After an intense and grueling battle, Fang Zhou finally finished off the Warrior-class Bone-Spiked Fierce Wolf.
He had only managed to do so because he had prepared an Intermediate-order Magic spell in advance; had he encountered it head-on without preparation, the outcome would have been truly uncertain. In the process, he had also exposed his unique Mind Element. In a sense, he was a mage with "Natural Dual Elements," though his Mind Element magic originated from a "Hero Template," and his star patterns were a swarm of butterflies!
"Let me see how many gold coins a Warrior-class remnant soul is worth."
Fang Zhou focused his eyes on the panel and—good heavens—the gold coin count jumped up by three. One was worth three!
"Fang Zhou!"
As the battle concluded, Ding Yumian immediately sprinted down from the stands. Ignoring the blood and mess on him, she threw herself into his arms, hugging the young man tightly as crystal-clear tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. No one else knew how heart-wrenching it had been to watch from above, especially at the end when Fang Zhou had pitted his speed against the Bone-Spiked Fierce Wolf with only milliseconds to spare; her heart had nearly stopped.
"It’s okay, it’s okay. Look, I managed to defeat a Warrior-class monster in single combat! If this were out in the wild, it would take an entire team of mages to take it down. Quick, Xiao Mian, praise me!" Fang Zhou said with a cheeky grin.
"You’re amazing, you’re the most amazing, alright?" Ding Yumian wrinkled her elegant nose, though she remained deeply worried and shaken inside.
After soothing his childhood sweetheart, Fang Zhou looked up at Dean Xiao.
"Your performance exceeded my expectations. You are truly a natural-born demon-hunting mage. Keeping you from going out would indeed be a waste of your talent."
Dean Xiao spoke calmly. With his sharp eye, he had already noticed that the Lightning Element magic Fang Zhou used had a boost significantly higher than 1.3 times. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dispatched the Bone-Spiked Fierce Wolf so easily; even with the element of surprise, a first-tier Intermediate-order spell shouldn't have been enough to kill it.
"So..." Fang Zhou raised an eyebrow.
"So, you have passed my test," Dean Xiao laughed, flicking a water orb toward Fang Zhou, which swirled around him to wash away the bloodstains—some from the Bone-Spiked Fierce Wolf, but mostly his own.
"To reward and support you, I have prepared a few Magic Tools for you. Take a look." Dean Xiao was going the extra mile; he couldn't just watch Fang Zhou head out to fight monsters without proper gear.
Fang Zhou rubbed his hands together, ignoring his aching muscles, and stepped forward to examine them carefully.
"It’s not a full set?" he muttered to himself in disappointment after a quick glance.
Dean Xiao laughed and said, "I could give you a set, but you’d have to sign an IOU. I won't even charge you interest."
"Tsk, you said 'a few,' but it's just two," Fang Zhou grumbled, though his eyes still shimmered with the excitement of seeing Magic Tools for the first time. He knew it was unlikely Dean Xiao would simply gift him an entire set—a single Intermediate-order Magic Tool cost over five million, and they weren't related. If the Dean really gave him a set, he wouldn't know how to repay him. Still, that didn't stop him from being cheeky.
Dean Xiao shook his head and gestured toward a pair of boots and a shield. "These are Gale Boots, crafted from the materials of a Gale Wolf. Once you put them on, you can run faster than Wind Track: Flutter. Plus, the duration is quite long. If you encounter a Warrior-class monster not particularly skilled in speed, you can even kite it."
Fang Zhou’s eyes lit up. This was the good stuff. He didn't lack offensive power with his Lightning Element, and these Gale Boots perfectly compensated for his lack of mobility—they could even save his life in a pinch.
"The second Magic Tool is a Crystal Round Shield. It is enough to withstand a direct attack from a Warrior-class monster. Of course, that depends on your timing," Dean Xiao said, pointing to a small circular shield.
Two Magic Tools, one for speed and one for defense, were worth over ten million. Dean Xiao had treated him incredibly well.
"Thank you, Dean!" Fang Zhou didn't try to be clever this time, bowing respectfully to show his gratitude.
"Just leave your spiritual imprint on these two tools, and they will be yours," Dean Xiao said with a smile.
Fang Zhou did as he was told. Soon, the spiritual imprints were complete, linking the tools to his soul. From now on, a single thought would be enough to summon the Gale Boots and the Crystal Round Shield, which could turn the tide of a battle at any moment!
For the next few days, Fang Zhou stayed home to recover, spending his time wandering around Pearl Institute with Ding Yumian.
"Are you leaving now?"
The sun was pleasant and the breeze was gentle that day. Ding Yumian suddenly turned back, hands clasped behind her back as she stood on the lawn, looking slim and graceful. She tilted her head slightly and asked the boy before her. There was a faint smile on her face, but if one looked closely, one could see the imperceptible reluctance hidden in her eyes.
Fang Zhou, of course, noticed her efforts to hide her feelings. He reached out and pulled her into his arms, lowering his head to say, "I have to go out and fight monsters to level up so I can support you."
"I want you to come back safely!" Ding Yumian reached out from behind her back and hugged the boy tightly, unwilling to let go.
"That goes without saying. You have to be good, get enough sleep, and take care of your mental state. You must control your emotions while I'm away, understand?" Fang Zhou whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I know, you old mother hen!"
"It's obviously because you're too silly, you little idiot!"
"Hmph!"
They both turned their heads away, but with a silent understanding, they turned back at the same time. One bowed his head, the other tilted hers up, and their lips touched for a fleeting moment. Both of them were so shocked that their eyes went wide.
"Fang Zhou, promise me you'll come back safe and sound."
That night, on the balcony of the villa, Ding Yumian snuggled into Fang Zhou’s arms, greedily breathing in his scent.
Fang Zhou held her close, inhaling the faint fragrance of her hair. "I promise. Once I become very, very strong, I’ll take you everywhere. We can go north to see the Great Wall, go to the desert to watch the sunset, see the sunrise by the sea, and travel the world..."
"I'll wait for that day."
"That day will definitely come."
Their eyes met, and they lingered in the moment before finally parting.
The next day, Fang Zhou left Pearl Institute alone.
"This is the path you chose, so I will not stop you. Here is your Hunter's ID. I adjusted your age up by two years so that it doesn't attract too much attention." Dean Xiao handed the documents to him.
"I'm leaving. Does this put any pressure on you?" Fang Zhou suddenly asked. He was a special case, and since Dean Xiao had "adopted" him, disappearing into the wild might put the Dean in a difficult position.
"It’s fine, as long as you don't run into any trouble," Dean Xiao shook his head. Fang Zhou wasn't some Calamity Bearer; although he was unique, he posed no threat to the public. He was looking forward to seeing Fang Zhou’s growth. This boy had always had his own ideas. Although he had chosen a difficult path for his magic, the future was full of promise.