The worse you are, the stronger you become: My summoned beast is a photographer.

Ming Luochen was almost suffocated by the natural aura of the students from the royal aristocratic high school. He felt a strange sense of inferiority, as if those beastmen were domineering bosses who were about to fire him at any moment. Even his breathing became heavy and hesitant.

Just then, a burst of loud laughter and commotion suddenly came from the entrance of the hall, more flamboyant than any of the previous schools, yet carrying an unyielding and domineering air.

Hollen gestured for Ming Luochen to look towards the entrance: "Look, that's the team from the Imperial Rifttooth National High School."

Looking towards the sound, they saw a group of hyena-like beastmen!

They were all uniformly burly, with broad shoulders and thick backs, standing at least 2.6 meters tall. Their forearms and shoulders were taut with explosive muscle lines, like pieces of tempered steel. They had neat short hair, sharp jawlines, and intimidatingly bright black eyes. When they smiled, they revealed their signature gap teeth. Their brows and eyes carried a touch of roguish charm, wild and sharp, exuding a "don't mess with me" bandit aura.

They wore dark ochre-brown school uniforms, mostly with their collars open, revealing their strong collarbones and pectoral muscles. Their sleeves were casually rolled up to their elbows, exposing their bulging forearms. A matte bronze cracked-tooth school badge was pinned to their left breast, without any superfluous decoration, clean and neat, just like their style—direct, fierce, and not given to any nonsense.

The three of them, arms around each other, were making a lot of noise, but their steps were surprisingly synchronized, like a pack of hyenas hunting. They looked relaxed, but their formation was tight, and their sense of oppression was no less than that of the Royal High School. The students who were already huddled on both sides subconsciously took a half step back, and a few timid rabbit-eared people even hid behind pillars.

The leader at the head of the group was taller and more imposing than the others, with gold hoops around his ears that added to his fierce aura. His gaze swept across the entire area with the sharpness of a hunter scrutinizing his prey, landing directly on the lion-like youth from the Royal Academy. A smirk appeared on his lips, revealing sharp, cleaving teeth, and he raised his hand to let out a loud whistle, his provocation undisguised.

"Amos, be careful this year, don't lose first place."

The lion youth, who had been calm and collected, suddenly frowned, his golden pupils turning cold. A fierce aura emanated from his noble presence, like a sword drawn from its sheath. His wings opened and closed slightly, the feathers rustling softly as they brushed against each other.

Principal Hollen lowered his voice even further, his trunk curling slightly, his tone grave: "Cracktooth High School is a top-tier noble high school in the Empire, this year's second seed, and the only team that can rival Royal High School. Last year, they were just one point away from third place, almost breaking Royal High School's fifteen-year monopoly on the top three. This year, they're coming in strong, probably aiming for the championship."

Other top-tier private high schools arrived one after another. Hollen raised his chin and whispered to Ming Luochen, "Those are the contestants from Keller High School."

Ming Luochen looked in the direction he was pointing, and his pupils suddenly dilated – Godzilla?

They were a group of ferocious beasts that were nothing like liberal arts students. Resembling dragon-humans but without horns, with short, wide snouts and thick, scale-covered tails, they were clearly giant crocodiles with arms and legs. With each step they took, the ground seemed to tremble slightly.

The leading crocodile giant stood nearly 3.8 meters tall, with shoulders almost as wide as two adult men, exuding the imposing aura of a top predator. The muscles beneath their thick armor weren't deliberately sculpted fancy lines, but rather a fear etched into their genes—high-density, gnarled, hard-core muscles, their back muscles resembling two interlocking basalt blocks, rising and falling steadily with each step, as if every muscle contained the power to tear apart its prey.

Those arms were a size thicker than Ming Luochen's waist, with biceps bulging like a solid little mountain, and the muscles on his forearms taut and taut. Even his knuckles were as thick as if they were cast in bronze. When he clenched his fist, his knuckles protruded and gleamed with a cold, hard luster under the light, looking harder than knives and spears.

What's even more surprising is that, despite their imposing appearance and intimidating physique, these people speak in soft, cute loli voices or deep, magnetic mature female voices.

Ming Luochen's eyelids twitched, and the corners of his mouth twitched involuntarily—a mother?

They wore dark, almost black, school uniforms, the fabric crisp and resilient like soft armor, their collars buttoned tightly, yet still unable to conceal their bulging muscles. The three walked in a single file, their steps heavy and synchronized, moving forward silently, like three heavy tanks traveling side-by-side. The entire hall fell silent instantly; even the students from Rifttooth High School stopped laughing and made way for them, some even subconsciously touching their arms as if to check if their bones were still there.

While Rifttooth High School is slightly stronger in humanities, Keller High School is terrifying when it comes to martial arts—any one of its crocodile girls could easily crush everyone. Ming Luochen had no doubt that if they wanted, they could throw all the contestants in the auditorium out.

Ming Luochen was horrified. It was the first time he had ever seen an unattractive female orc. He moved closer to Hollen, his voice trembling with disbelief, "They...are also here to participate in the Arts Competition?"

