“Hehe! Link, what do you think of the people from Almaceus Academy this time?” Encle, who had already noticed Zhang Wen and his group entering the training hall, cheerfully approached Link and pointed toward the group from Almaceus Academy on the other side of the hall.
“Those kids?” Link finally lifted his head. He arrogantly scanned the group from Almaceus Academy, pausing slightly on Xiao Xi before lowering his gaze again and continuing his warm-up exercises.
“You mean that Almaceus guy? I saw with my own eyes last night—the red-haired girl is also a ninth-stage powerhouse! And their teacher named Zhang Wen has some strange techniques…”
“Don’t compare me with Griffith and his bunch of losers. The red-haired girl is somewhat decent, but the rest are just worthless trash,” Link said coldly while continuing his warm-up.
“Hehe, of course not,” Encle chuckled, though Link’s words made him feel awkward. After all, besides Griffith’s group, Encle himself had suffered badly at Zhang Wen’s hands the previous night. According to Link’s logic, wouldn’t he also be lumped into the “losers” category?
“I never underestimate my opponents. If I say that red-haired girl isn’t my match, then I will definitely defeat her when we meet! No matter what strange techniques she has learned,” Link interrupted, his voice filled with unshakable confidence. “If you’re going to worry about something, worry about my graduation match instead. Judging by her age, she’ll definitely be in the Almaceus delegation next year. I wouldn’t want people saying Temis Academy is worse than a bunch of losers after I graduate.”
“Ahh…” Encle could only nod with a smile in the face of Link’s confidence.
“Hmph.” As if sensing Encle’s slight doubt toward him, Link suddenly stood up straight and coldly. “I want to test a new martial technique I recently learned. Pick up that shield and stand on the other side.” As he spoke, Link pointed toward the training equipment nearby.
Encle was delighted to see Link, who usually ignored everyone except showing slight respect to Gelt, actually choosing to demonstrate his strength to him. Of course, he had no reason to refuse Link’s request to put Zhang Wen and his group in their place, especially at this moment when tensions with Almaceus Academy had already reached a boiling point.
In Encle’s eyes, Zhang Wen’s previous arrogant remarks in front of Gelt were merely a manifestation of the extreme anxiety and frustration from Almaceus Academy’s martial arts department toward Temis Academy’s strength. Just a little more pressure would be enough to make them completely collapse!
“No problem!” Encle eagerly agreed, grabbed the shield, and quickly ran away.
Seeing that Link seemed ready to act, the Temis students instinctively turned around. However, after glancing at Link, they all shifted their gazes toward Zack and Cloud, as if saying, “Hey! Look at this, country bumpkins!”
Encle ran for quite a while toward the opposite side of the training hall before stopping about twenty meters away from Link.
“Twenty meters?! What is Link up to?” This sight prompted murmurs of surprise among the Temis students.
Twenty meters was far beyond the maximum distance at which imperial martial artists could normally unleash their techniques.
“Master Encle, go all out and focus all your battle energy into the shield,” Link said expressionlessly while casually picking up a crystal energy sword from the weapon rack.
“Got it!” Encle didn’t dare to be careless. He immediately complied with Link’s instructions, channeling all his battle energy into the shield. The shield, infused with sea urchin stone crystals, soon emitted a bright white glow.
“Ready?” Link lightly flicked the crystal energy sword and asked Encle.
“No problem!” Encle shouted confidently with a relaxed smile.
However, before Encle’s shout had even finished echoing, his expression suddenly changed. He saw that Link, who had been more than twenty meters away, had suddenly accelerated and was now only ten meters from him in the blink of an eye.
Then…
One step, two steps, three steps!
In a flash, Link dashed three steps forward, his figure abruptly appearing before Encle. Without hesitation, he swung the crystal energy sword, which had already been prepared, in a horizontal slash at the heavy shield Encle was holding with both hands.
Boom!
The heavy shield infused with Encle’s battle energy collided with Link’s crystal energy sword, producing a piercing explosion and dazzling flashes of light.
Then, Link’s crystal energy sword actually began to shatter under the immense pressure of the battle energy! Encle’s shield also cracked with a huge fissure, and Encle himself was sent flying backward, crashing heavily into the wall behind him. At the same time, a powerful shockwave exploded throughout the training hall, shattering several unopened glass windows.
“Hmph!” Link coldly snorted, casually tossing the broken hilt of the crystal energy sword aside as he walked out of the training hall as if no one else was present.
However, just as Link was about to leave the training hall, someone blocked his path.
In fact, just moments ago, when Encle was talking with Link, the three runners from Almaceus Academy had happened to pass by the pair of Temis teacher and student. Link hadn’t deliberately lowered his voice while speaking, so every word he said had fallen into the ears of the three runners.
If Link’s original arrogant attitude had already turned Zack into a powder keg, then Link’s final few words had completely ignited that keg.
“Hey! You over there, arrogant big guy, who are you calling losers?” Zack blocked the entrance to the training hall, coldly staring at Link.
“Zack!” Cloud also stood beside Zack, but instead of confronting Link, he forcefully tugged at Zack’s arm, trying to pull him away from Link.
“Damn it! Why are you pulling me?!” Zack angrily shook off Cloud’s hand and roared at his best friend.
“We’re here to prepare for the competition, not for you to pick a fight with someone! Idiot!” Even normally calm Cloud roared back at Zack. He stepped forward again, tightly gripping the collar of Zack’s uniform.
Angry shouts echoed within Training Hall No. 7. All the Temis students who had been warming up stopped in their tracks, watching the two friends glaring at each other like spectators at an entertaining show. Encle even wore a nearly mocking smile.
“Let go,” Zack looked at Cloud and coldly uttered two words.
“In your dreams!” Cloud also glared back at Zack with equal coldness.
“Oh wow! The Almaceus losers are fighting among themselves!”
“Come on! Let’s see a fight!”
“Ha ha! Don’t just talk, show us something!”
The martial arts students from Temis loudly jeered, their mocking laughter quickly filling every corner of Training Hall No. 7.
Under the gaze of countless eyes in the training hall, Amyris’s face flushed with a mix of shame and anger. The pretty girl rushed forward in one swift motion, forcefully pushing both Zack and Cloud back a few steps.
“What are you two doing? Do you want others to laugh at you?” Amyris shouted angrily at the two, her face flushed red.
“Oh wow! The little girl is quite brave!” Amyris’s intervention only made the jeering laughter from the Temis students even louder.
“Haha! One girl taking on two boys!”
