Dragons begin with courage

Seeing Chu Zihang's decisive "suicide" and that meaningful "entrance ceremony," even the slow-witted Lu Mingfei sensed something was amiss. This was no longer a life-or-death battlefield, but rather more like... an overly realistic game?

He looked down at the heavy Barrett rifle in his hand, then glanced at Nono, whose "bloodstains" on her chest were beginning to congeal not far away. If it were a real .50 caliber bullet, Nono's upper body would probably be gone, not just "collapsed" as simple as that.

"So...it's fake?" Lu Mingfei muttered to himself, his tense nerves suddenly relaxing, followed by a feeling of utter exhaustion and belated absurdity. But then, an even stronger, more intimate throbbing gripped him.

His gaze fell on his hands, long and slender with distinct knuckles, no different from usual. But just now, these very hands, in an almost instinctive manner, had kicked away the well-trained female sniper, precisely "killing" her, then thrown the pistol, picked up the sniper rifle, and locked onto the arrogant Caesar... fluid, ruthless, and efficient.

Was that really me?

Lu Mingfei vividly remembered the feeling at that moment: the instant he witnessed Nuonuo being "shot," his brain buzzed, as if some kind of gate had been forcibly opened, and scalding blood rushed to his limbs and bones. A golden streak seemed to flash across the edge of his vision. Everything around him—the trajectory of the bullet, the enemy's movements, the direction of the wind—became slow and clear in his perception. His body was more coordinated and powerful than ever before, his thoughts were as cold as machinery, and every command received the most precise feedback from his muscles.

Is this what Professor Guderian was talking about... the power of hybrids? That "thing" that transcends mortals and lies dormant deep within the bloodline?

Before he could think further, the piercing sound of an emergency call rang out across the campus. A group of people in white coats rushed out of a building in the distance, carrying medical kits bearing the emblem of the Half-Dead World Tree, and skillfully injected the "corpses" scattered on the ground. In no time, the "fallen" soldiers groaned and cursed as they "resurrected," a scene both bizarre and comical.

A small, elderly man with gleaming bald head, wearing elegant round-framed gold-rimmed glasses, approached Lu Mingfei with a sigh, disdainfully waving away nonexistent gunpowder with a handkerchief. After Professor Manstein's concise explanation, emphasizing "school rules" and "compensation for damages," Lu Mingfei finally understood what "a day of freedom" and "Frigga bullets" meant.

"Alchemy-made tranquilizer bullets... they really do have magic." Lu Mingfei clicked his tongue in amazement, gaining a more direct understanding of this bizarre and fantastical Kassel College. The magical world of Harry Potter might not be entirely fictional, but here, "magic" leans more towards... dragon slaying?

As for the storm that a freshman like him would cause at the Kassel College by taking down two A-level students (one of whom was the student council president), Lu Mingfei had no time to worry about at the moment.

Lu Mingfei was temporarily placed in dormitory 303, section 1, a double room. His roommate was none other than Fingel, the seemingly unreliable eighth-year senior he had met briefly at the train station. But Lu Mingfei did not return to his dormitory immediately. Remembering Chu Zihang's invitation, he followed the directions to the location of the Lionheart Society.

Unlike the Student Council's flamboyant and outgoing style, the Lionheart Society has a much longer and more profound history, and its traditional venue was originally the most magnificent "Norton Hall" on campus. However, after Cesare Gattuso emerged and led the Student Council to rise to prominence, the right to use "Norton Hall" changed hands through a "day of freedom" wager. The Lionheart Society was forced to take a backseat.

Late at night, the Lionheart Society's temporary meeting hall was brightly lit.

Unlike the potentially somber atmosphere at the student council, there wasn't a heavy sense of defeat here. The student council under Caesar's rule had been too powerful in recent years, suppressing the Lionheart Club for a long time until the emergence of Chu Zihang, a super-A-level rising star, finally stabilized their position. Although they didn't win this "One Day of Freedom," the student council also suffered a setback, and Norton Hall remained unclaimed. Strategically, this maintained a balance of power.

"As long as we didn't lose, it's a good thing." Many members held this view.

All committee members gathered because the previous president was about to graduate and leave the school. The person presiding over the meeting now was Chu Zihang, who, although only a freshman, had already been elected as the new president based on his absolute strength and prestige. He stood quietly against the wall, his figure as upright as a lone pine tree, and the ancient lion totem above his head appeared majestic and silent under the lights.

"President, I believe this result is unfair!" a radical committee member spoke first. "This was a despicable sneak attack and a stab in the back! If it weren't for that guy who appeared out of nowhere interfering, and Senior Susie successfully finishing off Chen Motong, giving you a two-on-one absolute advantage, victory would surely have belonged to our Lionheart Society!"

"Agreed! If there's a rematch, with you and Senior Susie teaming up, Caesar has absolutely no chance! The honor of a day of freedom should have been ours!" A chorus of agreement rose and fell, the crowd whispering amongst themselves, their faces filled with resentment and frustration. Seeing victory so close yet ruined by an "outsider," it was hard for anyone to remain calm.

Sitting slightly behind Chu Zihang, Susie gently shook her head. She had changed out of her combat uniform and was now in civilian clothes, her demeanor calm and composed. "I understand everyone's feelings," she said, her voice clear and rational. "From a tactical perspective, if it were a two-on-one situation, the president and I would indeed have a high chance of winning. But one thing must be acknowledged: my ability to defeat Chen Motong was largely due to the boy who suddenly appeared drawing her full attention, creating an excellent opportunity for sniping. As for the 'sneak attack'..."

Susie paused, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. The lightning-fast exchange that afternoon replayed in her mind—the brute force that seemed utterly unreasonable, the precise and ruthless follow-up shot, and the subsequent, fluid, deadly combo that finished off Caesar. Was that truly a "sneak attack"? Even in a direct confrontation, how confident could she have been in withstanding that thunderous kick and the ensuing gunfire? She had no answer.

Just as discussions were raging and emotions were rising in the council chamber—

"Um... excuse me, just a moment." A voice, clearly hesitant and inquiring, suddenly came from the direction of the main entrance, breaking the noise inside.

"Excuse me, is this... the Lionheart Society? I'm looking for someone." Lu Mingfei scratched his head, standing somewhat awkwardly at the door. He had been asking around, but he hadn't expected that there wasn't even a doorman outside the Lionheart Society headquarters, yet it was so lively inside.

In an instant, the entire council chamber fell silent.

All eyes turned to the black-haired boy at the door, who was wearing an ordinary T-shirt, had a thin build, and looked harmless.

The next second, screams erupted!

"Holy crap! It's that guy who shot me in the back!"

"He's come knocking?! Is he trying to cause trouble?!"

"Grab your weapons!!!"