*****
Shrek Academy,
Almost everyone was already present on the field, but the atmosphere was clearly tense. No one was talking, and it seemed that most of them were still unable to move on from everything that had happened the previous night. The only exception was Dai Mubai, who remained completely clueless about what had transpired.
'Hmmm. No wonder I couldn't find Oscar. So this is going to happen today, huh?' Lev thought as he recalled the events from the original story.
Although he knew the general storyline of this world, there were still many events that he could not remember clearly. Because of that, he couldn't anticipate everything that would happen with absolute certainty.
For today's class, Lev and the others continued waiting for Dean Flender to arrive.
As time passed, the gloomy atmosphere gradually eased. Some of them finally began talking among themselves, although Ning Rongrong remained silent with her head lowered, Zhu Zhuqing continued minding her own business, and Lev remained completely alone.
They waited for nearly fifteen minutes before Dean Flender finally came strolling toward them.
Flender's gaze first landed on Ning Rongrong before shifting toward Lev. However, he did not comment on either of them, seemingly unwilling to disturb the already awkward atmosphere.
After a brief sigh, he finally spoke.
"Today is your second class. What about Oscar? Did he sleep in again?"
"When I left this morning, he was still cultivating. Perhaps his meditation couldn't be interrupted in time," Tang San hurriedly replied.
Tang San had encountered Oscar earlier in their dormitory, so he was also curious as to why he had yet to arrive. It wasn't normal for Oscar to be late.
Hearing this, Flender frowned slightly.
"For today's class, we can't start without him. Tang San, go and call him over."
Tang San was just about to turn around and return to the dormitory when everyone suddenly heard hurried footsteps approaching from behind.
Oscar appeared, running toward them from the direction of the dormitories.
Surprisingly, there wasn't the slightest hint of panic on his face from being late. Instead, his entire face was practically glowing with excitement.
"Oscar, do you want to run laps again?"
Flender glared at him, apparently intending to teach him another lesson after seeing his overly excited expression.
Oscar immediately shook his head.
"No, Dean! Please listen to my explanation!"
He stopped in front of everyone and took a deep breath before excitedly shouting,
"I broke through! I've reached the thirtieth rank!"
"What?!"
Flender wasn't the only one who exclaimed.
Everyone aside from Lev was filled with astonishment as they simultaneously turned toward Oscar. Even Ning Rongrong, who had remained depressed until now, couldn't help but raise her head in shock.
For a Spirit Master of Oscar's age, reaching the thirtieth rank was an extraordinary achievement. Breaking through to the Spirit Elder realm at such a young age meant that Oscar's innate talent was truly exceptional.
Flender's eyes immediately lit up.
"Good! Good! Good!"
His previous stern expression disappeared, replaced by an expression of undisguised pride.
"Oscar, you haven't let me down. Among the current students, you are the second person to reach the thirtieth rank. I congratulate you on behalf of Shrek Academy."
Dai Mubai and the others quickly surrounded Oscar and congratulated him.
"Congratulations, Oscar!"
"Haha, you finally caught up!"
"That's amazing!"
There was nothing more exciting to a Spirit Master than breaking through to a higher rank. Although they competed with each other, they were still classmates and companions, and everyone was genuinely happy for Oscar.
Lev simply stood to the side with a faint smile.
'Just as expected.'
He wasn't surprised at all.
After all, he already knew what was supposed to happen.
"Alright."
After several minutes of celebration, Flender's voice finally brought everyone's attention back.
"Today's class begins now."
The group immediately quieted down.
Flender looked toward Oscar.
"Today's lesson is very simple. Oscar, you are the main character of today's class."
Oscar's expression instantly became serious.
"Today's course is for everyone except Oscar to consume at least one sausage produced through Oscar's spirit power."
"What?!"
Xiao Wu's expression immediately became ugly.
Tang San also revealed a strange expression, while Ning Rongrong's face turned pale.
Even Dai Mubai looked somewhat helpless.
Although Oscar's sausages were extremely useful, the incantations he needed to recite before producing them were simply unbearable.
Oscar couldn't help but laugh awkwardly.
"Come on, everyone. Just endure it for today."
Flender then explained the purpose behind the lesson.
The point wasn't merely to embarrass Oscar or force them to eat his sausages. It was to make everyone understand the importance of an auxiliary Spirit Master's abilities and eliminate their hesitation toward using such support during actual combat.
Reluctantly, everyone accepted the sausages Oscar produced.
