253: Junior, we are waiting for you to take us flying!!

"Uh..." Wang Chen's expression stiffened, and he felt a chill down his back.

It's over! I've been caught!

Thinking helplessly to himself, he forced a smile and turned to look behind him.

Standing behind him was a pretty woman with fierce eyes, staring at him coldly.

"What a coincidence! Teacher Mu!" Wang Chen greeted her awkwardly.

"So you also like to sit in the back row when watching the matches."

"Indeed!"

"If I hadn't sat in the back row, I wouldn't have seen someone sneaking in."

Mu Wanying's eye twitched, her expression quite mocking.

"Hehehe..." Hearing this, Wang Chen rubbed his nose and gave a dry laugh.

"Let's go."

"As a participating student for our Support Academy, are you planning to wait for me to invite you onto the stage?"

Seeing Wang Chen's demeanor, Mu Wanying huffed coldly and turned to walk toward the front row.

Wang Chen hurriedly followed.

"Let me tell you, for today's competition, you must win beautifully and show off the prestige of our Support Academy."

"Otherwise, you will have to voluntarily go to the academy's instructors and make up every theory and practical class you missed this past month."

Walking ahead, Mu Wanying spoke through gritted teeth, having completely lost her usual dignified and graceful appearance. Clearly, she cared deeply about whether the Support Academy could shake off the label of "tail-ender" this time.

Hearing this, a bitter smile appeared on Wang Chen's face, but he still nodded in agreement.

Although he was about to head to the Bright Moon Plain due to Principal Yang's mission, making Teacher Mu Wanying's threat inconsequential to him—

—he still chose to be submissive when facing this irritable, beautiful teacher.

She possessed the strength of a 5th Rank Peak; he certainly didn't want to be pinned to the ground and beaten up.

"These two are the other participating students from our Support Academy."

"Qian Ming from the second year, and Sun Ce from the third year."

Upon arriving at the front row, Mu Wanying introduced the other two participating students from the Support Academy to Wang Chen.

Qian Ming was a youth with a dull expression who looked extremely mature, while Sun Ce appeared somewhat lively; when Mu Wanying introduced him, he even waved enthusiastically.

"Hello, seniors." Wang Chen sat down beside the two and greeted them politely.

"Junior Apprentice-Brother Wang Chen, whether our Support Academy can hold its head high today depends entirely on you."

Qian Ming merely nodded, but Sun Ce acted familiar and leaned over, saying with a grin.

"Seniors, you think too highly of me. Let's work together." Wang Chen smiled, appearing very polite.

"Don't be so reserved!"

"Junior, your strength is the greatest in our Support Academy."

Sun Ce patted Wang Chen's shoulder and said in a relaxed tone:

"Although I'm a third-year student, I'm only ranked thirty-fifth on the Prodigy Ranking List; my combat power is nowhere near yours."

"As for this block of wood, Qian Ming, he's ranked even behind me. Once the competition officially starts, we'll probably only be able to cheer you on!"

Beside him, Qian Ming also nodded dully, his gaze falling on Wang Chen.

"Junior, we're counting on you!" he said concisely.

Seeing this, Wang Chen was a bit panicked.

No way... are they really this defeatist?

The arena match hasn't even started yet, and you two are already acting like salted fish, waiting for me to carry you?

That's a lot of pressure, okay!

"Ahem!"

Seeing the "friendly exchange" between the three, Mu Wanying looked a bit embarrassed.

However, she didn't scold Qian Ming or Sun Ce. She knew their situation all too well.

Qian Ming and Sun Ce were ranked first among the sophomore and junior students of the Support Academy, respectively, but their frontal combat strength could not compare to their opponents from the other two academies.

Their professions were Demolitionist and Illusionist, respectively.

If they were on a battlefield or in an open area, they could deal with opponents several times their number once prepared.

But under the limited conditions of an arena, they couldn't create any distance and would be pinned to the ground and beaten up by other Awakeners of the same Rank.

Mu Wanying helplessly glanced at Sun Ce and Qian Ming, then her gaze fell fiercely upon Wang Chen.

"When you go on stage later, act a bit arrogant!"

"Your Aura must be sufficient. As long as you beat down the students from the other two academies..."

As she spoke, Mu Wanying paused, her expression becoming serious.

"I will make the call: I'll give you five percent of the extra resource rewards from next month."

Mu Wanying had strong confidence in Wang Chen's strength.

Through gossip obtained from Situ Yu, she knew clearly that twentieth place on the Prodigy Ranking List was definitely not Wang Chen's limit.

Furthermore, after clearing the Tower of Babel, Wang Chen had consecutively cleared six Gold-tier Secret Realm dungeons and broken records.

His strength had definitely improved once again.

Moreover... the rules of the Three Academies Competition were best-of-three.

In Mu Wanying's view, Wang Daozhong and Ye Xiuming, the first and second-ranked students on the Prodigy Ranking List, had their own pride as third-year seniors and would never voluntarily step down to challenge Wang Chen.

As long as Wang Chen could beat down the first and second-year students from the Magic Academy and Combat Academy, the Support Academy would be secure.

"Teacher, you really have a lot of confidence in me!"

Hearing this, Wang Chen's mouth twitched. Under Mu Wanying's intense gaze, he could only nod helplessly.

Whether it was the expectations of his teacher and classmates or that extra five percent of resources, it was worth him preparing seriously for the upcoming arena battle.

Soon.

"Alright, silence!"

A figure suddenly appeared on the arena in the center of the gymnasium: Yang Zixiong.

"I know you are all impatient. Now, this month's Three Academies Competition officially begins."

Yang Zixiong didn't waste any time and got straight to the point.

"The first match of the competition: Support Academy versus Magic Academy!"

"Will the first-year participating students from both sides please take the stage!"

Whoosh!!

As Yang Zixiong's voice faded, the atmosphere in the gymnasium instantly turned boisterous.

The gazes of the students from the Magic Academy and the Support Academy met, and sparks seemed to flicker in the air.

The battle hadn't even begun, yet the atmosphere was already fully charged.

"Just give it your all; consider it a way to gain combat experience." In the front row, Ye Xiuming looked at the pretty figure standing up beside him and said in a relaxed tone.

The participating student for the Magic Academy's first year was the Rank 85 Flame Mage, Zhang Qiaoqiao.

She was one of the four people who had participated in the National Freshman Competition alongside Wang Chen.

"I'll do my best!" Zhang Qiaoqiao nodded upon hearing this, her pretty face filled with anxiety.

She had witnessed Wang Chen's strength during the National Freshman Competition and knew full well that her fate was sealed once she went up there.

As Zhang Qiaoqiao arrived on the arena, Wang Chen also leaped onto the stage.

"Act a bit arrogant?" Recalling Teacher Mu Wanying's "earnest teachings," he smiled and nodded at Zhang Qiaoqiao, feeling a bit troubled for a moment.