“Go for it! Show them who’s boss!”
Although Encle, the instructor, was right there at the scene, the male students from Temis were completely unrestrained. In fact, Encle’s attitude of coldly watching actually encouraged them. Soon, the boys eagerly started whistling and shouting at Amyris with vulgar tones and double entendres.
“You two bastards!” Amyris’s shoulders trembled slightly. Then, she pushed Zack and Cloud hard for the second time, lifted her head high, and walked out of the training hall without looking back, facing the gazes and whistles from the Temis students.
As she walked out the door of the training hall, everyone saw the glistening tears rolling down from Amyris’s eyes. Both Zack and Cloud, who had been glaring at Amyris’s back, tightly clenched their fists.
“Cloud, are you still going to stop me now?” Zack suddenly asked Cloud.
“Not a chance. This time, I’m with you,” Cloud shook his head and stood shoulder to shoulder with Zack in perfect understanding.
“Hmph! You’re such a coward who bullies the weak and fears the strong!” Zack grumbled as he firmly punched Cloud’s fist.
“Shut up. My father taught me when to endure and when not to. When it’s time not to endure, I’ll fight even against an opponent far stronger than me,” Cloud replied with a cool demeanor, even when cursing.
The martial arts students from Temis completely failed to notice the anger brewing in Zack and Cloud. Or perhaps they noticed but simply didn’t care. Even after Amyris had run out of the training hall, they continued whistling at the girl’s retreating figure.
“These bastards!” Xiao Xi was equally furious, gritting her teeth audibly. She glared at the Temis students who were still making vulgar gestures at Amyris’s back and, just like Zack and Cloud, took several steps toward the group of Temis students.
However, as the three students were about to pass by, Zhang Wen suddenly stretched out his hand and blocked them.
“Teacher Zhang?!” The three students looked up in anger and stared at Zhang Wen.
“Control yourselves!” Zhang Wen smiled slightly at the three students before walking toward Encle, who was standing among the group of Temis students.
“Hehe! Link, what do you think of the few people from Almicus Academy this time?” Enclair, who had already seen Zhang Wen and the others enter, also came over to Link with a smile, pointing towards the group from Almicus Academy across the training hall.
“Those little guys?” Link finally looked up. He arrogantly scanned the group from Almicus Academy, pausing briefly on Xiao Xi before lowering his head again, continuing his warm-up on his own.
“Hehe! Exactly, that kid from Almicus Academy. I saw it with my own eyes last night, that red-haired girl is also a strong hand with ninth-tier strength! And their teacher, Zhang Wen, has some strange moves…”
“Don’t compare me to those trash like Griffith. That red-haired girl is indeed passable. But the rest are just worthless small fry.” Link said coldly while warming up.
“Hehe. Of course. But if you underestimate them too much…” Link’s words fell on Enclair’s ears, making him quite awkward. After all, last night, apart from Griffith and his group, Enclair also suffered a great loss at the hands of Zhang Wen. According to Link’s words, wasn’t he also lumped into the “trash” category?
“I never underestimate my opponents. If I say that red-haired girl is no match for me, then I will definitely win against her! No matter what strange moves she has learned.” Link interrupted Enclair, his voice filled with undeniable confidence, “If you’re worried, you should worry about the problems after I graduate! Judging by her age, she will definitely appear in the Almicus Academy visiting team next year. I don’t want to hear that Themis Academy is inferior to a bunch of trash right after I graduate.”
“Ah ah…” In the face of Link’s confidence, Enclair could only nod with a smile.
“Hmph.” As if sensing Enclair’s slight doubt, Link suddenly stood up coldly. “I want to test a new martial skill I recently learned. Pick up that shield over there and stand opposite me.” Link said, pointing to the training equipment placed aside.
Seeing that Link, who usually showed little respect to anyone except for a slight reverence for Gelt, was determined to demonstrate his strength to him, Enclair couldn’t help but be overjoyed. Of course, he had no reason to refuse Link’s request to give Zhang Wen and the others a warning, especially at a time when the conflict with Almicus Academy had already been pushed to the extreme.
In Enclair’s view, Zhang Wen’s previous arrogant behavior in front of Gelt was nothing but a manifestation of the extreme anxiety of the entire Almicus Academy’s martial arts department towards the strength of Themis Academy. Just a little more push, and they would completely collapse!
“No problem!” Enclair excitedly agreed, picked up the shield, and quickly ran to the distance.
Seeing that Link seemed ready to make a move, the Themis students immediately turned around in unison. However, after just one glance at Link, they all turned their gazes towards Zack and Cloud. It was as if they were saying, “Hey! Watch this, country bumpkins!”
Enclair ran towards the direction opposite the training hall for a while before stopping about twenty meters away from Link.
“So far?! What is Link trying to do?” This scene made the Themis students couldn’t help but discuss among themselves.
Twenty meters, this was far beyond the distance limit for an imperial warrior to launch a combat skill.
“Teacher Enclair, use all your strength and concentrate all your combat energy on the shield.” Link said expressionlessly, while casually picking up a crystal energy sword from the weapon rack.
“Oh!” Enclair didn’t dare to be careless. He responded immediately and followed Link’s instructions, channeling all his combat energy into the shield. The shield, embedded with sea urchin stone crystals, soon lit up with a bright white glow.
“Ready?” Link lightly tapped the crystal energy sword and asked Enclair.
“No problem!” Enclair laughed and shouted with ease.
However, before Enclair’s shout could even fade, his expression changed. Because Enclair saw that Link, who was originally more than twenty meters away from him, suddenly accelerated and in the blink of an eye, was only ten meters away.
Then…
One step, two steps, three steps!
Link took three steps like lightning, and his figure suddenly appeared in front of Enclair! He mercilessly swung the crystal energy sword that had been ready, delivering a horizontal slash that fiercely struck the heavy shield held by Enclair.
Boom!
The heavy shield infused with Enclair’s full combat energy clashed with the crystal energy sword swung by Link, erupting in a deafening explosion and a dazzling flash.
Then, the crystal energy sword in Link’s hand actually shattered into pieces under the pressure of the combat energy! The heavy shield in Enclair’s hands also cracked a huge gap, and Enclair himself was blasted away by Link, crashing heavily into the wall behind him. At the same time, the explosive shockwave also erupted in the training hall, shattering several unopened glass windows.
“Hmph!” Link snorted coldly, casually threw the remaining hilt of the crystal energy sword aside, and walked out of the training hall as if nothing had happened.
