《The Top of the World》


 Chapter 1: The Falling Meteor

    Chapter 1: The Falling Meteor


    A teenager trudged wearily across the street.


    He looked tired; his dead eyes gave away the depression he felt. The setting sun exposed a slim, weak frame, highlighting his lonely profile.


    A small city, not much bigger than a town, Victoria City was known to contain a couple of famous people.


    This boy was one of the residents of Victoria City. He had fame, but it wasn¡¯t welcome at all.


    ¡°It¡¯s Fang!¡±


    ¡°Today was the last examination for the spring, and just as usual, he failed it.¡±


    ¡°If this continues, he probably can¡¯t even qualify for the worst college, what a piece of waste without any prospects.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just a baker, but my son passed the exam without any trouble, better than him who came from a famous family.¡±


    Fang came from a distinguished family where his great grand parents, grandparents, and parents were locally renowned for their contributions to the city. As expected, he did inherit the talent of his lineage, with excellent reflexes and a strong body ¨C as he grew up, there was just one problem. His ability to practice martial arts didn¡¯t exist.


    Misfortune never comes alone; Fang was only ten when his parents were killed in a war protecting the city from invaders. The casualties were numerous, and with part of the city in ruins, there was simply no time to worry about the situation the bereaved were in. Fang¡¯s circumstances took a turn for the worse.


    Although the sacrifice that Fang¡¯s parents made prevented the destruction of the city, their contributions were forgotten as time flowed on. Six years went by in a blur, and the majority of the people in Victoria City forgot the work that laid the foundations to the city¡¯s success. All that remained for the majority of the residents was that Fang, the son of a talented family, was crippled and weak.


    Hearing these mocking voices, Fang tightly clenched his fist, his veins popping across the pale skin.


    These damned people, my parents contributed so much to this city, even sacrificing their lives for the city. And yet, you show no gratitude, going to the extent that you¡¯d insult them?


    Really¡­!


    Full of helpless anger, he came home. At the door, he saw a beautiful girl, with blue eyes, snow white skin, coupled with a slim figure.


    When she saw him, her eyes lit up and shouted, ¡°Master, you¡¯re back?¡±


    From how intimate she sounded, people would mistake Mii to be his lover. However, she was simply his maid ¨C their relationship was a bit atypical though, as they grew up together. In these times where not everyone had enough to eke out a living, being a servant was a profession that saved children from the clutches of death. Through the orphanage, the wealthy would adopt abandoned children to serve their own children, a companion that would last until the end of life.


    Mii¡¯s parents were heartless; in the mountains outside the city, a hunter came across a baby, left out for the wolves to feast on. She was picked up and sent to the orphanage, but her fragile body led to no willing adopters. Fang¡¯s parents, upon visiting the orphanage, took pity on her and seeing how she was the same age as Fang, brought Mii home as a maid.


    With the gentle care she received from Fang¡¯s parents, she became healthier and prettier as time passed by, and when the time came for the test of physical aptitude, she was found to have very good talent. Other families, filled with regret, tried to entice her to leave Fang¡¯s family, but being grateful to Fang¡¯s parents and Fang being a good master, she refused and set on staying. With the deaths of Fang¡¯s parents, Mii was the only family Fang had left.


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    Seeing Mii, Fang calmed down a bit and nodded, ¡°Hi, Mii.¡±


    ¡°Master, your test results¡­¡± as she spoke, Fang¡¯s face slightly became dark, and she stopped. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t be asking.¡±


    Fang sighed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anyways, I got used to it.¡±


    Mii tried to cheer him up. ¡°Master, you shouldn¡¯t be discouraged from these results, in half a year, maybe your skill will improve and get admitted to a good college.¡±


    He bitterly laughed. ¡°Oh, I hope so.¡±


    Two people walked into the empty mansion. It wasn¡¯t particularly small, after all, his ancestors were quite rich, but an eerie silence filled the air. There was no sign of lively activity. Most of the family wealth was spent on Fang, his parents striving to make a better life for their son. But with their deaths, there was no more income, and to conserve the scarce remnants of the treasury, all the servants were dismissed. It was just Mii and Fang left out of the tens that used to live here.


    ¡°Master, you must be tired. I prepared hot water already, would you like to take a bath?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Heavy mist covered the bathroom, and while Fang sat on a small wooden stool, Mii started to softly rub his back with a towel.


    Due to the tragedy during his childhood, as well as the constant barrage of insults that came his way every day, Fang¡¯s heart was callous. Yet Mii, although he said that like all the other servants that she could leave, didn¡¯t leave and stuck with him. He didn¡¯t think he had any hope, with the lack of talent he had, but she insisted on staying as his maid. The amount of faith that she had in him touched his heart.


    Frequently, he wanted to give up. But because of Mii, he kept going, trying his hardest every day so that she could live a better life.


    Unfortunately, reality was cruel.


    After he finished the bath and ate dinner, Fang climbed to the top of the mansion.


    Lying on the roof, he reached his hands towards the shining stars in the sky. It felt like the whole world was embracing the people below.


    However, Fang, he felt abandoned by this world.


    Why is it like this? I put in blood, toil, tears, and sweat, more effort than anyone else, yet, I still can¡¯t gain any martial arts?


    Damn! Is this world playing games with me? I should be able to use some martial arts, my entire life was spent practicing!


    It was a helpless plea, he knew that.


    But suddenly, a white light appeared in the sky. The luminous streak illuminated the dark sky as it headed down towards the city. His eyes widened.


    Isn¡¯t that¡­ a meteorite?


    Small meteorites were still destructive, and large meteorites could level cities into dust. The capital important cities had a magic barrier erected to shield against these rare phenomena, but this, this city was just one of many like it. He could only watch in horror as the light fell, changing directions, accelerating towards him. In a mere matter of seconds, his eyes were blinded.


    Unable to react at all, Fang crumpled as the white light shot through his body.


    The world went to black.

 Chapter 2: The Grand Ten

    Chapter 2: The Grand Ten


    Hearing an indistinct screen, Fang woke up. He looked around; there was no sky, no earth, nothing but endless darkness.


    Wasn¡¯t I hit by a meteorite¡­ am I dead?


    Is this¡­ the world of the dead?


    He looked at his body ¨C or well, the white light that he was now.


    Will I be here forever, fated to wander until my soul slowly fades into nothing?


    Filled with confusion, he walked. For what felt like months, he wandered around this dark void. A speck of light, no, ten lights seemed to be in the distance.


    It seemed like there were other dead people!


    Relieved, Fang hurried towards the lights; the feeling of isolation for so long was too oppressive.


    ¡°Hahaha, this is great, finally we get to meet someone that can hold our body!¡±


    ¡°Well, this body seems to be a bit broken.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter, fixing it is very simple.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we should be grateful, getting to meet someone before we disappear.¡±


    ¡°Our luck isn¡¯t that bad after all!¡±


    There was a total of 10 dead people, and from their voices, they sounded old.


    One of the dead floated in front of Fang.


    ¡°Boy, you¡¯re lucky to have met us. From now on, you will be destined for greatness!¡±


    Fang frowned and asked, ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±


    ¡°Who am I? Listen carefully and don¡¯t be scared!¡± The muddy figure shined brighter. ¡°My name is Kaesar!¡±


    Kaesar?


    Fang thought for a while, then said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve never heard of that name.¡±


    ¡°What, you¡¯ve never heard of me, Kaesar?¡± A tinge of red seeped into the old man¡¯s aura and angrily grew. ¡°Boy, if you¡¯re this ignorant, it¡¯ll be better for me to kill you right now!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already dead, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± The light surrounding the old man shook crazily, and the glow seemed to get larger, as if he wanted to engulf his body. A sharp voice came from another dead soul.


    ¡°Calm down, time has passed for such a long time that we can¡¯t expect him to know us.¡±


    ¡°For a long time?¡± The muddy figure wretchedly looked at the others. ¡°I, one of the legendary supreme masters, be forgotten by history? Unspeakable!¡±


    Supreme master?


    Surprised, Fang thought again; he hadn¡¯t heard of Kaesar, yet, he knew the position of a supreme master.


    This category of people belonged to the apex of the world, synonymous with a godly level of power. It was even rumored that with their power, they could destroy a country without much effort.


    The dead soul claims to be one of these masters?


    Fang didn¡¯t expect to meet a supreme master, because these figures were legendary and known throughout the world. And in this world, where the dead seemed to gather, what are the chances of meeting such a person? He stayed silent.


    Kaesar looked at his eyes, and seeing the doubt, he shouted, ¡°You don¡¯t believe I am a supreme master? I¡¯ll prove it right now, watch!¡±


    A sense of foreboding presence came forth as the blurry figure stretched out his arm. Cautious, Fang backed off.


    ¡°Well, well, well¡­¡± Kaesar¡¯s face was strained in effort as he concentrated for a couple of seconds, only to suddenly break out in light as a small cluster of flames emerged from his fingers.


    Kaesar smiled proudly, ¡°Hahaha, see this you ignorant boy? Tremble beneath the power of the terrible flame.¡±


    Fang didn¡¯t know much about the properties of fire, but he knew that just displaying a flame was the easiest of things to do, the size reflecting the power of the owner. He heard that the supreme level of mastery over flames allowed them to burn a lake into a crater, but this, the old man only held out a small flame.


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    Speechless, Fang coughed. ¡°Old man, don¡¯t you use this to light your cigars?¡±


    ¡°Are you stupid?¡± Kaesar flew into a rage. ¡°In this void world, fire is impossible, but I forcefully created fire in front of you. And all these companions here are also at the peak of their arts.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, look at me!¡± A grey figure started to float, then moved to Fang and then back. ¡°I¡¯m the supreme master of shadow!¡±


    Fang was speechless again. The dead floated from his original position to him and back in a period of¡­ 10 seconds. It was about, what, five meters per second? Can¡¯t really expect too much from an old person¡­


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I move extremely fast?¡±


    ¡°Movement isn¡¯t important, with my strength, I could destroy mountains with my fists!¡±


    ¡°Crushing mountains is easy ¨C the power of the wind can grind mountains into dust!¡±


    ¡°Damn, the time it takes for you to grind a mountain, I can punch and destroy dozens!¡±


    Looking at these old men trying to show off their skills, and claiming to be superior to each other, Fang was embarrassed.


    Did this come with being a supreme master?


    No, it could just be in this place, where there is only a black nothingness, that people would go crazy, or lose their former skills.


    He didn¡¯t want to argue with these crazy men. Again, he coughed. ¡°If there is nothing, elders, I¡¯ll go.¡±


    With that, he started to float away, but the group of elders quickly surrounded him.


    One of the dead spoke, ¡°No, no, no, you can¡¯t go, we managed to meet a suitable candidate.¡±


    Fang questioned, ¡°Candidate?¡±


    Another of the dead answered, ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll teach you all the strongest techniques we know, you¡¯re the luckiest person in the world!¡±


    Fang was lost for words; he wasn¡¯t interested at all, and plus, everyone in here was dead, so what was even the point?


    He simply just said, ¡°Hello masters, and goodbye!¡±


    He tried to run out of the crowd, but the dead were in his way, preventing him from leaving. ¡°You don¡¯t want to go, it¡¯s everyone¡¯s dream to be selected! Don¡¯t let him run away!¡±


    A ¡°master¡± hanging onto Fang yelled as he got dragged along. Soon, all the dead figures piled around Fang, holding him down.


    ¡°Boy, were it not for this void, if I lifted my finger, you¡¯d already be dead.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to do this the hard way? Just say you want to learn.¡±


    Fang kept shaking his head, shouting, ¡°I don¡¯t want to learn!¡±


    A frigid dead soul cried in anger, ¡°Do you have any idea how many people wanted to be our disciples? It was more people than you¡¯ve ever seen in your lifetime!¡±


    The shadow figure of speed desperately struggled on Fang calling, ¡°You saw that guy; in his life, he used to like men, although you¡¯re just a soul you never know what might happen if you don¡¯t choose to learn¡­¡±


    These madman were not normal, but the most important thing was to stop them and keep his virginity.


    Fang gave in. ¡°I¡¯ll learn, I¡¯ll learn whatever you teach me!¡±


    The dead came to a standstill, then let out a cheer, while Fang looked on depressed.


    Maybe these crazy souls will disappear, I¡¯ll just hang on¡­

 Chapter 3: Breakthrough

    Chapter 3: Breakthrough


    He didn¡¯t know how much time passed within this endless darkness, but it was definitely very long.


    The crazy ¡°masters¡± took turns instilling and explaining the many mysteries and meanings of the world. From their lectures, they really sounded like masters. However, their battle demonstrations were pathetic, and whenever Fang wanted to give up, even with the lack of strength the old madmen came up with new improved threats to keep him going. He hoped all the time that they would quickly fade away.


    This place, although it defied common sense, still required sleep, and that was the only bit of respite Fang could get.


    One day, when he woke up, the old lunatics didn¡¯t immediately crowd around him to impact their teachings; instead, they stared at him seriously.


    ¡°Boy, we have to go.¡±


    When he heard Kaesar say this, Fang couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. Ever since their first meeting, it had be forced, harsh practice all the time, and he really looked forward to this moment. However, now that the time came, he couldn¡¯t muster up any sense of relief.


    Although the dead souls were crazy and severe with their training, they also tried their best to teach and help comprehend the meanings of their arts. When he couldn¡¯t understand, they were patient. And they congratulated him, encouraging him to put out his top effort. He hadn¡¯t felt this warm or cared for after his parents died. Disappointed, he asked, ¡°Why? Are you souls going to dissipate and head off to a better place?¡±


    ¡°You really are an idiot,¡± Kaesar said. Despite the scolding tone, his voice carried a concealed hint of warmth. ¡°You really think you are dead?¡±


    Stunned, Fang replied, ¡°Aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! This is your spiritual world, you didn¡¯t die. Maybe you don¡¯t believe, but soon, you¡¯ll come to understand.¡±


    ¡°Remember everything that we taught you, it¡¯ll be surely useful.¡±


    ¡°Even if we die, don¡¯t you dare to slack off!¡±


    ¡°Boy, we¡¯re reluctant to part, but time is running out!¡±


    As the masters sent off their farewells, their shapes started to fade away, and Fang shouted, ¡°Hey, you haven¡¯t told me what¡¯s going on, don¡¯t go yet!¡±


    But no matter how much he cried, the dead souls faded away, leaving behind a whisper, ¡°There are things that you don¡¯t know, but when you have enough power, the soul bracelet will tell you about it. Don¡¯t listen to the others, you have talent! Your body had a slight defect, but with the last remains of our power, we restored it. In this world, many people have power, but remember, with your effort you won¡¯t be weak anymore. Fang, we will not be at your side, but inside this bracelet, let us witness the strongest person, even surpassing the gods! Farewell!¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    Swirling, the void disappeared. With a cry, Fang woke up on a bed.


    I¡¯m¡­ not dead?


    He looked at his body, and felt a strong heartbeat resonating throughout his body. As well, he felt so much energy coursing through his body that it surprised him.


    Novice!


    The levels of power were divided into different classes, and when enough strength was in the body, it would advance into another stage. Right now, at the novice rank, his strength was faintly detectable to others, an aura that other fighters could find.


    The ranks of power went from apprentice, novice, intermediate, advanced, expert, master, lord, king, supreme, and within each rank, there were 9 grades of mastery. In the past, Fang was only at the level of an apprentice, unable to continue and bypass the restriction that stopped him from advancing.


    However, the bottleneck that has bested him for a long time has been finally broken!


    And he felt it wasn¡¯t just the 1st grade novice; his aura covered the majority of his body, meaning it was at least the 8th grade novice.


    I am¡­ the 8th grade novice!


    Fang felt ecstatic, from the lowest of all the stages to a sudden jump into the 8th grade ¨C anyone would be driven mad with happiness.


    More importantly, it wasn¡¯t without reason.


    The dream wasn¡¯t a dream!


    Those old madmen, were they actually supreme?


    On his right arm, there was a thin, black armband tightly coiled; Fang was sure that he didn¡¯t wear any accessories at all before.


    Before the dead disappeared, they said they would watch the progress by a bracelet, was this it?


    Fang tried to take the bracelet off, but the bracelet was rooted deeply into his skin, and no matter how hard he pulled, wouldn¡¯t release its grasp.


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    Forget it, I¡¯ll just keep wearing it, they said that when I reached a certain level of strength, the soul bracelet will tell me everything.


    Exactly what kind of secrets were they hiding?


    --- --- ---


    On the streets of Victoria City, a maid walked in silence, her head lightly bowed towards the ground, her shoulders scrunched up accompanying a tired face full of sadness.


    Ever since the master went into a coma without any reason, it has been six months; although he showed all normal signs of life, the best healer in town couldn¡¯t wake him up.


    A month later, the examinations for college would begin ¨C if he missed it, there would be no more opportunities in the future. And after that, in half a month, her examinations for magic would commence, but their entire future rested on that. With such a big responsibility pressuring down on her, and her master in such a sad state, she couldn¡¯t help but be stressed.


    ¡°Mii.¡±


    When she arrived at the house, a voice interrupted her train of thought. She looked up, only see an uninvited, unwelcome guest. Her face immediately turned cold. ¡°Yato, why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be so unfriendly,¡± the young man said. ¡°For my master, I came here to talk to you.¡±


    Mii¡¯s face stayed cold. ¡°Between me and Vincent, there¡¯s nothing to talk about!¡±


    ¡°Well then, I must say farewell, but you should consider talking,¡± Yato advised, ¡°unlike Fang, who¡¯s a piece of waste that isn¡¯t worthy for you. He sees to what, any jewelry, clothing, education? Nothing, not even a basic magic robe ¨C if you were to work for my master, as long as you follow all his commands, we¡¯ll gift you everything. Wouldn¡¯t it be a wonderful life? And all you have to do is quite simple; Fang is a vegetable, and as long as you don¡¯t continue to feed him, Fang will die and you¡¯ll be free. No one would care about Fang¡¯s death, he is as significant as an ant anyways.¡±


    Vincent and Fang were both sons from prominent families at the same age. Although she served Fang, Vincent has been unrelenting in his pursuit for her, trying his hardest to make her submit, yet, Fang was always in the way.


    But now, Fang is asleep in a coma. Vincent patiently waited for his death, however, it never happened. Every day, Mii desperately made enough money to feed Fang, and after half a year, Vincent finally lost his patience. By now, he reasoned, she would give up.


    He was wrong; trembling, Mii shouted, ¡°Kill my master and come to him? He must be dreaming!¡±


    Seeing her defiant attitude, Yato took a step back. ¡°Mii, don¡¯t forget, your family is poor ¨C even if you raise money, you still have to use the family¡¯s savings. Now, with all the savings gone, sooner or later, Fang will die because he can¡¯t get the expensive nutrition he needs, am I wrong?¡±


    Mii gritted her teeth, as Yato pointed out her worst fears.


    Because Fang was in a coma, he couldn¡¯t eat, so an expensive blend of nutrients had to be fed to him. Already poor, the treasury was desolate of any gold, and it seemed clear that there was no wealth to support Fang.


    But Mii couldn¡¯t give up. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, although the nutrients require a lot of money, I¡¯ll work hard to earn it!¡±


    Yato smiled. ¡°Mii, why must you be so stubborn? Vincent, the gracious master, offer you the best of both worlds: a good life, and the ability to keep Fang alive. Doesn¡¯t it sound reasonable?¡±


    Although she knew that Vincent had malicious intents, she couldn¡¯t help but struggle against the enticing chance to keep Fang alive.


    Kindly, Yato softly declared. ¡°Mii, the master will commit to keeping Fang alive, saving his life. All you have to do is repay the kindness of the master, as you see fit, isn¡¯t this the best solution for everyone? Think about the generous proposal again.¡±


    Inside Yato¡¯s mind however, he lecherously sneered at Mii. This was a done deal, he thought. Unfortunately, he underestimated the loyalty of this little beauty.


    After a long period of silence, Mii spoke again, her voice calm, yet firm. ¡°I refuse, because if master was alive, he would never accept anything Vincent would offer! And if the master is gone, I cannot live; I¡¯m Mii, of the family of Fang, and I will die in the family of Fang!¡±


    Viewing that resolute Mii, Yato grew very angry. ¡°Then you will watch Fang starve to death, he will never wake up!¡±


    ¡°Really? I don¡¯t think so!¡±


    Yato and Mii were stunned as they followed the sound; a man leaned on the opened door.


    For six months, he was in a coma. But today, in front of their wide eyes, Fang was there, awake!

 Chapter 4: The Endless Method

    Chapter 4: The Endless Method


    ¡°Master, you, you ¡­¡± Lips trembling, Mii couldn¡¯t believe that familiar, assuring face was in front of her.


    Yato¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Fang?¡±


    Stepping in front of Mii, Fang spat out a single word. ¡°Leave!¡±


    No longer startled, Yato angrily asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    In a deadpan tone, Fang stated, ¡°Go back to Vincent, and tell him, if he sends for Mii again, I¡¯ll personally kill that trash!¡±


    ¡°You dare to insult our master? Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re just an useless piece of waste ¨C go to hell!¡± In fury, Yato raised his shining arm, throwing a heavy blow at Fang.


    Although he was a general servant, he was at least a grade 3 novice; his strength coated his entire arm, being more than enough to deal with the apprentice level Fang.


    Mii went pale, she didn¡¯t think Yato would suddenly attack Fang. She was a mage, but at the level she was at, she needed time to prepare and chant a spell. It was too late.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Within the dust, a figure flew out screaming, but it wasn¡¯t Fang.


    Yato fell several meters away, on the ground with shards of broken teeth.


    Fang¡¯s body was also shimmering, but it wasn¡¯t just one arm ¨C his entire upper body was alight.


    To cover this much with his strength, he was at least at the grade 5 novice stage!


    Mii stared with open eyes.


    Master just came, but he already past the threshold and was at least a grade 5 novice now, what happened?!


    His mouth full of blood, Yato¡¯s eyes glazed over as Fang viciously smiled. ¡°Well, this is the best way to show Vincent¡­ actually, I wouldn¡¯t mind playing until you lose more teeth.¡±


    ¡°Uhh, uhh ¡­¡± Sobbing in pain, Yato didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Fang glared at him. ¡°Disappear within ten seconds, else I can guarantee that you¡¯d never be able to speak again. Ten, nine, eight ¡­¡±


    Chills ran over Yato¡¯s body, and in a hurry, disregarding the pain, he stumbled into the distance, gradually disappearing from sight.


    Fang remarked, ¡°Just like his master, ugly and weak!¡±


    He turned to the dazed Mii. ¡°Unlike Mii here, courageous and beautiful!¡±


    Mii broke out of her stupor and although she couldn¡¯t understand what was happening, cried out in happiness, ¡°This, master, is this real?¡±


    Fang walked towards her, and tightly held her charming body in his arms. ¡°Mii, you¡¯ve suffered enough. I promise you, from now on, things will change!¡±


    Mii cheerfully nodded, ¡°Yes, I believe in you master!¡±


    --- --- ---


    Back inside the mansion, with the shock gone, Mii joyfully asked, ¡°Master, when did you wake up?¡±


    ¡°Just less than five minutes ago,¡± Fang replied. ¡°In time too, else my dear maid would have been gone to someone else.¡±


    Mii protested, ¡°Master¡­¡±


    ¡°I kid, I¡¯ll never forget your devotion.¡± From the calendar and Yato¡¯s earlier comments, Fang could tell that more than half a year flew by, yet Mii had never abandoned him. He was touched, from now on, he promised himself that he¡¯d always take the best care of Mii.


    ¡°It was nothing,¡±Mii said shyly. ¡°I¡¯m your maid, and you were so kind to me, it¡¯s what I¡¯m supposed to do.¡±


    Since Fang¡¯s parents died and the family declined, Fang took the initiative to take control of the situation, rather than leaving it to scared, little Mii. ¡°You¡¯re free to go,¡± he said with a tired smile, holding out the remains of his own savings, but she had refused, and determined that she¡¯d always be loyal to Fang.


    Uncomfortable with the silence, Mii asked, ¡°Master, your strength, how did it become so strong? Before you didn¡¯t break into the level of novice, but that strength you just showed covered the upper body, which is at least grade 5, right?¡±


    Mii was a mage, but she knew the basics of the warrior¡¯s path. Seeing Fang¡¯s sudden spike in power, she was very confused.


    Fang gently smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe it¡¯s because of that sudden illness ¨C that was perhaps a blessing in disguise.¡±


    Of course, he knew that wasn¡¯t the case.


    He made these changes himself, and in that dream with the old madmen, they had claimed that he had talent, and with the last vestiges of their power, restored the flaw in his body. That bit of power; it was enough to breakthrough into the rank of a grade 8 novice.


    Clenching his fist tightly, he thought there were no doubts that he would breeze through the entrance exam!


    --- --- ---


    On the highest floor of a luxurious mansion in Victoria City, a man angrily threw a vase at the wall.


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    ¡°Damn Mii, she just didn¡¯t refuse to go, but she managed to ruin your face Yato!¡±


    Mii was a magician, and he knew that Yato was no match for her, yet, he hadn¡¯t expected Mii¡¯s punches to break Yato¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Mm mmmm, mm mmmm¡­¡± Yato shook his head, unable to speak.


    Vincent frowned.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Uhh uhh, uhh¡­¡± Crying, Yato gestured with his hands and feet for a long time, and Vincent finally understood what he was trying to say.


    ¡°What, the person that beat you wasn¡¯t Mii, but Fang?¡±


    Yato continued to nod.


    ¡°Even if Fang woke up, how could he defeat you?¡±


    Frantically, Yato kept waving his hands.


    ¡°What? Fang¡¯s broken into the level of a grade 5 novice? How could it be, when he was just a low grade apprentice in a coma?¡±


    Unable to explain, Yato kneeled to the ground, bowing. Seeing he couldn¡¯t explain anymore, Vincent waved his hand in dismissal.


    Fang, Fang, Fang. You beat my servants as a demonstration? Who do you think you are?


    No matter how strong you are now, you were and always will be trash! Just wait and see, Mii will be mine!


    --- --- ---


    As lazy light flooded the drowsy afternoon streets, Fang ran towards the city public library. For several hours, he searched and browsed through all the books of famous figures. The supreme master of fire, shadows, thunder, holy and ¡­


    If anyone reached the rank of supreme, their name would instantly be famous, recorded throughout the ages. He doubted that these legendary figures would be forgotten so easily.


    But nothing. Maybe it was because Victoria City was small, the larger libraries might contain a hint of their history.


    However, to Fang, even if those crazy old elders were not at the level of supreme, they were powerful masters. After all, they managed to heal the flaw that countless doctors couldn¡¯t fix.


    Also, when he battled Yato, he circulated his energy through the method drilled into him by the dead master rather than the teachings of previous schools, and surprisingly, his power had increased past the 8th grade into the 9th grade. There was no doubt that he couldn¡¯t have reached that without following what the old man had said.


    When Fang finally came home, the sky was completely dark. Instead of heading to dinner, he immediately rushed into a tiny practice room within the mansion.


    However, he didn¡¯t practice the method that the instructors at school recommend, but another method: the endless method!


    When he asked for the origins of this name, the elders laughed and said that the reason was very simple: it described the method!


    It sounded stupid, but Fang was forced to memorize this method by heart. To his horror, the old souls added as an afterthought that this method was something they thought as possible in theory.


    In other words, no one had ever trained using this method, as even the smallest of errors could cause severe disabilities, or even sudden death!


    Fang initially thought that they, out of boredom, came up with this method, claiming to be the strongest method in the world. However, now that he had returned to reality, and his body no longer had any problems, he thought that he¡¯d give this method a try.


    The endless method was dangerous, but he recalled, the danger only escalated when the level of strength surpassed the advanced stage. As of now, there was little to no chance that he¡¯d die from practicing this method.


    He sat down on the ground, and started to visualize the intricate, complex formations that dwarfed the simple methods of the instructors. This pattern was very familiar to him; after all, he spent ages perfecting to no result in the dream. But, in reality, the effects instantly became noticeable.


    Energy from the surroundings continued to drain astonishingly fast into Fang¡¯s body, and in shock, he observed that this rate was much more rapid than anything he had seen!


    Surprised, he thought again to the theory behind this method. The old men claimed that according to their observations, all element energies were absorbable. Using this as their focal idea, they came up with a method that would allow the absorption of all the element energies, rather than just a single element, letting the user to advance extremely quickly.


    Although this was just a theory, it came true in reality! The endless method endlessly absorbed the energy, this was insane!

 Chapter 5: Novice

    Chapter 5: Novice


    As he thought about the theories that the old elders explained, he remembered that three of them also came up with a universal law of magic as they have fought mages at their same level!


    A person¡¯s body would be suited to either magic or martial arts; the chances of a person being suited for magic was quite low, but they exhibited extremely destructive power. There was only one issue, absorbing mana required for their spells needed an understanding of the world; even with meditation, this was difficult to accomplish.


    While he was stuck in that place of eternal darkness, he was forced to learn various theories regarding magic, just in case he¡¯d fight one.


    However, everything they taught was theory; Fang wasn¡¯t a magician, he didn¡¯t know if the theories were suitable for practice. But Mii was one¡­


    Fang searched around the mansion, finding Mii washing some clothes. ¡°Mii, can you stop for a moment?¡±


    She put down the clothes. ¡°How can I help you, master?¡±


    ¡°Listen to this,¡± Fang started to recite another perception on magic, contained with the basic theories that he was taught. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Until he finished, Mii had been intensely listening with her head down, but as he continued to explain, she became shocked. ¡°Master, this way of perceiving magic seems to explain the deep fundamentals that everyone thought were there without explanation, and these unique, fresh views, I¡¯ve never heard of before, even from my school!¡±


    He had curiously once looked at the magic book that Mii studied from after she returned from school, however, the several pages of complex, various formulas that composed of the laws of magic were too esoteric for him to understand. Even if he was born with a body suitable for magic, he was afraid that he simply would not make any progress in magic; after all, even if he had the ability, he would also need comprehension which were two completely different things.


    However, these basic theories that the old elders came up with contained simple and vivid examples. Fang was sure that other than the advanced material, magic wasn¡¯t that difficult to know, surely, the basic magic below the magician level should be quite easy to practice.


    Excited, Mii asked, ¡°Master, where did you learn these magic theories? These should be from a very powerful magician, maybe even at the archmage level.¡±


    Although Mii was the closest person in the world he knew, Fang couldn¡¯t help but think that the idea of being in a spirit world to be taught by old, supreme masters while he was in a coma was too bizarre. Helplessly, all he could do is laugh and put it off to the side. ¡°The details are nothing important, if you think these explanations of magic are good, then just keep in mind when you practice magic.¡±


    Mii knew that Fang was hiding something, but she didn¡¯t push any further. ¡°Yes, master!¡±


    These methods and meanings were too powerful, he thought. And so, he stayed inside the practice room for the most of the time, coming out infrequently for their frugal meals.


    A month passed.


    Inside the mansion, a body was alight with a faint glow. Fang was able to spread energy throughout his entire body ¨C his eyes lit up in joy.


    He was at the breaking point from the novice class to the intermediate class! Unexpectedly, just after a month of effort, he was at this stage. Fang turned around and looked at the calendar; time really did pass quickly.


    After a few days passed, it was the day of the entrance examination.


    Even though Fang got to know the endless method for practicing, the time that the old masters had to teach was limited, so they only imparted the basics and the most useful theories of martial arts to Fang; after all, supreme techniques would at least require decades to learn, and to learn ten different supreme styles in the period of six months was impossible.


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    But because of the unique insight and approach to martial arts he gained through the exploration of these theories, he was at a starting point higher than the majority of people. He knew though, that he couldn¡¯t afford to be lazy.


    Certainly, he had a head start. It was the beginning, however, he still needed to learn fighting techniques and needed pointers on improving his combat experience ¨C this would all be accessible once he entered a good college!


    Fang¡¯s eyes narrowed, half a year ago, he was unable to surpass the apprentice stage due to the flaw in his heart. But now, the situation is different.


    I must get the top score in the entrance examination!


    --- --- ---


    The quiet days of Victoria City were over, as the city started to bustle in activity due to the upcoming entrance examination.


    Outside the venue, anxious parents and their children arrived early with their friends, waiting patiently for the exam to begin.


    To adhere to the principles of openness and fairness, the entrance examination was free for everyone to observe, so naturally, many people attended to watch the fun.


    The voices started to get louder once two people appeared, immediately attracting attention.


    ¡°Hey look, isn¡¯t that Fang?¡±


    ¡°This guy was already weak, but to go in a coma for half a year and wake up in time before the competition, what kind of bad luck does he have?¡±


    ¡°After he woke up, I heard that he didn¡¯t even go to the training school; I thought he completely gave up on martial arts. Is he here just to test his luck?¡±


    ¡°Luck? He failed to break through the apprentice level, and he comes and tries to take this exam? Does he not have any shame? Just abstain, and stop wasting time.¡±


    The grating insults that the people had didn¡¯t change at all from half a year ago, Fang thought bitterly. No one except Vincent and Yato knew that Fang had already reach the novice stage ¨C after all, he spent all his time holed up in his residence.


    Accompanying Fang was Mii, and as his maid she couldn¡¯t help but get angry at the hateful comments. ¡°These people really look down on you, master, ignore them and focus on the exam and prove them wrong!¡±


    Fang lightly chuckled. ¡°Mii, don¡¯t worry, very soon, no one will dare to look down on us!¡±


    As only the examinee could enter the examination grounds, Fang patted Mii¡¯s shoulders and confidently strode in.


    However, a man suddenly appeared in front of him.


    Vincent!


    With this back straight, and an arrogant manner following his footsteps, Vincent coldly sneered. ¡°Only a 5th grade novice, Fang, with this pathetic level, you are as much of a threat as a piece of paper!¡±


    He paused, then took some heavy, deep breaths, as Vincent had come from the training school to the city at the last moment, squeezing in as much practice as possible.


    Indifferent, Fang ignored him, and as their shoulders collided, Vincent almost fell to the ground.


    Unexpectedly, Fang was so tough!


    Fang commented as he continued to walk, ¡°Who¡¯s the trash?¡±


    Vincent¡¯s face instantly turned ugly, and started to tremble. ¡°You¡­¡±


    Fang continued on, leaving behind a fuming Vincent. Watching Fang leave, his heart sank, as he confirmed that Fang wasn¡¯t weak. He definitely entered the novice level, and he should be at a high grade ¨C otherwise, it was impossible for him to almost fall.


    However, Fang, don¡¯t think that because you¡¯ve won against Yato, you have strength. During this examination, you will see, that compared to me, you¡¯re nothing!

 Chapter 6: The Entrance Examination

    Chapter 6: The Entrance Examination


    Eleven figures cut through the morning sun, slowly sitting down on raised seats overlooking the grounds. They were sent from the country to ensure fair, standardized testing to all candidates. Unlike other years, where the attention would be directed towards the examinees, the crowd looked at a beguiling beauty among the judges.


    To enter the country headquarters with that youth, her talent must have been extraordinary. Although, this was a small city of many, and the quality of judges were not very high. It seemed like all the other judges were older than 30, and sent here as their first assignment judging by their lack of confidence.


    But the most surprising thing was, among the judges that sat down, she sat down in the center seat.


    If this wasn¡¯t by accident, then, it meant she was actually the head judge and the strongest out of the people present!


    From impatient manner they took their seats, it wasn¡¯t hard to see that the judges didn¡¯t want to waste any time. After all, the examination was very simple: each examinee was called up, sorted by their identification number, and would demonstrate their skills.


    ¡°Number 1, Hill!¡±


    A teenager that worked at a nearby farm went up, and displayed energy covering his arms up to his waist.


    6th grade novice!


    His talent was quite good, as he had taken some lessons from private tutors inside the city with his savings.


    An ordinary sword was withdrawn from Hill¡¯s side, and he sent out a thrust, circled, and stabbed the air, showing a practical, simple style of sword mastery.


    To score as much points as possible, techniques were often presented to emphasize the person¡¯s full fighting prowess.


    As the motions of the sword began to slow down, the judges started to rate him.


    Other subjects were also tested one by one, with the majority of people ranking in between grade 3 and 5 novice, and occasional outliers of grade 6 or 7 novice.


    But even as half the total testers had tested, there was no one at the 8th grade; simply because advancing into higher levels of strength required an exponentially larger amount of energy.


    This was the case, until a certain person was called.


    ¡°Number 103, Vincent!¡±


    When his name was read, he proudly came to the field as a burst of energy covered his entire body.


    8th grade novice!


    The crowd instantly went quiet, as in this exam, he was the first person to reach this stage of power.


    Yet, it was the end ¨C the energy kept spreading, and came to a stop as it covered the head, and the eyes.


    9th grade novice!


    This was the highest stage anyone could reach as a novice.


    Instantly, the crowd broke out into cheers, and people whispered to each other in envy.


    ¡°This is too much, reaching that stage of strength at his age.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, getting the 8th grade as a novice is high enough, but going as far as the 9th grade is just ridiculous. There¡¯s no question who the top scorer of this examination will be.¡±


    ¡°It seems that Vincent will accomplish more than his father, being as brilliant as he is.¡±


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s from a real martial arts family, unlike that useless Fang, what did you expect?¡±


    A middle-aged man proudly smiled. No parent wouldn¡¯t be proud to see their son do well. He thought about Fang, and couldn¡¯t help but smirk. Deep grudges ran between the Vincent and Fang families, therefore, every generation of fighters had compared their strength in this examination. In the past, Fang¡¯s parents easily outshone the rest of the city, while he lacked the ability to compete.


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    But look at this now, Fang¡¯s parents, dead, and Fang, the laughingstock of the city. There was no better taste than sweet, gloating victory.


    Although Vincent¡¯s examination was over, he was determined to stay behind and watch the fool that Fang was.


    Vincent bowed, and left assertively. Just by displaying his talent, it was clear to him that there was an insurmountable gap in strength between him and Fang.


    Expecting to revel at Fang¡¯s amazement, Vincent went past the line of people, and looked for Fang. However, he quickly grew irritated; Fang¡¯s calm face didn¡¯t change at all, as if what happened was trivial.


    Pathetic, Vincent thought, trying to put up a front. Not that it matters anyways ¨C you¡¯ll be humiliated when it¡¯s your turn to test!


    The testing process continued, but no one displayed strength remotely close to Vincent. Murmurs ran across the crowd, it was certain now that Vincent would top the scores.


    ¡°Number 189, Fang!¡±


    Hundreds of eyes stared at the lone figure below. All their attention was focused, to the joke and spectacle they were sure would appear. Jeers sounded around the field.


    ¡°Come on, Fang, I hope you didn¡¯t come to shame yourself!¡±


    ¡°Our city is a small place, but there hasn¡¯t been anyone before that took the entrance examination without at least being at the novice level.¡±


    ¡°After the wreck this is going to be, I bet the examiners are going to be speechless.¡±


    Ignoring all the mockery, Fang came to the center of the testing grounds, in full view of all the spectators.


    He took a deep breath. A faint light spread around his fist.


    The noise came to an abrupt end.


    Fluid as water, energy flowed past his wrists, covering half his arm.


    1st grade novice!


    Then, the arms were both covered.


    3rd grade novice!


    It continued to go past towards the neck.


    4th grade novice!


    His entire chest became shielded.


    5th grade novice!


    To think, half a year ago, he was just at the apprentice level, and now, to be at the 5th grade novice? The crowd couldn¡¯t believe their eyes.


    However, the shock was far from over.


    The strength surrounded his waist.


    6th grade novice!


    Yato said that Fang was only at at the 5th grade novice¡­ Did he conceal his strength or make a breakthrough?


    Seeing all these responses, the judges were slightly surprised; after all, this amount of energy is just normal.


    Mii was also surprised ¨C she thought that Fang¡¯s strength was only at the 5th grade, but pleasantly, he was already at the 6th grade.


    No wonder master would have such confidence!


    However, she greatly underestimated Fang.


    Fang¡¯s legs and feet were immersed at this point. Vincent swore softly. This, this is impossible, how can this waste be a 7th grade novice?


    But it still wasn¡¯t the end. His head quietly emitted light.


    8th grade novice!


    Other than Vincent, no one had gotten to this level!


    His eyes started to light up, and his aura felt formidable as it came to an end.


    9th grade novice!


    Suddenly, the top scorer wasn¡¯t alone.


    In disbelief, the audience watched as the apprentice ranked Fang that the entire city scorned managed to compete for the top spot with Vincent!


    Vincent staggered, his mind went blank; was this reality?


    There¡¯s no way, I must be seeing things, Fang could only reach this strength if he took rush pills!

 Chapter 7: !

    Chapter 7: !


    He pinched himself extremely hard, and almost shouted in pain to no avail ¨C what Vincent was seeing was real!


    Even if he took rush pills, which would increase the capacity within a short time, serious side effects would ravage the body afterwards. In addition, if Vincent¡¯s family gathered up all their wealth, they would still be drastically short of buying such a miracle drug. So how could a poor nobody like Fang buy one?


    What¡¯s more, the jury that presided over the examination were not ordinary; they had immerse amounts of knowledge to get to their positions, and if anyone cheated during the examination, they would instantly disqualify them permanently from every institution.


    Slowly, Fang walked out of the testing grounds, while the crowd watched in dead silence.


    If you laughed at someone who had reached this level, you¡¯d just be humiliating yourself.


    He arrived in front of the small figure. ¡°Mii, I didn¡¯t let you down, right?¡±


    Mii¡¯s mouth was wide open, and couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. But after hearing Fang¡¯s voice, she snapped back, ecstatic. ¡°I¡¯m not dreaming, am I master? Are you really a 9th grade novice?¡±


    Fang laughed. ¡°You really were dreaming, but that was in the past. Now, the nightmare is over!¡±


    The happy mood was a stark contrast to where Vincent was, who was fuming in jealousy. Making such a miraculous breakthrough into that rank infuriated him. And it was even worse that it was during this exam, so he wasn¡¯t sure that he could get the top score.


    This entrance examination was perhaps the most important event for small cities like Victoria City. Happening every decade, it took the top scorers from each city and gave a scholarship into an intermediate school, from which the students could make their entry based on their results into the famous colleges in the capital cities.


    In other words, as long as you could get the top score in your city, you were guaranteed entrance into a prestigious college.


    Although that was valuable itself, the real value was in the intermediate school. An elite training camp where for two months, instructors from all around the country gathered to help young talents grow.


    The examination came to a close, and one of the judges came in front of Fang and Vincent. ¡°I¡¯m extremely happy that in today¡¯s entrance examination, two outstanding talents at the same stage were present. However, according to the rules, only one person can be recommended. So, to decide the recipient, we propose an even fight between you two, do both sides agree?¡±


    Vincent immediately said, ¡°I agree!¡±


    Fang also replied, ¡°I agree!¡±


    The judge nodded. ¡°Well, in that case, the battle will take place tomorrow morning ¨C go back, rest and get ready.¡±


    --- --- ---


    That night, Victoria City lit up, with loud, boastful voices sharing warm drinks through the streets.


    ¡°Damn Fang!¡± Vincent shouted in rage. In his mind, Fang was another ant waiting to be trampled on, but today, he posed a risk to his future!


    A well-dressed girl came in with a tray of tea, speaking coyly, ¡°Master, there¡¯s no need to make such a big fuss, after all, it¡¯s just Fang.¡±


    Vincent frowned, even if his maid looked relatively pretty, she couldn¡¯t compare with Mii. He felt extremely miserable, now that Fang was a 9th grade novice, it¡¯d be difficult to take Mii away from him. And this examination wouldn¡¯t stop Fang from advancing; with his talent, he could get into another excellent college.


    His face started souring, and increasing irritated, he swept his hands at the maid ¨C in an instant, the tea fell with a crash to the ground. ¡°Go away, don¡¯t bother me!¡±


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    Frightened, the maid clumsily picked up the broken glass on the floor and tried to quickly leave, limping out the door.


    Vincent sat in his chair, hands crumpled against his head. A man rudely interrupted his reverie as he strode in. Vincent was about to let fly insults but paled when he saw who it was. ¡°Father?¡±


    ¡°Son, I¡¯ve mentioned many times you should control your anger.¡±


    ¡°Father, I know that,¡± he muttered. ¡°Today¡¯s events were too much, who does Fang think he is to show off so arrogantly?¡±


    ¡°I understand how you feel, but his strength was the truth. However, you should think about how you can solve this problem.¡± He paused. ¡°If you think carefully, this is an extremely good opportunity!¡±


    ¡°A good opportunity?¡± Puzzled, Vincent looked at his father.


    ¡°According to my observations, Fang is indeed a 9th grade novice, but he has just recently gotten to this stage. Tomorrow, when you fight, you can continuously attack and exhaust his strength. After his defense has dwindled¡­¡± A cold light came into his eyes. ¡°Son, during this fight, even if there are casualties, no one is responsible. Therefore, there¡¯s a chance that we can happily reunite Fang with his parents!¡±


    Vincent¡¯s eyes lit up.


    Suddenly, this examination seemed so wonderful!


    With a vicious grin on his face, Vincent whispered, ¡°Father, even if I don¡¯t manage to kill Fang, I¡¯ll just accidentally cripple him!¡±


    ¡°Well, that depends on you!¡± He patted Vincent¡¯s shoulders as a sinister smile rose.


    Fang had unexpectedly become a 9th grade novice ¨C he was sure to become a huge threat in the future. Showing this level of improvement was unreal; if he grows up, he could restore his family¡¯s position and oust the Vincent family¡¯s standing.


    Just like his parents, Vincent¡¯s father smirked, Fang will ¡°accidentally¡± meet an unfortunate, untimely death.


    --- --- ---


    As the sun broke through the horizon, people hurriedly crowded in front of the training grounds. Although the entrance examination was over, the battle that was to happen today had been publicized throughout the city from gossip spread over mugs of hearty beer and bread. Bets were taken; this fight was sure to be quite memorable as it was the clash of the two famous families.


    Vincent and Fang were already on the grounds, a tense, hostile air separating the two. No words were needed.


    The eleven judges arrived, neither late nor early. Once they were comfortably seated, a judge moved in front of Fang and Vincent, and announced in a loud voice, ¡°This fight will be fairly fought without any weapons or external help. There is no time limit, and the combatants may not leave the battlefield. Both sides forsake any responsibility to the conditions of the competitors after the fight. The fight will be decided when a person loses consciousness or is unable to fight, and the winner will receive a recommendation into the intermediate school. Are there any questions?¡±


    In rare unison, Fang and Vincent declared, ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Well, then, I pronounce¡­ the fight shall begin!¡± The judge rushed out of the training grounds.


    Energy covered both Fang and Vincent¡¯s bodies as they glared at each other. Warily, they circled the area, until suddenly, Vincent rushed towards Fang.


    Fists met fists, and a small shockwave resonated between the figures as they backed off. It looked like the outcome of that exchange was extremely close.


    Although Vincent had no disadvantage, he frowned, because his father said that since Fang recently became a 9th grade novice, he should have the advantage.

 Chapter 8: White Skill vs White Skill?

    Chapter 8: White Skill vs White Skill?


    Vincent¡¯s father grimaced. His senses were definitely not wrong, how could an initial 9th grade novice tie that exchange of blows with an experienced 9th grade novice?


    Certainly, if Fang was normal, this would never happen. However, no one could expect that Fang practiced a different method; one that would absorb all energy at a rapid rate. So even if Fang recently got to this rank, he was able to fight on par with Vincent.


    After discovering he still couldn¡¯t take the advantage with just normal blows, Vincent was enraged, and started to change his movements. This wasn¡¯t much, nonetheless, it was enough to break the impasse.


    Fang¡¯s parents died on the battlefield while Fang was only ten, so he never got to learn the family fighting skills. In addition, the training school only taught the basic movements of combat. So how was Fang able to contend with my punches?


    Vincent shrugged off his anxiety. Fang, if you want to compare our strengths, skills and experience, I¡¯ll always be superior!


    Aggressively, Vincent sped up his punches ¨C unexpectedly, there was a chance, and Vincent hit Fang with a brutal punch.


    However, Vincent felt like he had punched a brick wall, and screamed in pain as he backed off. The concentrated light on Fang¡¯s body slowly dissipated from that spot, as he calmed stared at the furious Vincent.


    The judges widened their eyes in surprise.


    Instant parry!


    At the moment of contact, energy was focused onto the point to improve defense and greatly reduce the amount of damage. But this skill was tremendously difficult to achieve; it required keen eyes, a calm mind, fast reflexes, and mastery of energy. As well, this skill wasn¡¯t very common, as it required special training to practice this. Usually, a person would have to have reached the advanced rank to use this. Fang though was only a 9th grade novice!


    After that punch was deflected by the instant parry, Fang slid back a small distance. Just a lucky trick, Vincent thought, and prepared to send out another array of punches.


    As the fight continued, Fang remained unwounded, but Vincent appeared to have complete control over the course of the fight, seemingly overwhelming Fang with large punches. Another glancing punch hit Fang.


    Oddly, the same thing happened again, and even though Vincent¡¯s fist was filled with strong light, it was offset by the instant parry.


    If the first was a coincidence, then what was the second time?


    The peaceful expression on the beautiful judge¡¯s face changed slightly, colored in pleasant surprise.


    To execute instant parry as a 9th grade novice wasn¡¯t easy, to say the least!


    However, no one knew that what Fang was doing wasn¡¯t instant parry, instead a fighting method he was taught by the elders. He didn¡¯t try to predict or react where he would take damage. All he did was exert a thin layer of energy around his body, and train to passively condense it around any breaks in the shield.


    Damn, is this guy really using instant parry?


    Vincent felt envious, he knew how difficult it was to use instant parry.


    Dust flew into the air as the fight continued, Fang defending and occasionally using ¡°instant parry¡± as Vincent attacked frustratingly.


    With this energy shield protecting him from harm, Fang¡¯s mind settled down completely, and he started to analyze the battle.


    Fang wasn¡¯t doing too badly; although he had never learned advanced techniques for fighting, his basic skills were solid. Slowly, but surely, he realized the patterns of attack Vincent showed, and the frequency that he got hit lowered. Now, deep into the fight, Vincent couldn¡¯t touch Fang at all with his wild punches.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    The endless method also displayed its advantages over the conventional methods ¨C sustainability. Because of the method constantly repairing the lost energy in Fang¡¯s body, he stayed in the same condition as he started the fight, while Vincent was short of breath with his body exhibiting fading light.


    Vincent started to feel the pressure as sweat poured down his face. Every fist started to become heavy, but relentlessly, he kept up the assault.


    Momentum was clearly on Fang¡¯s side now, and seeing the exhaustion, the audience started to discuss amid each other.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that Fang was so strong, able to take so many punches.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t his body, it¡¯s just a very good skill called instant parry!¡±


    ¡°Fang must have learned the skills at a young age, practicing in secret.¡±


    ¡°With the way this is turning out, Fang will surely get the recommendation.¡±


    People were fickle. When you¡¯re weak, you¡¯re surely just a joke. But within a day, all grudges were forgotten if you were strong, Fang laughed bitterly.


    Hearing the voices, Vincent was a bit unsettled.


    Do you think I will lose?


    Nonsense! Fang can never be stronger than me! I¡¯ll show you the real winner!


    Vincent stopped his punch, lifting his bent arm, fingers together in a sharp line. Light started to flow around the length of the arm, energy condensed into what seemed like a blade around his fingers. Shockingly, Vincent had something else than the barrage of punches: a martial technique!


    Different energy concentrations into unique poses allowed the maximum potential of a combatant to be displayed; a martial technique outclassed regular fighting abilities by a large portion because of the focused energy.


    With the sharp energy surrounding his arm like a sword, Vincent drew a circular arc from the top to the bottom.


    White skill ¨C Sonic Cut!


    Skills were divided into levels as well with 5 grades: white, yellow, green, blue, red, purple, brown, and black. The level of the skill was decided by how much energy the skill would require in addition to the difficulty of mastery.


    Although the white level of skills were not graded, it still was formidable. Originally, Vincent intended to wear down Fang with punches and then kill him with the skill, but the plan went completely awry.


    Your instant parry can¡¯t block all this energy, Fang, if this doesn¡¯t kill you, you¡¯ll at least be crippled!


    I¡¯d like to see how patient Mii would be, waiting around for a crippled vegetable. Would she follow you forever? She¡¯ll eventually lose hope, and when that happens, I¡¯ll take her from you, ahaha!


    Vincent¡¯s father wore a proud sneer as he looked. It seems that my son is better than Fang, even though he knows instant parry, it won¡¯t be of any use when the Sonic Cut hits his body!


    Seeing the lethal cut coming towards Fang¡¯s head, Mii cried out, ¡°Master, just give up!¡±


    But it was no use; Vincent sped up and prepared to strike Fang in one blow.


    Fang had no escape, no way out of this.


    He blinked. Fang didn¡¯t try to run, instead, he rose his right arm high, bent it slightly and shaped his fingers together pointed straight.


    This position¡­ it can¡¯t be!


    Fang¡¯s hands, and Vincent¡¯s hands were almost identical, was this¡­ Sonic Cut?


    Vincent hesitated for a second, and then threw that idea to the side, Fang must want to intimidate me, that¡¯s all!


    But the next moment, he found out he was wrong again.


    Fang¡¯s right arm also radiated a strong light, energy condensed together like a sharp edge.


    White skill ¨C Sonic Cut!

 Chapter 9: A Welcome Coincidence

    Chapter 9: A Welcome Coincidence


    Vincent felt fear for the first time; he didn¡¯t think at all that Fang had learned Sonic Cut as well. However, that alone didn¡¯t cause the scare, it was that Fang¡¯s technique looked stronger, his arm outshining Vincent¡¯s arm.


