C44 Fight Me!

"Next, you'll be receiving a document that your guardians will need to sign once you're back home."

Chu Yi glanced at the document that popped up on his mobile device, his eyebrows giving a slight twitch.

Oh, so this is the fabled life and death contract.

Yep, once this is signed, if any mishaps occur during the training, the parents can't come after the school.

Naturally, signing is voluntary. If you choose not to, that's fine, but then you'll have to skip the final training.

Even though the training is comprehensive, the last session is crucial—many consider it the most valuable.

This final training is the real deal, actual combat training, a far cry from what we've done before!

With the same level of skill, the difference between having real combat experience or not is immediately obvious.

And while this training carries risks, both the school and the government will dispatch plenty of experts for protection.

Missing out on this could be fine for wealthy families who can afford to hire high-level warriors for security, but ordinary families don't have that luxury.

So, barring any major issues, most parents will sign off on it.

"Alright, once you've signed, let's reconvene here at nine o'clock tomorrow morning."

"I hope to see everyone then..."

With that, Teacher Cang vanished as if he had appeared solely to deliver those few lines.

Chu Yi hadn't expected to be dismissed just yet.

It was still morning, with a whole day ahead!

But after a moment's thought, he got it.

It was a break for the students.

Chu Yi had heard that since joining this training group, the students only got a day off for the New Year, with no breaks regardless of the weather.

Watching the young faces light up with happiness, Chu Yi's lips quirked in amusement.

"Naive!"

Wasn't cultivating far more appealing?

What was the point of resting...

But with everyone else gone and the teachers off for the day, Chu Yi had no reason to stick around.

He had intended to check out the school's facilities, but it looked like that would have to wait.

"Are you heading home?"

As Chu Yi prepared to leave, Lee Zi's chilly voice echoed in his ears.

Chu Yi paused, nodding awkwardly.

"Alright, let's walk together..."

With those words, Lee Zi strode toward the door without looking back.

Watching her retreating figure, Chu Yi sighed in resignation, aware that he couldn't avoid confronting the situation with Lee Zi.

What kind of excuse could he possibly come up with?

The gene awakening route was clearly not an option. What else was there?

Could he really claim to have met a wise old man in his dreams who imparted a secret technique, or that he encountered a demon or celestial being from another world who attempted to possess him but ended up being assimilated instead?

He chuckled to himself.

"Hurry up, what are you waiting for?"

Lee Zi's voice, tinged with irritation, spurred Chu Yi into action. He sighed deeply and followed her out.

Ignoring the odd looks from those around him, Chu Yi's thoughts were consumed with ways to deceive Lee Zi.

He had no desire to hurt her; not only were they childhood friends, but he also couldn't bring himself to betray her kindness.

Lost in thought, he boarded the public flying car.

And still pondering, he disembarked.

Then...

"Hmm?"

"Where are we?"

Chu Yi looked around, startled to find that they were not near his neighborhood.

In fact, they weren't even in the city anymore.

The suburbs...

Chu Yi had been to the suburbs before when he had lured Mrs. Yanran's three demon underlings, so the area was somewhat familiar.

Seeing Lee Zi walking ahead silently, Chu Yi grew even more puzzled.

He knew he wouldn't harm Lee Zi, and he trusted that she wouldn't harm him either.

So, he simply followed.

After a considerable distance, Lee Zi finally halted.

Chu Yi faced her, her expression complex, and he found himself at a loss for words.

All along the way, he had been trying to concoct a story to fool Lee Zi, but he couldn't come up with a single plausible explanation.

He was at an impasse. With his limited understanding of this world and its true nature, Chu Yi couldn't find any credible story to tell her...

As Chu Yi was diligently pondering, he was suddenly taken aback.

Because there was Lee Zi, unexpectedly...

Stripping off her clothes?

This move...

Chu Yi was thrown into a state of panic.

"Uh, Lee, we're not at that point in our relationship yet!"

"Wait, just wait a minute!"

"We should at least develop some feelings first!"

Lee Zi's icy stare swept over him, and just like that, Chu Yi's flurry of thoughts vanished...

In no time at all, Lee Zi had removed all her outer garments.

But Lee Zi...

Was not bare.

Chu Yi noticed another layer of clothing beneath Lee Zi's attire.

Ah, it was a very common set of martial arts training gear.

The gear was quite worn, with patches here and there.

Yet, it was impeccably clean, much like Lee Zi herself.

"Come on..."

Lee Zi announced, assuming her stance.

Chu Yi quickly realized that Lee Zi was challenging him to a duel!

