The morning sun had climbed high enough to warm the courtyard stones, and the training grounds lay empty of spectators—only the core Shrek students remained, plus one very nervous new Spirit Rank 30. Their breath still swirled in the cool air, the aftermath of vigorous drills, when a shrill whistle cut through the silence.
Dean Flender appeared at the far end of the field, his robes fluttering in the breeze. Zhao Wuji, the Unmovable King, stood at his side, arms folded and expression inscrutable.
Flender's grin was as wide as a crescent moon. "Oscar!" he boomed, voice echoing off the walls. "From your spirit power readings… hmn—congratulations on Spirit Rank 30! You're now officially eligible to claim your third spirit ring and ascend to Spirit Elder. You've proven yourself the most outstanding genius among support-type spirit masters."
Oscar's cheeks flamed. He swallowed hard, nearly dropping the training pouches at his side. "Th—thank you, Dean Flender," he stammered, bowing his head. Did I really make it? His heart thundered. His head in the cloud. Spirit Elder.
Zhao Wuji stepped forward, his rare smile lighting the courtyard. "Rank alone doesn't guaranty victory," he reminded Oscar gently. "As a support spirit master, their physical strength tends to lag behind of the other system spirit master. If you falter in combat, your teammates will fall and that can cause the end of everyone. Stay sharp, train harder, and never underestimate your own resilience."
Oscar nodded, every nerve alive with excitement and nerves. I won't let them down. His spirit seem to rise from this word of encouragement.
Flender clapped his hands together. "Tomorrow morning, Vice Principal Zhao will lead you all toward the Star Dou Forest to help Oscar secure spirit ring. That journey will be invaluable experience—for Oscar and for every one of you."
A murmur of anticipation rippled through the group.
"Now," Flender continued, eyes twinkling, "today's first lesson: everyone must eat one of Oscar's spirit-crafted sausages."
Silence crashed down like a boulder.
Eat… his sausage? Tang San's stomach lurched. He'd seen Li Wei consume them without batting an eye, but for the rest of them, the idea was… daunting.
Xiao Wu's brow furrowed. "Dean, what training is this?" she asked, voice wavering between bewilderment and curiosity.
"Adaptability training," Flender replied cheerfully. "In emergencies, you might have to eat anything—mice, insects, even raw herbs. Oscar's sausages are infinitely more palatable. Learning to accept the unexpected is crucial."
The girl pictured crawling through a long dark cave, forced to bite into a wriggling grub. They shivered from their imagination, never imagining that in the face of food shortage, they will have to eat mice. At least the sausage still has some semblance of… meat.
Flender raised an eyebrow. "Who will volunteer first?"
The group froze. No one wanted to be the first one to take that inaugural bite.
A heartbeat passed—two. Then Ning Rongrong stood. Her violet eyes were bright, cheeks pink. Remembering that Li Wei always did it without flinching when eating Oscar sausage… she tried to reminded herself.
"I will," she said firmly, stepping forward.
The other's breath caught. Never had they seen Ning Rongrong so resolute.
She must really trust Oscar… or trust Li Wei's example.
Ning Rongrong took a sausage from Oscar's waiting tray. She closed her eyes briefly—then bit down. The others watched in frozen fascination as she chewed, swallowed, and exhaled.
"It's… well, it's just taste the same as normal food," she pronounced, voice steady. A smile tugged at her lips. "It's not as bad as I imagined it to be."
The tension shattered.
Ma Hongjun whooped. "If you can eat that, then I'll eat two of them!" He snatched a second sausage—then paused to wink at Xiao Wu. "Watch and learn."
Xiao Wu grinned and took one herself, mimicking Ning Rongrong's brave example. "Here goes!"
One by one, the Shrek students followed: Tang San, Zhu Zhuqing, Ma Hongjun, Dai Mubai—even Oscar, who produced a triumphant "Hah!" as he bit into his own sausage.
Flender stepped back, arms folded, a satisfied smile on his face as he surveyed the scene. "Excellent adaptability. Very good."
In the laughter that followed, a sudden hush fell. Dai Mubai's grin softened, his eyes drifting toward the dormitory windows.
It would be nice…
He didn't finish the thought, but Tang San felt the longing behind it. They all did. Li Wei's steady presence was missing in the morning's clamor.
Tang San offered a firm nod. "We'll carry him with us—in spirit."
Xiao Wu reached over and squeezed Dai Mubai's arm. "We'll make him proud."
Oscar swallowed the last of his sausage, his face still flushed. He raised his voice, bright with newfound confidence. "Thank you, everyone. Now—let's get ready for tomorrow!"
And though one seat at the table remained empty, the Shrek cadre drew closer together—united by laughter, by challenge, and by the memory of the friend who cheered them on from afar.
Tomorrow, they would step into the Star Dou Forest. Today, they had learned that even the most unexpected tasks could be faced… one sausage at a time.
_______________
"I told you guys that I am still not dead."
Somewhere in the Star Dou forest some people sneeze as someone talk about him.