"Level three, no way! He actually got to level three in just three days!"
"If I'm not mistaken, this is his first time entering the dungeon, right!"
"He hit level three on his first dungeon run? Did he seriously solo the King of Goblins!"
"Are you blind, didn't you just see this badass kick the Silver-tier Guardian flying?"
"Is he really a Defense Ability Awakened? Why do I feel like his DPS is higher than a Burst Profession?"
"Ability Awakened are kinda OP early on, maybe his ability isn't just defense."
"Now that's a real boss—level three kicking 40-plus Silver-tier guys into next week.
That's not even a gap, that's a freaking chasm! Maybe that's what a true prodigy looks like."
Of course, while some people admired him, there were others trying to put him down.
"Stop hyping him up. If that Gold-tier strong guy hadn't showed, this dude would've been turned to mincemeat."
"For real. If he hadn't gone for the sneak attack, no way he'd injure a Silver-tier."
"Level three fighting in Silver Tier is already nuts, okay? Y'all need to quit being salty."
"Facts, facts. Weren't you guys the same ones trash-talking earlier? This only happened 'cause of that!"
......
While listening to his classmates gossiping all around, Su Mo finally snapped back to reality.
Though his mind was still hung up on one very serious question.
If there's someone like that around, who's been stealing his delivery orders all this time!
This was a serious issue!
Thinking of that, Su Mo flashed the security guard an ever-so-suspicious look.
Old Wang frowned a little, feeling like this kid was totally giving him the side-eye.
But he just shook his head and beamed. "So, how was that, huh? Pretty cool, right? No need to be jealous—your talent and power will catch up soon. Before long, you'll be on my level."
Su Mo glanced at Old Wang's shiny bald head, still gleaming with a weird golden hue, thought of something, and quickly shook his head.
"I get the feeling you're thinking something disrespectful... but I'm in a good mood today, so I'll let it slide."
"Alright, go wait in your teacher's office. I'll come find you in a bit."
Su Mo glanced at security guard Mr. Wang, mulled it over, then nodded and headed straight out of the Trial Hall.
Honestly, he wasn't afraid of dying—wasn't even sure he could die—but in a real fight, he'd probably just end up being someone's punching bag.
The difference in power was just too big. The others moved so fast he couldn't even see it, so he'd just get creamed.
"Ahem, ahem, geeze Old Wang, you're in a fiery mood today. You come in and smack my best player? How am I supposed to report that!"
He turned toward the voice—a nearly eighty-year-old man leaning on a cane, slowly making his way into the Trial Hall.
When he passed by Su Mo, he gave him this deep, meaningful look, but didn't say anything and went straight to Mr. Wang.
Su Mo didn't stick around, just walked off. Maybe among his peers, he was basically untouchable now.
He honestly couldn't think of anyone his age who could take him on.
Three days since awakening, level three, Strength Attribute at 60 points.
Even someone who awakened as a divine-level hidden profession wouldn't be able to keep up with him, probably not even close.
But compared to those veteran Professionals, he still had a long way to go. So his Strength Attribute isn't nearly enough.
If he someday hits a thousand or even ten thousand Strength, no matter who shows up, he'd just one-punch them to dust!
Su Mo walked along, lost in thought, and before he knew it, he'd reached Wang's office door.
He was about to knock when the door suddenly flew open.
Inside, Wang was wrapped in this silvery aura, looking ready to throw down with someone at a moment's notice.
But when he saw Su Mo, Wang completely froze.
After a quick look around to make sure no one else was around, he yanked Su Mo straight into the office.
The door slammed shut with a bang.
Wang plopped down in his swivel chair and stared at Su Mo stone-faced, "Alright, talk. What's going on!"
Su Mo blinked. "Uh... I don't know? Old Wang in the security office told me to wait here—I have no clue what's up!"
[Bang!]
Wang smacked the desk hard. "You still don't know what's going on? You went and took on the Trial with no backup. Do you realize how risky that is?
Did you forget everything from the textbook? Did you forget the school tragedy,
When that senior soloed the Goblin Dungeon and got wrecked by goblins...?"
Su Mo scratched his head, a little sheepish. "I wasn't thinking that far..."
"Not thinking? Then what were you thinking? I told you to look for a team, not charge into the dungeon solo!
Good thing you're okay. But I heard you got into a fight with other students after you came out. What happened?"
"Oh, I told them I'd beaten the King of Goblins—they didn't buy it.
So I showed them the reward from the King of Goblins, they still didn't believe me.
Then someone tried to jump me, so I fought back. It was legit self-defense!"
Wang jumped up, jabbing a finger at Su Mo's nose, so mad he was literally spraying spit:
"You got into a fight over that? You know finals are coming up soon... Wait, what did you just say?
You beat the King of Goblins?"
Su Mo nodded, then pulled out the reward item from beating the King of Goblins, and let Wang view the details.
Wang slowly pulled his pointed finger back, then slammed the desk again and yelled:
"Atta boy! That's what you do when someone tries to jump you—beat 'em down! Can't believe they tried a sneak attack, those shameless jerks.
Tell me which class—they're getting chewed out by me and their homeroom teacher!"
While Su Mo was still in a daze, Wang came around behind him, pulled up a chair, and had him sit down kindly.
"C'mon, tell me exactly how you took down the King of Goblins."
As he spoke, Wang poured Su Mo a cup of tea and handed it over.
Wang's face was beaming; all those years of frown lines now stretched out as he grinned like a wrinkled old chrysanthemum.
"Ah, honestly I just punched him a couple times and that was that. Nothing much to tell, really!"
"You—!"
Wang felt like Su Mo was trying to brush him off. He was about to stand and slam the desk again, but paused, forced a big smile, and asked:
"Really, just a couple punches?"
Su Mo nodded. "Really, just a couple punches!"
"If you killed the King of Goblins with a few punches, what's your current Strength Attribute?"
Su Mo hesitated for a second, then figured he'd have to report it for college entrance exams anyway, so he just said, "Strength Attribute: 65."
"65!!!"
Wang was so shocked he jumped straight out of his chair, voice shaking with excitement.