No one expected Ethan to be this bold.
When the paper reached his hands, he did not hesitate even for a second. With a calm expression, he drew a large "X" across the offer, clear and final.
It was not a pause.
It was not hesitation.
It was a direct rejection.
The room instantly fell into silence.
All eyes turned toward Ethan, then slowly shifted to the elderly mentor sitting across from him. The old man's face stiffened, his expression darkening by the second.
He was not just any mentor.
Among everyone present, his status was the highest.
His teaching experience, years of service, and personal strength were all far above the others.
In the academic world of the Dragon Kingdom, his name alone carried authority.
And yet—
Ethan had rejected him in public.
Not verbally.
Not politely.
But by crossing out the offer in front of everyone.
The old man felt a sharp sting of humiliation.
In all his years, no student had ever treated him this way.
To him, this was no longer about recruitment.
This was about pride.
Slowly, the old man stood up.
His movements were stiff, controlled, but the anger beneath them was impossible to hide.
"As the strongest university in the entire Dragon Kingdom," he said coldly,
"it is your loss if you do not choose us."
His eyes locked onto Ethan, sharp and judgmental.
"Do not think that relying on your profession and a little cleverness makes you special," he continued.
"I have seen many students far more talented than you. In the end, most of them became ordinary, unable to leave any mark in history."
Then, turning his head slightly, he addressed the other mentors in the room.
"Students who are arrogant and domineering like this," he said,
"should spend more time training themselves. Otherwise, they will easily lose their way."
With that, he turned around and walked out.
The door closed behind him.
The meaning behind his words was clear.
Imperial University did not truly value Ethan.
They believed his success came not from talent, but from exploiting his profession.
In their eyes, Ethan was only strong because of his summoned beasts.
They believed this strength was temporary.
Ethan's professional rating was only S-level, not a rare or unique level.
According to their analysis, once other students caught up, once their own summons or abilities matured, Ethan would lose his advantage.
Summoned beasts always had limits.
Early strength meant nothing if it could not last.
To them, Ethan was simply a student who shined too early.
And Imperial University, as the top institution in the Dragon Kingdom, had already evaluated his results.
If not for the fact that his achievements this time were unprecedented, they would not even have considered him seriously.
In truth, many S-level professionals never achieved anything meaningful.
Some failed a single second-rank mission and collapsed mentally.
Some lost confidence after one setback and disappeared from history.
The old mentor's anger was not purely academic.
Ethan had damaged his pride.
That was why his words were so sharp.
That was why he spoke of "going astray."
In his mind, Ethan was already someone who relied on tricks in the entrance exam. Who knew what kind of person he would become in the future?
As a senior mentor from the imperial capital, his words carried weight.
The remaining mentors exchanged glances.
Some used silent communication skills.
Others leaned slightly closer to each other.
Quiet discussions began.
"This student, Ethan, is harder to deal with than we expected."
"An annual reward of ten thousand credits is already the highest offer we've made in years."
"He clearly has talent, but his personality… it's too sharp."
"Character can be trained," another replied, "but strength is uncertain. His results will be announced nationwide this afternoon. They'll definitely shock the country."
"Yes, but his profession relies too much on early advantages. Summoned beasts are strong now, but what about later?"
"Then why are you still here?" someone asked bluntly.
"Why not watch a bit longer?" another laughed. "Maybe we can still convince him."
"Tsk, sending female instructors already? Isn't that a bit low?"
"What's low about it?" someone replied. "Recruiting students depends on methods."
"And what if Ethan asks for one hundred thousand credits?"
"Then we all withdraw together. Let him think about it for a day. Cool his temper."
"Come back tomorrow together."
"Agreed."
At that moment, the door opened again.
Ethan glanced up, seeing the empty doorway where the old mentor had left.
He did not stand up.
He did not offer polite words.
Instead, he spoke calmly.
"Are you still planning to follow him?"
The room froze.
So direct?
No one answered.
After a short pause, Ethan continued.
"If not, then I'll state my conditions."
At that moment, a female mentor from Martial Arts University returned with tea. She stopped when she noticed the empty seat.
The old mentor from Imperial University was gone.
Her eyes fell on the paper on the table.
The large "X" stood out clearly.
She looked up at Ethan again.
She knew that mentor well. His reputation was legendary. Countless talented students had lowered their heads in front of him.
Most students did not even dare to negotiate.
And yet—
Ethan had rejected him immediately.
Not only rejected.
But rejected in a way that everyone could see.
That alone spoke volumes.
Originally, Ethan had planned to get straight to the point.
State his needs.
Listen to the offers.
Choose calmly.
But the imperial mentor never gave him the chance to speak.
Ten thousand credits?
That was not what Ethan wanted.
Credits meant nothing to him.
Even if Imperial University had better overall conditions, Ethan did not care.
At first, he had considered Shanghai University, simply because it was closer and easier to negotiate with.
But now, Martial Arts University from the Magic City had appeared.
That made him curious.
So he finally spoke clearly.
"I don't want credit rewards."
"I am only interested in precious materials, skill books, and resources related to dungeons, secret realms, and abyssal zones."
The room went quiet again.
"So," Ethan continued,
"you can discuss with your leaders and tell me what you can offer."
This time, the silence was different.
They had expected Ethan to demand money.
A lot of money.
They were prepared to retreat if his demands were unreasonable.
But—
He didn't want money at all.
He wanted resources.
Real resources.
The kind that truly determined strength.
And that changed everything.
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