    This was just Sonic Cut, but who taught Fang to control his energy for it to appear so terrifying! It seemed like Vincent¡¯s skill would only split a tree, while Fang¡¯s would cut smoothly through a boulder.


    Although Vincent knew that Fang¡¯s Sonic Cut was superior, he couldn¡¯t stop and dashed forwards, swinging his arm savagely.


    Clink!


    A loud cutting sound echoed throughout the grounds as Vincent slowly fell to the ground, his arm broken, void of energy.


    Time stopped for a split second.


    A long red scar emerged diagonally across Vincent¡¯s chest, extending from one side to the other.


    Briefly, an intense hatred flashed in eyes.


    Impossible, I couldn¡¯t have lost, this must be a dream!


    ¡°Damn you¡­¡±


    Blood splurged out from his chest as he tried to concentrate energy, but failing, his eyes went blank, collapsing on the ground.


    While his opponent fell miserably to the ground, Fang stood calmly, not a shred of compassion visible around his figure.


    Even if Vincent had bullied him in his childhood, it was a trivial matter, after all, they were kids. But his life ended the moment he tried to snatch Mii away.


    Cheers resounded through the field as the crowd broke free of their stupor ¨C no one could have expected this result.


    Not only was Fang a 9th grade novice, he also knew Sonic Cut!


    And to add on top of that, his Sonic Cut managed to slash Vincent twice.


    With the same level of energy, and similar physiques, to be able to skillfully wield the technique like that was something a genius could only do!


    Trash?


    They had been mocking such a genius for a long time; perhaps Fang¡¯s silence kept his talent a secret, but a genius was like the sun, it could never be completely covered up.


    Looking at the tall youth standing in the field in spite of the past insults, the crowd felt deep respect. No one in that small city would dare to look down on Fang again!


    ¡°You¡­!¡± In an uncontrollable rage, Vincent¡¯s father rushed at Fang with insane hatred in his eyes.


    The space in front of him rippled for half a second, and suddenly, the single female judge appeared, intercepting his path. This speed¡­ it was characteristic of a 6th grade master!


    No wonder she presided as the head judge at such a young age, she was too strong ¨C in the entire region, there would be very few people who could match her power!


    She gently waved her hand in the air.


    1st grade red skill ¨C Dimensional Prison!


    An incredible amount of pressure surrounded Vincent¡¯s father; so much that the space around him started to vibrate uncontrollably. No matter how much he struggled, he failed to move forward. After discovering that her strength outclassed his by an immeasurable amount, he gave up any notion of fighting against her.


    His anger didn¡¯t fade though, and he angrily protested, ¡°What are you doing! Do you not see what happened to my son?¡±


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    That faint smile on the captivating face faded away, replaced with a cold expression. ¡°Sir, you are a warrior right? Then it should be crystal clear that before we announce the results, no one should be allowed on the field ¨C we could, under the country¡¯s law, arrest you on the spot!¡±


    This was the first time that she spoke, her voice seductively low, coupled with intensity that was filled in charm.


    Although she sounded quite calm and reasonable, the pressure around Vincent¡¯s father increased, and unmistakable fear spread across his face. The technique that commonly accompanied Dimensional Prison was Spatial Rip, which would cruelly implode the mass of energy and pressure in the confined area.


    Seeing the expression on his face, the attractive judge dissipated the burden. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with the matter of Vincent¡¯s injuries.¡±


    A judge was already by Vincent¡¯s side, shrouding Vincent¡¯s body in a light blue color; he also must have reached the master level, as the wounds quickly became invisible.


    ¡°Sorry, I was just worried about Vincent, after all, he is my son¡­¡±


    Vincent¡¯s father moved to the healer. Looking at Vincent¡¯s pale face, he asked, ¡°So how is my son?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve gone and cured all his external injuries, but he suffered some severe internal injuries that may impede his future progress.¡±


    Even if Vincent wasn¡¯t dead, being unable to progress in his training ahead would make him the useless trash that he often taunted Fang as.


    Unable to accept this, he glared at Fang and shouted in rage. ¡°You son of a bitch! You were too spiteful, aiming your attacks to cripple Vincent, you should deserve¡­¡±


    The female judge interrupted him. ¡°Sir, were you not listening throughout the entire fight? First, we previously informed both parties that it was a voluntary, fair fight, and any accident would be void of all responsibility. Also, when Vincent displayed his Sonic Cut, I felt it was full of killing intent, which has already violated the entire purpose of this competition ¨C so when Fang responded, it was completely acceptable!¡±


    Drained and weak, Vincent¡¯s father slowly picked up Vincent, shaking, and walked out of the testing grounds.


    ¡°As Vincent has lost consciousness, the top scorer of this year¡¯s entrance examination is Fang!¡± She announced the results, then said, ¡°Fang, you¡¯ve obtained this recommendation; I hope that you will make good use of it.¡±


    Fang quickly replied, ¡°Thank you, I will definitely do so.¡±


    The female judge nodded, she did admire this curious youth.


    Wondering why Fang¡¯s performance yesterday caused a lot of shock for the crowd, she looked into Fang¡¯s background and understood why the reaction was so exaggerated.


    A year ago, he wasn¡¯t even at the novice stage, but now, he was a 9th grade novice capable of using instant parry along with solid fighting skills. In addition, he held off using Sonic Cut until the last moment, despite the fact that Vincent had tried to make Fang¡¯s life as miserable as possible.


    Well, Valeria, it seemed like sister Yume had found an interesting candidate for you!

 Chapter 10: Perfect Score

    Chapter 10: Perfect Score


    Hot water trickled down the drain, washing away the sweat and lethargy Fang felt.


    Today, I finally beat Vincent!


    Elders, though I don¡¯t know who they were, I really appreciate them ¨C they changed my life!


    If it wasn¡¯t for those crazy men pushing to teach him everything, he could have never passed the entrance examination, and probably would¡¯ve suffered for life with Mii.


    But now that I have the ability to gain energy, the future seemed limitless!


    After he was refreshed, Fang put on clean clothes and comfortably headed out.


    Mii had already finished her nightly chores; she greeted him and took the piping teapot from the corner, pouring a cup of barley tea.


    Slowly, Fang sat down around a small table as the warm fireplace lit up the room in a cozy light. ¡°Hey Mii, sit down.¡±


    She sat down, and contently, Fang drank small sips. A happy smile floated across Mii¡¯s face. Curious, Fang asked, ¡°Mii, what¡¯s with that smile?¡±


    Keeping the smile on her face, she replied, ¡°Master, life feels so great, it¡¯s like a dream, a really good dream.¡±


    Just a month ago, Fang was lying in a bed, unconscious and Mii worried every day, wondering if today would be the day she couldn¡¯t buy the nutrition for Fang. But then, Fang woke up, Vincent was crippled, no one would laugh at them anymore, and Fang would get into the college. She was sincerely happy for Fang, who was the only family she had left.


    His strength wasn¡¯t important in her eyes, instead, his persistence has finally paid off!


    Impulsively, Fang put down the small teacup and hugged her. ¡°Mii, this is just the beginning, things will get even better and better!¡±


    ¡°Really, will things get better?¡± Her voice carried a trace of longing; after tasting hope, she couldn¡¯t help but want things to continue on like the present forever.


    Looking down at her exquisite, charming face with those charming eyes, loud heartbeats awkwardly filled the silence.


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s okay¡­¡± Her voice was stolen away as lips met lips, and for what seemed like an eternity, the world slowed down.


    Her mind blank, eyes hazy, Mii¡¯s hands reached to wrap around Fang¡¯s shoulders. But then, as if she was hit by thunder, she pushed Fang away with a flushed face, slightly panting. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, master, really I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯d only be a burden if this continued¡­¡±


    This time was possibly the most important moment in a person¡¯s life for progress in both training mana and energy ¨C if she burdened down Fang today, she¡¯d never forgive herself. So for his sake, no matter how reluctant she was, she must firmly reject him!


    Fang realized Mii¡¯s good intentions and mentally derided himself; he knew that it wasn¡¯t just him, but Mii also had a talent for learning magic.


    Gently, Fang said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mii.¡±


    ¡°Well, if there¡¯s nothing, I must go, you must be tired, please you must rest early!¡± Like a frightened kitten, she hurried out of the room.


    Mii wasn¡¯t afraid, just extremely shy and confused. It was the first time Fang had gotten that close to her, and even though they didn¡¯t cross the line, she still felt heated thinking of that delicate, delicious kiss¡­


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    Master and me, could it hopefully happen?


    Thinking of her face, Fang couldn¡¯t help but smile. She was really too cute!


    --- --- ---


    Two days went by in a blink of an eye, and Mii began to take the magic examination as Fang waited outside. Until like the examinations for martial arts, the magic test was completely written; the ability to understand the fundamental laws that magic revolved around was quite crucial for the development and use of mana.


    Quietly, an hour crept past as Fang patiently waited. A figure finally walked out of the room. Rising to his feet, Fang excitedly asked, ¡°How was it Mii?¡±


    The magic exam was graded immediately after it was filled out, he knew that Mii¡¯s magic capabilities were always high, so he wondered what her score was.


    Mii bit down on her bottom lips and stayed silent, surprising Fang. Did she bomb the exam?


    In a consoling tone, he reassured, ¡°Nevermind Mii, the written score doesn¡¯t truly represent what you¡¯re capable with magic, and it¡¯s pretty difficult, you shouldn¡¯t feel bad at all.¡±


    Her expression instantly changed into a sweet smile. ¡°Master, I scored 100 points on the written exam!¡±


    A perfect score?


    Fang was stunned, he didn¡¯t expect to be tricked by Mii at all!


    Excited, Mii continued. ¡°Master, before when I took the practice exams at school, it took me up to an hour just to solve a single question, but ever since you showed me those alternate theories, I thought that the laws were actually simple to understand, and got a perfect score on this exam.¡±


    ¡°You dare to pretend like this with a perfect score, what horrifying acting!¡± Fang laughed, ¡°Well, Mii, for cheating your master, how would you like to get punished?¡±


    Mii knew that Fang was just kidding, and played along, crouching like she was afraid. ¡°Ah, master, how are you going to punish me?¡±


    ¡°I want to kiss you right now, just like last night!¡± Mii¡¯s face instantly turned bright, cherry red.


    Giving Fang a cold look, Mii replied, ¡°Master, you¡¯re dead!¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°Hey, it isn¡¯t my fault that Mii looks so beautiful!¡±


    --- --- ---


    With the top score on the magic examination, Mii also received a recommendation into an intermediate school for training magic. After all, there wasn¡¯t much competition for that spot ¨C people who could utilize magic were few in number, perhaps making up 0.1% of the population. Furthermore, Mii was trainee magician, while many of the examinees were simply apprentices.


    In just a week, two letters arrived at Fang¡¯s house.


    Fang had been continuously practicing the endless method the entire time. To get into a college required not just talent, but money! Only by getting stronger could he tackle the monsters that roamed the world, and sell their parts for money to fund both his and Mii¡¯s education.


    Out of the mansion, Fang and Mii looked at the empty place, with mixed emotions running through their minds.


    With no one else in the family alive, and Fang heading to college as well as Mii, there felt like there was nothing but bitter nostalgia left behind in this city.


    He bowed slightly, then taking her hand, turned his back and started walking.


    Goodbye, Victoria City!

 Chapter 11: Gathering of the Strong

    Chapter 11: Gathering of the Strong


    The city of Cross was the largest city in the country, the center of the country¡¯s politics and economy. It was also the site that all the outstanding scorers gathered at, to be safely accompanied to the intermediate school in the wilderness.


    A simple badge on the lapels indicated the city and type of training, magic or martial arts that the person took the exam for. More than 60 people were present with a symbol of a cross sword and shield; in contrast, less than 10 had a staff and a book emblazoned. Among these, a girl stood out.


    Several men tried to talk to her, but she paid no attention. Instead, her focus was on an ordinary individual, causing people to wonder what the relationship between him and her was.


    It was close to the departure time. Out of the ten adults standing guard over the group, one started to count the number of heads present. He frowned.


    One person was missing.


    This chance for heading into an intermediate school with access to uncommon resources definitely wasn¡¯t anyone serious would give up. The leader felt pity, but he couldn¡¯t delay the trip just for a single person.


    Time passed, and soon, it was five minutes until departure. As the leader opened his mouth, a loud worried voice cried out, ¡°Wait!¡±


    In the distance, a huge figure came closer and closer, running at a frightening pace. When it arrived, the person in question deflated, the three meter towering figure diminished to a portly, stout, short figure.


    A dwarf!


    They were a secluded magical race that lived in the mountains to the west of the country, renowned for their blacksmithing ability. The weapons and armor they produced were heads above what most human blacksmiths could make, but came at a hefty price. Nevertheless, the few dwarves that did leave their homeland in the spirit of adventure were warmly welcomed into any city.


    The most prominent feature about the dwarves was their physique; although they looked somewhat harmless due to their short statures, they had a hereditary ability to enhance their bodies. Once filled with energy, the agility, power, and dexterity of the clumsy dwarven bodies would increase, the shape of their body heightened to fit in with these changes. To see a dwarf that could already reach the figure of three meters was quite a terrifying talent.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my son here, Durin, had drunk too much and overslept.¡± With a smile, he looked around, and to his horror, so many people looked distant with their expensive clothes, certainly unwilling to help a drunk dwarf. Then, his eyes caught a simple, ordinary man. Staggering from the weight of his son he carried, he walked over to Fang.


    ¡°Ah¡­ you, can you help my son until he wakes up? Thanks!¡±


    If Fang refused, the dwarf would certainly fallen onto the wet ground below.


    Hesitantly, he held out his hand.


    Pulling roughly at Fang¡¯s hand, the drunk Durin muttered, ¡°Drink, drink, drink, to not drink is not to live¡­.¡±


    Alcoholism and dwarves went hand in hand; in the past dark ages, where clean water was scarce and often polluted by the foul air, large casks of light, mellow, mead accompanied the dwarven hardy food. Eventually, the dwarves built a tolerance to alcohol, but it didn¡¯t stop the demand and daily drinking that they had grown into. Although most dwarves were alcoholics, well-accustomed to alcohol, it was still possible to get drunk, as there had to be a limit.


    The escort leader clearly understood what happened in a quick glance ¨C the little dwarf Durin was leaving his family behind to go take this opportunity, however, no event would go without alcohol. In a single night of excessively drinking, he drunk himself to a stupor, luckily arriving before the departure carried by his father. It could have been unfortunate, but cases of dwarves often missing meetings because of their love for the drink wasn¡¯t uncommon.


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    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, then can we get going?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m so sorry!¡± The dwarf¡¯s father looked one last time at the sleeping Durin, then hurried back into Cross City.


    ¡°Let us go!¡± The leader nodded to the other adults, and they concentrated as the area started to become engulfed in a mass of swirling air. In contrast to the box of pressure created by the judge back at the entrance examination, this area seemed to turbulently suck in the wind, a mass of energy propelling the air and keeping it there.


    To ensure the safety of the country¡¯s most talented youths, experts at the master level were dispatched. As the group floated safely upwards, the unsettled air became normalized. With a wave, the air blasted forwards with high speed.


    Thanks to the immaculate control over the winds demonstrated by the escorts, Fang experienced the sensation of a relaxed flight. His eyes weren¡¯t stinging, cold wind wasn¡¯t rushing and chilling his body; in this calm zone, the wind silently supported everyone like a platform. The gorgeous landscape filled his view when he looked below, while the gentle light of the sun looked through small cracks in the clouds above.


    Although this method of travel was extremely efficient and comfortable, it was rare. If you had enough money, you could hire someone for this, but how many master level experts would willing lower themselves to do such a menial task?


    The flight continued to the east, and the city faded away from their view. A dark shadow appeared up ahead, covering the horizon with traces of smoke.


    ¡°It¡¯s a fire roc!¡± Someone from the group suddenly exclaimed, as he knew the city he lived in would often be beset by these creatures. Like magic users, these monsters often spat out fierce fireballs, causing havoc to the unexperienced. Alone, they weren¡¯t that dangerous; however, the amount of smoke in the distance indicated that it was a pack of at least a dozen.


    The experts didn¡¯t panic the least ¨C focused, a small part of the escorts sent out a chaotic array of energy that simulated the winds below the rocs into a raging storm.


    3rd grade red skill ¨C Tornado!


    The users of wind energy didn¡¯t usually display destructive power with their attacks, but these users were at the master rank.


    A barrage of fireballs was promptly extinguished as the roaring tornado consumed the struggling beasts. For a moment, everything was calm. Then, the tornado dissipated.


    Unidentifiable feathers, wings, heads, blood fell towards the ground, the series of wind blades mercilessly cutting the monsters into scraps.


    The team of escorts didn¡¯t spare a second as the journey calmly continued on, the students wide eyed at the astounding display of power.


    He gulped. Fang thought that the beautiful judge at the examination was strong, but this was even more shocking than anything he had seen before.


    Regrettably, with the monsters butchered beyond recognition, there would be nothing to sell, but it didn¡¯t matter; at this level, they wouldn¡¯t care about some small change.


    With these combat experts accompanying the group, the flight continued relatively unimpeded. Sometimes, a few monsters would appear, but they were easily killed and didn¡¯t even warrant a pause most of the time.


    Two idle hours past like this, and with the novelty wearing off, Fang stood up, wanting to go over to Mii to talk. However, his thoughts were interrupted by a stuffy ¡°ahem¡±.


    He looked next to his side ¨C the dwarf had woken up.

 Chapter 12: Friend!

    Chapter 12: Friend!


    Gloomily, Fang recalled he promised to stay beside the dwarf until they were fine.


    The dwarf¡¯s eyes were wide and hazy as he shakily poked Fang¡¯s nose. ¡°Well, old man, I won¡¯t lose to you, again, let¡¯s drink!¡±


    A dry cough broke up the dwarf¡¯s ramble. ¡°My friend, you are not at home right now.¡±


    Confused, the dwarf rubbed his eyes. ¡°Where am I?¡±


    Fang explained, ¡°You drank too much last night, and almost missed the departure. But you arrived just in time thanks to your father, and now we¡¯re on the way to the intermediate school.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Still a bit groggy, the dwarf shook his head.


    Fang picked up a leather bag, and handed it to him. ¡°Drink it, it¡¯ll help you sober up.¡±


    Feeling thirsty as he was hungover, the dwarf gladly took the bag and gulped down at least half of the water. With cold water in his empty stomach, his head cleared up. ¡°How far from Cross City are we?¡±


    ¡°Probably hundreds of kilometers,¡± Fang said, estimating from the time and speed passed.


    Springing up, the dwarf shouted, ¡°What, I slept that long? I didn¡¯t even get to say goodbye!¡±


    Fang winced. Yelling like that, the dwarf was sure to easily offend people. ¡°This won¡¯t be the last time you¡¯ll see your family, after all, you can see them on vacation.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± the dwarf whispered sadly. He turned his attention towards Fang. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Fang, from Victoria City!¡± Fang simply introduced himself, and held out his hand.


    The dwarf didn¡¯t shake his hand. Instead, he spread out his arms and grabbed Fang in a bear hug. ¡°I am Durin!¡±


    The customs that the human race had didn¡¯t necessarily apply to the dwarves; to them, if they liked a person, they thought they were instantly good friends. Perhaps the short time Fang watched over him, or the water that he handed over made a decent impression, but regardless of what it was, Fang was now Durin¡¯s friend.


    On Durin¡¯s chest, a rising hammer was etched below the sword and shield; Durin was definitely a citizen from Glass City, one of the largest cities in the country. Often, these people would look down on small cities like Fang¡¯s, but Durin was genuinely greeting him without any prejudice. Seeing his good nature, Fang laughed, ¡°I already know, your father said it in front of everyone.¡±


    Then he pointed to the pretty beauty not far from him. ¡°This is Mii, also from Victoria City and a mage.¡±


    Durin didn¡¯t try to embrace Mii ¨C even if the customs were different, boundaries between men and women still existed. He gave a friendly nod.


    Fully awake now, Durin talked on and on to Fang about various things, like how one time he drank so much that his mouth was foaming, or how he won a rare gem in a drinking competition, or how good the alcohol he had drank was¡­


    Although Fang listened patiently, it wasn¡¯t purely out of courtesy - Durin''s stories were actually interesting!


    --- --- ---


    Several hours later, the group had arrived in the middle of the country, the location of the country¡¯s headquarters. A distance away at a small town, there were already people gathered in preparation for the intermediate school. The rolling green plains interrupted by rivers without an end made a sharp contrast to Victoria City, where the surroundings were broken into jagged edges of mountains filled with monsters.


    As sunset approached, the escorts let up the wind as they tiredly descended down to a large field. Wooden log houses were sparsely littered around the place, full of activity. This¡­ seemed to be the intermediate school? It seemed more like a camp than anything.


    After making sure that all the members arrived safely, the experts left and some staff came over, dividing the martial arts and magic groups. Although the training camp was in the same place, the two disciplines were taught separately.


    Given a cabin number, Fang tried to look for his residence, but the camp, being as huge as it was, he became completely lost. He stared at the buildings as he walked, when two people joking around ran into him, almost falling down.


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    Angry, one of the boys looked at Fang¡¯s shirt, only to curve his mouth and look down in distain seeing his badge was from a small city.


    ¡°Idiot, do you not have eyes?¡±


    Fang frowned, he was just going his own way and they struck him. But to not even offer an apology and insult him? That was too rude.


    ¡°Yes, of course I have eyes unlike you, just running into someone, does your family know that you¡¯re an idiot?¡±


    The juvenile didn¡¯t expect Fang to talk back, anger contorting his face. ¡°Well, well, well. The bumpkin doesn¡¯t seem to know his place, let me, Garret, teach you a nice lesson about where the weak should belong!¡±


    Sensing danger, Fang coated his body in energy.


    Garret looked in slight surprise; the majority of the people from small cities should be a 7th, or perhaps an 8th grade novice at most. However, this bumpkin, was clearly a 9th grade novice.


    ¡°That¡¯s a nice bit of energy there, but with this, you dare to act so arrogantly?¡± Garret expanded his own energy, and unpredictably, the light left his body, hovering beyond the surface.


    Intermediate level!


    This was the defining characteristic of breaking past the novice rank ¨C energy surrounding the body beyond its surface to provide higher defensive and offensive capabilities.


    Although Garret entered this camp with an exorbitant amount of money and connections, he had some skill. After all, that much money wouldn¡¯t be useless to anyone.


    ¡°See this, jerk? You didn¡¯t even break into the intermediate level, what qualifications do you have to come into this training camp?¡± Garret sent out a punch with a lethal amount of power. Fang jumped back, dodging it completely, and landing far from Garret.


    Laughing, Garret held out his hand, condensing some energy, and then let it go.


    1st grade yellow skill ¨C Energy Ball!


    Once a person had reached the intermediate stage, their energy was thick enough that they could detach some of it from their body, and use it to attack.


    The advantage of this new ability was self-explanatory; in a battle of melee combat, if one side held a gun, there would be a distinct, unfair difference.


    How could the man with the sword beat the man with the gun?


    Accelerating, the sphere of energy flew towards Fang, who could only lift his arm and fill it with energy.


    White skill ¨C Sonic Cut!


    A small explosion rang out as the energy ball broke into two halves upon contact, but the recoil caused Fang to skid back a meter.


    Garret grimaced, he didn¡¯t expect Fang to have a fighting skill, and on top of that, to output so much energy that it was able to intercept his yellow skill.


    Well, maybe he was just lucky.


    Not giving any respite to Fang, Garret gathered a greater amount of energy, before releasing a howling large ball.


    Fang raised his arm again, mounting the energy and preparing to cut again, as this was the only skill that Fang knew from seeing Vincent use it. But it was enough to shock Garret, because novice level users didn¡¯t have a large reserve of energy, yet, Fang was using Sonic Cut twice.


    The energy sliced through the ball. Most of the energy dissipated, but a portion ricocheted and speeded towards Fang¡¯s chest.


    Hey, this kid¡¯s dead now!


    His eyes flashed maliciously as he patiently awaited the outcome.


    However, he didn¡¯t expect what happened next.


    Energy quickly converged to the spot where the fragment would¡¯ve pierced through Fang.


    Bang!


    Pain ripped through Fang¡¯s chest as he stumbled backwards. Luckily, due to the defense he was able to put up, there were no internal injuries.


    Was this¡­ instant parry?!


    Garret¡¯s friend, who watched the fight between Fang and Garret, couldn¡¯t believe his eyes.


    This was a very difficult defensive skill, that even they, were unable to practice.


    How could this peasant from a small city use it?

 Chapter 13: The Dark Siren

    Chapter 13: The Dark Siren


    Garret¡¯s face contorted in a scowl, as the two Energy Ball didn¡¯t do any noticeable damage to Fang. A third mass of energy started to swirl; Fang replied taking up the same position for another Sonic Cut.


    But the fierce concentration on both sides were briefly broken as a stoutly figure brawled in.


    A roar echoed. ¡°Who dares bully my friend, I¡¯ll beat him to death!¡±


    Durin was taking a stroll after having dinner, going on his way when he heard sounds of fighting. Hurrying over, he found Garret and Fang fighting ¨C as Fang¡¯s friend, and upon the dwarven honor, he immediately went to assist Fang.


    Despite his short stature, a disproportionately large amount of energy covered his body. Unlike Garret though, whose energy was colorless, Durin¡¯s energy showed a hint of a grayish yellow.


    Startled, Garret closely examined the dwarf¡¯s energy. It was the Earth element!


    The majority of the people who could use energy usually inherited an element of energy. However, this was known to arrive when the level of energy was enough to enter the advanced rank ¨C so this was a bit of a surprise.


    A heavy arm swung, like the tempering of iron, smashing towards Garret.


    1st grade yellow skill ¨C Hammer Toss!


    Taking caution in mind, Garret had already produced four Energy Balls, and sent them towards Durin instead.


    The rotating handle circled and broke the large energy ball, collapsing as it barely managed to disrupt the four on the way.


    Garret grimaced; he was a 4th grade intermediate, higher than that 3rd grade intermediate the dwarf was, but his skills were interrupted by that Hammer Toss.


    Although Durin was a full grade lower, he had already infused some element into his energy, which was enough to offset the difference in pure energy.


    Not giving up, Durin prepared to swing once again when someone shouted, ¡°Stop!¡±


    The voice wasn¡¯t very loud. But as soon as the sound hit their ears, the energies that everyone had out forcefully dissipated, to the horror of the students.


    In between Durin and Garret, an individual suddenly appeared.


    Tall and burly, with a cold glint in his eyes, a general faced the two with an icy anger. The badge on his uniform indicated he was at least a commanding officer ¨C however, the amount of power he displayed, supressing everyone gave no doubts that he was a terrifying person. To be able to intermediate the energy though, meant that he was above the master rank; he was at least at the soul level.


    ¡°When you received the invitation, you should have been aware of the rules surrounding the training camp. Any malicious assault will result in expulsion, and there will be no chances to redeem yourself.¡± The soldier¡¯s voice was low and soft, yet, the domineering tone left both Garret and Durin speechless.


    Garret silently cursed. He knew this soldier. No one from Victoria City would know him, the famous Hawk, though.


    Emphasizing on the strict management and safety of all the candidates, the country sent a senior officer from the military training branch to oversee the school. The head of this department was Hawk.


    An extremely strict, moral, incorruptible man, he saw things in black and white. Everything was either right or wrong, and he didn¡¯t give any care as to who violated the rules. It was rumored that he even accused the country¡¯s ruler of something. Therefore, in front of him, Garret¡¯s background wasn¡¯t worth anything.


    Thinking of this, Garret broke out into a cold sweat.


    Why did this happen, I was just innocently teaching a lesson to a country peasant, I don¡¯t want to lose this valuable opportunity because of this!


    Hawk continued, ¡°That was in the official regulations around this camp, yet, the camp hadn¡¯t started and there was no serious injuries from that fight, so I will let this go. However, if there is a next time¡­ do so at your own risk.¡±


    Garret let out a deep sigh of relief when Hawk¡¯s eyes, sharp as honed daggers, coldly glanced at him.


    Though Hawk didn¡¯t see the start of the conflict, he knew that the son of the Senator often cruelly beat up people with little to no reason.


    Silent, Garret held his head down.


    Seeing that they got the message, the space rippled around the area as Hawk disappeared.


    Teleportation!


    Unlike the judge that used the same technique, Hawk instantly moved out of view, far enough that Fang couldn¡¯t see where he went.


    Although Hawk had left, Garret didn¡¯t dare cause any more trouble for the day. As well, he wasn¡¯t confident in his ability to defeat the dwarf; he would mercifully let these nobodies go. Glaring at Fang and Durin, he muttered, ¡°Today I¡¯ll let you off, but the next time¡­ you won¡¯t be as lucky.¡±


    Durin gave him a thumbs up. ¡°If you appear then, I¡¯ll knock you out of this country, brat!¡±


    Arguing with a dwarf wasn¡¯t smart at all ¨C they wouldn¡¯t hold back at all. For the son of the Senator, this was a futile effort.


    ¡°You can only wish!¡±


    After getting the last word in, he turned around and left with his friend.


    Durin came towards Fang and asked, ¡°Are you ok?¡±


    Fang shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m fine, thanks.¡±


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    Durin mumbled, ¡°No need for thanks, we¡¯re friends Fang, besides, that arrogant guy was too ugly!¡±


    Friend?


    Hearing the phrase, Fang felt happy.


    He only knew Durin for less than a day, but this dwarf stood up for him and even fought against Garret.


    When he used to live in Victoria City, no one was willing to make friends with the loser that the entire city scorned. So he had never known what friends were like.


    Now, he knew. But with a friend came a hateful enemy.


    Although I¡¯ve become stronger, and in Victoria City, no one took me lightly, in this larger stage, I am still weak! And the weak will always be bullied by the strong.


    Clenching his fist tightly, Fang began to burn with motivation.


    It seems that I don¡¯t have enough strength ¨C I need to train more!


    Nearby, hidden behind the trees, a woman witnessed the entire fight.


    Yume was right, this boy is really quite exceptional, defying common sense.


    However, his power level is too low, unable to compare to the people from the big cities. But, the training camp is just beginning, let us see if he could bring more surprises!


    --- --- ---


    In a double dorm room out of the numerous cabins in the male area, a youth laid on a sofa.


    If someone asked how they looked, they would say the teenager looked very handsome, with red lips, glittering eyes, and pale, flawless skin that girls would die for.


    Lazily, he looked at the ceiling, pouting. ¡°Mmm, to participate in this damn training camp, and even more, to be placed at the lowest level to experience the struggles of the lowest grades of energy¡­ this is stupid and boring!¡±


    For countless teenagers in the country, this camp would be their dream. This youth though, thought it was a waste of time.


    Ah, this is really annoying. The old man forced me into this, but really, he had to place me the bottom boys¡¯ section, do you want me to suffer that badly? I¡¯ll show you that I¡¯ll be completely fine!


    But, these boys in the dorms, I mean, they take baths right?


    And not throw their clothes around the place, forget to flush the toilet, keep the place untidy and dirty¡­


    Thinking of this, the youth started to sweat.


    Then, he heard the sound of the door open ¨C needless to say, the person entering would their roommate.


    The boy entering immediately saw his roommate lying on the sofa, and greeted him.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Fang, nice to meet you!¡±


    This youth¡¯s roommate turned out to be Fang.


    After the fight was over, Fang decided to pay a visit to Mii, and after chatting for a while, came back searching for his residence. Seeing that his roommate was in, he decided to introduce himself.


    Fang?


    A common name, without any noticeable features, and judging from his clothes, he wasn¡¯t from a wealthy family.


    The majority of the people that came to this training camp were from rich families, that old guy had said, as money usually fueled the energy to high levels. So, this guy, Fang, should¡¯ve worked hard to get into this camp, and he, according to the old man, should treat him nicely.


    However, I won¡¯t listen to you, because what I hate most is forced to do things that I don¡¯t like!


    With strong rebellious tendencies, the youth felt no regrets at how he was going to treat the innocent Fang.


    As he was about to say something, the teenager noticed that Fang was staring at his chest, and unconsciously covered it.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    Fang coughed, ¡°Brother, I didn¡¯t expect that you trained so hard to get such developed pecs!¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± the youth wanted to roar, but it sounded more like a scream. ¡°Dirty!¡±


    Instantly, Fang felt that there was a misunderstanding. ¡°No, no, I¡¯m not insulting you, I¡¯m praising you; after all, all men would want their pecs that strong.¡±


    ¡°No, no!¡± The youth¡¯s neutral impression of Fang rapidly deteriorated. Staring at him, he stated, ¡°Fang, listen, although we are roommates, there are some rules we should put down. First of all, you shouldn¡¯t always stare at my chest¡­¡±


    Fang muttered, ¡°Who¡¯d repeatedly stare at a man¡¯s chest, do you think I¡¯m sick?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Choking in anger, the youth took rapid, deep breaths. ¡°Second, you are not allowed to enter my room. Third, your dirty clothes, especially underwear or whatever, must not be casually thrown around in the common room!¡±


    He stormed back into his room, and with a bang, the door shut closed.


    Confused, Fang sighed. ¡°Well, it seems my roommate is a bit strange¡­ it¡¯s causing a headache seriously, I don¡¯t know if I could get along with him.¡±


    Through the door, the youth heard that very quiet voice with his sensitive hearing, and his anger came back in full.


    Previously, he had worried that his roommate would be strange, but the reverse happened, with his roommate thinking that he was the strange one.


    Well, just wait and see, you¡¯ll soon be suffering, because anyone that offended Scarlett never smiled again!


    Fang didn¡¯t know at this time, other than the son of the Senator, he had hastily made another enemy.


    With the dawn of the next day, the training camp had officially begun!

 Chapter 14: Mischief

    Chapter 14: Mischief


    The next morning, when Fang walked out of his room, he found his roommate was already up with two cups of milk on the table.


    ¡°Morning, Fang!¡± The attitude of his roommate made a complete 180, and he greeted Fang with a sweet smile. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten two cups of milk for breakfast, do you want one?¡±


    Fang felt surprised, because he remembered that his roommate was quite angry before, but now, he was so friendly.


    Maybe I just misunderstood him?


    Fang walked and sat down, taking the cup of milk in his hands. ¡°Thanks, Blue!¡±


    His roommate looked startled. ¡°Hey, how do you know my name?¡±


    ¡°Well, when I looked at your chest yesterday, I saw your badge.¡±


    Blue almost spat out his drink, shouting in anger, ¡°I said, Fang, don¡¯t talk about my chest again!¡±


    For the majority of warriors, having strong, developed muscles were something to be proud of, but strangely, his roommate didn¡¯t like it.


    Perhaps his roommate experienced some sexual harassment in the past, which left a traumatic scar to the point that he may have an extreme aversion to his chest. It would explain his anger, as well as why he didn¡¯t wanted anyone to enter his room.


    Thinking of this, Fang felt some sympathy for his poor roommate. ¡°Ok, Blue, I promise you that I¡¯ll never mention it again. Also, even if you had some issues in the past, it¡¯s only the past ¨C everyone should be looking towards the future, right?¡±


    Huh? What¡¯s he talking about?


    Is Fang¡­ taking pity on me? Blue shook his head, and responded, ¡°I got it, I got it, hurry up and drink your milk before it gets cold.¡±


    Fang didn¡¯t dwell on it, and picked up the cup again, downing the milk in a couple of moments.


    ¡°Mmm, it tastes good.¡±


    The corners of Blue¡¯s smile turned up slightly, a hint of evil present.


    Tastes good? I added some stuff just for you!


    In an hour, where everyone would gather for the first day of the training, Fang will begin to feel nauseous, and then start vomiting, having to rush to the bathroom for at least a couple of hours, missing out on the entire meeting. Everyone would be staring at the lone person who had thrown up, disgracefully running towards the bathroom.


    Visualizing that nice scene in his mind, Blue almost laughed, but he endured, as Fang was next to him.


    Old man, I dare you to keep me in this training camp, when this boy would sooner or later become miserable for life!


    --- --- ---


    Fang thought his roommate was quite a nice guy, bringing him a warm cup of milk before he woke up. They headed out together to the public cafeteria, and then arrived at the center of the camp.


    An aged man in a white suit came up the platform.


    ¡°Young people from around the country, welcome to the training camp. My name is Kingsley, director of this glorious intermediate school!¡±


    The crowd started to stir, as they had heard a legendary name.


    Kingsley!


    He was one of the brilliant generals of the country that had the respect of millions of people with his contributions and strength. Tales of his deeds reached small cities even like Victoria City, and his history was known to everyone. At the age of 50, the youngest one in the country¡¯s history, he broke through into the supreme level. His strength was admired and idolized by many, but it wasn¡¯t the most prominent feature of his accomplishments. From the country¡¯s headquarters, he led the charge into reforming the education system, putting forth proposals like the standardized entrance examination, and the intermediate school to hone the young talents of the world.


    After the school was built, Kingsley retired from the country¡¯s service, and devoted his entire attention into the training camp. With his selfless efforts, many powerhouses that dominated the country¡¯s prominent positions appeared, and his influence and prestige grew throughout the land.


    The youths from the small cities had Kingsley to thank for the opportunity, because without the program that was set up, this wouldn¡¯t exist.


    Fang had heard about his feats as well, excited, and his eyes full of respect, he commented, ¡°I never expected that one day, I could finally see the legendary Kingsley!¡±


    Blue¡¯s face crumpled in disdain. ¡°What, he¡¯s just a common person, there¡¯s nothing to be excited about!¡±


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    His brow wrinkled, Fang replied, ¡°Blue, you shouldn¡¯t mean those words, without his contributions to the country, we wouldn¡¯t have this opportunity to come and learn¡­¡±


    To Blue however, these ¡°opportunities¡± were available anywhere for him, so listening to Fang¡¯s preaching, bored him to death!


    However, he shouldn¡¯t arose Fang¡¯s suspicions, so he nodded and said, ¡°Okay, okay, you¡¯re right, okay?¡±


    Fang shook his head once again. Blue was really a strange guy, randomly getting angry, but eager to get him a morning drink, and now, being arrogant.


    Probably, the dark, sad memories of sexual harassment had deeply affected Blue and warped his mind.


    ¡°Like the rising sun, vibrant, full of energy, you youths here today are the rising hopes of the country¡­¡± The speech that Kingsley passionately spoke captured everyone¡¯s eyes, enraptured in a current of positive momentum.


    In fact, Kingsley was spreading a thin layer of weak energy through the whole crowd, energizing them throughout his motivational speech. Everyone listened in rapt attention except a single figure, who was intently listening for something next to Fang. Undisguised delight rose to Blue¡¯s face as he saw a small frown of pain on Fang¡¯s face.


    The poison should¡¯ve started to react now.


    Old man, I wonder what your expression will be when you see someone vomiting and running out during your marvelous speech!


    --- --- ---


    Weird, did I eat something bad for breakfast? No, that shouldn¡¯t be the case. The cafeteria food was guaranteed to be healthy, and the environment clean, there shouldn¡¯t have been anything bad.


    Nausea kept rising from the depths of his stomach, threatening to hurl as Fang started to sweat.


    Damn, I can¡¯t vomit at this time, Kingsley¡¯s giving a speech right now!


    But then, he recalled during those countless conversations he had within the void, a theory for the endless method to detoxify the body and cleanse it from poisons.


    Maybe bad food would also count as poison?


    Withdrawing his energy inside of him, Fang tried running his energy through his entire body, pushing out any foreign substances towards his skin. A thin trickle of black ran down his arms into the ground.


    It seemed that it really works!


    Those elders were truly remarkable, something minor as nausea was so easily solved!


    Relaxed and happy, Fang continued to listen to Kingsley¡¯s speech.


    --- --- ---


    Blue waited for the mayhem to arrive, as the nausea should¡¯ve already fully kicked in seven or eight minutes ago, but Fang only displayed that short burst of discomfort before reverting back his full attention at Kingsley.


    Seeing Fang stand perfectly fine, Blue finally asked in a low voice, ¡°Fang, don¡¯t you think that you¡¯re feeling a bit unwell?¡±


    Fang whispered, ¡°How¡¯d you know that?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I noticed that you looked a bit uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s why.¡± Fang was touched by his concern. ¡°Thanks for worrying, I just had a small feeling of nausea, but I¡¯m feeling completely okay now.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Blue widened his eyes. ¡°How¡¯s that possible?!¡±


    Although the laxative was slightly toxic and didn¡¯t cause serious harm, it was synthesized from a rare plant that even a master rank would have been affected. But Fang said that he was feeling completely fine?


    Fang was puzzled, and asked, ¡°How is it possible? Blue, what do you mean?¡±


    Improvising, Blue hastily responded. ¡°I mean, the cafeteria that prepares the food takes the utmost care to make it, how could you have an upset stomach?¡±


    Believing him, Fang quietly replied, ¡°Yes, I did feel a bit unwell, but that¡¯s all done with. I don¡¯t want to miss Kingsley¡¯s speech, let¡¯s stop talking and listen.¡±


    Fang turned his attention back to Kingsley, while Blue stared at him with question marks floating around his head.


    Did I give him the wrong drug?


    No, no, no, I carefully checked, it was the correct drug!


    Perhaps he just had natural immunity to that poison?


    However, to be born with a body that had immunity to poison was extremely rare, maybe one in millions and millions of people would have such a body.


    ¡­ What¡¯s going on?

 Chapter 15: Energy Tower

    Chapter 15: Energy Tower


    In the morning, once again, Fang walked out of the room and found his roommate awake, with his eyes bright red and face tired. ¡°Blue, did you have trouble sleeping last night?


    Blue glared at Fang, it was his fault that he couldn¡¯t sleep at all.


    Born with a curious nature, Blue couldn¡¯t help but ponder through multiple theories why the staged drama yesterday failed. However, one by one, they didn¡¯t make sense, and couldn¡¯t explain what happened. And by the time he knew it, it was morning already ¨C he had stayed up the whole night.


    He didn¡¯t grab a drink this morning, as performing the same trick twice would be useless. Instead, he had a new idea.


    Acting up on this, Blue asked, ¡°Wait, Fang, can I follow where you go to train?¡±


    This training camp was designed uniquely; there were no forced courses, and everyone was free to study whatever they wanted, either to find mentors for advice, take certain subjects, or go to the arena and compare pointers with the other members of the school, as long as no rules were broken.


    Somewhat puzzled, Fang questioned, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°This well, to say the truth, I¡¯m pretty shy and not that great with communication, but I don¡¯t have any friends here¡­¡± Blue started to shuffle a bit, grabbing his clothes, ¡°in this training camp, you¡¯re my only friend Fang, so can I follow you around today?¡±


    Fang felt shocked. He was now increasingly sure that his roommate had experienced some irreversible trauma in his past. Blue called him a friend ¨C if he refused, Blue was sure to be very sad.


    Also, I should take this opportunity to talk some sense into him.


    Nodding, Fang replied, ¡°Okay, no problem.¡±


    With an ecstatic voice, Blue shouted, ¡°Thanks Fang, I promise I won¡¯t be any trouble!¡±


    ¡°No need for thanks, we¡¯re friends after all.¡± Fang held out his hand, wanting to give a reassuring pat on the shoulder, but Blue avoided it. Awkwardly, Fang said, ¡°Some classes must have already started, let¡¯s get going!¡±


    Fang wasn¡¯t offended, he knew that his roommate had his guard up against everyone, and it would just take some time.


    ¡°Oh, but one thing, Blue.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rub your clothes, it makes you look like a girl!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Fang visited a number of courses, and listened to the various teachers describe different methods and techniques for gathering and using energy. Although the methods weren¡¯t comparable to what he had learned, the fighting techniques were quite interesting, and he took down some notes. He glanced at Blue.


    With dead eyes and without his book open, Blue looked as if he had no interest in what was being taught, even yawning occasionally.


    ¡°Blue, as your friend, I can¡¯t help but worrying that your attitude towards learning has a small problem; this training camp is full of precious opportunities, and every second should be treasured. Plus, the teacher¡¯s words are interesting, shouldn¡¯t you concentrate a bit more?¡±


    Blue had already learned this back when he was 12 years old, so to listen to the same dull words again was a taxing ordeal. He smiled back at Fang. ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t sleep that well last night, so I¡¯m really tired, sorry.¡±


    Feeling pity, Fang said, ¡°I¡¯ll hand over these notes at the end of the day for you.¡±


    Depressed, Blue sunk into his chair. Yesterday it was an old guy preaching on and on, and today, it was another old guy preaching on and on. No one dared to lecture me other than my grandfather! But today, he had to play his role out, so he painfully held out.


    Stolen novel; please report.Finally, the classes ended for the day, and after having dinner at the cafeteria, Blue couldn¡¯t wait.


    ¡°Fang, let¡¯s go to the energy tower!¡±


    An energy tower was a building constructed to help with the development of energy ¨C from various expensive magical materials, it absorbed the energy from the environment into an area of high density. However, these magical materials easily wore out, so it was quite a luxury to build one and keep it up.


    The benefits could be considered to be huge though. Just by seeing the differences between the youths from the small cities and the large cities, it would be a fact that hard work couldn¡¯t always win against money.


    In Victoria City, even if both martial arts families contributed their entire wealth together, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to construct an energy tower. But at this training camp, such a building was available for all members to meditate in for an hour. However, each element had a specific time span where that energy would be specifically concentrated; this was mostly in the morning and afternoons, with some rare elements having that time best at night.


    Fang had tried earlier to get in, but the tower was packed, and he didn¡¯t want to waste time waiting for room to free up. Since Blue brought up the idea again though, Fang stood up. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go.¡±


    They came in front of the tower as a few people left, but it seemed that it was still busy. After a couple more people came out of the tower, the overseeing administrator waved towards Fang and Blue, ushering them in.


    Although this tower was already staggering high at a height of 50 meters, the building that Blue usually trained at was much taller, constructed with rarer materials found in places where dangerous beasts lurked. Plus, there was no time limit when he trained, so he didn¡¯t feel like it was worth his time to train in here.


    Naturally, he had different intention being in this tower.


    ¡°Fang, can I be in the same room as you?¡±


    Speechless, Fang stared at Blue. ¡°No, we won¡¯t be in the same room!¡±


    ¡°But near you, I feel more at ease, Fang,¡± Blue said, watching Fang with upturned, delicate eyes. ¡°In a different environment like this, I feel very helpless, anxious, nervous, and this practice is really important, I beg you, I promise I won¡¯t bother you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, but not in the same room, move to a separate room nearby!¡± Fang replied, embarrassed. He couldn¡¯t help but say yes, after all, this was only the first day.


    Before walking into his room, Fang added, ¡°Next time, don¡¯t plead like that Blue, we¡¯re two grown men and it feels really disturbing!¡±


    Blue couldn¡¯t help but feel a headache coming; when I talked to the men of the same age, they¡¯d grow so excited that they couldn¡¯t sleep for days, but now, I¡¯m being asked to shut up?


    Damn you Fang, I want you kneeling on the ground!


    --- --- ---


    The two people entered two adjacent rooms, and Fang began to practice the endless method, absorbing as much energy as possible in the short hour.


    Next to his room, Blue sat chuckling to himself, an evil smile on his face.


    Brilliant colors lit up the room as energy flowed out from Blue¡¯s body, at least two meters thick with an increasing pressure in the air.


    Advanced level!


    Fang would have never guessed, his roommate had already reached the advanced rank!


    As for the element it was ¨C the colors were all mixed together, partly blue resembling water, translucent like the wind, and other colors wavering throughout.


    Just by judging from the colors, Blue¡¯s energy element, was actually composed of seven different elements!

 Chapter 16: Interrupted

    Chapter 16: Interrupted


    Among the millions of humans alive, only a small percentage of people could use energy. In those, a smaller group could utilize an element, and then rarer, could a person have access to two elements. One in 100,000 would have access to three elements, and so, looking through history, there had been very few people that could use seven elements.


    With seven attributes, and his energy level at the advanced rank, while being the same age as Fang, it was simply monstrous.


    If not just for the amount of energy alone, the possible uses of the elements were myriad and unfair. Able to switch between the water¡¯s healing ability, to the power of the screeching wind, to the support of the light systems, it was quite frightening. No wonder that Blue looked down on this training camp ¨C he was beyond the level of teaching.


    An intangible amount of power quietly sneaked through the air, passing through the room¡¯s walls into the other room. Although it couldn¡¯t be used to see, hear or feel, the energy could detect energy and slowly suffocate the space of the user¡¯s element of energy.


    In that sparse environment with my energy interfering with the available energy in the air, Fang would find himself unable to effectively absorb energy, and then his precious hour inside this tower would be completely wasted¡­


    This was Blue¡¯s new idea; to see a genius play such a prank, people would think that he was insane, but inside, Blue was extremely bored and just wished to get out of this life as soon as possible. Even though his roommate was from a poor city and was completely unknown in the country, he had no reservations about what he was doing.


    However, Blue almost cried out in surprise as he checked the state of energy in that room.


    The absorption rate of energy was tremendously fast, and this wasn¡¯t a high class tower either. Even in the north, where he had gathered energy in the best of conditions, he couldn¡¯t absorb as fast as Fang was doing right now!


    This kid, who is he?


    Ah¡­ I see, that old man said he would arrange for me to get in contact with ordinary people and experience the hardships that normal people felt while they trained, but he actually found a hidden talent to arouse my interest!


    Well, I¡¯ll fulfill that wish for him!


    Blue felt rage building up through his body, feeling cheated.


    Fang, Fang, Fang, you¡¯re helping the old man deceive me, so you should naturally pay a heavy price. So let¡¯s take a moment as we watch how Scarlett makes your life a torturing hell!


    Blue began to increase the pressure by adding more and more power, to choke out all remnants of energy left in that room.


    --- --- ---


    Fang was freely enjoying the tower filled with intense amounts of energy.


    Damn, money was great, if someone built a private tower it¡¯d definitely enhance the practice speeds ¨C no wonder the people from the richer families had shot up past the novice level so fast.


    Suddenly, a strange resistance came out of nowhere, slowing down his energy absorption to a crawl.


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    Fang was surprised; he couldn¡¯t think of anything that would interfere with the energy absorption from outside, except¡­ one thing.


    Those crazy elders once said that in some places with high energy density, such as deep underground next to flowing magma, there would be unstable changes due to the volatile environment, and without a proper method, the rate of absorption would be reduced.


    Although the energy tower had quite a great deal of energy, it should be nice and stable. Wonder what¡¯s wrong with the energy control system?


    Well, no matter what the problem is, it should be solved first before anything.


    In that spirit world of void, the elders had developed a technique to adapt and absorb energy from almost all the environments in the world, stemming from the endless method called ¡°Lattice¡±. It was designed to exploit the small patches of freedom within the weaves of resistance to navigate a clear, unobstructed connection to the source of energy.


    As he sought out the gaps and connected through them with the ¡°Lattice¡± operation, the energy absorption returned back to its original rate.


    Meanwhile, next to the room Fang was in, Blue noticed that the levels of energy started to concentrate and deplete rapidly around Fang.


    What¡¯s happening here?


    Fang shouldn¡¯t be able to absorb any energy, but it felt like the pressure lessened in the room. Perhaps, Blue thought, it wasn¡¯t enough energy. So continuously, he increased the pressure as much as he could, and the only energy filling the room was his own.


    Then, how could he still absorb energy?


    Not willing to admit defeat, Blue tried different variations on suppressing energy, but nothing seemed to work.


    --- --- ---


    Finally, Fang¡¯s energy disappeared; it wasn¡¯t because of Blue though.


    Ding!


    A bell rang out through the building ¨C an hour had passed.


    Refreshed, Fang walked out of his room as Blue came out of his, sweating and exhausted to the point of collapse.


    Concern ran through Fang¡¯s face as he saw Blue. ¡°What happened to you, you look so tired?¡±


    Blue tried to smile, but his eyes teared up. ¡°Entering the energy tower for the first time, I was a too excited and nervous that I couldn¡¯t concentrate at all.¡±


    Fang replied, ¡°Come on, did you waste an hour? It¡¯s a pity, the amount of energy was really good inside the tower, so comfortable!¡±


    Seeing him at ease, Blue ground his teeth. He took a deep breath to calm his emotions, then asked, ¡°Hey Fang, where do you come from, it should be from a big city right?¡±


    Fang answered, ¡°I come from Victoria City, just a small city without that much wealth; I can¡¯t compare at all to the people in the large cities!¡±


    Blue refused to believe him, inside, he knew that Fang had already collaborated with that old man. To learn a method that allows him to gather energy fast inside a small city? He must be joking. No wonder when I gave him that cup of milk, he must have pretended to drink it all and looked completely fine during the speech.


    Since you don¡¯t want to reveal who you are, I¡¯ll reveal it for you!

 Chapter 17: The Point of No Return

    Chapter 17: The Point of No Return


    The next few days, Blue continued to follow Fang around, usually sleeping in class and then accompanying him into the tower, but no matter how hard he tried, with everything he knew, Fang came out happy while he was exhausted.


    When the morning of the 5th day of the camp arrived, Blue walked out of the room with bloodshot eyes, two dark circles hanging enough to make him look like a panda.


