“That… why haven’t I ever seen you before?”
Ning Die’s fingers tightened slightly around her staff, her knuckles turning white. Her voice was as soft as a mosquito’s buzz, carrying a hint of timid curiosity.
She followed half a step behind Su Yun, her gaze shifting between his fluffy, pom-pom-like white tail and the cold, glinting black bone armor he wore.
The soft fur and hard bone armor created a strange yet harmonious contrast. His tail lightly swept across the ground with every step, picking up bits of grass and stains of dark red blood. It made her unconsciously recall the scene from moments ago—the sky full of lightning and flying flesh—and her heart constricted slightly.
Su Yun’s footsteps paused, his heart skipping a beat.
He had been so focused on killing red-named mages to earn credits that he forgot his Samoyed appearance was only a temporary disguise. Since he saw Ning Die every day in class as his true self, she obviously wouldn’t recognize him like this.
He turned around somewhat stiffly. His furry ears instinctively drooped before quickly perking back up. His mind raced, a trace of panic flashing through his eyes before being forcibly suppressed.
**[Thick Skin — Business as Usual]** activated!
“Oh, I’m a special case. I don’t need to attend classes.”
Su Yun kept his small face stern, trying his best to look profound. His blue eyes blinked, and he spoke with a touch of deliberate arrogance.
“Look at how strong I am. Do I really need classes?” He spread his small hands.
The black bone armor rubbed against the white fur, making a faint rustling sound. Faint traces of lightning still flickered at his fingertips. As the wind blew, his fluffy fur swayed gently. His nonchalant attitude suggested that his strength was as natural as the weather being fine.
It really did seem to be the case.
In reality, he had only learned a few spells. However, those spells were essentially at the intermediate level. Coupled with Su Yun’s mental power, which was so massive it practically overflowed, and his endless mana reserves, they had been forcibly enhanced to the high-level tier.
One had to remember that he was the only person who had built a Heavenly Palace in his mental world! The Southern Heavenly Gate and the main hall were all fully equipped, and even the various decorations were in place. All the plots for future buildings had already been prepared.
Compared to that, anything below high-level magic was child’s play. Theoretically, one didn’t even need to master the laws. As long as one’s mental power was strong enough and they could mobilize enough mana, even an ordinary person could use such magic with the help of certain devices.
Of course, that was only theoretical.
Few people were like Su Yun, possessing near-infinite vitality while still at the low-rank mage stage. When he fought, it was like he had an immortality cheat active. Even if bones shattered or muscles tore, thanks to **[Life Magic — Micro-Brew]** and his natural recovery, he would only feel a slight ache.
“You… you should be around the same age as me, right? Why… why do you know so many spells?”
Ning Die’s voice trembled slightly, her eyes filled with shock and confusion. She had mistaken Su Yun’s lightning-attributed Baji Quan—the crushing, wrapping, vibrating, prodding, and charging—for different magical techniques. After all, every move had been accompanied by crackling lightning and terrifying power.
She had studied magic under her father, the Sovereign of Rules, since she was a child. The elders and high-level mages around her had nothing but praise for her, calling her a once-in-a-century genius.
Yet even so, learning the simplest low-level spell, Small Fireball, had required her to study the rune diagrams for three days and three nights, practicing dozens of times just to achieve a stable condensation. Slightly more complex low-level magic took a week or even longer to refine.
And yet, this soft-looking “Samoyed” in front of her claimed he could learn things just by watching?
Ning Die felt her worldview collapsing; it was as if the sky was falling. Her father often said that “the world’s heroes are as numerous as crucian carp crossing a river.” She had always believed that even if she wasn’t the very best, she was definitely in the top tier. But now, it seemed she wasn’t looking at a crucian carp—this was a monster leaping over the Dragon Gate!
No wonder he didn’t need classes. What could the teachers at the academy possibly teach him? How to condense low-level magic?
What kind of Level 25 mage could crash through a Forest filled with murderers like an out-of-control truck? Upon seeing eleven red-named mages surrounding him, he hadn’t run away. Instead, he had charged in with a bone blade and slaughtered them all.
Was that even human?
Ning Die pursed her lips and remained silent. She lowered her head, her long eyelashes concealing the disappointment and frustration in her eyes. It wasn’t that she was trying to act cold; she was simply too overwhelmed to speak. Having lived under the “genius” halo her entire life, encountering such an incomprehensible “monster” for the first time created a gap that almost drowned her.
So the gap between people really could be this vast.
“Do you need me to escort you out?”
Seeing her stay silent for so long, only kicking at small pebbles with her head down, Su Yun couldn’t help but scratch the back of his furry head. The black bone armor scraped against his white fur, dislodging a few tufts of fluff. His voice softened, carrying a bit of cautious inquiry.
He had been too invested in the fight earlier to notice the child nearby. He might have actually scared her.
“…Yes… thank you.”
Ning Die remained silent for a full thirty seconds before slowly nodding. Her voice was low and dejected. She was no longer in the mood for an adventure. Originally, she had wanted to prove herself by defeating a few red-named mages. But after witnessing Su Yun’s “talent,” her fighting spirit had been crushed to dust.
The thought that a spell she spent days learning could be mastered by him just by looking—and even enhanced to a high-level tier—made her chest feel tight.
Su Yun didn’t say much more, turning to lead the way toward the academy’s barrier. He deliberately slowed his pace to match hers. His fluffy tail swayed gently, occasionally brushing against the back of Ning Die’s hand. The soft, warm touch caused her tightly wound nerves to relax slightly.