Indeed...

A wry smile crossed Chu Yi's lips.

Lee Zi was still the same, always so fiercely competitive.

She had been this way in his past life, and nothing had changed.

Seeing Chu Yi's previous fight with Zhu Yu must have sparked Lee Zi's competitive nature.

Now, it was clear that was exactly the case.

"Lee Zi, there's really no need for us to go through with this..."

Lee Zi paid him no mind, continuing to free herself from her restraints.

Chu Yi's pupils narrowed.

He could distinctly see the bracers Lee Zi removed, which, when they hit the ground, kicked up a cloud of dust!

That was rather extreme.

So this was the true Lee Zi!

She had been wearing that weighted equipment all along!

Naturally, this was Lee Zi in her regular condition, not when she was unleashing her full potential!

After all, Lee Zi's true prowess lay in her genetic power!

Once activated, Lee Zi's power could surge tremendously.

Uncle Wang from the Warrior Center had mentioned that the peak for a Fourth Level genius was an elevenfold increase in explosive power, but that was just in their regular state.

As for genetic warriors...

Even the most ordinary of them could effortlessly exhibit strength more than ten times that of a regular warrior.

And the elite among genetic warriors could reach up to twenty times that strength under extreme conditions!

This is the power of genetic amplification!

Imagine if a top-tier prodigy were to harness this genetic power; the result would be a cumulative effect.

To put it another way, a preeminent Fourth Level genius who awakens their genetic power, and whose genetic power is also of the highest caliber, would possess the ability to unleash an explosive force thirty-one times greater!

Thirty-one times...

Even a Bronze level warrior could unleash the might of a Silver level, though that might seem like an exaggeration.

Watching Lee Zi, Chu Yi took a deep breath.

He realized that if Lee Zi were to utilize her genetic power, he would stand no chance against her unless he tapped into the power of his own primordial spirit.

"Are you serious?"

Lee Zi glanced at Chu Yi, wordlessly continuing to discard the weighted equipment she was carrying.

Witnessing this, Chu Yi's demeanor grew somber.

He was aware of Lee Zi's strength; she was a true top-tier genius, a force to be reckoned with. Yet Chu Yi hadn't anticipated that she would be this formidable.

The weight equipment she bore would have easily overwhelmed an average person.

And Lee Zi...

She had been carrying such a burden all along!

Before her confrontation with Zhu Yu, Lee Zi had intercepted a mighty blow from him, matching him blow for blow.

This clearly demonstrated that even under the weight, Lee Zi was still superior to Zhu Yu.

It was frightening, truly frightening!

At last, Lee Zi finished shedding her weights, and Chu Yi could see the ease in her smile.

"Chu Yi, I don't care whether you've been concealing your true strength or if you've simply acquired this immense power in such a brief span of time."

"All that is your secret, and I have no desire to pry."

"However..."

Lee Zi's gaze was intensely focused on Chu Yi.

"Let's have a match!"

"A real match!"

"Show me the extent of your power now!"

Chu Yi fell silent. He had been contemplating how to deceive Lee Zi, but who could have guessed that she wouldn't even ask?

This left Chu Yi feeling somewhat perplexed, and his view of Lee Zi shifted.

Nonetheless, Chu Yi didn't waver. With a deep breath, he became earnest.

"Please enlighten me!"

"Please enlighten me!"

As his words settled, Lee Zi made her move.

In a split second, an overwhelming force was unleashed.

A mere punch, deceptively simple, harbored a terrifying power that resulted in a sonic boom.

And not just any sonic boom, but one that reverberated with sound waves!

Such a phenomenon couldn't be achieved without the force of tens of thousands of kilograms, yet Lee Zi was merely a warrior at the Perfection level of Bronze.

So, it had to be...

An explosive force at least tenfold!

Tenfold is the benchmark for a Fourth Level Genius, with elevenfold being the ceiling.

Chu Yi lacked the tools to measure, but he was confident that Lee Zi's strength surpassed tenfold.

Moreover, Lee Zi didn't even seem to be pushing her limits.

Thus, Lee Zi was an anomaly, a prodigy who had awakened her genetic power!

It's no surprise that Adirang Academy, one of the top three institutions, had offered her a special admission in her sophomore year, providing her with a dedicated tutor and a wealth of resources.

Such is the privilege reserved for the elite of the elite!

Without a doubt, Lee Zi's prowess posed a slight threat to Chu Yi himself!

But it was just that—a slight threat.

After all, Lee Zi had yet to unleash her genetic power.