"Hahaha, so many of you can’t even beat Gao Neng by himself. You’re pathetic!" While the others were crying and screaming, Fang Tangtang was laughing gleefully.

The new students’ faces all flushed bright red.

’What should we do?’

If they all attacked at once, they just got in each other’s way. But if they didn’t, Gao Neng took them out one by one, leaving them utterly powerless to fight back.

"All you Tier Ones, get out of the way! Let us handle this!" At last, a few Tier Two freshmen stepped forward. They had already discerned Gao Neng’s strength—Tier One Early Stage—which was why they hadn’t joined the earlier group assault.

But now...

Hundreds of Tier One students had been defeated.

They had no choice but to intervene.

After all, there was no glory in crushing an ordinary Tier One student. But crushing Gao Neng... now that was a different story!

"All of you, move aside! I can handle him myself!" A guy with a crew cut stepped forward, his arms and torso instantly covered in a layer of bronze battle armor.

"Don’t try to be a hero. This guy’s no pushover. We should all go at once!" another person advised.

"All at once? Like those fucking idiots? They just get in the way. I’m all that’s needed!" The guy with the crew cut ignored the warnings and charged in.

Then, a series of explosive pops and crackles echoed from within the smoke.

All the students’ eyes went wide.

Ten seconds passed.

A minute passed...

Five minutes passed...

The noise inside was still going.

"What’s going on? Is the fight still going?"

"Something doesn’t feel right... Hey, crew cut, are you still alive?!" someone yelled.

But there was no answer.

"Wait, that punk is stalling for time!" Although no one knew why Gao Neng hadn’t sent the crew-cut guy flying out, they all sensed something was off.

Because Gao Neng’s singing had never stopped.

But the guy with the crew cut had gone silent.

"Ah Shuang, let’s go in and check. You take the left, I’ll take the right!"

"Got it!"

Another two people charged in.

And just as the two of them rushed in, the body of the guy with the crew cut came flying out of the smoke.

THUD!

The guy with the crew cut slammed onto the ground.

He looked like he’d been knocked out cold for a while, his face swollen up like a pig’s.

"..."

"*Hiss!* How terrifying! Even a Tier Two Early Stage is no match for him. Is this guy really just Tier One Early Stage? That’s an entire tier of difference!"

The new students all gasped.

What on earth had the guy with the crew cut experienced inside that smoke?!

As the new students were wondering, a fierce gust of wind, like a miniature tornado, suddenly swept across the high platform, blowing away all the phosphorus pentoxide smoke that had been shrouding Gao Neng.

The new students were all stunned.

Because, after the "smoke" was blown away, they finally saw the truth.

Of the two Tier Two students who had rushed in, one was already down on the ground, while the other was bent over, clutching his crotch, his face a mask of agony.

Gao Neng was also stunned for a moment.

’Goddammit!’

’I thought the instructors were supposed to stay out of this!’

He was furious. If he wasn’t mistaken, Gu Yi was the one behind this.

"If you’re going to fight, then fight out in the open!" Gu Yi snorted, then gave a meaningful look to three figures standing nearby.

Kong Kun, Feng Qingqing, and Li Qing immediately understood Gu Yi’s meaning.

The three of them didn’t say a word.

They exchanged a glance and walked out.

"All Tier Twos, attack together!" Li Qing shouted as he moved. He clearly had no intention of underestimating their opponent. This was no longer about Tier Two students picking on a Tier One; it was about the absolute necessity of taking Gao Neng down.

"Right!" the Tier Two freshmen immediately responded.

"Is that necessary?" Kong Kun frowned.

"Let’s cripple him first and ask questions later!" Li Qing said, then glanced at Feng Qingqing. "Feng Qingqing, be careful. This guy fights dirty, and he has a thing for pulling down people’s pants..."

"He’d have to get his hands on me first!" Feng Qingqing scoffed. As the school beauty of Eastern Capital High School, she was no mere flower vase, all looks and no substance.

Ranking sixth in the Eastern District’s overall assessment for new students was proof enough of her strength.

"Kong Kun, I hear your Defense Power is incredible. If you can, tie him down and create an opening for the rest of us," Li Qing suggested, turning his gaze to Kong Kun without another word.