However, just as Link was about to leave the training hall, someone stood in front of him.
In fact, just as Enclair and Link were talking earlier, the running trio from Almicus Academy happened to pass by this pair of Themis teacher and student. When Link spoke, he didn’t deliberately control his volume, so every word he said fell into the ears of the running trio.
If Link’s originally arrogant attitude had already turned Zack into a powder keg, then Link’s last few sentences ignited this powder keg.
“Hey! I say, that arrogant big guy over there, who are you calling trash?” Zack blocked the door of the training hall, looking coldly at Link.
“Zack!” Cloud also stood beside Zack, but he didn’t target Link. Instead, he forcefully pulled Zack, trying to drag him away from Link.
“Bastard! Why are you pulling me?!” Zack angrily broke free from Cloud’s hand and roared at his good friend.
“We’re here to prepare for the competition, not for you to pick fights with others! Idiot!” The usually calm Cloud also roared at Zack. He stepped forward again and tightly grabbed the collar of Zack’s uniform.
Angry roars echoed in the seventh training hall. The Themis students who were warming up all stopped and watched the two friends glaring at each other with interest. Enclair even wore a nearly mocking smile.
“Let go.” Zack looked at Cloud and coldly spat out two words.
“In your dreams!” Cloud also coldly stared back at Zack.
“Ooh! The trash from Almicus Academy is fighting among themselves!”
“Come on! Have a fight!”
“Haha! Don’t just talk the talk!” The martial arts students of Themis Academy loudly jeered. The harsh laughter quickly filled every corner of the seventh training hall.
Under the gaze of countless eyes in the training hall, Amelie’s face also flushed with shame and anger. The little beauty rushed forward and forcefully pushed both Zack and Cloud a few steps away.
“What are you two doing? Want to make a fool of yourselves?” Amelie, her face red with anger, also shouted angrily at the two.
“Ooh! The little girl has courage too!” Amelie’s involvement made the Themis students’ jeers even louder.
“Haha! One girl against two guys!”
“Go for it! ‘Handle’ them!”
Although Enclair, the instructor, was present, the boys of Themis Academy were completely unrestrained. In fact, Enclair’s cold and mocking attitude even encouraged them. The boys soon competed to whistle, using vulgar language and various double entendres to shout at Amelie.
“You two bastards!” Amelie’s shoulders trembled slightly. Then, she pushed Zack and Cloud again, raised her head, and walked out of the training hall without looking back, facing the gazes and whistles of the Themis students.
As she walked out of the training hall door, everyone saw the crystal tears fall from Amelie’s eyes. Zack and Cloud, who had been glaring at Amelie’s back, clenched their fists tightly.
“Cloud, are you still going to stop me now?” Zack suddenly asked Cloud.
“How could I? This time, I’m with you.” Cloud shook his head and stood shoulder to shoulder with Zack with great默契.
“Hmph! You bully the weak and fear the strong!” Zack dissatisfiedly bumped fists with Cloud.
“Bullshit. My father taught me when to endure and when not to. When it’s time not to endure, even if the opponent is super-tier, I will still go.” Even when swearing, Cloud still maintained his cool demeanor.
The martial arts students of Themis Academy didn’t notice Zack and Cloud’s anger at all. Or perhaps, they noticed but simply didn’t care. Even though Amelie had already run out of the training hall, they were still whistling at the girl’s back.
“These bastards!” Xiao Xi also angrily gritted her teeth. She stared at the Themis students who were still making vulgar gestures at Amelie and, like Zack and Cloud, took several steps towards the group of Themis students.
Just as the three students were about to pass by him, Zhang Wen suddenly reached out and stopped them.
“Teacher Zhang?!” The three students looked up at Zhang Wen with indignation.
“All of you, hold it in!” Zhang Wen smiled at the three students, then walked towards Enclair, who was standing among a group of Themis students.
“What? Teacher Zhang, do you have something to say?” Enclair smugly retorted at Zhang Wen. He obviously thought Zhang Wen was going to complain to him.
“I have nothing to say.” Zhang Wen walked up to Enclair and suddenly casually reached out, “But I have many things to do. For example, slap you.”
When Zhang Wen said the first half of the sentence, Enclair felt that something was not quite right. Then, Enclair saw Zhang Wen’s hand really coming towards his face.
Although Enclair could clearly feel that Zhang Wen’s hand speed wasn’t particularly fast, and it even seemed like he deliberately left Enclair time to prepare, his conscious step back didn’t manage to dodge Zhang Wen’s slap!
Slap! Zhang Wen’s slap landed on Enclair’s face with a resounding sound, spinning Enclair like a top. Enclair was completely stunned. The only thing he could feel now was the “buzzing” noise in his head.
The Themis students who watched Zhang Wen slap Enclair away all opened their mouths in shock, maintaining their mocking expressions towards Amelie, but now without a sound.
“Keep laughing, why aren’t you laughing? Don’t worry, I’m magnanimous and won’t bully kids.” Zhang Wen’s gaze swept over the faces of the Themis students, smiling as he said, “But some people don’t understand that they were born from their mother’s womb, and as a teacher, I really need to discipline them.”
“I…” A Themis student seemed to want to shout something in a fit of rage, but his “you” had just come out.
Slap! Another crisp slap sounded in the training hall.
“Behave!” Zhang Wen didn’t even look at which Themis student it was, just casually said to Enclair, as if he wasn’t the one who had just slapped Enclair in the face, making him spit out three teeth.
“You…” Zhang Wen’s slap stuffed the second half of the Themis student’s sentence back into his mouth, making the Themis students even more furious. Before Enclair could finish spinning, several students couldn’t help but want to question Zhang Wen.
Slap! Another loud slap.
And at this moment, the door of the training hall was suddenly pushed open again. The head instructor of Themis Academy, Gelt, appeared at the door with a furious expression. Seeing Gelt appear, the Themis students present were like bullied little wives returning to their mother’s home, all turning to look at him.
“Zhang…” Seeing the situation in the training hall, Gelt couldn’t help but take an angry deep breath, wanting to roar at Zhang Wen.
But…
“Shut up!” Still before Gelt could speak, Zhang Wen used a resounding slap to make him swallow his words. And this time, Zhang Wen used even more force, even sending Enclair flying.
Gelt’s face quickly became even more gloomy, and he strode towards Zhang Wen as if he wanted to swallow him in one bite. However, Zhang Wen suddenly turned his head, and his sharp gaze made Gelt almost instinctively stop in his tracks.
