Why Jia Xiu Was the Leader of the Three Giants

A warm breeze swept through Saint Dero Academy as the last batch of candidates taking the second round of exams gathered at the entrance to Phantom World.

The comfortable temperature did nothing to warm the overly tense candidates. The people before the entrance had icy hands and feet, their hearts racing.

Except for Jia Xiu.

In his view, both Mia and Ram, whom he had guided, could pass without issue. If he took the test himself, it would definitely be effortless.

So what Jia Xiu was thinking about now was where to eat after the exam.

It couldn't be helped. It was his one hobby.

Using the Engel coefficient on him would probably be somewhat inaccurate. A considerable portion of his food expenses was for enjoyment rather than survival.

Still, his last dining experience—expensive and not particularly tasty—had left a terrible impression on him.

Where could he find a local who knew about this sort of thing to ask?

Sigh... he even wanted instant noodles.

Just as Jia Xiu was reminiscing about the abundant dining options of the industrial age, the old mage who had announced the exam appeared again.

"All candidates, please take note. The rules for this round of the examination have been adjusted as follows.

"Beginning with the third batch of candidates, any commission submitted by the candidate that cannot be completed may only be withdrawn. In addition, the city environment system, city guard system, city transportation system, and other systems have all been optimized and adjusted. Specific details may be viewed at the Caster Association within Phantom World. These changes will not affect the dungeon adventure portion."

Jia Xiu frowned upon hearing about the new rule changes.

What did that mean? Were they targeting me?

Blocking Ram's method was one thing, but what was with optimizing and adjusting all those systems? It even said "other systems."

So the first two batches had been playing an early access version, while his batch was getting the official release?

Actually, completing commissions in the dungeon to pass the exam, as the academy wanted, wasn't something he couldn't do.

But he didn't want to do that.

Rebelliousness.

He hated it most when he had just figured out something new, only for it to get fixed with a "hot patch."

Jia Xiu made up his mind. He had to pull off something big in this final batch of exams too.

The rule changes rekindled the fighting spirit of Jia Xiu, who had originally planned to coast through the exam.

He stormed into Phantom World and headed straight for the Caster Association, where he began studying the newly optimized regulations...

Meanwhile, at the examination office.

Margaret was in a good mood. It was finally the last batch, and her proctoring duty for the entrance exams was nearly over.

The final round did not require proctors, so she would soon be free.

After all, proctoring was practically a form of "torture" every young teacher had to endure in their career.

Sitting for hours on end, suffering the mental torment of boredom.

Usually, after watching for a while, one would start reflecting on life. After reflecting on everything, they would discover that only ten minutes had passed.

And proctoring this final batch of candidates was not so boring.

Because Margaret had happily discovered that Jia Xiu was among the candidates assigned to her.

She could enjoy the pleasure of watching a good student take an exam.

However, her happiness lasted only three minutes after Jia Xiu entered Phantom World.

She had just watched Jia Xiu enter the Caster Association when the doors to the hall were thrown open with a bang.

Margaret curiously glanced toward the entrance.

She saw Principal Nico Hohenheim stride into the hall with the entire question-setting team, all of them walking with such imposing momentum that they looked ready to pick a fight.

Margaret found it strange. Normally, the principal did not need to attend the entrance exams for new students. All he needed to do was give a speech at the welcome banquet after the exams.

Had something happened?

Though she did not yet know the specifics, Margaret vaguely felt that it might be related to Jia Xiu.

There was no logical deduction behind it. Pure intuition.

Ever since she had met that boy, each thing that happened around him had been more absurd than the last.

Who knew what kind of mess he would make during this exam?

Please don't let it have anything to do with Jia Xiu. Please, please don't let it have anything to do with Jia Xiu...

Margaret prayed...

"Where is Jia Xiu's projection?"

It was over.

Upon hearing Principal Nico's voice, Margaret's suspended heart finally died.

She really did not want to say it, but she could hardly pretend not to hear when the principal had asked.

"Jia Xiu's projection is here." Margaret raised her hand.

"Ha, let me see." Principal Nico hurried over in an excited jog.

His steps were still light, but the dark circles beneath his eyes were especially conspicuous.

What had the principal been doing yesterday?

Margaret really wanted to ask, but she did not dare.

Nico ran over to Margaret's side. "Good morning. Keep doing what you were doing. Pretend I'm not here."

As he spoke, he conjured his own little stool, braced himself with both hands, and vaulted onto it like a gymnast before staring at Jia Xiu without even blinking.

The other members of the question-setting team also crowded over, staring intently at Jia Xiu.

Likewise, every one of them had heavy dark circles under their eyes.

Margaret now felt that Jia Xiu was like a cat teaser. Wherever he swung, this group's gazes followed.

In the projection, Jia Xiu was studying the revised regulations. After looking through them for about ten minutes, he set them aside.

"He finished reading them that quickly? Or did he give up?" the team leader asked curiously.

Principal Nico shook his head. "Impossible. I think he must have thought of a way."

"No way, right?"

Jia Xiu left the Caster Association first. Like Mia, he sold the coat provided by the academy for some money, then went to a crafts shop and bought a mask.

"Ha, I predicted his move."

Principal Nico slapped the table excitedly.

"The mask is useless. His identity was authenticated the moment he entered Phantom World. The world's characters recognize authenticated identities."

"The principal is incredible!"

"Jia Xiu is nothing. We've got him!"

Watching the principal and the senior professors get so excited, Margaret racked her brains but still could not figure out what had happened between Jia Xiu and the academy.

Just as the examination office was celebrating, Jia Xiu began his performance.

He put on the mask, not to hide his identity from the NPCs, but to lay the groundwork for what he was about to do. The other candidates absolutely could not recognize him.

Once he was properly disguised, Jia Xiu approached the counter.

"I want to register as the Lord of the Sun."

Principal Nico and his colleagues were all stunned.

"Did you hear what he just said?" The old dwarf thought there might be something wrong with his hearing.

"He said he wants to register as the Lord of the Sun."

"Is that even possible?"

"Impossible. Absolutely impossible. We spent the whole night thoroughly organizing and patching the logic for the Caster Association according to the real association's regulations. How could it possibly allow something this outrageous..."

Before he could finish, the association staff member said, "Certainly."

In an instant, the people in the examination office looked as though they had all been hit by a petrification spell.

"No, how... how could they say 'certainly'?"

Without another word, Principal Nico pulled out the Caster Association regulations—a thick tome—and rapidly flipped through it.

He quickly found the problem.

"It's over. The problem isn't on our end. It's with the Caster Association's regulations."

"What do you mean, Principal?"

Principal Nico clutched his head with both hands. "The regulations state that 'the sun, moon, and stars belong to the gods, and no nation or organization may possess them,' but it never says that individuals may not possess them!"

And since the association staff had logic recreated entirely according to the association's regulations, they naturally followed those regulations and approved Jia Xiu, an individual, as the Lord of the Sun.

You could even find such a devious loophole in the wording!

Jia Xiu, was this where your talent lay?

"But why did he register as the Lord of the Sun?" the team leader asked at this point.

"Yeah, registering as the Lord of the Sun doesn't mean he can actually gain divine power."

Principal Nico stroked his beard in confusion.

"What exactly is he trying to do?"

By then, Jia Xiu had already arrived at the Adventurer Association. He walked up to the service counter.

"Hello, I am the Lord of the Sun, certified by the Caster Association. According to Chapter Two, Article Four of the adventurer commission rules, if ownership of a dungeon belongs to someone, that person may receive 5% of the commission rewards from adventures in that dungeon. This is the Sun Temple Dungeon. I, the Lord of the Sun, want my money!"