Absolute Beast Dominion - Chapter 296: Top-3 Special Rewards - 1

Chapter 296: Top-3 Special Rewards – 1

Chapter 296: Top-3 Special Rewards – 1

“Now it’s time to reveal this year’s top 3 student rewards!” the host’s voice echoed across the arena.

“Let’s welcome our 3rd-ranked student—Lily, along with her two spirit beasts, a Cedar Treant and a Windbreath Hound! Both of them are Low 3-star spirit beasts!”

Lily stood up from her seat and walked towards the stage, with Lunaria and the Treant following closely behind her.

Tarun extended his hand and shook hers.

“I have heard a lot about you from my little sister-in-law,” he said with a faint smile. “Lily, you have great talent and the potential to raise humanity to greater heights. Work hard.”

Lily nodded.

With that, Tarun gestured lightly, and suddenly a large table materialised behind him, laden with various items. At the same time, the huge board of the arena flickered and updated.

Freshers Competition:

3rd-ranked student rewards:

– 3 Million AC

– Advancement materials for 2 beasts / 1.5 Million AC

– 5 Low 3-star Wood beastcores

– 5 Low 3-star Wind beastcores

– 10 Mid 3-star Soul Crystals

– Stat boosting treasures — Up to 50 stats in all factors if absorbed effectively

– Low 5-star Super Bloodline Hydra Beast Core

– Unlimited access to the Library’s 3rd floor

Seeing the reward list, people sucked in a cold breath.

“What the hell are these rewards?!” one of the students from the top 50 seats blurted out.

“Can a fresher competition really warrant such rewards for only the 3rd-ranked person?!”

“S-so much…”

Of course, the most shaken was Uraan, who had let these 3rd-ranked rewards slip through his grasp.

“50 stats in all factors…?” he muttered. For someone like him, with a Super Rare Soul, that was nearly 2 months of rigorous training—supplemented with various magical fruits—to achieve.

The 4th to 10th ranked students had received treasures worth a total of 150 stats, distributed randomly, which meant their constitution could become unbalanced if their luck was poor. But Lily received treasures that would evenly increase her stats, totalling 250.

There were even specific element beast cores that would greatly benefit her beasts. When absorbing beast cores of other elements, a beast only gains raw energy and strength. But absorbing cores of its own element enhances its elemental attacks, making the attacks stronger than those of other beasts at the same star rank.

“If this continues, I might never be able to claim the 3rd-ranked position…” Uraan clenched his fist, his jaw tightening. He was his family’s hope—he had to work harder than anyone.

But Tavian noticed something else—something he could benefit from.

“Access to the 3rd floor? Damn…” he muttered.

The Academy Library had 10 floors. The ground floor was the lowest, followed by the 1st, then the 2nd, and so on, each level containing better books, deeper knowledge of the world, research, and fighting techniques. The 10th floor was even said to hold knowledge about everything known till now—including the truth behind how the apocalypse began and about the world before the apocalypse.

Normal admitted students had unlimited access to the ground floor, with limited time on the 1st. Students with leverage—like those in the top 500, top 50, or top 10—could request a Vice-Principal to authorise temporary access to higher floors. Even then, 1st-term students were limited to the 2nd floor. Only by maintaining their rank in the 2nd term could they gain access to higher floors.

But Leo’s attention was fixed on the football-sized bluish-purple core resting on the table, placed atop jade-like crystals that seemed to absorb and suppress the aura it emitted.

After focusing for a moment, information appeared.

3-headed Hydra Beastcore (Low 5-star) — Super Bloodline

[Elements — Water, Poison, Earth]

Leo’s eyes widened slightly.

A beast with three elements, naturally born? It must have been extremely powerful to reach Low 5-star before being hunted…

Unlike others, who dismissed the hydra beast core as mere showmanship by the academy, Leo and Lily understood its true value. A low 5-star beast core could allow her to contract at least a 4-star beast after its rank decayed upon becoming a spirit. Even a 4-star beast would be the highest either of them had ever possessed. She would gain a powerful beast—and her own stats would increase as well.

But Leo also realised that making Lily absorb the reward beastcores, especially the wood beastcore, with his talent, [Bestiary Of Soul]. She would gain many skills. Combined with the fact that a spirit caller could copy as many skills as they wanted from their spirits without limitation of soul rank, her strength would increase exponentially.

Tarun watched Lily’s astonished reaction with satisfaction. He had personally consulted Katherine and Brant to understand the workings of Lily’s talent and the rewards that might suit her. Combined with her being a spirit caller, selecting the rewards had been straightforward.

He extended his hand and picked up a spatial ring from the tray held by a female student. She stiffened slightly at the sudden shift in weight, momentarily startled—she had been distracted by the rewards. Even she, a 3rd-term student, found them phenomenal.

Tarun waved his hand, and all the rewards vanished into the spatial ring. Then he extended his arm forward, offering it to Lily. This was the moment—he subtly released the consciousness shock he had suppressed during their earlier handshake.

Lily bowed respectfully and reached out to take the ring. As her fingers brushed against his palm—

“Thank you very much for your generosity, Vice Principal Tarun. I will forever be grateful.”

Nothing happened.

She stepped back gracefully and returned to her seat.

Tarun was taken aback.

What the hell? What was that blockade?

He stood there, momentarily frozen. Lily had received no consciousness shock. It was as if some unseen force had completely blocked the interference of his being.

As Lily walked away, Tarun was left with a storm of questions.

But the one who actually felt something was Leo.

“What was that?” Leo muttered under his breath, a faint frown forming.

He looked around, scanning the surroundings—but found nothing.

Next, it was Leon’s turn to be called.

While Tarun was still searching for an answer, Leon had already stepped onto the stage, with Singham walking beside him in slow, noble strides.