Lev, however, was completely different.
A faint smile appeared on his face as he calmly ate the sausage.
The moment he swallowed it, a familiar notification appeared inside his mind.
[Spirit Ability: Big Recovery Sausage has been learned.]
[Spirit Ability: Small Detoxifying Sausage has been learned.]
'Just as I thought.'
Lev's smile widened slightly.
The purpose of coming to Shrek Academy wasn't merely to follow the original storyline. Every Spirit Master here possessed abilities that could potentially be useful to him.
And Oscar's abilities were certainly among them.
After making sure everyone had completed the lesson, Flender nodded in satisfaction.
"Good. You have all passed today's lesson."
He then looked at everyone seriously.
"Now, all of you return and prepare yourselves. You have one day to adjust and rest. Early tomorrow morning, you will set out on a journey."
Everyone immediately became attentive.
"Teacher Zhao Wuji will lead you to the Star Dou Great Forest. The purpose of this journey is to help Oscar obtain his third spirit ring."
Oscar's eyes immediately lit up.
"However, this journey isn't only about Oscar."
Flender continued,
"It will also serve as practical experience for all of you before you begin encountering thousand-year spirit beasts."
The expressions of several people immediately became serious.
"The Star Dou Great Forest is dangerous. Even though Zhao Wuji will accompany you, I have instructed him not to interfere unless absolutely necessary. This means that the operation will primarily depend on all of you."
Flender paused for a moment before announcing,
"Dismissed!"
With that, Flender turned and left.
One by one, everyone began returning toward the dormitories to prepare for tomorrow's journey.
However, unlike the others, Zhu Zhuqing remained behind.
Lev also stayed.
No one seemed particularly bothered by their decision. Everyone's attention was still focused on Oscar's breakthrough and the upcoming journey to the Star Dou Great Forest.
Once everyone had left, Lev finally turned toward Zhu Zhuqing.
"So, you've made up your mind?"
Zhu Zhuqing looked back at him seriously.
"Yes."
She had spent the entire night thinking about his offer.
Lev's identity remained a mystery to her, and there were still many things about him that she didn't understand.
However, one thing had become clear to her.
Lev was powerful.
Far more powerful than someone his age should have been.
And although she couldn't completely explain why, her instincts told her that following him wouldn't necessarily be a bad decision.
Perhaps this was nothing more than curiosity.
Perhaps she was simply taking a gamble.
But after considering everything, she felt that she had nothing to lose by trying.
"Good."
A faint smile appeared on Lev's face.
"Then follow me."
He turned around and began walking toward the academy's exit.
'Finally.'
Lev's eyes flashed with satisfaction.
He had successfully recruited one of the main characters of this world.
Although there was still a hint of doubt in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes, Lev wasn't worried.
He believed that once she witnessed what he could truly accomplish, all of those doubts would eventually disappear.
Zhu Zhuqing watched his departing back for several seconds.
She looked around the familiar academy grounds one last time before taking a deep breath.
She still didn't know what awaited her.
She didn't know what kind of future she was stepping into.
But this time, she decided to trust her instincts.
With that thought, Zhu Zhuqing followed after Lev.
The field gradually became quiet once again, leaving only the gentle breeze sweeping across the empty grounds.
And unbeknownst to anyone, the arrival of Lev Hendrix had already begun changing the fate of Shrek Academy.
**********
---Twenty minutes later---
Forest,
After running far enough from the academy, Lev finally stopped deep inside a forest.
The place was quiet and peaceful, with sunlight filtering through the thick canopy above and gentle winds sweeping through the trees. More importantly, there were no dangerous spirit beasts nearby.
Lev had deliberately chosen this place because he was already familiar with the area. During his stay in Suotuo City, he had occasionally come here to hunt the spirit beasts inhabiting the forest, making it one of the few places around the academy that he could confidently use without worrying about unexpected interruptions.
"Hmmm. Was it really necessary to come this far?"
Zhu Zhuqing looked around cautiously.
She had only been in this region for a short time, so she wasn't familiar with the surrounding forests. Following Lev this far away from the academy naturally made her somewhat cautious.
Lev didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he focused his attention inward.
'System, is there a skill that allows me to share some of my skills with other people?'
This was something Lev had been considering for quite some time.
He possessed an enormous number of skills after spending five years surviving in Sunset Forest. However, there was a limit to how many abilities he could personally utilize.
