At noon, the cafeteria of Nightmare Academy was packed and buzzing.I'd arranged to have lunch with Wang Mian. Before I even stepped inside, whispers rippled through the hall.
"Is that… the battle royale champion?"
"No way. I heard she's an S-class soldier, even teamed up with an S+ commander once.""That mech of hers, I saw the pictures online. Unreal."
I nearly laughed out loud.Everywhere I went, it was always "mech" and "battle royale." At this point, I was starting to wonder if I should just host a fan meet-and-greet.
Wang Mian was already sitting by the window and waved me over."You're more punctual than the curfew," he teased."No choice. My rooftop escape last night went too smoothly. Figured I'd earn some good karma by being early today."
I set down my tray and sat opposite him. As I lifted my chopsticks and casually glanced around, the gossipers immediately ducked their heads, pretending to study the menu."They've got so much time to gossip," I sighed.
Wang Mian shrugged with a grin. "You're famous now. Who told you to look so cool in that livestream?"
I rolled my eyes, about to retort, when a wave of dizziness hit me.A second later, something cold brushed my nose.
"…Great." I touched it and found my fingertips stained with red.
"You're bleeding?" Wang Mian blinked.
I quickly grabbed a napkin and pressed it to my nose, still smirking.
"Maybe it's… growing pains."
"Growing pains?"
"Yeah," I mumbled through the tissue.
"From A-class to S-class. Body's not fully adjusted yet. Probably just mental energy spikes. My system's warning me I leveled up too fast."
"Could you not make evolution sound like a growth spurt?"
"Then how about 'overclocking reaction'?"
Wang Mian snorted. "With naming skills like that, you should go study feng shui."
"Whatever works, as long as it can be treated." I tossed the crumpled napkin into the recycling bin.
"Don't worry. Not my first time."
But deep down, I knew this wasn't normal. The pain ran deeper, like a locked circuit slowly being forced open. I wasn't planning on telling anyone.
"Fine," Wang Mian sighed. "Just don't let your 'growing pains' act up during exams."
"Relax," I winked.
"When that time comes, it won't be my blood spilling, just my opponents' hopes."
He nearly choked on his rice. Shaking his head with a laugh, he changed the subject.
"I watched the replay of your match last night."
"Which one?" I asked.
"What else? The 175th planet's battle royale finals. That last strike of yours… your mental field doubled, didn't it?"
"Mm." I took a bite of meat without looking up.
In that match, I'd definitely crossed a line.I remembered something Teacher Song Ran once said:
"Talent may be innate, but it isn't fixed. Most people stabilize before adulthood, but some can break their limits through training, effort, or extreme stress. Jumping from A to A+ or beyond is rare and costly—but not impossible."
Back then, I hadn't thought much of it.Now, I wondered if that life-or-death battle was exactly the 'extreme stress' he meant.
Wang Mian let out a low whistle. "Someone like you, leaping from A to S directly, there can't be more than a handful across the whole star system. Even I'm barely holding between S and S+ with family support. Your progress is insane."
"That depends on the price." I smiled faintly.
"Every time I strengthen my mind, it's like getting bitten back. Surviving is already luck."
"You make it sound easy." He sipped his drink. "One day you're going to burn yourself out."
I was about to reply when a sudden voice cut in.
"Wang Mian? Hiding out this far, huh?"
We both looked up.A boy in a mech-department uniform walked over. Straight-backed, sunlight catching in his blond hair. He had a confident, untouchable air, yet a smile that invited curiosity.
"Ethan?" Wang Mian stood, bumping fists with him.
"Wow, still recognized me after all this time," Ethan said, glancing at me with mild curiosity.
"And this is?"
"My friend, Aurora."
"Oh…" His lips quirked. "The one who supposedly took on ten people alone on the 175th planet?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Legends are nice to read. Just don't believe everything."
"Shame I didn't see it live," he said, sitting down and setting his tray on the table. "But your mech,I've seen it. Incredible build."
"You're into mechs?" I asked.
"S-class mech department. Studied a year with Wang Mian on another planet." Ethan's tone was casual.
Wang Mian added, "He's a rich kid. Could've gone straight to Babula Academy but turned it down for Nightmare instead."
"Babula Academy?" I tilted my head. "That's an elite paradise. What, are the dorms here softer?"
Ethan laughed. "Babula's too dull. Nothing but geniuses bound by rules. I prefer places like this. The chaos is more… fun."
Wang Mian and I exchanged a glance. People who chased 'fun' like this usually came with a lot of trouble.
Lunch rolled on. The three of us drifted from talking about tournaments to mechs. Ethan's eyes never left me, shining with the unmistakable light of a mech fanatic.
"I'm dying to know," he said at last. "Who built your mech? The way the mental feedback syncs with the exoskeleton, even Babula's engineers might not pull that off."
"A friend built it," I said lightly.
"Friend or god?" He laughed, half-serious. "If you'd introduce me, I'd pay a million without blinking."
I almost laughed.
"Are you impressed by my mech or just stunned by the price tag?"
"I'm serious," Ethan said. "If it's worth it, I can afford it."
My mind started working instantly, numbers clicking into place like gears. This could be a very profitable friendship.