Inside Freshman Class One, all the students quietly watched Zhou Yi at the lectern, not daring to make a sound.
Zhou Yi stood at the front with her right hand resting on the lectern, her index finger slowly tapping a steady rhythm against its surface.
She had yet to speak, as though she were waiting for something.
"Reporting in!"
After a few knocks, several figures burst through the classroom doorway. They were the nine students who had finished their punishment laps.
"Have you all finished?" Zhou Yi asked mildly.
"We've all finished, Teacher!" Tai Long, who stood at the front, answered loudly.
"Go back to your seats. I trust you." Zhou Yi waved a hand.
"Yes, Teacher Zhou!"
The nine of them took their seats.
Zhou Yi swept her gaze across the classroom and said clearly, "Your performance was mostly satisfactory, but there were still a few unexpected incidents."
"I don't want anyone in my class trying to cut corners and pull tricks like that again. Do you understand?"
When no one below responded, Zhou Yi raised her voice and asked again, "Do you understand?"
The students of Freshman Class One shouted together, "Understood!"
Zhou Yi nodded. "Good. Class, let's begin!"
Huo Yuhao was still sitting in the very middle of the classroom, wearing a faint smile.
Wasn't Teacher Zhou plenty imposing like this? Why had she dressed herself up as an old woman before?
"Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, stand up!"
Hearing Zhou Yi suddenly call their names, the two stood together.
"You two were the first to finish those hundred laps. Now, I appoint Huo Yuhao as class monitor and Wang Dong as deputy class monitor. Does anyone object?"
No one dared object.
Zhou Yi nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Then it's settled."
Huo Yuhao's face darkened with exasperation.
Teacher Zhou really made decisions on a whim. She definitely had her sights set on him.
He did not want to be class monitor at all.
Tian Meng asked, "Yuhao, isn't being class monitor a good thing?"
Huo Yuhao replied glumly, "What do you know? Dress it up, and a class monitor is the leader of the class. Strip off the pretty words, and he's just an errand boy and a tattletale. There's nothing to gain, and your classmates even bully you."
Tian Meng said, "...Who would dare bully you?"
Having just appointed the class monitor and deputy, Zhou Yi revealed a sly smile. "But don't think being class monitor will be that easy."
"Anyone else may challenge these two at any time. Whoever defeats them can take their position."
"Huo Yuhao, state your soul power level!"
Huo Yuhao shrugged and answered helplessly, "Level eleven."
The previously quiet classroom erupted into an uproar.
"How is that possible? Level eleven... doesn't that fall short of even the admission requirement?"
"With such incredible physical fitness, how could he only be level eleven?"
None of the students could believe it-believe that they were inferior to a soul master whose soul power did not even meet the admission requirement.
Zhou Yi smiled. "That is the truth! Soul power level doesn't tell you everything. Shrek Academy has always judged by actual combat. I believe you've all seen Huo Yuhao's strength."
"You're welcome to challenge him. Win, and you'll be the new class monitor!"
Huo Yuhao was genuinely speechless. His powerful Observation Haki told him that everyone's eyes were on him, with no shortage of aggressive gazes among them.
Zhou Yi was plainly trying to put him through the wringer. He had become the target of every arrow.
Regardless of what the students were thinking, Zhou Yi wrote two large words on the blackboard: "Attack" and "Defense."
"Now, let's begin the lesson. You should all recognize these two words. In today's first lesson, we'll discuss the ways soul masters attack and defend."
"You should all know that we soul masters are divided into many systems according to our martial soul abilities: the power attack system, agility attack system, support system... Each soul master chooses one or several directions to develop in based on their own characteristics."
"Wang Dong, answer this: among the various systems of soul masters, which are better suited to attacking? Which are better suited to defense and support?"
With that, Zhou Yi looked at Wang Dong with interest.
The question was far too simple. Wang Dong stood and answered without hesitation, "Of course, the power attack system, agility attack system, and control system are better suited to attacking, while the defense system, food system, and support system are better suited to defense and support."
Yet Zhou Yi said mercilessly, "You're almost twelve. Could you try thinking a little more deeply than a three-year-old?"
Wang Dong said, "..."
Wait... how could such standard common knowledge be wrong...?
The other students all looked puzzled. Only Huo Yuhao gave a scoffing laugh, seemingly disdaining the answer.
Zhou Yi's keen eyes caught his disdain. "Huo Yuhao, tell us where Wang Dong went wrong."
Huo Yuhao stood and said confidently, "What era are we living in, and you're still clinging to traditional system divisions? Obviously, the power attack system is better suited to attacking, and the power attack system is better suited to defense and support!"
At his words, not only Zhou Yi but Wang Dong and the entire class fell silent. The whole classroom was quiet enough to hear a pin drop.
After a long while, Zhou Yi finally said, "You... could you explain your reasoning?"
Smiling, Huo Yuhao calmly explained, "Strength is speed. Power attack is a superior replacement for agility attack in every respect!"
"Strength is control. With enough strength, you can control the entire battlefield!"
"Strength is a shield. Attack is the best defense!"
"Strength is a helping hand. Attack is the best support!"
"The food system is the only one the power attack system can't replace. I won't deny that. But a power attack soul master can beat a food soul master with ease."
"In conclusion, the power attack system is the strongest role."
"All tactics lead to power attack, and every system fears power attack!"
The classroom fell silent once again.
"You... never mind."
Zhou Yi felt utterly at a loss for words. She waved for the two of them to sit down and began speaking herself.
"Nowadays, the distinction between attack and defense across soul master systems has become blurred. The reason is-soul tools!"
"The emergence of soul tools has greatly reduced the importance of a soul master's own strength. Even support soul masters can acquire powerful offensive and defensive capabilities through soul tools."
"The more powerful a soul tool is, the more soul power it requires to operate. However, blindly pursuing greater soul power will only lead you to neglect your physical fitness. And physical fitness is paramount-the foundation of all strength."
"Therefore, for the next three months, I will focus entirely on training your physical fitness. If you cannot pass the freshman assessment when the time comes, you will have to leave the academy."
From the lectern, Zhou Yi spoke at length about her understanding of soul masters and soul tools.
Huo Yuhao listened from his seat, agreeing with most of what she said.
He knew full well how important physical fitness was and had begun deliberately training this body when he was very young. Soul tools were also a direction he believed in. Given time, he was certain that soul guidance technology on this continent would develop far enough to support manned flight.
Time flew by as Zhou Yi lectured, and Freshman Class One listened attentively.
"All right, class dismissed. We'll begin physical training this afternoon. Huo Yuhao, come with me."
Before the dismissal bell had even rung, Zhou Yi had already left the classroom with Huo Yuhao, leaving behind Freshman Class One, still engrossed in the lesson.
"Teacher Zhou, where are we... going?"
Before Huo Yuhao could finish asking, he felt a grip on his shoulder. The scenery before his eyes began changing rapidly-he had actually taken to the sky!
Zhou Yi flew through the air with him in her grip and smiled. "Somewhere nice!"