Looking in the direction of the sound, he saw a wide, open training ground bustling with people.

People of all Races were squeezed together, their faces filled with apprehension.

Among the most numerous humans were the stocky figures of Dwarves and the slender silhouettes of Elves.

The most eye-catching were several green figures who stood a head taller than the others.

With exposed tusks and knotted muscles, they were unmistakably the Beastmen from the books.

’So those are... Beastmen?’

Roland was inwardly surprised.

According to rumors, this Race was known for being irritable and belligerent.

The Western Beastman Kingdom, in particular, constantly provoked border disputes, causing immense suffering for the surrounding nations.

But these Beastmen before him were surprisingly docile, lining up obediently like tamed beasts, even consciously softening their breathing.

"That’s the entrance examination area."

Noticing Roland’s gaze, Avril explained,

"The nations of the River Domain have a system of joint governance, so every admissions season, young people from all Races come to take the exam."

She tilted her chin slightly, gesturing.

"Look over there..."

Following her direction, Roland noticed some exceptionally short candidates mixed into the queue.

They had faces similar to humans, but their bodies were more proportioned, and they stood no more than three or four feet tall.

The most striking feature was their unusually large feet.

Their bare soles were not only covered in thick calluses but also grew dense hair.

"Are they gnomes?"

"No."

Avril led Roland onward.

"Although they look similar, they are Half-Elves."

’Half-Elves...’

Roland nodded thoughtfully.

This Race was seldom mentioned in the old texts, but that brief glimpse reminded him of the race called Hobbits from fantasy movies he’d watched before. The candidates before him looked exactly like them.

After passing through an archway manned by Guards, the two of them wound their way down a long corridor.

Avril finally stopped before a plain oak door and knocked three times.

"Please, come in."

A gentle voice answered from within.

Before the sound had faded, Avril had already pushed the door open and entered.

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, filling the study and illuminating the simple oak furniture.

An old man with silver hair sat behind the desk.

His hair was combed meticulously, shimmering like silk in the light.

Roland’s gaze fell on the old man’s chest.

The seashell emblem there was identical to the one on Colin’s lapel.

"Mr. Nelson..."

Avril bowed to the side, revealing Roland behind her.

The old man adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, his gaze behind the lenses both gentle and sharp.

"This must be the one Colin mentioned..."

"Roland, is it?"

Nelson finished the sentence with a smile, pulling a scroll of parchment from a drawer.

"Colin has already explained your situation in detail."

He beckoned for Roland to approach as the yellowed scroll slowly unfurled on the desk, revealing text that had already been written out.

"This is the enrollment contract,"

Nelson tapped the top sheet of parchment.

"Sign your name, and you’ll be an official student of the Knight Academy. As for this one underneath..."

He moved the document aside, revealing another sheet of paper with a special texture.

"It’s a citizenship certificate for the River Domain. I imagine..."

The old man looked up and smiled.

"Colin has already explained the conditions to you, I trust?"

"Of course."

Roland took the documents and reviewed them line by line.

After confirming the terms were correct, he picked up the quill and signed his name on both documents.

As he pressed his thumb firmly into the wax seal, the crimson emblem was branded onto the paper like blood.

While Roland was signing the documents, Avril had already taken her leave.

"Very good."

Nelson collected the documents with satisfaction, steepling his fingers under his chin.

"Colin mentioned that your strength is extraordinary and that you’re unwilling to follow the standard curriculum to obtain the Knight’s Breathing Technique. Fortunately, the academy has a precedent for such cases..."

He took a stack of yellowed parchments from an oak shelf.

"These are all unresolved, difficult commissions. You only need to complete three of them to..."

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

The sudden knocking interrupted their conversation.

A deep voice came from outside the door.

"Old Nelson, are you in there?"

Nelson’s amiable smile instantly froze, his brow furrowing into deep ravines.

Before he could respond, the heavy oak door was slowly pushed open.

The gaunt man standing outside wore a gentle smile similar to Nelson’s, but his eyes held a chilling coldness.

In the sunlight, Roland noticed he wore a uniform similar to Nelson’s, but the emblem on his chest was a completely different one: a golden tulip, its budding flower embroidered with lifelike detail.

"Mr. Finn..."

Nelson narrowed his eyes, leaning forward slightly.

"I don’t recall having an appointment with you today."

"Of course. Your memory has always been excellent."

Finn had barely finished speaking when a muffled thud came from behind him.

"I’m the one who wants to see you!"

A colossal shadow ducked through the doorway.

When he straightened up completely, Roland’s pupils contracted sharply.

This was a physique no human should possess.

The newcomer was so massive he nearly filled the entire doorway, his shadow blanketing half the room.

He was like a walking stone tower.

His neck was almost as wide as his head, and muscles like granite strained his linen shirt into an exaggerated arc.

Root-like veins coiled around his bare forearms, and each breath made his armor-like pectoral muscles rise and fall.

When he turned his head, his jawline was as if carved by an axe, and even his shadow seemed to have sharp edges.

Most startling of all were his hands, which were as large as cattail fans.

He was currently clenching and unclenching them unconsciously, the joints making a grating CRACKLE that set one’s teeth on edge.

"Dean Graham!"

Seeing the visitor, Nelson immediately stood up from his chair. His face showed a respectful expression, but a trace of wariness flickered in his eyes.

"I wasn’t aware you would be coming in person. What are your instructions?"

"Hmph..."

Seeing Nelson’s cautious and timid appearance, a cold snort like muffled thunder rumbled from Graham’s nostrils, shaking the parchment scrolls on the bookshelf until they rustled.

"I hear that Colin fellow has recruited another ’talent’?"

He deliberately emphasized the last word, and his copper-bell eyes suddenly locked onto Roland.

"Another special admission, skipping the exam?"

The moment their eyes met, Roland felt a tightness in his chest. The air around him seemed to solidify, making it difficult to breathe.

’This person... his strength is unfathomable!’

Roland made his judgment in an instant.

"Dean Graham..."

Roland wasn’t the only one feeling the oppressive atmosphere in the room.

Under this formless pressure, Nelson felt his neck grow as stiff as a rusty machine, making it incredibly difficult to even lift his head.

"Please, see for yourself. This Mr. Roland is exceptionally strong and has absolutely met the standard for admission without an exam..."

"Exceptionally strong? Hmph!"

As Graham’s snort still echoed in the air, his massive, fan-like hand chopped down at Roland’s head like a Giant Axe, carrying the force to split mountains.

Before the edge of his palm arrived, a violent gust of wind swept forward like a furious wave.

The black hair on Roland’s forehead was instantly whipped into a frenzy, and the wind pressure scraped painfully against his cheeks.

Faced with this devastating power, all the muscles in his body instinctively tensed, and his right hand clamped onto the hilt of his sword like an iron pincer.

In a flash.

BANG!

A massive bang like muffled thunder exploded in the enclosed room, making the window lattices hum.

A series of sickening cracks followed.

The hard floor shattered under the immense force, sending wood chips flying like a torrential downpour.

And amidst this wreckage, a faint, surprised sigh could be heard.