Auric took out his phone and dialed the number of a senior in the Evolution Association.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Senior Patrick." Auric politely greeted him. "This is Auric. I hope you still remember me."
"Of course. There's no way I can forget about you. What's going on? Do you need anything from me?"
"Actually, I want to ask for your help. I wonder if you are at the association right now."
"Yes. My shift will end in thirty minutes. What's wrong?"
"Well…" Auric hesitated for a second. Since his two elements had already spread on campus, it would be a matter of time for them to spread all around town.
So, Auric chose to reveal it immediately. "I want to register as a wind element master right now. Do you think it's possible?"
"Sorry?" Patrick sounded confused. "What are you talking about?"
"I will explain it once I arrive at the association. I am applying for myself."
"For yourself? But aren't you supposed to be a plant evolution master?"
"Well…"
Since Auric gave no explanation, Patrick understood what was going on. "All right then. I'm going to put your name first. I don't understand what's going on, but this kind of matter shouldn't be a small matter, right? I suppose I should also inform the president about it."
"Yes." Auric acknowledged the problem.
"Got it. I will inform him about your request first. Are you on the way?"
"Yes. I've just finished my classes, so I'm planning to head there right away. I should arrive in twenty minutes."
"Got it." Patrick didn't ask unnecessary questions. Since he was going to figure out what was going on once Auric arrived, he didn't bother to probe further and just did what he was asked to do.
However, Auric might end up being late when he saw a group approaching him.
If this were a normal group, he wouldn't have been bothered by them. He would just pass them and head to the Evolution Association.
But one of the people in that group pointed at him and whispered something to a leader-like figure in the group.
Auric first turned his head to see whether someone was behind him, but there wasn't anyone around.
They were definitely looking at him.
When Auric shifted his direction a little bit, the group spread out a bit more as if they were trying to block his path.
Auric couldn't help but furrow his brows in confusion.
"Stop!" The leader was a twenty-year-old man. He had short, spiky black hair and small eyes. His gaze was quite sharp, scanning him up and down.
The other people spread out so that Auric couldn't leave.
Auric halted his steps with a serious expression. "Do you have any business with me?"
The leader pointed at Auric arrogantly. "You. Join the Phoenix and Dragon Society. We are the number one club on this campus. It is your honor to join this club."
Auric didn't understand what was going on. This was supposed to be a club invitation, but for some reason, they looked like they were trying to force him to join.
"I don't have any intention of joining a club," Auric answered, clearly conveying his intention.
"I already told you. It is your honor to join us. Do you understand the meaning of the Phoenix and Dragon Society?" The leader squinted his eyes.
One of them snorted and explained, "If you join this club, you will be able to go anywhere once you graduate. Only the best of the best can join this club!"
Auric really had no interest in the club. While the offer was good, he was too busy with his studies and his store, so there was no reason for him to join a club.
The leader said, "If you join, I will give you the vice president position after one year."
If anyone heard this offer, they would think it was unbelievable. Most people would accept it without hesitation.
However, Auric remained firm. He shook his head. "I'm flattered that you think highly of me, but I don't have any intention of joining a club at the moment. So, if you would excuse me… I have an important meeting to attend right now."
"You… Do you understand the consequences of rejecting this offer?" The leader glared at him.
"No. And I don't want to know." Auric started to get impatient. He valued time a lot, so he didn't really want to be late.
So, he didn't want to waste any more time, as he had promised to arrive in twenty minutes.
But the leader just had to shout at him. "If you dare to refuse my offer, I'm going to make sure that you can't operate on this campus anymore. Do you think you are great just because you have two elements?
"It is only because you are an evolution master that I am thinking highly of you. However, you are just a mere brat with a unique element. Even if you have the advantage right now, you will be nothing in the future. You will be trapped by your own arrogance and your element limitations!"
Auric never felt trapped. He had been polite to everyone and never underestimated his opponents.
But people didn't know that Auric could evolve as long as he had enough elements.
In addition, if he wanted to, he could just become an all-element evolution master and suppress all of them at once.
But he didn't really have any time to bicker with them, nor did he intend to.
"Is that so? In that case, you can watch me swallow my own words in the future. So, if you'd please excuse me, can you make way, seniors?"
"You!" The leader raised his hand as if he were going to punish Auric.
Auric's expression turned serious. As he was about to retaliate, an aged voice echoed from his left.
"What are you doing, I wonder…"
"!!!" The leader glanced to the side.
Auric recognized the voice. It was none other than Professor Vienna.
"Professor…" The leader's expression turned grim.
Professor Vienna smiled at Auric. "Aren't you supposed to have a meeting with the president of the Evolution Association? Why are you still here? Should you get going now?"
Auric nodded politely. "Yes. I'm heading there right now, Professor."
Professor Vienna then turned to the group. "And what are you lot doing here? Don't you have any shame in bullying a freshman?"
