Hearing Howard’s words, the students’ gazes towards him shifted to something akin to disbelief.
You’re asking if you made it onto the leaderboard?
You’ve already completely dominated the entire leaderboard!
If you can’t make it, then who else in this academy would qualify?
Keno’s mouth twitched involuntarily, recalling his earlier advice to Howard, feeling like a fool.
Fortunately, Keno was well-composed, replying calmly, “You indeed made it onto the leaderboard. However, the rewards are distributed at the beginning of each month, here.”
Pausing for a moment, Keno added, “In other words, you’ll have to wait until the start of next month and still be at the top of the leaderboard to claim your reward.”
“That’s quite a hassle,” Howard frowned slightly, not too concerned about the reward, his mind drifting to something Wales had mentioned at enrollment.
Based on his evaluation level, he was entitled to considerable resources each month!
This had made Howard resolve to seek Wales for his reward before returning to Saint City and to ask for leave as well.
Although the academy wasn’t far from Saint City, it was unclear how long it would take to settle the impending chaos there.
By asking for leave, he wouldn’t have to worry too much and could just follow Rick Suleiman’s lead.
“These are the rules. But with your current points, not just next month, even if a year passes, you could probably still remain among the top few on the leaderboard. That reward is practically already yours,” Keno said solemnly. “I underestimated you earlier. I never expected a freshman to possess such strength.”
Upon hearing Keno’s words, Howard raised an eyebrow, sensing something amiss. He quickly realized that his performance had astonished both Keno and the other students. Moving swiftly towards the stone tablet, Howard’s eyes widened as he saw his name at the very top of the list. He hadn’t expected to dominate the Mystic Realm of Battle Intent on his first attempt.
Was it possible that the other students at Holy Abyss Academy were underperforming? Not exactly. There were still a few students who could overpower Howard in terms of raw strength, especially since there was a gap in their attributes. Without using his SSS-level skills, Howard found it challenging to breach their defenses.
However, earning points in the Mystic Realm was all about the speed of slaying monsters, and that’s where Howard excelled. The endurance of those stronger students couldn’t keep up with his pace, resulting in them garnering fewer points compared to Howard. As long as he maintained the presence of his Flame Giant, his monster-killing speed was nearly unparalleled, making it unsurprising that others couldn’t match him.
Glancing at the various expressions of the students around him, Howard realized why they were looking at him so peculiarly. He couldn’t help but chuckle, “Ah, I didn’t expect to casually enter the Mystic Realm and come out on top. Seems like I’ll have to keep a low profile in the future.”
Keno responded with a smile, “I’m afraid keeping a low profile might be difficult for you now!”
Howard acknowledged the students with a nod and left the hall without hesitation. Time was precious, and he had no intention of spending it on idle chatter with the other students.
Leaving the academic building, Howard realized that night had fallen. Hesitating briefly, he chose not to return to his dorm but headed to the administration office instead. Unfortunately, when Howard pushed open the office door, neither Wales nor the elegant mentor were present. Only the young girl with glasses, engrossed in her books, sat there.
Perceiving the scene, Howard was momentarily uncertain; were students allowed to linger in the administration office? Recognizing Howard, the girl, though her tone was cool, was not unfriendly. Without waiting for Howard to speak, she proactively said, “Wales isn’t here. If you’re looking for him, you might find him at the mentor’s dormitory.”
“Thank you,” Howard replied with a nod before turning to leave.
Unbeknownst to him, a flicker of interest sparkled in the girl’s eyes as she softly muttered, “Intriguing… To clear the entire fifth layer of the Mystic Realm at level 33!”
…
Unaware of Wales’ dormitory location and considering it was not yet the weekend, Howard didn’t rush to find him and instead returned to his own dormitory. Just as he arrived at the dorm building, he saw both Abby and Ying Chan waiting in the hallway, causing him to pause in his tracks.
Ying Chan, having trained in the Chan family from a young age and possessing a higher level than Howard, lacked the opportunities he had. Though her base attributes were not as strong as Howard’s, they were still formidable. She immediately sensed Howard’s arrival and joyously rushed toward him.
