"class president, let's not do this. I really think second-years are enough."
The students who had just been burning with excitement now lowered their heads slightly.
"Third-years are basically all eighteen and up. Some of them already have a full Single-Word Battle Armor set."
"Look at you, so faint of heart," Na'er scoffed. "They just have a bit more soul power and a more complete set of Battle Armor. Is that really something to be this scared of?"
"With Big Brother Arthur here, what's there to be afraid of!"
At that moment, a few students suddenly remembered that Arthur had made his name by defeating a Single-Word Battle Armor Master.
And that had been years ago. How strong must he be by now?
Ye Xinglan, too, recalled the despair she'd felt facing Arthur head-on back then.
"It'll be fine. Trust me." Arthur's voice seemed to carry a kind of magic, gradually calming the anxious students.
Indeed, Arthur had woven a touch of hypnosis into his voice. That was simply what came with having high Spiritual Power.
"Honestly, losing wouldn't be a big deal. It's just a friendly exhibition match."
Everyone started convincing themselves.
"Let's do it!"
"Then I'll just sit back and watch the class president's performance."
"Oh?" A woman in elegant, understated robes let out a sound of surprise upon hearing the news.
Ya Li admitted to herself that she was extremely curious right now.
It was billed as first-years against second- and third-years, but she understood perfectly well: this was really Arthur against the entire third-year class.
"That confident, is he? Seems like he's made a lot of progress these past few years." She murmured softly, the scene of Arthur defeating Qian Wushi years ago flashing through her mind.
Then she issued her order.
"Let the third-years compete as well. Allow the first-years to face the second- and third-years at the same time."
When the order reached the administrative office of Shrek's Outer Academy, the whole room erupted. "The Holy Spirit Douluo approved this? Letting the first-years fight the second- and third-years at once?"
"That's insane! This isn't an exhibition match at all, it's a one-sided massacre!"
"But the Holy Spirit Douluo specifically stressed that we need to prepare a large-scale competition venue, and said the second- and third-years should go all out."
Zhuo Shi declared he was going to go watch in person. This was far too interesting to miss!
Not only that, the news quickly reached the ears of the elders of the Sea God Pavilion.
"How interesting."
One of the elders spoke up. "Good timing. I'd like to see exactly what the Holy Spirit Douluo sees in this boy."
"Indulging him like this."
"Indeed."
Another elder complained, "The Sea God Pavilion has been getting a flood of bills lately, all sorts of things."
"Apparently the Holy Spirit Douluo authorized them specially for Arthur."
"I'll go see for myself just how good this kid really is."
The news soon spread to the second- and third-years, and the whole Outer Academy was in an uproar.
For the second-years, it felt like the sky was falling.
They'd only just finished fighting among themselves to select their representatives for the exhibition match.
And now everyone was being told to fight?
Hadn't all that infighting been for nothing, then?
That was quickly followed by anger at being looked down on.
"Fine, whatever, but they want to fight the third-years at the same time too?"
"Arrogant! Absolutely arrogant!"
"When the time comes, we'll humiliate them thoroughly!" The second-years seethed with indignation. "We'll make sure they understand that the dignity of their seniors is not to be trifled with!"
The third-years' reaction was rather more muted.
They didn't take it seriously at all.
There was a six-year age gap between the third-years and the first-years.
It really was the difference between adults and children.
Some of them already had Single-Word Battle Armor Masters among their ranks and were preparing to test into the Inner Academy.
Shrek's Outer Academy had six grades in total, but the true geniuses all advanced to the Inner Academy by their third year, and even those slightly less gifted made it by their fourth.
Those left in fifth and sixth year were basically just coasting toward a graduation certificate. They no longer had any real chance of making it into the Inner Academy.
"First-years? Just a bunch of kids who haven't even grown their fuzz yet."
Zhou Hao, a core third-year student, leaned against the railing, his tone dripping with disdain. "I don't even know why the higher-ups approved this. Just because of Arthur?"
This year's third-years had a deep impression of Arthur, because their own class president was none other than Qian Wu.
Qian Wu could have advanced to the Inner Academy back in his second year.
