Amidst the late afternoon's ambient hue, Steven, Mayo, and Zero walked along a serene pathway lined with ancient-looking jade stones. The stones seemed to hum, a resonance echoing the deep cultivation energy within them. The sky above was painted with a delicate blend of orange and pink, and everything felt like a prelude to another chapter, another play...
...Another rain.
Mayo's eyes sparkled with anticipation, "The Cultivation Ground for Freshmen is no ordinary place! First of all it's on a floating island."
"A floating island?" Steven asked, "Aren't islands expensive?"
"Yeah, I guess," Mayo shrugged. "Anyway, legends... the school's manual... say that time flows differently there. A single day inside could feel like mere minutes outside. And the concentration of spiritual energy is off the charts! The ground itself can accelerate our cultivation! And, oh! You really need that boost if you want to rank high in the Freshmen Duels. Look, we need to get there right now, cause the next hour is the best time slot!"
"Best time slot?" Steven asked.
"Yes, that's when the energy is at its peak," Mayo added, "Trust me on this! And if we get in, we get that peak energy for days!"
Steven paused to pop his contacts back into place. BZT! The familiar pop-up format appeared, almost immediately:
[Dieze: "Hi! Analyzing CURRENT class standing... PROCESSING... Total Academic Merits: -150 points. Ouch. You really know how to keep things challenging, don't you?" X]
Steven rolled his eyes, flashing a couple choice words in sign language, <Yeah, yeah. Don't remind me.>
- 'Ding!'
'Unlocked Title: Bottom-Of-The-Barrel Class Student'
'Equipped Status Effects: [+10 Stamina], [+10% Faster Recovery from Embarrassment]'
['Description: Your class is ranked the lowest, and has continued to underachieve for... three days. This is impressive!' X]
Steven walked ahead, ignoring DIEZE • • •
LOADING...
INITIALIZING: Cloudy Atmosphere... RENDERING: Floating Island Terrain... GENERATING: Mist and Luminous Wisps... TIP: Don't fall off! Reviving is difficult.
INTEGRATING: Root-Bridge Physics... ASSEMBLING: Reflective Water Surfaces • • •
- 'Ding!'
"NEW Location Unlocked! [Floating Island A]"
Steven blinked as he read the interface, taking a moment to adjust to the new surroundings. As the atmosphere solidified, the distant hum of voices grew clearer. It seemed they weren't the only ones headed to the cultivation area.
[Dieze: 'ALERT! Limited spots left!' X]
A group of boys blocked the entrance, but one among them demanded immediate attention:
With captivating features that stood out like a lone, vibrant flower in a sea of grass, his eyes were pools of deep royal blue flecked with gold, radiating an aura of...
Regality.
It was like he had graced the ground with a perfectly-proportioned existence. His lean body seemed to be the exact triangle and hip ratio that everyone sought for... like he had been crafted in a bakery with imperially-decorated cakes. Even though he was just 'standing there', he was tagged along by an entourage from higher-ranking families, which only made him look like a well-groomed swan standing among fluffy ducks. (Steven supposed that this was what friends were like for Daseos.)
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Fantasy[??? book - D grade] [Description: A third-rate novel about the slice of life adventures of a boy and his friendly AI assistant. Nothing bad happens.] Recalibrating description... [Description (Revised): A hand-me-down novel about a boy who goes mi...
