C16 College Battle

The next morning, Jiao Yuanju was roused from sleep by his mother.

In a flurry of concern, Jing Xiujie cried out, "Son, where were you last night? Your father and I waited up for you all night!"

Jiao Yuanju met his mother's weary eyes, dark circles etched beneath them, and a wave of guilt and sorrow washed over him. He reached out, clasping her hand in apology. "I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to worry you."

He remained silent about his whereabouts.

His mother gazed at him, as if she had more to say, but ultimately held back. With a heavy sigh, she said, "Breakfast is ready. You should head to school."

Out of the blue, Jiao Yuanju inquired, "How's Jiao Qiulan doing?"

At the mention of her daughter, Jing Xiujie's face lit up with pride, but her smile was short-lived as she let out another sigh. "She's doing well, though she's been asking about your father and me."

Jiao Yuanju offered a small smile before he and Eoldrai set off.

He was aware of Jiao Qiulan's disdain for him. A prodigy from a young age, his sister had always outshone him. A year his junior, she had already secured a 10,000 yuan scholarship from their school two years prior. She had also received an invitation from the prestigious Riverdale Institute, one of the top eight universities in Puwhary, and had decisively bought her first pet to begin her studies there. The Riverdale Institute was renowned for nurturing formidable Combat Pet Masters, and her future seemed dazzlingly bright.

Yet, as the chasm between them widened, she appeared even less inclined to acknowledge Jiao Yuanju, her exceedingly average brother. She had never shown much interest in him.

Upon arriving at Azure Academy, Jiao Yuanju was taken aback by the elaborate setup that greeted him. The square brimmed with fresh flowers and balloons, while banners proclaimed, "Welcome Krukshire Naval Officers to Our School."

A dozen soldiers stood sentry outside the administration building, each as rigid as a spear.

Nevertheless, Jiao Yuanju's entrance captured the attention of numerous onlookers.

"Isn't that the class monitor of Class 7, Jiao Yuanju?"

"I believe it is!"

"Didn't Jiao Yuanju defeat Lei Sheng's beast pet from Class 9 in a duel last night? Could it be that Jiao Yuanju is the strongest among our new students?"

"Let's go check it out!"

Jiao Yuanju gazed at the surrounding crowd, his expression one of bewilderment.

There were even a few girls who shyly approached him to offer flowers. The change from just a day ago was staggering!

It wasn't until Jiao Yuanju stumbled back into the classroom that he realized everyone was already there. His homeroom teacher, Pei Chang, had come in early, and the entire class was waiting for him.

Pei Chang let out a relieved breath and said, "Class president, take your seat quickly. We've all been waiting for you!"

No sooner had Jiao Yuanju settled into his seat than Jing Haokuo, the plump classmate next to him, blurted out excitedly, "Chief, we're about to select someone for the battle!"

"Battle?"

Jing Haokuo, taken aback, explained, "Today's the day of the inter-class competition. The military is scouting for recruits. It's the perfect opportunity to gain fame and glory!"

Pei Chang scanned the room and declared firmly, "Class 7 will choose three representatives for the battle. Feel free to nominate candidates."

Instantly, all eyes turned to Jiao Yuanju.

"I nominate our class president!"

"Same here!"

With the exception of one, every student in the class was in favor of Jiao Yuanju.

Pei Chang smiled and announced, "The first is Jiao Yuanju, and the second is Zhen Heyi. Are we in agreement?"

The class erupted into murmurs, their attention shifting to Zhen Heyi. With a graceful wave of her hand, a pale blue leopard materialized in the classroom, startling everyone.

"The Lightning Leopard, a valuable and rare Combat Pet!"

Pride tinged Zhen Heyi's adorable face.

The class burst into exclamations: "The Lightning Leopard is renowned for its speed. Capturing one is incredibly challenging, far more so than other valuable and rare Combat Pets!"

Pei Chang chuckled and confirmed, "Well, it looks like Zhen Heyi is our second choice."

"Teacher!"

Jing Mowen spoke up with assurance, "There's no one better suited than me to be the third contender."

Those who had remained silent now chimed in, "Absolutely, Teacher. Jing Mowen is the strongest after our class president and vice president. He's the obvious choice for the third spot!"

Jing Mowen's smile widened as he cast a challenging look at Jiao Yuanju. He was determined to join forces with Dehai on the battlefield and ensure Jiao Yuanju's downfall.

Jiao Yuanju glanced at the somewhat distracted Jing Haokuo and inquired, "Are you interested in going?"

Regretfully, Jing Haokuo responded, "It's unfortunate that my Combat Pet lacks agility; I wasn't able to defeat Jing Dehai."

With a spark in his eyes, Jiao Yuanju raised his hand and declared, "Teacher, I nominate Jing Haokuo for the task!"

"What?!" The room erupted in surprise, Jing Haokuo included. He never anticipated Jiao Yuanju would advocate for him.

Jing Mowen was quick to protest, "On what grounds? He lost to me!"

Jiao Yuanju retorted with a smirk, "You had your cousin come after me for revenge, which clearly shows your malicious intent. I recall he even brought a knife that day."

The realization dawned on everyone. Indeed, Jing Mowen's actions had brought shame to Class 7, and his character was far from commendable.

"You can't use that to disqualify me, can you, class teacher?!"

Pei Chang, the class teacher, gave Jiao Yuanju a disapproving look. "Jiao Yuanju, this is inappropriate."

Unruffled, Jiao Yuanju replied, "In that case, I'll pass my spot to him."

Pei Chang fell silent, aware that Jiao Yuanju represented Class 7's greatest hope. A victory for him could mean a promotion for Pei Chang. Besides, Jing Mowen's abilities paled in comparison to Jiao Yuanju's; his chances of winning were slim.

"I back our class president!" Pei Henwen led the chorus.

"I back our class president!"

The class erupted in unified support, with Jiao Yuanju emerging as a beacon of inspiration. Left with little choice, Pei Chang conceded.