Wood Style And Sharingan

"College competition? What's that?" Smith blinked, clearly caught off guard.

Xi Yan chuckled at his confusion. "To put it simply, it's a joint friendly competition organized by the colleges in the eastern and southern regions. On the surface, it's about strengthening bonds between academies and giving students a platform to showcase their skills. But at its core, it's also a training exercise—meant to prepare students for real-world battles."

Smith nodded slowly, beginning to grasp the idea.

Jiang Lei added, "And with the rising threat of monsters, the format of the competition has evolved. Now, teams are sent into controlled zones where they're tasked with hunting monsters. It serves two purposes: testing students in realistic combat and clearing dangerous threats."

So, a giant monster hunt disguised as a friendly contest. Smith understood now—but that didn't mean he was interested.

He scratched his head, trying to sound diplomatic. "Sounds exciting, but... I'm not really interested in participating."

Xi Yan's eyes narrowed slightly, but he still smiled. "Smith, you're already at the advanced stage of Level Two. Among our freshman class, you stand out. You're more than qualified to represent Huaihai College."

Smith was about to politely decline again, but Jiang Lei spoke up, his tone casual but purposeful: "The college will be awarding participants with high-level technique manuals, spirit stones, and monster cores."

"...Huh?"

Smith's ears perked up.

"And if you place high in the rankings," Jiang Lei continued, pretending not to notice the sudden gleam in his son's eyes, "there will be additional rewards. Right, Lao Yan? What's the prize breakdown again?"

Xi Yan smirked. "The top ten students will all receive rewards. It starts with high-level ability manuals, large quantities of spirit stones, monster cores, puppets, and more. Quite a handsome haul, honestly."

[Ding! New mission triggered: Participate in the Academy Competition.]

[Reward Tiers:]

Top 10 – One lottery chance + 1,000 energy points

Top 5 – One lottery chance + 2,000 energy points

3rd Place – One lottery chance + 5,000 energy points

2nd Place – Two lottery chances + 10,000 energy points

1st Place – Two lottery chances + Random Tailed Beast + 15,000 energy points!

Smith's pupils contracted.

Fifteen thousand energy points... a random Tailed Beast... and two lottery chances?!

He shot to his feet. "Alright, I'll join!"

His expression was solemn, his voice steady and passionate.

He wasn't tempted by cheap prizes like spirit stones or demon cores. No way.

He wasn't even excited about lottery draws, tailed beasts, or the energy point windfall.

Of course not.

He was participating in the competition solely to bring glory to the academy.

For honor!

For justice!

For humanity's bright future!

Not for personal gain, obviously.

"Excellent," Xi Yan said, chuckling softly. "You young people should have this kind of spirit. The official notice will be sent out tomorrow. Once the participant list is finalized, we'll set off."

"Take care, Uncle Xi Yan!" Smith called out as the Xi family stood and prepared to leave.

Jiang Lei nodded. "Come by for tea when you're free, Lao Yan."

"No need to see us out."

Soon, the hall was empty again, leaving only Smith and his father.

Smith turned to Jiang Lei, suddenly a bit more serious. "Dad... is this academy competition really that important?"

Jiang Lei nodded as he sat down and picked up his tea cup. "Absolutely. Your uncle wouldn't come all the way here if it weren't."

He took a sip, then slowly exhaled. "And since you've already agreed, there's no backing out now."

Smith sighed in resignation. "I wasn't planning on it. I'll bring honor to Huaihai College."

Jiang Lei smirked. "That's good. I was ready to come up with some excuse to drag you into this. I didn't expect you to volunteer."

Smith blinked. "Wait... you really think I'm strong enough for this?"

"Don't be so full of yourself," Jiang Lei said, rolling his eyes. Then, setting the cup down, he leaned forward, suddenly serious. "But yes. You're not just going there to compete. You have another mission."

Smith straightened his back. "A mission?"

"This competition is more than a contest. It's the first large-scale collaboration between the southeastern and southwestern districts since the collapse of the Holy Empire. For years, the southern region has looked down on us. They consider us weak. Now that every city is trying to defend itself, the divide has only grown deeper."

Jiang Lei's voice dropped. "We can't afford isolation anymore. The eastern district must build bridges if we want long-term survival."

Smith's brows furrowed. "So, you want me to... build relationships with the southern colleges?"

"Exactly," Jiang Lei said. "If you encounter provocation, do your best not to escalate it. Let the teachers handle it. Don't fight back. Don't argue."

"So... if I get slapped, I just turn the other cheek?" Smith asked, deadpan.

"That's the idea," Jiang Lei replied. "But if things go too far, we won't beg for cooperation either. Be respectful, but don't be a doormat."

Smith smirked. "Understood. If it gets bad enough... we retaliate."

"Exactly." Jiang Lei grinned, proud of his son's sharp intuition. "That's my boy."

Smith raised a fist. "Alright, Dad! Just wait—I'm going to shine in this competition! I'll bring Huaihai College glory!"

He paused.

"Oh, right—almost forgot. We killed the leader of the Burning Fire Clan."

Jiang Lei choked slightly on his tea. "What?"

"Yeah. During our last mission, he came after us. We took him out."

Jiang Lei blinked in disbelief, then slowly smiled. "Well done. With him gone, I'll feel a lot more at ease when you head out."

His tone softened. "Smith... I don't care if you win. Just promise me you'll come back in one piece."

No matter how ruthless Jiang Lei could be in his role as a leader, he was still a father.

And a father's greatest hope was always the safety of his child.

"I promise." Smith nodded solemnly.

---

The next day, news of the Academy Competition spread like wildfire across the campus. The registration area was crowded with enthusiastic students.

Smith had nothing urgent to do, so he made his way to the bulletin board out of curiosity. He wanted to see who else had signed up.

The rules were simple: only students at or above Level Two (Beginner) were eligible. From there, ten students would be chosen based on merit.

Smith already had a guaranteed spot. He was just curious who his teammates would be.

This wasn't a solo event—it was a team competition. He didn't want weak links dragging him down.

He leaned closer to inspect the names listed.

Suddenly—

"Hey, Smith!"

Someone clapped him on the shoulder.

Smith turned around and was momentarily stunned.

Standing before him was a stunning young woman, with sparkling eyes, perfect teeth, and a radiant smile.

She was gorgeous.

But… he had no idea who she was.

"Uh… do I know you?"

The woman grinned. "It's me. Hong Feng."

Smith blinked. "Wait… Hong Feng?!"

He took a step back and stared.

It was true. She had the same voice. But the difference in appearance was night and day.

Hong Feng laughed, clearly amused by his reaction. "Yep. Officially, I'm Xi Congqing, of the Xi family. Hong Feng is my code name."

Smith gawked. "You've been using an alias this whole time?"

She winked. "A girl's got to have secrets."

Øóffer going on for diamond tier

pàtreøn (Gk31)