“I don’t have anything to say,” Zhang Wen approached Encle and suddenly extended his hand casually, “But I do have a lot to do. For example, giving you a good thrashing.”
As Zhang Wen spoke the first half of his sentence, Encle already felt something was off. Then, he saw Zhang Wen’s hand actually coming toward his face.
Although Encle clearly felt that Zhang Wen’s movement wasn’t particularly fast and even seemed to deliberately leave him time to prepare, his conscious step backward still failed to evade Zhang Wen’s palm!
Smack! Zhang Wen’s slap landed loudly on Encle’s face, sending him spinning like a top. Encle was completely stunned. The only thing he could feel now was a loud buzzing noise in his head.
Meanwhile, the Temis students watching Zhang Wen slap Encle into the air all opened their mouths in shock, maintaining the mocking expressions they had when laughing at Amyris, but now comically silent.
“Keep laughing, why don’t you? Don’t worry, I’m magnanimous and won’t bully children,” Zhang Wen’s gaze swept over the faces of the Temis students as he smiled, “But some people don’t know where they came from, so as a teacher, I do need to discipline them a bit.”
“I…” One of the Temis students seemed ready to angrily shout something, but before he could even get the “you” out.
Smack! Another crisp slap echoed through the training hall.
“Behave yourself!” Without even glancing at the Temis student, Zhang Wen casually addressed Encle, speaking so lightly that it was as if he wasn’t the one who had just slapped Encle in the face, making him spit out three teeth.
“You…” The slap cut off the rest of the Temis student’s words and made the group even more furious. Before Encle had even finished spinning, several students couldn’t help themselves and wanted to confront Zhang Wen again.
Smack! Another loud slap rang out.
“Hehe! Link, what do you think of the few people from Almicus Academy this time?” Enclair, who had already noticed Zhang Wen and the others entering, approached Link with a smile, pointing towards the group from Almicus Academy across the training hall.
“Those little ones?” Link finally looked up. He arrogantly scanned the group from Almicus Academy, his gaze lingering slightly on Xiao Xi before he lowered his head again, continuing his warm-up.
“Hehe! Exactly, that guy from Almicus Academy. I saw it with my own eyes last night, that red-haired girl is also a strong hand at the ninth level! And their teacher, Zhang Wen, has some strange moves…”
“Don’t compare me to those trash like Griffith. That red-haired girl is indeed decent. But the rest are just worthless small fry,” Link said coldly while warming up.
“Hehe. Of course. But if you underestimate them too much…” Link’s words made Enclair feel somewhat awkward. After all, last night, besides Griffith and his group, Enclair also suffered a big loss at the hands of Zhang Wen. According to Link’s words, wasn’t he also lumped into the “trash” category?
“I never underestimate my opponents. If I said that red-haired girl is not my match, then I will definitely win when I face her! No matter what strange moves she has learned,” Link interrupted Enclair, his voice filled with undeniable confidence. “If you’re worried, you should worry about the problems after I graduate! Judging by her age, she will definitely appear in the Almicus Academy visiting group next year. I don’t want to be said that Themis Academy is even worse than a group of trash right after I graduate.”
“Ahh…” In the face of Link’s confidence, Enclair could only nod with a smile.
“Hmph.” As if sensing Enclair’s slight doubt, Link suddenly stood up coldly. “I want to test a new martial skill I recently learned. Pick up that shield over there and stand opposite me,” Link said, pointing to the training equipment placed aside.
Seeing that Link, who usually only showed a little respect to Gelt and ignored everyone else, was actually going to demonstrate his strength to him, Enclair couldn’t help but be overjoyed. Of course, he had no reason to refuse Link’s request to give Zhang Wen and the others a warning, especially when the conflict with Almicus Academy had already been pushed to the extreme.
In Enclair’s view, Zhang Wen’s earlier bravado in front of Gelt was simply a manifestation of the entire Almicus Academy’s martial arts department’s extreme anxiety and fear of Themis Academy’s strength. Just a little more push, and they would completely collapse!
“No problem!” Enclair excitedly agreed, picked up the shield, and quickly ran to the distance.
Seeing that Link seemed ready to make a move, the Themis students immediately turned back in unison. However, after just a glance at Link, they all turned their gazes towards Zack and Cloud. It was as if they were saying, “Hey! Watch this, country bumpkins!”
Enclair ran towards the opposite side of the training hall for a while before stopping about twenty meters away from Link.
“So far?! What does Link want to do?” This scene made the Themis students couldn’t help but start discussing.
Twenty meters was far beyond the distance limit for an imperial warrior to launch a combat skill.
“Teacher Enclair, use all your strength and focus all your combat energy on the shield,” Link said expressionlessly, while casually picking up a crystal energy sword from the weapon rack.
“Oh!” Enclair didn’t dare to be careless. He immediately followed Link’s instructions, channeling all his combat energy into the shield. The shield, embedded with sea urchin stone crystals, soon lit up with a bright white glow.
“Ready?” Link lightly tapped the crystal energy sword and asked Enclair.
“No problem!” Enclair shouted with a relaxed smile.
However, before Enclair’s shout could fade, his expression changed. Because Enclair saw that Link, who was originally more than twenty meters away, suddenly accelerated and in the blink of an eye, was only ten meters away.
Then…
One step, two steps, three steps!
Link took three lightning-fast steps, and his figure suddenly appeared in front of Enclair! He mercilessly swung the crystal energy sword he had been preparing, delivering a horizontal slash that fiercely struck the heavy shield Enclair was holding with both hands.
Boom!
The heavy shield infused with Enclair’s full combat energy clashed with the crystal energy sword swung by Link, producing a deafening explosion and a dazzling flash.
Immediately after, the crystal energy sword in Link’s hand shattered into pieces under the pressure of the combat energy! The heavy shield in Enclair’s hands also cracked with a huge gap, and Enclair himself was sent flying by Link, crashing heavily into the wall behind him. At the same time, an explosive shockwave erupted in the training hall, shattering several unopened glass windows.
“Hmph!” Link snorted coldly, casually throwing the now handle-only crystal energy sword aside, and walked out of the training hall as if nothing had happened.
However, just as Link was about to leave the training hall, someone stood in front of him.
In fact, just as Enclair and Link were talking earlier, the running trio from Almicus Academy happened to pass by this pair of Themis teacher and student. Link didn’t deliberately control his volume when he spoke, so every word he said fell into the ears of the running trio.
If Link’s originally arrogant attitude had already turned Zack into a powder keg, then Link’s final words ignited that powder keg.
