Two Fool: The Mentor at the Bottom Teaches the Student at the Bottom!
For two years, Alex Watson hadn't managed to recruit a single student, yet he was somewhat aware of Wendy Queen's notoriety. Like him, she joined the academy at the same time and has remained steadfastly at level 1, solidifying her status as the academy's least accomplished student—a fact that resonated with his own circumstances.
"Did you just wreck havoc in Warrior Class G last year and now you're setting your sights on our Warrior Class H? Letting a failure like you in would surely drag our class average down to the very bottom. No teacher in this academy would willingly take on a student like you. Perhaps it's best that you consider dropping out and joining the frontline as expendable fodder."
Standing in front of Warrior Class H's recruitment booth, a senior student was viciously chastising a delicate-looking girl, making her face turn beet red as she kept her head low, continuously murmuring apologies.
Despite her apologies, the senior showed no signs of relenting, even throwing a mocking glance at Alex Watson and loudly jeering, "Of course, a 'genius' like you is beyond the capabilities of our mere mortal classes. But Teacher Alex Watson of the Omni-Class? He's on the lookout for geniuses, after all!"
The crowd around burst into laughter at this suggestion. Wendy Queen joining Alex Watson's class seemed predestined—a teacher and student duo, both stuck at level 1 for two years. Truly, both are fools!
Amidst her apologies, Wendy caught this taunt and shuddered, instinctively turning to gaze across the recruitment fair at Alex Watson, who returned her look, having overheard every insult.
Witnessing the crowd's relentless mockery contrasted with Alex' serene, unprejudiced demeanor, Wendy shut her eyes, took a deep breath, and made her way over to Alex' Omni-Class booth.
This action left everyone present wide-eyed and incredulous. Could she truly be considering joining Alex Watson's class? And then, the unimaginable occurred.
"Mr. Watson, is it possible for me to join your Omni-Class for my studies?" Wendy's voice carried a mix of defiance and hope, despite the evident flush of embarrassment on her cheeks.
Alex, slightly taken aback, opened his eyes a bit wider. After a brief pause, his face broke into a warm smile. He removed the existing sign from his desk and replaced it with a new one:
"Omni-Class—No More Vacancies This Year."
"Welcome aboard, Wendy Queen," he declared, provoking a wave of astonishment among the onlookers. Wendy herself seemed momentarily dazed, hardly believing she had been accepted into Alex' Omni-Class after facing rejection so frequently.
Confusion painted Wendy's features, but Alex Watson's vision was clearer than ever. The 「Mentorship Legacy」 feature was already in effect. Above Wendy's head appeared a loyalty value visible only to Alex.
「Wendy Queen Loyalty: 60」
"60, eh…" Alex silently contemplated. The figure was neither particularly high nor low, aligning with his initial assumptions.
Considering the lack of prior acquaintance between Wendy and himself, coupled with this being their first real conversation, it was natural for her starting loyalty to not be sky-high.
Yet, to Alex, the exact figure wasn't paramount. Loyalty didn't directly contribute to his success. By diligently mentoring Wendy and aiding her progress, he anticipated this number would steadily increase.
His immediate concern was to thoroughly evaluate Wendy's capabilities, pinpoint her weaknesses and strengths, and devise a plan to bolster her growth. Only through such efforts could Alex reap rewards and solidify his standing within the academy.
As Alex prepared to escort Wendy away from the crowd, a formidable procession approached them.
"Mr. Watson, I must congratulate you on your inaugural disciple acquisition," announced the procession's leader, Oscar Mills, the renowned teacher of Warrior Class A.
Esteemed within Santania School, Oscar boasted a plethora of disciples and a record of highest class averages. His only dip in ranking occurred two years ago due to an ill-fated decision to accept Wendy. Oscar had harbored resentment towards her ever since.
Moreover, Alex' persistent claim of seeking only geniuses had irked Oscar. Weren't all geniuses supposed to flock to the prestigious Warrior Class A?
What business did Alex have challenging him for students? Now, with Alex and Wendy—two of Oscar's least favored individuals—joining forces, he couldn't pass up the chance to stir the pot.
Confronted with Oscar Mills' feigned compliments, Alex Watson found it impossible to feel any real warmth towards him. Still, he knew the importance of keeping up appearances. "Ah, Mr. Mills, you're too kind. I owe it to the support from all our esteemed colleagues that I've been able to secure such a promising student. My thanks to you all. Now, if you'll excuse me, there are pressing matters requiring my attention in class."
Oscar almost let out a chuckle at that statement. Pressing class matters? With only a single student, who just so happens to rank at the very bottom, what could possibly be so urgent?
But, maintaining his composure in front of the faculty and student body, Oscar decided to play along, suggesting with a seemingly playful grin, "With the recruitment fair heralding the new academic year for Santania School, and Mr. Watson acquiring his first disciple, today indeed calls for celebration. It would surely be a missed opportunity not to add a bit of excitement with a friendly competition, wouldn't you agree?"
Alex, momentarily pausing his departure, queried with a smile, "What sort of competition did you have in mind, Mr. Mills?"
Oscar responded, "Something straightforward. The essence of our academy is competition—students strive for academic excellence while teachers vie in pedagogical prowess. In line with Santania School tradition, after the conclusion of each recruitment fair, we venture into a beginner-level secret realm a week later as a test of our students' talents and effort. How about we make this our contest? Naturally, we won't compare total class scores but rather the average score to keep it fair for both parties."
Oscar laid a particular emphasis on "fair," but Alex merely scoffed at the notion internally. This was clearly Oscar banking on Wendy Queen's status as the class underperformer to secure an easy victory.
Upon hearing this proposal, Wendy's complexion turned ghostly white, her mind racing with memories of previous humiliating ventures into the secret realms, yielding nothing but failure. She silently hoped Alex would decline the challenge.
Yet, after reviewing Wendy's comprehensive profile, Alex simply smiled, accepting, "Fine, I agree. However, Mr. Mills, you mentioned adding an extra element to our wager. What stakes do you propose for our classes?"
The surrounding crowd gasped in astonishment. Alex was willing to accept a challenge that seemed impossible to win?
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone