Summer camp, Area C.
“Next up, we have the Black Mountain Corps….”
Mike yawned, rubbing his eyes. His wrist was also sore.
All day long, he hadn’t stopped writing.
“Shadow Nine really doesn’t hold back!”
Shadow Nine has truly tak maximizing savings to the extreme.
Taking a break, Mike looked a at the others.
Ela was using her AI auto-typing software to write her impressions, Jessica’s handwriting was beautiful, and Kaelum’s was a bit messy, writing whatever came to mind.
The worst off were Cain and Anderson.
Ev combined, their writings didn’t add up to 800 words.
Cain let out a wail, looking at the setting sun, and said helplessly,
“Sior, we’re not going to earn these credits. Let’s think about what to eat tonight.”
Anderson siltly shook his head.
Is this the time to think about food?!
Suddly, he seemed to have an epiphany and started writing furiously.
This caught everyone’s atttion, and they gathered a to see what he was writing.
Anderson wrote, “Suggestions for tonight’s dinner: roast turkey, roast beef ribs, roast pork ribs, roast chick wings, roast chick legs….”
Cain immediately followed suit, providing ‘suggestions’ for dinner.
…
Meanwhile, in the rest area of the Area C exhibition.
Instructors and teachers gathered here.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Classmates, corps comrades, and other relationships wove together, forming circles of familiar faces chatting.
In one corner, most people deliberately avoided a group, keeping their distance.
“Ah—”
Bob Emberclad took a deep drag on his cigar, exhaling a smoke ring with satisfaction.
“My strgth is finally back. Being a Battle Chief feels great.”
Bob Emberclad sat with Carson on his right and Blaze Morrow on his left.
The three were classmates and had served in the same corps, forming a close bond.
Listing to Bob Emberclad’s bragging, Carson was annoyed,
“This is the second time today…”
Before he could finish, Blaze Morrow interrupted,
“Speaking of second, my granddaughter…”
“Stop! We all know her talt awaked a second time!”
“Now it’s not just us; ev the emies in the Abyssal Plane probably know!”
Bob and Carson united to stop Blaze Morrow’s repetitive boasting.
“Look at you two, so shallow!”
Blaze Morrow snorted, not bothering to argue.
He had planned to brag about his granddaughter’s second class change achieving an SS rating, now able to summon pets from two planes!
Originally, with Jessica’s strgth, achieving an SS rating for a second class change was very difficult.
But coincidtally, Thor conquered the th floor and achieved an SSSSS rating at that time!
Jessica had initially achieved an 80% Exploration Rate, and with the [Explorer] buff, her rating jumped to SS!
It was like a promotion.
Blaze Morrow reminded himself, “Better keep some trump cards for my granddaughter, can’t boast about everything.”
Carson put down his orange juice and said, “Blaze, that Mike you favor does have some skills. It was worth my trip that day.”
During the early tests in Area C, Carson had come in person and ev requested a match betwe Mike and Ethan.
This was mainly due to Blaze Morrow’s influce.
Blaze Morrow perked up, asking,
“Oh? I heard that little fox beat up Birch Starwind’s grandson?”
“Not exactly beat up, but it was a one-sided crush.”
Carson recounted the evts of the combat test in detail.
“This kid is still holding back, definitely not showing his true strgth!”
After hearing this, Blaze Morrow tapped the table with his fingers, confidtly saying,
“He previously fought an A-grade talt kid in Magic High School… what’s his name? Strange, my memory seems to be getting worse. Anyway, Mike won easily.”
Bob Emberclad found it interesting,
“You’re saying a kid with a D-grade talt beat opponts with A-grade and S-grade talts?”
“Yes, what are you getting at?”
“Let’s rule out the possibility that Mike is Thor.”
Bob Emberclad lowered his voice, “In the SS-grade talt training camp, there are a few strong Lightning elemt studts, one of whom happs to train in Lightning, Wind, and Fire elemts!”
“Really?!”
Previously, wh Thor achieved an SSS rating in the class change realm, all humans in the Tower of Truth received buffs and learned about Thor’s currt situation.
Thor not only mastered powerful Lightning but also learned Wind and Fire elemts, esstially training in three elemts!
Incredible!