“Hey! I’m talking to you, the big-headed jerk over there, who are you calling trash?” Zack blocked the training hall’s entrance, looking coldly at Link.
“Zack!” Cloud also stood beside Zack, but instead of targeting Link, he grabbed Zack and tried to pull him away from Link.
“Bastard! Why are you pulling me?!” Zack angrily broke free from Cloud’s grip and shouted at his good friend.
“We’re here to prepare for the competition, not for you to pick fights with others! Idiot!” The usually calm Cloud also shouted at Zack. He stepped forward again, tightly grabbing the collar of Zack’s uniform.
Angry shouts echoed in the seventh training hall. The Themis students who were warming up all stopped, watching the two friends glaring at each other like it was a show. Enclair even wore a nearly mocking smile.
“Let go,” Zack said coldly to Cloud, spitting out two words.
“In your dreams!” Cloud also coldly stared back at Zack.
“Ooh! The trash from Almicus Academy are fighting among themselves!”
“Come on! Let’s see a fight!”
“Haha! Don’t just talk the talk!” The martial arts students of Themis Academy loudly egged them on. The piercing laughter quickly filled every corner of the seventh training hall.
Under the gaze of countless eyes in the training hall, Amelie’s face also flushed with shame and anger. The little beauty rushed forward, forcefully pushing Zack and Cloud a few steps away.
“What are you two doing? Want to make a fool of yourselves?” Amelie, her face red with anger, also shouted at the two.
“Ooh! The little girl has some courage too!” Amelie’s involvement made the Themis students’ laughter even louder.
“Haha! One girl against two guys!”
“Go on! ‘Handle’ them!”
Even though there was a teacher like Enclair present, the boys of Themis Academy were completely unrestrained. In fact, Enclair’s cold and mocking attitude encouraged them. The boys quickly started whistling, using vulgar language and double entendres to shout at Amelie.
“You two bastards!” Amelie’s shoulders trembled slightly. Then, she pushed Zack and Cloud again, raised her head, and walked out of the training hall without looking back, facing the gazes and whistles of the Themis students.
As she walked out of the training hall’s door, everyone saw the crystal tears falling from Amelie’s eyes. Zack and Cloud, who had been glaring at Amelie’s back, clenched their fists tightly.
“Cloud, are you still going to stop me now?” Zack suddenly asked Cloud.
“How could I? This time, I’m with you,” Cloud shook his head, standing shoulder to shoulder with Zack in perfect harmony.
“Hmph! You bully the weak and fear the strong!” Zack said dissatisfied, bumping fists with Cloud.
“Bullshit. My father taught me when to endure and when not to. When it’s time not to endure, even if the opponent is super-tier, I’ll still go,” Cloud said, even when swearing, he still looked cool.
The martial arts students of Themis Academy didn’t notice Zack and Cloud’s anger at all. Or maybe they noticed but didn’t care. Even though Amelie had already run out of the training hall, they were still whistling at the girl’s back.
“These bastards!” Xiao Xi also gritted her teeth in anger. She stared at the Themis students who were still making vulgar gestures at Amelie, and like Zack and Cloud, she also took several steps towards the group of Themis students.
But just as the three students were about to pass by him, Zhang Wen suddenly reached out and stopped them.
“Teacher Zhang?!” The three students looked up at Zhang Wen with resentment.
“Hold it in!” Zhang Wen smiled at the three students, then walked towards Enclair, who was standing among a group of Themis students.
“What? Teacher Zhang, do you have something to say?” Enclair asked Zhang Wen smugly. He obviously thought Zhang Wen was going to complain to him.
“I have nothing to say,” Zhang Wen walked up to Enclair and suddenly reached out casually, “But I have a lot of things I want to do. For example, slap you.”
As Zhang Wen said the first half of the sentence, Enclair felt that something was not quite right. Then, Enclair saw Zhang Wen’s hand really coming towards his face.
Although Enclair could clearly feel that Zhang Wen’s hand wasn’t moving very fast, and it even seemed like he deliberately gave Enclair time to prepare, but his conscious step back didn’t manage to dodge Zhang Wen’s slap!
Slap! Zhang Wen’s slap landed on Enclair’s face with a loud sound, sending Enclair spinning like a top. Enclair was completely stunned. The only thing he could feel now was the “buzzing” noise in his head.
The Themis students who saw Zhang Wen slap Enclair into the air all opened their mouths in shock, maintaining their mocking expressions towards Amelie, but now without a sound.
“Keep laughing, why aren’t you laughing? Don’t worry, I’m magnanimous and won’t bully kids,” Zhang Wen’s gaze swept over the faces of the Themis students, smiling as he said, “But some people don’t understand that they were born from their mother’s womb, and as a teacher, I really need to discipline them.”
“I…” A Themis student seemed to be so angry that he wanted to shout something, but his “you” had just come out.
Slap! Another crisp slap sounded in the training hall.
“Behave!” Zhang Wen didn’t even look at which Themis student it was, just casually said to Enclair, so relaxed that it seemed like he wasn’t the one who had just slapped Enclair’s face, making him spit out three teeth.
“You…” Zhang Wen’s slap stopped the Themis student’s next words, making the Themis students even more furious. Before Enclair could finish spinning, several students couldn’t help but want to question Zhang Wen.
Slap! Another loud slap.
And at this moment, the training hall’s door was suddenly pushed open again. Themis Academy’s head instructor, Gelt, appeared at the door with a furious expression. Seeing Gelt appear, the Themis students present looked at him like bullied daughters-in-law returning to their mother’s home.
“Zhang…” Seeing the situation in the training hall, Gelt couldn’t help but take a deep breath in anger, wanting to shout at Zhang Wen.
But…
“Shut up!” Before Gelt could speak, Zhang Wen used a loud slap to make him swallow his words. And this time, Zhang Wen used even more force, even sending Enclair flying.
Gelt’s face quickly became even darker, he strode towards Zhang Wen as if he wanted to swallow him whole. However, Zhang Wen suddenly turned his head, his sharp gaze making Gelt almost instinctively stop in his tracks.
“Zhang…” Seeing the situation inside the training hall, Gelt couldn’t help but take a deep breath of anger, ready to roar at Zhang Wen.
But…
“Cut the crap!” Before Gelt could even open his mouth, Zhang Wen silenced him with another loud slap. This time, he hit even harder, sending Encle flying backward again.
Gelt’s face quickly turned even darker. He stormed toward Zhang Wen as if he wanted to swallow him whole. However, Zhang Wen suddenly turned his head back, and his sharp gaze made Gelt instinctively stop in his tracks.
