BUTTERFLIES (Arc 2&3; The Undefeatable Class 192)

Chapter 90: Reunion (2)

   Before I could even digest the information I'd just received, some girls who'd also understood Jessica's encrypted message burst into a 'puchi', and some struggled to cover their mouths in the rush of the wave of laughter that swept across the crowd.

  I coughed twice, smiling unnaturally. My eyes were wide as I stared at the couples.

  Jaded, suppressing his laughter, without taking his eyes of his meal, said, "Stare at me that way, one more time, and I'll stone you with my shoe."

  It normally supposed to have sounded cool, coming from Jaded, but everyone couldn't help but burst into another round of laughter.

  "What time is it, anyway?" I suddenly asked, remembering how I'd woken up.

  Ruby, the red-haired lass, waved her hand in the air twice, before saying, "Nearly midnight."

  I was stunned. It seemed my classmates' abilities had reached another level. There I was thinking I was growing too quickly. I could check the time myself, but that would only be possible using my spiritual concentration. Yet, all she had to do was wave twice.

  Zhangkong said, "We overheard one of the students from the beast guild saying that the principal had announced that there was already a 3-star beast tamer in the academy that was a student. What's more? That this beast tamer went by the name, 'Stephanie'."

  My eyes widened in shock.

  'Darn those old principals! Couldn't they use discretion?!'

  As if not noticing my sudden reaction, he kept speaking, "Without a doubt, we knew you were back. So, I and the guys went to get some food so we could all eat dinner together. We were sure you'd be here, sleeping. Sorry we came late, though. We closed from cultivation quite late, today. Receptionist A said we could all stay as long as we wanted. We could even spend a night here, as long as it was okay with you."

  I smiled, then said, "You're all darlings! I had actually come back into the academy since earlier this morning. Ever since I'd fallen upon my bed, I hadn't gotten up till when I sensed your presence, this evening."

  Lingxi chuckled. "Big sis, it seems you haven't slept for the whole month!"

  I shook my head, not in disagreement, but in thoughts.

  "Really. I haven't had a proper sleep."

  I then quenched their curiousness by relating all the adventures I'd enjoyed in my journey, not forgetting to mention Romeo the circus horse. Of course, I didn't say a thing about the Stealth God, and only stopping my narration at where I'd tamed the beast.

  We really had a fun time interchanging experiences that night.

* * *

The following day, school continued. Class 192 arrived before Teacher Haggz at the Tower of Cultivation.

  "Stephanie, you're back."

  I raised my head shyly, gazing into the emotionless face of the neat freak teacher. He was dressed his usual style. Plain white. Not a single speck of dust could be discovered upon his garment.

  We were divided into two parts, according to our genders, each side facing the opposite, in such that the boys faced the girls, and vice versa.

  Teacher Haggz walked right in-between, observing us all. When he reached my end, he stopped. Directly opposite me was Zhangkong.

  Immediately Teacher Haggz stopped at the space in-between Zhangkong and I, I engaged my concealed Eye of Insight. I watched as Teacher Haggz's eyebrows furrowed. He seemed to have thought of something, momentarily, before he continued his walking.

  Done passing by all fifteen of us, Teacher Haggz finally spoke.

  "You've all been training for a whole month, and with Stephanie's progress, I believe she has not let anyone of you down, either.

  "Who can remind us of the motto of Class 192?"

  "Teacher!" called Jessica.

  "Go on."

  "Class 192: Strength and Pride!"

  Teacher Haggz nodded impassively.

  "Alright, today, you'll be showing me that strength and pride."

  Immediately after saying this, we were asked to write our names in slips of papers, then to fold it, and finally to drop it into a provided bowl. Next, the paper slips were passed on randomly, and we couldn't tell whose names we'd carried. After everyone had done this, Teacher Haggz began to explain.

  "You're not to open the papers in your hands, till I say so. Understood?"

  "Yes, Teacher!"

  Teacher Haggz then flicked his wrist with the wave of his hand, and several familiar rectangular cards flew into our grasps.

  "Ethereal tokens!" several amongst us exclaimed, unanimously.

  Without another word, Teacher Haggz ordered us to be seated cross-legged. Then we had to guide our spiritual concentration till our minds were in its peak states. After that, we all pressed the green button on the side of the ethereal tokens.

  I'd almost forgotten how this felt. My consciousness slowly left my mind. I felt I was free falling from the sky, and gave an involuntary scream! In no time, I landed even before my estimation of the ground level. Next came sounds of people dropping from the sky.