"Who? Who is it?" Ethan asked, immediately intrigued.
He wasn't alone—everyone around him perked up their ears.
After all, even the quietest students couldn't resist a bit of juicy gossip, especially when it involved Mr. Wong, who usually acted so dignified and distant.
Sensing the rising curiosity, Headmistress Winters, the grandmother of the principal, smiled knowingly and leaned in slightly.
"Do you know Ravenshade City has produced only one SSS-level talent in decades?"
Ethan's eyes widened. He didn't expect the story to start with a mention of someone so powerful.
"The woman I'm talking about is the current principal of Modu University," she said. "And not just that—she's the only female principal in the school's history."
"What?!" Ethan nearly choked on his breath.
So Mr. Wong's "good friend" was the most influential female educator in the kingdom?
But the headmistress wasn't done.
"Back in the day," she continued, voice tinged with nostalgia, "Mr. Wong and this lady were childhood sweethearts."
Ethan's jaw dropped. Childhood sweethearts?
"But fate wasn't kind," she added. "One awakened an SSS-level talent, and the other... just an A-rank."
Ethan blinked. "A-rank? That's still good, isn't it?"
"Not when compared to the likes of her," she said with a chuckle. "Back then, it seemed respectable. But in the world of high-level professionals, the difference is like a stream trying to cross an ocean."
"Eventually, Mr. Wong was dumped."
"Dumped?" Ethan echoed, now fully invested in the drama.
"Yes," she sighed. "And the man who took his place? The only son of the Imperial House's 'Demon Capital' faction. Born into power and prestige. Mr. Wong couldn't compete."
She shook her head. "Now look at them. Mr. Wong's stuck managing transfers in Ravenshade Temple, and she's the head of the most powerful university in the nation."
She clucked her tongue. "That's the power of talent—and status."
After finishing the story, Headmistress Winters glanced at her son, the principal of No. 3 Middle School, with subtle purpose. Her expression seemed to say:
Ethan might be strong now, but an S-rank talent still has a ceiling. There's a world of difference between S and SSS.
But the principal didn't respond with worry.
Instead, he simply said, "Just because someone has SSS talent doesn't mean they'll be the strongest. And an S-rank isn't without its legends."
His mother snorted. "Yeah, and how many of those 'legends' nearly died?"
The two exchanged a look that hinted at long-held disagreements and years of emotional weight.
Ethan didn't quite understand their exchange but asked anyway, "So, um... how do you know all this, Grandma?"
Even Ethan, a native of Ravenshade, had never heard gossip this deep. The existence of an SSS-tier from his city had always been a mystery.
She smirked, clearly proud. "What, you don't know what I used to do?"
"Ahem—" The principal suddenly coughed.
His mother's eyes twitched as she quickly changed the topic.
"I mean, uh... women like me love a little gossip, you know?"
She winked. "I collect these things. And I guarantee at least 80% authenticity."
Ethan chuckled, but a small voice in his head whispered, She's hiding something.
There was something mysterious about Headmistress Winters. Something didn't quite add up.
Curious, Ethan quietly activated his gold-ranked necklace's copy skill, targeting her to try and grab a random ability.
Hum~
To his surprise, the necklace lit up—a brief, dazzling glow—before disappearing as if nothing had happened.
Ethan flinched. Uh oh. Did she see that?
He glanced nervously at her.
She looked right at him—and winked again.
"Keep that little stunt of yours a secret, alright?"
"Y-Yes ma'am."
Crap! Ethan winced. How was I supposed to know it had special effects?!
He quickly checked what skill had been copied.
> "Spatial Transfer (Red): Set two coordinates. Activating this skill teleports the user instantly between them. Max range: 100 kilometers.
(Note: Skill is too powerful—copy effect reduced by 90%.)
"!!?"
Ethan froze.
A red-tier skill?!
The highest known grade of skill in existence.
Even reduced by 90%, this thing was incredible.
Instant teleportation within 100 kilometers? It was the perfect tool for survival, infiltration, or escape.
He gulped.
So not only did the headmistress see through his attempt to sneak-copy, but she let him succeed on purpose?
What kind of monster was she?
He glanced at her again. She smiled like an ordinary grandma, sipping tea, chatting calmly.
And yet—she casually handed over a life-saving red skill.
This only deepened Ethan's curiosity. Who exactly is this woman?
Just as he was about to speak, the headmistress turned the conversation again.
"Oh, Ethan—what level are you now?"
"I'm just shy of Level 20," he answered.
"Perfect. You're almost ready for your first Class Advancement Quest."
"My what?"
Headmistress Winters raised an eyebrow. "No one's told you yet?"
She began explaining. "There are three tiers of quests for your first class advancement—Easy, Hard, and Nightmare."
"You buy a quest scroll, open it, and the system assigns a challenge."
"The harder the difficulty, the greater the reward."
"But if you fail too many times, the difficulty rises permanently. That's why many professionals get stuck for years—they can't break through the profession's ceiling."
The principal nodded and added, "But here's a tip. You can inspect a quest after unlocking it—and if it's too difficult, just toss the scroll and buy another one."
Ethan blinked. "Wait, that easy?"
"Of course," said the principal. "You just need money. Speaking of which... do you have enough in your account?"
"Huh? What money?"
The principal raised a brow. "Didn't I transfer some credits to you? You haven't checked?"
Ethan scratched his head. "I've been... busy fighting sandstorms and collecting gossip."
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