Fang Ke looked left and right. He clearly remembered bringing his entire class into the Beast Taming Arena.
Just then, the exam hall doors were pushed open and two people walked in.
"Director Wu!" Fang Ke immediately recognized one of them - the Grade Director for the first-years.
"This is a student from your grade, right?" Director Wu said.
Standing beside him was none other than Chen Shu from Beast Taming Class 5.
Director Wu's face radiated exasperation: "This sophomore student of yours just had to come show off in front of our freshmen, didn't he?"
"He even declared that he wasn't targeting any one person, but that everyone in the room was trash!" Director Wu said, visibly angry as he demanded an explanation.
"Fucking hell, can't you stay out of trouble for one day?"
Black lines materialized on Fang Ke's forehead. At such a critical time, here was Chen Shu stirring up chaos again.
Fang Ke rushed forward to collect Chen Shu, apologizing profusely: "Director Wu, I'm so sorry, truly sorry, this is indeed our student."
Director Liu of the sophomore grade shot Chen Shu a withering glare before saying apologetically: "Old Wu, the kid was just fooling around."
"Hmph! Control your students better. So arrogant at such a young age - what's next, razing Dragon's Nest? Though his beast taming talent seems decent. Must be one of your Class 1 students."
Director Wu didn't pursue the matter further, turning back toward the freshman exam hall.
"Decent talent?" Fang Ke shook his head. "He must have been driven mad with rage."
Then he wheeled on Chen Shu, "Chen Shu, what's wrong with you? Why are you causing trouble at such a crucial moment?"
Chen Shu himself was baffled; he'd just been following the crowd and somehow walked straight into the freshman grade area, which explained why he didn't recognize a single face.
"Alright, last student step forward for assessment," Director Liu said, displeasure etched on his face.
Chen Shu approached the proctoring teacher and shared his contract spirit's panel information.
Name: ???
Personality: ???
...
Potential Rating: F
Contract Host: Chen Shu (Level 5 Beast Tamer, Beast Taming Talent: Ordinary)
Apart from the contract spirit's potential rating and his own information, Chen Shu revealed nothing else about the slime - especially not its talents and skills.
"Chen Shu, Lev... Level 5 Beast Tamer?!"
The proctoring teacher's expression shifted dramatically, his voice filled with surprise, as this was the first Level 5 Beast Tamer to ever come from Beast Taming Class 5.
"Indeed decent talent. Seems he's one of the top students." Director Liu examined Chen Shu with fresh eyes, his expression softening considerably.
But everyone in Beast Taming Class 5 stood with eyes bulging, looking utterly stupefied. Add a bit of drool and they could qualify for immediate hospitalization.
"You... you... you're Level 5???"
Fang Ke felt his brain blue-screen completely. The class's dead-last¹ student was a Level 5 Beast Tamer??
The other students were equally dumbfounded, wondering how this guy who spent every day goofing off was secretly a powerhouse.
At that moment, options materialized before Chen Shu's eyes.
[Option 1: Remain silent and keep a low profile.]
Completion reward: Strength Potion proficiency increase
[Option 2: Sigh softly and lament: "I just accidentally walked ahead of you all."]
Completion reward: Charge skill +1
[Option 3: Play dumb and say: "Huh? I remember being Level 1. How did I suddenly become Level 5?"]
Completion reward: Level 1 Gigantification Fruit
Chen Shu paused briefly, calculating before selecting the second option.
The first option didn't specify the proficiency increase amount - likely still just Control Level, unable to reach Mastery Level, making it largely useless.
The third option offered a Level 1 Gigantification Fruit for crafting Basic-level Body Type Potions, identical to what he'd purchased at Zhou Xiaoming's family shop - which was unnecessary to choose.
Chen Shu suddenly strode to the front of the crowd, gazing at the ceiling at a perfect 45-degree angle, his face awash with melancholy as he lamented:
"I've been desperately trying to hold back my growth, but somehow I still ended up surpassing you all. I hate myself for being too incompetent to hide my talent!"
Chen Shu clenched both fists, his entire being radiating self-reproach.
"..."
This time it wasn't just Beast Taming Class 5 going slack-jawed. Students from every other class stood frozen, their brains collectively refusing to process what they'd just heard.
Could these words even come from a human being?²
When did Beast Taming Class 5 harbor such a character?
Chen Shu pounded his chest with theatrical anguish, "Here and now, I solemnly apologize to everyone. I, Chen Shu, feel guilty in my heart!!"³
"Enough! That's quite enough! Are those even human words coming out of your mouth?!"
Director Liu finally snapped, cutting him off before worse could follow.
What do you mean suppressing your own talent? If you really pushed yourself, would you ascend directly to China Academy?
And this sudden dramatic apology - who asked you to apologize? Who wants your apology?
As every pair of eyes in the grade hall locked onto him, a single, unified thought echoed through their minds, You truly are shameless!
"Alright, let's proceed with the next ability test!"
Director Liu hastily concluded this assessment round, terrified of what Chen Shu might say next.
Though Chen Shu's potential rating was F, his Beast Tamer level substantially boosted his overall score.
Fewer than forty Level 5 Beast Tamers existed in the entire sophomore grade.
"First, the attack power test!" Director Liu announced.
Several teachers wheeled out a massive yellow orb, thick cables running from its back to an enormous display screen in the distance.
Following standard exam protocol, each contract spirit would have five seconds to attack.
The orb contained sophisticated algorithms that would comprehensively analyze attack intensity, producing a final evaluation grade - this would become the score for this testing round.
"Begin." Director Liu signaled the start.
As always, Xu Xiaoyu was first.
As the grade's undisputed number one, she commanded universal attention. Everyone wanted to witness just how powerful this genius truly was.
A crimson bird suddenly materialized, spreading its wings and soaring upward, gazing down imperiously. The A-rank Fire Bird clearly stood a full tier above other contract spirits.
"Attack!"
Xu Xiaoyu commanded the Fire Bird to strike the yellow orb.
In an instant, crimson light flickered across its talons, as if flames danced upon them.
This was the Fire Bird's sole active skill: Blazing Talons!
Boom!
The talons swept out, viciously raking across the yellow orb.
If an ordinary person took that hit, they'd be either dead or grievously wounded. But as specialized equipment designed to measure attack power, the yellow orb possessed incredible durability and could withstand attacks of every attribute type.
The display screen flickered rapidly before finally revealing a grade.
Attack Power: A!
For a Level 7 contract spirit to achieve such devastating attack power was virtually unheard of.
"Excellent!" Director Liu nodded slightly, approval gleaming in his eyes. Truly worthy of China Academy material.
Following her, the other beast taming students summoned their contract spirits in succession.
"Roar!" "Screech!" "Woohoo!" "Yo-ho!" Various contract spirits cried out, filling the exam hall with cacophonous energy.
Attack Power: B!
Attack Power: F!