“Teacher Zhang Wen, what exactly do you mean?” Gelt, who had lost his momentum, intentionally lowered his voice as he questioned Zhang Wen.
“Not much. Your students have filthy mouths and are clearly undisciplined. So, I simply taught Instructor Enklai how to discipline students properly.” Zhang Wen clapped his hands and turned around to face Gelt directly.
At this moment, Gelt was already so angry his eyebrows and mustache trembled together. However, Zhang Wen was entirely unafraid of any sudden attack from Gelt. How could a mere Saint-ranked martial artist possibly intimidate Zhang Wen, who had once crossed moves with the “King”? If he hadn’t already vented his anger on Enklai earlier, Zhang Wen might have even gone out of his way to provoke Gelt.
Frankly speaking, Gelt wasn’t without the thought of giving Zhang Wen a severe beating. Unfortunately, the brief eye contact with Zhang Wen had instilled some apprehension in him. He himself couldn’t understand why, even though he knew Zhang Wen was merely a weak Seventh-ranked martial artist, he still felt uncertain whether he could come out on top in a direct confrontation.
“Let’s go!” Zhang Wen, his expression turning serious again, casually gestured to his three students.
“Hmph!” Xia Xi let out a cold laugh, retracted the steel needle in her hand, and slowly relaxed her body.
The stunned students from Themis Academy automatically cleared a path for Zhang Wen and Xia Xi. After all, bullies are often subdued only by someone even fiercer. Deep down, Zhang Wen was no angel, and this group of fools had insisted on provoking him.
Bang!
As they reached the entrance of the training hall, Zack suddenly punched the wooden door with all his might.
Zack’s fist easily pierced through the wooden door, but the arm that passed through was now shredded and bleeding from the splinters.
Zack’s explosive display of force made Gelt’s expression even darker, and the other Themis students stared in shock. Blood dripped from Zack’s right hand onto the ground, revealing a ruthless determination.
“You were the one who said we should hold back. Why did you act impulsively? You don’t have any self-control at all,” Xia Xi asked Zhang Wen as they left the training hall, seemingly still dissatisfied despite her satisfaction from watching the scene unfold.
“Did I say that? Hehe.” Wang Dong smiled somewhat sinisterly. “By the way, what about that Link?”
“Link? Heh! Even I misjudged him. I never expected he was a Balanced-type! If I were to fight him, I wouldn’t have much chance of winning,” Xia Xi frowned deeply.
“Oh? I didn’t expect you to feel discouraged, Xia Xi.”
“Who’s discouraged?” Xia Xi immediately shot Zhang Wen a glare, indignantly refuting. “Even if he has reached the Balanced-type level, simultaneously developing both speed and strength to the Ninth-rank standard, it’s only because his talent isn’t good enough! He had no choice but to settle for this path since he couldn’t breakthrough to Tenth-rank quickly. Agate had already surpassed the Champion level by the time he was Link’s age! In two years, when I’m the same age as him, even if I haven’t reached Champion level, I won’t be far off! So, I just can’t beat him right now. In terms of martial talent, he’s far inferior to me! What do I have to feel discouraged about?”
Zhang Wen hadn’t expected that his teasing remark would provoke such a lengthy argument from Xia Xi. It was clear that the red-haired girl was quite bothered by her defeat against Link.
Zhang Wen didn’t express agreement or disagreement and remained silent, but it was evident that everyone felt quite satisfied.
“Teacher Zhang Wen, what exactly do you mean?” Gelt, having lost his momentum, deliberately lowered his voice to question Zhang Wen.
“Nothing much. Your students are full of foul language and are in dire need of discipline. So, I’m teaching Instructor Enclave how to discipline students.” Zhang Wen clapped his hands, turned around, and faced Gelt directly.
At this moment, Gelt was so angry that his eyebrows and beard were trembling. However, Zhang Wen wasn’t afraid of Gelt coming at him. A mere Saint-level warrior was nothing in the eyes of Zhang Wen, who had once exchanged a move with the “King.” If Zhang Wen hadn’t already vented his anger on Enclave, he might have even provoked Gelt himself.
Honestly, Gelt wasn’t without the thought of giving Zhang Wen a good lesson. Unfortunately, the brief eye contact with Zhang Wen had made Gelt wary. He didn’t know why, but even though he knew Zhang Wen was just a weak seventh-level, he felt that if he clashed with Zhang Wen, he might not come out on top.
“Let’s go!” Zhang Wen also put on a stern face and grandly waved to his three students.
“Hmph!” Xiao Xi sneered coldly, putting away the steel needles in her hand and slowly relaxing her body.
The speechless students of the Temis Academy automatically made way for Zhang Wen and Xiao Xi. Evil fears evil, and Zhang Wen was no good guy at heart. These fools had to provoke him.
Bang!
As they reached the entrance of the training hall, Zack suddenly used all his strength to punch the wooden door of the training hall.
Zack’s fist easily pierced through the wooden door, but his fist and arm were already bloodied by the splinters from the shattered door.
Zack’s full-force strike made Gelt’s face even darker, and the students of the Temis Academy were stunned. Blood dripped from Zack’s right hand onto the ground, a testament to his reckless ferocity!
“Didn’t you say we should endure? Why did you lose your temper? No self-control at all.” After leaving the training hall, Xiao Xi seemed still dissatisfied as she questioned Zhang Wen, though she also felt a thrill.
“Did I say that? Hehe.” Wang Dong smiled somewhat sinisterly, “By the way, that Link.”
“That Link? Heh! I misjudged him too. I didn’t expect him to be an Equilibrium type! If I were to face him, my chances of winning aren’t high.” Xiao Xi frowned hard.
“Oh? I didn’t expect Xiao Xi to feel discouraged.”
“Who’s discouraged?” Xiao Xi immediately glared at Zhang Wen, retorting angrily, “Even if he can reach the Equilibrium level, training both speed and strength to the ninth-level standard. It’s only because his talent isn’t enough! He had no choice but to make this decision because he couldn’t break through to the tenth level in a short time! Agate had already broken through to the expert level at his age! In two more years, when I’m as old as him, even if I haven’t broken through to the expert level, I won’t be far off! So, I just can’t beat him now. In terms of martial talent, he’s far worse than me! Why should I feel discouraged?”
Zhang Wen didn’t expect his teasing to provoke such a long tirade from Xiao Xi. It was clear that the red-haired girl was deeply bothered by the fact that she couldn’t beat Link.