Rather than allowing countless skills to remain unused within his arsenal, he thought it would be far more beneficial to share some of them with his future companions.
After all, if he wanted to establish his own force in this world, he couldn't rely on his strength alone.
His companions also needed to become powerful.
[Yes.]
'Show it to me.'
The system responded immediately.
[Skill Share]
[Tier: 1]
[Description: A skill that allows the user to share acquired skills with other individuals. However, the skills being transferred must be compatible with the recipient. Otherwise, the transferred skills will be ineffective.]
[Price: 500,000,000 True God Coins.]
Lev's expression froze.
'Five hundred million?!'
He stared at the price for several seconds.
With five hundred million True God Coins, he could purchase countless other items and abilities from the system shop.
The price was simply outrageous.
However, after considering what this skill could accomplish, Lev eventually sighed.
'It's expensive, but it's necessary.'
He made his decision.
'Buy it.'
[Skill Share has been purchased and added to the Supernatural Skills category.]
Lev nodded inwardly.
'System, how do I use it?'
[The host only needs to place a finger on the intended recipient and activate the skill.]
[Note: The transfer process may be extremely painful for the recipient. It is recommended to use this skill only on individuals with sufficient willpower and endurance, as the transferred information may cause severe mental and physical strain.]
Lev's eyes narrowed slightly.
'So that's the drawback.'
He looked toward Zhu Zhuqing.
There was no doubt that she possessed enough determination.
After all, she had endured years of pressure from her family and had come to Shrek Academy with the determination to change her fate.
She was exactly the kind of person who could withstand this process.
Lev stepped toward her.
Zhu Zhuqing immediately noticed his movement.
Her body tensed slightly.
"What are you—"
Before she could finish, Lev stopped directly in front of her.
He slowly raised his hand and placed one finger against her forehead.
Zhu Zhuqing froze.
Her eyes widened slightly as she looked at Lev.
His expression was unusually serious.
"Do you trust me?"
The question was simple.
Yet Zhu Zhuqing found herself unable to answer immediately.
"M-Mmm..."
She lowered her eyes.
Trust.
Could she really trust someone she had only known for such a short period?
There were still countless mysteries surrounding Lev. His strength, his abilities, his origins—everything about him seemed to be shrouded in darkness.
And yet...
If Lev truly intended to harm her, he could have done so countless times already.
Instead, he had offered her something she had desired more than anything else.
Strength.
The strength to decide her own fate.
Zhu Zhuqing slowly raised her eyes again.
"I trust you."
There was hesitation in her voice at first.
But by the end, her tone had become firm.
She was already standing here.
There was no reason to turn back now.
Whatever Lev intended to do, she would witness it herself.
The unnecessary doubts occupying her mind gradually disappeared as she looked into his serious eyes.
'Skill Share.'
The moment Lev activated the skill, an enormous amount of information surged through his fingertip.
Zhu Zhuqing's pupils contracted.
"Ah—!"
An intense sensation suddenly spread throughout her body.
It felt as though countless streams of electricity were rushing through her mind.
Normally, Zhu Zhuqing would have instinctively pulled away.
But she didn't.
She gritted her teeth and remained completely still.
Information began flooding into her consciousness.
Techniques.
Movement skills.
Speed-enhancing abilities.
Passive abilities.
Body-enhancement techniques.
Everything Lev had carefully selected for her began being imprinted into her mind.
Lev deliberately avoided giving her abilities that were incompatible with her martial spirit.
Zhu Zhuqing's Hell Civet was centered around speed, agility, assassination, and close-range combat.
Therefore, the skills he selected were designed specifically to complement those characteristics.
'These should be enough for now.'
He didn't want to overwhelm her unnecessarily.
Even so, the amount of information being transferred was enormous.
Zhu Zhuqing's body began trembling.
Cold sweat appeared across her forehead.
Her breathing became increasingly unstable.
"Agh..."
She clenched her teeth tightly.
The pain was unlike anything she had experienced before.
It wasn't merely physical.
It felt as though her entire mind was being torn apart and reconstructed.
Yet she refused to let go.
'I can't give up.'
She remembered why she had come to Shrek Academy.
She remembered her family.
She remembered Dai Mubai.
She remembered the fate that awaited her if she remained weak.
And most importantly—
She remembered Lev's words.
Follow me, and I'll help you grant your wish.
Her trembling gradually stopped.
She endured.
The transfer continued.
Seconds passed.
