Page 5

Qi Yue: "..."

As expected of the strongest in Class F. The punches hadn't killed him; they'd brought him back to life.

A pale, scrawny hand lifted the hood. "Mm... why'd you wake me..."

Through bleary eyes, Beixing saw that besides Teacher Jian, a white-haired, red-eyed youth was standing before him, looking down at him with cool, clear eyes. His murmuring fell silent, and his round gray-brown eyes blinked and widened.

"Who are you?!"

At the hunter academy, there was actually someone besides Teacher Jian who could get that close to him and still act so normal.

Beixing's voice was weak, as soft as cotton. As he became more alert, his limbs, which had melted into a sticky, dripping-wax state inside his robe, gradually returned to normal.

"...A transfer student, Qi Yue."

Staring at yet another mosaic of facial features, Qi Yue wore the same smile as before, his voice numb.

When would he finally be able to see what the people in this world really looked like? Recognizing people by their hair, voices, even their scents and the rhythms of their steps was really strange.

Since being taken into Seventh Hunter Academy, hardly anyone but Teacher Jian had paid Beixing any attention, much less spoken to him. Everyone avoided him. A little nervous, Beixing said, "Q-Qi Yue? Hello! I-I'm Beixing."

Qi Yue couldn't make out Beixing's expression through the mosaic, but his tone conveyed both goodwill toward Qi Yue and nervousness.

The mosaic faces around them were still turned his way, clearly watching their every move. Befriending Beixing could only help him. Qi Yue nodded slightly and spoke at a moderate volume, his tone unhurried, making sure every mosaic staring at them out of curiosity or ill will could hear him. Ideally, they would stay away from him from now on, just as they shunned Beixing.

"I know you, Beixing."

Though... he'd only learned about him a short while ago. But that didn't matter. What mattered was that what he'd said wasn't actually a lie.

He knew Beixing. How well he knew him was for the people who heard those words to decide; it had nothing to do with him.

The Class F students: "..."

Sure enough, the transfer student had come to Class F for Beixing. He knew everything about Beixing and had approached him right in front of them. His confidence and arrogance were undisguised; he paid them no regard at all.

Hearing the other boy say he knew him, Beixing broke into a delighted smile. "R-Really? Um... I'm very happy to meet you, Qi Yue!"

"Me too."

No matter how he looked at it, Qi Yue believed he'd said those words with complete sincerity.

Jian Haosen watched the two exchange friendly words, his face full of gratification.

"Though I don't want to interrupt you two making friends, we really can't delay the lesson." Jian Haosen took Beixing by one arm to support him.

Qi Yue's eyes caught Jian Haosen's movement, and his puzzlement deepened.

Beixing had withstood several thundering punches from Jian Haosen, yet he was so weak that Jian Haosen had to support him to walk?

Remembering that he'd offered to help earlier, Qi Yue hid his doubts. Without waiting for Jian Haosen to speak, he naturally followed his example and took Beixing's other arm, lending more credibility to his claim that he knew Beixing.

Like overcooked noodles. No wonder he needed support to walk.

The thought flashed through Qi Yue's mind as he touched Beixing's arm.

Lowering his eyes to hide his surprise, Qi Yue stared at Beixing's legs.

Was this the "Sleep-ification" Teacher Jian had mentioned? Was Beixing's ability... related to his body?

Unfortunately, even as Beixing walked, his legs remained hidden beneath his robe. Qi Yue couldn't see anything.

The new transfer student had approached and touched Beixing, and nothing had happened. The students silently kept a tacit distance of one meter.

Having confirmed the facts, they knew Qi Yue was someone they had better not provoke lightly. Though they didn't yet know what his ability was, Qi Yue was definitely stronger than Beixing.

Qi Yue supported Beixing as they walked down the spacious corridor.

Behind him, countless pairs of eyes watched his every move.

"Tch, who knows what he's putting on an act for." Only after Qi Yue's back had disappeared did the disdainful voice ring out in the corridor.

The students looked at the speaker. It was Jin Yuxuan.

"Jin Yuxuan, why didn't you speak up while he was here?"

"Yeah. Who knows what you're putting on an act for in front of us? If you've got the guts, go do it in front of Qi Yue."

"Now that the transfer student's here, Class F's top figure might have to step down. Young Master Jin must be getting anxious, hahaha..."

Laughter erupted. Jin Yuxuan's expression darkened, and his lackeys, seeing his face, stepped forward to issue threats.

"Zhao Yu, watch your mouth. Be careful you don't get burned to death in your sleep one night."

"Try it if you've got the guts! Let's see whether I burn to death or you drown!"

"What's all this shouting?" Liao Yuanliang came out of the classroom and scolded the students. "Hurry up and assemble at the field!"

The students in the corridor scattered in a rush.

Liao Yuanliang wiped his glasses and left the classroom. He felt he needed to visit the principal's office to find out who the transfer student Qi Yue was and why he had come.

The field.

"Outstanding combat often requires excellent physical fitness to support it!" Jian Haosen stood at the front, his voice booming as he raised a fist in an encouraging gesture.