Abby, noticing Ying Chan’s reaction and not wanting to be outdone, quickly followed suit. As an archer, her movement speed was faster than Ying Chan’s, allowing her to reach Howard’s embrace alongside Ying Chan.
This scene, witnessed by other students, instantly sparked envy and admiration. It wasn’t just the fact that Howard was flanked by two women, but that both of them were stunning beauties. This sight drove many students to jealousy.
Fortunately, both women were considerate of Howard’s image in public and didn’t cause a scene. After a short conversation and sharing their feelings, they returned to their respective dorms.
As for Howard’s trip back to Saint City, he chose not to inform the two women. Given the likely turmoil in Saint City and the relatively modest strength of Abby and Ying Chan, it seemed safer for them not to accompany him.
The following days fell into a routine for Howard. Apart from attending classes, he also ventured into the second Mystic Realm, the one focused on survival. Unlike the Battle Intent Mystic Realm, the survival version didn’t provide an endless stream of monsters for Howard to maintain the duration of his Flame Giant, slightly diminishing his strength.
Moreover, with the survival Mystic Realm simulating various wilderness and ruin scenarios, Howard’s performance wasn’t as dazzling. He only managed to reach the 27th position on the points leaderboard. Nonetheless, this achievement still astonished countless students, especially considering Howard was just a first-year student who wouldn’t ordinarily be expected to make the leaderboard at all.
Howard’s name thus became widely recognized among the academy’s mentors and students.
Wales, upon learning of Howard’s request for leave to return to Saint City, promptly approved a three-day leave for him. Including the weekend, Howard would have five days, ample time to address any issues.
Before Howard’s departure, Wales even presented him with a spiked chainmail, a special treasure capable of being worn alongside other equipment and reflecting damage back to attackers. Howard, never one to turn down a benefit, gratefully accepted the gift.
Abby and Ying Chan, both sensible and understanding, did not cling to Howard. They bade him a reluctant farewell as he left the academy, accompanying him until Rick Suleiman arrived to escort him away.
“Quite impressive, young man. The girl with the fiery aura — if I’m not mistaken, she must be from the Chen family of Crimson Dragon City, right?” Rick Suleiman’s sharp eye had instantly recognized Ying Chan’s origins.
Howard, surprised, inquired, “How did you know, senior?”
“In all the world, the only women with such intense fiery power hail from the Chen family of Crimson Dragon City!” Rick Suleiman exclaimed. “I still vividly recall the scene where Shelley Chan transformed into a fiery phoenix, annihilating over a dozen demon generals. It was truly astonishing!”
“It’s a pity, though, I heard Shelley Chan remained single all her life, without any offspring. I wonder what kind of man could have won the heart of such a strong and beautiful woman!”
Hearing the tone in Rick Suleiman’s words, Howard caught his breath. He dared not reveal his intimate encounter with Shelley Chan, fearing the consequences.
He never expected that Rick Suleiman, despite having no connection with the head of Holy Abyss Academy, harbored such sentiments towards Shelley Chan!
“It seems that your recent endeavors with Wales have indeed borne fruit. Otherwise, a lady from the Chen family wouldn’t have followed you here,” Rick Suleiman said with a smile. “This makes me even more confident in your ability to acquire that treasure and successfully attain a hidden class.”
“Dare I ask, senior, what exactly is this Supreme Treasure?”
Howard quickly changed the subject.
“The Supreme Treasure is known as the Starry River Map. Once an awakened individual refines it, they not only gain the power of the stars to advance to a hidden class but also continually temper their physical body and soul while wearing it, constantly enhancing their strength,” Rick Suleiman explained gravely. “Moreover, the Starry River Map occasionally grants the refiner a new talent. Six hundred years ago, a powerful being refined it and awakened an SS-level talent, enabling them to transform into a celestial body, instantly altering the battlefield and significantly boosting their power.”
“However, the talent awakened by refining the Starry River Map is not fixed. Two hundred years ago, someone else refined it and only awakened a B-level talent called Starlight Art. While it had decent supportive effects, it wasn’t particularly impactful.”
“It remains to be seen what kind of talent you might awaken after refining the Starry River Map!”.𝘤𝘰
𝑖.𝘤ℴ𝘮