Mr. Zhang stood there.
Wilson staring at him.
Those eyes—
Sharp as knives.
Mr. Zhang froze completely.
Cold sweat soaked his back instantly.
"Yes... yes..."
He nodded frantically.
"You're right..."
"Rules are rules..."
His voice shaking.
Wilson looked away.
Mr. Zhang almost collapsed.
Class 9 people jumped up.
"We won!"
"WE WON!!"
"Alex! Alex! Alex!"
Some hugging each other.
Some crying.
Ms. Chen covered her face.
Her shoulders shaking.
Bob rushed to the arena edge.
Shouted at the top of his lungs:
"I told you!"
"I told you he had a plan!"
"Hahahaha!"
Class 1 people.
Faces like they'd eaten shit.
Ethan stood there.
His fists clenched so tight.
Nails digging into his palms.
Blood dripped down.
He didn't notice.
Just stared at Alex.
One million...
One hundred spirit stones...
Even split with other students...
It's still quite a lot...
All gone...
He gritted his teeth.
No...
It's not just about money...
It's about face...
Class 1's face...
My face...
All gone...
His eyes went red.
But he didn't cry.
Just glared at Alex.
This guy...
Too dangerous...
He turned to look at Rex in the crowd.
Rex's face turned purple.
His whole body shaking.
Not from fear.
From rage.
Pure rage.
"Useless!"
He slapped the lackey next to him.
"All useless!"
"Five people! Five contract beasts!"
"Lost to ONE slime!"
"Disgrace!"
"Total disgrace!"
Rex kicked over a nearby chair.
BANG!
Everyone around backed away.
Nobody dared speak.
Rex panting heavily.
His eyes bloodshot.
Stared at Alex on the arena.
This guy...
This damn...
I'm gonna...
I will...
His head full of revenge.
Crazy, bloody thoughts.
But Ethan looked at his brother like this.
Frowned.
Too impulsive.
Brother gets too worked up.
He took a deep breath.
From now on, dealing with Alex...
I'll be in command.
Stay calm.
Plan more carefully.
This guy...
Ethan looked at Alex on the arena.
Can't use normal methods.
Other Class 1 students.
Lucas sat on the ground.
His hands holding his head.
"How..."
Emma looked down.
She couldn't say a word.
Michael recalled [Thunder Hawk].
Turned his back to everyone.
His shoulders trembling.
David crouched in a corner.
His face buried in his knees.
The arrogance from before?
The pride?
All gone.
Only dejection and shame left.
Audience seats.
Exploded completely.
"Holy shit..."
"That brain..."
"How does Alex's brain work?"
"Layer after layer!"
Someone started analyzing.
"You guys get it now?"
"He planned it from the start!"
"First used flying contract beasts to drain them!"
"Forced the principal to change the rules!"
Another person jumped in:
"Then he went up himself!"
"Pretended the slime fell asleep!"
"Tricked them all into getting close!"
"Final move—"
"Gigantification!"
"Blasted everyone out of bounds!"
"Complete master plan!"
Gasps from the crowd.
"He even predicted the principal would reduce the combat area..."
"This..."
"Can a human even think of this?"
"Monster!"
"Absolute monster!"
Someone shook his head.
"I take back what I said earlier."
"This wasn't luck."
"This was IQ domination."
Arena.
Wilson patted Alex's shoulder.
"Kid."
His voice warm.
"Work hard."
"Your potential..."
He looked into Alex's eyes.
"Is absolutely limitless."
Wilson pulled out a token from his coat.
Pitch black, gold-trimmed edges.
Complex patterns carved on it.
"Take this."
He handed it to Alex.
"If you need anything, find me."
Alex took the token.
Heavy.
And—
Warm.
Like it was alive.
Wilson continued:
"This token absorbs spiritual energy from heaven and earth."
"Every once in a while..."
"It automatically generates a protective shield."
"Can block one attack from a Grade 6 contract beast."
He patted Alex's shoulder.
"For saving your life."
"Don't waste it."
Then Wilson turned and left.
His steps steady.
His back straight.
Principal stood there.
Staring.
His wig slightly crooked from all the head movements.
Watching Wilson's back.
That's...
A big shot from the city government...
