something about the situation felt strange, but he couldn't quite identify what.

Still, the words had already been spoken.

If he hesitated now, wouldn't that make him look ridiculous?

More than twenty candidates from three districts being afraid to rob a single person?

That would be a joke.

After a moment of thought, Yu Mu made his decision.

"Fine," he said coldly. "Since you refuse the opportunity we gave you and insist on being stubborn, don't blame us for being ruthless."

He turned his head toward Jiang Kangcheng and Miao Yuan.

"What do you think?"

Yu Mu was only the leader of the Western District candidates. The Eastern and Southern District candidates would not automatically follow his command, so their agreement was necessary.

Jiang Kangcheng responded first, his voice cold and straightforward.

"I have no objections. If they don't want to cooperate, then there's no need to keep talking. Either kill them or force them to crush the SOS Stones."

Miao Yuan hesitated for a brief moment before nodding.

"I agree."

The three quickly exchanged a few quiet words and reached a decision.

Ten candidates would be sent forward first.

Since Ryan himself had claimed that the North District candidates would not help him, then a small probing force would be sufficient.

If there was some hidden trick, these ten could test it.

If not, they would simply crush him.

Three candidates from the Eastern District stepped forward.

Three from the Southern District joined them.

And because the Western District still had the largest number of remaining candidates, four of them were added as well.

Ten people in total.

They immediately stepped out of the group and began advancing toward Ryan.

"Boy," Yu Mu called out with a sneer as the ten moved forward, "it's not too late to regret this."

Ryan looked at him calmly.

"Regret?"

He chuckled lightly.

"The ones who will regret this… should be you."

The ten candidates had already begun their charge.

"Whoosh!"

Weapons flashed in the sunlight as they rushed forward.

Some wielded swords, others long sabers, while one carried a heavy axe. Only two of the ten attacked barehanded, relying purely on martial techniques.

Each of them radiated the aura of a warrior.

Most were at least War Division Rank.

One or two were even close to the strength of a War Spirit.

Their combined momentum surged forward like a wave.

For an ordinary candidate, such an assault would be impossible to withstand.

But Ryan did not move.

He stood calmly in place.

Then, as the ten opponents closed the distance—

he slowly closed his eyes.

To Ryan, dealing with opponents of this Rank did not even require him to keep his eyes open.

But the candidates from the three districts did not interpret the situation that way.

When they saw Ryan suddenly close his eyes, they burst into laughter once again.

"Hahaha! So that's how it is!"

"I was wondering why he acted so confident earlier. Turns out he's just pretending."

"Look at him now. The moment our people rushed forward, he closed his eyes in fear."

"This is the classic example of dying for the sake of face."

"North District candidates really are something else."

Their expressions became even more contemptuous.

But…