Rose and the third-ranked contestant lasted 40 and 41 minutes in the Dragon Pool, with Rose barely exceeding the third ranker by a few seconds. The speed of absorption determined how much one could progress in the same timeframe, and perhaps that was why Rose managed to advance slightly more than the third ranker.

Ben, who had been at Level 21 (Middle Stage) before entering, reached Level 23 Peak, advancing two full levels and one sub-level.

The third-ranked contestant, though also at Level 23 Peak, had only been at Level 21 Middle Stage initially.

Rose, who started at Level 21 Peak, advanced to Early Level 24, gaining a slight edge due to her superior absorption speed.

Now, everyone was waiting for the last person still inside—Arya.

Inside the pool, Arya was nearing his endurance limit. He had no idea how much time had passed, but he could feel the immense changes in his body—his physical strength had nearly doubled.

After pushing himself as far as he could without overextending, he finally emerged from the pool.

As he stepped out, all eyes were on him. Seeing everyone waiting, Arya quickly moved aside and spoke.

"Sorry for making you all wait."

Even though he didn't have to apologize, he felt it was only right, considering everyone had been waiting for him alone.

Rick was the first to speak, his voice filled with excitement.

"Not bad, not bad at all! You lasted 50 minutes! This is a feat only achieved by experienced Level 28 cultivators or late-stage Two-Ringed Weapon Masters. I knew you were talented the moment I saw you!"

Arya's father, Bryan, also seemed happy, though not particularly surprised.

Now that everyone was out, it was time to leave the forest—but first, there was a meal to enjoy.

"Before we leave, let's eat first," the elder announced. "I assume this will be the first time any of you eat the meat of a Third-Rank Monster. It will provide you with extra energy, but..."

His gaze swept over the young warriors, stopping on Kane, Leo, and Arya.

"For those of you who are already at your cultivation peak, like Kane, Leo, and Arya, this meal might be too overwhelming. Especially you, Arya—you're brimming with intense energy. Eating the meat immediately could cause instability."

Hearing this, Arya frowned slightly. He had felt the excess energy building up inside him, but he hadn't realized just how unstable it was.

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"So, I've decided that we'll have a normal meal first. As for the monster meat, your village chiefs have stored portions of it, and it will remain fresh for two days. You can eat it later when your bodies have stabilized."

Even though storing monster meat like a treasure might seem excessive, in reality, it was a rare opportunity. A Third-Rank Monster's first consumption effect was strongest for those below Rank 3, and even the village chiefs would benefit from eating it—though the effects wouldn't be as potent for them.

As the meal was prepared, the children gathered in small groups, while the village chiefs and elders spoke among themselves.

At one point, Rose approached Arya.

"What do you plan to do after this?" she asked.

Arya, without hesitation, replied, "I'll apply to a small academy with my father's help. I have some abilities, and that should be enough."

Rose simply nodded but then stared at his face for a full five seconds, making Arya uncomfortable.

Despite having the mind of an experienced adult, Arya still found it awkward. They were both less than ten years old, after all. While children in this world matured faster, it was still too early for such interactions.

The way she looked at him was difficult to interpret, and it wasn't just Arya who noticed.

Leo, who had already given up on pursuing Rose, had an ugly expression on his face. But he wasn't the only one unhappy with the situation.

Ben suddenly stepped in between them.

"You should forget about any wild ideas, Arya. From today onwards, the three of us will be students of Water Dragon Academy, and our status will start stretching apart."

Arya smirked inwardly but didn't argue. Instead, he casually responded,

"Hmm, I do agree with you."

However, in his mind, he thought, "My goals are far beyond yours. You're not even close."

With that, the meal ended, and the group prepared to leave the jungle—a place far too dangerous to linger in.

After returning to Fallen Leaves City, it was time for the top three—Rose, Ben, and the third-ranked contestant—to leave with the elder for Water Dragon Academy.

The elder turned to the village chiefs and said, "Let's part ways here."

Before leaving, the three said their goodbyes.

Rose looked at Arya and simply said, "We'll meet again."

Arya replied, "Definitely."

With those final words, the group split apart, and the remaining villagers headed home.

As Bryan, Arya, and Kane made their way back to their village, Bryan spoke up.

"Kane, Arya—you're both at Level 20 Peak and need Seed Stones to advance. With your rewards, getting an Uncommon Seed is still possible."

Bryan then turned to Kane.

"Kane, how much money do you have?"

"Chief, including my prize money, I have about 25 Pink Coins—still far from affording an Uncommon Seed Stone."

"Don't worry," Bryan assured him. "Five or six Pink Coins is a huge sum for our village, but talented children will always get the best treatment. The future of our village depends on you all."

That night, after sending Kane home, Bryan spoke privately with Arya.

"Arya, tomorrow, you and Kane will apply for an academy. You'll be away for a long time, so there's something important you need to know."

Arya nodded, already expecting it to be related to their clan.

"As I've mentioned before, our clan was once powerful. Now, it's unknown and small. But there are two organizations you must avoid and never mention our village's name near."

1. The Flame of Dawn Clan – A mid-sized clan from the Blue Flame Continent.

2. Red Shadows – A dark organization, an underground group that does anything for money. While not an official organization, they rival mid- and large-sized factions in power.

"Both are mainly active in the Blue Flame Continent, which is good since they have little interaction with the Azur Water Continent. However, if you ever encounter them, be cautious."

"Why do they matter?" Arya asked.

"The Flame of Dawn Clan took advantage of our clan's weakest moment to steal from us. But that wasn't enough—they hired the Red Shadows to exterminate our entire clan, forcing us to flee here."

Bryan's tone was calm, but his words carried weight.

"I'm not telling you this to seek revenge. I'm telling you so that you can be careful. Do not attract their attention."

Arya nodded, his mind processing everything.

"I understand. I don't like unnecessary trouble, especially now when I'm weak."

Bryan changed the subject.

"You'll need a supportive skill to hide your true strength. Pick a skill that doesn't reveal your second element. Make sure your second ring's skill isn't obvious."

Arya nodded again.

"That was a concern of mine as well."

"Good. Tomorrow, we'll buy Kane's Seed Stone first and send him home before finding yours. Since you need specific traits, finding the right Uncommon Seed won't be easy."

With that, Bryan sent Arya off to rest.

Alone in his room, Arya didn't sleep.

Instead, he stabilized his overflowing energy. He couldn't wait any longer—tomorrow, he would find his second Seed.

The path to power was just beginning.