Bab 31: Chapter 24 Ah?
The situation was becoming more dire. After some time studying, Rod had finally deciphered the unknown text in his dream.
On the Blue Star, it said:
[Frost Blue]
[State: On the verge of extinguishment]
[Star Energy: Spirit Revival]
[Injection: Soul Without Spirit]
[Quantification: Unavailable]
[Position: Dull Fire]
[Strength: Thirteen]
[Description: We must still love with our lives, even if the world deceives with its harshness.]
On the Obelisk, it read:
The erosion has begun, stronger nightmares are on their way, the next wave of invasion will happen after thirty-three sunsets.
Warning: About to cross the River of Eternal Death, the invasion might cause unknown changes.
——
After reading this text, Rod felt quite uneasy.
As he had suspected, the invasion had not ended, and stronger monsters would arrive in thirty-three days.
But what scared him the most was the last sentence.
The River of Eternal Death sounded ominous enough on its own, but the implications of crossing it were unclear.
But who is to cross? And how?
The message said nothing about it.
"The invasion might cause unknown changes," this phrase was what unsettled Rod the most.
He had been utterly defenseless against the previous invasion monsters, and had only barely killed one by relying on the golden light.
Now that the golden light was gone, wouldn't a monster stronger than that be able to finish him off in no time?
Rod knew that the greatest crisis since arriving in this world had come.
If he continued at the normal pace, he absolutely wouldn't survive the thirty-three days.
The crisis was far from over.
"I must quickly master combat methods and enhance my fighting ability,"
Rod thought.
"I also need to strengthen my power, the second star must not be extinguished."
But again, there was the problem, where would he go to plunder souls?
It would be impossible within the academy.
He had to find a way to leave.
Yet, the restrictions on leaving Jinworth Academy were extremely strict.
Without the authority of strong figures like officials from the Internal Affairs Court, one could not easily take students out.
After inquiring around, Rod had learned that the easiest way for him was to receive the "Goldenworth Star" award.
The "Goldenworth Star" was an accolade particularly established by Jinworth Academy to recognize the "most improved" student, awarded once a month, across three levels, with quite generous rewards.
Rod had to obtain the first level to have the freedom to come and go from the academy.
This was no simple matter, as there were only three spots for the first level of the "Goldenworth Star," one for each branch.
Each branch had ten departments, each department had ten groups, and each group had about twenty people.
That is to say, out of nearly two thousand people in a branch, only one could receive it.
It was equivalent to being the top of the entire grade.
But Rod was not afraid, because the selection method for the "Goldenworth Star" was very much in his favor.
The academic staff would specifically record the students' previous data and compare it with their current data, the greater the leap, the higher the score.
And the first set of data for the new students was their data from the enrollment test.
It was exactly for this reason that Rod's advantage was enormous.
——He had kindled the second Fire Spark.
Very few freshmen could kindle a second Fire Spark within a month, and although outstanding students like Kashan also had two, or even three, Fire Sparks, they already possessed two to three Fire Sparks at the time of their entrance tests, which meant their improvements were not as significant as his.
This was also the original intention of establishing the "Goldenworth Star"—to encourage and assist ordinary students by providing as many people as possible with opportunities.
However, because Rod's goal was lofty—to obtain the First Level medal—merely having the advantage of Fire Sparks and Spiritual Energy was insufficient.
He also needed the approval and recommendation of various teachers.
Teachers could also give marks, accounting for 25% of the total score.
Therefore, for a period, Rod became the most stunning lad of the three academies, the most active in class, hogging all the limelight, flattering the teachers, outdoing his fellow students, which also earned him and Kashan the label "canine couple."
This title was just too catchy, and quickly became popular throughout the academy.
Of course, most carried a teasing connotation, and few truly envied them.
But for the team leader of the triple-academy, second division, second group—a redhead fatty named Habulin—things were an exception.
He was extremely irked, especially because many major classes were being held together with the tenth division, tenth group, and seeing that bumpkin jump hither and thither performing so earnestly was incredibly depressing.
What was even more irritating was that the young miss of the Miboer family seemed to have taken a liking to that bumpkin.
Since its founding over a thousand years ago, Trolian Royal City, and both the Miboer and Manolo Bana families, belonged to longstanding noble families, known as the elect of the fire, the upper-class aristocrats.
Habulin's father, one of the four Great Judges of the Internal Affairs Court, Manolo Bana Gula, had long harbored intentions of a marriage alliance.
Although the head of the Miboer family had never given a clear reply, they had not outright rejected the idea either.
And Habulin, infatuated with Kashan's beauty and pride, had already regarded her as his fiancee.
Even though Kashan was not particularly enthusiastic towards him.
So, when he saw the two whispering intimately to each other, his jealousy exploded like a smashed jar of vinegar.
Latterly, the news he had his lackeys dig up made his blood boil even more: the two had dorm rooms right across from each other, would hang out every day without any concern, and he even overheard them discussing topics like having children—apparently, Rod had suggested that Kashan bear his children, but Kashan did not agree.
Clearly, their relationship was not simple.
Habulin felt like his soul was about to be incinerated.
Therefore, on another day off, when his father came to see him at the academy, he poured out his grievances, asking his father to give that bumpkin a brutal lesson, and absolutely forbid him from receiving the "Goldenworth Star".
He also wanted his father to transfer Kashan out of the tenth division and preferably to his second division, second group, and to also change her dorm room to the one across from his.
Habulin's father was a tall, gaunt middle-aged man with a stern and icy complexion, resembling iron, as he constantly wore an Iron Mask.
After listening to Habulin's complaints and thoroughly confirming the information about this bumpkin named Rod, the Iron Mask scoffed coldly.
"Habulin, don't fret, he'll be reduced to bones and ashes very soon."
Habulin did not quite grasp the meaning of his father's words but shouted excitedly, "Great! When the time comes, I want to wrap my arms around Kashan's waist, kiss her in front of him, and see what kind of shit-eating expression that bumpkin will have! Haha!"
The Iron Mask laughed coldly and did not correct his son's misconception.
Before leaving, he gave Habulin a Spirit Crow Messenger, instructing him to report Rod's recent condition and movements anytime.
——
Jinworth Academy, the third division.
The sixth student dormitory building.
The third floor.
A blond middle-aged man listened with a mix of worry and joy to his precious daughter's endless tales of her fresh and interesting academy life, utterly unaware that every other sentence she spoke involved a guy named Rod.
After a while, the blond middle-aged man sighed.
"Kashan, write to the family more often, I am quite interested in this young man, talk about him more."
Kashan replied cheerfully.
"Sure, Daddy."
——
"Huh?"
Rod, who had been gloomily observing the Blue Star fading away, suddenly looked up.
"Who's calling my name?"
Hadiah
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