RNP Page 34
Page 34
It was a feeling of insignificance.
Before the absolute hierarchy of life, I am as insignificant as a speck of dust.
But he was not afraid.
At the heart of that oppressive storm that could subdue all things, his spine remained ramrod straight.
While everyone around him instinctively lowered their heads, not daring to look directly at that divine power, Lin Che slowly, inch by inch, raised his head.
His gaze pierced through the layers of oppressive power and landed precisely on the Dragonite beside the Dean, a creature as powerful as a god.
He did not look at the enormous body, nor at the majestic dragon horns.
He was looking at those eyes.
Those two golden vertical pupils, calm as ancient wells, seemed to reflect the sun, moon, and stars, and bear witness to the vicissitudes of life.
In those eyes, he saw the aloofness of a ruler who reigns supreme, the indifference of one who commands wind and thunder, and the unparalleled glory belonging to a race and a rank.
Lin Che's hand unconsciously tightened around the Poké Ball at his waist.
The smooth, cool touch of the sphere was clearly transmitted to his palm.
Inside, his miniature dragon lay dormant.
His future partner.
His future... Dragonite.
At this moment, the terrifying pressure from the outside world seemed to be completely ignited by an even hotter and more frenzied power within him!
Shock, awe, insignificance...
All emotions were instantly burned away by a flame called "desire"!
An incredibly clear and incredibly burning goal roared and burned wildly in his heart and deep in his soul!
One day!
His Dragonite!
It should be like this too!
No, it must be even more powerful!
We must stand at the very top of this world with the true air of a ruler!
That burning gaze seemed to want to completely devour and melt the sacred figure before it, turning it into a ladder for itself to climb upwards.
Filled with boundless anticipation and burning desire for the future, all the freshmen silently boarded the buses back to school after the ceremony.
Inside the carriage, the hustle and bustle and excitement of the journey there were gone.
Everyone was still reeling from the shock that had just overturned their worldview, and it took them a long time to calm down.
Their real university life is about to begin.
Chapter 41 Class Meeting Summary, Freshman Ranking Competition Begins!
The first class meeting after returning to school still had the lingering scent of grass and soil from the field training in the air.
Inside the tiered classroom, all the freshmen sat upright, an invisible sense of discipline permeating the entire space.
On the podium, the homeroom teacher, a retired soldier with an ever-rigid and serious expression, was summarizing the month-long training in his signature tone, devoid of any emotional fluctuation.
His words were brief and precise, like a military order.
"...This training camp exposed some students' lack of teamwork and the need to strengthen their physical fitness. The specific list and deductions will be published on the college's intranet later."
The cold words made many students instinctively shrink back.
"Of course, there are also individuals who perform exceptionally well."
The homeroom teacher raised his gaze from the list in front of the podium and slowly swept it across the entire room. His sharp, hawk-like eyes made every student who met his gaze feel immense pressure.
"...Finally, I would like to give a special mention to Lin Che from our class."
The moment that name was uttered was like a depth charge dropped onto a calm lake.
A multitude of gazes, a mixture of curiosity, scrutiny, and inquiry, converged from all directions of the classroom, ultimately locking onto the seat in the back corner.
The entire class moved in perfect unison.
"During this training camp, Lin Che not only demonstrated strong personal abilities and a calm judgment far exceeding that of his peers, but also..."
The homeroom teacher paused here, seemingly considering his words. This brief pause made everyone's hearts leap into their throats.
He emphasized his tone.
"Successfully captured a... champion-level potential Dratini."
Dead silence.
Absolute silence.
Time seemed to stand still at that moment, and the entire classroom was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Then came the deafening roar that erupted after the collapse of reason!
"boom--!!!"
If what circulated on campus forums and in private conversations before was merely hearsay and unverifiable rumors, then...
So, at this moment, hearing it personally from this homeroom teacher, who is known for his impartiality and rigorous scholarship, is equivalent to an absolute proof stamped with the official seal!
"Did I hear that right? Champion-level...potential?!"
A boy suddenly stood up from his seat, his face filled with disbelief, and his voice trembled with excitement.
"My God! That's a Dratini! Already an extremely rare pseudo-legendary, and a Champion-level one at that... What kind of incredible luck is this? It's like they used up all their luck in a lifetime!"
"Top scorer...is this what a top scorer in the college entrance exam looks like? The gap between people is truly greater than the difference between a person and a dog..."
"I'm so jealous, I'm really jealous. My dad spent tens of millions to get me this precious dragon, and its potential assessment only says 'quasi-king'... This..."
envious.
Hey.
Shocked.
Unbelievable.
Countless complex emotions fermented, collided, and permeated wildly in the oppressive classroom space.
Almost everyone stared intently at the figure sitting in the corner, as if they were looking at a non-human being.
Lin Che instantly became the center of the storm, the sole focus of all his classmates' attention.
This feeling of being the center of attention is even ten times more exaggerated than when he first entered the school as the top student in the city!
However, Lin Che simply sat there calmly in the face of all this.
The surrounding uproar and the piercing gazes that seemed to see right through him seemed to have nothing to do with him.
His expression remained completely calm, as if they were discussing a complete stranger.
The homeroom teacher was very satisfied with the competitive atmosphere he had personally ignited.
He raised his hand and slapped the podium hard with his calloused palm.
"boom!"
The dull thud silenced all the noise.
"Quiet, everyone!"
His authoritative gaze swept across the entire room, and order was instantly restored.
"Envy and jealousy are the emotions of the weak. Instead of wasting time on that, think about how to surpass him!"
The homeroom teacher turned around and displayed a new slide on the multimedia screen behind him.
"To assess the results of your month-long intensive training and to further stimulate your competitive spirit, the college has decided to hold the annual 'Freshman Ranking Competition' in a week!"
This news stirred up the students, who had just calmed down, once again.
The screen then switched to a list of rewards with pictures and text, clearly presented to everyone.
The sheer volume of content was so overwhelming that only heavy breathing filled the classroom.
"The top ten in the competition will not only receive a huge reward of five-figure academic credits, but also a rare skill learning device that is extremely valuable on the market!"
On the screen, icons for powerful skills such as [Dragon Dance], [Bodybuilding], and [Meditation], each with a resounding reputation, gleamed with an alluring glow.
The students in the audience stared wide-eyed.
The homeroom teacher enjoyed the feeling of keeping people in suspense. He paced slowly, his voice carrying a unique allure.
"And the ultimate champion..."
He deliberately drew out his tone, his gaze sweeping over every young face filled with longing.
"You will have the opportunity to enter our school's most prized possession, one of the cornerstones of our school's founding, the 'Dragon Vault,' and choose any treasure from it!"
Dragon's Secret Vault!
The moment those four words were uttered, the atmosphere in the entire classroom reached its peak!
"Although, in order to better train your practical skills," the homeroom teacher's voice rang out again, cooling down the frenzied atmosphere, "during the competition, there will be a strong 'sparring team' of senior students joining you. It will be extremely difficult for you to win the championship, or even negligible."
His words were full of warning.
But Lin Che was no longer listening to any of this.
The moment the words "Dragon-type Secret Vault" entered his ears.
His eyes, which had always been as calm and deep as an ancient well, suddenly burst forth with an unprecedentedly brilliant light.
That light was sharp, scorching, and filled with an unquestionable, absolute will.
It was as if the whole world had faded and blurred in his vision, leaving only those four words, exuding a fatal attraction.
champion?
No.