Clone Ascension

The moment the crowd stepped back, Evan understood something was wrong.

Ryan Mercer’s sudden challenge.Director Samuel Grant stepping in after Evan refused.And then Dean Raymond Whitlock appearing the moment Evan raised the stakes.

Yes, part of it was face.But the timing was too perfect.Too coordinated.

Something was off.

Evan didn’t know what Linwood Royal Academy wanted from him, or why they were targeting him. But after thinking it through, he realized the only real intersection he’d ever had with Linwood was…

The Thousand‑Shade Mound.Where he and Tooth had killed four of their people.

Could it be that the academy had discovered something?

Probably not.If they had real evidence, they wouldn’t bother with theatrics—they would have acted already.

More likely, they suspected him but had nothing concrete.

So what was this challenge for?To kill him under the guise of a duel?To force him to reveal something?

Evan kept his expression calm, but his mind raced.

He couldn’t determine their exact motive.But that didn’t matter.

He only needed to defeat Ryan Mercer as quickly and cleanly as possible.

That was why he insisted on fighting right here, right now.He wanted a swift battle—no delays, no complications.

“…Very well,” Whitlock agreed.

The crowd widened the circle, leaving an open space for the duel.

Wendy Lewis and President Winston Hale exchanged a glance. They didn’t understand Linwood’s intentions either, but they trusted Evan.

The other five national delegations stayed to watch, eager for entertainment.

Ryan and Evan took their positions.Grant raised his hand.

“Begin!”

Evan stepped forward.Ryan stepped back.

As he retreated, Ryan flicked his wrist—sending a bolt of lightning crackling toward Evan.

A ranged attack?

Evan instinctively prepared to use Gravity Dust and pull Ryan in with a Gravity Chain. It was his best counter to long‑range evolvers.

But then he froze.

Linwood had sent a ranged evolver to challenge him.Were they trying to bait him into using Gravity Dust?

If he used it, would they treat it as proof he killed Adrian Talbot’s group?

Evan knew he had left no evidence behind.But sometimes suspicion alone was enough.

He could guess what happened:

Linwood must have found the Gravity Demon’s corpse underground.They connected the dots—Gravity Demon hunter equals murderer.

“So if I use Gravity Dust, they’ll mark me as their prime suspect?”

He understood.But he also knew something else:

He couldn’t hide forever.

He had fought tooth and nail to obtain Gravity Dust.What was the point of a skill he didn’t dare use?

Even if he avoided it now, what about later?What about the Six Nations Academy Exchange Tournament?Was he supposed to fight with one hand tied behind his back?

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To hell with that.

Evan raised his hand.

A Gravity Chain shot forward like a streak of golden light.

He wasn’t hiding anything.

He had enemies already—what were a few more?

And Linwood had no real evidence.At most, he’d attract the quiet hostility of Adrian Talbot’s family.He could live with that.

Across the field, Ryan’s lightning struck Evan squarely.

It did nothing.

Ryan’s eyes widened.He had no idea Evan was immune to lightning.He had just charged Evan’s body like a battery.

Panicking, Ryan tried to switch skills—

Too late.

A shimmering, gold‑flecked chain wrapped in crackling blue arcs shot toward him.

Not a normal Gravity Chain.A charged one.

Evan had activated Thunderborne Body, using the chain as a conductor to deliver electricity at range—a technique he had been practicing for days.

Ryan felt an overwhelming force yank him forward.At the same time, electricity surged through his body, scrambling his nerves, frying his thoughts.

By the time he was dragged in front of Evan, he was already unconscious—smoking, twitching, foam at his lips.

Evan clasped his hands politely.

“Thank you for the match.”

The crowd erupted.

Representatives from all six nations stared in disbelief.No one expected Evan to defeat a Master‑Class prodigy in a single move.

Linwood Royal Academy had always dominated the Six Nations in terms of elite students.Yet Evan had just crushed one of their top talents effortlessly.

Ryan wasn’t the strongest in Linwood’s Master‑Class, but he was far from weak.He wouldn’t have been chosen for this challenge otherwise.

Even Wendy and Hale were surprised.Evan’s growth was faster than they had imagined.

The other five delegations exchanged uneasy looks.

If Evan participated in the Six Nations Academy Exchange Tournament…Who among their own prodigies could defeat him?

Their strongest Cocoon‑tier students?They weren’t confident.

Only one person seemed unfazed.

Rothsay, from the Gu’an delegation, shook his head.“He’s strong,” he murmured to his companion, “but he’s still far from Arlin.”

His companion stiffened.“You mean that Arlin? The disciple of that man? The one who crossed the Severed Gorge alone?”

Rothsay nodded gravely.

Meanwhile, Grant and Whitlock were equally shocked by Evan’s strength.But they exchanged a look—confirming what they needed to know.

Evan had indeed used Gravity Dust.

That was enough for their purposes.

President Hale stepped forward, smiling broadly.“This is the wager. Take it.”

He handed Evan the Rootless Dodder seed.

It was a reminder for Whitlock to hand over the Thoughtfruit.

Whitlock’s jaw tightened.Losing a Thoughtfruit hurt.But with so many people watching, he couldn’t back out.

He lifted Ryan off the ground, checked that he was alive, then reluctantly handed the green, pinecone‑shaped fruit to Evan.

Evan accepted it immediately.

“Thank you, Dean Whitlock.”

He even turned and thanked Grant—after all, Grant had practically forced this gift into his hands.

Whitlock waved weakly, exhausted.He hadn’t expected a simple test to cost him a Thoughtfruit.

But if it shifted Adrian Talbot’s family’s anger away from the academy…Perhaps it was worth it.

…

Evan and the Dongli delegation boarded their flight home.

On the plane, President Hale laughed heartily.“It’s been years since I’ve seen Whitlock suffer a loss. Hah! Worth every bit of that Rootless Dodder seed!”

Evan grinned.“President Hale, the seed ended up with me. How is that a loss? It’s still in the family.”

Hale chuckled and began explaining how to use the seed.

“When you get home, boil a pot of water. Once it’s fully boiling, drop the seed in. Keep boiling until the seed turns white and the water turns black. Throw the seed away and drink the water in one go.”

Evan memorized the instructions.“What kind of enhancement does it give?”

“Sharper than a dog’s nose,” Hale said proudly. “You’ll be able to track by scent, detect poison gas, avoid traps—very useful.”

“Doesn’t sound that impressive,” Evan muttered.

Wendy laughed softly.“Natural evolutionary medicines like Rootless Dodder or Thoughtfruit are precious because they give you enhancements without taking up skill slots or causing side effects. You’re a melee evolver—you can’t waste skill slots on sensory abilities. These medicines fill the gap.”

Evan nodded.That made sense.

…

By the time he returned to Dongli University, night had fallen.

He and Wendy agreed to meet tomorrow for the heart tissue test.

That night, Evan followed Hale’s instructions.He boiled the Rootless Dodder seed until the water turned pitch black, then drank it all in one gulp.

Half an hour later, he sniffed—and caught the scent of flowers in the courtyard.

Another half hour—He smelled the garbage bin over a hundred meters away.

Two hours later—He smelled the perfume of a woman in the neighboring villa.

Three hours later, his sense of smell stabilized.He could adjust its range at will—from a few meters to several hundred.

Satisfied, Evan took out the pinecone‑shaped Thoughtfruit.

Time to consume this one too.