Fly swung his arms and charged into the swarm of beetles. He was like a tiger plunging into a flock of sheep, utterly unstoppable!
In the hours that followed, Fly had the System continuously generate new enemies for him. He practiced relentlessly, and his Skill Proficiency climbed steadily.
After just a few hours, Fly's combat techniques had become remarkably refined.
The barbs on his arms, originally just a few centimeters long, had now grown to a length of over ten centimeters. Their color had also transformed from a pale red to a metallic, pitch-black luster, like forged iron.
Fly himself was astonished by this change.
"This... Is this Wolverine?" After a long moment of stunned silence, Fly finally managed to utter the words.
These metallic barbs, which he could extend and retract from within his arms at will, were exactly like the claws of that famous comic book character from his previous life!
ãSystem Notification: "Arm Barbs" Skill Proficiency has been maxed out. It has now been upgraded to "Steelbone Blades".ã
Looking at the system notification that popped up before him, Fly thought to himself, So Skills can 'evolve' after you max out their proficiency? "Steelbone Blades"... The name sounds pretty cool, and it definitely looks way more intimidating than before.
With this, he felt even more confident about the upcoming strength assessment.
Grrrrumbleâ¦
Just as Fly was excitedly fantasizing about his future, a loud growl echoed from the depths of his stomach.
It was time to eat.
Flyâs eyes darted around as he considered his options. "System, can you generate some food for me?"
It made sense, right? If the Inner Realm could generate all sorts of objects, then creating some food should be possible too. That way, he wouldn't have to waste so much time. He could eat whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, and even save a huge amount on meal expenses.
However, the System's reply shattered his beautiful fantasy.
ãSystem: Apologies, but everything within the Inner Realm is virtual. Even if food were generated, it would be unable to provide you with energy or nutrition.ã
"Is that so?" Fly rubbed his stomach. On second thought, it was logical. If people could solve the problem of hunger out of thin air like this, humanity wouldn't have to work so hard just to get by.
There was no other choice. Fly had to exit the Inner Realm and head to the cafeteria for a real meal.
â¦
Ten minutes later, at the Star City High cafeteria.
The sky was beginning to dim, and it was now the peak of dinner time.
Students and teachers, weary after a long day, formed long queues inside. Even the area outside the cafeteria was bustling with a constant, chattering stream of people.
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"You're that Fly, aren't you?"
Just as Fly was about to enter the building, a voice suddenly called out from behind him. The tone was aggressive and laced with hostility; it was clear that this was not a friendly greeting.
Upon hearing the name "Fly," many students who were rushing to get dinner stopped in their tracks. They turned to look at him, and a wave of murmurs immediately broke out.
"Fly, that name sounds familiar. Is that him?"
"He's the guy who chose a cockroach as his Beast Totem? He looks pretty smart. Why would he make such a stupid decision?"
"Look at his grades, you'd think he was some kind of top academic prodigy. I never expected him to be so stubborn, choosing a low-tier insect-type Beast Totem like a cockroach."
"His hard days are just beginning! Before high school, you could get by with just book smarts. But from now on, combat strength is what decides everything. What right does a guy like him have to be called a genius anymore?"
â¦
The tide of discussion quickly engulfed Fly. That's just how people were. When you make a choice that differs from the crowd, you have to endure their confusion and ridicule.
In their eyes, Fly may have had impressive grades in the past, but by taking a wrong turn in choosing his Beast Totem, he had doomed his future. After all, choosing your Totem was like choosing your path in lifeâyou only get one chance. Once you make the wrong choice, there's no turning back.
But Fly couldn't care less about their gossip. Why should a lion concern itself with the barking of wild dogs?
"And you are?"
Fly focused his gaze on the student who had just called out to him.
The student wore a tight-fitting black athletic shirt that accentuated his powerful build. He was taller than Fly, with broad shoulders that gave him a formidable presence. He wore sports shorts, revealing the gnarled, well-defined muscles on his legs that spoke of immense strength.
"What can I do for you?" Fly asked, looking him straight in the eye, his own presence not yielding in the slightest.
"Jett. First-year freshman, ranked eleventh in the entrance exams. I'm here for a lesson," the student said with a slight bow.
"I remember you," Jett continued, his eyes locked on Fly. "Fly, the genius everyone talks about, ranked seventh in the entrance exams. Since we've run into each other here, let's settle who's better."
The moment he finished speaking, the surrounding crowd erupted in an uproar.
"Jett? I've heard of him! His family owns the largest martial arts dojo in the city! He's been training in martial arts since he was a kid. They say his strength is immense!"
"Is that right? Well, this is going to be a good show. On one side, we have a young prodigy who's been training his whole life. On the other, we have a former genius who is now⦠well, ahem. This will be interesting!"
Without a doubt, both Jett and Fly were "major figures" among the first-year freshmen. A confrontation between two such individuals was bound to attract a crowd. The news spread like wildfire, with one person telling ten, and ten telling a hundred. The number of onlookers grew rapidly, and even a few teachers came over to see what was happening.
The school didn't prohibit such private duels. In fact, the administration believed that appropriate competition could help students grow faster. As a result, such battles were not uncommon on campus, especially clashes between the top-ranked experts, which were always a popular topic of conversation.
Jett had a fire burning inside him. He had always been confident in his abilities and had aimed to take the top spot in the entrance exams, only to find himself ranked just outside the top ten, stuck at a frustrating eleventh place. Because of this, he was determined to challenge the top ten students one by one to prove his true strength.
"The school gave us seven days to prepare before the strength assessment," Jett declared, "but for someone like you, that should have been more than enough to make some progress, right? Come on, show me the power of a top-ten student!"
After speaking, Jett took out his own Totem Beast and fell into a fighting stance.
Fly never would have imagined that he'd be targeted for a challenge on his very first day of school.
Howeverâ¦
This was a challenge Fly had no reason to refuse.
He had just maxed out the proficiency of his Skill and was itching for a chance to test it out. Jett, ranked eleventh in the grade, was the perfect test subject. His strength would surely be anything but simple.
This would be Fly's first true battle since he had transmigrated to this world.
He was also incredibly curious to see just how powerful the supposedly "useless" Cockroach Beast Totem could become under the enhancement of his System.