Don't mess with that necromancer; his summoned creatures level up on their own!

The seven naked boys were still squatting on the ground in awkward positions.

One hand covered the front and the other covered the back.

Some people squat too low and their ankles ache, so they want to change their posture, but as soon as they move, they find that they are exposed to drafts everywhere, so they quickly shrink back.

Their faces turned red from their necks to their foreheads, and some people stared down at the ground, wishing they could dig a hole and bury themselves right there.

Some people turned their heads to look at the sky, pretending they could see some philosophical insights into life.

Some people closed their eyes tightly and buried their faces in their knees, pretending that none of this was real.

But no one dared to stand up.

The leader squatted at the very front, his posture the most stiff.

He suddenly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, his voice completely shattered.

"You just wait! I'll kill you after the assessment! You wait until I get out of here... Don't run! You can't escape—"

His companion, who was squatting next to him, joined in, his voice equally loud, a mixture of shame, indignation, and despair.

"Kill her! Strip her naked and let her run around naked!"

"Damn it, I've never been so humiliated in my life! I'm not finished with you!"

"What kind of crappy equipment is this?! It's designed to rip people's clothes off? Who designed this? Are they out of their mind?!"

"How am I ever going to face anyone at school again! The whole grade has seen my butt—"

The seven men shouted at each other, but they were all squatting on the ground and couldn't free their hands to chase after anyone.

Song Xiaohe stood still, her gaze fixed on her toes.

She opened her mouth as if to say something.

I want to explain, "I really didn't know this shield was for that purpose."

I thought it could only absorb mana.

"My brother didn't explain it clearly to me either."

But all the words were stuck in his throat, and in the end, he could only squeeze out one sentence.

"I...I don't know what happened either...I'm so sorry everyone..."

She mentally ranted and complained:

What kind of equipment is this?!

Why do they specifically rip people's clothes off?

Brother, what the hell have you made?!

Shouldn't equipment be used for dungeons?

Which dungeon requires stripping monsters of their clothes to clear it?!

She turned and ran away.

It leaped several meters in one step, moving even faster than before.

She didn't want to stay a second longer; even a second more and she felt her face burning up.

The other test takers nearby were trying not to laugh.

Some people covered their mouths and their shoulders trembled, while others simply turned around and pretended to be looking at the distant Yuanling Peak.

One of the girls couldn't hold it in any longer and let out a short "pfft".

More and more people surrounded the naked men, and some people deliberately glanced at them as they ran past.

Some people deliberately slowed down as they passed by, while others turned back and mouthed signals to their companions afterward.

"Look at that."

"Which one?"

It's the one on the far left.

"Oh, I see it, I see it!"

"Hahaha".

"Your husband."

"Your husband, your husband."

Those from No. 3 Middle School remained squatting in place, feeling both ashamed and angry, but none of them stood up to chase after them.

Dozens of people walked past them, watching as they fought, as if they were visiting a zoo.

They're completely finished.

Even if someone brings them clothes now, by the time they're dressed and stand up, the group in front will have already run far away.

And most importantly... they were too ashamed to continue pursuing the matter.

The large screen in the square accurately captured this scene, showing a bird's-eye view that clearly captured the seven naked figures squatting in a circle.

The principal of No. 3 Middle School had a dark expression on his face. He sat in the VIP spectator seats, his hands gripping the edge of the armrests tightly.

Seeing the image of his students huddled together naked on the screen felt like being slapped hard across the face.

Leaders from several surrounding schools were talking in hushed tones. Someone glanced at him furtively, then quickly looked away.

Then the principal of the Second Middle School broke the delicate silence, laughing so hard he almost fell over.

"Haha! Your students from No. 3 Middle School have pretty white butts! They must eat well!"

"But the school uniforms are of poor quality. I'll have to talk to logistics about it. The fabric is so bad, it'll tear in the wind. How can this be acceptable?"

Someone nearby chimed in.

"That school team captain has a nice, nice butt. People who play sports are just different!"

