Chapter 318 - One Against Five

Han Wu nodded. “Yep, just me. If you don’t believe me, I can Assist you first before you give me anything in return. Is that okay?”

Meng Qi hesitated, but the offer was too advantageous to refuse—even if Han Wu was bluffing.

Han Wu reached out and touched Meng Qi’s hand. A moment later, a request to Assist appeared, and Han Wu accepted it. Instantly, Han Wu’s 24-point Defense boosted Meng Qi’s Assist Points by the same amount, pushing his Skill to its cap and leveling it up by one stage.

Meng Qi stared at him, stunned. “I didn’t know your Defense potential was that high.”

Lu Dazhuang’s jaw dropped. “What’s happening? Did he really complete the Assist for you? How much did you gain?”

Meng Qi shrugged. “I’m not sure of the exact number, but it was definitely over twenty.”

Now Lu Dazhuang was the one at a loss. His own Defense potential of 24 ranked among the highest in the entire academy. That was why Meng Qi had specifically sought his help. Yet now, someone else had stepped in as his competitor.

Meng Qi chuckled while Lu Dazhuang struggled to process it. “My Iron Shirt finally reached Level 10, and it gained a new effect.”

“What kind of effect?” Lu Dazhuang ground out through clenched teeth, frustration flashing in his eyes. Han Wu had become a rival, and there was no justification to raise the cost of Assisting others anymore.

Meng Qi activated Iron Shirt and called to Lu Dazhuang, “Try hitting me.”

This was an unusual request, but curiosity overrode caution. Lu Dazhuang threw a punch. His fist slammed into Meng Qi’s chest, but the latter remained completely unharmed. Meanwhile, Lu Dazhuang recoiled as his fist turned red and ached from the impact.

Lu Dazhuang immediately grasped the effect. “It’s a reflect effect! Your Skill can now bounce damage back.”

A tank with a Skill that reflected damage no longer remained just a tank. When wielded skillfully, it could deal serious harm as well. That explained Meng Qi’s elation.

“Han Wu, from now on you’re my sworn brother. Come to me if you ever need help, and I’ll do everything I can to protect you,” Meng Qi promised. His joy surged to the point where he wanted to rush home and share the news with his family.

Han Wu smiled, satisfied that he had achieved his goal.

“My Fireball’s level is too low. I need someone to Assist me,” he said. The request was reasonable.

Meng Qi asked, “What level is your Fireball?”

𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

“Level 2.”

Meng Qi waved his hand and declared, “Very well. I’ll find enough people to Assist you until your Fireball reaches Level 3.”

True to his word, Meng Qi gathered several students with high Fire potential during recess to help Han Wu. The three of them Assisted Han Wu until his Fireball reached Level 3. As soon as it did, Han Wu received a notification on his interface.

[Fireball Level: +1]

[Fireball Size: +10%]

Han Wu tapped Fireball to read the details.

[Level 3 Fireball: Release a ball made of fire. Current effect: Magnify (Increases size by 20%)]

He recalled from memory that each Skill gained a new effect every ten levels, and acquiring more powerful effects became easier when Assisted by those with stronger potential. That explained why Meng Qi had enlisted Lu Dazhuang. With his wealth, Meng Qi had no trouble acquiring stronger effects—he could simply spend money to make it happen.

Han Wu was contemplating how to improve himself from that day forward when the bell rang. He stood to leave, only to see Luo Ke burst into the classroom with several of his goons. The other students, accustomed to this routine, paid him no mind and returned to their own business.

Han Wu frowned, realizing just how poor the original host had been at making friends. None of them would step in to help.

Luo Ke stomped up to Han Wu and slammed his palm on the table. “Han Wu, aren’t you a little too bold today?”

His goons echoed him with jeers. “Yeah, you didn’t offer your Assist to Leader Luo today. Do you have a death wish?”

Han Wu laughed lightly. “Leader Luo?”

Luo Ke was merely the head of the class and a guard student, tasked with ensuring everyone followed the rules when using their Assist on the crystal orbs. It was a minor role, yet he wielded it like a weapon to bully others.

Han Wu’s laughter only fueled Luo Ke’s anger. He lunged to grab Han Wu by the collar. “I think you haven’t been beaten enough lately. Come with me to the roof.”

Though Han Wu still held the host’s original strength, he carried the battle-honed reflexes of a God. He sidestepped Luo Ke’s grasp and rose to his feet.

“You want to head to the roof? Fine. Those who don’t show up are cowards,” Han Wu said and headed toward the roof alone.

Luo Ke was stunned by Han Wu’s sudden boldness, but he couldn’t pinpoint why. He gathered his puzzled goons and headed to the rooftop, still planning to drag Han Wu into a CCTV blind spot and rough him up.

What happened next defied their expectations. They assumed Han Wu would cower and take a beating as usual, but he struck back instead. With a few simple movements, he sent all five of them sprawling to the ground.

Luo Ke fell so many times he felt his joints would pop out of place. He couldn’t get up at all. Meanwhile, Han Wu appeared almost unscathed, barely winded by the ordeal.

“Han Wu, don’t get cocky! I will take revenge for this!” Luo Ke growled, his eyes glinting like a wolf hunting prey.

Han Wu chuckled. “You want revenge? Fine, but you have to Assist me first.”

“Don’t even dream about it!”

Han Wu delivered two swift kicks, and Luo Ke finally relented. The other four goons, seeing their leader threatened, quickly followed suit. With all five of them, Han Wu’s Fireball Assist Points surged to 172/300. He was close to leveling it up.

Afterward, Han Wu left the rooftop in high spirits. He had just returned to the classroom when his homeroom teacher stormed in and summoned him to the office.

Inside, Han Wu found the battered Luo Ke and his four underlings. It was clear that Luo Ke had reported the incident.

The teacher pointed at Han Wu and scolded him sharply, “Han Wu, why aren’t you studying properly and instead fighting other students? Look at them! You beat them so badly they’re injured. You’d better call your parents right now.”

Han Wu remained calm against the teacher’s accusation. “You know how strong I am. Do you really think I could fight five of them and win? But if you insist I was the culprit, I suppose I have no choice but to admit it.”

The teacher froze. It was the truth, yet it sounded impossible. Fighting five students single-handedly and emerging unscathed was unheard of. Han Wu was only an Inferior Disciple, while Luo Ke was already Intermediate, and the other four were Inferior Disciples with more powerful Skills. Any of them alone could have defeated him.

Luo Ke heard Han Wu’s words and realized he was right. If it became known that he and his four underlings had been defeated by Han Wu alone, he would lose all credibility standing guard at the academy. Losing to someone as

weak

as Han Wu, even with four helpers, was unbearable.

“Teacher, wait. I think I was mistaken. We weren’t beaten by Han Wu. We... We fell in the toilet. Yes, that’s what happened.” Hastily, Luo Ke changed his story to save face, though his eyes still blazed with anger as he leered at Han Wu.

“Five of you fell in the toilet together? Were you pulling up each other’s pants at the same time?” Han Wu murmured, loud enough only for the teacher to hear.

The teacher immediately pictured a scene where five boys were obscenely stacked up together and stared at Luo Ke in disgust. “Be more careful next time. And don’t go together. Alright, dismissed. Han Wu, make sure you don’t cause any more trouble.”

“I understand.”