"What kind of fucking bullshit is that? If I can’t even flatten him, how can I call myself the number one freshman!" Kong Kun cursed before charging straight ahead.

Li Qing’s expression flickered.

But in the end, he didn’t say anything more. Kong Kun’s strength was extremely high; he was the only Tier Two Mid Stage among the new students.

’Maybe he really can handle this alone.’

As Li Qing was thinking this, Kong Kun had already reached Gao Neng’s side.

VMMMM!

A silver-white half-plate of battle armor instantly materialized on Kong Kun’s body. In addition, rows of silver, fishbone-like barbs sprouted from his arms.

"It’s Alloy Steel!"

"An iron and chromium alloy armor?!"

"No wonder they say his Defense Power is the strongest! His title, ’Bone Kun,’ is well-earned!"

The new students were stunned.

"Based on talent alone, 70% chromium, Kong Kun’s potential is limitless!" The instructors on the high platform watched Kong Kun, smiles playing on their lips.

Meanwhile, Kong Kun had already launched a furious assault on Gao Neng.

BOOM!

Their fighting styles were brutally direct.

They met fist to fist.

Gao Neng took two steps back; Kong Kun was also forced back two steps.

"Huh?! This kid seems to have surpassed the Third Human Limit, doesn’t he?" The eyes of War Academy Vice Director Gui Zian lit up once more.

"More than the third? You mean... the fourth?" an instructor asked in disbelief.

"That’s impossible. For a student from the Forgotten Land, even breaking the Third Human Limit is an incredible feat. The Fourth Human Limit... there aren’t even 20 people in the entire Alliance who have achieved that! Vice Director Gui, are you sure you saw that correctly?"

The instructors found it hard to believe.

"Saw wrong? Are you blind? Haven’t you read Kong Kun’s file?" Gui Zian’s eyes narrowed.

"Of course we’ve read Kong Kun’s file. Third Human Limit breakthrough, Tier Two Mid... wait. Kong Kun is a Tier Two Mid Stage who has broken the Third Human Limit, but he only fought Gao Neng to a standstill?!"

"A Tier Two Mid Stage and a Tier One Early Stage are evenly matched in explosive power! Don’t tell me this kid has actually broken the Fourth Human Limit?!"

The instructors finally put two and two together.

And then, something even more surprising happened.

After trading a punch with Kong Kun, Gao Neng actually lunged forward again, throwing another punch at Kong Kun.

Kong Kun didn’t dodge either.

Their fists collided once more.

BOOM!

This time, Gao Neng didn’t retreat a single step.

But Kong Kun retreated a full five steps before steadying himself.

"You..." Kong Kun was stunned.

*"Pull the radish, pull the radish, heigh-ho, heigh-ho, pull the radish... Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it won’t come out... Little kitty, come on quick, come and help us pull the radish..."*

Gao Neng’s singing continued to echo across the training ground.

But all the instructors, including the four principals, stood up at this moment.

"Gao Neng knocked Kong Kun back?!"

"That kid... no, that Gao Neng... he really has broken the Fourth Human Limit. The explosive power in that last strike was at least 2,200 points!"

"Fourth Human Limit, a Tier One fighting a Tier Two!!!"

None of the instructors called Gao Neng "that kid" anymore. His strength had proven to everyone that he had earned the right to be arrogant.

"Alright, that’s enough of this farce. Kong Kun, all of you, stand down. And Gao Neng, you will shut your mouth this instant!" Gui Zian finally spoke. Now that he knew Gao Neng had broken the Fourth Human Limit—and on top of that, was personally recruited by Song Tianyun—what was the point of continuing this fight?

The other instructors, hearing this, also said nothing.

Even Gu Yi didn’t speak, just sighed helplessly.

Courting death without the strength to back it up is just suicide. But when you *do* have the strength, it’s a completely different story.

Because then it’s not called courting death. It’s called being a maverick.

"Principal Song really has a good eye, to be able to specially recruit someone who has broken the Fourth Human Limit from a place like the Forgotten Land, hahaha..." an instructor began to laugh.

"Yes, he’s just a bit of a handful," Song Tianyun said, not looking up at the sky this time, but smiling.

That’s right.