Another teacher, trying not to laugh, came over.

"Don't use Barrett on people like that; their child still has a life to live!"

"That little sausage swings back and forth."

The principal of No. 3 Middle School wished he could stand up and leave on the spot.

But he glanced at the direction of the door, then at the group of naked students on the screen.

He's gone. What will happen to those students?

He took a deep breath and sat back down.

The leaders of several other schools were somewhat embarrassed.

They stared at the embarrassing scene on the screen for almost a minute before someone finally coughed lightly.

She subtly raised her hand to signal to the staff member next to her.

"...Let's change the scene, switch to something else, stop showing this."

The staff quickly followed the instructions, and after a flurry of activity on the control panel...

The image on the screen switched from showing the No. 3 Middle School examinees squatting in a circle to a panoramic aerial view of Yuanling Peak in the distance.

But the audience's attention did not completely shift away.

On the left side of the VIP viewing area, a director muttered to himself while holding a teacup.

"Which school is that student from? Her levitation shield is so strange, how could it take away someone's clothes?"

"Isn't a normal levitation shield used to absorb mana? Or is her shield some kind of variant?"

Several leaders nearby exchanged glances, some frowning in thought.

"I've never heard of such equipment before... What kind of ability is it that can absorb clothes? Did some genius come up with an innovation and generalize the concept of 'absorption'?"

"That's way too niche! Who would specifically research equipment for stripping people? Isn't that perverted?"

But they didn't pay much attention to this topic. After all, the key to the assessment was reaching the summit, and even the strangest equipment was just icing on the cake.

The Su family had informed the three examiners in advance.

If the examiners handle the situation properly, Song Xiaohe will definitely be eliminated by them if she goes up the mountain.

If she doesn't go up the mountain, her ranking will drop out of the top ten.

No matter which way you go, the outcome will be pretty much the same.

Song Xiaohe ran wildly all the way.

Her footsteps on the sand quickened.

She had run very, very far away, and the roaring sounds behind her grew farther and farther away, eventually being completely drowned out by the wind.

She gradually slowed down, adjusting from a full-speed sprint to a jogging pace, her chest heaving a few times to calm her breathing.

She looked around and realized that there weren't many people around her.

Most of the candidates were still behind, tripped up by sandstorms, chaotic battles, and various unexpected events.

There were only a few scattered figures in front of her, all at a great distance.

The sand beneath her feet was getting harder and harder, which meant she was getting close to the foot of Yuanling Peak.

She paused for a moment, then subconsciously slowed her pace.

Then a thought popped into my head—could I possibly have a chance to make it into the top five?

She remembered the goal she had set before setting off, thinking that finishing in the top ten would be a great achievement.

But if they continue on this momentum, it's not impossible for them to maintain their top-five position.

Her face lit up with joy, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously curled up. She quickened her pace, switching back from a slow jog to a moderate pace.

If you can achieve a good ranking in the second stage, you will advance to the third stage.

She can then use her knightly defensive advantages to protect her brother.

My brother is a summoner, a fragile class, which is very dangerous in PvP. Once someone gets close and entangles him, it's hard for him to escape.

The more she thought about it, the more excited she became, and her steps grew lighter and lighter.

"Where did you come from! You run pretty fast!"

A figure suddenly cut in from the side, blocking her way.

The way he stood there was like a breathing wall of flesh, his aura powerful and heavy.

Lin Tianhao, a Class A Berserker from Dachang No. 1 Middle School, is five places higher than her on the leaderboard, at level seventeen, four levels higher.

His weapon was a two-handed greatsword, so wide that it could be used as a door panel.

Song Xiaohe's heart sank, and her heart, which had been beating lightly just moments before, suddenly plummeted.

She recognized him; she had seen his photo and biography in her exam preparation materials.

A top-tier player in actual combat, adept at overwhelming opponents head-on, with astonishing defensive capabilities and even more formidable offensive power.

Level 17 versus Level 13, Level A versus Level S.

