Everyone was speechless. No one was talking. No one knew what to say. At that moment, Edward opened his mouth.

"Here, in this bag, there are all the beast cores I have collected. I hope...I...managed to pass."

Saying this, he lost consciousness.

The elder was shocked. The level of physical essence Edward had, showed that he was at the third level of the Body Metamorphosis realm. This was insane! This boy entered the forest only with a level seven Physical Essence realm cultivation. What could have the boy experienced to improve like this? He wondered.

"It is indeed a rare talent.", said the elder. "Take him inside the academy and give him medical treatment. From now, he is a student of the academy anyway.", he declared.

Everyone exclaimed hearing that. To be directly declared as the student of the academy, how fortunate! But they also realized that Edward really deserved that.

"Don't get too surprised. Among the 16 participants here, all of you are academy students from now. This year, the selection exam was much harder than anytime before. We are doing it to get the best of the best for this year. The "Four Academy Grand Tournament" will be taking place at the end of the upcoming year. Within this one year time period, all of you need to train as hard as you can to become prepared. All of you might be wondering about the third round we talked about, right? Well, the day after tomorrow is New Year's Day. 3 days after that, on January 4, we will hold the third round. The top three students of the third round will win valuable prizes and become special students of the academy."

Everyone was cheering after learning that they all got selected. At the same time, everyone was excited for the third round, as well as the Four Academy Grand Tournament. They all started preparing for what to come, both mentally and physically.

*******

*******

*******

Edward discovered himself in a dark place. There was a silhouette a bit far from him. He could only see a shadowy figure, yet he could recognize who it was.

"Snow! You came back!", he murmured.

The shadow turned around. It really was Snow. Her face was cold and stiff.

"Who is Snow?", she asked. "I'm Princess Lisa. I don't know anyone named Snow. And I don't know you, I have nothing to do with a mortal.", she coldly declared.

Edward was shocked, and his heart froze hearing that.

"What are you saying? You know me! And I know you! Your real name may be Lisa but to me, you're the same old Snow.", he shouted.

"Stop all your nonsense. I'm leaving.", she was as cold as ever.

"NO! Don't go! At least tell me where to find you. Snow! Snow!", he kept shouting. But it was useless. He ran after her. Just as his hands were about to reach her, a glowing light came out of nowhere and cut off his arms.

"AAAAHHHH!!!!!"

He screamed in pain. He was in agony. Both in body and mind. At that moment, he saw a young man standing before him, blocking the path between him and Snow. It was Snow's fiance, Julian.

"You're too weak, mortal.", said Julian with a disgusted face.

As Edward kept screaming in pain, Julian and Snow kept walking together, side by side, slowly fading away on the horizon.

"Dam it! I'm pathetic, I'm too weak, too useless. Damn it! Damn it! Dam it!", he kept lamenting.

Suddenly, a voice was heard within Edward's mind.

"OH REALLY?", said the voice. It had a mocking tone.

"Who said that? Who?", Edward roared.

"What am I seeing? Out of all the beings in the vast multiverse, you are the one lamenting for being weak. Huh. Then the so-called mighty gods and immortals should die of shame if you are the one crying for being weak.", the voice laughed.

"Wait, It's you. The same voice I heard when I was about to die in the forest. Who are you really? What do you want from me? What do you know about me? TELL MEEEEE!!!!!!!", Edward was mad.

"What I want doesn't really matter, all that matters is what you want, as you will get it anyway. Tell me, when are you going to act upon your grand scheme?"

"What scheme? What are you talking about? WHY DON"T YOU JUST TELL MEEE!!!!!", Edward started shouting.

"Huh. That reply again. I guess then it is not time yet. Well, until then, farewell.", the voice slowly faded away, until there was only silence.

"NOOOOOOOO!!!!! STOOOOOPPPP!!!!!", Edward screamed. But there was no reply.

*******

*******

*******

Edward woke up. His whole body was sweating, and he was breathing heavily.

"Haah. It was...just a dream.", he said to himself.

Soon, he looked around and saw someone sleeping while sitting near the door. It seemed this person was an attendant sent by the academy. That person must have been tired after treating all of Edward's wounds.

Edward stood up and opened the door to his room. Outside his room was an open field, and at the horizon was mountains.

The sitting attendant woke up hearing the sound of the door opening. He quickly walked up stood behind Edward.

"Is everything okay?", he asked.

" I think so.", said Edward. "How long was I unconscious?", he asked.

" Two days. Today is the new year. The sun will be up soon.", said the attendant.

" I'm fine. You can tend to your other duties now."

"Okay. I'll also notify elder Norman that you woke up.", saying that, the attendant left.

Edward looked at the eastern horizon. The sun was slowly rising. With this sunrise, a new year was about to begin, and the story of Edward's life was about to open a new chapter.

"With this new year, everything will have a new beginning.", said Edward, looking at the rising sun.

What will this new beginning bring in? Who knows? After all, who can poke into the grand scheme of things? We can only wait and see it with our own eyes, journeying along with this young boy, Edward Alexander.

................