    Fang was worried. ¡°Blue, are you okay? Seriously, you look really bad, can¡¯t you get any sleep at night?¡±


    Upset, Blue only stared at Fang again. Puzzling out what Fang was doing was incomprehensible, and he spent his nights trying to answer how it was possible. ¡°I¡¯m fine, getting plenty of sleep.¡±


    ¡°But how can you look so bad?¡± Fang wondered, then tentatively said, ¡°Blue, do you spend your nights doing¡­ it?¡±


    Blue frowned. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°This!¡± Fang started to motion downwards and coughed slightly in embarrassment. ¡°We¡¯re healthy young people, I understand, but doing this kind of thing too much is unhealthy, you¡¯ll be physically and mentally weak and it¡¯ll directly affect your energy.¡±


    Blue suddenly understood what Fang was implying at, and blushed. ¡°You¡­ dirty, dirty, dirty!¡±


    Fang looked confused. ¡°It¡¯s completely normal as we age, many men face the same problem, and although I don¡¯t do it, it¡¯s okay if you do it, there¡¯s nothing to be ashamed about.¡±


    Blushing furiously, Blue shouted, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it, let¡¯s just stop talking about that, okay?!¡±


    Seeing how angry Blue was, Fang confirmed it was as it was, but his roommate was really too sensitive.


    ¡°No matter what, you can¡¯t go on like this. I¡¯ll skip today¡¯s lesson and take you to see the healer to help fix your problems first.¡± Fang took Blue¡¯s hand and started to walk out.


    ¡°Let go!¡± Blue broke free from Fang¡¯s grasp.


    Fang couldn¡¯t understand Blue at all. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Blue looked odd, biting his lip, body trembling, and his chest heaving.


    When I grew up, other than my grandpa and that old man, no guy had ever dared to pull my hand!


    Wow, it¡¯s really unbelievable, he knows who I am and deliberately took advantage of me, inexcusable!


    Looking back at him though, the amount of concern on Fang¡¯s face was too realistic; reluctantly, he didn¡¯t believe that a 16 year old boy would have such good acting skills.


    I guess no one sent him?


    In the end, he didn¡¯t explode in anger, and only firmly stomped the ground. ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s not go then.¡± Fang pondered why his strange roommate would protest so much, but it seemed that Blue was calm now.


    Resting, Blue suddenly felt a bit of regret. He had touched Fang in that brief moment, but didn¡¯t take the opportunity to study the level of energy he was at.


    So, Blue patted Fang¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Sorry Fang, my voice was too loud.¡±


    Surprise flickered through Fang¡¯s eyes, because until today, Blue had never been willing to get close to Fang, always separately at least a meter away. However, right now, Blue was patting his shoulders.


    It seemed that his roommate had finally come to terms with his inner demons, and became more optimistic, no longer wary of anyone.


    Fang returned the gesture, and patted Blue¡¯s shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s okay, we¡¯re friends and roommates ¨C you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±


    Blue¡¯s body was completely stiff at Fang¡¯s hands, but Blue resolved himself at the point of no return.


    A small probe of energy quietly emitted from his palm into Fang¡¯s body.


    He wanted to know one thing: if Fang had acted until now, and was concealing his actual level of energy. This would confirm if he had lied all this time, or if he was innocent.


    But by itself, light flashed on Fang¡¯s shoulders, and Blue quickly drew back.


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    Instant parry!


    Blue couldn¡¯t help but be shocked, although he also knew how to use instant parry, it wasn¡¯t such a common or easy skill to learn.


    Fang didn¡¯t know why his body reacted all of a sudden, because he couldn¡¯t feel any energy that pierced his body. The elders that came up with this technique did note that it was just a culmination of theory, and in actual practice, might have some problems, so he quickly responded, ¡°Sorry Blue, I didn¡¯t mean to do anything, are you okay?¡±


    While he spoke, he wanted to look at Blue¡¯s hand but Blue stepped back. ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡±


    Didn¡¯t he perceive my energy? Fang looked clueless, as Blue stared at him again. Even though it was instant parry, Blue realized the level of energy Fang was at; it was just simply a 9th grade novice.


    Yes, he didn¡¯t hide his strength.


    However, how did he absorb energy at such a fast rate? Where did he learn instant parry?


    --- --- ---


    A couple of days went by, with Blue continuing to test Fang through conversation, setting up various verbal traps and observing his responses. He reached a conclusion.


    This roommate was probably not sent by anyone, he was only 16 years old, and there was no way he could be so smooth, not showing the slightest reaction to the traps that he had set. Most likely, Fang was set up so that he¡¯d be arranged with Blue without his knowledge.


    Even if it was so, Blue couldn¡¯t help but admit that he was interested in Fang. Inspired, he set out to lay intricate patterns of closed nets that energy couldn¡¯t possibly seep through, yet, in the tower, Fang happily absorbed energy without any issues. There has to be a way, Blue thought, and he spent his days determined to win this cold war of energy control.


    In a blink of an eye, ten days had already passed since Fang arrived at the school. It was one of the few rare holidays, with the energy tower closed for maintenance.


    It hadn¡¯t been long since Fang and Blue got back from the classes in the evening when the dwarf Durin showed up. ¡°Fang, my friend, let¡¯s go to Minuet City to drink!¡±


    The brilliant city of Minuet lay only 10 kilometers away, and without any monsters ready to prey nearby, many people took advantage of the holiday to stroll into the city and experience the attractions the city had to offer. However, Durin¡¯s reason for heading into the city was quite simple: to drink.


    ¡°Drink?¡± Fang felt embarrassed; he had never drunk before. ¡°I think I had¡­¡±


    He was interrupted mid-sentence by Blue, who shouted, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Fang!¡±


    It might have been Blue¡¯s appearance, or his mannerisms, but Durin hadn¡¯t really thought that well of Blue. But seeing his enthusiasm, Durin¡¯s reservations against him changed.


    Fang frowned. ¡°But¡­ but¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡± Blue interrupted him again. ¡°I¡¯ve never been to Minuet City, I¡¯d really like to see how it looks like.¡±


    ¡°The best part about the city is its major pub, where all types of special wines throughout the country would be gathered at one spot!¡± Durin added on, as he had no interest in sightseeing. Drinking alone wasn¡¯t fun at all though, so he added, ¡°You see, even Blue wants to visit, Fang, you can¡¯t just back out like a coward!¡±


    Blue nodded. ¡°Yes, we should balance both work and play, we¡¯ve been training so hard in the school for so long; it¡¯s time to relax!¡±


    Two people continued to pester and persuade, until finally, Fang could only say, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll come along.¡±


    Blue and Durin, filled with spirit, got to their feet and started to head out. Fang, deciding that a break would be nice after all, told the two that he¡¯d look for Mii and be right back, ready to go.


    Durin laughed boisterously. ¡°That¡¯s great, let¡¯s get ready to go!¡±


    A smile crept around Blue¡¯s face, as glorious plan to take place in Minuet City came into mind.

 Chapter 18: Hangover

    Chapter 18: Hangover


    The two followed Fang out the door into the magic section, looking for Mii. It didn¡¯t take long before they found her, with a pleased expression on her face she waved and shouted, ¡°Fang!¡±


    In fear that Mii would be bullied, Fang told Mii to forget that she was a maid, so she just called him by his name.


    Smiling, Fang pointed towards his side. ¡°Mii, let me introduce you, this is my roommate, Blue.¡±


    Because his roommate¡¯s personality was a little strange, Fang was hesitant about introducing him to Mii until they were better friends, and so, this was their first meeting.


    What a beautiful sorceress!


    Blue was surprised; magic users were rare and highly sought after, so how could Fang, from a small unknown city like Victoria City know someone like this? As well, they looked very happy together.


    He couldn¡¯t help but note that Fang and Mii had a close relationship ¨C inadvertently, Mii¡¯s actions gave away that she trusted Fang completely, even depending on him. Even though Blue was quite handsome himself, Mii¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t wander at all from Fang¡¯s. Plus, when Fang looked at her, she instantly knew who he was and they went into their own little world.


    If nothing else, this girl called Mii should be Fang¡¯s girlfriend.


    The only merits Fang had was his instant parry and that fast energy absorption. He couldn¡¯t understand at all how he successfully got a talented magic user for a girlfriend.


    Blue couldn¡¯t help but add another one to Fang¡¯s mysteries.


    --- --- ---


    Minuet City was a city of a thousand years of history, with nostalgic, buildings contrasted with the newly, sturdy constructs. Walking through the city, stalls would be open, expensive delicious and common, hearty food wafting their aromas through the streets. Soft music smoothly played by bards lit up the lanterns hanging on the sides, while laughter and talk echoed from the restaurants and caf¨¦s.


    The renaissance style present through the intricate design around the city captured Fang¡¯s and Mii¡¯s eyes, slowly walking.


    On the other hand, Blue and Durin, didn¡¯t seem excited at all. Beautiful scenery wasn¡¯t as attractive as a pot of liquor, so after enduring the smells of barbecue and strong spirits, Durin finally dragged the rest of the group into a bar.


    In the big cities, dwarves weren¡¯t uncommon, usually they combined their two delights in life together: blacksmithing in the day, and brewing as well as drinking in the night. Of all the places, Durin chose one with a dwarven sign ¨C after all, he felt camaraderie with his own race.


    Sitting down on a wooden stool, Durin loudly ordered, ¡°Owner, give us ten pounds of barbecue and ten jugs of dwarven rum!¡±


    Ten jugs of dwarven rum?


    Fang almost jumped, he had planned to accompany Durin for a small drink or two, but the dwarf just ordered ten jugs, and not of any alcohol. Durin ordered dwarven rum, a drink rumored to be prepared using the materials of fierce monsters to give it that extra impact.


    Many people were known to get drunk off a single cup.


    Hesitating, Fang quietly protested, ¡°Durin, I don¡¯t think we can drink so much.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured Fang, all this will be under my tab!¡± Durin laughed. ¡°You said that you didn¡¯t get to visit any dwarven taverns while you were in Victoria City, so you definitely haven¡¯t drunken dwarven rum. This is the best liquor in the world, try it and you¡¯ll instantly be addicted!¡±


    ¡°Well said, dwarven rum is the best spirit in the world!¡± Another dwarf agreed, as he came around the counter with equally hearty laughter. ¡°A dwarf that likes dwarven rum is a true, good dwarf, I¡¯ll give you two extra jugs free of charge!¡±


    Fang closed his open mouth, and swallowed what he was going to say. These dwarves were proud of their alcohol, and he didn¡¯t want to cause a scene arguing with them.


    As twelve jugs quickly hit the place and piled up, Fang couldn¡¯t help but let out a groan.


    And on top of that, the usual cups for drinking were absent; instead, several big bowls took their place. With the dwarven love for alcohol, drinking from cups would be too slow, so the most defining characteristic of a dwarven bar were their bowls for drinking.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.Durin poured the jug of dwarven rum until three bowls were filled, near to the brim. ¡°Mii, well, she¡¯s a girl, however, Blue, Fang ¨C you can drink with me and toast our worries away!¡±


    Blue picked up a bowl and in a single gulp, downed it. ¡°Okay!¡±


    Fang and Durin froze up in shock, then, after a second or two had gone by, Durin gave him a thumbs up. ¡°Nice Blue!¡±


    To follow up, he also picked up a bowl and drank it to the last drop. ¡°Fang, now it¡¯s your turn, you can¡¯t leave without a drink!¡±


    If Blue didn¡¯t drink, I could¡¯ve refused, Fang thought. But they both had a drink, so he could only go with the pressure, picking up that last bowl and drinking it.


    Spice scorched through his throat ¨C it felt like he was drinking fire, after all, dwarven rum was highly potent. He almost wanted to throw up as his face turned a fiery red.


    ¡°Rest assured Mii, there¡¯s nothing wrong with Fang. He can still drink a lot more of this fine rum.¡± Blue added while picking up another bowl.


    Fang nearly fainted, he didn¡¯t think especially Blue would drink so much. Durin cheered Blue on, pleased that he shared his love for drink.


    Under the urging of his friends, the second bowl of rum emptied into Fang¡¯s stomach, and with dazed eyes, he didn¡¯t see a sly flash of color run through Blue¡¯s eyes. By the third drink, Fang was dead drunk, as laughter rang out through the tavern, and a blur of colors seemed to run by his face. The world seemed to spin and everything, the tiny person standing, the dim lights, the wooden accents around the place seemed to be so funny. Dizzy, Fang tried to stand upright, when he remembered the elder that boasted he could drink through a treasury without any problem. In fact, that portly old fellow was extremely proud of his ability to out drink anyone in the world, and forcefully tried to pass his passion to Fang. Unfortunately, Fang wasn¡¯t interested at all, but ignoring his complaints as usual, Fang was fed information on how to successfully speed up his alcohol metabolism from inside his body, allowing him to enjoy as much alcohol as he liked.


    Bringing it up to mind, he focused his energy to his liver and soon enough, his head cleared up and his body didn¡¯t feel so hot anymore, as he exhaled heavy, wet breaths.


    Since the problem with alcohol had been solved, Fang had no reservations and picked up a fourth bowl of dwarven rum.


    Blue closely examined Fang, wondering what antics he would be up to drunk, but only fell into confusion.


    Huh? Why does Fang suddenly look so fine after that third bowl? He looked quite drunk a minute ago, and now he¡¯s suddenly fine?


    Seeing how Fang and Blue readily picked up the bowls of rum, Durin shouted, ¡°You both are great drinking buddies, come on, let¡¯s continue!¡±


    A fifth, sixth, seventh bowl of rum went down Fang¡¯s throat like water, and Fang sighed in relief. Although his energy capacity was quite low, the method of internalizing and hastening the breakdown of alcohol was extremely efficient compared to the traditional technique of completely burning alcohol.


    Blue looked again in puzzlement, he knew that the rum wasn¡¯t weak at all, and that it was impossible to have a body that was resistant both to the poisonous laxative he had given earlier as well as alcohol; there had never been a case in history of someone with that kind of body, not even among the dwarves who were naturally tolerant to alcohol.


    He wasn¡¯t afraid though; Blue was confident that he could out drink Fang. And so, two people kept refilling their bowls over and over, emptying the twelve jugs of dwarven rum in a single hour. Excited to see that they were able to hold their alcohol so well, Durin immediately ordered another ten jugs, which the owner added an extra three to.


    Once in a while, when there would be a break in the talking and drinking, Fang would visit the washroom a couple of times, rinsing himself from all that water and gas from the alcohol, and come back, looking entirely fine.


    Guests inside the tavern couldn¡¯t help but turn their attention towards Durin¡¯s table; empty jugs were strewn over the place over large hunks of charred meat as the three figures called for more jugs.


    Even the dwarves couldn¡¯t hide their surprise, not even they would dare to drink so much so recklessly!


    Who were these people?

 Chapter 19: First Kiss

    Chapter 19: First Kiss


    When it came towards the seventeenth jug, even Durin started to become tongue-tied. ¡°Tonight, I¡¯m so, so, so happy and¡­¡±


    Splash!


    He fell on the table.


    Blue also was more or less drunk, and although he should¡¯ve already been asleep on the ground, he had been constantly removing alcohol from his system, but he feared he didn¡¯t have enough.


    I don¡¯t believe that Fang can drink more, and better than me!


    I¡¯m sure, this guy is definitely taking advantage of spitting out all the rum when he goes to the washroom ¨C I shouldn¡¯t give him that chance.


    So Blue swept his hand drunkenly across the remaining eight jugs and said, ¡°The bowls are too small, it¡¯s not fun at all Fang, let¡¯s use the jugs!¡±


    Fang quickly replied, ¡°Blue, these jugs may be a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s good enough, we don¡¯t have a winner for the night yet, let¡¯s drink half and half and see who finishes first!¡± With that, he slid a jug towards Fang and picked up one himself.


    Fang felt quite helpless, but what could he do? He was Blue¡¯s only company at the time, with Durin passed out on the ground. Really, my roommate drank a ton, does he have a body resistant to alcohol from drinking to drown out his sorrows?


    Blue downed jug after jug, while Fang feebly followed, until they had finished off all of the remaining jugs. Convulsing in giggles, Blue whispered, ¡°I, I win, because I, finished the first drink and finished it, but why, why do you have two heads, two...¡±


    Splash!


    Blue also fell on the table, while Fang sighed and looked at the two drunken silly guys.


    Trouble never ceased to happen, he groaned.


    ¡°Master, I never knew that you could drink so well, better than Durin and Blue!¡± Seeing how the two were passed out, Mii didn¡¯t bother to call Fang by his name. ¡°What should we do?¡±


    Fang thought for a bit. ¡°The hotels in Minuet City are sure to be expensive¡­ there¡¯s no need to drop them here to sleep, we can bring them back to the training camp.¡±


    The light bugs within the lanterns lit the way as Fang rang a silent bell in front of the tavern. Moments later, a carriage pulled by a monstrous horse came to a stop.


    Slowly, Fang carried the two groggy figures into the caravan, and was surprised by how slim and delicate Blue seemed to be. If he had long hair, Fang would even mistake Blue from a distance to be a girl!


    Soon enough, the group arrived at the training camp, and Fang wished Mii a good night as he carried the two back into his residence.


    Although he knew where Blue lived (right next to him), he had no idea where Durin lived, so he dumped Durin off on the sofa in the shared room. Then, he entered his roommate¡¯s room with Blue on his back.


    Unlike his room, the flooring was spotlessly clean inside, and next to the windowsill, there were two pots of fresh flowers. His roommate was really clean, maybe excessively though.


    Fang put Blue down on his bed, but seeing how Blue¡¯s clothes and face was stained with a lot of grease, he tried to wake him up to get him clean. He shook Blue a couple of times. ¡°Hey, Blue, wake up, go and wash up!¡±


    But his roommate refused to wake, and didn¡¯t respond no matter how much he shook him.


    Sighing, Fang sat next to Blue. It should be okay to change his clothes, and wash it right? After all, Blue had warmed up to him, even patting his shoulders a few days ago. That¡¯s right, he assured himself, Blue shouldn¡¯t be angry that I helped him clean up.


    One by one, Fang unbuttoned Blue¡¯s coat, and gently took it off. Below, Blue wore a black unitard.


    Wow, this guy was really strange, didn¡¯t he feel uncomfortable at all wearing something so tight?


    Fang didn¡¯t know how to feel about Blue anymore.


    Casting aside those thoughts, he went into the bathroom, and filled a basin with cold water, bringing it with a clean towel. Dipping the towel into the water, Fang started to wipe Blue¡¯s face.


    There was no way to know if it was the cold water or not, but regardless, Blue opened his eyes.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re awake, don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m just¡­¡± Fang never got finish, as he was pulled towards Blue, their faces only a small distance away.


    His roommate looked at him with blurred eyes, and with a sweet voice cried, ¡°Fang, you¡¯re a damn pervert, oddity, and freak, I hate you so much!¡±


    Blue¡¯s voice was usually neutral, but Fang didn¡¯t know if it was because they were drunk or not; Blue¡¯s voice was impossibly melodic with a sweetness women would kill to have. Looking at Blue¡¯s face, Fang¡¯s thoughts couldn¡¯t help but be jumbled.


    Suddenly, Blue¡¯s head moved and kissed Fang¡¯s open lips.


    Fang quickly pushed Blue away as pain flooded his mouth.


    A rusty, slightly salty taste filled his mouth as Fang touched his lips ¨C they were badly bitten by Blue¡¯s sharp teeth.


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    Dumbfounded, Fang stared at his roommate, who seemed so delicate and quiet, that knew how to drink tons and bit people while drunk.


    I really wonder if Blue¡¯s actually a guy!


    It may have been just been an exciting experience, he thought, something that perhaps Blue had never done before which caused them to become a bit disturbed, as even Durin wouldn¡¯t go as far as to bite another guy¡¯s lips.


    Shaking his head vigorously, free of these confusing thoughts, he turned his attention back to reality and asked, ¡°Blue?¡±


    Blue didn¡¯t respond, as it seemed he had fallen right back into sleep.


    Well, let him sleep!


    Fang tucked him in, and taking the lamp next to the bed, walked out of the room.


    With a sweet smile on his face, Blue slept blissfully, unaware of the nightmare that had just taken place.


    --- --- ---


    The next morning, Fang was jolted from his sleep by a piercing scream that broke the glass in his window. Rubbing his eyes, he tiredly walked out of the room, to see Blue wearing his coat.


    Fang gave the regular greeting, ¡°Good morning Blue!¡±


    ¡°Good morning?¡± Blue cried, ¡°Fang, tell me, how in the world did this happen?¡±


    Drowsy, Fang yawned. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Blue, what are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m an idiot!¡± Blue gritted his teeth. ¡°Why was it when I woke up, I was wearing that?¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Fang realized what Blue meant, and hurried to explain. ¡°You drank too much last night, so I helped you back into the residence. But, your coat was really dirty, and I knew that you liked being clean, so before I went to sleep I helped you change out of it.¡±


    Suddenly, Blue looked anxious. ¡°You¡­ did you see anything?¡±


    ¡°Did I see anything?¡± Fang recalled last night, then added, ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡±


    Fang smiled. ¡°Have to say, your body is really too thin, you should exercise and eat more!¡±


    ¡°You¡­ shameless!¡± A blush spread across Blue¡¯s face.


    Damn it, yesterday I wanted to get him drunk, and let him humiliate himself in front of Mii, but this guy could drink so much and I ended up getting drunk. Even worse, I ended up drunk and he ended up changing my clothes, probably touching a lot of my body!


    Blue wanted to cry, but tears couldn¡¯t come out.


    Unfortunately, or luckily, other than changing my clothes, nothing seemed to have happened and he didn¡¯t know who I am.


    Looking up again, Blue noticed that Fang¡¯s lips had a slight scab over it, and asked, ¡°Hey, what happened there?¡±


    Fang wouldn¡¯t mention to his roommate such an embarrassing thing, and muttered, ¡°Uh, well, nothing.¡±


    His nervous tone provoked Blue¡¯s suspicion and a sinking feeling swallowed the body. Forcefully, Blue demanded, ¡°Come on, what happened? Don¡¯t lie to me, else I will¡­ beat you up!¡±


    Listening to his roommate taking the matter so seriously, Fang couldn¡¯t help but answer. ¡°Last night, when I was helping you into bed, you momentarily woke up, said a few words, and then¡­ and then attacked me.¡±


    Blue¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I bit you?¡±


    Fang helplessly replied. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Hearing those words, Blue¡¯s head went blank, as the shock was too much.


    After snapping back into reality, Blue clasped the trembling body.


    No, how could it be, how could I bite him, and even if I bit him, why not elsewhere, why there?!


    Although I bit him with my teeth, lip to lip contact must have happened.


    So, my first kiss, gone just like that?


    Oh, cruel world, let me die already!


    Seeing Blue reeling in astonishment, Fang knew that Blue was probably feeling very guilty, so he gave him a pat on the shoulder for comfort. ¡°Blue, I know that you drank too much last night, don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t mind it, although it was really awkward. I¡¯m going to forget it as soon as possible, and we¡¯ll get along as usual!¡±


    But I couldn¡¯t forget, this was my first kiss, Blue responded indignantly in his mind.


    Even though Blue¡¯s anger had already built up past the breaking point, Blue didn¡¯t attack Fang.


    Because the person who got drunk last night was her, the person who bit Fang was her, and throughout the process Fang was only the victim, so she could look on helplessly.


    Moreover, the facts couldn¡¯t be changed.


    She sank into depression, regretting her decision last night to go out and drink. If she knew that she would lose her first kiss, she wouldn¡¯t have incited Fang and Durin to drink so much!


    But, how was it possible that Fang could hold his liquor better than Durin and herself?


    He was only a 9th grade novice, and all that alcohol was extremely potent that even she couldn¡¯t muster up the reserves to expel it all.


    Her roommate was really incomprehensible, she hated him so much!

 Chapter 20: Mysterious Woman

    Chapter 20: Mysterious Woman


    A week later, inside the energy tower, Fang was practicing quietly inside a small room.


    Light throughout Fang¡¯s body grew brighter than ever, and like a cocoon, energy engulfed Fang. Excited, Fang concentrated harder. As large reserves of energy flew in, his body soon disappeared from the intense light. Then, with a bang, energy exploded inside the room as Fang looked around.


    Intermediate level!


    This layer of energy was at least at the 1st grade, thicker than before and able to output an incomparable amount of defense and offense than before. Fang¡¯s eyes lit up in joy, as it had only taken a month to breakthrough that bottleneck into the intermediate level.


    He took almost a month to go from an 8th grade novice to a 9th grade novice, which for most people, would be an amazing set speed. However, to go from the 9th grade novice into the intermediate stage wasn¡¯t that simple, and should¡¯ve taken at least four months or longer.


    The energy tower could improve the practice speed to an extent, and he was in the tower only for an hour each time. So, there was only one reasonable explanation: it was due to the endless method that he was training in. In theory, because this method didn¡¯t distinguish between the types of energy, there should be no such thing as a bottleneck, as every grade could transition smoothly. The results seemed to indicate that all that theory was correct.


    Since he entered the intermediate levels, he would be able to drastically change his attacks; he couldn¡¯t compare to his former self, as he witnessed firsthand during the fight against Garret how much of an advantage ranged attacks gave.


    In the tower, he couldn¡¯t practice any combat techniques, so he quietly meditated until the bell rang.


    Out of habit, as he walked out, Fang looked to the room next to him but there wasn¡¯t anyone there.


    After that outburst, Blue hadn¡¯t gone to class or anything at all for the last week, staying inside his room. He probably was still embarrassed by that incident and needed some time to calm down; Fang hoped Blue would recover soon, there wasn¡¯t much time left for the intermediate school.


    Usually after advancing into a new stage, most fighters would evaluate their skills afterwards to see how much they improved, and Fang was no exception.


    He arrived at the empty practice field, and punched the air fiercely ¨C a trace of energy flew in the air, flying over twelve meters before dissipating.


    Without practicing any of the martial arts skills he had seen, his energy went a fair distance, and Fang was satisfied.


    Although people were graded based on the level of energy they possessed, it didn¡¯t account for the various skills, nor the quality and purity of their energy. As well, a person¡¯s fitness accounted for how well they could control their energy. Among the lectures Fang had diligently studied, most people were known to be able to propel their energy from five to seven meters, and for those with pure energy, from eight to ten meters. The people who had a purer concentrate of power, could display a radically different grade of skill with martial art techniques; no wonder that the ¡°Sonic Cut¡± actions that Fang mimicked led to a stronger Sonic Cut.


    The first of the tests determined the purity of energy, and with it complete, Fang moved onto the second. Slowly breathing in, Fang sent out repetitive punches in succession, attempting to determine his speed. An average fighter could put out three to four infused punches on the crystallized dummy before the time ran out; five or six may be considered good, but Fang put out eight punches that was able to meet the energy threshold for each effort.


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    For the final test, Fang entered a chamber attached on wheels. It was a simple machine that moved when energy was put into it.


    If the first two test results could be considered excellent, the third test was outstanding. The majority of people could only run around 60 meters before stopping, the talented perhaps 90 meters, but Fang maintained the journey for 180 meters. This endurance and his ability to efficiently use energy was ridiculous.


    After seeing his results, Fang felt extremely elated. He knew that his energy would improve, but to think the power, acceleration, sustainability and strength were top class from that leap into the intermediate stage was beyond his expectations. He was confident that if he had some time to learn and practice some suitable skills, he would easily be a match for 4th, no, even 5th grade intermediates!


    Moonlight shined on the thick trees around the field, a lone figure standing alone on the field. However, no one would have thought that within the darkness, a pair of eyes watched everything happen. A bright light lit up their eyes, and they seemed to be excited.


    Yume did scout a really good candidate, at the time the entrance examination, Yume said that he was only a recent 9th grade novice. But now, just after a month of training, he had already broken through into the intermediate level!


    And although his first test result wasn¡¯t so impressive, the next two were insane.


    To take his potential, his speed alone put him with excellent potential. If you considered his power and speed together, it would be one of the best, but to take endurance into that ¨C he could be called a genius with unlimited potential!


    Soon, he would display that brilliance to the world, and attract the attention of more people; they couldn¡¯t wait any longer.


    --- --- ---


    Two days passed, and after dinner, Fang resumed his practice, experimenting with his energy. Nighttime he figured, was the best time to practice as there were rarely other people training at this time, and the environment relatively quiet.


    Noticing his lamp had almost run out, Fang stopped and picked up the lamp.


    It would be a holiday tomorrow; I hope that Durin doesn¡¯t come and ask to go drinking again in Minuet City. Although Fang didn¡¯t get hangovers, or experienced any troubles with alcohol, he felt that it was too much work to deal with drunk people. Moreover, memories of the last time he went came up¡­ it ruined his friendship with Blue, as he couldn¡¯t really comfortably look at Blue for the time being.


    I¡¯ll just head back to the dormitory and sleep, he reasoned, and continued walking. Moments later, the world instantly turned dark, with his lamp extinguished, as well as the sky. To control the darkness of the night ¨C this person was at a level that no one in the training camp could reach.


    Fang was initially shocked, but he quickly calmed down.


    In order to protect the youths, experts regularly patrolled the camp, so naturally no one meaning harm would be allowed in.


    Out of the shadows, a person shrouded in a dark cloud walked towards Fang, and stopped.


    Her face was covered with a dark, gray mask with black accents. Captivating, her eyes stared intently at Fang, a dark robe flowing down her figure.


    The woman slowly spoke, ¡°Student Fang?¡±


    He had never seen this woman before, but she had called out his name.


    As if she knew what Fang was thinking, she continued, ¡°Not surprisingly, you don¡¯t know me. Let me introduce myself. My name is Valeria, head of the chamber of commerce in Minuet City.¡±


    Although Fang was from a small city, he still knew the importance of such a position.


    Amazingly, this young lady was already the head of a department!

 Chapter 21: Invitation

    Chapter 21: Invitation


    Fang questioningly looked back at the head of commerce; he was just an unknown nobody.


    Tentatively, Fang asked, ¡°Miss Valeria, can I ask, why were you looking for me?¡±


    She let out a small laugh. ¡°It¡¯s nothing big. Fang, if it¡¯s convenient for you, I would like to invite you to my home tomorrow night.¡±


    ¡°Visit?¡±


    The woman nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll have dinner prepared for us.¡±


    Flattered, but confused, Fang wondered why someone like the head of the chamber of commerce would invite him.


    ¡°Will you?¡± She softly asked, jolting Fang from his thoughts.


    ¡°Miss Valeria, although it may be rude, can I ask why you invited me? I¡¯m just a poor student, not rich enough to be qualified as your guest, right?¡±


    ¡°Fang, I¡¯m sure you meet my qualifications, and for you, this isn¡¯t an opportunity you can miss.¡± She smiled, ¡°but this isn¡¯t a good place to talk; we¡¯ll talk in detail tomorrow night. Before that, I want to make sure ¨C would you like to visit me?¡±


    Somewhat hesitant, Fang couldn¡¯t help but agree to that compelling voice. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow evening then, I¡¯ll send someone over to pick you up, see you then.¡± Valeria¡¯s body disappeared into the shadows as dim lights illuminated the solitary man on the road.


    --- --- ---


    The appearance of the mysterious woman occupied Fang¡¯s mind for the entire day, as he came up with many theories as to why she wanted to see him, but thinking them through, they all didn¡¯t make sense. And without knowing it, it was the afternoon already.


    Today was another holiday, the energy tower being shut down for maintenance. Usually, Fang would go to the training grounds to practice his skills, though, filled with anxiety, he directly went back to his residence.


    From the hallway, he saw Blue trying to open the door, still, it wouldn¡¯t open as it was the wrong key.


    All these days Fang hadn¡¯t seen Blue, so this was a welcome surprise. Happily, Fang shouted, ¡°Hey Blue!¡±


    ¡°Ah, Fang?¡± Blue looked up and saw Fang, and her expression immediately turned complex.


    Suffering a heavy mental blow from the loss of her first kiss, Blue was depressed in these recent days, and she couldn¡¯t muster the motivation to follow Fang around anymore.


    ¡°Let me do it.¡± Seeing how Blue couldn¡¯t open the door, Fang grabbed his keys and opened it.


    Before his roommate went back into his room, Fang said, ¡°Blue, if it¡¯s okay with you, can we talk?¡±


    Blue hesitated, then stopped. ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m worried about you,¡± Fang coughed. ¡°I know that a number of uncomfortable things happened between us, and you feel at a loss.¡±


    Blue¡¯s face held a slight blush, accompanied by anger.


    Damn, please don¡¯t mention that night again, don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve bothered me enough?


    Obliviously, Fang continued. ¡°But Blue, it was a small accident, just that you had too much to drink and played a slightly excessive joke. I really don¡¯t mind at all, it¡¯s okay now Blue, you¡¯re wasting your chances holing up in your room.¡±


    A slightly bad joke?


    Blue¡¯s eyes widened, you think losing your first kiss is just a joke?


    Fang walked over and patted Blue on the shoulder. ¡°To hell with the unpleasant past, cheer up Blue, you may look pretty delicate, but I believe you are a strong person. Even if there are some minor obstacles, you should be able to get over it and look forward ¨C after all, you can¡¯t live in the shadow of your past, right?¡±


    Blue became silent.


    That¡¯s right, I¡¯m the genius Scarlett; how could I give up with this setback?


    Fang, since I lost my first kiss to you, I¡¯m going to take my sweet revenge to reimburse that ten times over!


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    Blue turned her sunken, dark eyes towards Fang. ¡°Well, Fang, you¡¯re right, I need to face the future bravely!¡±


    Seeing his roommate¡¯s mental state take a turn for the better, Fang was thrilled.


    Blue couldn¡¯t wait. ¡°Hey Fang, do you want to head for the arena tonight?¡±


    ¡°Tonight?¡± Fang had a difficult expression on his face. ¡°I can¡¯t go tonight, I have to go somewhere else.¡±


    Blue asked, ¡°With Durin?¡±


    Fang shook his head. ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Then with Mii?¡± Blue had already made up her mind ¨C if Mii and Fang were dating, she¡¯d take every opportunity to destroy their own, happy little world.


    ¡°No, not Mii!¡± Fang replied to Blue¡¯s shock; as far as Blue knew, her roommate only knew three people in the training camp: Durin, Mii, and herself, so on a rare holiday, where and with whom could he go?


    ¡°Tonight, I was personally invited for dinner,¡± Fang slowly continued, ¡°her name is Valeria, and from what she said, the head of the chamber of commerce.¡±


    Although telling another person that he was going to meet wasn¡¯t very courteous, he still wasn¡¯t sure if Valeria invited him with malicious intents or not. Wary, just in case he got into an accident, he told Blue so that if he did go missing, Blue could alert the experts of the camp.


    Blue blurted out, ¡°What, Valeria, the head of the chamber of commerce?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Fang answered. ¡°Wait, Blue, do you know Valeria?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Blue hastily improvised, ¡°I heard rumors that the chamber of commerce in Minuet City was pretty famous.¡±


    Fang didn¡¯t notice the stammer in Blue¡¯s voice and responded, ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    Blue knew Valeria was really the head of the chamber of commerce, and she was quite infamous inside Minuet City. It wasn¡¯t just rumors, she witnessed the rise and fall herself.


    The tragedy of the talented beauty inside the chamber of commerce, with a limitless future. A single event was all it took to change the fate of the gifted woman completely.


    But why did Valeria want to meet with Fang?


    Curious, Blue asked, ¡°Do you know Valeria?¡±


    ¡°No, until yesterday, I¡¯ve never met her.¡± Fang shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know the reason why she invited me, all she said was to come visit and have a meal with her.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± There was nothing Blue could do about it if Fang himself didn¡¯t know why he was going.


    ¡°Blue, I have to go, Valeria said she¡¯d send someone to pick me up, and I don¡¯t want to keep her waiting; let¡¯s go to class together sometime tomorrow.¡± Fang hurriedly said as he went into his room, changing into a clean set of clothes. He rushed to the magic camp and told Mii that there was something that he had to go deal with tonight, and then headed straight towards the gates of the school.


    A white carriage was firmly shackled to a pearly white horse with long, majestic wings; though the majority of monsters were aggressive and hostile, some could be tamed at a young age such as this Pegasus.


    After Fang arrived, a sharp woman came out of the carriage. With rimmed glasses and brisk, precise steps, she came in front of Fang. ¡°Excuse me, are you the student Fang?¡±


    Fang nodded. ¡°Yes, and you are¡­?¡±


    ¡°My name is Rhodes, Valeria¡¯s personal secretary, please to meet you, Fang.¡± She crisply shook his hand, then said, ¡°The head is preparing dinner, so I came to pick you up, sir. Are there any problems, or are you prepared to leave?¡±


    ¡°No, no problems at all, thank you.¡± Fang was taken aback by her respective manner; from what it sounded like, Valeria was prepared dinner herself and her secretary was picking him up. Wasn¡¯t this too much for an ordinary student?


    What qualifications did I have to be treated so nicely?

 Chapter 22: Dinner

    Chapter 22: Dinner


    Uneasy, Fang entered the carriage along with the secretary. The interior was quite spacious and comfortable, just like a little house. Flapping its wings, the Pegasus took the skies.


    Although not very powerful, the Pegasus had access to an innate wind magic specialized in amplifying the amount of lift it could produce and stabilize with its wings. Beautiful wilderness below passed by quickly as the winged beast flew through the clouds, reaching a district that was tens of kilometers away from Minuet City.


    ¡°Please enter, Fang.¡± Rhodes gestured inside a building, shaped like the tower at the school. However, this towering building was at least ten times taller. Flowers littered the entrance, and the tall doors opened to display a red carpet, with decorations spread through the hallway.


    ¡°Welcome, Fang.¡±


    In the hallway, a slim figure appeared ¨C it was Valeria, wearing that distinctive black dress, with a mask shrouding her features. Fang still couldn¡¯t reason why she wanted to meet him alone at her house, but judging from the apron that Valeria was wearing, it must be harmless.


    Wait, the head of commerce took the time to actually cook for him; he was speechless.


    Her eyes smiled at him. ¡°Fang, you can browse the place, Rhodes will accompany you around the place. I just had a few dishes to finish up.¡± Valeria looked at Rhodes. ¡°Help him look around.¡±


    ¡°Yes director!¡±


    With exquisite paintings, perfect statues, aged books, normally, the tower would¡¯ve been very attractive to Fang, but he wasn¡¯t in a visiting mood.


    Suspicion couldn¡¯t help gather in his mind, he recalled the respectful, honoring attitude that the head of commerce displayed towards him. Seeking for clues, he asked the secretary by his side, ¡°Miss Rhodes, the reason why Valeria invited me wasn¡¯t simply to eat a meal, there must be something else, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know, the head will personally tell you.¡± It sounded professionally scripted, neither confirming nor denying Fang¡¯s assumption. No further discussion happened.


    For twenty minutes, Fang sat on a bed of pins and needles in the living room, then was led into the dining room by a maid.


    The table was full of food styled carefully, and from the visual impression, it suggested that Valeria was an experienced cook. What stood out the most though, were the two sets of gleaming cutlery on the table, indicating that only Fang and Valeria were dining today. With the napkins and plates in place, Valeria questioned, ¡°Fang, are you wondering about why I¡¯m wearing this mask? It is a bit rude, right?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no.¡± Fang said hurriedly, ¡°I¡¯m honored that the head of commerce invited me to eat.¡±


    While that was what he said, he held a doubt in his mind.


    It¡¯s dining time, but surely Valeria doesn¡¯t wear a mask while she¡¯s eating, right?


    ¡°Well, the mask had been there for a reason. I hope I don¡¯t scare you, Fang.¡± Valeria raised her hands and lifted the gray mask down.


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    Seeing the face under the mask, Fang couldn¡¯t help but draw a stunned breath.


    Her faced looked quite young, with smoky eyes, delicate features, a long nose and full lips ¨C a lovely beauty. However, scarring her face, there were countless crossing black lines, as if a spider spun an intricate web. If at the training grounds, Fang had seen her without the mask on, he would¡¯ve definitely turned around, and dashed away.


    Valeria sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it seems like you¡¯re afraid.¡±


    Realizing his face had reflexively frozen, he relaxed and hastily replied, ¡°No, I was just a bit surprised. But your face¡­¡±


    Valeria explained, ¡°I was in an accident, and since then, I had worn a mask, never taking it off unless it was absolutely necessary.¡±


    Regretting his earlier worries, Fang softly said, ¡°That¡¯s too bad, Lady Valeria. I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind it, I¡¯ve gotten used to it.¡± Valeria smiled. ¡°I trust it won¡¯t affect your appetite?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, Lady Valeria, you are very beautiful!¡± Fang truly meant it, while the black pattern across her face had destroyed any typical beauty, it held a strange attractiveness.


    ¡°Thank you, you¡¯re a very caring person.¡± She picked up her knife. ¡°Please, come and try my dishes, I hope they¡¯ll be able to satisfy your taste.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Fang grabbed his fork and took a petal from an exquisite flower of thin steak. He brought it to his mouth, and chewed the tender, sweet meat. Words weren¡¯t enough to describe it. The aroma, color, and taste all blended together to create a crafted, unforgettable experience.


    Simply, Fang praised, ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡±


    As an enthusiastic hostess, Valeria encouraged Fang. ¡°Feel free to eat as much as you want!¡±


    He sampled all the dishes, and each dish tasted beyond expectations; surprisingly, the head of commerce was such a good chef.


    Dazzled by the exotic tastes, Fang had left behind his caution, but soon, he was full. Some fruit salad was left on the plate when he remembered that this meeting shouldn¡¯t have been only a modest meal. Getting straight to the point, Fang turned towards Valeria.


    ¡°Lady Valeria, I¡¯m grateful for the meal, but please, I¡¯d like to know why I was invited.¡±


    Methodically, the maid and the secretary started to clear the table as she put on her mask. ¡°Yes, Fang, I invited you with a purpose in mind. If it isn¡¯t much, I would like your help.¡±


    Fang answered, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Valeria avoided the question, instead, she replied, ¡°Before that, let us talk about the pay. As long as you promise me to help and try do that thing, I¡¯ll give you these rewards.¡±


    Bewildered, Fang stared at the lady in front of him. Regardless of the results, he would get paid?


    She continued, ¡°Fang, as for what your reward shall be¡­ I¡¯ll pay all the costs concerning your training, including the usage of this energy tower, effective elixirs, private mentors, professional training and fighting techniques. Anything, anything at all that you would need to gain an acceptable amount of strength.¡±

 Chapter 23: Murder

    Chapter 23: Murder


    Access to an energy tower, medicine, professional combat practice and equipment ¨C those were all things that Fang could only dream about, but now, he could finally achieve those coveted conditions!


    This approach to becoming strong would cost unimaginably huge, and if Valeria was serious, covering the expenses as a long term investment would surely take a noticeable dent out of her wealth.


    Fang deeply breathed out; he couldn¡¯t let a big temptation like that lock him in an irreversible deal. He thought about it, did Valeria know him? He was confident that they hadn¡¯t met before, so why would she lavish all the money on me, and not her brothers or relatives?


    Fang looked straight at Valeria. ¡°Lady Valeria, I want to know. What ¡°thing¡± would you like to have me do?¡±


    ¡°Wash the seas red with the blood of the Ragged Pirates!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Fang heard her words and nearly fell off his chair, but rather, when he stared into Valeria¡¯s eyes, the shock was even greater.


    Sweat started to form on his forehead. ¡°Lady Valeria, are you serious?¡±


    The Blue Sea was a vast body of water that stretched outside the country¡¯s borders, and on the desolate isles scattered in the sea lay in rest the inhuman pirates. Mercy didn¡¯t exist; savagery and blood were rumored to rule the vicious world filled with monsters and barbarians. And standing as the apex predators were the Ragged Pirates. The sightings of discolored arms, gorged bodies, and blood, so much blood that had dyed the sandy shores crimson had deterred most merchants from crossing the treacherous waters, even though the costs were astronomically higher by doing so.


    ¡°I¡¯m absolutely serious.¡± Valeria¡¯s eyes became mercilessly cold. ¡°A few years ago, during an urgent, important shipment, the Wind Company encountered them and were cruelly slain, their rotting remains carelessly washed up on the shore!¡±


    An intense hatred attended those words and her body started to tremble in extreme animosity.


    Although it sounded like a tragic disaster, all Fang could do was be sympathetic. ¡°Lady Valeria, I¡¯m sorry, but you seem to have gotten the wrong person. You should go ask a master for this favor, rather than a rookie like myself.¡±


    Valeria took in some deep breaths to calm herself down, then spoke. ¡°I certainly did so, but unlike what it may seem like, the chamber of commerce isn¡¯t that wealthy. After that failed shipment, on which countless experts easily died, the department has lost too much money, as well, our reputation took a turn for the worse. Over the last two years, though I had asked countless of the strongest, they were all unwilling to risk their lives for the paltry amount of money. So, all I can do is to train a person to take revenge!¡±


    Ashamed, Fang replied, ¡°Even if I could train, Lady Valeria, you should find a better candidate. To tell you the truth, I had just reached the intermediate level ¨C there must be other people better than me.¡±


    She waved her hand, and asserted, ¡°No, judging from energy alone is too trivial. In the entrance examination, you were a 9th grade novice in an environment without favorable conditions, and now, you had grasped the intermediate level. This speed of practice is beyond anything I¡¯ve seen before. Also, with your low level of energy, you were able to comprehend and use instant parry, which only a few people in this country could proficiently use. In addition, your power and speed are excellent, with your energy efficiency potential scary! That is the reason why I chose you, although you¡¯re weaker than most people at the same age, your talent is frightening! Therefore, I believe, as long as you can get the best conditions possible, your achievements would be immeasurable!¡±


    Fang was appalled, as this Lady knew so much about himself; even the tests at the training grounds yesterday didn¡¯t escape her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I had to research and observe you closely to make sure that you were the person I was looking for. After all, this matter was the last gamble I had, one last chance to bet.¡±


    As the table was fully cleaned, she stood up. ¡°We didn¡¯t sign a contract, and you have no obligations or commitments to me. This was just a request, that if one day, you had reached the level of the strongest, you would destroy those malicious beings. I believe that you have a good heart, and want to help people. You had lost your parents, you understand the pain of losing your loved ones. But your parents died from monsters, they didn¡¯t have to suffer. The people in the company were miserably tortured to death, tongues, ears, noses, and eyes, missing, long, thin splinters impaling through their skulls, some, even boiled alive and hacked into pieces. For the poor families of the victims, the only relief they could get is by the extermination of such evil.¡±


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    Fang fell silent, and stayed paralyzed in his chair.


    ¡°Fang, I know it must be a shock ¨C you¡¯re still only a 16 year old boy, and hadn¡¯t even left the safety of the country, so you can go back and think it over. I¡¯ll wait in front of the gates next holiday, and if you don¡¯t show up, I¡¯ll assume that you had rejected me. Of course, I hope we have the opportunity to work together.¡±


    Having said those parting words, Rhodes returned Fang back to the quiet camp.


    --- --- ---


    Fang entered the residence in a trance. Anxiously, Blue waited all this time outside on the sofa, curious as to why Valeria had invited Fang. As the door swung open, Blue, pretending to be calm, casually asked, ¡°Hey Fang, why did Valeria ask to meet you? Did she tell you anything?¡±


    Fang shook his head. ¡°She didn¡¯t say anything, we only had dinner together.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s strange, you didn¡¯t know Valeria right? Why would she call you to have dinner with no reason at all?¡± Blue didn¡¯t believe Fang, and she knew Fang was hiding something, but no matter how much she probed, Fang remained tight-lipped.


    Even though Fang didn¡¯t sign the contract, this matter concerned the personal hatred of many, and it wasn¡¯t something he could share.


    He suddenly remembered that Blue seemed to know a bit about Valeria. ¡°Blue, do you know anything else about Valeria other than her being the head of the chamber of commerce?¡±


    ¡°I know a thing or two. In Minuet City, the chamber of commerce used to be one of the major influential powers among the many departments, but then came a disaster and the situation was shattered.¡± Blue reluctantly said. ¡°Valeria was attending Garden College, in her last year, and had at the time, recently became a 5th grade expert. To graduate at the expert level was a very rare case throughout the academia¡¯s history, but not one, two girls had reached that level. Yume, daughter of Kingsley, and Valeria. At graduation, everyone thought that they would become the two strongest women in the entire country!¡±


    Fang frowned. ¡°Why is Valeria like that then, and her face ruined?¡±


    ¡°Did you see her face? Ah, right, during dinner she must have taken her mask off. Valeria is quite the poor woman,¡± Blue continued ruefully, ¡°her father and brother were killed in that disaster, and filled with revenge, Valeria tried to accelerate her training only for her relinquished body to break out of control.¡±


    No wonder that she wanted to kill off the pirates, even her father and brother experienced that misfortune.


    Noticing an unfamiliar term though, Fang questioned, ¡°A relinquished body?¡±


    ¡°A type of special dark physique rarely appearing when a mutation causes darkness to be mixed into a person. Found perhaps once every couple of centuries, this body would allow the user to practice and absorb dark energy exceedingly fast. However, this very strong body was dangerous, a slight mistake could cause the person to become a toxic, disfigured cruel monster beyond redemption, hence the name ¡®relinquished¡¯.¡±


    Blue sighed. ¡°Valeria, because of her missing father and brother had been filled with an unforgettable hatred that resulted in taking in too much darkness, that the relinquished body had greedily fed itself of. Those would be the black markings on her face; if she tried to force it and absorb more energy, the situation should¡¯ve spiraled out of control, so she immediately requested to withdraw from the school. Upon withdrawal, she took over her father¡¯s chamber of commerce. In the world of business, she is a rare woman that had miraculously managed to save the fallen chamber of commerce, and had a little bit of fame inside Minuet City for that reason. However, it would never be the same, glorious department as in the past.¡±


    Saddened, Fang angrily whispered, ¡°If the disaster never happened, Lady Valeria surely would¡¯ve become one of the strongest!¡±


    Blue nodded. ¡°Of course, she¡¯s my idol.¡±


    ¡°Idol? Did you meet Valeria before?¡±


    Frantically, Blue explained, ¡°Well, um, no, I just think that it¡¯s admirable how she experienced so much suffering but still could stand unyielding to the sorrow.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Fang thought it made sense, judging from his conceptions of Blue¡¯s previous traumas. ¡°It is really impressive, her beloved ones gone from the world and her ability to gain energy at an end, yet, she managed to bring back the chamber of commerce towards a road of recovery¡­¡±


    After talking with Blue, Fang had a better understanding of Valeria.


    Before, when Valeria was a stranger, he had thought it was just another wealthy person acting on a whim. Now, however, Fang began to have a bit of sympathy and respect.

 Chapter 24: Bath

    Chapter 24: Bath


    The next ten days passed by with Fang continuing his usual routine, and as the third holiday hit, he made up his mind.


    After all his classes ended, he found Mii again and apologized that he had somewhere to go, then promptly headed to the gate of the school.


    Rhodes was already present ¨C on Fang¡¯s arrival, they departed directly towards Valeria¡¯s tower.


    Valeria had already been waiting in the living room of the tower. ¡°Oh, Fang, I¡¯m glad to see you again; it seems I didn¡¯t have to wait long at all.¡±


    Actually, he had debated internally as to the consequences of this agreement; it was completely verbal without a contract, and all that he was responsible for was the extermination of the Ragged Pirates. Fang considered the benefits of getting access to the conditions he could only dream of, to the potential risk he was taking. If he died, Mii would be alone in this world. But as he was right now, he wasn¡¯t confident at all he could protect her.


    They both had lost their loved ones. He lost his parents by monsters, while Valeria¡¯s father and brother had been slaughtered by pirates. The drive for justice was something that Fang wished he could uphold, and so, for the sake of preventing tragedies, he made his decision.


    A smile bloomed in Valeria¡¯s eyes, as if she knew Fang couldn¡¯t refuse. ¡°Well, Fang, then let me deliver my first gift to you. Before that though, dinner has been prepared.¡±


    At the dining table, perhaps it was because it was the second time, Fang wasn¡¯t so nervous.


    --- --- ---


    Valeria led Fang into a large, spacious bathroom and handed him a bathrobe and a towel. ¡°Go wash, then change into these clothes.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but think this was strange. ¡°Lady Valeria, why am I taking a shower?¡±


    Valeria beamed, ¡°Because before taking an energy bath, you should clean your body to allow better absorption.¡±


    Energy bath?


    This training method was possibly the most effective, by collecting and mixing plants and precious materials from monsters, a concentrated solution of energy could be produced to absorb from. Among the various supplements, this was the most expensive, as it was consumable compared to renting out a tower or hiring a private instructor.


    Fang obediently took the clothes and towel, then entered the bathroom.


    Filled with cloudy steam, the relaxing atmosphere was quite different from the baths he had taken back home. Carefully, Fang got into the water and washed himself thoroughly, ensuring that even the dirt in his nails were removed. Once he was sure that he was clean, he put on the bathrobe and got on.


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    Valeria took him into another part of the tower, where a distinct herbal smell permeated the area. In the room, a glass boiler was connected to an empty wooden tub.


    She closed the door and walked to the boiler, and dropped in some herbs to the ghastly mixture of water and powders. The mixture frothed furiously as a white flame lit up beneath the glass, and moments later, a captivating smell wafted out. As the solution completely liquefied, Valeria opened a latch and a slow, crawling fluid flowed into the wooden tub.


    Not wasting any time, Valeria turned to Fang. ¡°Take off that bathrobe and get in!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Valeria laughed. ¡°Well, if you want to add impurities into the energy, then you can go in with your clothes on.¡±


    His face flushed red, after all, being told to undress so suddenly before someone he had only met three times was awkward.


    ¡°But, you better hurry, this energy is pretty volatile, and will easily evaporate.¡±


    Fang gritted his teeth then turned around, taking off his clothes quickly, and leapt into the pool.


    But his embarrassment was quickly replaced by surprise, as Fang realized that the energy contained in this concoction was full of abundant energy, more so than the energy tower. Once he started to use the endless method, the energy was sucked in extremely greedily, as the medicine also seeped into Fang¡¯s body. Greedily, everything was being absorbed and he could only an indescribable comfort.