But because he'd lost to Arthur, his Inner Academy qualification had been delayed as punishment.
Someone glanced toward Qian Wu, sitting off in a corner, and said in a mocking tone, "class president, your chance for revenge has finally come."
"Make sure you remember to break Arthur's move this time."
"Hmph!" Qian Wu had long since given up trying to argue.
How many times had he said it? That move of Arthur's simply could not be interrupted!
Facing it head-on, you couldn't move a muscle.
But no one believed him.
They'd shoot back: then how did Gu Yue manage to break it?
Good question. Qian Wu wanted to know how Gu Yue had pulled that off too!
After much agonized thought, he could only conclude that something must be going on between the two of them, and that Arthur had been putting on an act.
Soon enough, the day of the match arrived.
The competition began with the four secondary professions.
But the topmost stands were already packed with elders from the Sea God Pavilion.
Ya Li, dressed in a simple, elegant long gown, had a hint of anticipation in her eyes.
Zhuo Shi, for his part, was cracking his knuckles, practically wishing he could skip straight past the secondary profession segment and get to the real combat.
Several of the older elders wore composed expressions, carefully observing every detail below, particularly the calm, unruffled figure standing among the first-year ranks.
Feng Wuyu, who'd come along just to watch the excitement, spoke up idly. "I can't speak for the other secondary professions, but when it comes to forging, the first-years probably won't cut it."
"Oh?" Zhuo Shi couldn't hold back.
What was wrong with this old man? Did he not know Arthur was known throughout the outside blacksmithing community as the Little Divine Craftsman?
He couldn't help but ask, "What makes you say that?"
"Because not a single one of this year's freshmen has joined my Blacksmith Association."
Feng Wuyu's tone was puzzled. "Come to think of it, it's strange. Not only that, not one first-year freshman has come to the association to commission any forging work either."
"People keep complaining to me that their income has dropped a lot compared to before. They're barely making ends meet."
Zhuo Shi's gaze toward him immediately turned somewhat pitying.
Anyone who had ever attended an outside blacksmithing gathering knew of Arthur.
It seemed Feng Wuyu was a bit of a pitiful case himself, since no one ever invited him to those gatherings.
Ya Li, also somewhat intrigued, glanced over and said with a light laugh, "This year's first-years have been using the resources of the outside Federation's Blacksmith Association."
"The outside Federation's resources?" Feng Wuyu raised his eyebrows, bristling with indignation. "That's putting the cart before the horse! The association out in Shrek City is nothing but a small, minor association."
"How could their resources possibly compare to ours?"
Ya Li fell silent. That wasn't an easy thing for her to respond to.
He wanted to know how they compared?
She was the one footing the bill. There wasn't much of a comparison to be made.
Most of the bills Arthur had been sending over lately were for rare metals.
Zhuo Shi stifled a laugh off to the side. This old man had no idea Arthur was a level-six Blacksmith.
"Let's not talk about this anymore. You'll understand once you've watched the whole match."
He held back his laughter, already looking forward to seeing Feng Wuyu's reaction later, so he could mock him mercilessly for being ostracized by the entire blacksmithing community.
No, no, not yet, I can't laugh yet. I have to hold it in.
Wait until Arthur makes his move. Wait until Feng Wuyu sees it for himself, then I can laugh out loud.
The sparring arena was bustling today, with students from all three grades arriving early.
At a glance, you could see them arranged from first-years to second-years to third-years.
The distinctions between them were stark.
Each grade was separated by three years.
The youngest were only twelve, while the oldest were already twenty-one.
The first-year freshmen still had a certain rawness about them, their frames somewhat slight, and they clustered tightly behind Arthur.
The second-years, right in the middle of adolescence, had grown considerably taller, their faces etched with indignation at being looked down on, fists clenched tight.
The third-year seniors, for the most part, stood tall and composed, wearing casual expressions and stifling yawns, their gazes toward the lower grades full of disdain.
Zhen Hua, Mu Chen: We're throwing a blacksmiths' party, everyone's coming. Guess who didn't get an invite?
Feng Wuyu: ?