’I’m the one who recruited this kid.

What do you all have to say about that?!’

The instructors chatted and laughed, completely forgetting that Gao Neng was still singing, as if he hadn’t heard a word Gui Zian said.

「One minute later...」

Gui Zian’s brow furrowed.

’This kid is still singing!’

「Two minutes later...」

All the instructors’ brows furrowed.

’This kid is *really* still singing!’

’Such a troublemaker...’

’But you can’t be *this* much of a troublemaker, can you?’

’Of course Gao Neng heard Gui Zian. He wanted to stop, too, but his time wasn’t up yet! There were still 20 minutes to go. Can’t you let me finish singing before ordering me to stop?’

"It seems this kid’s arrogance knows no bounds. If we don’t beat him into submission today, who in this academy will ever be able to control him?" Gui Zian grinned, then pointed at Feng Qingqing, Li Qing, and the others. "Whoever can take this kid down gets a reward of 200 Merit Points!"

"..." The instructors said nothing.

Song Tianyun gave an awkward laugh and started looking at the sky again.

’He was given an out and refused to take it...’

’This guy is really asking for a thrashing.’

"200 Merit Points!"

"We get it just for taking him down?!"

"Whoa, that’s a huge score!" 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

The eyes of the Tier Two freshmen, who had already stopped fighting, instantly lit up again. They stared at Gao Neng with even more fervor than before.

It wasn’t just them.

Fang Tangtang’s eyes were practically sparkling as she looked at Gao Neng.

"Two hundred Merit Points? If I get those, my total will break one thousand! Hahaha... Gao Neng, you’re so dead!" Fang Tangtang gripped her Scythe of Death tightly, her face a picture of eager anticipation.

Meanwhile, Gao Neng’s expression had turned completely foul.

’What the hell is this?!’

’Can’t you people just let me finish my 20 minutes of singing in peace?’

’What happened to treasuring a genius when you see one?’

’You all saw I’ve broken the Fourth Human Limit, so why the hell aren’t you treating me like a precious treasure?’

’Shouldn’t you be focusing on nurturing me, Instructors?!’

Gao Neng was truly suffering in silence.

He wanted to explain, but how could he?

"Die, Gao Neng!" Kong Kun had actually been a bit dazed by Gao Neng’s punch earlier, but at this moment, he couldn’t care about anything else and charged forward again.

Li Qing followed close behind.

Feng Qingqing, meanwhile, circled around to his rear with incredible speed.

The ten remaining Tier Two students also closed in, surrounding him.

On the periphery, even a few Tier One Late Stage students were circling, looking for an opening.

’Fuck!’ Gao Neng cursed internally while still singing. He threw a full-power punch, knocking Kong Kun back once again.

But Li Qing had already lunged over.

Gao Neng lifted his leg and kicked.

Li Qing clearly had no intention of facing Gao Neng head-on. To Gao Neng’s surprise, he actually dodged.

Just then, Gao Neng felt a stir of air behind him. He extended his Spiritual Power and saw Feng Qingqing sweeping a long leg low, aiming for his rear.

’What a devious girl!’

’She’s only eighteen and she’s already mastered a low blow?!’

Gao Neng really wanted to curse out loud. Seeing the kick about to connect with his groin, he crossed his legs into an ’X’ and clamped them together with all his might.

CRACK!

It wasn’t a clean snap.

Because Gao Neng had clamped down hard on Feng Qingqing’s leg.

’What move should I use now?’

’A backhand grab, of course!’

Seizing the opportunity, Gao Neng shot a hand back and grabbed!

Feng Qingqing clearly didn’t see it coming and let out a pained cry. "Ah!"

A solid grip!

However, just then, a red shadow flashed in front of him. A massive, three-meter-long Scythe of Death was now poised right above his head.

"Fang Tangtang is here!"

"..." Gao Neng stared at the Scythe of Death glinting with golden light above his head and nearly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

’Fang Tangtang, you’ve got some real nerve!’

’So much for being comrades!’

’Watching me get ganged up on without helping was one thing. Trying to take advantage of the chaos to recruit me to her team was another. But now, she’s actually trying to earn freaking Merit Points at my expense?’

’Just as I thought. One-night stands really are unreliable!’