Then minutes.
The flow of information finally began slowing down.
Lev watched Zhu Zhuqing carefully, making sure that she wasn't suffering any permanent damage.
'Her willpower is stronger than I expected.'
He had warned her about the possibility of information overload, but she had endured everything without asking him to stop.
However, her limit was clearly approaching.
Zhu Zhuqing's vision gradually blurred.
Her body felt incredibly heavy.
The strength in her limbs slowly disappeared.
Even her consciousness was beginning to fade.
'Just a little more...'
She tried to remain conscious.
But there was nothing she could do.
Her eyelids became heavier and heavier.
The last thing she felt was Lev's finger against her forehead.
Then—
Her consciousness completely disappeared.
Zhu Zhuqing's body went limp.
Lev quickly caught her before she could fall to the ground.
He looked down at the unconscious girl in his arms and sighed.
"That should be enough for now."
The Skill Share had succeeded.
From this moment onward, Zhu Zhuqing's path had already begun changing.
And when she woke up, she would no longer be the same Zhu Zhuqing who had entered Shrek Academy.
She would finally possess the tools necessary to fight against the fate that had once been forced upon her.
Following Zhu Zhuqing's fainting, the process of sharing skills was finally completed. Lev subconsciously caught her as she collapsed and hurriedly lowered her to the ground and carefully laid her down in a comfortable position.
'Despite being young, Zhuqing's figure is no joke.'
Lev bit his lip as he stared at Zhu Zhuqing's face, his breathing growing heavier. Embracing and getting a better grip on her body, he suddenly feels turned on.
'What the hell is going on with me?'
"Summon Transfer: Tsunade."
Lev couldn't possibly remain calm as the more he looked at the defenseless Zhu Zhuqing, the more turned on he became. He didn't want to take advantage of her, so with no other choice, he summoned Tsunade directly in front of him.
A summoning circle appeared, and not long afterward, Tsunade emerged from it. The moment she saw Lev's flushed complexion and heavy breathing, she immediately understood what was happening.
She already knew what to do.
**********
—One hour later—
An hour had passed before Lev finally managed to relieve the overwhelming lust that had been tormenting him. Once it was over, he sat comfortably on a nearby stone, his breathing gradually returning to normal.
"Haaah… That was satisfying, Master. Mmm…"
Tsunade, her face still flushed, looked at Lev with a satisfied expression. After making sure he had recovered, she began tidying herself up.
"Thank you, Tsunade. How about you clean yourself up as well? If I remember correctly, there's a small pond not too far from here. Don't worry. Nothing will harm you here."
Lev smiled as he gently caressed Tsunade's head.
Only then did he remember that there was still someone else with them. In the midst of everything that had happened, both he and Tsunade had completely forgotten about Zhu Zhuqing.
"Yes, Master. You should come as well."
Tsunade understood Lev's intention and nodded. Taking some of her clothes with her, she headed toward the direction of the pond Lev had pointed out.
Although she was curious about who Zhu Zhuqing was, Tsunade knew better than to pry. She decided to leave the matter alone and let Lev explain everything when the time came.
Once Tsunade had left, Lev quickly put on his clothes and turned toward Zhu Zhuqing.
"I'm sorry about that."
Hearing his words, Zhu Zhuqing, who had been lying on the ground, slowly sat up.
Her face was flushed, but the embarrassment in her expression was overshadowed by irritation.
She had actually regained consciousness some time ago. However, after hearing what was happening around her, she had been far too embarrassed—and hesitant—to get up. She had therefore decided to pretend that she was still unconscious.
What she hadn't expected was that she would have to remain that way for nearly half an hour before they finally finished.
Lev could only sigh inwardly when he noticed her expression.
"You're more mature than I thought."
Lev said upon seeing Zhu Zhuqing's calm behaviour.
"W-Who is she?"
Zhu Zhuqing remained composed however, a lot of things were actually running through her mind right now. She glared at Lev as she asked the question.
"She's my subordinate. Her name is Tsunade."
Lev answered before waving his hand.
A gentle current of wind swept through the area, clearing away the lingering heat and unpleasant atmosphere that still remained in the surroundings. Knowing Zhu Zhuqing's personality, he felt that doing at least this much was necessary.
"By the way, how are you feeling?"
Lev changed the subject, his expression becoming more serious.
He wanted to know about Zhu Zhuqing's condition since this was the first time he had used the skill on someone. Although the system had already confirmed that the process had been successful, hearing the results directly from Zhu Zhuqing was another matter entirely.