Unsure of the situation and unwilling to expose his back to the Class F students, Qi Yue used his height as an excuse to stand in the last row when they lined up.

At the front, Jian Haosen continued speaking without pause.

"Class F students, ability hunters, please keep working hard today to build a solid physical foundation for your future hunts."

A full five minutes passed before Jian Haosen finally announced the main business.

"The first training exercise begins now. Put on your Wristwatches and clock in after running 3,000 meters!"

3,000 meters?

Qi Yue breathed a sigh of relief. Under so many watchful eyes, he couldn't show the slightest flaw. Fortunately, it wasn't too difficult; he could do it.

A nearby box was filled with Wristwatches tossed in haphazardly. Jian Haosen handed them out, and the students came up to the box one after another to collect and put them on.

Qi Yue received a Wristwatch as well. The green number 3,000 flashed on its screen. He guessed that once he finished running 3,000 meters, the number would reach zero and the first exercise would be complete.

As Qi Yue fastened his Wristwatch with one hand, he observed his surroundings out of the corner of his eye.

"Young Master Jin, just sit back and watch. I'll definitely run the fastest for you!" One of Jin Yuxuan's lackeys looked eagerly at the Wristwatch Jin Yuxuan had been given.

Jin Yuxuan snorted and tossed the Wristwatch at him. "Money's no problem. Run well, and I'll hire you again next time."

All of this happened right under Jian Haosen's nose, and Jian Haosen showed no intention of stopping it.

Qi Yue: "..."

Sure enough, it wasn't some ability that could do anything; it was the power of money. Though this was only Class F, Jian Haosen, an old human without an ability, simply couldn't control this bunch of Esper Ability Users.

But—

Qi Yue's sidelong gaze settled on Beixing.

Beixing sat on a chair in the shade of a tree not far from the field, curled up with his arms around his legs. His whole body was hidden in his voluminous cloak, and his mosaic face was turned toward the classmates gathered in groups on the field.

The Class F students present kept complaining about being unwilling to train, yet obediently picked up their Wristwatches. No matter what method they used, they all had to clock the full 3,000 meters. From this, Qi Yue inferred that although Jian Haosen didn't care how everyone completed the exercise, they had to complete it.

Why was Beixing alone exempt from that rule?

Beixing was, after all, his opponent in Class F, yet Beixing wasn't moving. If the "enemy" didn't move, how could he assess his strength from his every action and figure out how to deal with him?

This wouldn't do.

Qi Yue secured the last clasp on his Wristwatch with one hand and rotated his wrist, his eyes dark.

He had to think of something.

But he couldn't openly ask Jian Haosen why Beixing didn't have to run. That would make his earlier claim that he knew Beixing less credible.

"Wait." Jin Yuxuan's voice came from beside him. "This time, I'll run it myself."

Jin Yuxuan snatched the Wristwatch from his lackey and stared at Qi Yue, who was unhurriedly fastening his Wristwatch with an expressionless face. Qi Yue was merely putting on a Wristwatch, yet people nearby were already marveling at how elegant and handsome his movements were.

In less than a day, Qi Yue had become a bigger topic of discussion in Class F than he was.

"Hey." Jealous, Jin Yuxuan walked up to Qi Yue and cautiously stopped two paces away. "You're Qi Yue, right?"

"Hmm?"

Hearing his name out of the blue, Qi Yue looked up and saw a mosaic face standing in front of him.

Judging by the voice, it was the student who had said in the classroom earlier that an ability user from an advanced class could beat the shit out of Jian Haosen. He was a troublemaker.

Hearing the other boy's cold, emotionless "hmm," which was clearly meant to brush him off, Jin Yuxuan felt even more aggrieved. But he still had his wits about him and cautiously issued a challenge.

"Let's compete. What do you say?" Jin Yuxuan raised the wrist on which he had put on the Wristwatch.

It was only a 3,000-meter race. No matter how strong the transfer student was, he couldn't use his ability to hurt him over a mere 3,000 meters, could he?

The students' eyes lit up. Though they didn't crowd around, they all looked at the two of them, eager to watch the drama.

Faced with Jin Yuxuan's challenge, Qi Yue looked at the health bar above Jin Yuxuan's head, only a third the length of Beixing's. He deliberately let his face fall, then spoke the truth with a blank expression and an even tone.

"You're not worthy of being my opponent."

His opponent in Class F had been determined from the very beginning by the length of his health bar. It could only be Beixing.

Taking Jin Yuxuan of Class F, who was weaker than Beixing, as an opponent would only draw countless others like him. It was like talking: the more he said, the more mistakes he would make. The more fights he had, the greater the risk of exposing his true strength.

He absolutely couldn't open that door.

The Class F students: "?"

He had been all smiles just a little while ago, yet now he had so casually uttered the cold, merciless words "not worthy." What an arrogant transfer student! Sure enough, all that gentleness and kindness was merely a disguise he put on to deal with them out of boredom. Qi Yue's true nature was as cold as his bearing.