An intense wave of fatigue instantly washed over his cerebral cortex. It felt like a server, slightly overheating after a high-intensity computation, bringing with it a bit of discomfort and a faint, throbbing pain.
Over forty minutes of deep concentration had taken a significant toll on his mind.
"Hah..." Li Wen let out a long breath, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples.
He savored the afterglow of his brain's unprecedented clarity and high-efficiency operation.
'A qualitative improvement!' he confirmed to himself once again.
With such efficiency, he was no longer worried about the 20% of his final score that came from academic classes.
He even felt a budding ambition to turn this into a true advantage—a nigh-insurmountable bulwark in his final grade.
...
「2:00 PM sharp.」
Wang Hu's burly figure stepped through the front door of the Class 21 Martial Arts Room, his gait steady and powerful.
"Fall in!" His deep, resonant voice rang out, instantly drowning out the lingering clang of equipment.
Inside the room, whether they were still practicing and dripping with sweat or sitting on the mats to recover, all the students immediately dropped their equipment at the sound of his voice and quickly gathered at the front.
The news about the Flying Star Class had been like a shot of adrenaline, making everyone unconsciously tense up.
"Not bad," Wang Hu said, his gaze sweeping over the young, sweat-drenched faces. It was rare for him to offer praise. "You're finally acting like the seniors you are, knowing you have to make every second count."
"Yesterday, the Flying Star Class was announced. Those of you who are interested and believe you have the strength to compete for a spot in the top sixty of the entire grade," Wang Hu said, his voice clear as he scanned the room, "can turn in your application forms to me now." With that, his sharp gaze swept over the crowd.
"Teacher, I'm applying for the selection." The first to step forward was, unsurprisingly, Xue Jun, who had held the number one Martial Dao spot in Class 21 for two and a half years.
His expression was calm, filled with a natural confidence as he strode forward and presented a neatly filled-out application to Wang Hu with both hands. His movements were crisp and efficient, as if he were merely completing a standard procedure.
"Good," Wang Hu said, taking Xue Jun's application. A smile of approval appeared on his face as he clapped Xue Jun firmly on the shoulder.
"Once you get into the Flying Star Class, you keep working hard. Show them what you're really made of, and don't bring shame to our Class 21!"
He had no doubt that Xue Jun would be selected; after all, his strength had always placed him among the top of the grade.
"Yes, Teacher! I won't let you down!" Xue Jun straightened his back and replied in a deep voice.
"Teacher, I'm applying!"
"Teacher, me too!"
...
The power of a good example is immense. Following Xue Jun's lead, the class's top ten students, along with a few others whose strength was close and had a shot at qualifying, all stepped forward to hand in their applications.
Most of these students were the cream of the crop in the class, from relatively well-off families with more resources. Soon, another ten thin sheets of paper, each one bearing the weight of a young person's aspirations, had been added to Wang Hu's hand.
A slight stir went through the crowd, as everyone assumed the list of applicants was now finalized. After all, the Flying Star Class was for the best of the best, and most people in Class 21 knew their own limits.
However, just as the crowd began to shift and everyone was getting ready for Wang Hu to start the day's training—
"Teacher Wang, I'd like to apply as well."
A calm but clear voice rang out. It wasn't loud, yet it cut through the low murmur of the crowd.
In an instant, a strange silence fell over the front area of the Martial Arts Room.
Every single eye snapped to focus on Li Wen as he stepped out from the group.
Surprise, astonishment, confusion, and even a hint of absurdity... a mixture of complex emotions played across the students' faces.
"The... the Grind King is applying too?" a suppressed gasp came from the crowd. Clearly, this decision was beyond what most of them had expected.
Li Wen's results were plain for all to see. He ranked in the bottom half of the class, and his physical level was a critical weakness. 'Applying for the Flying Star Class? That's not something you can get into just by grinding practice problems.'
The students exchanged glances. Although no one mocked him out loud, the silent atmosphere spoke volumes. 'Has he trained so hard he's lost his mind?'
What surprised them even more was Wang Hu at the front of the room.
The Martial Dao teacher, known for his strictness, looked down at Li Wen's equally neat application form. Not only was there no trace of displeasure or contempt on his face, but he even gave a solemn nod and said something almost identical to what he'd told Xue Jun:
"Mm, I'll accept this application. Prepare well. I have high hopes for you!" His tone was steady, carrying a seriousness that was anything but mere encouragement.
'High hopes for him?!'
Those words were like a small pebble tossed into a calm lake, instantly sending even greater ripples through the hearts of the surrounding students.
"What's going on?" The students stared at each other, wide-eyed and completely baffled.
'Since when did the Grind King earn such high praise from Wang Hu? Or was the teacher just saying that to motivate him?'
'But this kind of motivation... isn't it a bit much for the Flying Star Class selections? What if he gets taken out in a single blow on the tournament stage...'
Facing the crowd's rampant suspicion and probing gazes, Wang Hu had no intention of explaining himself. He looked at everyone with a calm expression.
"Anyone else applying? Seize the opportunity. There isn't much time."
He waved the twelve application forms in the air, paused for about half a minute, and seeing that no one else was stepping forward, wasted no more time.
"Since no one else is applying, let's begin today's lesson!"
The students suppressed their shock and doubt, dispersing to find their own spots.
"Li Wen, are you serious?" Wei Wu, who had returned to his own practice area, finally couldn't help but lean in and whisper, an incredulous look still on his face.
"This isn't the top sixty in our class, it's the whole grade! The top sixty out of all twenty-one senior classes!"