Vincent Fox discovered a small slip of paper tucked into the seat Autumn Summer had vacated. He unfolded it and grinned her phone number scrawled neatly across the page. He pocketed it, deciding that whether or not he ever called would depend entirely on his mood. After all, with his Saitama-grade constitution, he'd never be anyone's pet project other people would be scrambling to become his pet project instead.
Terry Yan sat in the front passenger seat, glancing back at Vincent through the rearview mirror. A soft smile played on his lips as memories of his own youth flickered in his mind. He shook it off, focusing on the boy whose quiet demeanor in class had masked an earth-shattering talent. Had he not personally whisked Vincent out of Dimension 2, other instructors would have fought tooth and nail to claim him, shattering Godslayer Academy's fragile pride to do so.
Back on campus, the buzz was deafening. Three red-rated students already gave Godslayer Academy bragging rights, but now Vincent's gold rating an achievement whispered of in legend sent every administrator into a frenzy. Walter Wayne's look of stunned envy only fueled Terry's satisfaction. He felt a surge of schadenfreude, tempered by anxiety: once word got out, rival schools would shower Vincent with scholarships, contracts, even official petitions to poach him. Terry was a mere tactical instructor only the principal could stand firm against such pressure.
At five o'clock, the buses rolled to a stop. Terry climbed down first, calling out, "Everyone, please stay on campus tonight! We've arranged a banquet in the cafeteria eat up and then head straight to your dorms." Without waiting for responses, he sprinted toward the administration building, intent on briefing the principal in person and handing over the roster of those lost inside Dimension 2.
Inside the crowded conference room, the principal, vice principal, dean of students, and board members exchanged excited glances. A single red rating was exceptional; a gold rating was unprecedented. For a small school like Godslayer Academy to produce two such survivors had the leadership positively buzzing.
When Terry entered, the principal leapt to his feet, eyes shining. Board members leaned forward, already picturing recruitment campaigns, endowed scholarships, even a commemorative plaque in the entrance hall. Their underdog school had, in one afternoon, become the talk of the nation.
And at the heart of it all stood Vincent Fox history-maker, record-breaker, and the student every academy would now covet.