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nCompared to Howard’s team, even when the five of them collaborated, the points they accumulated were pitifully low.

nIn total, they only contributed a little over 300 points to Howard’s team. Broken down, it meant that each of them had earned less than 100 points!

nHowever, effortlessly acquiring points was always a welcome bonus.

nOnce the points were secured, the effects of Howard’s skill ceased, but the five students didn’t get up. Instead, they trembled in place.

nIt wasn’t fear but anger.

nThe points they had risked their lives for, albeit a modest amount, were effortlessly snatched away. How could they not be filled with rage?

nIt was only because of Howard’s overpowering strength, suppressing them with just one skill, that they dared not retaliate.

nAlthough they were all classmates from the same academy now, under such a life-threatening situation, they didn’t dare act recklessly.

nIf Howard truly decided to strike, they might perish here in obscurity.

nEven if their performance this time wasn’t stellar, it was due to the high difficulty of the evaluation.

nWhen looking at the entire Alliance, their talents were far from lacking.

nThey had promising futures ahead. Why should they risk losing it all in a fit of rage?

nHoward, sensing the resentment of the five, said with a jovial tone, “If any of you are displeased, you’re always welcome to seek revenge in the future. However, with your current strength, you might need a few more years of training!”

n“You…”

n“Howard, don’t be so arrogant! When the mentors find out about this, you won’t necessarily escape repercussions!”

nThe already angered students, provoked further by Howard’s mockery, couldn’t help but retort.

nA smirk appeared on Howard’s lips as he whispered, “If the mentors truly disapproved of this, they would have intervened the moment I made a move on you. Do you really think they’re unaware of what’s happening here?”

nAs his words sank in, the five students looked as though they had been struck by lightning, frozen in place.

nAfter a long silence, the students forced bitter smiles, conceding to their fate.

nAs for Howard and his team? They had long bolted after snatching the points!

nAlthough they gained several hundred points in the first round, the mentors’ tacit consent relieved Nick and Mike of any lingering concerns.

nEspecially Mike, who promptly activated his stealth mode and set out in search of other teams.

nIronically, with Mike feeding them information, Howard and his team’s pursuit became significantly faster. In just a matter of hours, over forty students had fallen victim to their raids.

nExcept for an encounter with a professional squad of seven, all of whom had awakened A-level talents and posed a slight challenge, the other students couldn’t withstand Howard’s relentless skill onslaught.

nEspecially the ‘Gravity spell’. Once cast, it bore down on its victims like a mountain, leaving them with no opportunity to resist.

nNot to mention, Mike, Nick, and Abby all boasted notable talents.

nThey might not stand a chance against higher-level monsters, but against these students, who had only recently awakened their talents, it was akin to a higher dimension striking a lower one.

nOr, to put it bluntly, an ambush.

nAt this juncture, communication between students was sparse.

nThus, when they encountered Howard’s team, though competitive, they weren’t on guard.

nTheir minds were preoccupied with how to defeat more monsters, gather resources, and collect points, rather than engaging in internecine combat.

nCaught off guard and being less skilled, many fell prey either lamenting their fate or accusing Howard of lacking martial honor.

nHowever, with the mentors refraining from intervening, they were left with no choice but to dry their tears and continue their quest for points.

nThere were, of course, some who were wiser.

nInitially, out of pride, the robbed students remained silent about their plight, fearing ridicule for failing to safeguard their own points.

nBut as the number of victims grew, grumbles began to emerge, leading many to realize that they weren’t the only ones who had been robbed.

nWhen everyone shares the same disgrace, the sting of humiliation lessens.

nConsequently, some students began to band together, intending to rally enough support to force Howard and his team to return their ill-gotten points.

nIn fact, if they amassed enough strength with their numbers, they could even turn the tables and rob Howard’s team of their points!

nIn no time, a counter-group began to take shape and expand.

nHigh above, Tana, Jack, and Wales observed the unfolding situation and couldn’t help but wear satisfied grins.

nAlthough the initial response of the other students had disappointed them, their subsequent actions were commendable.

nAlliance and strategy are skills in their own right!

nOut of the blue, Tana asked, “Should we inform Howard about their union?”

