Fly stared at Dean Sterling, who stood in the distance with his Beast Totem manifested, his eyes filled with an unshakeable confidence.
The Thunder-warden Beetle, a Mythical Species?
Hmph, no matter how powerful it is, it's still just an insect.
And in front of my Insect Fusion System, even the most powerful insect is just another meal to be absorbed.
With this thought, Fly secretly commanded his system, "System, hurry up and absorb the power of that Thunder-warden Beetle."
This "conversation" was, in reality, nothing more than a fleeting thought in his mind. The system was deeply embedded in the sea of his consciousness, and their dialogue was completely imperceptible to outsiders.
However, a long moment passed, and the system remained silent.
"Hey! System, don't do this to me now! Dropping the ball at a critical moment? Wake up!"
The system remained silent for another beat before it finally, languidly, responded:
ãSystem Alert: To fuse with an opponent's insect-type Beast Totem, acquisition of the target's DNA is required. There is no other way.ã
DNA acquisition? Who knew I'd have to be so scientific in another world. It seemed that until he found a way to physically touch the Dean, he wouldn't be able to obtain the power of his Beast Totem.
This is not going to be an easy fight.
Across the field, Dean Sterling noticed the troubled look on Fly's face and assumed it was a sign of fear. "There's no need to worry, Fly," he said reassuringly. "I simply wish to see your Skill. I won't make things difficult for you."
With that, the Dean produced an hourglass from his robes and gently placed it at the edge of the arena.
"This hourglass runs for about the time it takes to eat a meal. During this period, I will not actively attack you. As long as you can touch me before the sand runs out, you pass."
At these words, Mr. Ironside, who was watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but grin. He had asked the Dean for backup precisely because he was counting on him. Firstly, as the Dean, he was powerful; secondly, he had once been Jett's private tutor. Surely, he wouldn't just stand by and do nothing when his former student had been so thoroughly humiliated.
Previously, Mr. Ironside had worried the Dean might just smooth things over, leaving no chance to avenge Jett's loss. But now... Hmph, hmph. The Dean's hidden meaning was clear: once the time was up, he would personally teach this Fly kid a harsh lesson. As for the condition of not attacking, Mr. Ironside wasn't concerned in the slightest.
Who was Dean Sterling? He was a former genius of Star City High, and now, the Dean of the freshman year. His power was, if anything, greater than his own. Not attacking first might seem like a concession, but it was nothing more than a superficial gesture.
No matter how much of a genius Fly was, could a first-year student who had just absorbed his Totem Beast possibly break through the Dean's defense? In the end, wouldn't he just have to wait for the sand to run out and take his punishment?
The thought made Mr. Ironside's grin grow even wider.
And the wider his grin grew, the deeper the worry on Mr. Carter's face became. As Fly's homeroom teacher, he was naturally concerned. How could he not see the trap that had been laid?
He was just about to speak up and find a way to refuse the challenge on Fly's behalf when, to his utter shock, Fly himself accepted.
"Alright!" Fly's response was crisp and clear, just like the confident smile on his face.
"Fly..." Mr. Carter started, but the words caught in his throat. This kid... fools rush in where angels fear to tread. It seemed the only thing he could do now was wait for the time to expire, then step in and plead for leniency, reminding them that a spar between a teacher and a student should end amicably. Yes, that's the plan, Mr. Carter decided firmly.
"Then, let's begin the test!" Fly announced with confidence.
"Very well," Dean Sterling replied.
The hourglass was flipped, and the test officially began.
In an instant, Fly burrowed into the ground. His speed was so immense that to the onlookers, it was as if he had simply vanished.
Dean Sterling raised an eyebrow. "Using the same old trick again? Hmph."
With a cold laugh, the Dean swiped his hand through the air, and a layer of electrical energy spread out from him in all directions.
Suddenly, the ground beneath the Dean's feet shattered as Fly's Steelbone Blades shot upwards from below. With a slight sidestep, Dean Sterling effortlessly dodged the attack by a hair's breadth.
The attack having missed, Fly quickly readjusted and dove back underground, lying in wait.
Dean Sterling chuckled. "It's useless. Within my Voltaic Field, I can sense every single disturbance in the area. You can try a hundred more times, and the result will be the same. Unless, of course, you have another trick up your sleeve."
Fly cursed inwardly.
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This Dean Sterling had indeed come prepared, countering his winning move right from the start. And then, Fly discovered another terrible fact: this arena had no groundwater.
The key to his swift victory against Jett had been his exploitation of the underground river. But this time, when creating the virtual battleground, the Dean had deliberately removed that feature.
That cunning old fox!
If that's the case, my only option is a direct frontal assault.
Fly returned to the surface, held his breath, and silently observed his opponent.
Dean Sterling smiled. "What's this? Coming out so soon? Are you ready to surrender? The sand has only drained by a third." He gestured with his chin towards the hourglass.
Fly let out a hearty laugh. "It's still early, Dean! Don't underestimate me!"
With that, the steel blades on his arms erupted once more, and his figure vanished, leaving only a trail of afterimages.
A cockroach can move fifty times its body length in a single second, which is equivalent to a human running at over 300 kilometers per hour. It was a piece of knowledge from his past life that proved useful now.
The so-called Totem Beasts drew their power from the creatures of the natural world. Therefore, a warrior who absorbed a totem's power would naturally unlock the corresponding physical potential of that animal.
Normally, however, a warrior would need to undergo grueling training to achieve such a feat. But one must not forget: Fly possessed the "Learning Genius" talent.
Essentially, as long as he was consciously aware of one of his Totem Beast's abilities, his body could quickly learn to execute it.
Seeing this, both Mr. Carter and Mr. Ironside let out a simultaneous gasp of surprise.
