Chapter 4: Is That You, Teacher Saitama?
As Jiangnan walked into the classroom, the room, which had been buzzing with chatter over the upcoming monthly exam, suddenly quieted down.
His handsome, refreshing face still caught the attention of quite a few female classmates.
But thinking that after the monthly exam, Jiangnan would no longer be their classmate, they felt a little disappointed.
He walked straight to his seat by the window and sat down. The chatter among the students picked up again.
"Why is my Great Nan Shen wearing a hat? Playing tough guy or something?"
"Pfft... Probably knows he's about to get kicked out and can't face anyone, right? Haha!"
Jiangnan just stared out the window at the scenery.
Three years ago, the name Nan Shen echoed throughout Jiangcheng!
Now, the name Nan Shen was nothing but a joke.
Today, maybe everything would be different!
Just then, class monitor Li Xiang walked up to Jiangnan.
"Jiangnan, don't get discouraged. If you get kicked out, so be it!"
"A Spirit Warrior might not suit you, but your spatial ability still has its uses! At least you can open another dimension to store things!"
"My dad runs a logistics company. After you graduate high school, you can come work there!"
"Thirty thousand a month, and I can even provide spirit beads for you to cultivate. What do you think?"
Li Xiang's words caught the attention of the other students.
"Wow? Thirty thousand? That's too much, right? Three thousand sounds about right! Haha!"
"As expected of Brother Xiang, living up to his role as class monitor!"
Jiangnan glanced at Li Xiang and grinned brightly. "So you want me to be a delivery guy, huh?"
The moment he said that, the whole class burst into laughter. Li Xiang smiled and shrugged.
"Haha, a spatial-type spirit warrior delivering packages—perfect match!"
"Thirty thousand, and that's final!"
Li Xiang: "It's a rare opportunity. Think it over."
Jiangnan grinned. "I know a foreman at a construction site on the south side of town. With your earth-type ability, you could dig septic tanks there and replace ten excavators, right?"
At this, the whole class turned red in the face, wanting to laugh but not daring to.
What the hell—excavators?
And ten of them?
Li Xiang's face darkened.
[Li Xiang's resentment value +999]
"Don't be ungrateful!"
Jiangnan was about to reply when Li Muyan, who hadn't slept all night and had dark circles under her eyes, stormed into the classroom and said to Jiangnan:
"You'll take responsibility for what you did to me last night!"
Jiangnan paused for two seconds. "What? Still hurts?"
The moment he said that, the entire class fell silent, and everyone looked at the two of them differently.
What the hell?
What's going on?
Did you two get into a physical fight last night?
Never would have guessed, never!
Is my Nan Shen really that fierce?
This circle is so messed up...
Li Muyan suddenly realized the implication of her words, blushed furiously, and snapped, "You're shameless!"
[Li Muyan's resentment value +789]
But at that moment, the homeroom teacher, dressed in a professional suit, walked in and tapped the blackboard with a pointer. "Everyone get back to your seats! Quiet!"
Li Xiang squinted at Jiangnan and said, "Just you wait. I'll deal with you later."
Jiangnan grinned. This resentment value was so easy to earn!
The homeroom teacher announced, "The monthly exam will test your Spirit Warrior rank and attack power. We'll assemble at the gymnasium. Everyone, stay sharp!"
"Our class is the top Spirit Warrior class. Don't drag us down, got it?"
The teacher's gaze landed on Jiangnan.
Many students looked at him and snickered.
Jiangnan remained unmoved.
The gymnasium of Jiangcheng No.1 High School was a glass-like structure.
It had been modified to suit Spirit Warriors.
Third floor!
The ten senior Spirit Warrior classes, fewer than five hundred students in total, assembled in class order.
After the principal gave a soporific speech, the monthly exam testing began.
By the floor-to-ceiling window stood a testing machine.
It looked like a punching power tester. The target was made of titanium-magnesium alloy, with a display screen showing values.
A student from Class 10 went first. He built up momentum, his hands suddenly covered in flames.
Then, with a fierce swing, a basin-sized fireball struck the testing machine.
With a loud "boom," flames scattered everywhere!
The target was scorched black, and the display screen showed a value.
"Iron Nine Stars, Attack Rating A."
The student looked excited and returned to his team with a hint of pride.
The proctor: "Mm, very good! Next!"
One by one, the students went up to test, each displaying their abilities.
Most were awakened from the five major elements, but some had special types like beast transformation, strength, or telekinesis.
The rankings kept changing based on rank and attack power.
Two hours later, it was finally Class 1 Spirit Warrior's turn.
The students were already eager to show off.
Li Xiang was the first to jump out. He took a deep breath and stomped hard on the ground.
The reinforced concrete floor twisted violently and formed a cement fist that slammed into the testing machine.
"Bronze Three Stars, Attack Rating S!"
His ranking shot straight to first place on the leaderboard!
Li Xiang let out a long breath and a smug smile curled on his lips.
"As expected of the class monitor of Class 1 Spirit Warrior! Bronze Three Stars? How freakish!"
"A genius! I heard his talent is A-rank!"
"No wonder! How many high school students can reach the Bronze level?"
Amid the chorus of praise, Li Xiang returned to his team and cast a disdainful glance at Jiangnan. The meaning in his eyes was clear.
After a few more students, it was Li Muyan's turn.
As a metal-type awakener, she controlled a steel ball to slam heavily into the testing machine.
The force rivaled that of thermal weapons, even sparking on impact!
"Iron Ten Stars Peak, Attack Rating A!"
Her ranking surged and broke into the top ten on the leaderboard!
"Whoa! Class 1 Spirit Warrior is brutal! That girl is too strong!"
"Elemental-type awakeners are all magic gods—their attack power is unparalleled!"
Li Muyan walked coldly over to Jiangnan. "You're about to get kicked out of the Spirit Warrior class for good!"
"Class 1 Spirit Warrior, Jiangnan! You're up!"
A smile curled at the corner of Jiangnan's mouth. He pressed down his cap, walked slowly to the testing machine, and stopped in front of it.
"Haha, who said Class 1 is all powerhouses? Isn't there still our Nan Shen?"
"He's a sorry weakling who gets winded teleporting half a meter, haha!"
"I bet he can't even get the machine to display a value!"
As Jiangnan stepped up, the crowd buzzed with chatter, all waiting to see him make a fool of himself.
But Jiangnan ignored the sneers.
He took a deep breath. Every muscle in his body was wound tight like steel cables.
He stepped forward with his left foot, twisted his waist, and swung his iron fist with all his might.
The punch even produced a deafening air blast!
"Boom!"
The titanium-magnesium alloy target was dented like putty.
The four anchoring corners snapped off, and the entire testing machine was thrown backward by the sheer brute force!
It was like being hit by a truck!
It shattered the glass window, crashed down from the third floor onto the rubber playground, and rolled another twenty meters...
The shockwave blew off the cap on Jiangnan's head, revealing a completely bald head!
The whole venue was dead silent!
Li Xiang was dumbfounded. Li Muyan was dumbfounded. Even all the students, the proctor, and the principal were stunned!
Bald head!
One punch destroyed the testing machine!
For a moment, the students had an illusion.
"Teacher Saitama, is that you?"
"The only thing missing is the cape!"