Transferred down from provincial level...
And he...
Values Alex this much?
Principal swallowed.
Turned to look at Alex.
Before...
I misjudged him...
This kid...
Isn't trash...
He's a genius...
A real genius...
He immediately rushed over.
His face full of smiles.
Adjusted his wig nervously.
"Alex!"
His voice extra enthusiastic.
"That performance was spectacular!"
"Really..."
"Opened my eyes!"
Alex looked at him.
Said nothing.
Principal continued:
"I was thinking..."
"How about transferring to Class 1?"
"Class 1 has better resources..."
"And..."
He lowered his voice.
"I'll personally sponsor you twenty spirit stones!"
"What do you say?"
Alex blinked.
"Twenty?"
"Yes!"
Principal nodded.
His wig bouncing.
"Twenty complete spirit stones!"
Alex smiled.
"Sure."
"I'll transfer."
Principal let out a breath.
Good...
Finally secured him...
Alex turned around.
Looked at the Class 9 students.
"Come on."
"Follow me."
He led them toward the Class 1 people.
Ethan and the others still standing there.
Their faces ugly.
Alex walked up to them.
Stopped.
His smile bright.
"So..."
"About that bet..."
He paused.
"Time to settle up, yeah?"
Ethan pulled out a card from his pocket.
His hands shaking.
"One million."
His voice low.
"One hundred spirit stones."
He handed it to Alex.
Rex stepped forward too.
His face dark.
Pulled out another card.
"Five hundred thousand."
Slapped it into Alex's hand.
Then Lucas pulled out spirit stones.
Five people.
Each person's one-month share.
Added up—
Twenty-five spirit stones.
One by one.
They placed them in front of Alex.
Total: one hundred twenty-five spirit stones.
Each one they placed down—
Their faces got uglier.
Humiliation.
Complete humiliation.
Crowd started jeering.
"Hahaha!"
"Look at their faces!"
"Class 1 got wrecked!"
"Five versus one and they lost!"
"Embarrassing as hell!"
"So much for A-rank and B+ rank!"
"Got destroyed by an F-rank slime!"
Ethan gritted his teeth.
Didn't dare talk back.
Lucas kept his head down.
Emma turned away.
Michael clenched his fists.
David just closed his eyes.
Endure...
Have to endure...
We really lost...
Five versus one...
Got reversed...
No face to argue...
Alex smiled.
Took the spirit stones.
Weighed them in his hand.
"Not bad."
"Pretty straightforward."
He turned and handed them to the Class 9 students.
"Here, everyone split these."
Class 9 people took the stones.
Their hands trembling.
Not from fear.
From excitement.
"Alex..."
"This..."
"It's too much..."
Alex waved them off.
"You earned it."
"Without you guys cooperating, I couldn't have won."
Then he turned back around.
Looked at Ethan and the others.
His smile even brighter.
"Oh, and."
"Next time you wanna bet..."
He paused.
"Come find me, yeah?"
"I'm always available."
Crowd burst into laughter again.
Ethan's face turned green.
Alex walked toward Rex in the crowd.
Rex stood there.
His eyes bloodshot.
Like he was about to explode.
"And you."
Alex pointed at him.
"Remember the bet one year from now."
"When that time comes..."
He smiled.
"Even if you cry and call me daddy, it won't help."
Rex instantly blew up.
"You fucking—"
He rushed forward.
But—
Ethan grabbed him.
"Bro!"
Ethan pulled hard.
"Calm down!"
Rex struggled.
"Let go!"
"I'm gonna—"
"Enough!"
Ethan shouted.
He dragged Rex backward.
Lowered his voice:
"Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough?!"
Rex froze.
Ethan stared into his eyes.
"Focus on getting stronger!"
"Once we're Grade 10 too..."
"We can easily beat that slime!"
He turned to look at Alex.
His eyes ice cold.
"Besides..."
"He didn't truly defeat us this time."
"Just exploited the rules."
Ethan gritted his teeth.
"Nothing is decided yet!"
Rex got dragged away.
Still struggling.
Still cursing.
But his voice getting farther and farther.
Alex watched their backs.
His smile faded.
Interesting.
Ethan...
Way calmer than Rex.
Gotta watch out for him.