Zhang Wen didn’t comment further and remained silent, but it was evident that everyone felt a sense of satisfaction.
When you can’t endure anymore, then hit him!
A few months ago, Zhang Wen had agreed to become Zack and Cloud’s instructor and teach them swordsmanship because he saw something different in them compared to other students at the Almis Academy.
In the Almis Academy, where the physical arts department had been weak for a long time and no one had any hope for it, most students in the physical arts department had become numb to failure. Most of them had even accepted the label of “loser” that others had placed on them.
But in Zack and Cloud, Zhang Wen could still feel the passion and impulsiveness that belonged only to the youth. When they faced Link, a powerful ninth-level opponent who seemed almost impossible to defeat, they didn’t fear or give up. That was enough. Not everyone has the courage to face an opponent three levels higher and still fight and shout, “I want to win!”
No matter what adversity they face, no matter what opponent they face, they never yield, never give up on striving for victory. That’s what makes them different.
“What are you planning to do?” Xiao Xi, who had followed Zhang Wen to his room, sat on the sofa, eating the fruit on the coffee table, and asked Zhang Wen vaguely.
Link’s strength was undeniable. He was an all-around ninth-level expert, and among physical artists who hadn’t reached the tenth-level expert level, calling him the “strongest” wasn’t an exaggeration. Even a physical arts genius like Xiao Xi couldn’t think of a way to defeat him.
“What do you mean?” Zhang Wen smiled knowingly and asked in return.
“Of course, I mean that guy Link! You’re not telling me you haven’t thought about how to deal with him yet. If you can’t beat him, your big talk about ‘crushing the Temis Academy’ will really fall flat!” Xiao Xi, while eating, kindly reminded Zhang Wen.
“Hmm… I know that.”
Zhang Wen didn’t show much tension because of Xiao Xi’s reminder. He spoke calmly, pointing towards Zack and Cloud’s room.
“Huh? What’s over there?” Xiao Xi, with her natural disposition, obviously didn’t understand where Zhang Wen was pointing. She followed his finger but only saw an empty room, her hair almost forming a question mark. It’s unclear how she managed that.
After finishing the fruit Zhang Wen had placed on the coffee table, Xiao Xi also lost interest in Zhang Wen’s room. So, Zhang Wen sent her back to her own room. When Zhang Wen returned, he found two more figures in his room.
“Oh! Zack, Cloud.” Zhang Wen wasn’t surprised to see his two students suddenly appear in his room.
“Teacher Zhang Wen.” The two students’ tightly pursed lips showed their determination!
Young people need inspiring encouragement. If Zhang Wen had endured today, he would have also crushed his students’ fighting spirit. But now, they were willing to endure any hardship to win and were completely obedient to Zhang Wen!
“Hmm? What do you want to say?”
“Teacher Zhang, we know you must have a way, right?” Zack said as if using all his strength.
“I’m sorry to say this, but… what exactly are you planning for the upcoming match against the Temis Academy… Teacher, we want to win!” Cloud looked directly into Zhang Wen’s eyes, his tone as cold as ever, “You must have known how strong Link from the Temis Academy is from the start, right!”
“Sit down.” Zhang Wen gestured to the two and sat down first.
Zack and Cloud exchanged glances and silently sat down opposite Zhang Wen.
“Before we start our conversation, I want to clarify one thing. Of course, I want to win this match, and I will definitely win.” Facing the gaze of his two students, Zhang Wen shook his head as if encountering some trouble, “There are many ways to win against the Temis Academy. But honestly, you two are not part of my plan.”
“What?” Zhang Wen’s answer obviously surprised Zack and Cloud, and the two young men looked at each other in shock.
“Hmm? Looks like you didn’t expect that.” Zhang Wen couldn’t help but laugh at the students’ surprised expressions.
“But…”
“Hey hey! I’m talking to you two… How long have you been training with me? Even if you count all the time at the Almis Academy, it hasn’t been more than a month, right? Did you think that by casually training for a month, you could transform from worthless trash into invincible supermen?”
“We didn’t think that!” Zack stood up immediately, “But…”
“But what?” Zhang Wen smiled faintly, interrupting Zack’s spirited rebuttal, “But you’re just unwilling to be looked down upon, right? Have you ever thought about why you’re looked down upon? Are you saying that our inferior strength is all the fault of the academy instructors? That those stupid teachers didn’t teach us properly? Is that what you’re thinking?”
“This…” Both Zack and Cloud showed expressions of embarrassment and defiance.
Zhang Wen had indeed hit the nail on the head, but they didn’t think there was anything wrong with such thoughts. If one or two students were weaker than others, it might be the students’ fault. But the physical arts department at the Almis Academy had been weak for so many years, and it wasn’t just the two of them who were weaker than others.
“Of course, it’s normal for you to think that way. I won’t say the physical arts instructors at the Almis Academy are outstanding. Most of them are indeed idiots who can’t teach. But don’t you have any fault yourselves? If the teachers can’t teach, the students should work harder. Who are you two? The first heir of the Shinra Army and the third prince of the Alliance! If you were really determined, getting a suitable training plan wouldn’t be too hard. Because the school is bad, so we’re bad. Look, we’re still at the top of the academy, aren’t we? Usually, you bask in such thoughts, and when you find out you’re weaker than others and get laughed at, you blame everything on the teachers. It’s all their fault; we’ve never been at fault. Hey hey! Come on! What have you been doing? If you were serious about getting stronger, did you have time to chase girls, fight, and complain about teachers at school, but no time to think of ways to train yourselves?” Zhang Wen’s almost harsh words stung Zack and Cloud’s nerves.
“I… we…”
If any other physical arts instructor at the Almis Academy had said this to Zack and Cloud, they might not have even bothered to listen to such a long lecture. They might have even thought it was just the instructor shirking responsibility. But coming from Zhang Wen, they had no retort. Zhang Wen’s sharp words even made the two boys’ eyes redden.
“Enough, two grown men, don’t look so pitiful. The instructors at the Almis Academy indeed haven’t done their job, so we’re laughed at just like you, unable to hold our heads high anywhere. But does just knowing how to blame others make you respected? You have to take responsibility for your own life! If you don’t want to be laughed at, take responsibility for yourselves!”
“I understand.” By this point, Zack had nothing more to say. He held back the almost tearful feeling of discomfort, stood up abruptly, and walked towards the door.
As he reached the door, Zack was forcefully pulled back.
