Expelled on the First Day of School?

"Tornado Slash!"

"Vault!"

"Midair Dash!"

In the Ancient Forest of the game, Wang Dong darted nimbly through the air.

The Insect Glaive in his hands whirled with fierce momentum, every swing accompanied by the buzzing of his Kinsect.

Even without a martial soul, Wang Dong relied on his exceptional balance to weave back and forth through the treetops, specifically smacking Anjanath on the head.

"Hahaha! You can't hit me! Stupid dragon!"

Wang Dong executed a dashing backflip in midair, dodging Anjanath's bite before casually bringing his staff down on its snout.

"See that? That's what you call skill! This is the prowess of the noble young master of aerial combat!"

He even found time to taunt the Auspicious Beast on the ground. "Hey! You blond lion! Stunned stupid, huh? No matter how fast you crawl around down there, can you fly as high as I can?"

The Auspicious Beast, currently in the form of a blond hunter, was using a longsword to hack at the dragon's feet.

Hearing that, a vein throbbed at her temple.

"Idiot," the Auspicious Beast spat coldly. "You'll fall to your death if your stamina runs out and you still don't land."

"Who are you calling an idi—"

Wang Dong was just about to retort when his vision suddenly turned red.

[Stamina Depleted]

His body abruptly froze in midair, his once-light frame becoming as heavy as lead.

At the same time, the Anjanath that had been toyed with for so long let out a low growl. The heat-dissipating membranes on its back spread fully open, crimson flames surged from deep in its throat, and its tiny, vicious eyes locked onto the helpless fly suspended in the air.

Roar—!

Anjanath raised its head and unleashed a fiery blast!

A thick torrent of flames shot precisely toward the freely falling Wang Dong.

"I-I'm done for!"

Wang Dong's face went deathly pale.

The suffocating pressure of such realistic death blanked his mind. He could practically smell his own hair burning.

At that critical moment—

"Don't panic! Big bro's here to save you!"

A massive figure, accompanied by the screech of grinding metal, crashed down in front of Wang Dong.

It was Xu Sanshi!

He slammed his enormous Tower Shield into the ground and curled himself behind it.

"Defense Boost! Immovable as a Mountain!"

Boom!

The raging flames slammed violently against the shield, spraying madly in every direction and instantly turning the surrounding grassland into scorched earth.

Xu Sanshi gritted his teeth, veins bulging in his arms as his health bar plummeted, yet he did not take a single step back!

"Cough, cough... It's fucking hot!" Xu Sanshi shouted over voice chat. "Bei Bei! Stop watching the show! I can't hold out much longer!"

"Coming!"

A swift figure charged out from the flank.

Bei Bei activated Demon Mode, his twin blades becoming crimson afterimages as he unleashed a frenzied barrage on Anjanath's vulnerable ankles.

"Fall!"

At the same time, Huo Yuhao, who had been lying low in the grass the whole time, had a flash of golden light in his eyes.

"Weak point! Its throat! It's stiff after breathing fire! Auspicious Beast, go!"

Huo Yuhao did not need to tell her.

As the Imperial Auspicious Beast with the strongest combat instincts, she had long since been poised to strike.

"Spirit Roundslash!"

The longsword in the Auspicious Beast's hand drew a perfect arc, carrying a crimson aura of spirit energy as it slashed viciously across Anjanath's throat.

Splat!

Blood sprayed everywhere.

The Anjanath let out a mournful cry, its massive body crashing to the ground.

"Now! Everyone, attack!"

Wang Dong, who had nearly been roasted alive moments ago, had recovered by then. Furious and embarrassed, he charged forward with his glaive. "You dared burn this young master! I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"

Half an hour later.

[Quest Complete!]

[Rating: A (It would have been S if not for that one cart).]

Inside the internet café.

The five of them removed their helmets. Aside from Huo Yuhao, the other four slumped in their chairs, drenched in sweat as though they had just been pulled from the water.

They were tired.

Completely exhausted.

A battle that demanded total concentration, with every second spent testing the boundary between life and death, placed an enormous burden on the mind.

Yet it also brought an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

"That was awesome!" Xu Sanshi gulped down some cola and let out a long burp. "That Wyvernfire was so damn cool! Bei Bei, did you see that? If it weren't for me just now, that new young master would've become roast suckling pig!"

Wang Dong's face reddened. Though he wanted to argue, Xu Sanshi really had saved his life just now.

"Hmph... I'll admit you were impressive this time." Wang Dong snorted and turned his head away unwillingly before looking at Huo Yuhao. "Hey, Huo Yuhao, what kind of eyes are those? How can you see a monster's weak points so clearly?"

Huo Yuhao scratched his head and gave an honest smile. "Well... my martial soul mutated, so my spiritual attribute is relatively strong."

Inside, however, he was sweating buckets. That was Brother Tianmeng's cheat.

"Alright, your trial time is up for today."

Lu Yuan's voice interrupted their post-battle discussion.

He pointed at the clock on the wall. "Everyone, two hours are up! Log off unless you plan to renew."

"Huh? That fast?" Wang Dong still wanted more. "I'm not done playing yet! I haven't fought that Legiana!"

"Then pay up." Lu Yuan smiled as he pulled out the ledger.

Wang Dong waved grandly. "Fine! This little money is nothing to this young master... Wait."

He patted his pockets.

The gold soul coins he had brought had nearly all been spent in-game on Mega Potions and Demondrugs.