    Two hours went by, and the liquid had reverted from its sickly green into water,


    Valeria showed a hint of surprise; she anticipated that Fang would take at least six hours to absorb and process the bath, but it only took him two hours. And the majority of people couldn¡¯t refine all of the materials used, perhaps at most 70%, leaving the solution discolored. However, Fang had managed to absorb enough that the solution turned clear ¨C this efficiency had to be near perfect for this result to happen.


    Judging from this, he might be able to take some more!


    So, in the alchemic contraption, Valeria added an additional third of the components to brew. She wanted to know exactly how far Fang could go.


    But this second batch was completely depleted in an hour.


    A third, fourth, and finally a fifth time was the solution made when Fang reached his limit. Things went more pleasantly than she had expected, being so greedy, he had absorbed almost twice as much as she had predicted.


    Restfully, Fang leaned against the back of the tub, his body sparkling with a light fluorescence.

 Chapter 25: Rest

    Chapter 25: Rest


    Fang had never felt so good, but his excitement quickly faded away as he realized he was naked and Valeria wasn¡¯t very far from the tub. He reached for his clothes when Valeria interrupted him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t put on your clothes yet, come over here.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    Valeria tapped the glass next to her. ¡°The energy bath isn¡¯t fully complete yet, there¡¯s still the last step left.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know much about how this worked, so he headed next to her.


    From a ring, she extracted a white, opaque bottle, then dropped a drop of a purple liquid that she spread on Fang¡¯s chest. The liquid seeped into the skin and contrasting that fiery hot that he felt, cooled him down.


    She explained as she poured another drop out, ¡°You¡¯ve just absorbed the energy, and not all of it is fully kept by your body. As time goes on, it¡¯ll leak out, and the loss builds up to be very serious ¨C so, this mixture containing Snow Dragon blood will prevent that.¡±


    But he struggled to hear, unable to focus at all with the slender creamy hand wiping down his chest. Embarrassed, Fang quickly protested, ¡°Lady Valeria, please don¡¯t trouble yourself, I¡¯ll apply the tonic by myself.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that? This involves complex manipulation, detecting the hot spots of energy within your body, otherwise, it might as well be useless.¡± She turned her attention towards his back. ¡°As well, I only own a total of five bottles containing the Snow Dragon blood, each costing at least hundreds of thousands of gold. Due to the danger of collecting this material, it hasn¡¯t been put up for auction very often, and these bottles were all that were sold during the last two years.¡±


    Hundreds of thousands of coins!


    Fang froze in shock, as his savings totaled around fifty gold coins, where ten gold coins would be enough to comfortably rent an inn room for a couple of months. And Valeria had spent hundreds of thousands of gold, wealth he couldn¡¯t imagine, just to help maintain his energy!


    By applying it himself, he could waste that money in ignorance, so he had to relent. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡±


    Awkwardly, he waited as all of the medicine was applied. Once all the visible energy dissipated from sight, Valeria stoppered the vial. Fang immediately asked, ¡°Lady Valeria, is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re done for today.¡±


    As if his life depended on it, Fang hurriedly put on his clothes as Valeria let out a small smile at his actions.


    After Fang had finished dressing, Valeria looked at Fang. ¡°The effects of this drug and absorption should take nearly a month to fully process, but you still need to practice to simulate it. Take these daily supplements as well.¡±


    Ten bottles appeared and she handed them to Fang, carefully clarifying the time and dosage. Reminded of the date, Valeria turned towards Fang again. ¡°Oh, and since the energy tower isn¡¯t open on holidays, you can stay the night if you¡¯re willing to, and train early morning. Of course, if you¡¯re uncomfortable with that, I¡¯ll let Rhodes pick you up tomorrow morning to carry on as well.¡±


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.Fang thought about it when Valeria interrupted his thoughts once again. ¡°Also, you don¡¯t have to be so formal with me; Valeria is fine, after all, we¡¯ll be seeing each other very often in the future for a long time.¡±


    Hesitating slightly, Fang replied, ¡°I¡¯ll stay the night, if it¡¯s okay, Valeria.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late, so I¡¯ll go prepare a room, while you can wash yourself off now.¡±


    Due to the bath, Fang did smell, so he nodded and started to head towards the bathroom.


    After the bath, he was accompanied by the waiting secretary to escort him to his room. Climbing a set of winding stairs, he arrived in a room off to the side. Looking inside, he saw Valeria preparing the bed, spreading out blankets.


    Since his parents had died, the only person who had prepared the bed for him was Mii, so to see Valeria prepared his bed sensibly, he felt touched. Hearing footsteps, Valeria turned around. ¡°Oh, there you are, I was just tidying your room ¨C is it satisfactory?¡±


    Fang took a closer look; the decorations were simple, and the room gave off a homely, warm glow that gave a quiet atmosphere to the place. ¡°It feels very pleasant.¡±


    ¡°Does it¡­ it¡¯s my brother¡¯s bedroom.¡±


    Taken aback, Fang held onto a nearby chair. ¡°What?¡±


    To hear that this belonged part of Valeria¡¯s family, surely, it wasn¡¯t an appropriate place for a visitor. Moreover, from Blue, he heard that Valeria¡¯s father and brother had been killed in that disaster, thus, the only memoirs remaining would be in this room.


    ¡°Valeria, could I change to a different room?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Valeria indifferently said, ¡°Any other room in this house is relatively large compared to this one, as my father liked it that way. However, my brother and I had preferred smaller rooms, and so, these two rooms are the only small ones in the house. Unless if it disturbs you to be in a place where people had once lived, which I can arrange another room for you.¡±


    She took in consideration Fang¡¯s past, where losing his parents, in a large mansion he must have felt as lonely as she did.


    Fang quickly responded, ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Then, good night, if you need anything, I¡¯ll be in the room beside yours.¡± Valeria walked out of the room. ¡°You must be tired, get plenty of rest and I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡±


    She closed the door.


    Fatigue set in as Fang drowsily laid down on the soft, warm bed. Although it was the first time staying in this strange place, he didn¡¯t feel unsettled at all. The pleasant scent and warm, simple furnishings reminded him of a time of a certain happy family, laughing together as they fell asleep.


    Soothed, Fang fell asleep.

 Chapter 26: Provocation

    Chapter 26: Provocation


    The sun rose as it always did, lighting up the tower with a rosy light. Stretching, Fang got up and washed, then headed down the stairs. Surprisingly, Valeria had prepared breakfast ¨C although it wasn¡¯t complicated, the simple tastes were pleasing.


    As well, instead of having a chef, Fang noticed that she had cooked this whole time. She must be extremely busy as the head of commerce, he thought, but she still took the care to prepare meals for him.


    Breakfast was soon over, and Valeria led Fang into the peak of the tower, where he would be able to gain energy. Though this tower wasn¡¯t designed solely for the purpose of gathering energy, it had the function as an energy tower nevertheless. Unlike the training camp tower, the concentration of energy didn¡¯t seem to be as compact, however, Fang was the solitary occupant using it without the time limit of an hour.


    Practicing the endless method, he was stunned at how fast it seemed to greedily absorb. Even in the past, it was never as fast as this. It surely wasn¡¯t the effect of the energy tower ¨C it must have been the energy bath that accelerated his growth so much.


    Damn, no wonder that the wealthy were able to become so strong, ¡°ordinary¡± people that tried hard could never match up to this huge, looming gap!


    Valeria had said energy towers were available for anyone to use, but people who gained energy could only stay for two hours appropriately, as staying longer could potentially pose a burden on the body. However, with the use of the endless method, Fang stayed for three hours before exiting. He headed towards lower floors, where some techniques were described and training machines were elaborately setup.


    It was late in the lethargic afternoon when Valeria and Fang dined again. Before Fang prepared to head back, Valeria took out a card. ¡°Fang, here¡¯s a card with access to a little gold usable across the country, please take it.¡±


    Though Valeria said it was a little amount, judging from her past generosity, Fang didn¡¯t think there would be a small quantity.


    He waved his hands. ¡°Valeria, thank you, but you¡¯ve helped me enough. For living costs and tuition, I¡¯ll make my own, plus, the experience from hunting monsters should be useful.¡±


    ¡°Well, okay.¡± Valeria didn¡¯t try to force the card on him, her eyes enjoyably glinting. It seems that she had chosen correctly.


    Fang bid farewell to Valeria, then returned to camp with Rhodes. He headed back towards his residence, where Blue surprisingly discovered that Fang didn¡¯t come back in the night, and had to ask as soon as Fang entered, ¡°Fang, where were you last night?¡±


    Fang slightly hesitated as he hung up his coat on the stand. ¡°In Lady Valeria¡¯s home.¡±


    ¡°What? Did Valeria let you stay for the night?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Yes, it was really late when we finished talking, so she asked if I wanted to sleep the night over.¡±


    Puzzled, Blue stood up. ¡°Why is she so good to you?¡±


    Fang awkwardly replied, ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±


    From Fang¡¯s tone, Blue knew there was something up, but if Fang was reluctant to tell her, it probably involved some private matters that even she wouldn¡¯t pry into.


    She frowned. Last holiday, which Valeria invited Fang was strange itself, but to go once again and stay the night? What was so attractive about this guy?


    --- --- ---


    A week later, in the dim moonlight, two figures were present on the practice grounds.


    One of them was Fang, with undisguised joy on his face as he felt his energy desire to expand, this was definitely a welcome sign, because it usually preceded an upgrade.


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    If nothing else, in another couple of days, I should be able to become a 2nd grade intermediate!


    Typically, it should have taken an additional month and a half or longer to advance from a 1st grade to a 2nd grade as an intermediate, but in less than a month, Fang was on the verge of advancing. Nevertheless, the rate would soon slow down; compared to a week ago, the energy bath had worn off considerably.


    The second figure was Blue, depressed. Every day, she had followed Fang around, and clearly recognized the insane speed that he was progressing at ¨C she even felt this was inhuman.


    This originated when Fang came back from Valeria¡¯s place¡­ could it be that she gave him an energy bath? It was the only explanation that Blue could come up with, as time progressed, due to the decrease in his speed.


    But Blue couldn¡¯t understand at all. Why would Valeria give him an energy bath? The used materials were really expensive, and should be more valuable than average for it to have this much of an impact. It couldn¡¯t be that the head of commerce, after rejecting the countless advances, never having a boyfriend, suddenly wanted to get a pet?


    No, it couldn¡¯t be, Valeria wasn¡¯t that kind of woman, not to mention if she wanted a cute pet, it would never be Fang. After all, look at Fang, he wasn¡¯t ugly, but had some handsome points that could be considered quite agreeable¡­ No, not at all, he was simply a nuisance that needed to die!


    Because of that event, I¡¯ve been depressed all this time and yet he goes about with a good mood every day? Right, let me play a bit with Fang once, hit his self-confidence extremely hard and put him trembling in fear, which would be nice¡­


    However, if I did that, a small portion of my strength might be revealing, and doing it this way means I couldn¡¯t demonstrate the majority of my skills¡­


    What the hell, Fang¡¯s a freak, so he should deal with freaks, let¡¯s just do it!


    ¡°Fang, we¡¯ve known each other for such a long time, but we¡¯ve never practiced against each other, would you like to compare pointers?¡±


    In schools, it was relatively common to have students perform practice fights to enhance their combat experience. Fang couldn¡¯t see anything wrong with that suggestion, so he agreed.


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty weak, please don¡¯t go so harsh on me!¡± Having said that, Blue almost let out a laugh.


    Fang, it¡¯ll be a great expression as you feel embarrassed when you humiliatingly get defeated by someone weaker, and I¡¯ll feel infinitely better.


    Unable to sense the incoming danger, Fang comforted Blue. ¡°Blue, don¡¯t take this too seriously, it¡¯ll make you too nervous. After all, as a fighter, winning or losing is a normal thing in a duel, and sometimes failure will help us become aware of our shortcomings!¡±


    Blue was speechless, the way this guy talks made sense, and felt eerily similar to that old man.


    Bothered, Blue was about to protest when someone suddenly called out, ¡°Come over here!¡±


    Two men quickly approached the practice grounds ¨C it turned out to be the same aggressive people from that first day, Garret and his friend.


    Seeing Fang, Garret was a little bit surprised, and let out a curse. ¡°It must be your lucky day. Regrettably, I¡¯m not looking for you today. Instead, I¡¯d like a ¡®friendly¡¯ talk with a certain someone next to you.¡±


    From Garret¡¯s tone, it was clear that his goal was to challenge not Fang, but Blue.

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 Chapter 27: Redirected Hate

    Chapter 27: Redirected Hate


    Blue frowned, she had never seen this person, but he approached her with obvious hostile intentions.


    In a bad mood, she coldly said, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Arrogantly, Garret swept his arms. ¡°Garret, but you don¡¯t have to remember it. All I came was to ask was one thing ¨C are you stupid? Who do you think you are to seduce Lizzy?¡±


    Hearing the name, Blue instantly understood what was going on.


    Although Blue was from a small city according to her badge, ¡°he¡± had a delicate appearance that had charmed girls around the camp. Lizzy was one of them, and came to Blue to confess her love, but was immediately rejected. She recalled that as she walked away, this guy had hurried stopped in front of Lizzy. He probably confessed then, and got rejected. And it was pretty well known that Blue headed to the practice grounds every night, so he must have found out and came tonight.


    Blue¡¯s mood sharply turned murderous.


    Garret didn¡¯t know he had provoked someone he shouldn¡¯t have, and shouted at Blue. ¡°Take my challenge and let¡¯s see who the right man for Lizzy is!¡±


    After being warned by General Hawk, Garret was cautious about directly attacking Blue. However, challenges were allowed and even encouraged, so if there was fight now, he¡¯d be free to do whatever he¡¯d like.


    Of course, the challenged could also refuse, but Garret clearly said, ¡°If you¡¯re afraid of death though, you can refuse. But tomorrow, the entire training camp would know that you¡¯re a coward!¡±


    With the loud yells that Garret spat out, the few people that were training started to come over, pointing, and ready to watch the conflict. If Blue let this go and gave up, Blue would be humiliated ¨C the label of a coward branded on their image.


    As for Blue, she felt thoroughly exasperated.


    No one has ever dared to provoke me, Scarlett¡­ you¡¯re a dead man.


    She was going to respond, when Fang interrupted, ¡°I¡¯ll take the match!¡±


    Shocked, Blue looked at Fang. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Blue, let me fight instead!¡± He tapped Blue on the shoulder and stepped forward.


    Garret scowled. ¡°Are you deaf? I already said that today, I¡¯m looking for someone that¡¯s not you, so get out of the way.¡±


    A smile appeared on Fang¡¯s face. ¡°I know, but I¡¯m looking for you, Garret, before you can challenge Blue. Of course, if you want, you could refuse, but tomorrow, the entire training camp would know that you¡¯re a coward.¡±


    Garret¡¯s eyes twitched and he shouted in anger. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll take your challenge, head to the arena!¡±


    The arena in the camp was a special site where people could exchange their martial abilities with each other of mutual


    agreement. Frustrated, Blue turned towards Fang. ¡°Fang, you¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry.¡± Fang went to the arena.


    --- --- ---


    A crowd had gathered around the two figures warily circling in the arena.


    ¡°Last time, because of that meddlesome general, I couldn¡¯t get the chance to play a little. To interfere in my affairs though, this time, I should beat you until you beg me to stop!¡±


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    Fang sharply retorted, ¡°Stop spewing such nonsense, the fight hasn¡¯t even begun and to act like you¡¯ve won already; it¡¯s disgraceful.¡±


    ¡®Me, lose to you? What a joke!¡± Garret suddenly sent out some energy and threw it at Fang.


    To knock out a 9th grade novice, there was no need to expend much energy.


    But his plan was thwarted when Fang¡¯s energy grew out ¨C he didn¡¯t expect that Fang would¡¯ve already hit the intermediate stage. It didn¡¯t matter though, for someone who had recently broken into the intermediate rank, they wouldn¡¯t have any skills to use.


    From Fang¡¯s hand, a similar ball of energy flew out.


    1st grade yellow skill ¨C Energy Ball!


    Garret fell back in surprise, when did he learn Energy Ball?


    Even though Energy Ball was one of the most basic skills, to learn it required a fundamental understanding of energy and time to practice it. Generally, it took people at least two months to reach the stage of its use. However, Fang had only taken a month to rise from a 9th grade novice to the intermediate rank, plus, he had just used Energy Ball.


    This endless method was too terrifying; coupled with the insights he was drilled into, Fang didn¡¯t find it difficult at all to learn these martial skills. From a cursorily look and the theories he was taught, he could identify and mimic the techniques, as long as he had the energy level for it.


    Bang!


    This makes no sense!


    The bumpkin¡¯s Energy Ball certainly was recently learned, why is his power stronger than mine?


    Losing the first exchange, Garret felt he had lost his dignity already. To lose to a recent intermediate while he was a 4th grade intermediate¡­ unspeakable! Forming a concentrated ball of energy on the other hand, he shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can compare just because you¡¯ve reached the intermediate rank!¡±


    Two energy balls accelerated towards Fang. If he was a regular person, he would be severely injured. But as Blue put it, Fang was a freak, he couldn¡¯t be measured with common sense.


    Another set of energy thrown intercepted a single mass ¨C it wasn¡¯t all though. Fang had sent out a second volley of energy to stop the last set. The power difference was evidently there, but Fang¡¯s ability to quickly form and send out a second Energy Ball made up for the two simultaneous attacks Garret made.


    Amazed, the crowd of students seemed to get bigger, as some went in search of their friends to watch.


    ¡°Wow, this guy¡¯s insane, already a 4th grade intermediate.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not all, look at the power of his Energy Ball, it¡¯s so concentrated.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but that other guy could match up to him. No wonder he dared to challenge a 4th grade intermediate¡­¡±


    Astonished, Garret could silently stare at Fang; on the day of their first meeting, Fang was able to send out two Sonic Cuts as a 9th grade novice, and now, two Energy Balls as an intermediate?

 Chapter 28: Impenetrable Defense

    Chapter 28: Impenetrable Defense


    Cursing, Garret pulled up another flare of energy.


    Even if this guy¡¯s fighting skills are powerful, there¡¯s no way he could last as long as I can with his energy ¨C after all, he¡¯s a 1st grade intermediate while I¡¯m a 4th grade intermediate!


    With this goal in mind, he continuously shot explosive shots of energy while moving around, but there was no progress as ten minutes had already passed by;


    I remember that when I just entered that stage, I could barely manage to send out fifteen rounds; he¡¯s already sent out over twenty, what the hell?


    On top of that, Garret felt slightly exhausted, indicating that his energy was winding down. He was consuming at a rapid rate to try and wear Fang down, but it wasn¡¯t working. Deciding this didn¡¯t bode well, he realized he had to use that to overpower Fang.


    Garret first sent out two Energy Balls, and Fang replied in return.


    Bang! Bang!


    The energy collided in the air and broke even like the past exchanges. Through the dust, a figure dashed at Fang, and within moments Garret was five meters away.


    His palms faced inwards, and a huge amount of condensed energy illuminated Garret¡¯s vicious face.


    ¡°Feel honored that you¡¯ll get defeated by this!¡± Garret pushed towards Fang and a block of energy, at least five times as big as the Energy Ball spread, enveloping the air as it rushed towards Fang, surely, with no room to escape.


    2nd grade yellow skill ¨C Energy Crush!


    Quickly, Fang prepared two Energy Balls to stop the attack, but it failed to break apart the mass of revolving light as it approached Fang, the levels were too different to compare!


    Although the Energy Crush had a few dents and was smaller, because of the proximity, it would land on Fang in a couple of seconds.


    Again, Fang lifted his hand, and Garret sneered. Fool, you don¡¯t have enough time to prepare another two sets, and after all, this skill would require at least six Energy Balls to break.


    A large formation of energy expanded ten times, swallowing any vision of Fang, forming a great ray.


    Energy Devour!


    Garret¡¯s heart stopped, he knew what Fang was using. A 3rd grade yellow skill, Energy Devour, was an odd skill because it wasn¡¯t ranged, but melee combat. However, it was exponentially stronger as it temporarily devoured the body¡¯s energy into a single, condensed ray that could be manipulated for defense or offense. Although this skill was useful, it required precise control over the body¡¯s energy to harness its full capacity, and so, many people didn¡¯t bother with it. In fact, Garret himself had tried to learn it in vain ¨C there were very few people in the camp that even attempted to learn because of its difficulty.


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    Now, this fool knows it, and can display it at the 1st grade intermediate rank? Just a month, and breaking through to the intermediate stage as well as learning two techniques, this guy¡¯s a monster!


    Boom!


    The Energy Crush broke into pieces, though, some leftover energy ricocheted towards Fang¡¯s body. After all, even if Energy Devour was a relatively high level skill, Fang was only using it as a 1st grade intermediate.


    Immediately, he launched instant parry, and Fang felt a small amount of pain, but appeared without any external injuries.


    Excited voices travelled throughout the audience.


    ¡°Did I just see Energy Devour?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that was Energy Devour.¡±


    ¡°The hell, even the higher grade intermediates aren¡¯t able to fully grasp Energy Devour, but he can use it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget the most horrifying part, he sent out two Energy Balls before using that. This amount of power, it¡¯s really scary. Is this guy really a 1st grade intermediate?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a born handicap ¨C a low energy rank in exchange for that godlike comprehension of skills!¡±


    Even Blue was shocked.


    As far as he knew, Fang, about twenty days ago, broke into the 1st grade intermediate stage. To know Energy Ball and Energy Devour in a short amount of time and master them was astonishing, to say the least. But Blue¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t taken by these skills, something else grabbed her eyes.


    When the ricochets of energy hit Fang, several parts of his body was infused with light; most people would have been blinded by the vast amount of energy displayed by the skills, however, Blue wasn¡¯t fooled. Instant parry with one point of defense wasn¡¯t that difficult, it didn¡¯t require accurate judgments.


    Just now, five sparks of energy hit Fang¡¯s body, but five parts of his body simultaneously launched instant parry at those different spots.


    I could launch the timing of five points as well, but each fragment would have a shallow, weak amount of energy just enough to prevent serious injuries. But Fang, his energy launched were exactly the same grades of energy as his Energy Ball, and was accurately sized without any waste.


    How the hell did he do that, is he a monster?


    Garret couldn¡¯t believe his eyes, his wining strike turned out to be completely useless and defeated by Fang.


    During the series of exchanges though, Fang had expended too much energy that his capacity was at the novice stage, and his energy came back from outside the surface into his body.


    On his feet first, Fang got up from the ground and stared at Garret. Garret tried to materialize another Energy Ball, but it failed and deflated as Garret¡¯s energy withdrew in his body as he slowly tried to stand up.


    A grin appeared on Fang¡¯s face as he raised his right arm up, ablaze with energy.

 Chapter 29: Combat Experience

    Chapter 29: Combat Experience


    There were no more ranged attacks, only melee now. Fang approached the kneeling figure with Sonic Cut ready.


    Frightened, Garret prepared Sonic Cut as well, and although it was better than Vincent, it was to no avail.


    Crack!


    Garret¡¯s arm flew back, broken, and Fang started to slash down once again.


    Am I going to die?


    His eyes flashed with fear, because he couldn¡¯t muster up any energy to defend himself against that ¨C if it connected, he would surely be crippled.


    However, the Sonic Cut stopped centimeters away from his chest.


    ¡°Get out, and don¡¯t bother Blue. If we meet each other again¡­ I may not be this kind!¡±


    Although Fang hated Garret, it wasn¡¯t like Garret had done anything against Mii. As well, unlike Vincent, becoming a 4th grade intermediate at this age would definitely involve a powerful background. If Garret happened to be crippled for the rest of his life, Fang might offend someone he couldn¡¯t afford to have as an enemy.


    Garret raged, he confidently sought a match, but the weakling a month ago simply defeated him. But there was nothing he could do, in the presence of so many people, he had lost and failed dismally.


    Fang walked off the arena field, and came before his roommate with a smile. ¡°Oh, Blue, don¡¯t get me wrong, I wasn¡¯t trying to help you. It¡¯s just that on the first day, this guy provoked me and got on my nerves, and I wanted a chance to give him a good beating.¡±


    Of course, Fang didn¡¯t really think this.


    He and Blue went to the training grounds for some practice and Blue wanted to be his opponent. As far as he knew, Blue wasn¡¯t comfortable at all with using energy, and to face off against Garret meant humiliation. His roommate did have quite an introverted eccentric personality, and if they were to get insulted, Blue¡¯s trauma might return. Plus, it reminded Fang of his days at Victoria City, where no one would stand up for him ¨C being Blue¡¯s friend and roommate, he wanted to use his strength to protect him from bullying.


    Truthfully, there was no telling what the outcome of that fight would be, after all, he was trying to fight someone beyond his level for the first time. But Fang believed even if he lost, it wouldn¡¯t affect him as much as it would to Blue.


    However, he needed an excuse so Blue didn¡¯t feel weak and depressed again, hence, the ¡°hate¡± he felt towards Garret.


    Unfortunately, Blue wasn¡¯t fooled, and looked away from Fang. ¡°Who wanted you to fight for me, mind your own business!¡±


    At least that Garret was finished, he¡¯d be stuck in Minuet City¡¯s hospital for a month!


    Fang knew right away that he didn¡¯t trick Blue at all, thus he draped his arm around Blue¡¯s shoulders and laughed. ¡°Well, alright Blue, I know that you¡¯re strong so the next time he comes, you can have a go.¡±


    Even if Garret was confident before, after this battle, he wouldn¡¯t have the nerve to challenge Blue again.


    Blue stiffened as Fang¡¯s arm fell around her shoulders, surprisingly, not reacting violently.


    Well, although I didn¡¯t get to do what I came to do, he did get rid of trouble for me and... uh, no, there¡¯s no way, this isn¡¯t over yet.


    --- --- ---


    The following days were peaceful and quiet. No one on behalf of Garret came to bother them, and Fang mediated and practiced ¨C he realized he still had a long road ahead after that fight.


    Soon, the fourth holiday arrived, and once again, Fang visited Mii before heading off to Minuet City.


    Rhodes didn¡¯t come to the gates, it was Valeria¡¯s request as she had her own busy duties to take care of rather than waiting with a Pegasus to escort Fang.


    After two visits, Valeria¡¯s home location was quite familiar, so Fang easily reached the looming tower, and producing his invitation, got through the guards with ease.


    Sipping wine, a person waited patiently. Rather than spending her time dealing with the finances of the chamber of commerce, she wanted to look how much of an effect the energy bath had on Fang.


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    He hadn¡¯t stopped surprising her, and she hoped it would continue this way.


    Bursting through the door, Fang shouted excitedly. ¡°Valeria, the energy bath was so useful. I thought that it would take some time to break into a 2nd grade intermediate, but already, I can feel that it¡¯ll reach that point soon!¡±


    About to become a 2nd grade intermediate?


    Valeria¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t hide her astonishment, 1st grade to 2nd grade only taking a month, what monstrous talent!


    Fang continued, ¡°Also, didn¡¯t you say that the energy bath took nearly a month to digest? It¡¯s been around ten days, and the effect¡¯s been completely dissolved.¡±


    She was entirely speechless. The batch of energy she had brewed that day was quite powerful, and that month estimate was actually the shortest it had ever taken for all the energy to absorb. Within ten days though, he had incorporated all that into his body while using twice the regular amount of medicine. Furthermore, the energy bath wasn¡¯t omnipotent ¨C the first solution shouldn¡¯t have made such a huge impact, but his compatibility was so good that he fully immersed the energy without impurities or losses.


    No wonder he improved so fast!


    I really¡­ had found a treasure!


    Since Fang had already absorbed all the energy from the medicine, Valeria was certainly not against staying up that night to repeat the energy bath process. Although Fang experienced moments of awkward stimulation, it was definitely not as embarrassing as the first time.


    He slept the night again in the tower, and meditated in the energy tower the next morning. However, the plan changed in the afternoon.


    While he was eating lunch, Valeria remarked, ¡°Fang, your ability to refine energy is amazing, to say the least. But the level of energy isn¡¯t enough alone, combat experience is the most important factor that decides strength later on. If you don¡¯t train now, the lack of knowledge will become a large handicap; there¡¯s been many cases in history where a low level with a rich amount of experience overpowered someone of a higher level. So, today, you¡¯ll start to accumulate practical combat experience as well.¡±


    Fang agreed. ¡° I¡¯ll head back and grab someone for that.¡±


    In the training camp, he didn¡¯t have many close friends, and he was reluctant to ask strangers to battle with. There was always Blue, he was Fang¡¯s roommate, but Fang wasn¡¯t sure how Blue would feel if he lost. However, there was one guy that was perfect for this ¨C Durin.


    On the first day, the dwarf had stepped in against Garret, and during that brief set of exchanges, was extremely fierce. He thought Durin would make a great opponent.


    But Valeria interrupted his thoughts. ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to head to the camp, I¡¯ve already arranged an opponent for today.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Fang asked, ¡°A professional trainer?¡±


    A professional trainer, with their experiences were qualified to point and fix out mistakes that rookies would make. Due to this, they were much more effective than a fight between two people.


    Valeria said that in addition to supplements and access to energy enhancement, she would hire a professional to help him train.


    Nonchalantly, she swirled her glass and smiled. ¡°You¡¯ll know when the time comes.¡±


    Seeing her act mysterious, Fang couldn¡¯t help but wonder about the identity of the professional, though, he didn¡¯t ask as it soon would be time to spar regardless.


    After their lunch had ended, Fang got up and came to the practice room, warming up.


    The doors swung open and someone entered. With her business attire of black gone, she had her long hair held in a ponytail and a different, curved mask on. A simple tracksuit covered her body, emphasizing her slim, flexible body. Although she hadn¡¯t practiced for years, her body still remained in shape.


    Fang couldn¡¯t help but look foolishly.

 Chapter 30: Admission

    Chapter 30: Admission


    ¡°Are you seeing me for the first time?¡±


    Fang shook his head, and quickly tore his eyes away. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s just that I¡¯ve never seen you wear something else.¡±


    Valeria replied, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve wore this. How is it?¡±


    ¡°It looks good.¡± Fang honestly said.


    She smiled, no woman wouldn¡¯t like to get complemented.


    Seeing that Valeria was the only one in the practice room, Fang tentatively asked, ¡°Valeria, where¡¯s the trainer for today?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Fang suddenly remembered what Blue had said. ¡°Could it be that you are¡­¡±


    ¡°What, am I not qualified to be your training partner?¡±


    ¡°No, of course not!¡± A 5th grade expert was still a high level of power, even though she couldn¡¯t advance any further. It was a large gap compared his level, and if she couldn¡¯t be his trainer, then his requirements would be too high. But Fang was surprised; although becoming a trainer wasn¡¯t a bad occupation, he didn¡¯t expect to train with Valeria.


    Interrupting his thoughts, Valeria said, ¡°It¡¯ll be alright, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve used my energy. I¡¯m just taking the chance to exercise.¡± She gestured towards Fang. ¡°Come on, use everything you¡¯ve got and fight me without any reservations!¡±


    Valeria¡¯s determination was clear, so Fang tossed aside any doubts. Energy started to pour out from his body, forming a condensed ball on his palm.


    --- --- ---


    This grade of energy for his level is extremely strong ¨C I¡¯ve rarely seen someone with such density.


    She quickly evaluated, and then lowered her own energy to the same level as Fang but with a striking difference: the hint of color was present.


    Darkness property!


    Even if her energy was lowered, her body had been ingrained with darkness that the amount of element that appeared was intense, more so than even Durin¡¯s earth property.


    And on her wrist appeared a pitch black ball.


    1st grade yellow skill ¨C Energy Ball!


    However, it wasn¡¯t the typical ball of energy. It contained a characteristic dark property that drastically differentiated this from the regular energy ball.


    Two missiles in the air collided, but no sounds resonated at all. A small ring echoed throughout the room as the darkness slowly devoured Fang¡¯s Energy Ball. Instead of reducing in size, the swirling darkness continued to sail towards Fang.


    Assimilation, the characteristic of the darkness element.


    The darkness property had an innate ability infused into each of its attacks, absorbing other elements into itself. Because of this, when facing someone proficient in darkness, it was difficult to cope with the strange phenomena that would occur due to the fusion. Moreover, the darkness itself had a strong resistance to assimilation, and only certain other types would naturally counter it. The most obvious was the light property, which was completely immune and restrained the darkness ability to absorb energy.


    Valeria¡¯s relinquished body had completely rooted the darkness into her energy, so it was no surprise that Fang¡¯s Energy Ball wasn¡¯t strong enough to resist the assimilation.


    Rapidly, Fang responded with another Energy Ball. Still, it was absorbed and the dark energy crept towards him. It was only meters away when Fang managed to use a third Energy Ball. He knew the specific properties of each element, as the ten elders were specialized in each one ¨C the weakness of the darkness element was precisely its ability. Other than having energy that was immune to the absorption, if the darkness was overloaded, it would disintegrate.


    And following his predictions, the dark shell broke, the flying debris dodged and instant parried.


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    Fang couldn¡¯t help but be shocked with this first exchange.


    With a single 1st grade yellow skill, Valeria had this level of strength at the same level as Fang. It took 3 Energy Balls to resolve this, she was on an utterly different level than anyone he had fought before.


    Valeria wasn¡¯t in a rush, and leaned back idly. The fight would¡¯ve been over with just two Energy Balls, but she wanted test his ability.


    Looking at the situation, Fang realized that in long ranged combat, he was helpless. So, there were only one thing to do.


    He shot out two Energy Balls as it met dark energy again, but under that cover, he had already gotten close. Energy expanded into a ray as it cut down, the same technique that won him the earlier fight. Even if she was stronger ranged, it didn¡¯t account for much if he could get in melee, as he learned from Garret¡¯s actions.


    Valeria was a little surprised, in less than twenty days, he learned Energy Devour?


    Bang!


    Like before, the darkness lost its absorption properties after the two collisions, and the ray had broken through, slicing towards Valeria. There was no time to create another energy ball; instead, light condensed into a dark claw.


    3rd grade yellow skill ¨C Energy Claw!


    The same strength and melee skills should¡¯ve resulted in a stalemate, but Valeria¡¯s technique also was covered in darkness, and tore through his energy like butter. Just before it was about to cut into his body, it stopped a breath away.


    ¡°I¡¯ve lost completely, you¡¯re too strong!¡± With little effort, Fang was utterly defeated. She didn¡¯t have to resort anything higher to win.


    ¡°Well, that wasn¡¯t so bad, good considering that your energy doesn¡¯t display any properties.¡± Valeria tried to cheer him up. ¡°Fang, the amount of energy you have is powerful and could be considered special, but your experience is really too lacking. It¡¯s the same skills over and over again, and you don¡¯t move during your attacks. Choreographed, your opponents will easily exploit that. You¡¯ll need a lot more practice to utilize that potential of yours.¡±


    She acutely pointed out the weaknesses that Fang had ¨C they weren¡¯t wrong. He had relied mostly on his unusual energy efficiency to stall out his fights until the other side ran out. And since his family was all dead, there was no one to teach him actual combat. Until now, the fights he had were all victories, but with this exchange, he was just lucky. After all, everything he had learned were theories, and he never had the chance to accumulate experience.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    --- --- ---


    After receiving some additional training, Fang returned to the camp and in a couple of days, reached the 2nd grade intermediate rank. But the good news came with bad news.


    The letters containing offers of admission had arrived.


    Previously, this wouldn¡¯t have been bad news. Fang applied to a total of six places, all located within the country¡¯s main cities and were renowned for their quality.


    There was one problem ¨C the acceptance for the best college in Minuet City wasn¡¯t there.


    Yesterday, Mii had received her admission notices; Minuet City was one. The oldest institution of magic, best in the country. Because magic was rare, talented magic users were rarer. And at this age, Mii had fully grasped some of the complex magic theories that others couldn¡¯t start to comprehend due to the perspective that Fang offered. Her exams were all perfect scores, so the university in Minuet City offered to provide a full scholarship should she come.


    As well, throughout the country, there weren¡¯t very many places dealing with magic. Out of all the places that Fang was accepted at, none of them were located near any magic universities.


    The two that had been together for their entire lives would be separated.

 Chapter 31: College

    Chapter 31:  College


    His joy was watered down, and replaced by a gloomy mood.


    If I was admitted to college near Minuet City, it would¡¯ve been perfect, but now that¡¯s not an option.


    Though, perhaps with her network, Valeria might be able to arrange something.


    On the fifth holiday, he went together to the city with Mii, seeing all the attractions without the crazy drunkenness of the previous visit. And finally, it was the last holiday he would get in the training camp.


    With difficulty, he uneasily brought up the topic, and Valeria listened carefully.


    A faint smile appeared on her face. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to worry. After all, if you¡¯re not near Minuet City, I can¡¯t contact you, so you should definitely stay. I¡¯ll arrange everything.¡±


    Fang exhaled deeply. ¡°Really, Valeria? Is it possible that I can get into the college near Minuet City?¡±


    She didn¡¯t hesitate in giving her answer. ¡°Of course, in the city, there¡¯s some prestigious colleges that only the nobility could enter. Those, you wouldn¡¯t meet the criteria for. However, to a lesser extent, some of the colleges only require a student to reach a certain level, and lots of money, so getting in isn¡¯t a problem.¡±


    Those fees¡­ were unaffordable by the majority of people. Fang couldn¡¯t help but be embarrassed. ¡°Valeria, I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s embarrassing is that we¡¯re close friends now, and yet you still act like we¡¯ve just recently met.¡± Valeria paused. ¡°Given your outstanding performance, plans have changed. Perhaps, we don¡¯t need to spend that money for you.¡±


    His hopes rocketed. ¡°Valeria, what do you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure, but there¡¯s a large chance it¡¯ll work out.¡± She continued, ¡°Wait until the training camp ends, it¡¯ll just cause unnecessary worry. Oh, and also, after the training camp is over, you¡¯ll have to move out until it¡¯s time to get admission. If you wish, you and your friend Mii can live here till then.¡±


    All of Fang¡¯s worries were dissipated at that point. His main concern was how they would be able to stay together, and it seemed that Valeria did have everything all scheduled out. Overjoyed, Fang responded, ¡°Is it really okay? It won¡¯t bother you having us two here?¡±


    Pouting, she said, ¡°I just said that you don¡¯t have to act so thankful, it¡¯s not that big of a deal.¡±


    She didn¡¯t know the full details of the relationship between Mii and Fang, but it couldn¡¯t be simple at all, judging from his reactions. Plus, Mii was a talented magic user, so naturally it¡¯d make sense to invest in her, as she¡¯ll definitely help Fang in the future.


    Quickly, Fang replied, ¡°Yes!¡±


    --- --- ---


    The days went by like the fall of gravity, slow and steady, and as the sun hit the wooden roofs, ten days had past.


    Fond memories were made, and Fang was reluctant to part with his friends. Gone were the days in Victoria City where he would face hostility and pity everywhere, instead, the duel with Garret he had generated interest, and he spent the days pleasantly. He felt like these were the best days of his life, spent with his two cherished friends.


    Unfortunately, reality was cruel. Though Durin was quite strong and talented, out of the city colleges he had been admitted to, Minuet City wasn¡¯t one of them. Instead, he had decided on a college far out in the west, surrounded by rocky, wild terrain and well known for their harsh yet effective teaching methods. It was far away, far enough that he would take at least a month to come visit Minuet City. So, as all departures in dwarven culture, they went drinking.


    In the dwarven bar, Fang, Durin, Blue and Mii sat around a warm table, shouting and drinking to their hearts content. No one knew when they¡¯d see each other again, so they talked late into the night, where a cozy lamp lit up their flushed faces as they clashed their mugs and drank some more.


    The next morning was somber, as the group gathered at the gates.


    Putting down his luggage, Durin gave Fang a massive hug. ¡°Fang, I¡¯m glad I met you. Though we haven¡¯t known each other for that long, you¡¯ll always be my friend. Feel free to come visit Rock City whenever you want, and remember to send me your contact information!¡±


    Fang nodded heavily. ¡°I¡¯m sure I will!¡±


    ¡°Also, Blue,¡± the portly dwarf turned towards Fang¡¯s roommate, ¡°I originally thought you were a little girlish, but I didn¡¯t expect you can drink even more than me. You¡¯ll also always be my friend.¡±


    Laughing, Blue said, ¡°Well, Durin, you¡¯re certainly an interesting person and I¡¯ll never forget you.¡±


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.They lightly hugged, and Durin shook hands with Mii. ¡°Dear friends, see you all later!¡±


    His eyes slightly wet, Fang waved beside Mii and Blue as Durin faded into the distance.


    Blue faced Fang. ¡°Fang, what are your plans?¡±


    Fang replied, ¡°Me and Mii, we¡¯re going to be staying in Minuet City.¡±


    ¡°? I saw your admission notices, and no college in Minuet City was on the list?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Yes, but Lady Valeria said that she might be able to get me into a college, but I don¡¯t know the specific college.¡±


    Excited, Blue suddenly stood up. ¡°That¡¯s really good!¡±


    Fang stared at Blue in confusion, as his roommate¡¯s response was unnaturally cheerful. ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m just really happy for you.¡±


    Just then, Fang realized that he didn¡¯t know where Blue was going, as Blue had never told Fang anything. ¡°Blue, what about you?¡±


    Blue¡¯s eyes shifted to the side. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I have relatives in Minuet City so I¡¯ll be temporarily staying with them. Once you¡¯re admitted to the college, make sure to tell me ¨C here¡¯s my relative¡¯s address.¡±


    Taking out a pen, Blue quickly jotted down a note and handed it to Fang, following it with a serious tone. ¡°Don¡¯t lose it, and don¡¯t forget, you must tell me which college you are going to study at!¡±


    His roommate¡¯s personality was really eccentric, but still, Blue seemed to be so happy about meeting him, and he was one of his friends after all, right? ¡°I will, but I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be admitted to the college. You might have already left by that time.¡±


    Blue answered, ¡°Then tell my relatives, they¡¯ll tell me!¡±


    Waving his hand, Fang said, ¡°Okay, then, goodbye!¡±


    ¡°Goodbye!¡±


    Looking at Fang and Mii walk off on the road, Blue showed a slight smile on her lips.


    Things couldn¡¯t have gone better.


    --- --- ---


    When Mii entered the energy tower after Fang, her mouth was opened wide and she staggered. ¡°Master, is this really where we¡¯ll stay? It¡¯s so luxurious!¡±


    For her, it was a completely new world that she hadn¡¯t seen before, but Fang was used to it and held Mii before she fell to the ground out of astonishment.


    Down the stairs, Valeria descended. Seeing both Mii and Fang in the hallway, she focused her attention towards Mii and asked, ¡°Oh, are you Fang¡¯s friend Mii?¡±


    Although she had a unique relationship with Fang, she gradually had gotten used to being referred as a friend. From Fang, she had heard that Valeria was the head of the chamber of commerce, and so, she shyly introduced herself. ¡°Yes, my name is Mii. Lady Valeria, thank you for letting me stay here, I hope it isn¡¯t much trouble.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, rarely would a magic user have such great talent, but to be coupled as a beauty too? You¡¯ll always be welcome here, and no need with the formalities ¨C you¡¯re Fang¡¯s best friend, so you can just call me by my name.¡± There was no doubt that Valeria was the head of commerce, her speech flowed smoothly and with these few words, Mii felt that Valeria was very friendly.


    Her cheeks flushed red. ¡°Well, Valeria, you¡¯re much more beautiful than I am.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, you¡¯re flattering me.¡± Valeria smiled. ¡°Come on Mii, I have your room ready beside Fang¡¯s room. If it doesn¡¯t suit your tastes, we¡¯ll find another room for you. And while you¡¯re here, don¡¯t hesitate to make yourself at home.¡±


    As Valeria took Mii up the stairs, Fang¡¯s shoulders relaxed. He worried that Mii wouldn¡¯t fit in, but it looked like they got along very well.


    Accommodating, Valeria showed Mii around the building and soon, they were quick friends. She demonstrated the various devices here, the practice room, and the best locations for gathering mana. Other than the energy bath, Mii had access to all the resources that Fang had.


    A few days later, Valeria sought out Fang. ¡°Here, come with me and let¡¯s visit a person.¡±


    Fang asked, ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll know.¡±


    The carriage was prepared, and pulled by a Pegasus, they flew west, left of Minuet City flying for dozens of kilometers before the greenery ended to a building.


    Surprised, Fang wondered what it was ¨C a big, ornate complex in the middle of nowhere.


    Landing in front of the gate, Fang and Valeria left the carriage. In bold, striking strokes were the words ¡°Garden College¡±, engraved into obsidian.


    Immediately, Fang recognized this place.


    Garden College was one of Minuet City¡¯s oldest public colleges; it was very famous, but only ability was taken into considered to enter this place.


    Could it be¡­ Valeria was going to get me into Garden College?

 Chapter 32: Test

    Chapter 32: Test


    As Valeria started to walk to the gates, she looked back at Fang and waved her hand. ¡°Come on!¡±


    Fang followed her, but couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Valeria, I¡¯ve heard that the admissions process for Garden College was extremely strict, and getting in another way than the application might be difficult, right?¡±


    ¡°Other people might not be able get direct admission, however, we¡¯re looking for a special man, the Dean of Garden College!¡±


    Taken aback, he stared. ¡°What?¡±


    To become a dean of a famous school like this, they wouldn¡¯t just have to be competent ¨C they should be tremendously powerful. Although in the void, he had met ten masters, but inside they were never able to display their full abilities at all. There was no pressure during that time. But now, out here in the world, he was about to meet the person who would be a true, dominant master. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the dean be so busy? How would we meet with him? Plus, his expectations would be beyond what I could achieve.¡±


    She kept on walking forwards. ¡°The dean and my father were close friends, and I know him personally. Two days ago I had arranged an appointment, so it¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Nervously, Fang asked, ¡°Wait, when I meet the dean, what should I do?¡±


    Valeria shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s simple, just show your grade of energy and the techniques that you know.¡±


    Seeing her carefree attitude, Fang relaxed a bit.


    After traveling through the empty hallways, they arrived in a spacious field instead of an office. A figure stood with his back facing them. Fang¡¯s predictions were thrown into a loop; he expected a stalwart, big man, giving off a strong aura, but instead, it was a diminutive person with his back bent slightly.


    Hearing the footsteps, the dean turned towards them and Fang almost laughed.


    The old man had a balding head, small eyes, big nose and looked quite shabby. Though, that wasn¡¯t the defining feature, instead, the swirled hooked beard particularly caused him to appear comedic.


    Is this guy really the dean?


    His tension disappeared as Valeria confirmed his suspicions. ¡°Dean Rook, long time no see! Are you doing well?¡±


    The old man snorted. ¡°Well, do you think I¡¯d fare well after having one of my brightest students give up and leave?¡±


    From what Fang knew, it had been eight years since Valeria had left school, so he didn¡¯t think the dean would hold that grudge. Maybe it was that all masters were like this, he clearly remembered the crazy elders cramming down information on and on.


    Unexpectedly, Valeria didn¡¯t take offense, and laughed instead. ¡°Oh, dean, I hope you don¡¯t dwell on that, it¡¯s been so long. Though, to make up for it, I brought talented genius.¡±


    ¡°Genius?¡± He looked at Fang. ¡°This guy?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yes, this is Fang.¡±


    While the old man didn¡¯t seem that powerful, Fang humbly greeted him. ¡°Hello, Dean Rook.¡±


    The old man didn¡¯t respond, glancing at Fang with a single eye. Fang suddenly felt cold for a brief moment, as if the dean had examined his soul, but the feeling disappeared.


    ¡°Damn, Valeria, you recommend me a 2nd grade intermediate!¡± In rage, he kept shouting. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re funny, if he¡¯s talented, then everyone in our Garden College is a talented genius!¡±


    Just in a single glance, he saw my energy level!


    Fang felt a bit ashamed, as he knew that this college had one of the highest standards of all the colleges.


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    Valeria looked unimpressed. ¡°Yes, Fang is ¡®only¡¯ a 2nd grade intermediate, however, Dean, there¡¯s one thing that you don¡¯t know. Three months ago, he was only a novice.¡±


    He widened his eyes. ¡°What? Did he take three months to raise his level by two grades?¡±


    She corrected him. ¡°Specifically, two grades in two months, as only half a month ago Fang became a 2nd grade intermediate.¡±


    Rook didn¡¯t believe her. ¡°How could there be such a fast practicing speed, even you and Yume couldn¡¯t absorb energy at that monstrous speed? If you¡¯re not lying to me, I must be stupid to have never heard of this.¡±


    Valeria responded, ¡°Well, you do have access to the country¡¯s examination results, you could look up Fang and you¡¯ll know that I¡¯m completely serious.¡±


    Scrutinizing her eyes for any trace of doubts, Rook stared. ¡°All right, I don¡¯t believe that you¡¯ve lied. So what?¡±


    ¡°Not just his practicing speed, his energy is quite explosive while demonstrating unusual capacity. Although he had started later than others, he has unlimited potential and sooner or later, will make waves in this world. I¡¯d thought I¡¯d be considerate, and recommend him to you. If you don¡¯t take it, it¡¯ll be a loss for Garden College!¡±


    Rook didn¡¯t speak as Fang¡¯s upgraded speed had surprised him a little. He broke his silence and roared, ¡°Attack me, show me what you know!¡±


    Attack the dean?


    Fang turned to Valeria, and upon getting a thumbs up, he launched his energy and sent out a couple of Energy Balls while dashing to the side. It wasn¡¯t all ¨C with the experience he had gained, he knew that his attacks should flow without giving pause for the opponent, so he instantly rushed and used Energy Devour.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Rook stood there, calmly watching as the energy dissipated completely a few meters away from him. There wasn¡¯t even a trace of his energy. Fang helplessly retreated, as he saw with awe that his assault yielded not even a single reaction.


    After a bit of contemplation, the old man finally said, ¡°Yes, for a 2nd grade intermediate, these fighting techniques show an incredible amount of power. As well, he even mastered Energy Devour, which is difficult for the students in this academy; taking account his skills, he might be able to match up to 5th or 6th grade intermediates!¡±


    Valeria let out a small breath in relief, Rook was famous for his bluntness, but he thought so highly of Fang ¨C there was no question Fang would get admitted now.


    The dean narrowed his eyes. ¡°Valeria, did you give him an energy bath, and with the high quality materials?¡±


    For most people, this would be a secret matter. However, this had to do with a special scenario, and she trusted the dean, so she nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Though he was assisted with an energy bath, the practice speed shouldn¡¯t be so fast¡­¡± Rook muttered, wondering at the same time.


    If Valeria treated him with an energy bath and recommended him to Garden College, her goal should be the one and same. It had been a long time, but this stubborn child had never given up it seemed. Fang was her hope for revenge!


    Considering this, I should grant her this favor and let him in, but now, it¡¯s for a different reason. This kid is worth granting special admission to, his amazing potential will likely eclipse the college in the future.


    Under the watchful eyes, the old man slowly nodded. ¡°On the day of opening, arrive at Garden College not a second late!¡±

 Chapter 33: Three Conditions

    Chapter 33: Three Conditions


    Following the admission to Garden College, Fang set out the next day to the address that Blue gave him, finding his relatives in Minuet City.


    It had only been a few days, so his roommate shouldn¡¯t have left yet.


    After he had knocked on the door, a plump, middle-aged woman came to the entrance. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, is Blue at home?¡±


    ¡°Blue?¡± The woman looked puzzled for a couple of seconds, but then immediately responded, ¡°Oh, Blue, he¡¯s not in. You must be his roommate from the training camp, Fang, right?¡±


    Fang nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Fang. Could you please tell him I was admitted to Garden College?¡±


    She replied, ¡°Well, when he comes back, I¡¯ll tell him.¡±


    As he bid farewell and walked back onto the streets, he thought it was a bit strange. When he mentioned Blue¡¯s name, it was like his relative didn¡¯t know who Blue was. Since Blue lived in her house, shouldn¡¯t his relative be familiar with his name?


    He shook his head. Filled with elation, he quickly ran back towards Valeria¡¯s house.


    --- --- ---


    If Fang had stayed behind, he would¡¯ve seen the same lady hurriedly exit through the back door of the modest house and navigate her way through the city¡¯s winding paths. A towering building, more magnificent than Valeria¡¯s tower, stood in front of Blue¡¯s ¡®relative¡¯.


    In Minuet City, to occupy a part of the land located within the city meant that the owner had to be tremendously influential and powerful. The small figure informed her intentions to the guards outside, and once inside the small castle, quietly whispered to a pretty maid. The maid opened the door, and she entered the spacious living room.


    Inside, a girl sat in a chair. With full, luscious, lips and a confident face that looked sculpted, she put paintings to shame. Even the most demanding artist would have trouble drawing a more beautiful face ¨C in addition, her stunning looks and impressive body left everything to desire. Cursed and blessed, all women would envy her; men would want her, but no one could have this secluded princess in the castle.


    Her red lips opened, and white teeth lit up a smile bright as the moon. ¡°Any news?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss Scarlett.¡±


    Before the young girl before her, she trembled slightly and respectfully continued. ¡°He came to me today, and said he was going to enter Garden College.¡±


    ¡°Garden College?¡± The girl showed some surprise. ¡°I didn¡¯t think that Garden College would grant him special admission¡­ this is quite interesting.¡±


    Turning her attention towards the kneeling servant, she rose from her chair. ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±


    Rapidly, the woman replied, ¡°Any work for you, Miss Scarlett, is my pleasure. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±


    --- --- ---


    That night, in the study of the small castle, a burly middle-aged man was absorbed in reading a paper. Kingsley was his name, director of the training camp and the owner of this small castle.