"Don't be fooled by their appearance," Hollen said solemnly. "They are extremely intelligent. Keller High School is a top-tier university in Naples with a rich cultural heritage. It has consistently ranked among the top three universities in the country for ten consecutive years, and last year their essays even surpassed those of Royal High School. It is said that even professors at Imperial Academy could not find fault with their graduation theses."

After seeing the crocodile beastmen, the other high schools seemed unremarkable to Ming Luochen. He listened as Hollen introduced Dante High School, ranked fourth—a group of bipedal zebra beastmen. Although they were 2.8 meters tall, their physiques were far smaller than Aura's. They wore black and white striped school uniforms and looked refined, but the arm muscles they occasionally revealed were quite impressive.

Finally, the fifth-ranked Borta High School arrived. Leading them was a young man with a human head and a scorpion's body, as fierce as a scorpion king, his upper body muscular and imposing, his scorpion tail gleaming coldly, the stinger at its tip flashing a ghostly blue under the lights; to his left was a woman with a human head and a spider's body, her eight long legs swaying gently at her sides, spider silk wrapped around her waist in an ornate belt; to his right was a young man with a human head and a camel's body, tall and robust, carrying two camel-hump-shaped backpacks. All three possessed a strong exotic air, like ancient nobles emerging from the depths of the desert.

Hollen smiled knowingly, glancing meaningfully at the other universities. He only introduced Ming Luochen to these five top-tier elite universities, omitting the other first- and second-tier institutions. Pudi Yale was already a top-tier university, and with Ellie and Anthony there, it was a safe bet.

This time, Hollen's goal is to be number one in the liberal arts competition. He's waiting for Ming Luochen to make a name for himself and slap all the other universities in the face. Just thinking about it makes his lips curl up in a smug smile.

"Attention all participants, please enter the venue in order of your entry pass." The announcement rang out in the competition venue, its sound echoing through the huge auditorium with an undeniable air of authority.

"Keep it up, don't get cocky." Hollen wasn't afraid that Ming Luochen wouldn't get a ranking, but he was afraid that Ming Luochen would get too cocky and become arrogant.

"Don't worry," Ming Luochen replied impatiently, waving his hand. They'd been training for over a month; were they afraid of a bunch of elementary school kids? If they lost, they'd be letting down their 621 points on the college entrance exam. He patted his chest, trying to encourage himself.

"Ola, you must keep a close eye on him," Hollen called out anxiously, looking even more nervous than if his own son were taking college entrance exams; his nose was wrinkled.

"I will." Aura, holding her pencil case, also became nervous, her palms slightly sweaty. She glanced at Ming Luochen beside her and took a deep breath.

Countless orcs, accompanied by their summoned beasts, entered the passage one by one.

The venue was a huge auditorium with a soaring dome and stained-glass windows casting dappled light and shadow. Rows of seats were arranged in a fan shape. On the table in the center of the auditorium were number plates and nameplates; the number plates were made of brass, and the nameplates were made of gold-embossed parchment. Ming Luochen found seat number twenty-seven according to his entry ticket.

The entire row in front was filled with students from top-tier elite high schools. Especially the crocodile girl's enormous back, which completely blocked the light, like a wall of flesh; Ming Luochen felt as if he were sitting in her shadow. But her summoned beast was a tiny sparrow, no bigger than a palm, perched on her shoulder, tilting its head to survey its surroundings, occasionally chirping softly, creating a strangely endearing contrast with her massive body.

Eleanor the Crocodile turned to look at the centaur and the cute-looking human in the back row. Her dark green vertical pupils held a hint of curiosity as she asked, "Are you planning to take the exam together?" Her voice was surprisingly gentle, like a mountain stream, completely at odds with her fierce appearance.

"I'll take the test," Aura replied politely, nodding slightly.

Ming Luochen tilted his head back, looking closely at the crocodile's face—a short, wide snout, several sharp teeth visible even with its mouth closed, rough scales gleaming coldly under the light—his heart pounded with fear, his palms sweating: he was terrified she would suddenly go berserk and bite him. He instinctively moved closer to Aura.

The crocodile girl's gaze swept around Aura, but apart from the adorable human, there seemed to be no other animals. She looked at the man, her vertical pupils slightly contracting, puzzled: "Then you...?"

"He is my summoned beast," Aura introduced. Sensing that Ming Luochen was too scared to speak, she reached out and gently squeezed his fingers to give him a sense of security.

"Is he a summoned beast?" the crocodile girl exclaimed in surprise, her voice rising several octaves as she stared incredulously at the humanoid summoned beast, her vertical pupils widening sharply.

A loud exclamation instantly drew the attention of those around, who all turned to look at the man beside the centaur—it was the first time they had ever seen a humanoid summoned beast. Whispers rose like a tide:

"Humanoid?"

"Could he be the otherworldly human who was all the rage a while ago?"

"I heard his IQ is as high as 112, which is smarter than most people."