To think that the boy could utilize the traits of his Totem Beast to such a degree. While his fight with Jett had also made use of the cockroach's burrowing ability, that had been with the aid of a Skill. To master its speed in such a short time could only be described as pure talentâan unparalleled gift for bringing out the full potential of his Totem Beast.
The two teachers couldn't help but marvel.
Dean Sterling, however, simply smiled at the display.
"Well done. Voltaic Gaol!" He clenched his right fist and then pushed it forward. In an instant, a dozen chain-like bolts of lightning coiled around him.
The Voltaic Gaol was originally a Skill meant for restraining an opponent, but when used on oneself, it became an impenetrable defense. It was a perfect blend of offense and defense.
Fly watched in silent admiration. As expected of the Dean of Star City High. His arsenal of wondrous Skills is endless.
But he felt no fear.
The Voltaic Gaol, while appearing seamless, was merely a few bolts of lightning moving in a rapid, looping pattern. No matter how fast it was, there had to be an opening. And the fine sensory hairs on his arms could detect the slightest disturbance in the air currents. Combined with the incredible speed of his cockroach totem, he just might have a fighting chance.
In truth, there was far more to the Dean's Voltaic Gaol. At full power, it would be composed of dozens of lightning bolts swirling in unison. But against a mere first-year freshman, there was no need to go all out. The Dean was also curious to see just how far Fly could push himself.
Even so, a Skill deployed by a master of the Dean's caliber, even at partial strength, was more than enough for Fly to handle.
He quickly activated the sensory hairs on his blades, perceiving the pattern of the moving lightning. The movement of electricity inevitably disturbed the air, and these disturbances were clearly captured by his senses. It was the reason cockroaches were so hyper-aware of their environment, and it was the advantage Fly was counting on now.
"I've got it!"
Suddenly, Fly focused his mind and shot forward in a single direction.
It was an opening in the Voltaic Gaol. He had calculated that if he moved at his absolute top speed, he could break through the defense and reach the Dean.
But unfortunately, he had still underestimated Dean Sterling's power.
"How naive!" With a wave of the Dean's hand, the lightning of the Voltaic Gaol suddenly accelerated its rotation, striking directly at Fly.
Caught off guard, Fly couldn't dodge in time. A single bolt of lightning slammed into him. With a muffled grunt, he was sent flying, crashing hard onto the ground. It was only because the Dean had no intention of seriously injuring him that he wasn't critically wounded.
"Ah!" Mr. Carter cried out from the sidelines. "Dean Sterling, you've seen his Skill! A spar between a teacher and student should know its limits. I think we can end it here for today!"
Mr. Ironside, a gloating expression on his face, interjected, "Mr. Carter, the sand is only halfway down. The test isn't over. Besides, if you want to end it, shouldn't you ask for the student's opinion first?"
Mr. Carter shot a venomous glare at Mr. Ironside before turning a concerned gaze back to Fly.
Fly waved a hand dismissively. "It's okay, Mr. Carter. The test isn't over yet."
Mr. Carter looked like he wanted to say more, but seeing Fly's determination, he held his tongue.
In reality, with his intelligence, Fly knew that the gap in their strength was immense and that he was unlikely to come out of this unscathed. But the opportunity to fuse with the Thunder-warden Beetle and increase his power was right in front of him. How could he give up so easily? He had no resources, no background. If he wanted to become stronger, he had to seize these hard-won chances.
"Dean Sterling, let's continue!" With that, Fly once again began to move at incredible speed, his form becoming a blur across the ground.
"Good!" the Dean acknowledged, activating his Skill again. The Voltaic Gaol began to rotate at high speed once more.
As Fly moved, he continued to sense the dynamics of the lightning. After that initial probe, he had already formulated his next plan of attack.
He could clearly sense that the Dean wasn't using his full power. If that was the case, then he would use that very fact against him and catch him completely by surprise.
Fly spotted an opening in the Voltaic Gaol and charged.
Dean Sterling chuckled. "The same move again? It's useless." He directed the lightning to converge on Fly's position, certain that with his current power, Fly could never break through the barrier.
But then, something completely unexpected happened. Fly's body seemed to impossibly "flatten," and at an unbelievable angle, he squeezed through the tiny gap between the converging bolts of lightning.
The Steelbone Blades Skill activated, hurtling towards Dean Sterling's chest.
The Dean had never anticipated such a bizarre maneuver and, for a critical moment, was unable to react in time.
BOOMâ
A loud crash echoed through the arena. Mr. Carter and Mr. Ironside stared, wide-eyed. Fly was standing directly in front of the Dean, the Steelbone Blades on his arm plunged straight into the Dean's chest. A trickle of blood seeped from the corner of Fly's mouth.
The Dean's entire body was wreathed in lightning, and beads of cold sweat had formed on his forehead.
In that split second, the Dean had activated his Skill, Voltaic Aegis, to block Fly's attack. But Fly, in turn, had been injured by the electrical feedback from the aegis, causing him to bleed.
In the end, it was Fly's victory.
With a third of the sand still left in the hourglass, he had touched Dean Sterling's body.
For a moment, the entire arena was silent. Even Mr. Carter and Mr. Ironside stood with their mouths agape, staring blankly at the scene. This outcome had surpassed everyone's expectations.
After a long moment, Fly coughed, his voice a little weak. "Dean Sterling, who won this test?"
Only then did the Dean snap back to reality. He took two steps back and announced loudly, "I declare that the winner of this test isâFly Ansel!"
A victorious smile spread across Fly's face. His body swayed, and then, completely drained of energy, he collapsed to the ground.
At that exact moment, the system's voice sounded in his mind:
ãSystem Alert: You have acquired the genes of the Mythical Species Beast Totem, 'Thunder-warden Beetle'!ã