Several months ago, the reason why Zhang Wen had agreed to become Zack and Cloud’s instructor and guide their sword techniques was precisely because he had sensed something different in them compared to other students at Almace Academy.
In an academy where the Physical Arts department had long been weak and where no one even held hope for it anymore, most Physical Arts students had become numb to failure. In fact, many of them had already accepted the label of “losers” imposed upon them by others.
Yet in Zack and Cloud, Zhang Wen could still sense the passion and impulsiveness unique to youth. When they faced Link, a formidable opponent nearly impossible to defeat at the Ninth-rank, they still didn’t show fear or give up. That alone was enough. Not everyone could summon the courage to fight and declare “I want to win” when facing an opponent three ranks higher.
No matter what adversity or opponent they encountered, never yielding and never giving up the pursuit of victory—that was what made them unique.
“What are you planning to do?” Xia Xi asked Zhang Wen as she followed him to his room, sitting on the sofa, eating fruits from the coffee table, and mumbling her question.
Link’s strength was undeniable. He was a versatile Ninth-rank expert, and among physical artists who hadn’t yet reached the Tenth-rank Champion level, calling him the “strongest” wouldn’t be an exaggeration. Even a physical arts prodigy like Xia Xi couldn’t think of a way to defeat him.
“What do you mean ‘what to do’?” Zhang Wen asked with a knowing smile.
“Obviously about that guy Link! Don’t tell me you haven’t even thought about how to deal with him yet. If we can’t beat him, your big talk about ‘crushing Themis Academy’ will really fall flat, you know!” Xia Xi reminded Zhang Wen while eating.
“Ah… I naturally know that.”
Zhang Wen didn’t show much concern at Xia Xi’s reminder. He spoke calmly, pointing his finger toward Zack’s and Cloud’s room.
“Eh? What’s over there?” Naive Xia Xi obviously didn’t understand what Zhang Wen’s finger was pointing at. She followed his direction with her eyes but saw only an empty room, so her hair swayed again, almost forming a question mark. No one knew how she managed to do that.
After finishing the fruits on the coffee table, Xia Xi gradually lost interest in Zhang Wen’s room. So, Zhang Wen sent her back to her own room. When Zhang Wen returned, he found two more figures in his room.
“Oh! Zack, Cloud.” Zhang Wen wasn’t surprised at all by the sudden appearance of his two students.
“Teacher Zhang Wen.” Their tightly pressed lips showed they had made a firm decision.
Young people need inspiration and encouragement. If Zhang Wen had held back today, he would have also suppressed his students’ fighting spirit. But now they were ready to endure any hardship for victory and followed Zhang Wen’s guidance obediently.
“Hmm? Anything you want to say?”
“Teacher Zhang, we know you must have a way, right?” Zack said, as if using all his strength.
“I’m sorry to say this, but… how exactly do you plan to handle the upcoming match against Themis Academy… Teacher, we want to win!” Cloud stared directly into Zhang Wen’s eyes, his tone still as cold as ever. “You must have known from the beginning how strong Themis Academy’s Link is!”
“Sit down.” Zhang Wen gestured to them and sat down first.
Zack and Cloud exchanged glances and silently sat opposite Zhang Wen.
“Before we begin this conversation, I want to clarify one thing first. Of course, I want to win this match, and I will definitely win.” Facing the gazes of his two students, Zhang Wen shook his head as if encountering some trouble. “There are many ways to defeat Themis Academy. But to be honest, you two aren’t part of my plan.”
“What?” The answer from Zhang Wen clearly surprised Zack and Cloud. The two young men exchanged shocked glances.
“Ah? It seems like you really didn’t expect that.” Zhang Wen couldn’t help but laugh at the surprised expressions of his two students.
“But…”
“Hey hey! You two… How long have you been training under me? Even if we count all the time you spent at Almace Academy, it hasn’t been more than a month, right? Do you really think that by just casually going through a month of training, you can transform from useless losers who can’t beat anyone into invincible superheroes?”
“We never thought that!” Zack immediately stood up. “But…”
“But what?” Zhang Wen smiled faintly, interrupting Zack’s passionate rebuttal. “But you’re not willing to be looked down upon? Have you ever thought about why you’re being looked down upon? Are you trying to say that your lack of strength is entirely the fault of your instructors? That the teachers here are just a bunch of fools who don’t know how to teach? Is that what you’re thinking?”
“Well…” Both Zack and Cloud wore expressions of embarrassment and defiance.
Zhang Wen had indeed hit the nail on the head regarding their thoughts, but they didn’t think such thoughts were wrong. If it were just one or two students who were weaker, maybe it could be blamed on the students themselves. However, the Physical Arts department at Almace Academy had been weak for so many years, and their lack of strength wasn’t limited to just the two of them.
“Of course, it’s normal for you to think that way. I won’t say that the Physical Arts instructors at Almace Academy are particularly excellent. Most of them are indeed fools who don’t know how to teach. However, don’t you two bear some responsibility yourselves? If your teachers don’t teach well, then you students should work harder. Who are you two? You’re the first heir of the Shinra Army and the third prince of the Alliance! If you really wanted to, getting a suitable training plan wouldn’t be too difficult. ‘Because our school is bad, we’re bad. Look, we’re still top of the class at the academy.’ Carrying such complacent thoughts, when you realize your strength is inferior and get laughed at, you blame all the faults on your teachers. It’s all their fault; we’re never wrong. Come on! What have you two been doing? If you really wanted to become stronger, you had time to flirt, fight, and complain about teachers at school, but didn’t you have time to think about how to train yourself?”
Zhang Wen’s harsh words struck Zack and Cloud deeply.
“I… We…”
If any other Physical Arts instructor at Almace Academy had said such words to Zack and Cloud, they probably wouldn’t have even listened to such a long lecture. In fact, they might have thought it was just another way for the teacher to shift responsibility. However, hearing these words from Zhang Wen left them powerless to refute. Zhang Wen’s sharp words even made the two boys’ eyes turn red.
“Alright, two grown men, don’t look so pitiful. It’s true that the instructors at Almace Academy didn’t fulfill their duties, so we, too, were laughed at like you, unable to hold our heads up wherever we went. But will just cursing others make people respect you? You must take responsibility for your own lives! If you don’t want to be laughed at, then take responsibility for yourselves!”
“I understand,” Zack said. Having reached this point, he had nothing more to say. He endured the painful feeling almost bringing tears to his eyes, stood up abruptly, and walked toward the door.
As he reached the door, however, someone grabbed him firmly.
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