Monster Hunter had a setting: items in the game had to be bought with real money or exchanged for materials obtained in-game.

How could beginners who had just started have any materials? They could only spend money on medicine.

"I... I'm out of money." Wang Dong stood there awkwardly.

Xu Sanshi checked his own pockets as well, his face bitter. "Me too. That Wyvernfire was cool, but the coolant was so expensive..."

This was Lu Yuan's scheme—making money through item purchases.

The internet fee might only be two gold coins, but if they wanted to become stronger, if they did not want to get carted, they had to buy potions and whetstones.

"No money?" Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Easy, then come back tomorrow."

"But..." Lu Yuan pointed at the instant noodles and spicy strips on the shelf. "After playing for so long, aren't you hungry? Want something to replenish your energy?"

Grrrr.

At his words, all of their stomachs began growling.

"Then... give me one of those noodle cups." Wang Dong swallowed and used his last five gold soul coins to buy a cup of braised beef noodles.

Three minutes later.

"Slurp—"

"Holy shit! What kind of heavenly delicacy is this?!" Xu Sanshi's eyes widened as he drank every last drop of the broth. "It tastes even better than the turtle soup in the academy cafeteria!"

Wang Dong kept his head down as he ate. His lips were bright red from the spice, yet he could not stop.

Even the Auspicious Beast was hugging a cup of instant noodles, clumsily gripping a fork with her claws and eating until her mouth glistened with oil.

Watching this group of customers eat with such relish, Lu Yuan silently calculated the day's earnings.

Internet fees, item fees, snack fees...

Mm, this one wave of business had matched the income from the past month.

As expected, making money off soul masters is the right way.

Late at night.

Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and Wang Dong reluctantly left the internet café.

Since Huo Yuhao was an employee, he stayed behind to clean up and, incidentally, continue studying with Brother Tianmeng how to cheat.

On the way back to the academy.

Wang Dong excitedly waved his fist. "Senior Brother Bei Bei, can we go there again tomorrow? I need to master that Insect Glaive! Next time, I'll definitely deal more damage than that lion!"

Xu Sanshi was still savoring the experience. "That gunlance really suits me... I think my Xuan Ming Shield could try adding a soul-tool cannon barrel in the future..."

Only Bei Bei, though excited as well, had some concern in his eyes.

"Tomorrow... probably won't work." Bei Bei sighed.

"Why?" the two asked in unison.

Bei Bei pointed toward the teaching building ahead and said gloomily, "Did you forget that tomorrow is the first official class for your first-year class?"

"Your homeroom teacher is the legendary—crazy old hag, Zhou Yi."

Xu Sanshi shuddered at that name.

"That Zhou Yi with a one-hundred-percent expulsion rate?!"

Wang Dong looked baffled. "Is she that scary?"

Bei Bei gave a bitter smile. "You'd better pray that she's in a good mood tomorrow. Otherwise... you'll probably lose a layer of skin!"

The next morning, Shrek Academy, First-Year Class One classroom.

The atmosphere in the classroom was somewhat oppressive.

A stern-faced elderly woman stood at the podium, her sharp eyes sweeping across the class.

Zhou Yi.

The entire class was silent. Everyone sat ramrod straight, barely daring to breathe.

However—

In the corner at the back of the classroom.

Wang Dong, with faint dark circles under his eyes, was yawning.

Huo Yuhao had stayed up late cleaning the night before and was now propping up his chin, nodding off.

Zhou Yi's gaze slowly settled on Huo Yuhao, who was dozing in the back row.

Smack!

A loud crack rang out.

The teaching pointer slammed viciously against the podium.

"You there, sleeping! Stand up!"

Zhou Yi's voice exploded through the classroom.

Huo Yuhao jolted awake and reflexively stood. His mind had not yet switched out of the game, and he instinctively shouted, "Anjanath is about to breathe fire! Dodge!"

The entire class: ...

Zhou Yi: ...

The old woman's face visibly darkened.

"Anjanath? Breathing fire?" Zhou Yi sneered as she stepped down from the podium. The terrifying pressure of a Soul Emperor instantly enveloped Huo Yuhao.

"Does my class bore you so much that you're even having such absurd dreams?"

"Since you have so much energy, go run one hundred laps around the field! If you don't finish, get out of Shrek Academy!"

Huo Yuhao's face turned pale.

I'm done for.

Was he going to be expelled on his first day of school?

At that moment, Wang Dong suddenly stood up beside him. With dark circles under his eyes, he forced himself to say, "Teacher Zhou! Huo Yuhao wasn't dreaming! He was... he was practicing a special tactic!"

"A tactic?" Zhou Yi stopped and turned her gaze toward Wang Dong. "What kind of tactic requires you to shout about a monster breathing fire?"

Wang Dong gritted his teeth, recalling what Lu Yuan had said the previous night.

"It's a... an extreme-style tactic for tempering one's will at the edge of life and death, using a mortal body to fight an invincible enemy..."

Zhou Yi froze for a moment.

The edge of life and death? A mortal body?

Why did that theory sound so familiar?

Wasn't this precisely the combat-first teaching philosophy she had always pursued?

Zhou Yi narrowed her eyes, studying the two students. They looked drained, but their eyes held an inexplicable excitement.

"Interesting."

"Since you make it sound so mysterious, stay after class."

Zhou Yi revealed a smile that sent chills down every student's spine.

"I'll personally test this so-called extreme-style tactic of yours!"