“Yes, it’s true. It’s said that someone saw Shadow Two a that SS-grade talt training camp!”
Shadow Two?!
Guardian Shadow, ranked second?!
Most people didn’t know the specific division of labor among the top Guardian Shadows. Ev Battle Lords couldn’t fully understand the Guardian Shadow’s operational mechanisms.
The geral assumption was that the lower the Shadow number, the stronger the Shadow.
The stronger the Shadow, the more powerful the gius they protected.
For example, Shadow Sev. Wh he competed for the Shadow Sev position, he had no idea Shadow Sev was guarding the Forest of Truth!
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have tak the job ev if it killed him!
“Shadow One is said to be on the front lines. If Shadow Two is with Thor, it makes sse…”
Such rumors were best discussed privately.
The three held significant positions and understood humanity’s stance on pottial Supreme Being Thor.
“In my opinion, Thor shouldn’t reveal himself until he has the strgth of a ninth-tier Battle Lord.”
Carson, the strongest among them, had the most say, “An SSS-grade talt has the pottial to break limits, which is crucial! Today’s humanity is not what it used to be! Back th, pottial Supreme Beings had to fight on the front lines, turning the tide. Now we can protect Thor, letting him grow quickly!”
Bob Emberclad disagreed,
“I don’t see it that way. You can’t grow a mighty tree in a grehouse. Every Supreme Being of humanity has emerged from the corpses of emies.”
“To me, this is all nonsse.”
Blaze Morrow scoffed, “What you two think is your business.”
“Thor will do what he wants. It’s not up to you to dictate. Ev if he wants to take a demon god as a mistress, it’s of your business….”
As the three argued, everyone’s phones simultaneously chimed.
“Ding—”
“Salary’s in.”
Money can settle any argumt.
Bob Emberclad checked his phone, satisfied with the number.
“Battle Chief’s salary is great.”
“Did I brag about my Battle Lord salary?”
Carson, as a Battle Lord, naturally had the highest salary. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com
“Blaze, how much did you get?”
Comparing salaries wasn’t just about oneself but also about colleagues.
Happiness comes from comparison.
Bob Emberclad glanced at Blaze Morrow’s phone and was stunned, eyes wide.
“Holy fuck, why did you get so much, Blaze? Did you apply for Dead Resolve Camp?”
“Impossible, I hav’t heard of Dead Resolve Camp oping!”
Carson joined in, equally shocked by the number,
“Did they make a mistake with your salary?”
“Why is it a digit more than mine?”
“Share half with me, or I’ll report you to HR!”
A Battle Chief’s salary, t times higher than a Battle Lord’s!
Did Blaze Morrow hide his strgth?!
The two grabbed Blaze Morrow, with Carson holding him down while Bob Emberclad checked his pay stub.
“Base salary is normal… befits are normal… Blaze, where did this research bonus come from?”
Bob Emberclad pointed to a line on the pay stub, where the extra money came from.
“…Research Project Leader: Gregory…”
Carson was puzzled,
“You joined Professor Gregory’s research group?”
Blaze Morrow looked equally confused. Did I? If Professor Gregory said so, th I must have!
“You’re both clueless.”
Blaze Morrow knocked on the table, smugly saying,
“Didn’t you see? I’ve made significant research contributions, and this is a reward. Do you understand the value of research contributions?”
Significant research contributions were akin to a Nobel Prize!
Hard not to be arrogant.
Blaze Morrow was determined to flaunt today!
“Blaze, you’re more likely to be researched.”
Bob Emberclad’s expression turned cold, probing,
“What research contributions could you possibly make?”
“Ahem.”
Blaze Morrow cleared his throat, hiding his embarrassmt, “I signed a confidtiality agreemt. You know, absolute secrecy!”
With that, the conversation couldn’t continue.
Carson didn’t mind, having be busy and not interacting much with Blaze Morrow lately.
But Bob Emberclad’s expression was peculiar, as if he had guessed the truth.
Bob Emberclad patted Blaze Morrow’s shoulder, saying naturally,
“Blaze, you deserve this money. Rectly, eat more brain-boosting food. There’s a place on Second Street…”
Blaze Morrow’s eyes lit up, eager to speak, “Speaking of second, you…”
Carson and Bob said in unison,
“Shut up!”
