The campus in the early morning always carried a sense of calm.
Even for someone like Oliver—who had just returned from exploring a Secret Realm far from home—that tranquility could still be felt.
The tension built from life inside Secret Realms—the constant calculations, guarded conversations, and hidden dangers—gradually dissolved.
That was one of the reasons he still attended school.
There was little left here he needed to learn academically. But the contrast between two worlds kept life from becoming monotonous.
Out there, he sometimes forgot—
He was only eighteen.
Back on campus, he remembered.
Classroom
When Oliver entered, most students were already seated.
No one reacted strongly.
A few glances. That was all.
He frequently took leave—sometimes even walking out mid-lesson. The teachers never objected.
That was simply the privilege of excellence.
Jiang Shuyun hurried over immediately.
"How did it go? Did you finish what you went for?"
Before leaving, Oliver had told her he was heading to collect research material.
"All done," he replied. "Visited a new Secret Realm. Desert terrain this time. Quite interesting."
"Another Secret Realm…" Jiang Shuyun sighed dreamily. "I wish I could just go wherever I want like you—see new landscapes, meet different Pokémon…"
Oliver's tone turned serious.
"Don't romanticize it. Secret Realms are dangerous. If you want to explore freely, strengthen yourself first."
He spoke bluntly because he had seen too much.
The environment could kill you.
Wild Pokémon could kill you.
Other Trainers could kill you.
Every year, the number of deaths inside Secret Realms was staggering.
Jiang Shuyun wrinkled her nose.
"I know, okay? I've been training Charizard seriously!"
Former Teammates Arrive
Three familiar figures appeared at the classroom door.
Liu Lixuan.
Guo Shengfu.
Qi Jun.
"Captain!"
Even though the Southwest Tournament had ended and the team disbanded, they still called him that.
"You heard I came back and rushed over?" Oliver asked.
Guo Shengfu grinned.
"You probably don't know—Liu Lixuan's Sandslash broke through to Advanced-level!"
Oliver's eyes widened slightly.
"Impressive."
Liu Lixuan had always been the most talented among the three. Previously held back by limited resources, his progress accelerated after winning tournament prize money.
Advanced-level within a month—
Reasonable.
"Still nowhere near you, Captain," Liu Lixuan said shyly.
Oliver smiled faintly.
"You didn't come just to show me that, did you?"
The three exchanged glances.
"A lot of universities sent us direct admission offers. We wanted your advice."
Oliver thought briefly.
"You don't need to follow my choice. If you want my opinion—don't necessarily pick the 'best' university. Pick the one most suitable for you."
He added calmly,
"I have a preferred school. But that doesn't mean it suits you. Discuss carefully with your families. This decision matters."
They fell silent.
Originally, they had intended to follow him without hesitation.
Now—
They realized that would be irresponsible.
"You're right, Captain."
"We'll think it through."
Guo Shengfu couldn't resist asking:
"Still… which university are you choosing?"
Oliver only smiled.
Not reluctance.
Strategy.
He knew the top universities were competing fiercely.
Revealing his hand too early would weaken his leverage.
After chatting a bit more, the three left before class began.
A Rare Moment
Jiang Shuyun leaned closer.
"Those universities contacted me too. I haven't accepted yet… Which one are you choosing? You're not hiding it from me as well, right?"
"You'll know before school ends today," Oliver replied.
"I want to know now," she pressed softly. "Please?"
It was rare for her to act spoiled.
Oliver chuckled.
"Be patient."
Just then—
A voice sounded from the doorway.
"Oliver, the principal would like to see you in his office."
Oliver glanced at her.
"See? It's happening."
He left.
Behind him, Jiang Shuyun covered her flushed face.
It was the first time she had ever acted like that in front of him.
Principal's Office — The Confrontation
Inside the office, the eight recruitment directors from the nation's top universities were already waiting anxiously.
Each had a cup of tea in front of them—
Untouched.
No one had the mind to drink.
Instead, they watched each other with wary eyes, as if sitting across from sworn rivals rather than academic colleagues.
Then—
A knock at the door.
Every head snapped up instantly.
Their gazes burned toward the closed door.
"Principal, I'm here."
The door opened.
Oliver stepped in calmly.
The moment he appeared—
The atmosphere changed.
Eight of the country's most prestigious institutions—
Focused entirely on one eighteen-year-old.
Principal Zhang cleared his throat.
"Oliver, these are recruitment representatives from several universities. They've come to speak with you personally."
Oliver nodded politely.
"Thank you all for your interest."
That simple sentence triggered chaos.
"Oliver, Qing University can offer you direct enrollment into our top research track—complete autonomy in selecting research topics!"
"Capital University will match any funding they provide—and double your laboratory resources!"
"Magic University guarantees Gym-level research grants and Elite mentorship!"
"Our Xia Research Institute offers direct participation in national-level Pokémon projects!"
"Jiaotong University can assign you a personal Professor from day one!"
Voices overlapped.
Promises escalated.
Offers stacked upon offers.
Principal Zhang watched helplessly.
If other students saw this—
They would question reality.
Oliver, however, remained composed.
He listened quietly.
Measured.
Calculated.
When the noise subsided slightly, he finally spoke.
"I am honored by everyone's sincerity."
He paused just enough.
"However, my decision will depend on three factors."
All eight leaned forward.
"First—research autonomy."
"Second—access to high-level Secret Realm permissions."
"Third—long-term resource support, including rare material procurement."
Silence.
Those conditions were not typical for freshmen.
They were demands from someone already operating at an elite level.
The competition intensified instantly.
Offers increased again.
Numbers rose.
Privileges expanded.
It was no longer recruitment.
It was negotiation.
And Oliver—
Held absolute initiative.
◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews. comment
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ You can read 60 chapter ahead on P@treon if you're interested: patreon.com/SwipeSage