The leader gnashed his teeth, but he then snorted. Even though Professor Vienna couldn't see his face, she could sense the anger within him.
It looked like he didn't intend to stay quiet about the matter.
Professor Vienna shook her head helplessly. 'You punks. Do you not know that I was saving you instead of him? Once his identity as a unique element evolution master spread, people from around the world would come to him. At that time, those influential and wealthy people would do everything he wanted to gain his favor. Suppressing your little influence is as easy as flipping one's hand.'
Professor Vienna sighed. 'Maybe I shouldn't have agreed to conceal his identity. This could have been avoided if people just knew that he was a unique element evolution master… but all the trouble that will follow…'
She had only a headache. Everything would be convenient, but his life would definitely become complicated once that identity was exposed.
'Still, Vice Dean Maya is rather ruthless to her own students. She won't interfere much with the conflict between students, as it can help him grow. However, she will suppress anyone who dares to use their connections to handle this matter.'
Professor Vienna scratched the back of her head. 'Milinda should come soon. My bones are too old to handle this kind of problem.'
Auric headed to the Evolution Association as quickly as possible, but he looked anxious and frustrated because he realized he would be five minutes late.
Meanwhile, Lindwurm was angry for a different reason.
"Those bastards. I'm not going to forgive them. Do they think they're so good? Just let me humiliate them. Show them your third element or something and make them regret it! Or just ask the association for help."
Auric sighed inwardly. 'Well, it doesn't matter for the time being. However, it will be different if they cause me more trouble than this.'
"If not for that professor, you would have been assaulted earlier."
'Yes. Which is why they should thank Professor Vienna.' Auric's eyes turned cold.
If it hadn't been for her, Auric would have considered that an assault and retaliated to the best of his ability. Even if he couldn't defeat them physically, there were plenty of ways to hit them back hard.
Still, it didn't mean he planned to completely let them go. They still made him "five minutes" late!
Lindwurm felt chills down his spine. For some reason, he got the feeling that Auric was planning something.
Nevertheless, Auric didn't say anything about his plan.
Once he arrived at the association, he immediately headed for the receptionist. Of course, he took out his three-star badge. "Hello. May I see the association's president? I have an appointment. Please tell him that I'm Auric Elfe."
"Y-Yes!" The receptionist was a bit surprised by his age and face, but she immediately called the president and panicked slightly. "Yes, sir. Please follow me. I will guide you directly to him."
Normally, the receptionist would just tell him to go to the top floor, but it looked like the president demanded that she guide him personally.
Auric just smiled to assure her. She awkwardly led him to the top floor before knocking on the president's office door. "Sir. I've brought Mr. Elfe."
"Come in."
The receptionist opened the door for Auric before the president nodded to her. "You're excused."
The receptionist bowed before leaving.
There were only Patrick and President Gunther in the room.
"Oh. You are here!" Patrick raised his hand. "Come in. What's going on? I've heard that you are trying to register a new identity. Can you explain now?"
Auric smiled wryly. Before responding to his question, Auric bowed deeply. "I'm sorry for being late."
Patrick and President Gunther exchanged looks. It was true that Auric was late, but due to the matter at hand, they didn't care about a few minutes of delay.
However, the delay made them realize Auric had strict time discipline.
President Gunther coughed to get his attention. "Don't worry. It's just a few minutes. We haven't clocked out anyway. Was the bus late, or was there any traffic?"
Auric looked concerned for a second before a smile bloomed again on his face. He brushed it off with an awkward tone. "Y-Yes. There was a bit of traffic."
"!!!" For people whose professions relied on their perception, they didn't miss the slight change in his expression.
But it looked like Auric was trying to hide it for some reason.
President Gunther looked at Patrick. The latter just smiled as if he were saying, "I did tell you earlier that he called me on campus…"
'So, he got into trouble on campus? But he didn't look like someone who would get into trouble easily. Envy? Someone with exceptionally bright talent would cast a shadow in people's hearts…'
The president didn't show it on his face, but he realized there might be a need to investigate further.
Auric was currently their most talented evolution master. They couldn't afford for their association to become a laughingstock if they failed to protect him.
Patrick glanced at the president as if he were asking, "Do you want me to investigate it?"
The president just patted him on the shoulder, implying that he would handle it directly.
Lindwurm was dumbfounded.
"Eh? Eh?" Lindwurm glanced back and forth between Gunther and Patrick.
He might not be able to read their minds, but looking at their expressions, he knew they were trying to convey something to each other.
And with the way Auric conducted himself earlier, Lindwurm could only think of one possible conclusion.
They would be figuring out what made Auric late.
Even though he had become an evolution master, Auric was still only 17.
That slight change of expression would be considered a kid failing to control his expression when facing hardship…' Lindwurm was speechless. He was shouting about a payback earlier, but he thought Auric was planning to drop the case. He forgot that Auric was still adhering to his principle of equivalent exchange, no matter how small the problem was.
'Did he… make those two aware of the problem without owing them any favor?'