    The study door suddenly swung open.


    When Kingsley was in his study, no one dared to disturb him ¨C except her.


    He seemed to know who it already was without looking up. ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    In the study, a beauty had entered. However, contrary to her looks, she sat down on the opposite chair facing him across the desk. Her actions were totally without etiquette, and she put her arms on the table. ¡°I¡¯ve decided.¡±


    Setting aside his work, Kingsley focused his attention on her. ¡°Okay, my daughter, tell me your decision!¡±


    ¡°Well, old man, you¡¯ve wanted me to continue studying, but I have three conditions!¡±


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    To impose conditions against Kingsley wasn¡¯t something anyone could do, but she was an exception. From the very start, she was rebellious by nature and with her talent, became arrogant in her strength. His relationship with his daughter wasn¡¯t so great, so to hear that she would willingly study was extremely pleasant news. ¡°Go ahead, as long as those conditions aren¡¯t outrageous, I¡¯ll accept them.¡±


    ¡°These three conditions are surely not much and very simple.¡± She took a breath. ¡°First, I¡¯m going to Garden College!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Kingsley agreed.


    Somewhere as famous as Garden College would be a dream for most people, yet for Kingsley, it was simple to easily admit her. In addition to his fame, his daughter, even midst this famous family known for its strength passed through blood, she was exceptional. Her energy contained seven properties and her constitution was excellent; not just that, her perception was terribly high that she didn¡¯t find it difficult to learn any martial technique she had wanted to decipher.


    No matter where she wanted to go, any college would warmly welcome her to join. Actually, Scarlett didn¡¯t participate in the entrance examination, but like an avalanche, countless colleges sent in offers of admission. She threw them all into the garbage.


    His daughter paused. ¡°Second, I¡¯ll continue to use the identity from the training camp in Garden College.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t a problem.¡± Kingsley stared at his daughter. ¡°However, do you intend to be it forever?¡±


    She pouted. ¡°So what, as long as you don¡¯t tell anyone in Garden College my identity, no one will find out!¡±


    ¡°Well, okay.¡± He knew his wayward daughter was¡­ different, perhaps she liked acting. ¡°And the third condition is?¡±


    The girl¡¯s face became serious. ¡°This is the most important condition, if you don¡¯t agree to it, I¡¯ll drop out even if I do go to Garden College!¡±


    Seeing her so serious, Kingsley frowned. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Old man, you must put my roommate from the training camp as my roommate in Garden College.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that young man named Fang?¡± Kingsley had deliberately arranged her to room with anyone that was weak and had a rough experience ¨C it was by luck that it was Fang. He hoped that if his daughter realized how hard it was for normal people to train, she would correct her mentality towards learning and put more effort in, because her current rebellious state was too counterproductive on her own practice.


    But contrary to his expectations, after leaving camp, his daughter wanted the same roommate that came from a small unknown city.


    She was usually disdainful of others; there was no reason why he would catch her attention. It was strange, with his roommate¡¯s ability, there should have been no way that he got admitted to Garden College. Something special was with that young man for her to take interest.


    Growing curious, Kingsley questioned, ¡°My daughter, why did you choose him?¡±


    ¡°Just because I felt like it!¡± The girl swiftly scowled. ¡°Most importantly, he owes me a big debt that he hasn¡¯t paid off yet!¡±


    Knowing his daughter, Kingsley found that she seemed to be slightly conflicted.


    Oh, I didn¡¯t expect that someone was able to unnerve her, and above all, to be someone at her age.


    However, if she¡¯s interested and will continue her education this way, he had no complaints. ¡°I¡¯ll fulfill these three conditions, and I promise you that you¡¯ll soon be seeing him again at Garden College.¡±


    ¡°Thanks father!¡± She got up and walked out of the study, with a gorgeous, vicious smile on her face.


    Fang, Fang, Fang. You¡¯ll find out that it¡¯s not so easy to escape me!

 Chapter 34: Happenstance

    Chapter 34: Happenstance


    Before the start of the college, Fang trained daily inside the practice room, as well as meditating in the energy tower. However, that wasn¡¯t all he did ¨C seeing how he didn¡¯t want to depend completely on Valeria, he set out with Mii to make some money.


    In the surrounding forests, monsters lurked aplenty. There was no recorded history to the origin of monsters; they had just existed forever, and it was generally accepted as that. This explanation didn¡¯t satisfy the curiosity of many, but attempts to enter the uncharted territories inside the country only ended in failure. With the mass explorations, a couple of people did survive, though they were driven mad by the horrific deaths of their comrades. Their sentences were incoherent, complaining about a strange light, before dying mysteriously.


    Fang didn¡¯t plan on going into underground caves where monsters were rumored to appear from; instead, with Mii, he wandered on the outskirts. For the past couple of days, they had been camping out in search for some monsters. The most profitable monster found near Minuet City were Venom Spiders, a type of spider that exhibited poisonous properties. If distilled properly and mixed with some herbs, it could be used to create an antidote to weak poisons, but was popularly taken as a painkiller. Because of the demand for the sacs of poison these spiders carried, the price was high.


    With the wealth came danger though ¨C the carnivorous spiders weren¡¯t easy to kill. Their beady eyes meticulously tracked their prey, and contrary to the majority of monsters, they often were known to prepare traps. In addition to their poisonous webs, they contained thick, protective skin and sharp fangs. The poison in small quantities numbed the senses, the victims losing consciousness. However, in lethal quantities, it was enough to cause eternal sleep.


    For the majority of people, these monsters were difficult to deal with, but the combination of Mii¡¯s ability to freeze and slow down the spiders and Fang¡¯s destructive energy capabilities made easy work of the spiders.


    After the course of three days, a total of twenty venom sacs filled their bags. The sun lit up the dim overgrowth as the two cautiously searched for any trace of monsters. Suddenly, a shriek came from a distance away. It sounded human ¨C quickly, Mii and Fang rushed towards the sound.


    Prepared for combat, Fang and Mii moved into the clearing. But surprisingly, there was nothing there. A frightened hand poked his side, and he looked up.


    Multiple, glittering eyes stared down.


    Panicking, Mii furiously chanted, and an array of icicles covered the canopy.


    2nd grade yellow spell ¨C Ice Spike!


    This spell wasn¡¯t known for its offensive properties. Instead, it offered flexibility; the user could create as many spikes as they could afford with their mana. A few bloodied bodies fell from the trees, but they weren¡¯t safe yet. As Mii crumpled to the ground in exhaustion, Fang swiftly sent a number of Energy Balls towards the skies, shattering the ice into deadly missiles that crippled a large number of the spiders.


    Luckily, later in the day at the small tent that Fang set up, Mii woke up. She cried in relief upon seeing Fang, and with that, they decided to head back.


    After exchanging a hundred coins for their effort, the two headed back towards Valeria¡¯s house. From then on, they rested in their beds.


    --- --- ---


    Time flew, and it was the morning of the opening day. Preparing the carriage, Fang and Mii got on as Valeria sent the Pegasus towards Garden College.


    The magic academy that Mii had chosen was actually quite close to Garden College ¨C the dense energy concentration in the area also was accompanied by a large amount of mana, so separating the two institutions were a couple of roads.


    Unfortunately, time was a little too tight. Fang lightly hugged Mii reassuringly, then waved goodbye, and hurriedly ran towards Garden College. Although it wasn¡¯t the most prestigious college in the country, Garden College was famous, so he wasted no time in getting to the gates.


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.At the first time Fang visited with Valeria, he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the surrounding buildings and architecture that composed the campus due to his anxiety, but now, he took a close look. A large, paved road embedded with dull, green stones extended from the school gates. However, the main road branched off between numerous tall and fat buildings, like creeping ivy.


    Vast history could be felt from around, the old buildings had a variety of styles, eroded away by time. Trees on the sides of the road hung across, their massive branches shedding leaves to litter the ground.


    This would be his new home for the next four years.


    He took a deep breath in, and continued on the main road.


    --- --- ---


    Eventually, Fang found the registration office.


    Bustling, the counter was crowded with people, recognizing and discussing with each other. Looking at the unfamiliar faces around him, Fang felt at a loss. He wasn¡¯t sure if he would enjoy his time here; everyone seemed like they were from the big cities, and had an air of arrogance that reminded Fang of Garret. He dryly laughed, even the colleges influenced by ability alone were full of the wealthy.


    At this point, someone tapped him on the shoulder.


    I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t know anyone here at Garden College, who¡¯d be searching for me?


    Fang turned around, and after seeing the guy who patted his shoulders, he shouted, ¡°Blue!¡±


    He would never mistake that face, it was his roommate from the training camp.


    Blue smiled. ¡°What, are you surprised to see me?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Meeting one of his friends here, Fang was excited, but puzzled. ¡°Blue, why are you here?¡±


    Blue snappily replied, ¡°To register, of course, do you think I¡¯m here to sightsee?¡±


    ¡°You were admitted to Garden College?¡± Fang felt some doubt, after all, he only managed to get in because of the special relationship that Valeria had with Dean Rook.


    ¡°Why, can¡¯t I enter Garden College?¡± Blue let out a satisfied sigh. ¡°I told you I¡¯m powerful, but you didn¡¯t seem to believe it.¡±


    ¡°Are you really?¡± He still was suspicious ¨C in the practice area where they trained, his roommate only showed an energy level similar to his, but as far as he was aware, that low grade wasn¡¯t enough to enter Garden College.


    ¡°You always think I¡¯m weak!¡± Slightly angry, Blue turned and started to leave.


    Fang was reminded again of his roommate¡¯s eccentric, emotional personality and quickly pulled at Blue¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I believe you, it¡¯s just that it was a pleasant surprise to see you here at Garden College!¡±


    He was sincere; just moments ago, he had been worried that it would be lonely here in Garden College, but seeing that his friend was here, naturally, Fang was very happy.


    Blue broke away from Fang¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to you later, let me see which class I¡¯m assigned to.¡±


    Grinning, Fang kept up with Blue as they registered and looked at the class lists.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m in class eight!¡±


    Seeing that Blue had found his class, Fang looked for his name. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m in the same class!¡±


    Blue acted surprised. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re in the same class,¡± he repeated happily. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that we¡¯d also be classmates.¡±


    But it wasn¡¯t the end of the string of coincidences ¨C when Fang and Blue went to get the keys to their quarters, the administrator in charge found the two applications and brought up two keys. ¡°Oh, you guys are roommates; your rooms are located in dormitory five, room thirty.¡±


    By that time, Fang was in disbelief. ¡°What, really?¡±


    The administrator impatiently said, ¡°Of course, clearly on the housing list it says the fifth dormitory, room thirty, Blue and Fang. Take the keys and go, lots of people are waiting!¡±


    As they left towards the residence, Fang couldn¡¯t help but boisterously hug Blue. ¡°Isn¡¯t this great? It¡¯s like we¡¯re meant to stay together, come on, Blue, let¡¯s get to our room!¡±


    With that, he let go of Blue, his anxious mood evaporated. Walking away, he even started to hum a cheerful tune.


    Blue¡¯s face turned slightly red as she watched Fang¡¯s back.

 Chapter 35: Talent

    Chapter 35: Talent


    On the morning of the first day of school, classes began for all students, including the freshmen of Garden College.


    There were a total of eight separated practice areas, each for a single class full of freshmen. An expecting face faced the awaiting students, but was replaced with a frown. ¡°Hello, students, I¡¯m your teacher and adviser, Hershal.¡±


    He spoke with a slightly languid tone. No trace of enthusiasm appeared in his voice, and he seemed to slump a little after scanning the class.


    This class was one of the many freshmen classes, but it was a little different.


    For Garden College, the minimum standard to be even considered for admission was the level of a 5th grade intermediate, however, the country had designated standards for a quota of students. Unable to completely reject this ruling due to being a public college depending on the country¡¯s funding, the college created a class to meet this requirement. However, the students in this class were either poor or barely below admission standards, or cases like Fang, when someone influential put them in. It was a struggle for the students in this class to stay in attendance, in fact, historically most people had left.


    Hence, a blind eye was turned towards this class, and very few instructors wanted to take this class as their home class, but Hershal had no choice.


    A couple of days ago, Dean Rook had approached him and patted his shoulders. Back then, the Dean had said, ¡°Ah, Hershal, your luck is really good, your class for this year might have some of the best talented geniuses in the college!¡±


    So Hershal wasted no time in checking the background information of all the students, and he groaned. The dean really needed to stop with the drinking, there was no one outstanding, and more embarrassingly, a student had only been at the novice level at the entrance examination¡­


    What the hell, this was ¡°the best talent¡± at Garden College, one of the top colleges within this country?!


    But there was no use for regrets ¨C he was stuck with this class for the entire year, so Hershal took a large breath. ¡°The purpose of today¡¯s meeting is for introductions and help learn about your fellow classmates. Simply, display your strength and tell us a little about yourself.¡±


    Looking at the class list in his hands, he read, ¡°So, Tom, start us off.¡±


    A fierce, coarse voice shouted, ¡°My name is Tom, from a small city named Estonia City, and my goal is to become a mercenary warrior, nice to meet you all!¡±


    Finishing his introduction, energy burst forth from his body, and according to the thickness of the energy, he was a 4th grade intermediate. If considered throughout the small cities, his talent was shocking, but at Garden College, he only managed to get into class eight. Moreover, his results from the entrance examination were good, and it wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if Thomas was the strongest of class eight.


    Sure enough, starting from the second student onwards, everyone was a 3rd grade intermediate. Sighing, Hershal could only shook his head in disappointment.


    ¡°Number 49, Blue!¡±


    When Blue¡¯s name was read, Blue introduced himself, then showed off her energy ¨C it was a 3rd grade intermediate rank.


    Blue was also another 3rd grade intermediate.


    Wait, when did Blue become a 3rd grade intermediate?


    As far as Fang recalled, when he entered the camp, he thought Blue had been a 9th grade novice like him. Later on, he remembered that Blue said he was weaker than Fang, when Fang had just become a 1st grade intermediate. But instead of Blue¡¯s level being lower or equal to his, it was this high.


    Did he conceal his strength in the training camp? Blue probably didn¡¯t, judging from his personality that Fang knew.


    No wonder Blue was admitted to Garden College.


    ¡°Number 50, Fang!¡±


    Hershal paid particular attention to Fang, the last one on the list as he distinctly brought to mind that Fang was only a 9th grade novice at the time of the entrance examination.


    Will he really dare to report his energy rank at Garden College?


    ¡°My name is Fang, from the small Victoria City in the west, pleased to meet you all!¡± Fang released his energy.


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    2nd grade intermediate.


    In addition to Hershal, the other students were very astonished. Almost everyone in their class was a 3rd grade intermediate, and they thought they were the lowest of the low in this college, but here, someone was even lower than them.


    Hershal rubbed his eyes, though, his disbelief was opposite to his students¡¯. He couldn¡¯t believe that the level that Fang was at was much higher than he thought. If he was a 9th grade novice at the entrance examination, he rose a level and two grades in just over two months? Could it be, that the lowest level was the best student with unlimited potential?


    --- --- ---


    The schedule for the college and training camp was quite similar, but in the beginning of the day there was a mandatory class for all students with their adviser. Everything else was up to the students. There was also an energy tower on campus, but it wasn¡¯t as big as the previous one, and in addition, there was a fee to enter.


    Upon realizing that Fang wouldn¡¯t accept her money, Valeria had already bought an annual access card for him. It wasn¡¯t refundable on purchase, and Fang was secretly grateful as even with the recent earnings, he couldn¡¯t afford to enter for an entire year.


    A few days later, when Fang and Blue came to practice in the evening at the practice field, they heard loud arguing.


    The voice belonged to someone in his class ¨C the student who wanted to be a mercenary, Tom. Although he had the highest energy rank in his class, he was hearty, and easygoing, full of goodwill to everyone including Fang. To be honest, Fang thought Tom reminded him of a certain dwarven friend he had, so Fang pulled someone in his class off from the side and asked, ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    Outraged, the boy responded, ¡°Some assholes from class two are refusing to leave, saying that it was for the good of everyone if they stayed longer.¡±


    Fang quickly understood what was going on.


    For the practice field that offered multiple, helpful guides, all classes were assigned slots of time. Simply, there wasn¡¯t enough room for everyone. Class two had the spot before, but time had long past for class eight to take the opportunity ¨C thus, Tom had gone up on representing the class to deal with these people.


    ¡°Are you deaf? More practice is useless; just be grateful that you had the chance to enter this place.¡± A man in a suit with accents of gold stomped his foot on the ground. Known as Ray, he was the heir of the business that his father had owned, Ray Industries. It was a relatively large business in Minuet City, and even though Ray¡¯s father wasn¡¯t able to use energy, his son was. Greed and ambition drove him, so, to promote the products further, Ray¡¯s father invested the large majority of his funds to assist with Ray; that, combined with the large donations to Garden College, had paved an easy road to class two.


    The upstart attitude that pretentiously preached in front of them provoked all of class eight.


    ¡°The hell, do you think we¡¯re cripples?¡±


    ¡°Your class must be so great, not complying with the school rules and bullying others.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to ask a teacher to resolve this.¡±


    Ray sneered. ¡°You could find a teacher, but the only penalty I¡¯d get would be a fee. And well, money, I have lots of that, though after today, everyone in Garden College will know that class eight are full of cowards that can¡¯t solve anything on their own. It¡¯s to be expected though, the weakest class crying and complaining away to the teachers.¡±


    Beside Ray, another student stepped up. ¡°Well? Go ahead and complain, you spineless cowards!¡±


    Unable to take the insulting taunts, Tom replied, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s settle this like men and decide it through a fight!¡±


    Laughing, Ray almost fell on the ground. ¡°You challenge me? This scum, dares challenge me? It seems that big body comes with a small brain.¡±


    A student noisily whispered, ¡°Ray, perhaps he¡¯s just admiring the people from the top classes. They rarely get the chance to appreciate us; let¡¯s help him nicely.¡±


    Struggling to keep a straight face, Ray continued. ¡°Who knows what would happen? Big fella, come at me and let me show you the immense gap that separates our class from your lower class!¡±

 Chapter 36: Push

    Chapter 36: Push


    Soon, a large crowd of people gathered ¨C although it was practice time for class eight, their use was occupied by the figure ahead. This also concerned their honor and dignity of the class, so how could they not come?


    In addition to class eight, people came running from other classes to watch, as no one would want to miss out on a fight as consequential as this. After the other classes heard the reason for this match, the students went into a deep discussion.


    ¡°Class eight sure has the stupidest people, how could he be a possible opponent for one of the top classes?¡±


    ¡°Really though, I can¡¯t stand the arrogance of the people in the top classes.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t endure it as well, maybe I¡¯ll even have a chance to challenge¡­ if I wanted to be humiliated.¡±


    ¡°Well, not our problem, guess class eight will learn to keep their heads low as it¡¯ll only bring problems to protest.¡±


    Standing in the middle of the field, Ray extended his thumb upwards to Tom. ¡°I admire your courage, however, you must be quite dumb.¡±


    With that, his thumb faced downwards as an insulting gesture.


    Angered already, Tom burst out his energy, and with a roar, sent out a tearing ball that flew directly at Ray.


    ¡°Tsk, tsk.¡± Ray waved his hands in an admonishing action. ¡°4th grade intermediate? Please, this is why you¡¯re all trash. Let me show you the difference between the strong and weak, I¡¯ll even handicap myself and put you down as a 4th grade intermediate!¡±


    While he spoke, energy formed in his hands and met the ball of energy in the air.


    Pop!


    With access to expensive elixirs and private tutors to teach him, it wasn¡¯t that Ray¡¯s energy level was just higher. The mastery over the techniques were much higher, and so, his energy ball tore through Tom¡¯s but dissipated. Same skills were used on both side, but the difference was apparent, the large energy ball that Tom sent out had been casually tossed aside by Ray.


    Although Ray had lowered himself to a 4th grade intermediate, his abilities were simply better, and everyone could see it.


    All of class eight watched grimly in silence, they didn¡¯t want to see the results.


    If Tom had been defeated with Ray using his full amount of power, this battle wouldn¡¯t been that bad. After all, that would be expected, but being defeated while at the same level left class eight without any excuses. With it though, the reputation of class eight in a place where strength determined your standings would go rock bottom.


    Seeing his own skills beat Tom, Ray started to gloat. ¡°Ah, this is too boring, I can¡¯t even consider this a warm up. Can you at least give me a little bit more fun?¡±


    Tom didn¡¯t bother to reply, instead, he raised his hands and jerked forward ¨C a large mass of energy was ready to launch.


    2nd grade yellow skill ¨C Energy Crush!


    Lazily, Ray sent two Energy Balls flying, but it didn¡¯t manage to break it. The students of class eight lit up with hope.


    Though Tom¡¯s skills were inferior to Ray¡¯s, a 2nd grade skill was sure to overpower a 1st grade skill easily. And true to their thoughts, the Energy Crush didn¡¯t break, nearly half still hurtling towards Ray, as Ray dashed to the side.


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    Tom followed him, because he knew that Ray was unable to get rid of the Energy Crush head on. This was the time to press the advantage, and give chase ¨C he could even win, at least that was the reasoning.


    ¡°Ah, Energy Crush, I didn¡¯t expect that.¡± Ray came to a slight pause. ¡°But pressing the advantage to bring me down? Big guy, you really are stupid.¡±


    Ray bent his knees and threw himself towards the approaching mass. A spiral of energy coursed around his leg, and like a descending drill, broke through the bomb of energy.


    4th grade yellow skill ¨C Energy Press!


    In moments, Ray appeared in front of Tom, and panicking, Tom tried to materialize Energy Ball. Two kicks flew out, and Tom¡¯s hands fell to his sides as Ray¡¯s fists fell on his chest.


    With a dull thump, Tom¡¯s body flew up and collapsed outside the arena.


    The victor was clear.


    Tom never stood a chance from the start, it was quite obvious that Ray was toying around with him, just using him as a practice dummy to display his skills. He slowly walked to the struggling figure, and put a foot down on his chest. ¡°Oh, poor guy. Next time, think with your brain and learn where you belong.¡±


    Trying to get up, Tom placed his foot and hand against the ground; it was in vain though, he had used all his energy with Energy Crush and the three materialized Energy Balls.


    Turning around, Ray waved to the audience. ¡°Hey, you rubbish classes. If you¡¯re not convinced that the bottom is where you belong, you can challenge me ¨C I don¡¯t mind, after all, it¡¯s just throwing away the trash!¡±


    Silent, furious stares faced Ray¡¯s direction. All of class eight felt hate towards this conceited student, but Tom was the strongest of class eight as a 4th grade intermediate with the ability to use Energy Crush. No one bothered to stand up to him from the other classes either; they were after all, a top classer or a regular student, a 5th grade intermediate.


    Spitting out blood, Tom started to clench his fists, his eyes boiling in anger. This was his problem that he started, so, with the sense of responsibility he had, Tom felt he had to fight on.


    At this moment, a person stumbled forwards.


    In this tense point, he instantly became the focus of all the eyes. Everyone couldn¡¯t help but be shocked when they recognized the figure though.


    Fang?


    While there were many students in class eight, everyone remembered this guy because yesterday, as the last person on the class list, he displayed energy equal to a 2nd grade intermediate.


    None of his classmates showed any discrimination to this weak guy, but no one had thought, the person to stand up at this time would be Fang.


    Fang¡¯s face looked confused as well. He was certain that he didn¡¯t choose to move forwards.


    Who gave me a push?


    Looking back, he saw Blue wink at him.


    Fang felt a little dizzy; it was definitely his roommate, no doubt.


    It probably was that the last time Blue saw him fight, he defeated Garret at the training camp. So naturally, Blue must have thought he could win against Ray.


    Though Blue, you should ask for what I think before doing something like this¡­

 Chapter 37: The Weak and Meek

    Chapter 37: The Weak and Meek


    Time couldn¡¯t be reversed though, what was done was done. And if Fang withdrew at this time, he would¡¯ve let down his class, and only contribute to solidify Ray¡¯s idea.


    Besides, watching Ray step down harshly on Tom even after he was defeated to inflict more pain caused Fang to feel angry.


    Tom wasn¡¯t Durin, but this situation oddly reminded of his own back on the first day of training camp. Though the world didn¡¯t stand for it, he believed he should stand up for his classmates. So, feeling the need to something, Fang, instead of walking back into the surrounding crowd of students, went into the practice field.


    Clear surprise appeared on Ray¡¯s face ¨C he didn¡¯t think after showing his strength, anyone would actually come dare challenge. In addition, the clothes that the kid was wearing was quite plain, inexpensive, meaning that they probably had no background supporting them.


    Firmly, Ray believed that strength was correlated with wealth; he, after all, got to where he was because of his family¡¯s money. Due to this, he was certain that the kid was weak, and probably stupid as well, since they challenged him.


    Full of contempt, Ray looked down at him. ¡°A fool wanting to help others appear? It seems that this lesson wasn¡¯t vivid enough, would you like to have a go?¡±


    Fang ignored his taunts. ¡°Let him go!¡±


    Rather than getting angry, Ray laughed as this kid obviously didn¡¯t have the strength to compete against him. ¡°Or what?¡±


    ¡°Well, for one, I¡¯ll fight and win.¡± Fang paused. ¡°Then, if you refuse to apologize, I¡¯ll step on you when you¡¯re lying on the ground!¡±


    Loud mutterings broke out in the crowd. Fang¡¯s intent to challenge was courageous, but to say such a thing was a bit too much.


    ¡°That guy¡¯s crazy, doesn¡¯t he realize Ray was from class two?¡±


    ¡°Even while lowering himself to their level, he still defeated that guy who was a 4th grade intermediate. Could it be that guy will be stronger than the other one from class eight?¡±


    ¡°But Ray seems angrier, it¡¯s just their misfortune really.¡±


    Extremely enraged, Ray released Tom. ¡°This garbage dares to brag in front of me? Let¡¯s find out how good you are!¡±


    Ignoring him, Fang walked towards Tom and helped him up.


    Though he wasn¡¯t in pain, Tom asked worryingly, ¡°Fang, you¡­¡±


    Fang whispered, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t forget, we¡¯re all in the same class, so this matter isn¡¯t just personal, but involves all of us.¡±


    Even if Fang was only a 2nd grade intermediate, Tom calmed down and gave him a nod, then limped back to join the rest of class eight watching.


    A student shouted, ¡°Fang, if you lose, it¡¯s still okay. Don¡¯t pressure yourself.¡±


    ¡°Let those bastards in class two see that weaker didn¡¯t mean a thing when it came down to courage!¡±


    Listening to the encouragement, an unfamiliar feeling bubbled up.


    During the entrance examination at Victoria City, people throughout the city disliked him, and other than Mii, no one talked with him as a friend. He made two friends, but that was the extent of his social skills. However, while among these students no one thought he would win, they were on his side. Certainly, it was the first time he had felt encouraged by others.


    Fang took a deep breath, and preparing himself, returned once again back onto the field.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve got this planned out to become a hero for your class,¡± Ray narrowed his eyes and smirked, ¡°but I¡¯m sure, lying on the ground will make you quite a fitting hero for your class.¡±


    Unimpressed, Fang replied, ¡°Cut out with the useless talk, we¡¯re here to fight, not debate.¡±


    ¡°How about you shut up?¡±


    Fang released his energy, beginning the fight. The students other than the class eight students were shocked.


    2nd grade intermediate?


    So, a 4th grade intermediate goes and loses horribly, then a 2nd grade intermediate comes up to stand for him?


    Ray spluttered, he started laughing derisively. ¡°You really are a joke, a 2nd grade intermediate at your age. The garbage class deserves its reputation, I can¡¯t believe you got into Garden College. What¡¯s your name?¡±


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    ¡°Fang!¡± Following his words, Fang sent out a preliminary Energy Ball, to test the waters.


    An Energy Ball also appeared in Ray¡¯s hand. ¡°Well, since you¡¯re only a 2nd grade intermediate, I¡¯ll also play at that level¡­¡±


    But Ray¡¯s voice stopped.


    His energy had broken upon contact, but at least half of Fang¡¯s energy accelerated towards Ray.


    It was the same skill right, yet his was stronger?


    Carefully taught by the best private tutors, he practiced fighting techniques until he knew it by reflex. As well, he believed that he had the ability to maximize the power of each attack ¨C it was why he won against Tom. However, in the end, his pride didn¡¯t affect the results.


    He wasn¡¯t the only surprised one. The students present only knew that Fang was a 2nd grade intermediate; but knowing how to use Energy Ball that proficiently was remarkable; the majority of class eight wasn¡¯t able to condense it with that much spin.


    Half of a leftover Energy Ball didn¡¯t pose a threat to Ray, a single punch completely dissipated it.


    Another Energy Ball trailed without warning from behind the previous one.


    What? Rapid Fire?


    Even Ray was surprised, since when were 2nd grade intermediates capable of chaining Energy Balls?


    Retreating, Ray increase his energy capacity to a 3rd grade intermediate, and with a fast speed, dodged back and dispersed it with his own.


    It wasn¡¯t enough to damage Ray, but his previous glee wasn¡¯t present at all. After all, he was forced to upgrade his energy level from a 2nd grade intermediate to a 3rd grade intermediate, unable to compete at the same rank.


    Frustrated, he cursed silently.


    The commonly taught method was to bring forth energy onto the area for a skill, and it was ideal, as it would allow the user to keep up their energy as a layer of general defense. Velocity, size, and type of energy affected the result. This meant that someone who was familiar with concentrating their body¡¯s energy at that point with the right form would have a stronger skill.


    However, the way the elders theorized was that energy actually didn¡¯t need to be brought forth, instead, using the energy already present on the body on those spots would be better to use. Power consumption by this would be large, but proportionally, the performed skill would be stronger. As well, there would be temporary weakness at that spot. By combining both bringing energy from the body and utilizing the energy already present, the strength and speed to form a skill would be monstrous.


    Within moments, someone would be exhausted by this reckless method, yet, Fang wasn¡¯t. Unwittingly, his practice of the endless method had changed his body; limitless greed for energy was part of his body now, an engine that had gotten to the point where it would recycle the residual energy in the air. Due to this, Fang was able to use techniques that matched Garret, a 4th grade intermediate and Ray, even if he had practiced to perfection.


    Fang¡¯s classmates started to grin slightly as they watched the two collide. They had thought Fang only had the courage to fight, not the strength to back it up.


    ¡°Class two is superior? He can¡¯t beat a 2nd grade intermediate, so he resorted to the 3rd grade intermediate stage?¡±


    ¡°No words need to be said, his actions explains everything.¡±


    ¡°Well, soon the whole college will know that you were forced to upgrade your rank to deal with Fang ¨Cregardless of the result, you¡¯ve humiliated all of class two!¡±


    As these comments floated throughout the audience, Ray¡¯s face turned ugly.


    ¡°I suppose you should get ready to apologize.¡± Fang calmly stated.


    A furious barrage of three Energy Balls flew at Ray as Fang finished speaking, and this time, Ray couldn¡¯t cope and released a set of shackles to become a 4th grade intermediate. Another series of collisions happened, and dust heatedly blew up between the two figures.

 Chapter 38: Honor

    Chapter 38: Honor


    Moving about quickly, Fang pressed the offensive with a continuous barrage of small Energy Balls; it seemed like he had the advantage, but in reality, he was barely keeping up with Ray¡¯s counterattacks. However, anxiety filled Ray regardless ¨C how long could this go on?


    Damn, this kid¡¯s a freak!


    Calculating, Ray knew that the fight couldn¡¯t continue this way. While it looked like it was easy for him to defeat Tom, he had expended a sizable portion of his energy, and surprisingly, Fang showed no sign of exhausting his energy. In terms of endurance, he wasn¡¯t sure he could outlast Fang, so Ray decided he had to end this quickly with an overpowering skill.


    At the moment when Ray took a different course of action, Fang noticed instantly, and while continuing the last ball of energy, he put his hands together and sent out a large, mass of swirling energy.


    2nd grade yellow skill ¨C Energy Crush!


    The crowd stirred, this 2nd grade yellow skill was the same that Tom used. Though it was normal for a 4th grade intermediate to use it, most 2nd grade intermediates certainly didn¡¯t know it.


    Fang trailed behind the mass of energy, he clearly wanted to use it as both the shield and spear to attack Ray while protecting himself.


    But this mimicked what Tom did, resulting in his defeat as Ray was too strong and broke through that energy blast.


    Unless Ray was low on energy, there was no outcome where Fang would win.


    Ray was also aware of the change in tactics by Fang because of his actions, and instead of surprise, he felt happy.


    This guy should also be at the last dredges of his energy, so he must be desperate for a strike as well.


    In battle, there was no need to play fair, he thought. Ray eliminated the two stray Energy Balls in his way and with slight difficulty, raised his energy to be a 5th grade intermediate.


    Since I already became a higher grade, there¡¯s no harm in going higher to ensure victory and utterly crush this kid!


    Twisting energy surrounded his legs as he smirked; it was the same skill that demolished Tom¡¯s Energy Blast.


    It was too late for Fang to retreat, Ray had deliberately waited until Fang came close before raising his energy and dashing towards him.


    There was no room to dodge, seconds away, before the impact, Fang¡¯s energy around his palm expanded.


    3rd grade yellow skill ¨C Energy Devour!


    Even if the skill was melee, it was following up behind Energy Blast, and the power behind the two was sure to be strong.


    Ray looked in dismay as he approached Fang, this kid knew how to use Energy Devour!


    I should¡¯ve started all out from the very beginning, but hell, my Energy Press is going to overpower that Energy Blast and Devour.


    From the air, he descended and destroyed the Energy Blast with ease, and met the Energy Devour.


    Bang!


    Though most of the power from the Energy Press was offset, it broke through and continued to progress towards Fang.


    It¡¯s done, Fang¡¯s lost!


    Class eight let out a collective sigh, although it was a pity, Fang demonstrated with pride his skills that pushed Ray to a standstill.


    Overjoyed, Ray laughed inside, when I step on your body, it¡¯ll be marked that I¡¯m the stronger!


    Though Fang¡¯s Energy Devour was broken, he didn¡¯t cower in fear. Instead, he took a long, deep breath and taking advantage of the small window of opportunity Energy Devour provided, paused for a moment. Energy formed into a distinct shape of a hammer, and he kicked out viciously towards Ray.


    4th grade yellow skill ¨C Hammer Kick!


    This was notoriously difficult to use compared to even Energy Devour, because the majority of energy users weren¡¯t familiar with shaping their energy and concentrating it into other parts of their body than their hands.


    Perhaps, in the history of Garden College, a few people would have mastered both of these fighting techniques. But right now, from the class with the worst students in the school, a 2nd grade intermediate mastered them.


    This again changed the audience¡¯s disappointment into an uproar, and from the number of surprises Ray saw, he almost fainted.


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    Hammer Kick, is this guy a monster?!


    Fang¡¯s heavy energy on impact told him he wasn¡¯t dreaming.


    Hammer Kick, as its name suggested, was a kick that mimicked the action of a sledgehammer. The small amount of energy left by Energy Press was promptly crushed, and Fang fell back.


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Ray held his broken right shoulder in pain as he rolled on the floor in pain.


    Fang slowly approached him, and lifted up his foot in silence.


    Desperately, Ray closed his eyes.


    Whoosh!


    His foot came down, but it didn¡¯t step on his face, and stomped the ground, leaving an imprint. ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m not trash like you, so I don¡¯t do that sort of thing!¡±


    Dropping his words off, Fang moved off the field. When he passed Ray¡¯s classmate, he stopped. ¡°Go and help him up!¡±


    In fright, they unconsciously shook.


    Although Fang must have expended the most of his energy, they weren¡¯t willing to face off against him ¨C if there was another loss, class two would be unable to hold their faces up in pride ever again in Garden College.


    Seeing no response, Fang coldly said, ¡°In that case, leave your classmate to rot on the ground!¡±


    Being frozen like that for minutes would be stupid; hurriedly, people ran to the field and helped Ray up, limping away.


    When Fang returned to his class in the audience, they woke up and immediately started to cheer loudly.


    Before the match, no one expected Fang to win, even when he used Hammer Kick, they thought he would lose. However, Fang put down Ray, and gave him a lesson in humiliation ¨C a 2nd grade intermediate solidly took victory from the top class, a 5th grade intermediate!


    ¡°Fang, is this reality? You¡¯re extremely strong, Ray wasn¡¯t a match for you.¡±


    ¡°This was one of the top classes, surely, they won¡¯t look down on us anymore thanks to you Fang!¡±


    Surrounded in praise, Fang felt happy. Previously, his courage was honored by his peers, but their tone now showed that they admired his strength, and brought pride for the rest of the class.


    Though he was a bit shy, this unaccustomed feeling felt nice.


    Someone muttered, ¡°Damn Fang, why didn¡¯t you step on Ray to take revenge for Tom?¡±


    He smiled. ¡°There¡¯s no need to lower ourselves to their level.¡±


    Laughing, Tom patted his back. ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s not worth bringing us down!¡±


    Seeing how he wasn¡¯t arrogantly bragging about his win, the students from the other classes felt admiration towards him as well. Finally, after speaking with a ton of people, the crowd parted and Fang pulled over his roommate to the side with a serious expression. ¡°Hey, Blue, why¡¯d you do that?¡±


    Blue blinked. ¡°What do you mean? I just gave you a chance to become a hero and here you are, the hero of class eight. Shouldn¡¯t you be thanking me?¡±


    Slightly embarrassed, he replied, ¡°But doing something like that suddenly was a bit unexpected, at least discuss it with me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s fine to watch our classmates lose and get humiliated one by one by Ray? That bastard needed to go down, and well, didn¡¯t that win feel good?¡±


    Fang nodded in agreement, but then put his arguments aside as he didn¡¯t want to degrade his relationship with Blue. ¡°I guess you have a point.¡±


    His roommate smirked at him. ¡°That¡¯s surely right, everything I do is justified!¡±


    Even if Blue looked calm on the outside, her mind was astonished.


    They were together as roommates in the training camp, and ended up in class eight. At the end of the training camp, it was only a couple of weeks that they didn¡¯t see each other, and Blue was curious as to how much progress Fang made.


    His repertoire of techniques increased ¨C Energy Blast and Hammer Kick was all learned in that short period of time, and she noticed that his combat movements improved significantly; he knew how to chain his skills appropriately and take advantage of the cover as well as move to minimize damage.


    Of course, Lady Valeria must have taught him these things, but the speed that Fang learned was scary!


    This guy¡¯s really full of surprises...

 Chapter 39: Prefect

    Chapter 39: Prefect


    Ray was defeated, but no one from class two came back to reclaim the time slot belonging to class eight. After all, it was his own solitary action, so, to the rest of the class other than his close friends just disregarded him. In the history of Garden College, there were very few cases of the lowest class beating one of the top classes, and the first for someone with such a low level of energy to fight and win. And so, because of this incident, many people engraved the name Fang into their hearts, keeping him in mind as one of the people to avoid provoking.


    As well, Fang became a hero to class eight ¨C his classmates often greeted him in the halls, and two girls even confessed their love, but Fang politely refused.


    However, Fang didn¡¯t stay complacent; he still practiced hard in the weekdays and headed back to Valeria¡¯s home for the weekends to take an energy bath and partake in some practice combat.


    Time passed by busily, and without knowing it, Fang soon reached the threshold into the 3rd intermediate rank.


    It had already been five weeks into the semester, when on a Monday morning, the teacher of class eight, Hershal, appeared. ¡°Today, we¡¯ll have to discuss and decide on something important. A month had gone by, and all of you should at least know your fellow classmates, perhaps even be close friends with some. Nonetheless, regardless of whom you know, we need a leader for this class. A person who can be a model for everyone, and pull the entire class into a solid group. So, we¡¯ll elect a prefect right now!¡±


    Prefect?


    Suddenly, the lethargic class broke out into whispers, when Hershal waved and motioned for silence. ¡°The prefect will be elected in the form of a vote from the entire class. But choose wisely ¨C the prefect for our class will effectively act as the representative, they must be able, capable, responsible, and charismatic. Therefore, take this seriously and don¡¯t vote for your friends, instead, vote for the most suitable candidate. You have ten minutes for discussion, then I will call for the votes.¡±


    Until the ten minutes were up, the class chatted furiously.


    ¡°Time¡¯s up! The vote will start off by student number, starting from number one. Anyone can be a candidate from the class, but the person with the highest number of votes will be elected the prefect of class eight. If you wish to promote a candidate, don¡¯t hesitate and express your idea while it¡¯s your turn to talk.¡±


    Number one was Tom, and he immediately stood up. ¡°Teacher Hershal, my vote is for Fang. It¡¯s well known by now that not so long ago, our class got into a disagreement with someone from class two because they occupied the training grounds. Unable to stand the arrogance they put out, I tried to fight him, but it ended with me on the ground, insulted, when Fang came. When everyone was too scared to move, Fang stepped forwards and challenged that bastard. For someone in our class to beat a person from one of the top classes, I don¡¯t doubt at all that he¡¯s the most powerful person in class eight. But the best quality he has is how humble he is; even with all that power, he doesn¡¯t hesitate to treat his classmates fairly and kindly. With his popularity, there¡¯s no better option than Fang for the prefect of class eight!¡±


    Fang was a bit surprised, because he had never thought that he¡¯d be nominated for the position.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Hershal nodded with satisfaction. ¡°Hopefully, other students, like Tom, will explain why they cast their vote.¡±


    The second student got up. ¡°My vote is also for Fang. While Tom is also good for this position, I think that Fang would be the best fit, and Tom had already explained the reasons why.¡±


    One by one, numbers were called out, and the students of class eight expressed their opinions. Surprisingly, the votes were uniformly the same: for Fang. It was not as shocking as Fang might have thought, without knowing it, he had gained widespread popularity after fighting Ray. Actually, Tom was also very popular, but seeing how strong Fang was, it was unanimously thought that he should represent the class.


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    After Blue, Fang was the only one that hadn¡¯t voted ¨C the result was obvious.


    At last, Fang rose from his seat. ¡°I think Tom would have been just as good of a candidate, but it seems that I¡¯ll try and represent class eight the best I can.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to be modest, Fang, you¡¯ll be welcomed by all ¨C come to the front.¡± Hershal was also smiling; he had naturally heard of what happened. And he was proud, very proud of this class now, the Dean wasn¡¯t lying when he said that the best talent in the entire place was in Hershal¡¯s class.


    Fang headed to the podium, and Hershal took out a badge, earnestly handing it to him. ¡°This is the emblem indicating that you are the respective of class eight; let us hope that with your leadership, you¡¯ll lead the class standing to a higher level!¡±


    Enthusiastic applause and cheering filled the area as Fang took the heavy emblem, and pinned it on his clothes. With the weight of class eight on his shoulders, he walked back to his seat.


    Blue put out an elbow and nudged Fang. ¡°Hey, great hero, it seems that you¡¯re now the prefect. You won¡¯t look down on us like nobodies, right?¡±


    Dazed, Fang asked, ¡°Blue, what do you mean? Am I like that?¡±


    Blue sighed deeply, pretending to be sad. ¡°From now on, you¡¯re an important public figure that everyone knows; it feels like you¡¯re no longer my roommate!¡±


    For a moment, Fang froze, then burst out in laughter. ¡°Blue, you can rest assured that I¡¯ll always be the roommate that you know, no one can take me away from you.¡±


    Blue¡¯s body twitched, and slightly became flushed, but she soon calmed down, and gave Fang a harsh look. ¡°I was just joking. Who wants you, that¡¯s disgusting, I certainly don¡¯t!¡±


    Fang glanced at Blue again, was his roommate really a guy? He sounded jealous like a girl¡­


    --- --- ---


    As the prefect of class eight, Fang¡¯s day became even busier. Other than the daily training he still adhered to, he also had to process some of the affairs involving his classmates. In addition to all of that, he occasionally helped people that encountered problems with developing their energy ¨C a glimpse into a different approach solved some of the problems. Steadily, Fang rose further in popularity with his fellow students.


    Although it wasn¡¯t his obligation to perform all of these things as a prefect, Fang diligently worked to improve the situation that the weakest class in the college was in.


    On a Saturday afternoon in the same week, Fang visited and dropped off the planned budget of class eight for the year in the main school office. He started to walk back through the halls back to his room when he encountered a certain man.


    A handsome guy, wearing an emblem, strolled in the opposite direction.


    This wasn¡¯t the first time Fang saw him, after all, they were both prefects. Known as William, the prefect was in charge of class two. Though due to the incident between the classes they weren¡¯t exactly friendly, the extent of the hostilities ended at ignoring each other.


    However, William intentionally stopped in front of Fang, blocking his way. ¡°Congratulations, by using Ray as a stepping stone, you became a prefect.¡±


    His tone was sarcastic, seemingly mocking Fang.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get carried away, and know your place. Two months later, the city¡¯s chamber of commerce will sponsor a school-wide competition, where a representative from each class would come and attend. I hope that you¡¯ll come, so that I can give you some kind pointers from Ray.¡±


    While speaking, he released his aura, and a screeching sound accompanied by a light golden glow came forth.


    Metal property!


    Fang couldn¡¯t help but be impressed, even as William clearly declared himself as an enemy. Races other than dwarves couldn¡¯t express attributes early on, the only exception being if their body was special ¨C it seemed like William had such a specialization. And he had already reached a 6th grade intermediate, judging by the thickness of his energy. No wonder he was the prefect of class two.

 Chapter 40: Swan

    Chapter 40: Swan


    The pale gold light receded as William grinned. ¡°Oh, please give my father¡¯s regards to Lady Valeria. Thanks to her father, he¡¯ll soon be the president of the chamber of commerce.¡±


    With that, William moved past him, leaving a puzzled Fang behind.


    What did he mean? The competition was sponsored by the chamber of commerce, how did William¡¯s father relate with the matter between Fang and Valeria?


    --- --- ---


    Fang¡¯s report was handed in, and his tasks as a prefect was complete for the weekend. Since it was a holiday, he headed on the roads towards the magic academy to pick up Mii.


    Mii had left the woman¡¯s dormitory already, waiting at the gates eagerly. She looked forward to the weekend ¨C it was when she was the happiest, because after entering the academy, she didn¡¯t get many chances to see Fang.


    By her side was her roommate, a gaudy girl named Tracy. The gates were crowded, as it wasn¡¯t uncommon for students to grab a ride back into the city.


    Tracy lived with Mii for a while, so she naturally knew who Mii was waiting. She muttered, ¡°I say, Mii, you and that guy don¡¯t really fit at all. He looks ordinary, and I heard from Garden College that he¡¯s in the lowest, worst class there is. Why don¡¯t you look further? Here, we have noble, excellent magicians who are far superior to those filthy fighters, and you¡¯re so beautiful; you can easily grab whoever you want. Plus, even if you were looking for someone from Garden College, there¡¯s an endless line of people more handsome than that guy. You can pick a better boyfriend, why don¡¯t you?¡±


    Mii frowned. ¡°Tracy, Fang is the best for me, I won¡¯t take anyone else!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just advising you because he¡¯s like an ugly duckling, while you¡¯re a swan¡­¡± She gradually trailed off as Mii stared at her angrily. ¡°Okay, okay, for you, Fang¡¯s the best of men in this world, I got it!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Mii firmly said, ¡°and also, he¡¯s not weak at all, one day, Fang will be the strongest in Garden College!¡±


    She believed in Fang. For the majority of her life, Fang had been looked down as waste, but after waking from that coma, he became a genius. His power went up by leaps and bounds, and his assistance to Mii in helping her understand magic only solidified her belief that he would soar to be the best.


    Tracy scoffed at her. ¡°Come on, he¡¯s in the lowest class of all the students, I think you¡¯re dreaming!¡±


    As she was about to respond, her face loosened and a sweet smile appeared. Seeing her expression, Tracy knew what happened.


    From a short distance away, Fang was getting closer.


    Pleased to see him, Mii jumped forwards and hugged Fang¡¯s arm. ¡°Fang, you¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, something came up today so I was a little late Mii, hope you weren¡¯t waiting too long.¡±


    Mii shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I just arrived from the dormitory shortly.¡±


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    He took her hand, and they started to walk from the gates, attracting numerous jealous stares.


    In the magic academy, there were very few talented magic users like Mii, and her beauty coupled with the level of understanding she had made her a tiny celebrity inside the magic academy. Plus, she had provoked the pursuit of many men, but she had coldly rejected them all, so everyone wished to know who her boyfriend was.


    ¡°Is that guy Mii¡¯s boyfriend? He doesn¡¯t even look good.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and he¡¯s not talented either ¨C people from Garden College say he¡¯s in the lowest class.¡±


    ¡°How can he be with Mii, it doesn¡¯t make sense! I, handsome, romantic, and better than that guy was rejected in an instant!¡±


    ¡°Well, there are rumors that they grew up near each other.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe she really feels that way, she¡¯s bound to change; after all, no girl likes anyone that¡¯s weak.¡±


    The scathing remarks made by the other students maliciously reached their ears.


    Mii grew more and more worried as Fang continued to walk, frowning and silent.


    Thinking that he was quite upset, she tried to comfort him. ¡°Fang, these guys are full of nonsense, don¡¯t listen to them.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what?¡±


    Just now, he wasn¡¯t paying attention. Instead, he was wondering deeply about the possible relationship between William¡¯s family and Valeria¡¯s. There was certainly a connection, but what could it be?


    Hearing Mii explain, Fang rapidly understood what was going on, and smiling, replied. ¡°Mii, I thought it was something important. It¡¯s not a big deal, I hadn¡¯t paid attention to these guys.¡±


    Ever since he had learned and practiced the endless method, he had defeated Vincent, Garret, and Ray with his strength. No doubt remained, and he was confident of his strength, so naturally, he ignored the gossip about whether he was worthy of Mii or not.


    Fang turned his attention back to the matter of William.


    Unlike the others he had faced, this opponent was far stronger than anyone he fought. With William¡¯s energy containing the properties of metal, he felt that if the competition was today, he wouldn¡¯t be able to beat him.


    Upon returning to Valeria¡¯s house, they headed towards the kitchen. On the weekend visits they made, Valeria would always cook for them before embarking on enhancing Fang¡¯s energy. He thought that, even with a clear motive in mind, she cared for him; this house had become a warm home for Fang before he knew it.


    Mii went to sort out the cutlery and set the table while Fang came to lady wearing an apron. ¡°Valeria, can I ask you something?¡±


    Valeria looked up and wiped her face with a cool towel. ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Do you know someone called William? He¡¯s in the same year as me, but in class two.¡±


    She stopped moving, and her face fell. ¡°What happened?¡±

 Chapter 41: Wrong Class

    Chapter 41: Wrong Class


    This was one of few times Fang saw her face turn so downcast ¨C her relationship with William¡¯s family shouldn¡¯t be simply colleagues, but more. It obviously didn¡¯t appear to be a good one, though since he brought up the topic, he could only continue. ¡°Well, I met William earlier today, and exchanged some words with him; he said to give his father¡¯s regards to you.¡±


    Valeria coldly muttered, ¡°Give his regards? I¡¯m fine without seeing his face again!¡±


    Curious, Fang asked, ¡°What went on between you and William¡¯s father?¡±


    ¡°The current chamber of commerce and their family¡¯s business used to be firm industrial partners. At least, that was when my father got elected as the head of the chamber of commerce!¡± She put down the food. ¡°But everything changed in the wake of that event!¡±


    The event she referred to could be the one and only event: the raid that led to her family¡¯s death.


    ¡°Before it happened, the relationship between our families was very good as my father and William¡¯s father were close friends. They grew up together and became comrades, deeply trusting in each other. Their company was based off of transportation, which fit in with the needs of the chamber of commerce that Valeria¡¯s father was in charge of. Eventually, they became the financial giants in Minuet City. There came up an important, urgent delivery that could catapult their wealth higher; however, it required transport across the Blue Sea. Again, William¡¯s father arranged the carriage for the goods, and although it was through the Blue Sea, my father had trust in him and hastily put together an escort of the strongest he could find.¡±


    She paused for a moment, then continued. ¡°Their team was very powerful, and it looked as though the rewards outweighed the cons. There was some risk by heading into the treacherous area, but the route chosen was known to be relatively safe, just with some reports of some ragtag minor pirates that they could easily deal with. Nevertheless, an accident happened ¨C they met the brutal pirate group that led to their deaths, yet, that pirate group rarely appeared in that area, so I¡¯ve always thought it was strange!¡±


    ¡°You think someone intentionally leaked information and lured the pirates to there? And that person was from William¡¯s family?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t suspect anything at first, because my father was so friendly with him, but¡­ after that happened, he displayed no remorse or consolation. He went to claim that there was no cooperation between his business and the chamber of commerce; the reputation plummeted and all our old customers left, adding insult to injury. A new branch appeared from his business and competed for the former spot of goods and services ¨C it was then that I discovered the route given to my father was ¡®graciously¡¯ plotted by his closest friend. However, he denied it all. Hypocrite, through and through, he only appeared to be my father¡¯s trusted confidante, yet, planned this from the very start to dominate the entire city with his company!¡±


    At this moment, furious hatred rose on Valeria¡¯s face. Her father and brother was killed, but the hypocrite that caused it all was relaxing contently on top of his wealth.