nHumans, since ancient times, have been creatures of relationships and emotions.

nTana, disliking Howard for her brother’s sake, could also warm up to him, seeing his potential and having gained his goodwill.

n“There’s no need,” Wales responded gravely, “They’re just greenhorns. No need to intervene. If Howard can’t handle a flock of sheep, how will he fare against the ferocious alien races in the future?”

nHearing this, both Tana and Jack immediately grasped the implications in Wales’s words, their faces registering surprise.

nThe undertone was clear: Howard was being regarded as a primary force against the alien races in the future.

nEspecially Jack, unfamiliar with Howard, couldn’t help but question, “What’s so special about this lad that both you and Daniel trust him so implicitly?”

n“I trust Daniel,” Wales replied calmly, “Daniel has been mentoring for years and has never misjudged anyone.”

n“…”

n“That’s true. We can then look forward to seeing what Howard might bring to the table,” Jack said, nodding slightly.

nSuddenly recalling the SS-level skill Howard had previously demonstrated, Tana remarked, “There’s no need for anticipation. Based on the current coalition of students, they’re not formidable enough to push Howard to reveal his true capabilities.”

n“Really?” Jack exclaimed upon hearing Tana’s statement, “It seems this generation has indeed produced a remarkable prodigy, garnering such high esteem from all of you.”

n…

nUnaware of the deliberations of the three mentors, Howard and his team were thoroughly engrossed in their spree of plundering.

nWith minimal effort, they’d accumulated over 6000 points, a rate much faster than slaying creatures or gathering resources.

nSurprisingly, Howard seemed to be the most composed among the four.

nNick and Mike, on the other hand, were so driven they wished there were no breaks, hoping to deplete all the other students of their points.

nPerhaps, they even thought, wait for those groups to accumulate points again and then raid them once more!

nHoward, however, did not concur and urged them to abandon such notions.

nAfter all, these were their peers.

nPushing them too far might result in backlash.

nRobbing them once could be rationalized as teaching them about the dangers of the world.

nMoreover, they hadn’t been overtly violent, leaving them room for justification.

nBut doing it twice? That would blatantly show malicious intent.

nHearing Howard’s reasoning, both Nick and Mike felt a jolt of realization.

nThey grasped that they were participating in an assessment, not genuinely engaging in highway robbery.

nThis incident shone a light on the extreme upbringing methods of the grand families.

nThey were, in essence, grooming their children to be bandits.

nBut in a way, there wasn’t much choice.

nIn a world where power reigns supreme and the law of the jungle prevails, if you don’t become the bandit, others would, only to target you.

nTime trickled by, and as more and more students fell prey to Howard’s team, finding new ones became increasingly difficult.

nEventually, even Mike could locate no new targets.

n“I recall,” Nick began, pondering, “the first team we encountered seemed pretty competent.

nThey likely amassed a substantial amount of points. If we were to raid them, we might score as high as 25,000 or even 30,000 points!”

nWith the ongoing difficulty in finding new students, Nick’s focus had shifted back to that initial team they had encountered.

nMike’s eyes sparkled at the thought. “Indeed, we haven’t crossed paths with that group since. Where could they have gone?” .

nScratching his chin, Nick proposed, “Why don’t we ask the other students?”

n“Are you out of your mind?” Mike retorted with a roll of his eyes. “We’ve just raided them. Do you genuinely believe they’d willingly share any information with us?”

nHoward couldn’t help but chuckle. “The very fact that we’ve robbed them might compel them to divulge. After all, wouldn’t the existence of an unrobbed team make them seem weak in comparison? If everyone’s been raided, they’re all on an even footing, potentially boosting their own rankings.”

n“If they know the location of that group, I wager they’d not only inform us but might even lead the way.”

nMike frowned slightly, finding it hard to believe.

nPutting himself in their shoes, he’d rather suffer losses than aid those who’d wronged him.

nLittle did he realize, his confidence stemmed from his assured ability to garner resources without concerning himself about rankings.

nFor the average student, if there’s an opportunity to pull down another’s ranking, why not collaborate? Even with adversaries?

nNo, to put it precisely, in this world, there are no permanent foes, only interests that remain steadfast allies.

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