The teachers at Mingzhu Magic Academy's admissions office had assumed Dongfang Chen only wanted to make demands about resource allocation and educational support.
But they hadn't expected him to ask for a leave of absence.
In all his years working in the admissions office, the teacher had never seen a student ask for leave before even completing the enrollment process—and for an entire year, no less!
The admissions teachers didn't know what to do.
Even the Admissions Director's mouth twitched when he heard Dongfang Chen's request.
Was this guy deliberately making an unreasonable demand because he didn't want to attend Mingzhu Magic Academy?
No, that didn't make sense. If he didn't want to attend Mingzhu Magic Academy, he could simply turn around and leave, like he had before. Why go to all this trouble?
In the end, the Admissions Director tried to reason with him. "Student Dongfang, the leave you're asking for is far too long. I can't approve it myself. Besides, you should know that losing a year will put you quite a bit behind your classmates."
Dongfang Chen shrugged. "Director, are there any students in this year's class who are better than me?"
"Uh... no."
"Then do you think they could surpass me if they had another year?"
"..."
The Admissions Director fell silent.
Dongfang Chen's talent really was monstrous. Among this year's new students at Mingzhu Magic Academy, he wasn't just outstanding—he was leagues ahead of everyone else.
Even after a year, they might not catch up to where Dongfang Chen was now.
Seeing that the Admissions Director looked a little less sure, Dongfang Chen immediately pressed his advantage.
"Besides, I'm only postponing my enrollment for a year. That doesn't mean I'll stop cultivating. Just consider me a new student in next year's class.
"And... Director, you don't want the school to lose a student as exceptionally talented as me, do you?"
That accent of yours—why does it sound so Japanese?
In the end, the Admissions Director relented.
"Student Dongfang, I don't have the authority to grant a new student a year's leave. But I can submit your request to the school. How does that sound?"
Dongfang Chen nodded. "Then thank you, Director."
The Admissions Director then passed Dongfang Chen's request up through the school.
Eventually, it reached the principal's office.
"A year's leave?"
As the principal of Mingzhu Magic Academy, Dean Xiao had taught at the school for many years, but he had never seen a new student make a request like this either.
He picked up Dongfang Chen's detailed report and began to read.
Eighteen years old, Intermediate Level Mage, Innate All Element talent, specializing in the Space Element and Shadow Element... and a Commander Level Summoned Beast?
The more Dean Xiao read Dongfang Chen's report, the more astonished he became.
Ever since Dongfang Chen had made a name for himself at the admissions offices of all the major universities, people had dug up his detailed information.
At first, Imperial Capital Magic Academy hadn't thought much of him. If he hadn't chosen their school, then their prestigious institution—ranked number one in Huaxia—had no interest in him either.
But once Dongfang Chen's full report came to light, even the teachers in Imperial Capital Magic Academy's admissions office wanted to swallow their pride and ask him to come back.
Never mind Dongfang Chen's other magic. Just that Commander Level Summoned Beast of his was enough to be outrageously impressive.
You're an Intermediate Level Mage. Do you even have enough magic energy to supply a Commander Level Summoned Beast?
It was just ridiculous!
Dean Xiao thought it over for a long time before finally making his decision.
"I'll approve his year of leave, but there's one condition: he has to accept a War of Attrition against all the new students. For every person he defeats, I'll grant him one day of leave."
The Admissions Director's eyes lit up at Dean Xiao's words.
What a clever trap—an utterly blatant one, at that!
Mingzhu Academy had recruited a little over three hundred new students that year. One day of leave for each person meant that if Dongfang Chen defeated them all, he'd earn almost a whole year off.
Dongfang Chen was powerful enough to rank first among that year's new students. But challenging every new student in a War of Attrition? Even a High-Tier Mage might not be able to pull that off.
At first glance, Dean Xiao had approved Dongfang Chen's leave. But in reality, it seemed he hadn't.
What a shrewd old fox!
"Oh, and Dongfang Chen's Summoned Beast is not allowed to participate."
Dean Xiao stroked his beard. He still had to guard against that Commander Level Summoned Beast. Otherwise, those three hundred new students might not be enough to take it down.
"Hm? You want me to fight all the new students one after another, and I can't use my Summoned Beast?"
Dongfang Chen blinked.
The good news was that the school had approved his leave request.
The bad news was that the school clearly didn't want him to take leave.
"Damn... three hundred new students?"
Dongfang Chen thought it over for a while.
If he could bring Little Purple, he wouldn't be afraid of three hundred new students—not even three thousand.
But the school had cunningly restricted his Summoned Beast...
Still, it wasn't impossible.
The biggest difficulty in a War of Attrition was the drain on one's magic energy, and magic-energy consumption was the one thing Dongfang Chen feared least.
He was Innate All Element, and he secretly cultivated every element at once.
His magic energy reserves naturally far exceeded those of other mages at the same level, and he could also take pills.
After years of improvements by Dongfang Chen, the pills could do more than restore Dou Qi. They could replenish any special energy in the body.
After all, Xiao Yan's pills still worked when he reached the Great Thousand World. There was no reason they wouldn't work in the Full-Time Magician World.
As long as he had enough magic energy, the War of Attrition was just a matter of time for Dongfang Chen.
"Director, please tell Dean Xiao that I accept this challenge!"
The Admissions Director was taken aback. Faced with such an absurd demand, he'd thought Dongfang Chen would back down.
But he hadn't expected him to actually accept.
Young and fearless—this younger generation really was something.
The Admissions Director couldn't help but marvel.
"Would you like a few days to rest and get ready?"
"No need. I can start whenever you like." Dongfang Chen shook his head. He didn't need to get ready; he could fight at any time.
"In that case, how about tomorrow morning?"
"Sounds good."
The next morning arrived.
In just one day, word that Dongfang Chen would challenge all the new students had spread throughout Mingzhu Academy.
There was still a little while before the fight began.
But the enormous Magic Arena was already packed.
It wasn't just the new students. Even many upperclassmen and academy teachers were curious about who this incredibly arrogant student was.
He hadn't even enrolled yet, but he was already asking for a year's leave—and he was willing to challenge every new student in his year to get it.
"I heard this new student is really strong. He easily took first place in the entrance exams at all the major magic academies."
"So what if he came in first? He's challenging every new student—over three hundred people!"
"I heard he also has a Commander Level Summoned Beast. Too bad he can't use it in this challenge."
The upperclassmen were still discussing things calmly.
But the new students were much more agitated.
"Damn it, I've never seen anyone this arrogant in my life. He actually dared to say he'd challenge all of us?!"
"Hey, you've seen it now, haven't you? I really don't get how the school agreed to such an absurd demand."
"Hmph, who cares? He's the one who'll be humiliated."
Before long, the discussion among the new students stopped all at once.
Everyone turned their furious gazes toward the figure standing in the middle of the arena.
Dongfang Chen had arrived!
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