Zhu Zhuqing could only frown when she noticed how abruptly Lev had changed the subject.
The experience she had just gone through was something she would rather forget. Dwelling on it would accomplish nothing, however.
Besides, she had far too many questions that needed answers.
"I felt great. Just how did you do it?" Zhu Zhuqing asked as she looked down at her hands.
As she recalled the information that had suddenly appeared in her mind, she realized that she now possessed several skills beyond her ordinary Spirit Ring abilities. Having already awakened earlier, she had come to understand that Lev really had been telling the truth about making her stronger.
"It's one of my abilities. Well, I have plenty of skills I could give you, but doing so would only bring destruction rather than help you."
Lev replied as he stood up and looked at Zhu Zhuqing.
Having numerous abilities was certainly advantageous, but there was still a need to specialize. Being proficient in many things was not necessarily better than mastering a select few. This wasn't merely a random reminder—Lev applied the same principle to himself.
"Get up. There's no better way to familiarize yourself with your newfound strength than through a fight."
Lev continued.
It was the same method he had used when he was struggling to control his newfound power back in the Sunset Forest. Naturally, he wanted Zhu Zhuqing to experience it as well.
"L-Let's do it another time."
Although Zhu Zhuqing was eager to test her new strength, she had at least two reasons to avoid fighting Lev.
First of all, Lev's subordinate 'Tsunade' was still around waiting for him. The other reason was less more obvious.
She simply had something complicated going on with her body which would be exposed once they spar.
Hearing her words, Lev was momentarily surprised before a faint smile appeared on his face. He was curious why but it was not his business to pry so he just let it be.
With that, he turned around and began walking toward the direction where Tsunade had gone, leaving a few words behind.
"Well, go back to the academy first. Get some proper rest today. We have an assignment tomorrow."
Zhu Zhuqing didn't reply. She simply watched Lev's retreating figure.
Only after his shadow had finally disappeared from her sight did she let out a quiet sigh of relief.
'Things only become more complicated the more I learn about him.'
There was one thing, however, that she was certain about.
Lev's words could be trusted.
Of course, that was assuming she could somehow ignore the fact that he was a complete monster in another aspect.
"Pervert."
Zhu Zhuqing gritted her teeth as she looked down, her face flushing as the embarrassing memories from earlier resurfaced.
There was no way her body could have remained completely unaffected after witnessing something so overwhelming. Even now, she could feel the lingering effects of what had happened.
Seeing that there was no one around, Zhu Zhuqing hesitated for a moment before covering her face in embarrassment.
'I'm starting to hate him…'
Yet the thought did little to calm her racing heart.
**********
—The next morning—
There wasn't much everyone could prepare in just one day. Thus, early the following morning, after finishing breakfast, everyone gathered on the academy grounds, where Zhao Wuji was already waiting for them.
The moment they saw him, Lev and the others were stunned.
They wanted to laugh.
They really did.
But none of them dared to show it.
Zhao Wuji was in an absolutely miserable state. At least three bluish-black bruises were still visible on his face, but the most eye-catching injury was undoubtedly his left eye, which had swollen to the point that he looked like a panda.
Everyone struggled to keep their expressions under control.
Lev, however, had something else on his mind.
'If only I had somehow watched the battle between Zhao Wuji and Tang Hao the other night. I might have been able to learn something from their fight.'
The more he thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt over missing such a valuable opportunity.
A battle between two powerful experts was not something one could witness every day.
'What a waste…'
Lev sighed before shifting his gaze toward Zhu Zhuqing.
When their eyes met, he gave her a warm smile.
Unlike everyone else, however, Zhu Zhuqing looked exhausted and sleepy.
She had barely slept the previous night.
The events of yesterday continued to linger in her mind, making it nearly impossible for her to calm down. With her heightened sensitivity, even the slightest movement or sensation seemed capable of reminding her of what had happened.
When she noticed Lev smiling at her, her heart suddenly skipped a beat before beginning to pound rapidly.
'Why is my heart beating so fast?!'
She quickly looked away, trying to calm herself down and prevent anyone from noticing her reaction.
After a while, Zhao Wuji finally spoke and instructed Dai Mubai to lead the team.
Dai Mubai nodded before immediately explaining what they would be doing and what their objective was.
After finishing his explanation, he looked toward everyone.
"Everyone, let's head out."