Sophia called Leo over.
Leo's eyes darted around rapidly, a meaningful smile spreading across his face.
"You two..."
"Shut your filthy mouth, or I'll tear it off!"
Sophia said coldly.
Sophia's haughtiness was legendary.
Only when alone with Morintis would she tone it down a little.
After all, Morintis was even colder.
If she remained too proud, they wouldn't speak at all.
Facing Leo now, her young lady temper was on full display.
Leo was startled.
He scratched his head.
"Just a joke, just a joke!
Don't take it seriously."
Sophia said, "Stop looking for a party.
Wait for our cooldowns to end.
We'll take you through the dungeon."
"You should reach level 12 before the entrance exam, no problem."
Leo let out an excited roar.
"Really?
You two are my saviors!"
"You have no idea, the academy I want to get into requires level 12 to be sure."
"You're such good people!"
Leo's expression was extremely exaggerated.
Sophia frowned.
"If you keep this up, we're leaving you behind."
Leo immediately surrendered, instantly turning serious.
"Don't worry, Miss Sophia.
I'll be perfectly obedient.
You point east, I won't go west.
You point north, I won't go...
wait, that's not right..."
"Enough nonsense, shut up!"
Sophia snorted, a fireball materializing in her palm.
If Leo dared say one more word, she would absolutely smash that fireball right in his face.
Leo wisely shut his mouth.
"Understood.
So, how long is your cooldown?"
Sophia calculated the time.
"Ten more hours."
Ten hours was a bit long, but Leo knew he might not find a party in that time anyway.
"Alright, you two rest and chat.
I'll go grind some wild monsters for a bit."
"Morintis, you got this!
I'm rooting for you!
Gonna win over Sophia sooner or later!"
With that, he turned and sprinted away.
Furious, Sophia stomped her foot and hurled the fireball.
Boom!
The fireball exploded right behind Leo's backside, a few embers singeing him.
"Yowww~~~!"
Leo yelped from the heat, clutching his backside as he vanished in the blink of an eye.
Sophia stamped her foot angrily.
"That guy!
His mouth is too foul.
He's asking for a slap."
Morintis deeply agreed, but he also had to admit that Leo was a decent person.
When everyone else kept their distance from him, only Leo had taken the initiative to talk to him.
Even though Morintis rarely responded, Leo had never shown any dislike.
Morintis trusted his feelings weren't wrong.
Leo was a genuinely sincere goofball.
Ten hours later, Leo joined the party.
Morintis, as the leader, entered the Nightmare difficulty dungeon.
The moment they entered, Leo was the first to collapse on the ground in terror.
"Hey, hey, hey..."
"Miss Sophia, Boss Mori, why are we in Nightmare difficulty?!"
Sophia snorted.
"Less talk.
Just follow behind.
You don't need to fight the monsters anyway."
Huh?
Leo's face cycled through confusion, panic, fear, and various other emotions.
Sophia wondered if she had looked like that on her first time.
She had been pretty scared herself back then.
Fearing for his life, Leo stuck close to Sophia, not daring to stray a single step.
This was Nightmare difficulty!
A single swipe from any monster here would finish him.
Ten minutes later, Leo stared at the dead boss, his jaw still hanging open.
"This..this..."
"It's dead?Just like that?"
Sophia looked at him.
"Can you close your mouth?
You're drooling."
Leo wiped the corner of his mouth, then suddenly lunged and hugged Morintis's leg.
"Boss!
Boss Mori!
Please take me with you when you run dungeons from now on!
I'll be your accessory!"
Sophia was exasperated.
"How can you have so little spine?
You're a Knight!
Can't you have some chivalry?"
Leo cried out, "What use is chivalry?
With Boss Mori here, who needs a Knight?"
Sophia found him utterly hopeless, deciding simply to ignore him.
A faint white light shimmered over Morintis.
He had leveled up.
Level 16 gave him absolute confidence in entering Xiajing Academy.
After one more run, Sophia would also reach level 15, giving her a very strong chance of testing into Xiajing Academy.
As for Leo, his target was Jiangning Academy, a prestigious academy within their province.
It was also a good higher education institute, though its requirements were considerably lower than Xiajing Academy's.
A level 12 Knight was sufficiently qualified.
The setting sun cast long shadows across the land.
On the southern city wall of Westsea City,
several principals stood together, gazing out at the wildlands beyond the wall.
"The children should be returning soon."
"Tomorrow is the entrance exam.
We told them all they must return today."
"I wonder what the results will be like tomorrow."
"Most should be fine.
It's just a matter of which academy they get into."
"Old Stone, I heard the two prodigies from your school are both aiming for Xiajing Academy."
Victor Stone stared unblinking into the distance.
"Yes, both Morintis and Sophia want to test into Xiajing Academy."
"Xiajing Academy has the fiercest competition.
Judging by previous years' standards, level 15 offers a good chance, but level 16 is needed to be certain."
"It's difficult."
"Level 15 is still hopeful.
Level 16 is exceedingly rare.
In our Westsea City, aside from Arthur Knightley, only last year's Morona reached level 16, right?"
"I wonder if our two youngsters this year have any hope."
Victor Stone nodded.
"I believe in them."
One was Morona's younger brother, the other was the young lady of the Xia family.
Victor Stone felt these two might both create miracles.
Finally, figures appeared on the horizon.
A principal said, "That's one of ours from Third High."
Under a Detection Skill, the returnee's level was clear.
[Felix, Level 12, Sword Dancer.]
That principal was satisfied.
Level 12 was enough to get into a reasonably good higher academy.
Felix was somewhat famous in Third High, considered one of their geniuses.
"My student from Second High, Myles, is back too."
[Myles, Level 13, Eagle-eye Archer.]
Students returned one after another, while the principals on the wall continuously used Detection Skills.
This time each year was essentially a pre-exam competition among the principals themselves.
A contest of pride.