Suddenly, Ming Luochen was stared at by hundreds of eyes, and his old timidity kicked in again, especially with the group of beastmen who looked like monsters, and the crocodile girl who herself looked like a monster. He stiffly forced a smile, making it look more like a grimace at the crocodile girl.

Aura remained calm, gently patting his back as if comforting a frightened cat.

Eleanor stared at Ming Luochen for a long while, a thoughtful glint in her vertical pupils. The little sparrow on her shoulder chirped a few times, seemingly expressing her surprise on her behalf.

Ming Luochen lowered his head and glanced around timidly. The exam hadn't even started yet, and everyone was already staring at him. He muttered to himself, "What's so strange about that? Haven't you ever seen a handsome guy before?"

Being watched by a group of enormous creatures, all of them carnivores, filled him with a fear ingrained in his genes. He had nowhere to look, so he could only stare at the tips of his shoes, wishing he could shrink into Aura's shadow.

When the crocodile girl Eleanor saw the timid appearance of the summoned beast next to the centaur—its neck shrank, its eyes darting around, and its chubby face slightly flushed with nervousness—her girlish heart was almost melted by its cuteness: "This is too cute!" she said, wanting to reach out and touch it.

"Are you crazy?" Ming Luochen waved his hand to block her outstretched hand, but when his hand landed on her wrist, it felt as hard as hitting a rock—this woman's strength was terrifying. His entire arm went numb from the shock, and his knuckles ached.

The next second, his face was pinched. Rough fingertips pinched his soft cheeks and rubbed them a couple of times.

"What are you doing!" Aura shouted angrily, pulling Ming Luochen tightly into her arms and shielding him against her chest like a mother beast with its fur standing on end. "He's my husband! Don't you have any manners?!"

Eleanor paused, looking at Aura with a strange expression. Marrying a summoned beast? She didn't quite understand. In her view, summoned beasts were practically servants, tools, accessories in battle. And this other person was wearing a school uniform, clearly attending a prestigious school, and should be a nobleman himself. Marrying a summoned beast—wasn't that lowering his status?

But that was someone else's business. She waved her hand apologetically, her dark green vertical pupils filled with sincere remorse: "I'm sorry, I was rude. I didn't know he was your husband. I apologize." She took a step back, and the little sparrow on her shoulder tilted its head.

Ming Luochen's face was terribly gloomy, as if a stone was lodged in his chest. He wasn't strong enough, and he needed his wife to protect him, yet he was being treated like a pet, his face being pinched, and he didn't even have the right to fight back. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms.

Just then, a powerful horn sounded outside the auditorium, deep and resonant, like a war song from ancient times. All eyes turned to the entrance.

"His Majesty has arrived!"

A loud voice came from outside the door, as clear as thunder.

The doors slowly opened, and sunlight streamed in, casting a golden path across the hall floor. A troop of royal guards, clad in golden armor and lion-headed helmets, filed in, their steps perfectly synchronized, their halberds gleaming with a blinding light. They stood on either side, kneeling on one knee, heads bowed.

Immediately afterward, a towering figure entered the auditorium.

It was a golden griffin-orc—no, to be precise, a perfect fusion of griffin and orc. He stood nearly four meters tall, his wings folded behind him, each feather gleaming with a gilded sheen. The wingtips were as hard as steel, emitting a soft metallic clang when they trembled slightly. His face was handsome and majestic, his golden mane flowing from his chin to his chest like a burning flame. He wore a crown inlaid with imperial crystals, the central gem the size of a pigeon's egg, its shimmering light casting a divine halo over his entire face.

He wore a deep purple imperial robe embroidered with a golden griffin emblem, every stitch exuding the ultimate luxury of the empire's finest craftsmanship. A longsword hung at his waist, its hilt inlaid with a fist-sized ruby ​​that swayed gently with his steps.

Behind him followed two attendants, one holding a scepter and the other trailing the hem of the imperial robe.

The entire auditorium was completely silent; even breathing was deliberately kept to a minimum.

Everyone was bowing, and Ming Luochen's pupils suddenly contracted as he looked at the figure—he subconsciously looked at Amos Oscar Gilbert in the front row.

Golden mane, sharp eyebrows and eyes, huge wings folded, and an arrogant nobility that emanates from their very bones—they are practically cut from the same mold.

Amos had already stood up, placed his right hand on his chest, and bowed slightly in a standard royal salute. A polite smile played on his lips, neither servile nor arrogant, just right.

His Majesty walked to the center of the judges' panel, turned around, and his gaze swept across the entire venue. His voice was steady and powerful, echoing in every corner like the beating of a drum: "Rise, gentlemen, there is no need for formalities. I am only here to watch the competition today, so please do not be so restrained."

His gaze lingered on the seeded players in the front row for a moment, especially on Amos, where he lingered for a few more seconds. A slight smile played on his lips before he looked away and took his seat in the main seat of the judging panel.

Benuna sat to his left, nodding slightly in acknowledgment; her red hair shone like a flowing ribbon under the light.

Ming Luochen then realized—no wonder Amos was so arrogant, it turned out he had royal blood. That mane, those wings, that domineering aura, it was all inherited.