Around the same time, several weary freshmen climbed up the hillside.
These two boys and two girls looked much more disheveled than Li Pu, clearly having faced significant setbacks against the frenzied plant magic beasts.
However, being able to reach here at this time still proved they were definitely among the top freshmen this year.
Leaving aside a certain exception, these four would be the leaders in combat strength for at least one or two semesters.
The leading boy among them was named Fu Erdai.
Blonde hair and blue eyes, he was half Russian.
Russia is the second largest region in the federation after the Huazhong region.
Fu Erdai's father was from Huazhong, hence the surname Fu.
His mother was Russian, and her name included the characters Erdai, which is how he got the name Fu Erdai.
Moreover, this guy was a pure rich kid.
He was one of the few freshmen who didn't use the new starter blue talisman.
Instead, he used the expensive custom summoning talisman bought by his family.
The so-called custom summoning talisman doesn't summon a specific beast directly.
Rather, it locks onto certain associated keywords and summons a creature fitting those terms.
Fu Erdai's summoned beast was a C-rank Pyrocicada.
An insect-type summoning beast made almost entirely of fire, with a 9 fire and 1 earth attribute balance.
The Pyrocicada's nature allowed Fu Erdai to thrive in the competition, slaying countless plant-type magic beasts.
"Though it was hard, at least we're the first group to reach the finish line; it was worth it."
Standing on the hill looking at a circle of tents, Fu Erdai felt very gratified.
His words made the other three nod repeatedly.
"That's right, on the way, I noticed several small groups with quite strong abilities."
"Yeah, fortunately, our skills were just a notch above."
"We have to credit Erdai's Pyrocicada; without it, we wouldn't have arrived so quickly."
"Not at all, your summoned beast was crucial too. Without its healing, even Pyrocicada wouldn't have lasted."
Overall, it was a relatively harmonious team, with no one hogging the credit.
Yet, despite their camaraderie, they couldn't avoid one issue.
Who should be assigned the top rank in this competition?
Getting the top four spots meant they could choose any course, but the top rank held distinct honor.
Holding the top rank would shine for a while; perhaps even mentors and senior students would give them special attention.
"I think the top rank should go to Fu Erdai."
"After all, his summoned beast contributed the most in battle."
Another boy shared his view.
"No, no, no, I don't agree."
"Healing, lighting, and combat support are equally crucial factors for our result; none can be omitted."
Fu Erdai shook his head.
"I also think without your beast's lighting, we might have taken wrong turns."
"Healing is key for battle endurance."
"Applying negative status effects is also invaluable in battle."
Group of four stood there humbly declining the top spot.
Honestly, at this age, boys and girls often pursue honor.
But similarly, they are also shy.
Despite wanting the first place, they are too embarrassed to voice it.
Only endlessly praising others, never mentioning themselves.
"Enough arguing, let's just agree that the four of us are all tied for first."
Fu Erdai offered a compromise to end the dispute.
The other three could only nod in agreement.
Tied for first may not be as glorious, but at least it was fair.
"Wait... look over there."
As they reached a conclusion, one girl in their group suddenly froze.
She had casually glanced over and seen a limping figure emerging from a tent.
"..."x4
Their chatter halted as Fu Erdai's group fell silent.
"Uh, how is it him..."
After a few seconds, someone broke the silence.
Surely, no new student this year could forget Li Pu.
A limper, first place, last place—these are easy to remember labels.
"This is absurd, he clinched first in the course selection contest too?"
"And it seems like he's been operating solo?"
The group scrutinized, noting that his gear appeared far more intact than theirs.
Standing upright, seemingly not too tired.
The situation perplexed them.
"What's going on? Did he take a detour and avoid the beast frenzy?"
"Are you dense? Didn't the instructor say earlier the entire forest's plant beasts had gone berserk?"
"Exactly. Even if he took a detour, he'd still confront berserk beasts. It's impossible to be unaffected."
"The final race segment only had one path; I didn't see him surpass us..."
"So you're saying he really took a detour?"
"A detour implies a longer distance, but he's a limper..."
"Stop the arguing. Given that, let's agree we're all tied for second."
Fu Erdai again concluded the discussion with resignation.
Tied for second is less impressive than tied for first, almost awkward to mention.
"Speaking of which, has he completed his course selection?"
At this moment, one girl in the group voiced her curiosity.
"Everyone seems to guess similarly. He chose [Blink]."
"With that decided, I'll choose the same instructor."
Fu Erdai shared his intention.
[Blink] was the course he originally wanted.
Being in the same class as Li Pu wasn't bad.
Because he'd love to find a chance to witness and experience the opponent's strength.
"Hey, look."
"He doesn't appear to have chosen [Blink]."
But while Fu Erdai was thinking, the same girl chimed in again.
Everyone's gaze shifted back to Li Pu, and they saw him head into the neighboring tent.
"Uh..."x4
This left the four at a complete loss.
Did they really see the tent's name clearly?
Wouldn't choosing a summoner skill like that be too absurd?
A limper picking... [Sprint]???
...
...