Worldwide Class Change: Minimal Effort, Maximum Reward!

The moment the command was given—

"Begin!"

—the vast plaza before the Dragon God Tower erupted into motion.

Thousands of students surged forward at once, each group forming naturally, instinctively, like streams flowing into a single river. Some rushed with confidence, others with hesitation, but all of them shared one thing in common.

This was their chance.

Their one shot at stepping beyond the limits of a frontier city.

At the forefront of Jianghe Academy’s group, Lin Yi walked without haste, his pace steady, his expression calm. Beside him, Wang Hao practically vibrated with excitement, his eyes darting everywhere, while Su Qinghan remained composed, her frostblade resting quietly at her side.

The three stepped through the entrance together.

And the world changed.

Floor One....

The moment their feet crossed the threshold, space twisted.

The bustling noise of the outside world vanished completely, replaced by a vast, empty sky and a barren stretch of land that seemed to extend endlessly in all directions. The ground beneath their feet was cracked and dry, faint winds brushing past like whispers of something unseen.

Wang Hao blinked.

"...We’re in."

Su Qinghan’s gaze sharpened slightly. "Independent instance. Just as expected."

Lin Yi said nothing.

A faint glow appeared before each of them.

A translucent panel.

Su Qinghan glanced at hers first.

"Level 11..."

Her tone was calm, but there was a trace of tension beneath it.

Wang Hao immediately checked his own.

"...Level 7." He scratched his head. "I knew I was behind, but seeing it like this hurts a little."

Lin Yi didn’t bother checking aloud, but the number hovered clearly in front of him.

Level 42.

At that exact moment, a sharp screech echoed across the empty sky. Dark shapes began to form in the distance, dozens, then hundreds, wings flapping violently and filling the air with chaotic motion as the creatures descended rapidly toward the ground.

Su Qinghan’s eyes narrowed, "Dust Crows." Her grip tightened around her blade. "Level 1 monsters... but the number—"

"—is one hundred," Wang Hao finished, his voice tightening slightly.

[Dust Crow]

Threat Level: 1

Health: 65 / 65

Physical Attack: 8 – 15

Physical Defense: 15 – 30

Magic Resistance: 12 – 24

[Mutated Dark Crows.]

The swarm grew larger, blotting out portions of the sky as they approached, their red eyes gleaming with feral hunger and sharp beaks glinting under the dim light.

Wang Hao exhaled slowly. "...Alright. First floor. Let’s not embarrass ourselves."

Su Qinghan stepped forward, her frostblade sliding free with a crisp sound as cold energy gathered instantly around it. "Stay behind me. I’ll—"

She didn’t finish her sentence. Because Lin Yi had already moved.

There was no warning. No buildup. No dramatic surge of power. Lin Yi simply drew his blade. The Celestial Lord Blade emerged with a faint hum.

Then he swung.

A single horizontal arc.

Clean.

Effortless.

But what followed was anything but ordinary. A wave of sword qi burst outward, vast and overwhelming, carrying a golden radiance that split the air itself, expanding instantly and cutting through space like a divine judgment descending upon the battlefield.

The swarm of Dust Crows didn’t even have time to react. For a single moment everything froze. Then they were gone. All one hundred. Erased. The sky cleared instantly and silence returned.

Wang Hao stood there, mouth slightly open. "...I..." He blinked, then blinked again. "...I was going to help."

Su Qinghan slowly lowered her blade. Her expression didn’t change much, but her eyes had. There was no confusion, no disbelief, just a quiet and undeniable realization. The gap. It wasn’t something that could be measured or closed. It simply existed.

She then sheathed her sword. "...Let’s move."

Then, a staircase appeared leading upward. Lin Yi walked forward without hesitation and Wang Hao followed immediately, still glancing back at the empty sky as though trying to confirm what he had just witnessed.

"...Brother Lin," he muttered, "if every floor is like this... we’re going to finish before lunch."

Lin Yi stepped onto the stairs. "...We’ll see."

.....

Monitoring Chamber....

Far above, within the core of the Dragon God Tower, a massive hall filled with countless screens floating in the air, each displaying a different team, a different battle, a different struggle. Some teams were already fighting desperately, others coordinating carefully, some already failing. At the center of it all stood a group of figures. Presidents, principals, and observers from the eight frontier cities, their expressions varied and analytical. This was where futures were judged, where talent was recognized, where monsters revealed themselves.

One of the officials spoke first. "Let’s begin." Another smiled faintly. "Who do you think will take first place this year?"

Names surfaced almost immediately.

"Chen Feng. S-Rank Stormblade Swordsman. Jianghe Academy."

"Li Xuan. A-Rank Earthshaker Vanguard. Blackstone Academy."

"Han Yue. S-Rank Godslaying Archer. Red Lotus Academy."

"Mo Tian. A-Rank Shadow Assassin. Devil City Academy"

Each name carried weight, backed by class rank, by reputation, by expectation. Then a calm voice cut through the discussion.

"Lin Yi."

The room paused. Several gazes shifted toward the one who had spoken.

Principal Zhou.

Someone frowned slightly. "...Lin Yi?" Another chuckled. "Not Chen Feng? The S-Rank Stormblade from your own academy?"

Principal Zhou shook his head slowly. "No." His gaze remained fixed on the central display. "Lin Yi is... different."

A short silence followed. Then laughter.

"Hahaha... an E-Rank?" "You’re serious?" "You expect an E-Rank Laborer to surpass S-Rank talents?" "Principal Zhou... you’ve lost your mind." The room filled with quiet amusement. But Zhou didn’t respond. He simply continued watching.

One of the principals smirked and folded his arms. "Alright then. Let’s make it interesting. If your E-Rank beats my academy’s S-Rank Godslaying Archer..." He paused. "...I’ll give you ten million copper coins."

A few eyebrows lifted. That wasn’t a small amount. Principal Zhou didn’t hesitate.

"Deal."

The agreement settled instantly. But before anyone could say anything further, a voice rang out.

"Wait." All heads turned. An operator stared at one of the screens, eyes wide. "...Someone has already cleared the first floor."

The room froze.

"...What?"

"How long has it been?"

"Forty seconds."

Silence. Complete silence. Then the voices came all at once.

"...Impossible."

"No team clears that fast."

"Even S-Ranks would need at least a minute to coordinate—"

"Who is it?"

The operator zoomed in. The screen expanded and the image became clear. Three figures standing calmly, already stepping onto the next floor. The name displayed beneath them read simply: Jianghe Academy — J45 Team.

The room went completely quiet.

One of the principals leaned forward slowly "...That’s him?"

Another frowned. "...That was too fast. What did he do?"

"No visible prolonged combat... no drawn-out exchange..."

"...It ended instantly."

Principal Zhou said nothing. But a faint smile appeared on his face.

.....

Return to the Tower...

Floor Two awaited. As the staircase carried them upward, Wang Hao finally let out a low whistle. "...Forty seconds." He glanced at Lin Yi. "...They’re definitely watching us now."

Su Qinghan didn’t look back. "...Good."

Lin Yi stepped onto the next floor, his gaze steady and his presence unmoved.