    ¡°The company you keep with can be more dangerous than the battlefield, you can¡¯t trust even the best of friends; many ¡®true¡¯ friends are willing to turn to money and power for anything.¡± Sullenly, she stared at him. ¡°Fang, remember what happened to my father, carefully make friends and always be cautious, else you¡¯ll be stabbed in the back!¡±


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    Uncomfortably, Fang nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    Regardless of what Valeria said, he thought it was just misfortunate; a single scarring experience had caused her to be so paranoid. Thinking of his friend, he was sure that Blue, although odd, was sincerely his friend.


    However, Fang was wrong ¨C his roommate hid a big secret from him as well.


    Valeria asked again, ¡°Fang, what else did William say?¡±


    Fang slightly hesitated. ¡°Two months later, he said the chamber of commerce would be sponsoring a competition where a representative from each class would go. He and I are both prefects of our respectively classes, so there¡¯s a chance that we might be opponents in the tournament.¡±


    Instantly, Valeria said, ¡°No, absolutely don¡¯t participate.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Although in name, the competition is sponsored by the chamber of commerce, the actual sponsors are from William¡¯s father¡¯s connections, and judging so far, he already knows my relationship with you. He¡¯ll make sure to arrange an opportunity to put you and William in the same bracket.¡± Valeria tightly grasped Fang¡¯s hand worriedly. ¡°Listen, you might have made a lot of progress now, but you¡¯re no match for William ¨C promise that you won¡¯t try to be brave, there¡¯s no knowing what might happen. There¡¯s no doubt that something will be arranged to either cripple or kill you as an accident, so, throw in the towel and don¡¯t bother with this.¡±


    Family takes after family, William was the same as his father; acting as the perfect student to his class while harboring malicious intents, with nothing standing in his way of ambition.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Nevertheless, a cold glint flashed in Fang¡¯s eyes.


    --- --- ---


    After returning back to the college, his plans completely changed.


    On the Monday morning after the first class was over, Fang turned to Blue. ¡°Blue, go to the next classes alone, okay?¡±


    Blue frowned. ¡°Why, are you suddenly bored with me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I absolutely don¡¯t think that,¡± With difficulty, Fang tried to explain, ¡°I¡¯m going to go and try learning something difficult, but I feel it¡¯ll be a waste of time if you go. So, I¡¯ll go alone and after the classes are over, we¡¯ll meet again.¡±


    Doubtfully, Blue agreed, and Fang rushed into a different hallway.


    What¡¯s he doing?


    Blue felt there was something up, and curious to what it was, didn¡¯t go towards the next class. Quietly, she quickly followed behind Fang.


    Taking multiple twists and turns on the campus, Fang finally arrived at a certain place. This wasn¡¯t a class that Blue had seen before, Fang never visited this class as far as she knew.


    But the most eerie thing was, even past the starting time for classes, there was no one inside the classroom, not even a single student!


    A quiet teacher sat leisurely inside beside the podium. Of all the teachers in Garden College, he had taught the least. Most of his classes consisted of a lazy nap, as no one ever was present inside the classroom, and left after his delegated class was over.


    Well, the teacher thought, it seems that today would be full of dreams again.


    Just then, he heard the sound of footsteps, and a person walked into the classroom.


    He looked like an inconspicuous teenager.


    Frowning, the teacher looked at him closely. ¡°Student, are you sure you didn¡¯t come into the wrong class?¡±


    ¡°No, teacher, this is the right class,¡± Fang moved into the room. ¡°If it¡¯s fine with you, I¡¯d like to learn Meteor.¡±

 Chapter 42: Meteor

    Chapter 42: Meteor


    Of all the fighting techniques, Meteor was scaling technique that completely dependent on the user¡¯s level of energy.


    For example, a yellow Meteor can be comparable to an ordinary orange skill, but it didn¡¯t require as much energy as an orange skill and thus could still be learned as an intermediate. Therefore, it was powerful without a doubt. However, for such a trump skill, the class was empty, with no trace of other people.


    Meteor wasn¡¯t just hard to learn, it was dangerous.


    Energy Devour, Hammer Kick, these fighting techniques gave people trouble learning; most weren¡¯t willing to put in the practice to learn the skill. The difficulty of those skills paled in comparison to Meteor, especially as the time needed to learn it took until graduation. Even then, it was hard to comprehend and use it.


    A few students were willing to take that huge risk, wasting their time until they graduate learning a single skill? It obviously was unrealistic, and precisely because of that, no one bothered to learn this powerful skill.


    However, today, there was someone to challenge the seemingly impossible task!


    But the teacher for Meteor wasn¡¯t finally glad someone came to learn, rather, he was quite unhappy as he liked his free time.


    Every day, he could just sleep in class, seeing how there were no students and received a sizable wage. This situation was something he didn¡¯t want to be in.


    Glancing over Fang again, the teacher¡¯s expression grew darker as he saw the emblem on Fang¡¯s chest ¨C it was the symbol of class eight.


    Even the best third-year class one students didn¡¯t dare to attempt Meteor, yet, a first-year rookie, from the worst class too, dare come to this class?


    The possibility that this student could learn Meteor was close to zero, perhaps negative, he thought. Immediately, the teacher concluded, this ignorant student was going to cause unnecessary classes.


    Best to send this idiot away!


    Dry coughing rang out through the classroom. ¡°Do you know what Meteor is?¡±


    Fang nodded. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a very strong skill that everyone wants to master!¡±


    Damn, that¡¯s not the point!


    Cursing in his heart, the teacher tried explaining patiently. ¡°I know that everyone wants to master Meteor, but did it ever occur to you that Meteor requires time, sweat, and effort? Also, your efforts won¡¯t amount to anything, I¡¯ve seen many students come with confidence, blindly pursuing this art. They were talented, but after a few years, they still failed to learn it. Moreover, the technique itself is dangerous, and incorrectly using it will impact your future progress; retrospectively, those students wanting to master Meteor should¡¯ve achieved higher levels of achievement if they didn¡¯t come.¡±


    Theatrically, he sighed. ¡°So, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to teach you, but I¡¯m kindly reminding you to carefully consider your decision. Are you sure you really want to learn?¡±


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    This guy should go away with this much discouragement, right?


    His wishful thinking was shattered instantly as Fang replied, ¡°I¡¯ve thought this through, and I¡¯m completely sure.¡±


    Stubborn and stupid! How come this student doesn¡¯t listen to any advice?


    Fang knew that the teacher wanted him to give up, but he couldn¡¯t. Two months later, the competition would definitely involve him and William. It was a political war waged between Valeria and William¡¯s father to see who could become the most influential; it was a fight Fang couldn¡¯t afford to lose.


    Nonetheless, although he would make quick progress in two months, from his estimations, Fang knew it wasn¡¯t enough to bridge the gap between William and himself.


    The only chance was Meteor!


    Only mastering a skill, abet a dangerous one, did he have a chance for victory!


    To accomplish this, Fang came here. He wasn¡¯t blind to what Meteor was, and though the other techniques he practiced were easy to grasp, it surely wasn¡¯t the case for this. The elders themselves expressed that they had difficulties learning Meteor, and they didn¡¯t exhibit full mastery over it too.


    Even at the peak, if the supreme masters couldn¡¯t use the highest level of Meteor, there was no doubt that this teacher couldn¡¯t use it at the highest level, but it was enough for him.


    Depressed and helpless, the teacher had no idea what Fang was thinking. Unable to refuse as a teacher, he asked, ¡°Student, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Fang!¡±


    Fang?


    Standing up, he felt that the name had a familiar ring, and after saying it twice, he remembered.


    This guy from class eight beat someone from the top class in his year?


    It¡¯s a bit special, he supposed, but to practice Meteor, you couldn¡¯t just be a bit special: you had to be very special.


    Let¡¯s hope he won¡¯t waste my time.


    He looked closely at Fang. ¡°Well, Fang, welcome to the class where you¡¯ll learn Meteor ¨C my name is Weiss, and I¡¯ll be your teacher. However, you¡¯ll need to select the appropriate grade of Meteor you¡¯d like to learn.¡±


    His decision already made, Fang dismissively said the grade he wanted to learn, and Weiss¡¯s mouth dropped open.


    5th grade?


    Meteor consisted of skills that would completely exhaust a user¡¯s energy at their level. With that in mind, it was categorized into 5 grades, where each grade consumed more and more energy as well as requiring extremely precise control. At the highest level of practice, it was rumored that this technique could cause calamities and devastate cities in a matter of seconds.


    Most people would be happy with learning the 1st grade of Meteor at the intermediate stage, but going for the 5th grade?


    This student¡¯s insanely greedy!

 Chapter 43: Classmate

    Chapter 43: Classmate


    The next day, when Fang came into the classroom, someone else was also there.


    But yesterday, other than himself, there wasn¡¯t anyone taking the Meteor class.


    Seeing the person, Fang blurted out, ¡°Blue?¡±


    With her legs curled, a look of ease appeared on Blue¡¯s face. ¡°Why, are you surprised to see me?¡±


    When she followed Fang out of curiosity, she saw Fang enter the class. Thinking it wasn¡¯t anything big, she returned to the classes, but after going to class all the time with Fang, it seemed like time dragged on and on alone without him. Bored to death, Blue couldn¡¯t help wander her thoughts over to what Fang was doing, and why it was important to Fang. So today, she ran over.


    ¡°Blue, you know that I came here to learn a technique for the upcoming competition, but why did you come here?¡±


    ¡°What, is my level too low for this class?¡± Blue tried to brush it off, but Fang pressed for a reason.


    ¡°Did you come to fool around?¡±


    She frowned. ¡°Who came to fool around, I¡¯m just taking this class like any student. Am I not good enough? After you became the representative for our class, are all students below you now?¡±


    Knowing Blue¡¯s quick temper, Fang apologized hastily. ¡°Blue, I certainly don¡¯t mean that, but this skill is really very difficult to learn, and you might be wasting your time here. I don¡¯t want you to waste your time here, so I didn¡¯t tell you about attending this class, even though you like to attend class together with me.¡±


    ¡°Who liked attending class with you?¡± Blue coughed. ¡°I¡¯m just taking this class to learn something new, it has nothing to do with you!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, it¡¯s all good.¡± Fang helplessly said. Although his roommate was temperamental, they were extremely stubborn when they decided on something. He took a seat next to Blue, and hoped somehow after this class, he could persuade him again to relent and give up on this class.


    --- --- ---


    The bell resounded through the building, and Weiss appeared right on time. Weiss hoped that Fang wouldn¡¯t come today, as he had explained the fundamental theory behind the attack in addition to the release method. Instead, he discovered Fang wasn¡¯t the only one there too ¨C in the classroom, there was another person. Moreover, Weiss noted this student was also from class eight, and he gave in to a sudden splitting headache.


    Did students these days aim so high, why did they need to learn this technique of all things?


    Damn, my idle life¡¯s now done for!


    Masking his unwell mood, Weiss put on a serious face and asked, ¡°The new student, please introduce yourself.¡±


    ¡°1st year from class eight, Blue!¡±


    ¡°Student Blue, which technique did you come here to learn?¡±


    Blue pointed at Fang. ¡°Teacher, I¡¯ll learn whatever this guy¡¯s learning.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Weiss frowned. ¡°Your classmate Fang chose the 5th grade Meteor to study, do you really want to study the same thing with him?¡±


    5th grade?


    Blue was shocked, although she followed after Fang to the class secretly yesterday, she didn¡¯t listen to what the teacher inside was saying. This was due to that teacher having a large amount of awareness spread out near their classrooms to ensure privacy.


    To her, even the 5th grade Meteor wasn¡¯t too difficult to learn, but for what she knew, Fang was overreaching; it was quite impossible for that guy to learn it in that short time period.


    However, her words couldn¡¯t be taken back, so she could only continue ahead. ¡°Yes!¡±


    Weiss sighed. He didn¡¯t want to teach, but the possibility of them learning the 1st grade or the 5th grade was the same deal ¨C zero. At least it¡¯ll save the trouble of preparing another set of exercises and explanations, he thought as he started to face the board in the front of the class.


    Though Fang wanted to talk to Blue at the end of class, Weiss interrupted him and walked forwards after concluding the class. ¡°Blue, I¡¯d like to chat with you. Fang, evidently you two are friends, but leave the classroom first and wait outside a bit.¡±


    Listening to Teacher Weiss¡¯s tone, it seemed that he also wanted to make Blue give up on this class. Fang nodded and left the classroom obediently.


    Fang¡¯s guess was spot on, Weiss wanted to lower the number of students in his class. He didn¡¯t dislike teaching greatly, it was partly the opposite. Too many students in the past had embarked in attempting this way of skills, yet failed and harmed themselves. The responsibility was haunting, and so, Weiss tried his best to persuade anyone now to quit from this path.


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    However, Fang was a recent exception. Yesterday, during the extended class where Weiss tested and lectured Fang the basics, he was pleasantly surprised. Fang¡¯s questions were inquisitive and his control over his energy was nothing like Weiss had seen before ¨C it wasn¡¯t utterly hopeless for Fang to grasp the technique, he evaluated. But another student like Fang? Even if they were from the same class, they would surely not match up.


    ¡°I know that everyone wants to learn Meteor, but please think it over, this skill takes a lot of time and effort. In addition, it may be dangerous, and result in nothing productive; I have seen with my own eyes many students who blindly pursued it, including very talented students coming in with confidence¡­¡± Weiss¡¯s voice trailed off.


    Before he had got to finish his tirade discouraging this student, Blue had released her energy.


    Seven colors spread out in a dazzling array outside Blue¡¯s body, some blue like the water, translucent wind, warm bright light¡­


    Advanced level, moreover, the energy properties exhibited seven different kinds!


    Weiss stared at Blue. ¡°Rainbow properties!¡±


    She smiled lightly. ¡°Teacher Weiss, do you still think I don¡¯t have the qualifications to study Meteor?¡±


    Sweat dripped down his forehead, a 1st year student has reached the advanced stage, moreover, had displayed seven different elemental properties. If they didn¡¯t have the qualifications to learn Meteor, then no one did.


    As well, that family was famously known for a single person with such a type of energy.


    That girl had attended the most prestigious schools in the country, receiving the attention of innumerable well known institutes, but she had disappeared. The people from the city didn¡¯t think it was strange, as it was commonly spread that Scarlett was a whimsical beauty.


    It was undeniable though, even if her personality was unpredictable, she was a rare talent in the history of that respected family, so she was sure to reach unknown heights without attending any further education.


    Weiss had actually never anticipated that she would quietly attend Garden College, and mix in with the lowest class like this.


    ¡°Certainly, you¡¯re qualified,¡± he said, ¡°but¡­¡±


    ¡°Teacher Weiss.¡± Blue interjected when he was about to speak. ¡°I naturally have a goal in mind, please keep this a secret for me.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Weiss politely bowed, but couldn¡¯t dispel the doubt in his mind.


    Why would she come to this place, of all places, and like that? And what significance did learning Meteor have to her?


    He shook his head. The musings of the capricious beauty of Minuet City were unfathomable!


    --- --- ---


    Seeing his roommate come out of the classroom, Fang immediately asked, ¡°Blue, the teacher should¡¯ve told you the same thing I believe, it isn¡¯t the right time for you to practice or learn Meteor, maybe later.¡±


    Blue rolled her eyes. ¡°No, the teacher agreed that it would be beneficial for me to stay in this class.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Fang was stunned, as far as he knew, Weiss wasn¡¯t the type of teacher to easily receive students. To recommend that this class was suitable to a student? Even he had trouble getting the attention of this teacher, only reluctantly relenting after Weiss saw his own performance.


    But now, he easily agreed with Blue taking this class?


    Puzzled, Fang muttered. ¡°How¡¯s that possible?¡±


    ¡°Nothing is impossible!¡± Blue raised her face arrogantly. ¡°I already said that I was really strong, and Teacher Weiss thought my talent was extremely high, so he said Meteor was completely appropriate for me. The reason¡¯s simple, it¡¯s just that you¡¯ve been in disbelief all this time!¡¯


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Perhaps, the teacher thought his roommate¡¯s stubborn personality was too firmly set in place, and difficult to convince, gave up on discouraging him.


    Well, Blue might attend some classes with me for a while, but once he realizes how hard it is to learn Meteor, maybe he¡¯ll leave on his own after a couple of days!

 Chapter 44: Improvement

    Chapter 44: Improvement


    Fang¡¯s predictions turned out to be wrong, because as eleven days passed by, Blue came to class daily, no matter how much Fang advised him not to. Soon enough, Weiss also discovered Fang¡¯s intentions, and felt gleeful inside; this dumb kid really wanted to convince the temperamental girl.


    However, Scarlett must have come to this class for this roommate of hers, as she would find Meteor simply useless. No matter how much Weiss looked, he couldn¡¯t find what attracted her to Fang.


    After a couple of attempts at dissuading Blue, Fang didn¡¯t bring it up again. His roommate would get angry and refuse to talk with him, so Fang decided to help Blue as much as he can.


    Dusk set in, and the practice area was free for all of class eight to use. Because Fang had defeated Ray, no one from the other classes dared to bother them.


    Fang came with Blue to the field, and asked him, ¡°Blue, are you practicing anything important?¡±


    There wasn¡¯t much to practice, as training at this stage didn¡¯t have any significance for Blue. ¡°No, why?¡±


    ¡°Well, I thought we could discuss what we learned in today¡¯s class, what do you think?¡±


    Blue shrugged. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Their discussion would¡¯ve shocked anyone else in the college.


    Fang, with the knowledge of the excellent theories he learned from the ten elders, had an extensive understanding of how the technique was formed, and shortcuts to form the energy required for the skill. Because he didn¡¯t want his roommate to stumble and give up due to the difficulty of Meteor, Fang was going to suggest what he knew to make sure Blue didn¡¯t take the wrong path while learning it. Yet, Blue was proud, and it was unlikely that he¡¯d take the lecture from Fang, so Fang proposed a discussion to indirectly teach him.


    --- --- ---


    Certainly not stupid, Blue understood Fang¡¯s intention quickly. Instead of appreciating the kindness Fang offered, she thought it was comical.


    Teach me? Who do you think I am? And that 5th grade technique, I¡¯ve already learned it, even gaining a rare complement from that old man.


    Okay, if you want to brag about how much you comprehend Meteor, let me show you who really knows the most about that skill!


    Thus, within a minute of Fang¡¯s explanation, Blue interrupted him and offered an alternative method to forming the energy.


    Once Blue finished talking, Fang fell deeply into thought, and after a while exclaimed, ¡°Blue, I didn¡¯t know that you had such good insight into this skill!¡±


    Even when he compared to what he came up with, Blue¡¯s theory and method was slightly better than his own improvisations.


    No wonder Blue got into Garden College, Fang didn¡¯t think that other people at his age had this high level of perception.


    Countless people had given higher praise to Blue, but hearing it for the first time from Fang, it felt more satisfying than the other complements she had gotten ¨C it was probably because Fang thought she was an ordinary person. Actually, she didn¡¯t know what had changed; she no longer truly despised Fang.


    Her knowledge came from her father, who taught her using his own interpretation of the passed down theory to learn Meteor. Of course it was going to be superior, after all, her father was rather powerful.


    But seconds later, Fang followed up. ¡°What you said is pretty good, but I think there¡¯s several places for improvement.¡±


    Improvement?


    Blue got angry all of a sudden.


    Fang, you talk big, you think you can improve this polished method further?


    Although on the surface she treated her old man quite arrogantly, her innermost thoughts actually was the opposite. She was extremely respectful of her father¡¯s strength, and hearing Fang propose that her father¡¯s theory could be enriched more caused her to feel insulted.


    Enraged, she shouted, ¡°Okay, tell me which points can be improved!¡±


    ¡°Umm, when you said that some of energy should be concentrated at a single point, wouldn¡¯t it be better to form it with multiple, spread out points of contact? And also¡­¡± Fang explained his own opinions, and though Blue was initially annoyed, her eyes soon changed, showing surprise.


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    These points that Fang said were very reasonable, and appeared to be more through than her father¡¯s method, although she didn¡¯t want to acknowledge it. After all, her father¡¯s ability couldn¡¯t be questioned. Yet, he was only a single talented person. Compared to Fang¡¯s study by a collection of ten supreme experts, there wasn¡¯t a shred of doubt that he had innovative viewpoints on the formation of energy.


    Like this, Blue fell lost in thought as Fang continued to describe his interpretation of how Meteor should be used.


    The places that he advanced on, would truly add to the technique and perhaps would even increase the power of the skill.


    It seemed that the method her father taught wasn¡¯t impeccable!


    Seeing that his roommate silent for a very long time, Fang worriedly asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Startled, Blue fell off balance, but quickly recovered and looked at Fang. ¡°Nothing, it really seems like this skill could be improved a bit!¡±


    ¡°If it was useful to you, let¡¯s keep meeting after class and keep discussing,¡± Fang said happily.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do that,¡± Blue readily agreed. Unlike before, she was genuinely intrigued, and wanted to discover what other opinions Fang had.


    --- --- ---


    The morning sun lit up the solitary figure on the wide road. A single exchange with a guard was all it took for the person to enter the small castle. Stairs were climbed, and a certain heavy door swung open.


    ¡°Old man, I have an issue related with an energy skill.¡±


    Upon hearing that enchanting voice, Kingsley smiled. ¡°This is the first time you¡¯ve taken the initiative to ask about energy ¨C did the moon turn blue?¡±


    ¡°What, is it that rare?¡± The young beauty coughed. ¡°It¡¯s to do with your own technique that you¡¯ve taught me.¡±


    She proceeded to explain what Fang told her about the points of improvement to Meteor, and boasted, ¡°That method you¡¯ve taught me to use the skill isn¡¯t the best!¡±


    Kingsley was a little stunned, but color filled his face again. ¡°Daughter, it might seem that way, though did you forget what I often said? There¡¯s no limit to how high martial arts could go, it¡¯ll forever be endless and always have a chance to get stronger! You¡¯ve improved that technique, and it¡¯s only to your benefit!¡±


    ¡°Save your lecturing for later,¡± the girl replied discontentedly. ¡°You, the figure that the entire country respects, admit that something you¡¯ve ¡®perfected¡¯ wasn¡¯t the best it could be?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an unwarranted reputation that others thought up by themselves,¡± Kingsley calmly stated. ¡°In this world, there are plenty of people stronger than I am, hidden in various places to diligently perfect their art. Those opinions that you put forth, definitely must have come from one of those experts out there. So, who told you?¡±


    Her hopes of getting a rise out of Kingsley were dashed, and viewing his indifference to the new advances, she grew angry. ¡°Nonsense, these improvements supposedly only by reclusive masters came from my roommate!¡±


    His keen eyes suddenly bore down at his daughter as his expression changed. ¡°Your roommate, Fang?¡±


    ¡°Is there anyone else named Fang at Garden College?¡± She scowled. ¡°The method that you taught me wasn¡¯t so great if a 1st year student at a college could enhance it ¨C don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a stain on your honor?¡±


    Although Kingsley acted very humble, he determinedly believed that a regular youth acting by their own analysis couldn¡¯t possibly have proposed these insightful changes. Even by random ideas, it was quite impossible to go into this much detail, there wasn¡¯t a doubt that some extraordinary genius came up with these.


    Initially, he casually selected a seemingly studious student to affect his daughter, but he never imagined that he would incidentally pick someone from such a background.


    The figure behind Fang didn¡¯t open declare that Fang was their disciple, therefore, there must be a definite goal behind him.


    However, as Kingsley contemplated, he came up with nothing; he¡¯d have to investigate further. For now, he¡¯d leave him alone. It seemed that because of that kid, Scarlett¡¯s started to take an interest in training¡­

 Chapter 45: Fated

    Chapter 45: Fated


    Once the weekend was over, the daily classes continued as usual. In the evenings, Fang and Blue discussed what was taught in the class earlier, and he slowly realized that it wasn¡¯t just to help Blue learn this technique.


    From the supreme masters, Fang studied various theories and methods, which gave him these unique insights into Meteor. However, Blue had the skill to refine each step further, detailing the theory into actual energy practice. Due to this, his progress became much faster than he had expected.


    As for Blue, though she had no use for this low level skill, it was an interesting exercise in interpretation. Many of the aspects that Fang pointed out were things she had never thought of before, and her narrow vision of what energy should be greatly increased as she spent the days absorbed.


    Both sides made up for each other¡¯s weakness by displaying their strengths to fill in ¨C time quickly passed like this, and several weeks flew by.


    --- --- ---


    It was a Monday morning when the teacher suddenly came up to the front of the class on the podium. ¡°Today, there¡¯s something that this class must decide on. The chamber of commerce, sponsored by some businesses from the city is hosting a competition next week in this college. Each class will send a representative, and the winner of each match will receive a hefty scholarship. Unlike the intention of many tournaments, this one is to promote friendly rivalry between the classes and nothing more. So, the results, victory or defeat will not matter. Keeping that in mind, you¡¯ll be electing a representative today to participate.¡±


    Two months!


    Fang was shocked, he had been so immersed in constant practice that he forgot about how much time had passed.


    Everyone¡¯s vision lined up on Fang as Hershal¡¯s voice trailed off.


    Usually in any sort of event that involved the classes pitted against each other, the class prefects would be selected.


    The entire class recognized Fang as the strongest, as he defeated a student from class two even with a lower level of power. As well, the help he offered to his fellow classmates brought widely shared admiration from class eight, so naturally, there was no other candidate.


    ¡°Fang, you should go to the competition!¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re the prefect of class eight and can proudly represent us.¡±


    ¡°With your strength, there¡¯s no doubt that you could take off a match from the other classes too!¡±


    Throughout the class, the sentiment was one and the same. Blue lightly poked Fang with her elbow. ¡°Well, prefect, it seems that you¡¯ve just been getting more and more popular!¡±


    Slight embarrassment ran through Fang¡¯s face. ¡°Blue, don¡¯t tease me about it!¡±


    After several minutes of discussion, Hershal waved his hand and the chatter died down. He looked at Fang with a faint smile. ¡°Fang, the class thinks that you¡¯re the best representative for class eight, do you have any objections?¡±


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    He should go, no, he needed to go.


    For the sake of what he was important to him, Fang decided he wouldn¡¯t shy away from anything.


    Therefore, Fang shouted without hesitation. ¡°No, I¡¯ll definitely perform to the best of my abilities!¡±


    --- --- ---


    An announcement rang out inside Garden College two days later, and a large crowd rushed towards the main hallway. This event concerned the reputations of all the classes, hence, everyone paid close attention to the single poster on the board.


    Alarm coursed through class eight as they struggled through the crowd to read a bracket: class two against class eight.


    ¡°I¡¯d never expected that we¡¯d be clashing with class two again!¡±


    ¡°The old saying that enemies often cross each other¡¯s paths is unluckily true; we¡¯ve been at odds with class two ever since that incident with Ray.¡±


    ¡°William, the prefect from class two I heard was extremely strong. Plus, it¡¯s rumored that his father is directly sponsoring the chamber of commerce for this competition!¡±


    Unlike his surprised classmates, Fang had a calm expression.


    Valeria really guessed correctly, William and I were arranged in the same bracket!


    ¡°Fang!¡± A piercing voice turned heads towards a figure in front of the board. ¡°It seems like we¡¯re fated to meet after all. But unfortunately, who would¡¯ve thought you doomed yourself so early in your life?¡±


    Fate?


    Fang blinked; that was complete nonsense. William¡¯s father was in charge of the businesses sponsoring the chamber of commerce, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to create a lucky accident where two names were picked together.


    To arrogantly declare the result before the match had happened left a bitter taste in class eight. ¡°William, you shouldn¡¯t be so sure, our representative is also very powerful!¡±


    ¡°Remember Ray? Your classmate that proudly strutted himself, and look what happened to him.¡±


    ¡°Though you might be from the top class, we¡¯ll carry ourselves with dignity regardless of victory or defeat ¨C Fang isn¡¯t intimidated at all.¡±


    William smirked. ¡°Really, this is a group of pathetic fellows. Putting me at the same level as Ray? Don¡¯t make me laugh, he¡¯s one of the weakest people in our class, and it was only a fluke. Face the truth, your strongest representative will only suffer a disastrous, miserable defeat.¡±


    The insufferable conceit that William showed caused more anger among the class, but just as they were about to retort, Fang cut in. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time, you¡¯ll be the one to lose.¡±


    A frown appeared on William; he thought that with his strength, Fang would concede or at least, become timid. However, he didn¡¯t expect the opposite to come true. It didn¡¯t bode very well, and seeing the confidence on Fang¡¯s face worried him a little.


    But then he shook his head.


    This blind fellow has no chance of winning!

 Chapter 46: Past Worries

    Chapter 46: Past Worries


    Up through the spiraling staircase, a dining table was laid out with a delicious array of food. It was the weekend before the deciding match, and as the dishes started to disappear, Fang spoke. ¡°Valeria, there¡¯s something I have to tell you ¨C I¡¯ll be participating in the competition arranged by the chamber of commerce this Tuesday.¡±


    She froze and put down her fork.


    Hearing this ¡®competition¡¯ for the first time, Mii curiously asked, ¡°What competition?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a friendly competition to compare pointers with other students from the various classes,¡± Fang explained.


    Innocent, Mii happily said, ¡°That¡¯s great, you¡¯ll definitely learn a lot by attending it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and my match will be with the representative of class two; the hopes of class eight are riding and I can¡¯t disappoint them.¡± Though Fang replied to Mii, he directed his gaze to Valeria.


    He had the freedom to choose, however, Valeria told him that he¡¯d be exploited in the competition, and warned him.


    ¡°Class two?¡± Mii looked at Fang in surprise. ¡°Fang, isn¡¯t that the top class in the college?¡±


    Most institutes generally followed the same arrangement of classes, with class one and two containing the most excellent talent.


    ¡°Yes, it is!¡± He waited for a response from Valeria, but silence filled in the air.


    Finally, Valeria let out a sigh and showed neither approval nor disapproval. Her expression was unclear; Fang didn¡¯t know if she agreed with his decision.


    A regretful voice broke the quiet. ¡°I wish the competition was held on the weekend, but since it isn¡¯t, I can¡¯t go. Fang, I believe that you¡¯ll win!¡±


    Fang smiled. Although Mii¡¯s support was reassuring, he sought after Valeria¡¯s thoughts.


    --- --- ---


    After dinner, Fang arrived in the training area. The match was only days away, and he needed to fit in as much practice as possible. As he started to warm up, a woman entered the room.


    Her clothes remained the same from the dining room ¨C Valeria didn¡¯t come as an opponent, but with a different purpose that Fang figured out immediately. While Mii was there, she didn¡¯t discuss the competition, yet, she hadn¡¯t given up on that topic.


    ¡°Fang, do you really plan to participate?¡±


    He nodded decisively. ¡°Yes, and even if you oppose, I¡¯ll be going ahead with it.¡±


    She calmly strolled around the room, taking long, soft steps. ¡°I¡¯ll respect your choice, but let me give you a warning again, you¡¯re the enemy of William¡¯s family now. They will do anything, cruelly and mercilessly to put you down. Likely, you could end up crippled and ruined. So, think again, and yield on that pride. Think it through rationally.¡±


    Fang could hear the ill-disguised worry in her voice, and to reassure her, he turned towards Valeria and slightly moved his hands out. ¡°Valeria, you don¡¯t need to worry; I¡¯ve thought this through. Even if William tried to overpower me, I¡¯ll be unscathed, because of this¡­¡±


    While he was speaking, a slight bit of energy appeared on his hands. The dim room lit up tremendously bright for a couple of seconds, then returned back to a faint glow.


    This is¡­


    Valeria stared at Fang, her red lips unable to conceal the joyful amazement. It was something she never expected, she underestimated him grossly.


    Her tone took a complete reverse dive, and she firmly said, ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll fully support your decision!¡±


    --- --- ---


    The sun dropped into the horizon on this Tuesday night as people flooded into the lively practice grounds. Today was the day that the competition hosted by the chamber of commerce would start.


    Students hurriedly rushed into the various arenas, separated by year. Only the representatives of each class would participate, but the results of each match concerned all the classes, as it directly related with their standings in Garden College. As well, there was no doubting the excitement that the strongest of each class would bring in a serious fight.


    To the side, many seats were temporarily constructed for the honored guests of this competition, which included the teachers as well as the sponsors. At the center of the seats, a man remained sitting. Draped in black attire, and his features arranged meticulously, he looked like a generous figure. Yet, the pressure that he gave off indicated that he wasn¡¯t just a merchant; his level definitely was at the soul level, higher than the majority of masters.


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    Engraved on a plate with large, bold characters was his name ¨C Richard.


    This person was the main sponsor of the tournament, the chairman of the largest business in Minuet City.


    His son, William, had entered as a freshman and being the prefect of class two, he naturally came to visit the match that William would be joining in.


    As the crowd began to settle down, it was nearly time for the competition to begin. On behalf of the committee overseeing this event, the vice president came up. ¡°Today, the chamber of commerce is generously sponsoring this competition in our college with scholarships designed to reward great achievement. From Garden College, we¡¯d like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the businesses that made this possible. We¡¯ve invited the president of the association of businesses, who kindly made his time available to attend this event. Please give a warm welcome to Richard!¡±


    Applause echoed through the arena as Richard stood up, waving with a perfect smile until he arrived at a podium. With a loud, enthusiastic voice, he started to speak.


    ¡°Seeing all these youthful, talented students brighten my heart today ¨C you are the hope of the future. With that in mind, I sponsored this competition to promote excellence and friendship. Although only one representative may be participating from your class, I believe in the support from all your fellow students will foster a sense of unity. Friends are important, and with stronger bonds among yourselves, I believe you¡¯ll have the resolution to become stronger!¡±


    Hands clapped vigorously once more, everyone seemed to have a good impression of the chairman that spoke. His motivational speech gave a comfortable feeling, and felt genuine.


    However, Fang glared at the figure descending down. If this person was truly kind and believed in the principles he spoke about, how did that incident happen with Valeria? Surely, Valeria wasn¡¯t lying about her own family being torn to pieces because of that monster?


    His gaze wasn¡¯t the only one. Mixed in the crowd, fervent eyes full of hatred glued on the confident speaker.


    Although Fang clearly displayed ability that exceeded her expectations, there wasn¡¯t a doubt that Valeria would miss this event. Yet, knowing that the situation would be complicated if she appeared as the head of the chamber of commerce when it was controlled like a puppet with wealth, she discreetly came in. Her attire drew curious looks from the surrounding crowd, but they turned their attention elsewhere as the competition began.


    --- --- ---


    The first bracket commenced with class one pitted against class five. As the son of a renowned, prominent military icon, there was no competition. Quickly, the representative of class one unleashed a series of rapid blows that crushed through the feeble defenses of class five¡¯s prefect, and the result was called.


    Even though they had lost, class five didn¡¯t hold any grudges; the difference in strength, ability, and skill was too much.


    Then, in the second bracket, class three faced off against class four. Similarly matched in power, the match commenced with intense bursts of energy until at last, bruised and battered, the class four representative won thrillingly.


    For the third bracket, people eagerly awaited in anticipation.


    High and low ¨C class two compared to class eight would obviously be superior. However, a certain event had forged the two classes into mutual antagonists. With difficulty, class two had suppressed their anger to stomp on top of class eight, but today¡¯s competition was a chance to unleash all that. This hostile relationship between the classes was well known throughout the school with the story of Fang¡¯s victory, and it was the cause for this expectation.


    Cheers from class two resonated as William proudly went up to the stage. His appearance indicated full confidence, after all, his father was practically in charge of the event and with his strength, he held no doubts about his victory.


    On the other side, a quiet worried voice came from Blue. ¡°Fang, I heard that relations between Richard and Valeria weren¡¯t good as they work in the same area. Be careful, if he discovered that you and Valeria are close to each other, you might be in danger.¡±


    Fang simply replied, ¡°Thanks for the concern, but I know.¡±


    Then, he patted his roommate¡¯s shoulders and walked up the short platform


    Blue sighed. Who cares about you¡­ it¡¯s just that you shouldn¡¯t get hurt because you¡¯re mine!

 Chapter 47: First Step

    Chapter 47: First Step


    Cheering and applause followed Fang as he climbed up the stairs ¨C although no one really believed he could come out with a victory, it was bound to be an interesting fight.


    Richard¡¯s eyes fell on Fang, sizing him up.


    Judging by his appearance, it was likely that Fang wasn¡¯t nobility, he thought. However, the relationship between Valeria and Fang was definitely suspicious. From what he found out, she repeatedly invited Fang for the weekends, and he knew that recently Valeria had been in the market for rare materials.


    There was no doubt that she didn¡¯t buy the materials for herself; she couldn¡¯t advance her skills, so it was likely that it was all for this boy. The reason was quite obvious: she wanted to cultivate a powerhouse to take revenge for her dead family. He paid quite close attention to the events circulating inside the college, and that kid wasn¡¯t ordinary. After all, how could a weakling from the lowest class beat someone from class two?


    So, Valeria, let¡¯s take a look at your gamble. And if it proves that your roll was indeed lucky, then it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to change that.


    ¡°Begin!¡±


    With the beginning of the fight, Fang released his energy; it was at the 4th grade intermediate level.


    In these months, his energy had grown. When he entered, he was the lowest of the lowest, but now, he had reached above the average level of his class.


    Mirroring Fang, William also lowered his energy to the 4th grade intermediate rank, yet, the metallic sheen contrasted sharply with the pale glow.


    Metal Element!


    Though no combat happened, a gasp rose from the audience. To display an elemental property at this level was no joke.


    As to probe each other¡¯s strength, two balls of energy appeared and crashed in the air.


    Bang!


    --- --- ---


    Startled, Richard looked in astonishment. His son had received the best education in the city, and with the constant addition of energy baths as well as elixirs, William¡¯s physique and ability wasn¡¯t weak. In addition, he knew William¡¯s control over his energy was relatively precise, and with the metal element infused into his energy, Fang¡¯s energy shouldn¡¯t have caused a draw. This Fang wasn¡¯t so simple after all, no wonder Valeria chose him!


    William knew that Fang¡¯s mastery over his energy was exceptional, as Ray had lost, but seeing this result still left him unsatisfied.


    A certain section of the crowd broke into applause. It was a quick exchange to test their skills, and unpredictably, Fang had matched William in power!


    The sound grated on William¡¯s ears. Frowning, he condensed a golden spear in his hand and threw it towards Fang.


    Quickly, Fang bent down and swung his leg upwards before the spear impaled him. With the momentum of a heavy hammer, his kick crushed the spear into pieces. Although Fang didn¡¯t take any damage, his expression slightly darkened.


    His kick was a 4th grade yellow skill, but the energy spear that William had tossed was of a lower grade.


    William¡¯s mouth curled upwards.


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    Well, Fang, it seems that you don¡¯t have the advantage. Even if their masteries over their energy were the same, the strengthening properties of his element overpowered Fang. Silence fell over the arena as a barrage of spears rained on Fang, who made use of his melee abilities to break and dodge the salvo.


    He didn¡¯t expect Fang to be so tenacious, but it didn¡¯t bother him. There were no rules against limiting themselves to the competition, everyone was allowed to use their maximum capabilities.


    A mad smile fell on William¡¯s face as the swirling energy grew thicker around him ¨C increased to the 5th grade, another golden shape took form in his hand, but it was different.


    Swirling, a scythe flew out spinning, menacingly advancing towards the glowing figure.


    As before, a full kick met the energy, but instead of breaking through it, Fang¡¯s energy shattered.


    William looked in contempt; this technique was passed down through his family, and it definitely exceeded the strength of the spears before. The deadly trick was within its form, as even if it was interrupted, it would still retain its shape through its curved energy that continued.


    --- --- ---


    Within the audience, Blue¡¯s complexion paled. She immediately recognized the power of this skill.


    The crescent edge, supplemented with the metallic element, increased the sharpness of the energy to a high degree. If it hit Fang, it would lethally cut open the body despite the instant parry that Fang would¡¯ve used.


    His leg raised up, Fang¡¯s body was currently in a vulnerable position as the broken blade started to arch towards his neck. At this moment, his leg swung back down fiercely like a crushing weight as he twisted his torso.


    Thud!


    Two halves of light gold pierced into the ground on each side of Fang.


    William looked stunned.


    This was something unique that he hadn¡¯t seen before. After all, the average person¡¯s hammer kick would end after kicking upwards. However, in the practice fights Fang had with Valeria, he was often took an attack after displaying the powerful kick due to being off balance; this hook was his answer to take advantage of this understanding.


    Applause even came from class two ¨C putting aside the differences between their classes, the display of Fang turning danger into security was beautifully executed.


    Although it appeared simple to perform, they wouldn¡¯t be able to do it. A frightening amount of energy was required to reel back the inertia from the initial kick, and moreover, the amount of practice to perfectly recognize the timings was monstrous.


    Seeing this, Blue relaxed.


    Fang definitely had the energy to back up his skills, but his combat experience from what she knew was lacking. When she saw the battle between Garret and Fang, she almost laughed at the simplicity of the fight ¨C attack, counterattack, attack. Though he had gotten better in the fight against Ray, his battle knowledge looked to be minimal.


    But after all these weeks, it seemed that actual combat wasn¡¯t his weakness, it was his strength!

 Chapter 48: Second Step

    Chapter 48: Second Step


    Hi, sorry about the lack of recent updates for the last week or so. I was pretty busy moving so I didn¡¯t get the time to edit + proofread and post any chapters. It seems that people prefer the action oriented style of combat, so I¡¯ll be sticking to that with describing a few skills and rewriting the past battles to better fit that later on.


    I¡¯ve pretty much finished moving, so I¡¯ll be uploading more frequently.


    Hope you enjoy the story!


    ---


    Although his attacks didn¡¯t go through, William wasn¡¯t very anxious.


    He had the advantage; Fang only managed to ward off that skill by utilizing a lucky timing. If the same technique rained down on Fang constantly, it¡¯d be likely that he¡¯d be unable to defend eventually.


    William¡¯s thoughts were completely correct ¨C Fang knew that he could defend himself against the relentless golden spears, but at this rate, he was no threat. Though Fang¡¯s reserves of energy were high, he didn¡¯t know if he could outlast William.


    Quick reflexes saved him from that strange skill, but he wasn¡¯t that he could successfully block it again. And if he showed a single window of weakness, it was likely that he¡¯d lose.


    Therefore, there wasn¡¯t any hope in stalling it out ¨C to take victory, he¡¯d switch to the offensive!


    Fang rushed towards William, zigzagging side to side with a fierce glint in his eyes.


    In response, William immediately understood what Fang was about to do; since he outclassed Fang in terms of ranged attacks, Fang was approaching for a close confrontation. It might have caused panic for some people, but for him, this was a laughable strategy.


    Grinning, his hands glowed golden. A sharp scythe spun headed towards Fang, cutting off his escape.


    As the yellow light loomed closer, Fang paused and swung his hand as energy gathered in the form of a club. With fierce momentum, the blunt club smashed towards the scythe.


    However, under the impact, the scythe didn¡¯t break. Instead, it embedded itself into the club, inching nearer and nearer as it dug through the energy. After all, the metallic element that the energy possessed made it matchless against regular, non-elemental energy.


    Fang abandoned the club and drew backwards as the scythe accelerated towards him. In a couple of seconds, it would surely reach him.


    But at this moment, Fang disappeared.


    5th grade yellow skill ¨C Shadow Step!


    It was impractical to constantly confront the enemy¡¯s techniques, but there usually wasn¡¯t a choice as the speed energy travelled at exceeded the physical capability of an ordinary person. Hence, techniques to enhance the body and enable it to move at extremely fast speeds were developed. The mismatch between the body and mind caused extreme disorientation when used, thus, the practicality of this area dropped completely for the majority of people in the intermediate stage. Just now though, Fang had demonstrated such a technique.


    And it wasn¡¯t all ¨C the single step was followed up by a second step, changing direction completely.


    V Shadow Step!


    A single step would be considered impressive, but to chain two at once? Visible shock spread throughout the crowd, it was well known that unless a fighter displayed or attuned to the wind element, the execution of speed techniques was impossible for someone at the intermediate stage. In fact, the majority of people at the start of the advanced stage couldn¡¯t display as much mobility as this so rapidly.


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    To Fang, this wasn¡¯t much ¨C it was just a shallow echo of what one of the ten elders had explained within that space.


    This combination of steps turned the situation around; Fang evaded the attack and now, he was a couple of meters away from William.


    William¡¯s face turned dark as Fang, taking advantage of the distance, swept his foot in a long arc. Energy condensed into a wave flew towards William¡¯s torso.


    Unable to back away, a cry rang out as a large golden shield appeared on William¡¯s arm.


    Bang!


    The golden shield slightly cracked as William slid backwards, a cloud of dust trailing his path. However, he looked unscathed, save for a slight graze along his arm.


    Fang couldn¡¯t help but admire William¡¯s fast reflexes. He was on a completely different level than anyone he had fought before.


    Although he had fallen short, cheering came from the crowd. Originally, William was expected to win this match flawlessly, yet, unexpectedly, he was close to defeat from this attack from Fang.


    Richard¡¯s expression became solemn as he stared at Fang ¨C initially, he didn¡¯t pay too much attention seeing how low Fang¡¯s energy was, but in this fight, he surprisingly forced his son into this unfavourable situation. He scowled as he understood why Valeria picked this person.


    Truly, though Fang wasn¡¯t famous yet, his potential was scary and it would only be a matter of time.


    ---


    Fang continued to attack relentlessly, attempting to break that solid shield standing between him and William. Realizing that he couldn¡¯t compare to Fang in close combat, William made this difficult by persistently retreating. There was just too many techniques that he didn¡¯t expect, and although his energy contained the metal element, Fang didn¡¯t give any openings for him to take.


    Frustratingly, William backed away, suppressed by Fang¡¯s assault of kicks and fists. However, even though a lot of attacks had hit the shield with full force, the shield refused to crumple. He wasn¡¯t defeated yet, but William¡¯s expression was grim.


    Seeing that Fang had the advantage, the students, especially class eight, grew more and more excited.


    ¡°I said that our prefect would win, but no one believed me!¡±


    ¡°Anyone might have won, it¡¯s just that right now our class prefect has the lead. It looks bad for William, he doesn¡¯t have a chance to counter attack at all.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t expect that Fang studied so many fighting skills, even grasping Shadow Step!¡±


    ¡°Though William might have the metal element to his energy, this fight isn¡¯t about whose energy is stronger; it¡¯s dominated by the skills of the fighters!¡±


    Compared with the lively chatter of class eight, class two stayed dead silent. They thought that this would be an overwhelming victory with the superior level of energy they had, but it seemed that it wasn¡¯t so simple. Fang was really too difficult to deal with, his array of techniques being as large as it was and his knowledge of when to use what being terrifyingly precise.


    A fearful doubt came up in their minds. Was it possible that the representative of the top class would lose to the lowest class?


    Before the battle, William never anticipated he¡¯d fall into such a precarious position. He wanted his revenge on class two, and it was supposed to be easy.


    There was no way he, William of the largest business in Minuet City, the head of the most excellent class in Garden College would possibly lose like this. This was unacceptable!

 Chapter 49: Crash

    Chapter 49: Crash


    He looked at the side of the arena, and seeing a nod, William grinned savagely. From now on, no blame would go onto him, in fact, all the blame and responsibility would be taken by his father.


    A single move ¨C he was confident that it would be all that it would take.


    Suddenly, William stopped retreating. Golden light burst out in a frenzy, and a large crescent blade formed in front of him. Although he was angry, he hadn¡¯t lost his reason; quickly, he sent the huge mass straight towards Fang¡¯s throat. The amount of pressure emitting from the glowing energy was insane, and without a doubt, it was dangerously lethal.


    This was a difficult situation for Fang, as not only did he have to worry about the looming sword, he had to look out for William as well. In that short delay between his skills, he¡¯d get attacked. Until now, Fang was able to react perfectly against William, but there was no such option now. Even if he did try to resist, his level of energy would be too low compared to William¡¯s.


    The crowd grew silent. No one expected William to have a trump card like this.


    Blue¡¯s face turned pale, she didn¡¯t think that William would be able to form and direct a technique playing to the strengths of his energy. With the sharpness that the energy gleamed, if Fang couldn¡¯t pull off something to counter this, all that would be left of him would be a bloody mess!


    Instead of trying to escape with Shadow Step, Fang stopped in place.


    Closer and closer, the sword ominously flew forwards.


    William smirked. It seemed Fang was desperately trying to counter the attack, but he knew that it would certainly break through anything Fang would have.


    ¡°Fool, you should¡¯ve moved¡­¡± Blue¡¯s voice trailed off, and her eyes grew wide.


    All the energy surrounded Fang vanished!


    Was it possible that he ran out of energy?


    Slowly, Fang lifted up his hands, and energy started to flicker again, except, the light was dazzling.


    The crowd held their breaths as they watched Fang concentrate, but even if he had a higher level technique to use, it couldn¡¯t possibly compare with William¡¯s secret skill.


    A single ball of energy appeared behind Fang.


    To use a simple energy ball at this level for the deciding moment of the fight was undoubtedly going to result in his defeat. However, despite all that, it flew towards William.


    Ping!


    Without any hesitation, the sword cut through the energy easily.


    Nothing happened as the golden light relentlessly accelerated.


    Another ball of energy popped up behind Fang however, and then another, and another¡­


    In moments, the atmosphere around Fang was filled with circles of light.


    His hands waved down.


    Valiantly, the sword cut through the second, third, fourth, fifth, glowing duller and duller.


    When the sixth hit, the sword no longer possessed its former momentum. Yet, it didn¡¯t end.


    Seventh, eighth, the energy rushed out continuously. Although each individual sphere was weak, there were countless amounts pounding at the sword. Each time the dense light exploded on the gold, the sword grew dim.


    Wide eyes tracked the show of lights, like stars streaking down from the sky ¨C this clearly wasn¡¯t a simple salvo of energy balls, it all happened too fast.


    But in spite of all the bursts, the golden sword still remained solid. Looking at the scene, William¡¯s skill had weakened greatly, however, on the other side, Fang had stopped his barrage.


    Visibly, Fang seemed to have run out of energy.


    Noticing this, William¡¯s grim expression lifted as he realized it would only take a single blow to take out Fang. His face contorted in slight pain, but William motioned the sword forwards, and slowly yet assuredly, the golden light charged towards Fang.


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    Alarmed voices with a tone of desperation cried out in alarm. Fang appeared calm though, and unfazed, he concentrated once more. Contrasting the specks of light rushing out earlier, heavy pressure fell upon the surroundings as energy from the remnants of the previous explosions spiraled towards Fang.


    Rapidly, energy collided fiercely into an indiscernibly, horrifying mass of light above him, and then, in freefall, the large meteor shook the air as it crashed down, ripping through the golden light.


    Fear filled William¡¯s eyes as he looked in panic at the destructive power heading his way.


    However, there was nothing he could do.


    Boom!


    An ear shattering sound vibrated throughout the arena as the impact threw William down, bouncing him on the ground over half of the arena. Skidding on the ground, he came to an eventual stop, twitching.


    Immediately, the referee on the side leapt in between Fang and William, keeping both sides away.


    ¡°Ten, nine, eight, seven¡­¡±


    It seemed like the declaration of victory and defeat was happening according to the rules, but in fact, the referee was hindering Fang, counting down ever so gradually.


    If it was Fang on the ground, the referee would¡¯ve definitely called out the match instantly.


    ¡°Six, five¡­¡±


    Although the countdown descended, there was no response from William.


    He couldn¡¯t speak, he couldn¡¯t move.


    He tried to struggle back up, and specks of broken energy faded from his body.


    A weak arm rose up and a cheer came from class two, only to come to a silence as it crumpled.


    Blood spurted out from his mouth and pooled on the ground. The results were obvious by now, and there was immediate need for emergency treatment.


    Reluctantly, the referee declared the results.


    ¡°Winner, Fang!¡±


    Astonishing, the fight had come to a conclusion like this. The audience broke out of their stupor; resoundingly loud applause burst out around the field.


    Before this fight had even begun, the majority of Fang¡¯s class expected that he would show off his comparable skills and preserve their pride, but no one expected that he would overthrow the superior class in such an upset.


    ¡°He won, our class won!¡±


    ¡°Ha, from now on, there¡¯s no doubt that no class would dare to look down upon us!¡±


    ¡°Everyone was wrong, the lowest class isn¡¯t certainly weaker than the others. We were sorted into this class because we just had a slow start!¡±


    Other people discussed the final move Fang had used, as obscure as it was.


    ¡°That final technique, what was that? The might was so domineering.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it broke through the highest tier skill infused with element that William used, it should¡¯ve theoretically been impossible for that to happen.¡±


    ¡°Well, it seemed that technique was actually higher than any skill usable by an intermediate.¡±


    ¡°What do you¡­ could it be?¡±


    ¡°Right, it¡¯s possible that he could¡¯ve used that skill, but even then that would¡¯ve been the 4th grade¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Like wildfire, the rumor spread out through the crowd. No one really believed it, but it was the only thing conceivable.


    As to what they were thinking, it was completely correct: Meteor.


    It wasn¡¯t the highest stage, but in the immersed studies he took, the technique derived from the method was more than enough ¨C Meteor Shower!


    Noticeably, it would sacrifice all the energy that a user had to load up a barrage of small meteors of energy, and from the residue of the attacks, would require great control to condense and gather it all into a final, destructive attack. Nothing at the same level would be able to stand against it, and the oppressive power it showed clearly displayed that.


    Months of effort had all worked out to the mastery of this incredibly tyrannical technique!

 Chapter 50: Unexpected Meeting

    Chapter 50: Unexpected Meeting


    Fang hadn¡¯t reached this level of control over the skill until recently, but he knew that if he used it at the start, William would definitely dodge and come out to an advantage. So, the only option where he would be able to pull it off was when William was off guard, and seize victory at that moment. It seemed throughout the match that Fang was overwhelming outclassed, but it was only a means to conserve his energy and let William underestimate him.