Although her professional rank was higher than her opponent's, the four-level difference was a real disadvantage in actual combat.

Taking action rashly would leave you with no chance of winning.

But there was no turning back. If she stopped and lingered with Lin Tianhao for too long, the people behind her would catch up, and that would be even more troublesome.

"Let's give it our all!"

She did not hesitate.

The Floating Light Shield lit up, and a black halo spread out from the shield's surface, using an almost identical starting stance as before.

Lin Tianhao sneered.

"What kind of junk is this? It looks like a levitation shield, but levitation shields don't emit black light."

He stood firmly in place, without even adopting a defensive stance, a transparent shield emanating from his body.

He held his two greatswords diagonally across his shoulders, the tips pointing backward, with no intention of making a move prematurely.

"What can a mere level 13 character do, even with a floating light shield?"

"I advise you to save your energy and walk yourself, so you don't get even more embarrassed when you're sent back to the teleportation point."

His gaze swept across the shield. The Floating Light Shield was extremely expensive, and he had inquired about it; not many people could afford it.

The little girl in front of me doesn't look like someone who's rich.

If that were true, he would have eaten the greatsword in his hand on the spot.

Song Xiaohe's heart sank.

The other party didn't take her seriously at all, and didn't even assume a full defensive stance, remaining completely calm...

Does he have a way to deal with the Floating Light Shield?

But she didn't stop. She poured her magic into it and activated the Floating Light Shield with all her might.

"call out--"

The Floating Light Shield trembled violently, and an extremely strong suction force surged out from the shield.

The black light shot straight at Lin Tianhao.

Lin Tianhao snorted coldly, and golden light shone brightly around him—

【Berserker Body】, the Berserker's basic defensive skill. Once activated, all the Berserker's mana is transformed into armor, making them as stable as Mount Tai.

He stood motionless, a calm smile still playing on his lips.

"Trying to drain my mana? Dream on! My mana is incredibly stable; even ten more shields couldn't absorb it!"

His magical power remained firmly locked within his body, with no fluctuations in its value.

The skill barrier remained completely intact, showing no signs of being shaken.

"Hmph! It really is a fake. It didn't absorb a single trace of magic power. This thing of yours is just a glowing iron plate. Be good and take it..."

The word "汰" was not uttered yet.

His clothes ripped open with a "rip," turning into dust from top to bottom in the blink of an eye.

Lin Tianhao squatted down.

His movements were so fast they were like a reflex; he completed the entire shift from standing to squatting in a second.

It was even faster than any tactical dodge he performed during his usual training.

The greatsword slipped from his shoulder and crashed to the ground with a clang.

He covered his front with one hand and his back with the other, his knees pressed tightly together, his whole body shrunk into the smallest possible sphere.

His eyes were wide open, like copper bells.

"Are you fucking crazy?!"

His voice had cracked; his deep, resonant bass voice had broken into a scream at that moment.

"What kind of crappy equipment are you using! You look like such a sweet and cute girl, yet you're using such a freakish fighting style! You—you—give me back my clothes!"

Song Xiaohe quickly turned her head away, abruptly shifting her gaze from Lin Tianhao to stare intently at the sand dune at a 30-degree angle to her right.

Her ears were completely red, the redness spreading from her earlobes all the way to her auricles, and even the skin behind her ears was tinged with pink.

"I'm so sorry... the clothes are torn... I can't return them to you... You can squat here for a while... I'm leaving now... I'll see if you go back to your school later."

"Let's borrow one from them... I see a few more kids in No. 1 Middle School uniforms behind us, wait a bit, they should be here soon..."

After she finished speaking, she took off running.

The roars behind us continued.

"You bastard, come back here!"

Give me back my clothes.

"You—you just wait—"

The sound grew farther and farther away, more and more indistinct, until it was completely drowned out by the wind.

She slowed down after running for a while, took a couple of deep breaths, and looked down at the Floating Light Shield in her hand.

"Brother... what on earth did you create... how do you even use this shield... am I doing something wrong...?"