Vincent Fox couldn't help but smile at the sheer power of his new Flame talent.
Looks like I'll need to tackle more of these Forbidden Zones in the future, he thought. All those free attribute points, straight into Spirit.
Spirit was the one weakness of his Saitama Physique until these zones existed to shore it up.
Having accepted all his rewards, it was time to return to the real world. To his left, a dimensional exit shimmered. Vincent strode toward it.
…
At the entrance to Zone 2, Professor Walter Wayne of the Divine Warriors Academy was positively beaming. This time his school had produced three "Red" grades the highest quality evaluations and everyone had walked away with substantial rewards. Their overall survival rate was the best, too: out of 144 students who entered, 139 had returned. A 97% survival rate in Zone 2 was almost unheard-of.
Zone 2 wasn't a theme park; for newcomers, it was downright dangerous. In other academies, an 80% return rate was considered excellent some fared much worse. The Blue Wing Academy, for example, had sent in 166 recruits and only 79 had emerged alive. That many deaths at once would have meant serious punishment from the Ministry of Education and indeed their instructor had fainted at the news.
"Poor Blue Wing," whispered one teacher.
"No kidding. Their president might resign in disgrace."
"It's the Divine Warriors Academy again," another grumbled. "They win every time!"
"What can you do? Our president's well-connected, and they only admit the best of the best natural-born heroes. Of course their survival rate is sky-high."
"Still, the real surprise is the Wild Saints Academy," someone added. "They usually come in last. This time they produced several high scorers, even a Red-grade "seed of the strong…""
With an hour nearly up, the teachers fell quiet, glancing at their watches.
"How many left, Mr. Li?" one asked.
"About twenty. And we still haven't seen the mayor's son…"
"The mayor's own child? That doesn't bode well."
Nearby, Walter Wayne stiffened when he heard the Wild Saints mentioned especially that Autumn Summer had returned with a Red grade. She was clearly destined for great things. A Red evaluation granted 80 free attribute points if all flowed into Strength, one could become a brute powerhouse overnight. With such might, the next Forbidden Zone would be a breeze, unlocking an endless upward spiral.
Conversely, a poor initial score trapped you in a downward spiral, making every subsequent zone deadlier. Anyone earning Red in Zone 2 was hailed as a "seed of the strong."
Walter's mind raced. He could discreetly suggest to the academy administration that they recruit Autumn Summer poaching prodigies was common among prestigious schools. If Terry Yan lost her, his career might never recover.
As he pondered, Walter searched the rest area and easily spotted Autumn Summer her ethereal beauty always drew the eye. Yet her gaze remained fixed on Zone 2's entrance, lost in thought.
A sudden shout split the air.
"Someone's coming out!"
"What's that glow? Gold?"
"Gold? What evaluation level is that?"
"I remember the legendary highest grade is gold…"