    Once more, Richard stepped slowly forwards ¨C according to the traditions, he would announce the result of the fight.


    ¡°Student Fang, congratulations on winning this match. With this, you¡¯ll receive the scholarship by the chamber of commerce, and also gain some rare medicine for the following year to help improve your abilities.¡± The strain in his forced smile couldn¡¯t have been more apparent; his son had personally lost against this person that was definitely that family¡¯s. Moreover, the intense pride that he carried had been wounded, there was no room for anything in his gloomy mind. Hastily, he left the field.


    Tiredly, Fang walked from the field and was instantly enveloped by a cacophony of shouts and hugs.


    ¡°Class prefect, even William wasn¡¯t your match!¡±


    ¡°That technique, what was it? It was simply too strong and cool, definitely teach it to me!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way you could learn something like that you idiot, no one as ordinary as you could use it. You¡¯d have be a genius just like Fang!¡±


    The joy engulfed the entire class, as the honor of winning such a match was incredibly important to them.


    However, Fang discovered quickly that the first person he expected to praise him was far off to the side, pursing their lips.


    Anger plainly showed on his roommate¡¯s face, there wasn¡¯t anything good in store for him.


    He quickly weaved through the crowd and hesitatively approached their side. Lightly, he asked a question he even knew the answer to.


    ¡°Blue, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Blue coughed angrily. ¡°You know what!¡±


    ¡°I know I didn¡¯t show you that I¡¯ve managed to use Meteor Shower, and not discussing that was completely my fault.¡± Fang paused faintly. ¡°But I only managed to use it successfully a couple of times, and wasn¡¯t assured I could use it confidently in actual combat, so I didn¡¯t tell you and get your hopes up when I would¡¯ve lost without it.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t the complete truth, though. Judging from his observations, Blue was admittedly quite strange, and he didn¡¯t know if his roommate knew how to keep a secret. If the information had leaked to William somehow, there was no faith in a victory ¨C it was his only option to keep it to himself at the college.


    However, there was no hiding the truth from Blue. ¡°You know it¡¯s just an excuse, you didn¡¯t want me know; see if I care about you anymore!¡±


    ¡°Blue, how about to make things up, we go into the city this weekend and visit any of the food stalls there? I¡¯ll be treating everything!¡±


    ¡°Go alone!¡±


    ---


    In the crowd, under a veiled hood, a mouth curled up in a wicked smile. She knew that Fang had this skill for this match, after all, he showed her directly the weekend before the fight. With this, she admittedly kept a silent laugh inside as she watched the match.


    Did you really expect to cripple Fang in this match, Richard? Look at what happened from your planning this time, instead of Fang, your own precious son ended up being harmed. Isn¡¯t the taste very bitter?


    Well, I hope you enjoy it, because it''s only the start of the suffering!


    ---


    The weekend came by once again, and as usual, Fang met with Mii at the academy. On seeing him, the young beauty impatiently asked, ¡°Fang, what was the result of that match?¡±


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    A faint smile showed on his face. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    His expression showed the outcome, but Mii continued regardless. ¡°Did you win?¡±


    Fang nodded. ¡°It was close though, my match was against the prefect of class two ¨C he was quite powerful.¡±


    Surprised filled her cheeks as Mii cried out in alarm. ¡°Class two? Isn¡¯t that one of the top classes? You won against them, Fang, you¡¯re really strong!¡±


    Seeing her eyes light up, Fang felt happy inside. Six months ago, he had been an incompetent burden on Mii, and even with his relentless practicing, he was nobody. Yet now, he was at the top of his class, defeating one of the strongest classes at his age and gaining the support of the chamber of commerce.


    Compared to Mii¡¯s excitement, Valeria was relatively tranquil, and instead of inquiring into the match, she didn¡¯t mention the matter at all.


    Dinner arrived onto the table with delicious dishes scattered around. As they took their seats, Fang stayed indifferent as well, but Mii quickly asked the question on his mind. ¡°Valeria, don¡¯t you want to know the results of Fang¡¯s competition?¡±


    Although Mii didn¡¯t exactly know the conditions between Fang¡¯s and Valeria¡¯s relationship, she perceptively noticed that Valeria lavished her attention on Fang. There was no way that Valeria wasn¡¯t interested in the results, hence, she couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Valeria smiled. ¡°Certainly, but unfortunately, I already knew what the results were.¡±


    Puzzled, Fang looked at Valeria. ¡°Valeria, how do you know?¡±


    ¡°I heard it from somewhere.¡± Her answer was very simple, and she hadn¡¯t told Fang in advance that she would be at the college, watching.


    Fang didn¡¯t think deeply about it, after all, she had probably gotten the information from one of her connections.


    At this time, her secretary arrived with a bottle of red wine that Valeria had prepared previously. Inside, Valeria was ecstatic over this victory, but she didn¡¯t reveal any sentiment as usual. A mysterious smile was all that was present. ¡°Fang, in celebration of this match, have a cup. And you too, Mii, this century aged wine isn¡¯t too strong, and should be quite a feast for your senses.¡±


    Wine slowly trickled into each cup, and with a fragrant, mellow taste, happiness accompanied the lively chatter around the cozy table.


    However, as if she had just remembered, Valeria faced Fang. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t head over to the practice room right away. There¡¯s a guest, someone that you know to see you.¡±


    ¡°Someone I know?¡± Fang wondered, as in Minuet City, he didn¡¯t know anyone too well other than his roommate, Mii, and Valeria.


    ¡°No need to be anxious, you¡¯ll know soon enough. If there wasn¡¯t any delays, they should be here soon.¡± Fang still didn¡¯t know who it was, and despite the questions, Valeria didn¡¯t reveal much other than a single piece. ¡°She¡¯s quite special, and busy. I¡¯ve invited her on multiple occasions, but until today, she couldn¡¯t make it.¡±


    Interested, Fang followed Valeria into the living room, yet he couldn¡¯t think of who it was. Someone with a special status?


    Less than ten minutes past when the front door opened, and rising up, Valeria moved to greet the person immediately.


    A slim figure, filled with grace entered the hall. Confidence seeped out from the tall beauty, with a straight, black elegant coat covering her body. Her face showed a vague smile, and although it seemed friendly at first, the atmosphere around her felt suffocating the longer he looked.


    Of all people, he never expected to see her.


    It was the judge presiding over the examination he took over Vincent ¨C Valeria was correct, but he barely knew her.


    What was the relationship between her and Valeria?

 Chapter 51: Two Friends

    Chapter 51: Two Friends


    The answer came quickly, as the two women hugged each other tightly. ¡°It¡¯s been too long, really, why didn¡¯t you invite me earlier?¡±


    Openly, Valeria changed her tone to one of discontent, uncharacteristic of her. ¡°Well, I sent a messenger to nearly thirty places looking for you, but it took too long to find you.¡±


    She sighed. ¡°Valeria, the people above hand down too much work, and you know them ¨C they won¡¯t stand for any delay on that insane workload.¡±


    ¡°Do they really need you that much Yume? With how hard it is to contact you, you¡¯re better off known as the elusive beauty of the country headquarters.¡±


    Yume?


    Hearing this name, Fang recognized who she was.


    Several years ago, Minuet City did have a pair of extremely talented females, unmatched in ability at their age. It was Valeria and Yume who took the spotlight, he recalled. They were once classmates and close friends, but he never thought that Yume was the judge presiding over his examination.


    Yume returned the reply with a pout. ¡°Don¡¯t be so mad, I headed here as soon as I reached the city. Plus, I¡¯ve got a wonderful gift for you, you¡¯ll certainly love it!¡±


    Valeria¡¯s face relaxed and her eyes lit up. ¡°Welcome back, Yume.¡±


    After exchanging greetings, Yume¡¯s attention strayed towards Fang. ¡°Well, it seems that we meet again Fang!¡±


    The recommendation for Fang over that decisive victory at the examination was what had got him to where he was now, and he was extremely grateful for it. ¡°Thank you very much for that recommendation at the examination back then.¡±


    A bright smile distinctly appeared on her face. ¡°Anyone would¡¯ve done the same, and that position was temporary so might as well have made something out of it.¡±


    Although that was what she said, Fang stayed tense, as she was definitely an important official from the country, and even the mayor of the city would¡¯ve been respectful to her.


    Casual chatter died down, and seeing the awkward position Fang was in, Valeria whispered, ¡°Fang, is the talk between two sisters bothering you?¡±


    Hastily, Fang replied, ¡°Um, take your time, I actually was going to head towards the practice room.¡±


    After spitting out those words, he speedily ran away.


    Looking at his back as it vanished over the stairs, Yume murmured, ¡°So, how was the candidate that I said was quite special?¡±


    Valeria nodded in approval. ¡°He¡¯s truly outstanding, it¡¯s only been half a year and he promoted into the intermediate stage. Even in this level, he¡¯s gained four stages, and has quite a large amount of energy.¡±


    ¡°Four!¡± Yume was fairly stunned, as when she initially saw Fang, she never expected him to become this strong. ¡°Valeria, you must have given him an energy bath, but even so, this is dreadfully fast!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t emphasize my thanks,¡± Valeria said genuinely, ¡°Yume, if not for you, I don¡¯t think I would¡¯ve been able to find someone as outstanding.¡±


    She spluttered. ¡°Oh, really, there¡¯s no need for that formality. We¡¯re not strangers after all, unless you think so¡­ that¡¯d make me really sad!¡±


    ¡°Please, other than this matter, I wouldn¡¯t go out to be so polite.¡± Valeria rolled her eyes. ¡°Even if I met your future boyfriend, I¡¯m sure that he¡¯d have to watch out especially.¡±


    Instead of taking offense, Yume again just smiled back at her. ¡°More importantly, I¡¯d wish for the beautiful head of the chamber of commerce to find a boyfriend herself. After all these years without a single interest worries me, you¡¯re the perfect woman with your looks and status. How could I get a boyfriend before you could? That¡¯d wouldn¡¯t be right at all.¡±


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be wrong if you had one though,¡± Valeria teased in return, ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know the youngest official in the country¡¯s headquarters? With your attractiveness, it¡¯s no surprise hearing about the countless aristocrats proposing to you, but the shocking thing would be the heartless, cruel rejections that beauty hands out!¡±


    Yume turned away contemptuously. ¡°All that trash? They¡¯re incredibly useless.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not that they¡¯re useless, but you can¡¯t simply compare with them. With your ability, you¡¯ve entered the country headquarters, and to find someone at the same level of talent would be incredibly difficult. I¡¯d say that I was more worried for you than you were for me.¡±


    ¡°Really!¡± Yume spun around and stared at her. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about that, as if I can¡¯t find an appropriate boyfriend, then I¡¯ll just find a girlfriend instead, no, I already have an ideal girlfriend. Don¡¯t you think that you and I make a perfect fit?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The relationship between the two friends were pretty close, and there was no doubt that they were intimate, but they were more like sisters than anything else. Valeria switched the topic back to Fang. ¡°Yume, can you guess what happened in the recent competition that the chamber of commerce hosted last week?¡±


    Though Valeria hadn¡¯t told her about the details of her family¡¯s deaths, Yume knew the current struggle for power within the city, and that a fierce rivalry between the two main businesses existed. However, seeing her friend¡¯s cheerful expression coupled with Valeria bringing up the event herself gave Yume a slightly strange feeling. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Richard¡¯s son, William, participated as a freshman in that competition.¡±


    Hearing this, Yume instantly guessed what took place. ¡°So, Richard knew the relationship between you and Fang, and took advantage of this ''friendly'' competition to put his son and Fang in the same group?¡±


    Valeria''s smile grew wider. ¡°Right!¡±


    ¡°Shameless! Doesn¡¯t he know when to stop? I¡¯ve heard from a colleague that William¡¯s talent was very high, moreover exhibiting an elemental property this early. Even if Fang had progressed this rapidly, he¡¯s only a 4th grade intermediate, and judging by their energy alone, he couldn¡¯t be William¡¯s match at all¡­¡± Seeing Valeria¡¯s face however, Yume paused and cautiously asked, ¡°Is it possible that Fang¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he won!¡±


    Startled, Yume stared at her. ¡°How¡¯s that possible?¡±


    ¡°Initially, I didn¡¯t think it was feasible; in fact, I encouraged him to give up on this fight. He unpredictably refused, and said that he had to take this challenge, and won! I underestimated him¡­¡± Valeria¡¯s voice trailed off as she looked upwards in pride.


    ¡°So¡­ how did he win?¡±


    ¡°Well that¡­¡± Valeria smirked. ¡°You¡¯ll find the answer in the practice room.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really making me sad today with all these secrets. But, as you want, I¡¯ll go and see for myself.¡± Abruptly, Yume headed towards the stairs then looked back. ¡°Before that, do you have a spare set of clothes to change into?¡±


    ¡°Choose whatever you¡¯d like!¡±

 Chapter 52: Spatial

    Chapter 52: Spatial


    In the practice room, Fang was experimenting with several different targets when the door to the room opened once again.


    At this time, the servants inside the tower wouldn¡¯t come to disturb him, so the only person would be Valeria. However, he was confused ¨C it hadn¡¯t been that long, and it seemed that she and Yume had a lot to talk about.


    Perhaps she had to leave early?


    His thoughts came to halt as the person walking in didn¡¯t resemble Valeria at all.


    Yume!


    Seeing Fang¡¯s dumbfounded appearance, Yume proudly came forward. ¡°Hello, it turned out that instead of Valeria, I¡¯ll be your trainer for today!¡±


    Her aggressive behaviour took Fang by surprise, and he lowered his head hastily from those peaks that strutted out in front of him. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine on my own today.¡±


    She frowned. ¡°Why, are you afraid of losing?¡±


    ¡°Certainly not¡­¡± There was no shame in losing, after all, Yume defeated Vincent¡¯s father at the first blow, and there wasn¡¯t a chance he could withstand a single attack.


    ¡°Then tell me why.¡±


    Fang slowly explained, ¡°Well, senior, you¡¯re part of the judging committee from the country¡¯s headquarters, but I¡¯m just a normal person from a small city, so I feel a bit anxious.¡±


    Unexpectedly, she burst out in laughter. ¡°It seems that you are really shy and adorable! I¡¯ve already said though that I¡¯m not part of the judging committee right now. Also, Valeria¡¯s pretty close with you, and a friend of hers is a friend of mine.¡± She paused. ¡°To be honest though, I¡¯m very curious as to how you defeated William, and if I went back now I probably couldn¡¯t fall asleep. Do you want me to stay up the entire night, and make me look miserable, with bags under my eyes?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± Fang¡¯s voice traced off.


    Yume waved a finger at him. ¡°So then, why don¡¯t you show me how strong you are?¡±


    Unable to come up with a response, Fang released his energy, promoting him to the 4th intermediate level, and a ball of energy flew out towards her.


    In response, she answered with a release to the 3rd grade intermediate level; yet, her energy was different in color, being a shade of light grey.


    A cube appeared in her hands and spun to meet the colorless energy in the air.


    Hiss!


    Fang¡¯s energy disappeared upon collision, while the cube drastically shrunk in size.


    Seeing the results of the conflict, Fang was slightly shocked. William, who was several levels above him couldn¡¯t win in a test of how strong the energies were, but Yume¡¯s energy, which was a level lower than him currently managed to break through.


    Mirrored on the other side, Yume was also surprised. The defining attribute of the spatial element was control, as it would exert its dominance taking up space. Although it wasn¡¯t too powerful, its ability to steadily overcome all the other types was unparalleled, yet Fang¡¯s blast depleted it quite significantly.


    Even as it decreased in size, the cube still accelerated towards Fang. With his experience though, Fang didn¡¯t stay still admiring the tenacity of the energy - he quickly sunk in his knee and flashed a small distance, firing a blast of energy before disappearing and sending another blast.


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    V Shadow Step!


    Again, Yume¡¯s eyes lit up with interest; she clearly knew that this technique was incredibly difficult to perform if the element of the energy assisting the movement wasn¡¯t wind.


    Like in William¡¯s match, Fang didn¡¯t stop there. He rushed right next to Yume, and kicked his foot in a precise, large arc.


    Clink!


    Immediately, a small grey shield appeared on Yume¡¯s arm, completely nullifying his kick. Regardless of how talented Fang was, there was no chance for him to break through that durable energy. However, he didn¡¯t relent with the single kick, and with a turn, sent down another arc, only to be unsuccessfully blocked for a second time.


    Rapidly, bursts of light filled the room as the two clashed together.


    By then, Yume had a clear understanding of Fang¡¯s current strength.


    It was a monstrous amount of talent, she thought. Not only was he a 4th grade intermediate, his techniques were honed to an eerie perfection. Even the higher difficulty skills such as Shadow Step was flawlessly executed, and the timing as well as the chaining of a skill onto another spotless. To change this much in such a short period of time was scary, indeed.


    However, this shouldn¡¯t have been enough to ensure an easy defeat over William, was William just not performing that well?


    She came to a stop.


    Seeing the chance, Fang also stopped, and energy started to condense around him.


    Her eyes narrowed ¨C was it that he had a stronger attack in mind?


    A sphere of energy rose above Fang¡¯s head, then a second, a third¡­


    In moments, Fang had littered the air with numerous spheres, and a second later, they accelerated towards Yume.


    The air heated up as one, two, three balls collided against a large barrier.


    Explosively, the balls shredded at the wall, and then, unable to take the hits, the barrier collapsed.


    Instantly, the energy around Yume grew brighter and brighter.


    Another barrier appeared, but as soon as it appeared, it became battered to a point where a single poke would take it down.


    With the end of the small meteors, it wasn¡¯t over yet. An overwhelming large mass of energy started to crash through the barrier.


    Yet, even that came to an abrupt end as brilliantly, a grey box engulfed the energy and diminished to nothing.


    The Meteor Shower was too strong, far stronger than anything she had expected. She had to promote her energy a couple of levels, and throw out a green staged technique to oppress it. This technique, it was something that she neglected as she thought it wasn¡¯t worth the time invested, but she never thought she¡¯d see it from Fang.


    No wonder William was defeated by him!


    Never would she have expected that unknown youth she scouted for Valeria could possibly be this talented!

 Chapter 53: Pendant

    Chapter 53: Pendant


    Battle scenes are so difficult to describe¡­ but on with it anyways!


    ---


    After using Meteor Shower, Fang had depleted all of his possible energy, and the room grew dim.


    Likewise, Yume withdrew her energy and then enthusiastically turned towards him. ¡°Fang, you¡¯ve improved quite a lot since I¡¯ve last seen you, did Valeria frequently spar against you to practice?¡±


    Fang replied modestly, ¡°Yes, Valeria had given me lots of help. Thank you for this opportunity too.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing at all, after all, the relationship between you and Valeria is quite close. Having to hear the entire title is really a bore, just refer to me by name.¡±


    He hesitated, as Yume wasn¡¯t anyone he could call by name, being the prominent figure that she was.


    However, she gave him no chance to answer. ¡°Since you didn¡¯t oppose it, you wouldn¡¯t mind if I treated you as a brother, right?¡±


    Fang could only helplessly agree with a nod.


    She smiled. ¡°As your elder sister, I shouldn¡¯t be visiting without any gifts.¡±


    Promptly, she shook out her palm and a pendant appeared, passing directly to his hand. ¡°This artifact will help attract energy, and naturally, it¡¯ll be pretty useful to your practice.¡±


    On first sight, he recognized the gem adorning the pendant. The distinct shade of purple showed that it was a type of jade, extremely high in value, like any material that would assist in gathering energy. It¡¯d have to be at least ten thousand gold coins in value, he estimated. ¡°It¡¯s too precious, I can¡¯t accept it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any use for it, the artifact is only useful for absorbing energy without a property, so it¡¯ll be better off with you¡­ unless you don¡¯t think it¡¯s good enough?¡±


    His face lightly grew red with shame. ¡°No, it¡¯s more than good.¡±


    ¡°Since there¡¯s no complaints then, you can have it!¡± Her aggressive manner left no room for replies or rebuttals, and Fang could only feel grateful.


    ¡°Thanks, Yume.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t be so free with your thanks, after all, I¡¯ll be coming back next week.¡±


    Stunned, Fang gradually asked, ¡°Next week?¡±


    ¡°For now, the country headquarters isn¡¯t very busy, and without an assignment, I don¡¯t have much to do for the break I have, so I don¡¯t mind visiting here for the weekends¡­ or am I not welcome?¡±


    Fang replied hastily, ¡°You¡¯re more than welcome to come.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll see you next week!¡± She waved her hand, and left the room.


    ---


    Soon after Valeria had accompanied Yume out, she entered back into the living room, and questioned Fang. ¡°So, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°Yume¡¯s very strong, and the spatial element¡¯s really different from the dark element.¡±


    As he spoke, Valeria interrupted him. ¡°Yume?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she told me to call her without any titles, and gave me this as well.¡± Fang pulled out the pendant. ¡°I wasn¡¯t willing to accept, but she kept putting pressure on me, saying that it was useless to her, and as a gift, passed this to me.¡±


    Taking a close look at the pendant, Valeria was taken with surprise. Yume hadn¡¯t lied, this pendant was indeed useless to her, but it was a keepsake that she had worn ever since Valeria met her. Passing this on to Fang was definitely not because she took a liking to him ¨C Valeria understood Yume immediately.


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Although Yume wanted to help, her strength was lacking as well to trample that pirate group. Even if she had the power, she was tied down to the country, and there was no possibility that they¡¯d be willing to risk one of the country¡¯s assets on such a foolish task.


    However, Yume knew that Valeria placed all her hopes on Fang, and giving away her precious heirloom was her way of expressing support.


    ---


    The weekend came by, and as promised, Yume arrived again. Yet, this time, she briefly talked with Valeria before heading off to the practice room. ¡°Well, Fang, I¡¯ll be your trainer tonight!¡±


    This time around, he wasn¡¯t very surprised. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Really, there¡¯s no need to be polite. It seems you might need a small reminder¡­¡±


    Instantly, an array of cubes flew out densely towards Fang. There wasn¡¯t a chance for Fang to dodge everything as the cubes spun at him, and with a dense crunch, some of the cubes struck his body.


    A flare of energy accompanied every single point of impact. Unlike the energy from those with the fire element which would burn, or from the metal element which would lacerate the body, the spatial energy¡¯s redeeming feature was its tenacity, not its offensive properties.


    Hence, when the cubes hit Fang, he felt like he was being pounded by a brick, and though it hurt, it wasn¡¯t that bad due to the defenses he put up.


    Instant parry?


    Last week, Yume didn¡¯t bother counter attacking as she wanted a grasp of his abilities, but seeing that he had mastered his, a happy expression appeared on her face.


    Since he could use that, there wasn¡¯t any harm in going all out for once!


    ---


    Although she said she would be training him, she was merciless in her assault against him, and eventually stopped once Fang¡¯s energy was completely exhausted.


    The intensity of the spatial element attacks wasn¡¯t high enough to cause internal injuries, however, physical harm was unavoidable. This entire evening consisted of him getting battered around, but by numbing his senses, he didn¡¯t feel much at all.


    Yume stared astonished; usually, no matter how talented a person was, they wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand this much pain. She never expected him to be able even remain conscious after that poor semblance of a training session, though, it turned out just as well for her purposes.


    Yet, it wasn¡¯t her style to comfort, so with a single wave, she walked out the door.


    When Valeria looked at Fang after seeing her out, her face paled in fright.


    Even if the level of energy was low, the constant barrage of attacks must have worn him out ¨C Fang appeared to be covered entirely by a bluish-purple. His pitiful figure couldn¡¯t help but elicit a sharp question. ¡°Yume was being quite ruthless, don¡¯t you blame her?¡±


    His mouth tiredly moved to form a composed smile. ¡°I don¡¯t, I know that this type of training is especially useful. Once I can manage to adapt to this intensive fighting and build up my stamina, it¡¯ll definitely be a huge help to me.¡±


    A small grin graced her face for a second. ¡°If you understand that much, then there¡¯s no need to ask further. There¡¯s already a bath prepared for your wounds, so come quick!¡±

 Chapter 54: Sweetheart

    Chapter 54: Sweetheart


    For the following weekends, Yume visited Valeria¡¯s place, leaving a certain person devastated every time she left.


    It wasn¡¯t because she was sadistic though; it was just the most efficient method she knew for strengthening the body.


    Break and repair, break and repair. As crazy as it sounded, it was truly effective, as after each meeting, Fang¡¯s body seemed to toughen up tremendously.


    Each element provided a different fighting style, suited for the strengths and weakness of the energy. However, finding training partners who were proficient in their element were rare to find, but luckily for Fang, there were two that alternated. Valeria, with her mastery over the dark element, and Yume with the spatial element constantly tested Fang and pushed him to his limits, even facing both at once. Though at the end of the day, he was extremely sore, the amount of practical experience he had gained and picked up on in the following fights was quite frightening.


    In a flash, a month had passed. The evening was like any other, except Yume hadn¡¯t immediately left after the harsh bout. ¡°Fang, I can¡¯t come next week.¡±


    Tired, Fang didn¡¯t show much surprise. ¡°What¡¯s happening next week?¡±


    A smile appeared on her face. ¡°Well, not just next week, but probably several months, even half a year I don¡¯t have the free time. If the tasks are anything like last year, our next meeting should be right after the country entrance examinations.¡±


    Fang was startled. ¡°At least half a year¡­¡±


    ¡°Right!¡±


    He became silent immediately, and felt slightly sad. Although the training was immensely brutal, it was all for his best interests. She had to been definitely busy, being the person she was, but every weekend, she came to train Fang. Without a doubt, this opportunity was something that no one could get, and he was grateful for it.


    Seeing the downcast expression on Fang¡¯s face, Yume teased, ¡°So, are you feeling a bit glad? After all, I¡¯ll be leaving, and in the weekends you won¡¯t end up so bruised after training.¡±


    ¡°No, I think this training method is really good,¡± said Fang truthfully.


    ¡°Oh? I never expected you to have a small masochistic streak.¡± Yume sighed. ¡°It won¡¯t be too long, and when I return to Minuet City next time, I¡¯ll expect some progress. Don¡¯t be complaining though.¡±


    Fang faintly blushed, what she was saying was a bit bold.


    ¡°Listen carefully, Fang, there¡¯s some important things I need to clear up with you before I leave.¡± A serious expression appeared on her face.


    ¡°I know that it may appear selfish for Valeria to train you for her purposes. However, she doesn¡¯t think of you as a tool; she¡¯s expressed her genuine feelings to you. For some reason, if you cut off those bridges tying you and her down, there won¡¯t be anything between us, in fact, I won¡¯t even recognize you.¡±


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    Solemnly, Fang looked at her. ¡°Yume, there¡¯s no need to worry, I clearly know how important Valeria is to me, and I would pledge my life for her goal-¡±


    The words didn¡¯t get to leave his mouth as white hands covered it. ¡°You don¡¯t need to pledge your life for it. I don¡¯t doubt your values, but many people change with time. Richard, in the past, actually regarded Valeria¡¯s father as his close brother. When faced with immense wealth though, he became blinded by the opportunity of greed and caused all that to happen. I hope that you won¡¯t take the same road that he did.¡±


    ¡°I absolutely won¡¯t be like that!¡±


    He grew up pitifully, and experienced suffering for the majority of his life. A single person, however, provided the support that shaped him to become the person he was today.


    Between him and Valeria, it wasn¡¯t a simple transaction any longer. Fang regarded her as family, with the amount of care that he had received from her. Therefore, if he was able, he would certainly take revenge for her without a second thought.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, I believe you.¡± Yume¡¯s expression changed into a beaming smile. ¡°Well, although we haven¡¯t met for very long, I¡¯ll look forward to seeing you again in six months!¡±


    As always, she left the room carefree and walked out.


    Like a storm, she came into his life and left. Fang hoped she wouldn¡¯t leave, but everyone had their own matters to deal with.


    Goodbye, Yume!


    ---


    Before he knew it, the next semester started at Garden College.


    In the college, Fang had just finished attending a meeting with Blue, and was currently looking at the courses offered at the board.


    ¡°Have you heard? Scarlett still hasn¡¯t chosen to attend an institution even this semester.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it seems that she really plans not to go to any college.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s not been a lot of people as talented as her, and with her prominent family background, she probably doesn¡¯t see any purpose in attending anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t you want to see her though? I heard she didn¡¯t appear to be an ordinary beauty, but was beautiful enough that she could send people mad with desire.¡±


    ¡°So? With what qualifications would you go after her then?¡±


    ¡°Who said I¡¯d go after her? Is it a crime to look at a beautiful woman?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Hearing the chatter around him, Fang noticed a name that occurred ever so often ¨C Scarlett.


    It kept appearing in the bits of conversation around him, and he couldn¡¯t help but get curious.


    However, he had no idea who she was, so he turned to his roommate. ¡°Blue, who is Scarlett?¡±


    Blue shot a spiteful look at his eyes. ¡°You haven¡¯t heard of Scarlett? Aren¡¯t you too ignorant of what goes on?¡±


    Actually, Blue wanted to say that in Minuet City, there had to be no one that didn¡¯t know who she was!

 Chapter 55: Na?ve

    Chapter 55: Na?ve


    A small amount of shame crept into Fang, but he said, ¡°I never knew that Kingsley¡¯s daughter was unexpected the same age as us. She¡¯d probably be pretty talented.¡±


    ¡°Naturally!¡± Blue straightened up and proudly continued. ¡°Scarlett was born with a rare grace ¨C she had talent in seven elements, and not just only that, her level of energy that she was able to reach was at an extremely high state! At the age of only 16, she had mastery over her seven elements at the advanced level, and initially completed the usage of multiple at once. It wasn¡¯t an ordinary amount of talent, it was an insane, super talent! As well, Scarlett¡¯s famous for being attractive!¡±


    While saying this, Blue contemptuously looked at Fang, waiting for his response.


    Do you feel frightened, scared, or inferior?


    Although the countless praises made Blue feel sick, for some reason, she wanted to satisfy her vanity right now.


    ¡°She must truly be a genius!¡± Fang¡¯s words lit up Blue¡¯s face with a smile, but Fang started to ask, ¡°But, is it true that Scarlett hasn¡¯t chosen to attend a college?¡±


    Blue coughed. ¡°You think a person like her needs to attend a college?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Though she may be Kingsley¡¯s daughter, and have a high amount of talent, that arrogant mentality is extremely silly and na?ve!¡±


    ¡°What, silly and na?ve?¡± Blue stared at Fang, slightly enraged, as no one had ever dared to say something like that about her before. ¡°With what qualifications are you basing this on, she¡¯s much stronger than you!¡±


    ¡°I obviously can¡¯t compare with her, and don¡¯t have the qualifications.¡± Fang smiled. ¡°She might be born with an innate talent, have excellent support from her family, but if she didn¡¯t have this status, her mentality would¡¯ve resulted in nothing! Is getting to the advanced stage the end of the road? To obtain the strongest power, there¡¯s no doubt that you¡¯d have to dedicate your life to get to that peak, and become someone supreme, standing at the top of the world! But Scarlett? She¡¯s been gifted with a huge amount of talent that countless people envy, but she doesn¡¯t understand how to value that and instead does nothing with it. That¡¯s silly and na?ve, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    The old lunatics had repeatedly drilled this into Fang ¨C after studying the endless method that they crafted, it would definitely result in some abnormal strength that would¡¯ve satisfied to stop then. Their worries were unnecessary though, since Fang had spent so long practicing without any progress, he treasured every moment of progress he could achieve.


    Blue¡¯s eyes opened wide; the words that Fang said were eerily similar to what that old man had said, but more importantly, was so caustic and insensitive. Yet, Blue couldn¡¯t refute the points Fang pointed out, and could only spout on in anger. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, you just don¡¯t understand her!¡±


    With a quick burst of speed, Blue started to walk away.


    Bewildered, Fang followed Blue, and after a while asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Blue?¡±


    His roommate didn¡¯t pay any attention to him.


    ¡°I just said a couple things about Scarlett¡­¡± As if he had realized something, Fang paused. ¡°You¡­¡±


    Feeling slightly anxious about her outburst, Blue stopped and looked at Fang.


    ¡°Are you in love with Scarlett?¡±


    Fang¡¯s words made Blue spurt out a racking cough as she gaped, dumbfounded. ¡°Me, love her? You must be kidding!¡±


    Although she thought highly of herself, she definitely wasn¡¯t in love with herself!


    Seeing this stunned state that his roommate was in Fang, he laughed. ¡°It¡¯s alright, with her talent and beauty, a girl like Scarlett would undoubtedly be the ideal woman for a lot of people.¡±


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    A small amount of comfort came to her heart, as it pounded faster. ¡°Would she be your ideal woman as well?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    Without any hesitation, Fang replied, leaving Blue somewhat depressed. She couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯d like a woman who¡¯d be gentle, sympathetic and be full of kindness.¡± Fang said, thinking of a certain girl in his mind.


    Aggressively, Blue pressed on. ¡°How do you know that Scarlett isn¡¯t gentle, sympathetic or without kindness?¡±


    ¡°Simply put, someone as proud as Scarlett would absolutely appear strong and arrogant, how could she possibly be gentle at the same time?¡± A serious light came into Fang¡¯s eyes as he grasped Blue¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Blue, don¡¯t be blinded. If you have the opportunity to meet with her, you might be greatly disappointed, so you should prepare yourself for that right now¡­ don¡¯t walk away so fast, Blue, I won¡¯t talk about her again¡­¡±


    ---


    In the afternoon, amidst the lazy sun, Blue was inside a bathroom, wiping her face. The mirror reflected a face that slowly, yet surely, became more and more delicate.


    Anyone would¡¯ve recognized that this person was clearly a girl!


    The beauty, with her bewitching eyes and a tender, small mouth would¡¯ve dazed any man. It practically dared, no, invited someone to take a kiss off those cherry lips.


    She looked slightly like Blue, but no one would be able to connect this face with his, as the change was so much of a contrast.


    No average person would study this special technique that allowed the changing of the facial appearance ¨C it took a lot of time and effort to master, and yet had no impact on any combat capabilities. The only people that were willing to learn it were usually spies, or with a specific goal in mind, that needed to camouflage frequently.


    With a single crumple, clothes fell to the ground, and the bandages wrapped around were torn off as the girl contentedly stretched up with her arms.


    Ivory flesh was exposed to the air as from top to bottom, curves delightedly expressed themselves freely.


    This was Blue¡¯s true appearance.


    Kingsley¡¯s favored, spoiled daughter of 16, Scarlett was well known within Minuet City as the beauty that everyone wanted. However, she had mixed into Garden College as a guy, and hearing Fang¡¯s appraisal of her, she couldn¡¯t help but angry. After all, Fang was directly insulting her in front of her face.


    Like most girls, she cared deeply about her looks, but if she spent her days as a girl inside the college, she would undeniably be troubled by countless people. It was a sort of suffering to be appearing as a male in this time of her life, so her only respite was at the rare showers and baths she could take.


    Looking in the mirror again, Scarlett was caught up in her beauty, but reminded of a certain person¡¯s words, her small mouth curled unsatisfied.


    That fellow was really irritating and ignorant, but it can¡¯t be helped as he hasn¡¯t seen me in person. Otherwise, how would he dare to criticize me? He¡¯d probably be confused and struck smitten with me¡­ it¡¯s a pity I can¡¯t show him how I look. I couldn¡¯t stay in the male student dormitory if I revealed that I was a girl, right?


    With a sigh, she walked into the booth, and turned on the water. As the hot water rushed down her body, she started to hum as she picked up a sponge.


    Thump!


    A rapid knocking suddenly resounded throughout the bathroom.

 Chapter 56: Party

    Chapter 56: Party


    Was a bit busy writing a horror short, almost done with a draft. It was pretty fun to think of the multiple ways I could kill off characters, and before I knew it, it turned out to be a bit too graphic.  On a side note, the review for like 0.5 stars have a ton of upvotes on it, I didn''t realize this story was so horrible >< maybe I should kill off all the other characters in this too and turn Fang into an angst-driven guy for 50 chapters like he should''ve been from the start!


    Just kidding, I wouldn''t do that.


    ---


    Each dormitory was built for two people and the only other person that could enter the place was Fang. However, she knew that Fang left early for the weekend and never expected for him to return back into the dorm. Panicked, she shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t come in!¡±


    ¡°Come out quickly then, I have to talk to you about something important before I go.¡±


    ¡°Just wait a bit longer!¡± Hurriedly, Scarlett finished washing, and put on clean clothes and after wiping her face once again, opened the door.


    An impatient expression stayed on Fang¡¯s face as he complained, ¡°Blue, you take so long when you¡¯re in the bathroom, what do you do in there?¡±


    ¡°I like long showers, do you have a problem with that?¡± Blue scowled at Fang. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Ah, last week when I met with Mii, she said that her roommate¡¯s hosting a birthday party, and that she¡¯d like to invite you as well. If you¡¯re free later today, why don¡¯t you come with me and Mii?¡± He knew that Blue was introverted, and ever since his roommate had come to this college, they¡¯d always head back to their relative¡¯s house every weekend.


    ¡°Her roommate? Tracy?¡± She faintly recognized the person, but didn¡¯t recall being close at all. ¡°I don¡¯t know her, why did she invite me?¡±


    ¡°Maybe she likes you?¡± Fang shrugged. ¡°Mii said that Tracy broke up with her boyfriend, and you look pretty attractive.¡±


    ¡°She looks disgusting.¡± Although Blue saw her once when visiting with Fang, she instantly recognized the large amounts of powder applied to her face. She couldn¡¯t help but compare her skin with Tracy¡¯s, and thought that much makeup was repulsive.


    Fang frowned at her. ¡°She¡¯s inviting you specifically, and it¡¯s not like she¡¯s doing it out of malice. I think you should go, after all, you stand a better chance compared to your unrequited love, Scarlett.¡±


    Inside his heart, he sighed. Fang wished that Blue would take the opportunity instead of going for someone unattainable. Having someone to love, and love back would make Blue happy for sure, and fix those weird quirks that Blue had.


    However, today was not the day. Immediately, rage stirred up in Blue as she stared at him. ¡°You¡­ bastard!¡±


    Seeing that anger, Fang started to back away towards the door. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that about you and Scarlett¡­ since you¡¯re not willing to go, I¡¯ll come up with an excuse.¡±


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    As he reached the door, Blue shouted, ¡°Wait!¡±


    He turned around. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I changed my mind. You¡¯re right, I should go for sure.¡±


    Puzzled, Fang looked at Blue, but kept his questions to himself.


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand, it¡¯s not because I¡¯m interested in Tracy.¡±


    ¡°Well, she¡¯ll probably be happy anyways.¡± He quickly told her the address, and left the room.


    A smile crept on Blue¡¯s face. The intention behind Tracy¡¯s invitation was obvious ¨C from a single glance, she noticed the belittling attitude Tracy had against Fang when she visited with Fang.


    With the small, tiny influence that female magician might have, there¡¯ll be an interesting event at the party, and how could she miss that?


    ---


    Blazing lights lit up the city, a glistening pearl amidst the dark sea of black that enveloped the ground. Tracy¡¯s family was quite wealthy within Minuet City, so the location of the party was a certain luxurious building.


    The entire structure dashed with green and gold stone dazzled the air as the silver moonlight hit the surface, illuminating the hall below. Beside the hall was a fast flowing stream that accompanied the delicate atmosphere as it gently crashed through the rocks in its path. Extravagance seeped through every corner, with the figures chatting inside the hall dressed gracefully. It was impossible to compare the dwarven bar Fang had visited previously to this.


    Upon arriving at the front of the grand hall, Fang and Mii gasped at the amount of wealth it would¡¯ve taken to construct something like it.


    In contrast, Blue looked indifferent. She didn¡¯t care; this place was full of boredom in her memories.


    The party of three passed through the entrance into the main hall. Similar to the other guests present, Tracy was beautifully attired, obscuring her true appearance like her personality.


    A warm welcome flew out from Tracy as she made her way to them. ¡°Mii, you came!¡±


    ¡°Happy birthday, Tracy!¡± Mii gave her a hug.


    ¡°What do you think of the place? Isn¡¯t it great? It¡¯s one of the most difficult places to reserve in the entire city!¡± She proudly said. Her father was a renowned magician, and even with his connections, it was somewhat hard to book the place. Still, seeing the satisfied looks on the guests made her feel that it was worth the trouble, and she thought it definitely boosted her social status.


    Taking a glance at Fang, Tracy¡¯s eyes held a bit of hatred. He didn¡¯t fit in at all with those ordinary clothes. Everyone else had their appearance perfect for the party, it was just him.


    Although Mii also wore simple clothing, it didn¡¯t matter, as with the beauty Mii had, she¡¯d attract attention regardless of what she was dressed in. And Blue, well, he appeared handsome, pleasing the eyes with both his style and looks.


    Her eyes fell again to the sore one out. Fang, you don¡¯t belong here at all!

 Chapter 57: Snob

    Chapter 57: Snob


    Back from the dead!


    ---


    It wasn¡¯t that Fang was dressed badly; he had clean, sharp set of clothes that accented his toned body, a contrast to the show of vanity rampant around the party. Tracy¡¯s contempt didn¡¯t escape Blue¡¯s eyes though, who couldn¡¯t help but narrow her eyes at the shallowness of it all.


    As the people slowly flowed in, Tracy turned her attention towards Blue ¨C lukewarm words spat out as she attempted to secure ¡®him¡¯. Unsurprisingly, this resulted in disgust on the part of Blue, who quickly excused herself to find Fang. Though it clearly looked like Blue was uncomfortable, Tracy passed it off as shyness, and trailed behind Blue, devoting her eyes at that face.


    Soon enough, the entire hall was crowded. Some friends, some classmates, some strangers, but they all had a common characteristic: wealth. Among those were several students from the magical academy, clad in fashionable clothes. Clearly, by the amount of preparation that went into their appearance, it wasn¡¯t solely to celebrate at party.


    To them, it was an opportunity, one to get closer to the girl that had rejected everyone.


    Only minutes passed when they caught a glance of the girl, yet, she wasn¡¯t alone. Jealousy arouse from their hearts as they looked at the scene of Mii and Fang happily talking away.


    Her boyfriend is him? A no name didn¡¯t deserve to be next to that blooming flower she was, instead, she deserved to be with someone more outstanding!


    A smiling, confident face approached the two figures. ¡°Hello friend, are you Fang?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and you are¡­?¡± Fang felt something was off, as he had never seen this person before.


    ¡°My name is Kerry of the magic academy, it¡¯s nice to meet you in person.¡±


    Although he was slightly suspicious, Fang returned the greeting. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you too, and this is Blue, my roommate.¡±


    His goal wasn¡¯t simply introductions, so Kerry briefly gazed at Blue before turning his attention back.


    Even if Kerry didn¡¯t recognize Blue, she recognized him.


    The son of the most prominent families in Minuet City; Kerry was infamous for both his talent and his sins. Effort could¡¯ve catapulted his reputation forwards, but he was rumored to have spent the majority of his time on wine and women, trapping him inside mediocrity.


    He definitely regarded Mii as his next target, though by the looks of it, it hadn¡¯t gone well.


    A false smile continued to brightly shine at Fang. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come and play some games together?¡±


    Right after those words had left his month, Tracy added on, ¡°Fang, you should go and play. After all, the atmosphere should be active for my birthday, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t as if Fang was blind, yet, there wasn¡¯t really much he could do.


    He turned towards Mii. ¡°Mii, you can rest for a bit, I¡¯ll be back quickly.¡±


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    Seeing that Fang agreed so readily, Blue narrowed her eyes. There wasn¡¯t any friendly intentions from inviting Fang into a game, so, she¡¯ll see for herself how it turns out!


    Besides Fang, Blue and Kerry, several of the male students from the magic academy also joined in the game.


    The card game was quite popular throughout the country, known for its element of luck due to the supposedly unknown cards in the hands. But when the cards in each hand were known, it was extremely easy to win. And of course, the target of the losses would be Fang.


    As the game started, Fang lost the first game. The second game also ended up in a loss, and then the third, the fourth¡­ it all seemed like a coincidence, and as with all games, there were stakes. Since it was a ¡®friendly¡¯ game, a drink per loss for the loser was the condition for this one.


    Shortly within tens of minutes, Fang had drunk through several bottles of liquor.


    With a smile, Kerry apologetically said, ¡°Fang, it seems like your luck is really not good, but it might get better ¨C you¡¯ll keep playing, right?¡±


    Luck?


    A cruel smile snuck up on Blue¡¯s face. Their goal was to get Fang drunk and make a fool out of him, though, that would never happen. All wishful thinking, she thought, cringing slightly at the recollection of her very own plan.


    For some reason, she couldn¡¯t tolerate the other plotting that was going on. She¡¯d like to see Fang drunk, but it¡¯ll be on her terms, not someone else¡¯s.


    Well, as he said, luck can take a turn for the better!


    Several round of cards had gone by when the loser ended up being Kerry, rather than Fang. It was slightly bewildering, but he couldn¡¯t see anything wrong.


    After all, the difference in ability was too large to bridge out a reason. However, these losses only happened occasionally, so the game progressed forwards.


    In the end, Fang had lost the large majority of the games, but the other company ended up drinking more than a several cups themselves. Almost in disbelief, the students refused to accept that the boy in front of them was able to keep his composure with so many drinks.


    Countless cards were dealt, until suddenly, a student¡¯s complexion turned strange. He quickly rushed off from the table towards the far sides of the hall when without warning, vomit spewed across a table of sweets.


    !


    Turbulent anger stormed across Tracy¡¯s face as she screamed at a waiter to clean up the waste as fast as possible.


    Covertly, the other students from the magic academy took a look at each other, startled yet glad that it wasn¡¯t them passed out nauseatingly on the floor.


    However, if the drinks were to continue, there was no guarantee that they wouldn¡¯t be the next. With those thoughts in mind, the remaining players hastily excused themselves from the game.


    Kerry¡¯s face turned ugly; he never expected Fang to have such tolerance for alcohol.

 Chapter 58: Arrival

    Chapter 58: Arrival


    Without enough people, the game simply ended and Fang with Blue started to walk back towards Mii. A small frown appeared for a second before disappearing as he turned to Blue. ¡°These students from the magic academy are pretty friendly, though they don¡¯t know how to control their drinking.¡±


    Blue blinked ¨C there was obviously no good will behind their invitation, yet, was Fang as dumb as to not notice this much?


    The waiter was quite quick, and within several minutes, the floor became clean. However, the upset expression on Tracy¡¯s face still remained. After all, the person who had rushed out of the hall had already left too far.


    Abruptly, the party¡¯s atmosphere sobered up from the lively mess it was.


    In her heart, Blue looked with glee, only to be disturbed by a low whisper that took place between Tracy and Kerry.


    Soon enough, Tracy appeared next to the group. ¡°Mii, I¡¯m feeling a bit dizzy ¨C do you mind coming with me to talk with a couple of friends?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± Mii glanced at Fang.


    He shrugged. ¡°Feel free to go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me for a bit then, I¡¯ll be back swiftly.¡±


    As they left to the other end of the hall, a cloudy, flushed face rudely swung in front of Fang. Kerry¡¯s appearance was nothing like before, a malicious grin as he stared at him. ¡°Fang, break up with Mii!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Mii is a noble magician. She belongs in the upper circles of society; look at yourself. You thought you could match her? Never. You¡¯re just one of the dregs, anyone but you at this party would be able to host something as minor as this. If you didn¡¯t know her before, Mii wouldn¡¯t definitely like you. So, do yourself a favor and let her loose, you shameless bastard!¡±


    Groggily, he pointed directly at Fang before staggering back.


    Fang remained silent.


    On the other hand, Blue grew furious, and grasped Fang¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s leave!¡±


    But Fang refused to move. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving.¡±


    She shouted at him infuriated. ¡°What, do you enjoy being insulted like that? You want to stay and put up with all that?¡±


    He shook off her hand, and formed a tight fist that outlined his veins against the white skin. ¡°No, if it was any other place, I would punch Kerry right now. Right now though, it¡¯s Tracy¡¯s birthday, and she¡¯s Mii¡¯s roommate. I don¡¯t want to destroy her party ¨C at that time, it¡¯ll certainly affect Mii¡¯s mood for the worse.¡±


    It was too much, she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. Fang put up with all this for a single girl? Even when the others despised him deep down, and tried to steal away Mii, he didn¡¯t do anything for the sake of a single girl?


    This was bullshit, her roommate was too soft. For anyone important to him, he endured anything for them. For her even, if it meant that he¡¯d get insulted.


    She looked closely at Fang again, and noticed the deep frown on his face. Although she also wanted to punish him, it felt oddly wrong. To see someone as nice as Fang get shamed by these methods ignited an anger she didn¡¯t know she had.


    Blue stamped her feet spitefully, and shouted, ¡°I¡¯m going to leave anyways!¡±


    In moments, Blue had left the hall, completely out of sight.


    ---


    Fang looked at the entrance and sighed.


    With Blue gone and Mii chatting away, he was alone in the corner. A sad bottle of fine wine accompanied him as he slowly drowned the glass and emptied it. He could only wait calmly until the end of the party.


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    Like this, the bottle grew lighter until a figure suddenly entered the hall.


    The guests should¡¯ve all arrived; being late was certainly disrespectful to the host.


    However, the person who walked in was someone special, that no one said anything.


    Her beauty took stole the attention of everyone in the hall. Her attractiveness overshadowed the rest of the females, but the presence that she emitted really was the biggest part. Inexplicably, eyes were drawn to the girl that had entered, who could be described with a single word: peerless!


    Some people recognized her, and murmurs spread out throughout the crowd.


    It was the favorite daughter of Kingsley, the talented belle, Scarlett!


    In Minuet City, no one didn¡¯t know her name. The astonishing strength she possessed at such a young age led her to become a goddess for many youths, and an idol for aspiring girls.


    She hadn¡¯t gone to any institute though, and had been missing mysteriously for the past months. Generally, the consensus was that Kingsley sent her off to somewhere more prestigious, where her talent could grow even further.


    So why was she here?


    ¡°Scarlett, I, I¡¯m Tracy. Are you here for the party?¡± Hastily, Tracy had moved in front of her as soon as she saw her, but under the pressure that Scarlett seemed to give, she couldn¡¯t help but be extremely nervous. However, she suspected it was a misunderstanding that Scarlett arrived here.


    Throughout the entire exchange, Scarlett didn¡¯t bother to look at her, instead, her eyes searching for a certain target. ¡°I¡¯m not, but I¡¯m here to find someone. Am I not welcome?¡±


    ¡°Naturally, you¡¯re completely welcome here!¡±


    If anyone managed to invite Scarlett into an event, it was a tremendous honor, and particularly to someone like Tracy, who cared excessively about her social standing, this was a miracle. Even if Scarlett didn¡¯t come for her, it was something of importance!


    Tracy doubted her words though, as she didn¡¯t know anyone that knew Scarlett.


    Although Scarlett was like a proud princess, no one knew how her mind worked. She had refused every single invitation from the handsome, rich, powerful youths in the city, yet would often stroll through the city. In these walks, she¡¯d accompany the terminally ill to their last breath, leaving behind a bittersweet memory.


    At the present, the male students had surrounded the matchless beauty within seconds.


    This opportunity was extremely rare ¨C being able to speak a word or two would be good enough to make them happy!


    And in front of them all, Kerry approached her. With a smile on his face, he gracefully bowed towards her. ¡°Hello, Scarlett, I am¡­¡±


    But before he had even completed his introduction, Scarlett directly walked past him, as if he didn¡¯t exist. Awkwardly, Kerry straightened up from his bow.


    Something like this was normal though; she was such a person.


    Seeing how harshly Kerry got ignored, other people didn¡¯t dare to express their interest at her. However, everyone was undeniably curious. Who was it that Scarlett visited to find personally?


    Finally, Scarlett arrived at the corner of the hall, where a solitary figure gazed up at her.


    ¡°Fang, I didn¡¯t expect that you really were here!¡± Scarlett brought her face up close to Fang. ¡°It was exactly as I imagined; you look extremely dashing and charming!¡±


    The surrounding crowd wiped their eyes. This goddess actually had such a side to her? Moreover, the subject of her attention was unexpectedly Fang!

 Chapter 59: Declaration

    Chapter 59: Declaration


    Dashing? Charming? Any other person inside could perfectly fit those descriptions better than he could!


    Not only was the gaping audience shocked, Fang himself was astonished as well.


    He couldn¡¯t understand how Blue could feel so much unrequited love towards her, but from a single glance he had to admit that she was really too attractive.


    But why would she describe him like that ¨C it couldn¡¯t be that she was insane?


    Slowly, Fang wiped off the sweat forming on his forehand as he backed off. ¡°Scarlett, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve met you before.¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t met formally, but I¡¯ve secretly looked at you for a while from a place you couldn¡¯t have possibly paid attention to. It¡¯s actually quite embarrassing to be honest.¡± She blushed. ¡°Since I got to see you up so close, I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± Without any opportunity, she gracefully turned around and walked out the hall, seemingly unwary of the countless eyes that stared upon her.


    Once she exited outside, the silence broke and even by the desperate attempts to search outside by some men, she was nowhere to be seen.


    Although no one could forget the short appearance of beauty, a different matter crowded out all other thoughts ¨C her purpose! Amongst all females in the city, she had to be the most coveted, and yet infamous for her apparent disinterest in men. However, just now, she actually approached a man in such a way unexpectedly!


    Kerry was at a loss of words, unable to believe his eyes. A moment ago, he was directly insulting the peasant in front of him, but it turned out that peasant was the target of love by Scarlett!


