Some students laughed, more out of habit than real malice. Others watched with barely concealed interest. The bet between Ren and Wei was known to all.
Luna, from her place by the window, stopped pretending to read her book. Her eyes followed every movement as Ren and Taro sat in the front row. Her shadow wolf manifested slightly, as if sensing something important.
"Is he really going to try it?" one of her cousins whispered to the other. "Taro's mana looks different, do you think...?"
"Shh, quiet," Luna interrupted, though her own eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Harold, the new student, observed everything with studied intensity. His eyes moved between Klein and Ren, evaluating, measuring, storing away every detail.
"Just wait until Wei throws him out," Kai commented to Cass, his green scales gleaming with amusement. "He must be really worried about losing his tuition to come, now that the end of the semester is coming closer."
"Or maybe he's very confident," Mayo murmured from her seat, her words carrying more weight than they seemed.
The six new students exchanged silent looks from their usual places. Something in their posture suggested this was more than mere academic curiosity.
"You should leave," Jin leaned forward, his tiger partially manifesting in rippling stripes. "Before Wei arrives and humiliates you in front of everyone. Again."
"Worried about me? Better worry about not falling into another hole in the mines." Ren responded without looking at him, his mushrooms pulsing softly. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
"Or making it past the semifinals in the next tournament," added Taro.
Jin's face turned scarlet. Several students held their breath, remembering the battle where the wolf had torn apart his spiritual tiger's neck.
"You..." Jin half-rose, but Klein stopped him with a gesture.
Since the day both lost to Luna's team, they'd grown closer.
"Leave it," the Goldcrest heir smiled. "Soon he won't even have tuition to get any school benefits. Wei will see to that."
"Ready?" Ren asked Taro softly, ignoring the taunts.
Taro nodded, though his hands trembled slightly.
The door opened before anyone could respond. Wei entered with his usual air of superiority, but faltered for a moment upon seeing Ren.
The classroom collectively held its breath. The moment they'd been waiting months for had finally arrived.
♢♢♢♢
"Good morning, professor," Ren responded with a calmness that only irritated Wei further.
"I thought today would be a good day to demonstrate my theory about the beetle's evolution."
The classroom fell into absolute silence.
Even those who normally couldn't focus in class were paying rapt attention.
Wei placed his hands on the desk, trying to maintain his composure. "Oh? And what makes you think today is different from any other day in over five hundred years of records?"
"Because today," Ren smiled while his mushrooms pulsed, "Taro completed his hundred days of cultivation."
Wei observed the other boy more carefully. Now he could see it, the beetle's markings seemed more defined, more... alive. Your next read is at Freewebnovel
Now bronze rank...
'But only 100 days? More nonsense. Exaggeration? Maybe, 130 days have passed since that day.'
"Ah, yes. Our little bet," Wei regained his confidence. "Let me remind you of the terms: if your friend evolves into anything other than a Great Digger, you win. If not..." he smiled maliciously, "you lose your tuition support... You'll sign it, by the way."
"And if I win," Ren maintained his tranquil smile, "I get any Bronze rank material I choose and a hundred points in your two classes without attending... Your entire teaching unit."
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