    In Tracy¡¯s view, she never thought that Fang could be charming at all. Looking at his face again though, she could almost believe that handsome face was charming, even dashing.


    After all, this was the guy that Scarlett settled on!


    She couldn¡¯t help start to whisper to Mii. ¡°You¡¯ve better be careful ¨C Scarlett¡¯s extremely beautiful, and without you knowing it, Fang will probably be snatched away.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Mii stayed calm and didn¡¯t respond to Tracy. A few words wouldn¡¯t break her trust in Fang; the years she spent with him were the majority of her life, and she had complete faith.


    As she was about to press for a response, an elegantly dressed thin man walked towards her with a couple of bottles balanced perfectly on a platter.


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.¡°Are you tonight¡¯s hostess, Ms. Tracy?¡±


    Startled, Tracy looked hesitantly at him. ¡°I am, and you are¡­?¡±


    A light laugh came accompanied by a smile. ¡°We wish Miss Tracy a happy birthday. On behalf of Miss Scarlett, some minor bottles of Red Riesling were sent for you and your guests to enjoy. We hope that you may spend the rest of the night comfortably.¡±


    Red Riesling?


    Immediately, she recalled that her father had a bottle of such a wine before ¨C he had actually never tasted the wine itself, but placed it in the main entrance of their mansion. That same rarity was for them to drink, and not just one bottle.


    Feeling somewhat confused, yet flattered, Tracy bowed towards the man.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that; it¡¯s by the regards of the lady.¡± With that, the bottles were put down and left as the man walked out, leaving behind a rejoicing girl.


    Moments after the exit, a familiar figure re-entered and started to approach Fang. A strange expression came up on his face as they sat right next to him. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to stay any longer?¡±


    ¡°I changed my mind, is there something wrong with that?¡± Blue stared at Fang, who looked questioningly at him, but stayed silent.


    A couple of minutes passed by quietly as Blue seemed to concentrate on the faint voices in the crowd, only to be broken as she asked in alarm, ¡°Fang, you met with Scarlett?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing, nothing at all between me and her,¡± Fang replied. His roommate was definitely interested in her, so he didn¡¯t want to get involved at all. ¡°I¡¯ve never even seen her until today!¡±


    Fang¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t anything like what she expected from his shock earlier; slowly, Blue asked again, ¡°You¡¯re lying right? I heard that you were in shock as she talked to you ¨C didn¡¯t you like her?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all.¡± In a low voice, Fang continued. ¡°I think that Scarlett¡¯s standards are a bit twisted, after all, why would she take interest in me? I¡¯m not famous, rich, or handsome, it wouldn¡¯t take much to look around the city to find someone exceeding anything!¡±


    Blue looked in silence, and then, shouted at him, ¡°Your standards are twisted!¡±


    She didn¡¯t help him to end up giving a weird idea of her!


    Hurriedly, Fang patted Blue¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Calm down, let¡¯s stop talking about her.¡±


    Drinking, eating, talking; the sky turned nearly pitch black as the party winded down. As the group left, Tracy personally accompanied them to the exit, and bid them farewell.

 Chapter 60: Progression

    Chapter 60: Progression


    Like that, the long night had ended, bringing across waves of unrest throughout the city. Countless rumors had spread around the city as to the whereabouts of Scarlett, only to result in nothing substantial. Yet, the news came through a shocking manner ¨C she had actually taken interest in a person!


    Her influence reached out through the institute as well, causing people to look for that certain person.


    ¡°Is it true that Scarlett likes you?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no doubt about that, she¡¯s never visited someone by herself and talked with them in that manner.¡±


    ¡°Hey, why didn¡¯t you ever tell us that you knew her?¡±


    ¡°When are you going to bring and introduce her to us?¡±


    Fang sighed as he replied once again with the same words. Ever since the party had ended, he had been constantly pestered with questions about Scarlett. No matter how much he said he didn¡¯t know her, no one believed at all!


    He started to walk across the path to his courses. It was hard though to ignore the female students that followed behind him and Blue, constantly giggling and pointing at him. As the group passed the signposts, one of the girls leapt out in front of him, blushing.


    ¡°Can you please look at this? Thanks!¡±


    A fine slip of paper was pressed on his hands, and the girls retreated rapidly.


    Without looking, Fang already knew what the contents of the paper were ¨C a love letter. He had enough stacks of letters by now to create a small, staggering tower.


    Nearby, Blue wickedly smiled at him. ¡°It seems you¡¯re pretty popular in the institute now, Fang.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t look at me that way,¡± Fang replied tiredly. The only type of ¡®fame¡¯ he had ever had was that disdained reputation back in Victoria City, and he had no clue as to handling the present.


    On the other hand of his exploding popularity with the girls, the male students had gotten increasingly hostile towards him, unable to accept that their love had a liking for a regular person like him.


    Bitterly, he couldn¡¯t figure out the cause for this entire condition. Why did she suddenly come up to say those words, and just then too? No amount of contemplation returned any answers; how could he have known that the mischief in question was right next to him?


    Although his daily life was quite disturbed, he continued to practice as usual.


    That evening, he arrived in front of the towering building, and climbed up flights of stairs to enter a small, comfortable room.


    Revolving the power around him, he opened up from the 1st grade novice to the 2nd grade, continuing to the 1st grade intermediate level, 2nd grade intermediate, 3rd grade intermediate, 4th grade intermediate, then back to the 1st grade.


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    From the bottom to the peak, and from the peak to the bottom. This buildup and crash circulated through and then back, unceasingly going against a seemingly looming wall.


    It was a process he had to be careful with ¨C the gap between the 4th and 5th grades was quite a leap, and required a large amount of energy to pass through the bottleneck. If he failed, there wouldn¡¯t be a serious injury, yet the energy accumulated would all dissipate! Because of this risk, people often relied on an external source to help them break through to guarantee success.


    However, Fang didn¡¯t have this worry, as the method he practiced had helped him through these walls without failure so far. Taking a deep breath, he continued to revolve the energy, when suddenly, a large fluctuation of energy burst out.


    5th grade intermediate!


    As quick as that burst, the energy calmly settled down.


    He sighed in relief, glad it had happened smoothly ¨C but then, he started to feel a bit dizzy. Energy started to build up again, but it completely different this time; it started from the 1st grade intermediate all the way to the 5th grade intermediate level.


    His body started to swell rapidly with that change, and in panic, Fang felt inside his body.


    There was no signs of any of the previous strengths left!


    Instead, in its place, whirls of pure energy seemed to surge inside his body. Startled, Fang started to examine it, only to return back into a wide smile. Not daring to be negligent though, he carefully started to push the remnant energy out of his body. As the room filled up, feeling more and more stuffy, the sole occupant¡¯s breath fell down, growing slower and slower until the room was filled with complete silence.1


    Then, the surrounding energy gathered in a single spot, as a gaping vacuum swallowed the chaotic energy.


    A single minute passed, and Fang opened in his eyes in elation.


    Inside his body, a collection of points seemed to have formed into a single sphere that emitted a fearful aura.


    It succeeded!


    Heartbeats filled the deathly quiet, and Fang excitedly got up. The elders proudly shouted at that time that the limitless method would lead to unparalleled progress never seen before, and one of the heretic theories was a formation of an area where energy would be compressed to a degree to better utilize the copious amounts of energy!


    Eagerly, Fang left the room.


    ---


    From previous drafts:


    1. Then, because Fang no longer had a heartbeat, he died.

 Chapter 61: Increase

    Chapter 61: Increase


    The dense area of energy was exactly like what was described ¨C a unique core that seemed to have a strange attraction to its surroundings. As Fang started to move, the surrounding energy spiraled towards him, like if the core was a magnetic field. It almost felt similar to the tower itself.


    However, it was a person that contained this. Feeling fatigued with the constant influx, Fang stopped and leaned against the wall, catching his breath. After all, he had collapsed and lost all of his energy before reforming it once again.


    Curiously, Blue came out as Fang was silently slouching.


    In the past few months, she had repeatedly tried to interrupt Fang¡¯s practice to no avail, and eventually gave up completely. Looking closely though, she realized that he appeared uncharacteristically tired. He had never appeared this way before.


    Although she had given up harassing him, she often observed the energy in his room as she was interested how Fang seemed to progress without any major bottlenecks at all. Today, she felt the fluctuations of a breakthrough, but shortly after, the energy had completely disappeared from the room!


    Did he progress to a 5th grade intermediate?


    Suddenly, a hand grasped her shoulders.


    She almost responded angrily when she realized that Fang had fallen asleep, sinking to the ground. Unable to withhold her curiosity at such an opportunity, she gently sent a probe of energy into Fang.


    Usually, when she attempted to seek Fang¡¯s constitution, she would be rejected by an instant parry, but it didn¡¯t occur now. Growing even more interested, she looked further in.


    No wonder he became like this!


    What kind of method would enable this so quickly? Throughout this semester, she couldn¡¯t learn anymore about his origins, and seemed to only become more and more mysterious.


    Sighing, she sat next to Fang and waited.


    ---


    A day passed by as usual, and Fang headed to a practice area in the evening.


    Lined with an incredibly dense alloy, the floor and surroundings were renowned for their durability. With the amount of resistance they provided to the area, most martial skills wouldn¡¯t leave any lasting impact.


    Ever since the set of conflicts, the institute decided to discourage students from exchanging pointers; instead, they promoted the training dummies in the practice area. To avoid potential injury by students, the rooms were separated and corralled off tightly.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Filled with vigour, Fang entered through the door into a practice room.


    Each dummy was constructed from different materials of varying durability to give the practitioner an idea as to how powerful they were.


    Fang released his energy, and started off with a single ball of energy.


    Bang!


    After the dust had settled down, the dummy showed a slight dent, which started to reform back to its flawless exterior. The flexible material insured that the lifetime of the dummies would be quite long as long as the damage wasn¡¯t too severe.


    He wasn¡¯t surprised at the amount of damage that was done, as it was just an average shot.


    Silently, he quickly memorized the general depth of the damage done. For someone above the preliminary ranks, this skill wasn¡¯t worth much at all.


    However, by shooting this, he had a benchmark to compare to.


    Once again, he started to form a ball of energy on his palm, but the amount of buildup was much longer.


    Bang!


    The second ball of energy hit the wall.


    Fang looked in confusion. It wasn¡¯t right, the amount of damage couldn¡¯t have possibly been the same?


    Again, another ball slowly revolved around his palm until it was flung into the target.


    Bang!


    The result was yet the same!


    Constant sounds echoed throughout the room as occasionally, bright flashes would crash into the dummy. An hour passed, then two hours.


    Though the number of energy balls he had used exceeded a hundred by now, the results from each hit was nearly identical. The expression on Fang¡¯s face however displayed no major changes.


    As countless other times, he started to condense a whirling sphere when suddenly, a shock ran through his body. Without hesitation, the sphere went flying towards the dummy at an extreme speed, hurtling through multiple layers of the target.


    Success!


    Fang sighed in relief ¨C this energy had completely surpassed the former attempts by at least tenfold.


    He finally connected to the raging area inside, and by pulling out compressed energy from there, his strength had grown, surpassing the limit!

 Chapter 62: Conflict

    Chapter 62: Conflict


    Subsequent attempts ended in better results, and for an additional hour, Fang stayed inside. Another hour then passed by with the door opening shortly after. Inside, the dummy had fallen nearly into pieces!


    The next several days, Fang had attended his classes briefly before heading towards the practice area. Although it wasn¡¯t too difficult to successful imbue his basic attacks with this new source of energy, the more complicated techniques required quite a lot of hours to even start to infuse.


    With repeated use, the dense energy had dried up, only to rapidly fill up a couple of moments later. He soon realized that there wasn¡¯t a downside to fuse all his attacks with it, so with more effort, he immersed himself in beating dummies.


    Occupied with thoughts of practice, the week flew by swiftly, and it was already the day before the visit back into the city.


    Smiling, he wondered how impressed Valeria would be upon seeing this new ability.


    Shortly after finishing his last class, Fang happily left through the gates towards the magic academy.


    ---


    Upon arriving in front of the academy though, the atmosphere seemed to turn extremely sour.


    ¡°Is that Fang?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure that it was him that Scarlett took an interest to? He looks so ordinary!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I thought too, but it¡¯s just not Scarlett. I¡¯ve heard that he¡¯s Mii¡¯s boyfriend!¡±


    ¡°What? Why would those beauties like him? Even I look better than him¡­¡±


    Hearing those slightly indistinct voices, Fang exhaled deeply.


    Every week, he would come to the academy to meet up with Mii before heading towards the city, so it wasn¡¯t too unexpected that some people recognized him. As well, the occurrence last week had done wonders for his infamy.


    The magicians that attended the institute naturally thought themselves superior to the martial institutes, so the notion that the beauty of the city would actually like Fang was difficult to accept.


    Scarlett really knows how to bring about trouble!


    Within the crowd, a man bitterly looked at the figure near the gates. He absolutely despised how humiliated he felt when Scarlett ignored him and headed solely for Fang.


    A girl waved at Fang. Ever since the party, the thoughts that Tracy harbored against Fang had upturned completely. Status was everything, after all, and if she could be close to someone this prominent, it¡¯d boost her reputation immensely.


    Warmly smiling, she greeted Fang. ¡°How was your week?¡±


    ¡°Good, and yours?¡± Although the surrounding words had dampened his mood slightly, he was used to it and returned the customary greeting.


    ¡°Good as well.¡±


    Appearing close to Fang, she had received multiple invitations in the past week by the noticeable men of the city, inquiring over tea as to the exact situation between Scarlett and Fang. She didn¡¯t know much, yet, the feeling of importance she felt was quite intoxicating. Actually, she wanted to ask further about the relationship, but seeing how impatient Mii seemed to be, she lightly stepped away.


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    Taking Mii¡¯s hand, Fang started to walk away, slowly speeding up as he wanted to escape the floating rumors hurriedly.


    Before he could leave through the entrance, a blue garbed student intercepted him from the front.


    ¡°Are you Fang?¡±


    His eyes showed extreme hatred, but Fang nodded regardless, ¡°I am indeed Fang, you are¡­?¡±


    ¡°Die!¡±


    Instantly, the surroundings started to buzz alight in energy as he stared maliciously at Fang.


    Without hesitation, Fang shoved Mii to the side and brought up a hasty wall of energy.


    Boom!


    Fang slid backwards a couple of meters, dust furiously rising up in a dense cloud.


    Mii yelled, ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    This male student was known as reaching the top of the 1st year class rankings, and Tracy instantly recognized him ¨C Mart was one of the people that sought a meeting with her to inquire about Scarlett.


    It was clear that he was hopelessly infatuated with Scarlett from their conversation; though he knew that he had probably couldn¡¯t obtain Scarlett, there was no reason that she could belong to anyone else!


    ¡°Fang, who do you think you are to be so close to Scarlett!¡±


    Gradually backing up, he stopped the panicked Mii who seemed to have started casting. ¡°You¡¯ve made a mistake, I don¡¯t have any relationship with Scarlett.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d believe that? Let¡¯s see if you are even worthy of having spoken with her!¡± Lividly, he faced Fang as rocks started to float and compact around him. Without further warning, the encased figure wildly charged at Fang.


    Getting hit by a mass of rock heading at such a high speed would definitely result in broken bones or worse, and most would be filled anxiety.


    Instead of being frightened at all, Fang looked completely tranquil. He felt this amount of power before; it was similar to the pressure that William gave off. By now, with his current level of progress, he felt he could easily defeat him if he used his strongest moves.


    However, he didn¡¯t plan to use any powerful techniques, as it felt like such a trivial matter. As well, if he resolved this with serious injuries on the receiving party, there was bound to be questions from the academy¡¯s teachers, not including the tedious investigation of the source and causes of the fight.


    More importantly, Valeria would usually wait for him and Mii to arrive before presenting dinner ¨C he definitely couldn¡¯t make her wait.


    Though he had recently became a 5th grade intermediate, he hadn¡¯t learned any new techniques. Yet, there was something instead that he could try; the condensed energy in his body!

 Chapter 63: Race

    Chapter 63: Race


    Here is a longer chapter, if longer chapters are better than shorter ones, please vote so!


    ---


    Quickly, Fang started to focus the energy to his feet, and in what seemed like a blink, appeared in front of Mart. It should be at least a 30% increase in speed, he thought.


    On the other side, Mart looked in disbelief ¨C even magicians attuned to the wind couldn¡¯t move as fast as his opponent just did. A small bit of doubt rose up, only to be discarded as he hastily backed up, conjuring up a wall of rock, studded with spikes in front of him.


    Fang¡¯s advance didn¡¯t stop though, and energy covered his shoulders as he rushed viciously at Mart.


    The bystanders couldn¡¯t see through the thick cloud of dust, and some of the students called out in alarm, yet Mii wasn¡¯t one of them. After all, it was just two months ago that Fang defeated William in an unexpected victory; she held complete trust that he¡¯d come out unscathed.


    Mart sneered at the dashing figure, and watched arrogantly as the glowing figure grew closer and closer. There wasn¡¯t a chance that a person could break through a wall of stone like his.


    Bang!


    One person skidded across the uneven ground while the other stood proudly. But that person wasn¡¯t Mart ¨C it was Fang!


    Shock filled the surrounding crowd as they couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. How strong would a person have to be to break through a wall, and a magical one at that?


    Coughing, the crawling figure struggled to get up from the ground when suddenly, gravel flew into his mouth.


    In front of him, a boot met his eyes as Fang stared at him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve said that there¡¯s nothing between me and Scarlett, but, do you still think so?¡±


    Mart¡¯s face instantly paled, obviously, the opposite party absolutely wasn¡¯t weak. Like some sick joke, it was only two moves within a small time that utterly defeated him.


    This was the first time Tracy had seen Fang display his strength, and it left her almost speechless. ¡°Fang, you¡¯re so strong ¨C I didn¡¯t expect you could take down one of the top students in our class.¡±


    A small sweat broke out as she found out how powerful he was.


    Fang smiled lightly, ¡°He was a bit negligent, that¡¯s all.¡±


    She looked strangely at him, as she wondered why he chose to attend that institute with his current strength.


    As she turned her attention to the present, determined to ask some questions, Fang had already grabbed Mii¡¯s hand and left the entrance quite swiftly.


    Regarding the result of the match, Fang was satisfied. Although he knew that the Meteor techniques were extremely strong, it was a single risky hit for success.  However, since all his abilities were enhanced now, he felt a lot more confidence in his strength; he should be able to contend against those that had infused their energy with elements.


    If he were to fight William again, Fang was sure that without using Meteor Shower, he could solidly defeat him!


    ---


    Scarlett¡¯s words had left a constant pressure on Fang, who sighed. To avoid fights like the one with Mart, he waited a lot farther out from the institute for Mii before heading off to the city, and stayed discrete during the following weeks. As the days passed by, the interest mostly died down.


    With this, the semester came to a close.


    ---


    After the morning classes had ended, a familiar figure entered the room.


    ¡°Students, this weekend¡¯s break has been canceled.¡±


    Cancelled?


    Loud voices filled the room in an uproar! Although the students were diligent in their practice, they still looked forward to the few days they could relax and forget about the difficult studies at the college.


    Hershal waved his hand to stop the clamoring, and smiled slightly. ¡°I believe everyone wouldn¡¯t have any complaints though; the institute has come across quite a stroke of fortune. The federation has agreed upon letting the students from the institute into the energy fields for the next two months, and to save time, we¡¯ll be taking the weekend to travel to the destination!¡±


    As his voice fell, the class grew really excited.


    Throughout the land, there were natural energy rich places that the towers constructed tried to mimic with the rare materials. However, it couldn¡¯t compare to the constant, dense air that spread through the vast area ¨C it was like being bathed in energy medicine continually. Of course, because of these properties, the areas were highly valued by the country.


    These fields were usually protected, and trespassing into one regardless of status was deemed to be a serious crime. Since the country had claimed the known areas, they were occupied by the military and the average person would never set foot in the fields.


    Once again though, the teacher waved his hand for silence. ¡°We will not be heading to the fields alone though, we¡¯ll also be coming with the magic academy near the city. I hope everyone can treat them courteously, and get along.¡±


    The magic academy?


    Surprised fluttered across the faces in the class, as the two famous institutes around Minuet City were indeed the Garden College and the magic academy, but the relationship between the two wasn¡¯t good at all. The students from magic academy in the past had always looked down at the students from Garden College, and the hostility had grown to the point where the students would struggle to carry out a courteous conversation to each other.


    There was bound to be tension!


    ---


    From Garden College, the distance to the energy fields was about three hundred kilometers through a winding set of roads. It was remote, yet not far enough to warrant an escort of wind masters for the students.


    As dew rolled off vibrant leaves in the chilly morning, a cleared area was slowly growing in size as students arrived in groups.


    Shortly as the area seemed to have settled down, an elderly man walked up a platform and faced the crowd. ¡°We will be heading towards the fields by foot as a group. However, if you feel confident that you have the strength, you can go ahead and race towards the fields. Those that manage to arrive within the first fifty will receive a scholarship as a reward.¡±


    Scholarship?


    Fang¡¯s eyes shone brightly.


    Hearing that there was a sum of money offered, he immediately grew excited. Although he currently had Valeria¡¯s support behind him to afford the costs of precious, rare medicines, he didn¡¯t want to rely too heavily for everything ¨C it just didn¡¯t feel right to him.


    With the last set of words, some members of the crowd eagerly started to rush off.


    Fang turned to Blue in a somewhat sorry manner. ¡°Blue, I want to achieve the scholarship so¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, Blue stared at him, ill-humoredly. ¡°So you want to head off first without me right? You shouldn¡¯t be arrogant, don¡¯t think I¡¯m so weak I can¡¯t catch up to you! I¡¯m also interested in the scholarship; let¡¯s see who can get one first!¡±


    A few seconds later, Blue had already set by a distance of twenty meters.


    Fang sighed. He seemed to have set off his roommate once again, and shrugging in helplessness, he started to run after him.


    ---


    This competition was all about endurance rather than speed, and the difference in how much energy people had was clearly shown after a couple of moments.


    From behind was Fang¡¯s class ¨C though they had the effort, they were placed in that class for having the lowest strengths in the year. The main point was to keep a steady pace, and consume just enough to reach the destination in time, else the sudden loss of energy would leave them stranded far behind.


    In front of that class were the regular classes in first year from Garden College. Their levels of energy were better, but not outstanding.


    Then, leading second was the top class in Garden College, closely followed by the students from the magic academy. The use of magic definitely was different from how the energy was used by the other students, putting them ahead.


    However, in first were the few excellent students from each institute.


    The peace was disturbed quickly enough by two distant figures that closed the distance frighteningly fast.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen those two before, are they from Garden College?¡±


    ¡°Look at their emblems; they¡¯re from the lowest class.¡±


    ¡°Those people are really stupid, spending all their energy now. They¡¯ll have no chance to even arrive at the finish at that rate!¡±


    Although the majority of voices were unfriendly, filled with jeers, not everyone seemed to view them in a despising manner.


    In seeing Fang, they soon realized that it wasn¡¯t an accident, but an actual threat to the race!


    William was one of the few that knew it wasn¡¯t a fluke. The memories of that fated competition came up to mind, where he had been defeated from the high amounts of energy that Fang had in store even at a lower rank.


    However, once he looked again, he was puzzled. Who was the figure next to him? He shuddered to think that there could be someone else as strong as Fang in that class¡­


    ¡°Fang!¡±


    An intimate, bright voice rang out as a slender girl separated from the crowd and came towards him.


    ¡°Mii?¡± Startled, Fang faced her.


    Although magicians were strong, they were generally not very strong physically, therefore, he didn¡¯t expect to see Mii up here so far in the front.


    Instantly, he realized that she was probably pushing herself for the scholarship, and worriedly asked, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be fine at this pace Mii?¡±


    She returned the question with a smile, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m pretty confident I can maintain this speed for the entire journey.¡±


    Still, his doubts weren¡¯t fully cleared, but before he could talk, Blue interrupted, ¡°Fang, you¡¯re worried about nothing, take a look under her feet.¡±


    Fang turned to look, and surprise spread across his face as every step seemed to bounce right off the ground, leaving behind no dust as she moved forwards.


    Blue curiously said, ¡°Mii, you¡¯re using the alleviate magic? Not very many people study this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Mii replied in astonishment. Both sides of magic and non-magic users didn¡¯t pay attention to each other¡¯s techniques, so she was quite shocked to hear Blue identify what she was using.


    Alleviate magic was a category of magic that could reduce the weight of anything, and didn¡¯t use a lot of power. It wasn¡¯t easy to grasp, and the applications of it was looked as being limited, since wind magic could accomplish the same type of acceleration without as much effort.


    However, there was a deeper application that most people weren¡¯t aware of that classified it from being far from useless. It could be superimposed upon other magic, and the consumption was low, so once mastered with other speed magic, it was unparalleled.


    ¡°At the current rate that I¡¯m casting the magic, I¡¯ll reach the fields just in time before it depletes.¡±


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    The group started to head forward again as Fang looked peculiarly at Blue. Even though he had thoroughly studied the laws of energy that was present throughout the world, he knew little about the actual magic that magicians could employ.


    Blue noticed the stare, and was quite pleased.


    As they started to pull ahead, someone swiftly found out who the figures were.


    ¡°That guy definitely isn¡¯t from our school, but how come he¡¯s with Mii?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that guy the same one that meets her every week in front of the academy?¡±


    ¡°His name is¡­ Fang? The person that Scarlett liked?¡±


    ¡°Really? There must be a mistake, there¡¯s no way he could be related with Scarlett and Mii at the same time.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m absolutely sure. It¡¯s the same guy from Tracy¡¯s birthday party!¡±


    Hostility filled the air, but the students didn¡¯t make a move as everyone continued to trek through the roads. After all, there¡¯s no chance he could keep up his speed for even a hundred kilometers, he¡¯d be completely exhausted by then!


    However, Fang wasn¡¯t there to show off ¨C his only goal was to place in the top fifty and get that scholarship.


    Subtly, the energy around quietly changed. As each foot hit the ground, the ground seemed to shake mysteriously around Fang.


    Other people didn¡¯t notice the minor change, but Blue quickly discovered the odd steps that Fang took.


    It was too strange. Each step seemed to be the same distance, accurate within a centimeter. No matter if the ground was filled with gravel or grass, uphill or downhill, straight or curved, the distance was the same! His breathing was also perfectly synchronized with steps he took. His legs also were synchronized, and the height that his feet came up was exactly the same too.


    Though everyone had their movement patterns, there¡¯d be a definite change in how they¡¯d step across varying terrain, and with the change, consume more energy than what¡¯s exactly needed. Even if it is a single step, there would be countless steps across two hundred kilometers!


    She remembered the exact words her father had said, a stable rhythm was a signal of mastery over energy, as it¡¯d allow maximum use of one¡¯s endurance.


    Staring at Fang, she realized that this extremely abnormal rhythm persisted for each footstep, each inhale, each exhale, the relaxation and tensing of his muscles all unified.


    This fellow actually knew the principles of the invariable road? Where does he learn all these things from?!


    ---


    Graceful as a swallow, Mii seemed to glide lightly across the terrain, while Fang moved as if he was flying.


    A hundred kilometers had already passed, and unsurprisingly, Fang hadn¡¯t fallen behind. However, to the magic academy students, what was shocking was that the breathing Fang had was incredibly stable.


    How could this guy not be weary at all this far?


    Fang wasn¡¯t the only source of discussion ¨C his roommate also stood out as they seemed to be taking a leisurely stroll across the road.


    Regarding Blue, even Fang was surprised. ¡°Blue, I didn¡¯t know that you had so much endurance!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember what I said earlier?¡±


    Fang lightly coughed, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, it looks like we¡¯ll both get that scholarship!¡±


    ---


    With the mark of another hundred kilometers, the race only had a hundred kilometers remaining. Gradually, various people had stopped entirely, taking a breather and temporary resting until they could continue again.


    Blue, Mii, and Fang still kept their speed, not slowing down at all.


    The glaring sunlight broke through the winding branches of a forest as the air grew warmer and warmer. For the stretch of a hundred kilometers, the numbers from a hundred had trimmed down a couple of dozens in their surroundings, most falling back.


    There was no way though to know if they were within the top fifty or not, and so, the group continued onwards.


    About forty kilometers were remaining, when suddenly, Fang turned to the two. ¡°I¡¯m going to head on ahead, good luck!¡±


    By then, Mii seemed to be exhausted, sweating heavily and unable to go on, while Blue stayed behind as well.


    Right now, she was a student from the lowest class, and even running near the front was quite remarkable. However, if she were to continue with Fang, there¡¯s no doubt that her attempts to stay low key would be ruined.


    ---


    One by one, Fang passed many students, until he estimated that there were about 20 kilometers remaining to the end.


    Not far from him was a student that upon noticing Fang, stared maliciously at him, his eyes full of hostility.


    Seeing those eyes, Fang was slightly surprised; though he definitely wasn¡¯t liked by the majority of the magic academy students, the feeling he got from the opposite party was bitter hatred.


    As they made eye contact, the male student smirked and slowly flicked up a middle finger at him.


    This insulting gesture slightly enraged Fang.


    He was just going about for a fair contest of pure speed ¨C nothing happened at all, but the other person insults his family so brazenly?


    Instead of attacking the other student, Fang concentrated and increased his speed higher, surpassing the student within seconds. The student gazed at the shrinking figure, before shaking his head and speeding towards Fang.


    Soon enough, the man caught up to Fang and closely trailed behind, pushing each other to their limits as only ten kilometers remained before the entrance to the fields.


    ---


    Standing at the site, two elderly aged men stared at each other.


    ¡°Angus, I¡¯m so sorry that not even a single person from your institute seems to be able to reach the top fifty, judging from the current results!¡± The elder was the same one that announced the competition earlier; the director of the magic academy.


    Hearing the boastful claim coming out from the directory, Angus coughed loudly. ¡°You don¡¯t have the qualifications to despise Garden College, our institute have brought out some of the most talented people in history, more famous than anyone from your academy!¡±


    ¡°Some may have in the past, but Angus, do you naively believe that there¡¯ll be more of those people in the present?¡±


    ¡°There might be one already.¡±


    ¡°Oh really? Let¡¯s make a bet then, a hundred gold coins. If someone from your institute managed to enter the top fifty, I¡¯ll give you a hundred, but if you lost, you¡¯ll only have to give me ten. Doesn¡¯t that sound fair?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I need pity? If I lose, I¡¯ll gladly pay a hundred!¡±


    ¡°It seems I¡¯ll make a heavy profit today.¡±


    ¡°More like a heavy loss, you can¡¯t back out of this bet!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll be impossible, I already know I¡¯ve won with the talentless capabilities of your institute!¡±


    While the two men were shouted angrily, another competition took place just closely outside the fields.


    Nine kilometers, eight kilometers, seven kilometers¡­ five kilometers ¨C an abrupt gust of wind rose up below the male student¡¯s feet as he accelerated swiftly at an unexpected speed.


    No wonder his endurance was good; he was a specialist in the wind element!


    Although it was the last vestiges of his energy, he was confident that he could arrive before Fang as the entrance grew closer and closer.


    You think you could be faster than someone who specialized in wind?


    There¡¯s no chance at all.


    At the time, a rapid sound of footsteps rang behind him, and as he looked behind, he saw that Fang was only a couple of meters away from him.


    Is that Shadow Step?


    He could use Shadow Step?


    Seeing Fang closing the distance rapidly, the student tried to pull out more energy, but helpless, he didn¡¯t have any left to spare. By the time a wisp of energy had reappeared in his body, Fang was only a meter away from the entrance.


    ¡°17th place, Fang from Garden College!¡±


    Although Angus vaguely recalled that a student named Fang had defeated someone of multiple levels higher than him, he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the matter. However, just now, it wasn¡¯t one of the prefects from the top classes, but him that managed to hit the top fifty!


    Laughing, Angus looked at the dumbfounded man. ¡°It seems I¡¯ve won a hundred gold coins, thanks, you¡¯re really a generous person!¡±


    In shock, the director froze in place, thinking franticly. From his knowledge, Garden College had no students in the first year that unlocked the wind element as their affinity, and was not close to the strengths that the students at his academy were able to achieve. It was the reason why he could make the bet, but unexpectedly, someone made it in the top fifty, and not just that, the top twenty!


    Moreover, that person didn¡¯t contain wind affinity!


    Who was this fellow?


    With an unwilling heart, the elderly man handled over a hundred coins to Angus ¨C never could he have expected that someone could reach the top twenty, and from that, be from the basic class.


    But how could he have known that Fang had utilized compressed energy in that burst of speed!


    Though the result left Fang quite drained of energy, he managed to beat the other student in speed, and on that, someone who had borrowed the power of the wind.


    Limping forward, the wind student was depressed; he sent the guy a middle finger confident in his ability to win, only to be defeated shamefully!


    ¡°18th place, Bris!¡±


    From the announcement, Fang kept in the mind the other¡¯s name, he didn¡¯t remember anyone with this name before, but he could never forget the malice that the other side showed.


    Spitting viciously to the side, Bris gloomily looked at Fang before walking away.


    Sighing, Fang put aside his thoughts and firmly recalled the position he obtained. At best, he thought he could reach within the thirties to forties, but it was a welcome surprise to realize that he reached 17th place.


    ---


    People arrived one after another, but as the fiftieth person came through, Mii and Blue were nowhere in sight. Only after the 71st person did they arrived, respectively placing 72nd and 73rd, missing the line for the scholarship by a bit.


    Mii appeared a bit disconsolate. ¡°Sorry, Fang, I couldn¡¯t manage to reach the top fifty.¡±


    Fang patted her shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Mii, you tried your best.¡±


    ¡°Did you reach the top fifty?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Her face lit up.


    He smiled at her. ¡°I hit 17th place!¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty decent.¡± In surprise, Fang looked at Blue.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that you couldn¡¯t hold out for the last section Blue, otherwise you would¡¯ve definitely gained a scholarship as well.¡±


    Do I look like I need your comforting?


    Blue snorted, if she took it seriously, she¡¯d no doubt reach first, beating the top student by at least two hours!

 Chapter 64: Teacher

    Chapter 64: Teacher


    So I apparently had gotten two empty box achievements¡­ but one gave me a ton of errors and disappeared. Spooky. Anyways, there has been a lot of questions about this topic, and the answer is no, there will not be any NTR planned at all.


    ---


    Eventually, the rest of the students arrived at the energy fields as the dark sky loomed above. A chilly wind blew out through the camp, and with the majority of students tired and weary, the day was called to an end.


    The arrangements of the living residences were the same as the institute, so Fang and Blue were once again put in the same dormitory.


    Exhausted, Fang yawned as he started to stumble towards the bathroom, only to find that it was locked. As he realized Blue had headed in first, he sleepily sat down on the sofa inside the common living room.


    It shouldn¡¯t be too long, Fang thought. Even though his roommate was quite obsessive with their attention to cleanliness, he didn¡¯t recall Blue ever taking longer than half an hour to wash off. So he waited. And waited. Only after an hour had passed did Blue come out to a sleeping Fang.


    Alerted by the sound of the door opening though, Fang woke up. ¡°Blue, you really take too long washing yourself.¡±


    ¡°If you couldn¡¯t wait that long, why didn¡¯t you just go to someone else¡¯s bathroom?¡±


    Wearily, Fang raised his hand in surrender, unwilling to argue. As he stood up, a puzzled expression came across his face, since Blue was dressed in clothes to go out. ¡°You¡¯re not heading to sleep?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not used to sleeping this early, so I¡¯m taking a quick scroll to look around the environment.¡± With those words, Blue opened the door and exited out.


    Shaking his head, Fang muttered, ¡°Blue¡¯s endurance is something different.¡±


    ---


    Multiple paths wound around the uneven terrain around the fields, extending to all directions. There wasn¡¯t any signposts or guides to show the destinations of each road, yet, a figure moved confidently, decisively taking numerous forks.


    Finally, the person arrived in front of a solitary short tower, hanging close to the edge of a cliff.


    As they passed through the entrance of the building, an old, resounding voice rung out. ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Just from the sound alone, an aura of intimidation could be felt. However, in response to it, a light, female voice replied, ¡°It¡¯s me, Roland!¡±


    Descending from the stairs, a person stared in shock. ¡°Scarlett?¡±


    Advancing forwards, a graceful figure looked at the sharp, elderly man standing still, and gave a quick nod.


    ¡°Little devil, why are you here?¡±


    The youth smiled. ¡°I¡¯m here to visit you of course.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see the young, arrogant beauty come out to leisurely visit these old bones, but when she would, I never would have thought that she¡¯d appear looking like a man!¡± Although his words sounded harsh, a friendly glint crept up across his eyes. After all, he knew her quite well. ¡°How¡¯s your grandfather doing?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s doing well, and pressed me to express his regards to you.¡±


    A few years ago, Scarlett¡¯s grandfather had brought her to this particular location to train, so she was fairly familiar with him. Coming from a powerful family, if Scarlett was asked to convey her grandfather¡¯s regards, the recipient was definitely not normal.


    The man in question indeed was exceptional ¨C he was a retired military veteran, an instructor of the special forces of the country.


    Formed of some of the best in the country, the special forces were known to exhibit a monstrous strength and their leader was one of the strongest within the century. From the start of his participation, Roland devoted his life to the country, gaining countless accolades from the government. When he had passed his prime, he declined the fame and fortune unlike many veterans and retired in seclusion.


    ¡°I appreciate his sentiments.¡± Then, Roland paused. ¡°But you little devil definitely didn¡¯t come for this. Split out what you want, you know I¡¯m impatient.¡±


    Scarlett laughed softly. ¡°I can¡¯t hide the truth from you, so I¡¯ll get to the point. I¡¯m interested in learning your combat techniques.¡±


    ¡°Interested?¡± Disbelief spread across his face as Roland looked at her. ¡°In the past when you and your grandfather visited, I asked you if you wanted to learn, but you refused. How come you suddenly changed your mind?¡±


    She moved her lips into a smile. ¡°Roland, I was young and mistaken in the past, I realized now that your combat techniques were extremely valuable. Please forgive my previous sayings.¡±


    When he first met Scarlett, he instantly discovered that her talent was extremely rare, being able to infuse six types of elements in her energy. A regret had always lingered in his heart that he couldn¡¯t take part in the progress of such a genius, so to hear that she came of her own accord to learn, he was certainly willing. ¡°It took a while for you to realize; it¡¯s not late now, and although my techniques may not compare in rank to the ones from your family, they¡¯ll undoubtedly impact your combat ability by a lot.¡±


    Seeing the hurried reaction Roland showed, Scarlett¡¯s smile grew wider. ¡°I have a condition though before I¡¯d study your techniques.¡±


    He coughed loudly. ¡°Shameless, I¡¯m offering to teach you and you¡¯re proposing a condition?¡±


    ¡°Senior Roland, it¡¯s just a request.¡± She put on a pouting face.


    Sighing, he replied, ¡°As long as it¡¯s not ridiculous, I¡¯ll accept a condition.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very simple, nothing excessive at all. I¡¯d like to bring another person for you to teach as well.¡±


    ¡°Whom?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my roommate from the institute I¡¯m currently enrolled in, his name is Fang.¡±


    He narrowed his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s his background?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have one, he¡¯s seemingly from a small, unknown city.¡±


    ¡°It''s a no.¡± Roland frowned at Scarlett. ¡°You know, although the close combat techniques were of my own invention, they were adapted from the country¡¯s military battle skills. I can¡¯t just teach other people outside the military.¡±


    She scowled, ¡°I¡¯m not part of the special forces, how come you can teach me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re different, the amount of talent you have may never appear again, and both your grandfather and father are part of the country¡¯s headquarters. Even if I make the exception, it wouldn¡¯t have any issues.¡± He stopped. ¡°To study these techniques, there needs to be an outstanding amount of talent and insight, and from what you said, your roommate is a normal person. It¡¯d only end up being a complete waste of time.¡±


    ¡°I absolutely don¡¯t believe he¡¯s an average person. Roland, you know that I¡¯m usually indifferent to other people, but Fang¡¯s caught my attention. In fact, the reason why I went to Garden College is to study with him.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Roland was skeptical that a person from a small city could be outstanding, after all, without support for resources and training methods, it¡¯d be extremely different to become exceptional. Particularly, the person would have to be extremely talented to catch Scarlett¡¯s eye.


    Suddenly, he cautiously gazed at Scarlett. ¡°Could it be that Fang¡¯s your boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°He is not, he¡¯s just only my roommate!¡± Scarlett glared. ¡°Take a look at him before you decide, and if Fang doesn¡¯t meet your requirements, feel free to stop teaching him anytime. As for the traditional customs, if you can make an exception for me, you can definitely make a one for him. With the amount of prestige you hold with the country, such a minor matter wouldn¡¯t cause any problems.¡±


    Slowly pacing back and forth, Roland seemed to be deep in thought. Gradually, he looked up. ¡°Tomorrow, come here with Fang. However, I¡¯m holding you to what you said, if there¡¯s any questions with his aptitude I won¡¯t teach him regardless of what you say.¡±


    Scarlett breathed in relief. ¡°Thank you Roland, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow then!¡±


    ---


    A light mist swirled around the thin beams of morning sunlight shining through the trees around the houses. The mist felt incorporeal though, seemingly passing through the leaves littered in the environment as if they didn¡¯t exist.


    Today was the first day of the camp inside the energy fields, where the facilities would be open to the students from the various classes. Just moving around the mist felt quite refreshing, and even someone without any energy would enjoy the air here.


    Other than the housing already established, the military also had multiple rooms for practice, where this air would condense much like an energy tower.


    ---


    Steadily, Fang continued to absorb the rich energy around his surroundings. A pleasant surprise rose up as he quickly realized that the energy was much purer. As well, the concentration of energy within the fields was incomparably better than the density found inside the energy towers.


    No wonder the country¡¯s military was so strong, he mused; they could spent their entire time training inside such an environment!


    He sighed. What a pity that there was only two months to take advantage of this ¨C the time was too short.


    Besides the change in scenery, the classes still continued as usual, with the practice techniques displayed being more magnificent. At the end of classes, the energy rooms were free for usage as well as the training grounds, and the students dispersed, heading into different areas.


    After the last class had finished, Blue turned to look at Fang. ¡°Fang, what do you plan to do now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll probably head towards the training grounds.¡±


    Though the absorption of more energy was quite attractive, there were multiple skills he could work on and perfect, and throughout the day, he had accumulated a fair amount already.


    Blue grinned. ¡°It¡¯s a rare occasion to come to such a place, would it be a pity to practice as normal? Fang, you¡¯ve heard that inside these fields, the country¡¯s military trains, right?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Everyone knows that, what are you trying to get at?¡±


    Deliberately, Blue lowered her voice. ¡°I heard that a retired military teacher lives in solitude around here, if we find him and learn something from him, wouldn¡¯t it be great?¡±


    ¡°A retired military teacher?¡± Startled, Fang stared at Blue. ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°Oh, one of my relatives in Minuet City told me.¡± She quickly continued. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the details. The key here is, it would be great if we could find them!¡±


    ¡°It would be great, but Blue, aren¡¯t you too optimistic? You know that a military instructor isn¡¯t an average person, and I¡¯ve heard that they wouldn¡¯t pass on anything if the person wasn¡¯t part of the country¡¯s military. We don¡¯t have any status, so it definitely wouldn¡¯t be good to disrupt the peace of such a figure.¡±


    ¡°Well, we wouldn¡¯t know unless we try, perhaps we can persuade him with sincere words. Even if we were rejected, nothing would happen to us ¨C after all, we¡¯re of no threat.¡±


    Seeing Fang still look hesitant, Blue grabbed his hand and started to drag him forwards. ¡°Let¡¯s go, if we can¡¯t find them, we can always come back!¡±


    Although he was still doubtful, Fang shook off Blue¡¯s hand and followed along.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ---


    Soon enough, they arrived in front of the towering structure.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    The imposing voice slightly shook the building, and Fang¡¯s reservations grew larger. ¡°Blue, let¡¯s return back to the camp¡­¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, Blue inspected him critically. ¡°You¡¯re really a coward, how could you be nervous?¡±


    Loudly, Blue yelled, ¡°Hello, we come from Garden College, visiting temporarily. We heard that a military teacher of high prestige and noble character lived around here, and we hoped to gain your instruction.¡±


    A man appeared on the top of the stairs. ¡°You two want to learn the military¡¯s combat techniques?¡±


    ¡°Although we¡¯re young, we¡¯re dedicated to the martial arts and hope that we can become as strong as you. Even if we don¡¯t have the qualifications to learn the combat techniques, we sincerely request your guidance.¡±


    Like a play, the two sides went back and forth with questions and stubbornness until the figure finally relented. ¡°Looking at your sincerity, I¡¯ll give an opportunity to learn my techniques, but before that, you both will have to pass my test.¡±


    In fake excitement, Blue shouted, ¡°We¡¯re willing to take any test, no matter how difficult it is!¡±


    ¡°Very good, I hope that you can keep that courage after taking my test!¡±


    After throwing down those words, a door to a room opened.


    Disbelief spread all across Fang¡¯s face as he stared at Blue. ¡°Blue, you got him to agree!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not done yet, let¡¯s first look at the test.¡±


    As she stood, a complex expression appeared on her face. You said I was na?ve? You¡¯re the na?ve one, to think that such an opportunity would appear from an earnest request.


    Within moments, Roland appeared in front of them. Although he wasn¡¯t attuned to the spatial area of energy, his level of energy was enough to move faster than the eye could see.


    Respectfully, Fang bowed. ¡°Hello senior, my name is Fang.¡±


    Roland had already known who he was, and instead of responding, looked intently at Fang, scanning from the bottom to the top.


    He seems to be a very ordinary person, was Scarlett playing me?


    Although suspicions came up to mind, he waved his hand. ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Inside the corridor, flights of stairs descended downwards, and the two figures hurriedly climbed down. Another door opened at the end of a second corridor, and a large underground field came into view.


    Usually, the military would conduct the majority of their training inside here, but as the institutes were present, it was vastly empty.


    ¡°The first test is, run ten times around this course within five minutes!¡±


    Ten? Fang looked strangely at the field ¨C though it wasn¡¯t very small, anyone from his class could casually run ten relatively quickly.


    Was this just a warm-up?


    Seeing the confusion in Fang¡¯s expression, Roland chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t look down on this first test, you¡¯re not necessarily able to pass!¡±


    His hand came down as a small floodgate rose up. Instantly, an invisible pressure clamped down in the surroundings.


    Pressure field!


    It wasn¡¯t as simple as it looked; by exerting energy into a special device, there could be an intensification of gravity in an area. The weight multiplied, as well as the pressure on the bones resulted in an environment that was greatly taxing on endurance.


    ¡°You still have time to be in a daze? The timer¡¯s already started.¡±


    Snapping back to attention, Fang and Blue started to run swiftly.


    Under such serious pressure, there would be an absolute reduction in speed, but through revolving the energy appropriately and making use of the inertia, Fang kept up a regular pace as he continued to move around.


    It took a mere four minutes for Blue to complete the task, but Fang used nearly four minutes and fifty seconds, close to the cut-off.


    Blue¡¯s performance wasn¡¯t notable ¨C to Roland, he knew that these tests were trivial for Scarlett. His attention was solely on Fang throughout the entire trial. Rapidly, he recognized that his speed wasn¡¯t the fastest he could have exhibited.


    This boy, during the entire course, the breath, step length, tension, and frequency were all extraordinarily consistent. In fact, the steps Fang took were the same as the initial steps at the beginning.


    Roland knew this technique, it was the invariable road!


    No average person would be in knowledge of this technique, and even if they learned it, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to display it while under the influence of pressure.


    His eyes narrowed.


    Scarlett actually didn¡¯t lie; this boy¡¯s quite different!


    ¡°The first test is done, so the second will take place now. Run the full distance around the same course within a minute!¡±


    Distance was reduced by a tenth, while the time was reduced by a fifth: at first glance, this test sounded easier.


    However, Roland¡¯s hand moved once more, and another floodgate shot up.


    The pressure was increased!


    With twice the pressure, the atmosphere was more overbearing, but that wasn¡¯t all. A spike of pressure in a direction happened in intervals, making it difficult to keep balance, let alone move.


    No reminder was needed this time, and Fang and Blue started to run, treasuring every second.


    Quickly, Fang realized that though the direction of force was random, it occurred in regular intervals of about 0.2 seconds. Calmly breathing, he adjusted the intensity of energy around him as he proceeded forwards.


    This time, it took a little under fifty seconds for Blue to finish, while it took a bit over fifty seconds for Fang. Through varying amounts of pressure, the test aimed to examine the amount of control over energy a person had. Without fine amounts of control, it would be impossible to stay upright in the swaying forces that was present.


    Compared to Scarlett, Fang¡¯s degree of control seemed to be slightly less, but it was Scarlett that he was being matched to! The majority of the youths, even those that were attuned to the wind, would be unable to exert the amount of balance he had!


    Roland¡¯s interest in Fang grew even further.


    Following the second test were a set of ten tests that changed around the environment and the obstacles present on the course, leading Roland to come to an understanding about Fang¡¯s current ability.


    The density, quality, endurance, and measured consumption of energy were extremely outstanding, moreover, the boy showed full aptitude for skills that were difficult to master. No wonder Scarlett was interested in him!


    ---


    He took a moment to collect his thoughts.


    Perhaps Fang was trained in secret by Scarlett¡¯s grandfather, specifically to simulate Scarlett¡¯s interest in training.


    If that was true, then it¡¯d be acceptable to help him out.


    ¡°You¡¯ve both passed the minimum standards. Starting from tomorrow, come again and I¡¯ll instruct the military¡¯s combat techniques that I¡¯ve honed.¡±


    ¡°Senior, thank you very much!¡± Though it wasn¡¯t the techniques used by the special forces, the military¡¯s skills were highly valuable that the average person would never be able to come across.


    ¡°You can call me Roland!¡±


    After dropping those words, he walked back into the building, shutting the door behind him.


    ¡°We¡¯ve passed Blue!¡± Filled with joy, Fang hugged Blue. ¡°It¡¯s all because of you, without your insistence, I would¡¯ve never had this opportunity¡­¡±


    His words were abruptly interrupted as Blue pushed him backwards.


    A light blush spread across Blue¡¯s face as she shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t hug me!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a friendly hug.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it, it feels disgusting,¡± Blue glared at him. ¡°Don¡¯t hug me again, or else I¡¯ll never talk to you again!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± However, Blue¡¯s words didn¡¯t damper his happiness at all. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe we managed to get a military instructor to teach us!¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s certainly wonderful!¡± Blue smiled wickedly.


    You won¡¯t necessarily be able to smile tomorrow Fang, because the training is really hellish, enough to make you wish you could die!


    ---


    In the following evening, Fang visited the place along with Blue.


    The end of the session had left him not tired, or weary, but brutally bloody.


    Simply, the training was so demanding that if people discovered what it entailed, they would look in horror, regardless of physical strength.


    Though both his body and his mind were worn out, Fang hadn¡¯t given up ¨C he knew the chance he had now was extremely fortunate.


    Completely cold-blooded, Roland ruthlessly kept the pressure up, pushing Fang to his very limits before stopping. ¡°Come once again tomorrow evening. If for any reason you fail to come any day, never come again.¡±


    Sluggishly, Blue and Fang walked back to their residence, quietly moving forwards. Upon arrival, Fang removed his shirt, soaked in blood and sweat and examined his body. It didn¡¯t take long to notice the bruising and thin lacerations that lined his upper back, some cuts deep enough to almost peel back his flesh.


    However, he couldn¡¯t back out from just these wounds; Roland had clearly said as long as a single day of training was missed, he would reject any future practice.


    A sense of quick pleasure ran through Blue¡¯s body as she felt somewhat refreshed. As soon as it came though, she felt a sense of concern looking at the horrible condition that he was currently in.


    ¡°Blue, can you help apply the healing ointment?¡± Her thoughts were interrupted as Fang handed over a jar filled with a white paste.


    Blue gaped for a couple of seconds. ¡°Do I apply it by hand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t reach some places on my back.¡± Seeing that Blue was still dazed, Fang continued, ¡°Only if it¡¯s not too much trouble.¡±


    Hesitantly, Blue opened the jar and took a bit of the medicine in her hand, applying it to Fang¡¯s back.


    It felt rough, but solid. As her hand paused on Fang¡¯s back, his body shuddered slightly.


    A sharp, loud breath broke the silence in the room as Fang¡¯s face distorted in pain, shattering Blue¡¯s thoughts.


    She shook her head rapidly ¨C what was she even thinking?!


    Calming down, she quickly helped spread the medication around his back before handling over the jar back to Fang.


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Slowly but surely, the pain throughout his body reduced greatly as Fang suddenly looked at Blue. ¡°Blue, you also shouldn¡¯t be feeling so great now, take off your clothes and I¡¯ll also help apply the healing ointment on you.¡±


    Immediately, Blue¡¯s face turned red. ¡°I don¡¯t need it!¡±


    Although the training was quite brutal, it wasn¡¯t too demanding with her level of strength.


    Fang sighed, he didn¡¯t expect Blue to stay so stubborn. ¡°Blue, don¡¯t be unreasonable, the training will be tomorrow again, and it¡¯s quite difficult. Without healing your wounds, your body condition definitely wouldn¡¯t be good for the coming practice. It¡¯s not a time to be embarrassed, we¡¯re friends, so hurry up and take off your shirt!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, I have my own set of medicines!¡±


    Swiftly, Blue dashed towards her room like a frightened rabbit, hastily opening and closing the door behind her.