"A contract?" Fly raised an eyebrow. "The Student Council can sign contracts with students?"

  This was the first time Fly had ever heard of such a thing.

  Although an organization like the Student Council had existed in the world he'd come from, its primary responsibilities were managing extracurricular activities or assisting teachers with administrative tasks. He had certainly never heard of one signing contracts with high-achieving students.

  It seemed the Student Council in this world occupied a very different ecological niche than the one he was used to.

  "What kind of contract is it?" His interest piqued, Fly pressed Genevieve for more details.

  But to his surprise, she simply shook her head. "I don't know either. The moment I received the invitation, I came looking for you. I figured that with the incredible score you got on the test, you would have received a message from them as well."

  Genevieve continued, "I'd heard stories about the Star City High Student Council back when I was in middle school. They're known for using all sorts of tactics, both threats and promises, to coerce outstanding students into signing contracts with them. Students who don't cooperate are harshly suppressed."

  "In any case, if they make you any verbal promises or ask you to sign any documents, don't trust them right away. It might be better for us to discuss it together later."

  With that, Genevieve hurriedly departed from Fly's Inner Realm.

  ...

  It seems this Student Council wields a lot of power... Fly thought to himself.

  Fly was, after all, not a real high school student. Having lived two lives, he had a wealth of social experience. He could tell that Genevieve was deeply wary of this Student Council.

  She was the genius girl of Star City, backed by a powerful family. If even she was this cautious, then the Student Council was definitely not to be taken lightly.

  It was best to be careful when dealing with this sudden "invitation."

  Whatever...

  No point getting hung up on this now. Overthinking it won't lead to any answers.

  Although he didn't know why the Student Council wanted to sign contracts with top freshmen, he had nothing to be afraid of. This world might revere martial strength, but at its core, it was still a society governed by law.

  Besides, he was no pushover that anyone could just casually manipulate. If they pushed him too far and a fight broke out, the outcome was far from certain.

  And on top of that, he had Dean Sterling as his backer...

  At this thought, Fly's mood settled. He awakened his system and began his training for the day.

  ...

  Nearing noon, after a long morning of training, Fly made his way to the school cafeteria.

  He had already become a celebrity among the freshmen after his victory against Jett on the first day of school. His performance in yesterday's Martial Trials had caused an even greater sensation throughout the entire school.

  So, the moment Fly pushed open the cafeteria doors and stepped inside, he immediately caused an uproar.

  A crowd instantly formed around him. Many students shouted, asking for his contact information, while others directly took out their phones to take pictures and record videos...

  This was insane...

  Fly was rendered speechless by the scene...

  No wonder celebrities always have to wear sunglasses and masks, completely covering themselves up when they go out.

  The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  These fans are truly rabid...

  However...

  Not everyone had swarmed him. Fly glanced around and noticed 'Emperor' Valerius sitting alone at a table by the window, quietly eating his lunch. His right arm, the one that had been demonic, was now wrapped in thick bandages and supported by a sling, forcing him to eat with his left hand. It was clear he was not used to it.

  When Valerius noticed Fly looking at him, he shot him a fierce glare and then petulantly turned his head away.

  "That's enough!"

  Fly shouted as he pushed his way through the crowd. He got his food from the counter and finally found an empty seat to sit down.

  But the moment he sat down, another freshman sidled up to him and asked excitedly, "Fly, how did you do it?"

  "And you are?" Fly asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

  The freshman was visibly taken aback for a second, then quickly replied, "My name is Leo. I'm in Class Two, just like you."

  Leo?

  Fly frowned slightly. The name did sound vaguely familiar, but he had no memory of the person himself.

  It was hardly surprising. He was so focused on training that he hadn't made any friends. Furthermore, due to the Power Assessment Test, even students in the same class had barely spent any time together. It was perfectly understandable that he wouldn't remember this Leo.

  But Leo seemed completely unfazed by Fly's reaction. He continued with a grin, "I ranked twenty-seventh in the test. That's a pretty good score, right?"

  If he were talking to anyone else, Leo would have proudly declared, "I am one of the top thirty geniuses at Star City High!" A prime candidate for a top-tier Martial Academy!

  However... he was now facing the number one student in the entire year...

  His own achievement suddenly seemed rather insignificant.

  In fact, the moment the words left his mouth, a wave of regret washed over him.

  How could I have been so bold as to brag about my ranking in front of Fly?

  "Ahem..." A corner of Fly's mouth twitched, and he let out a soft cough.

  "Uh... let's not talk about test scores..." Leo said, scratching his head in embarrassment.

  "Oh, right! Fly, did you get the invitation from the Student Council?" Leo's eyes darted around as he desperately searched for a new topic.

  "Hmm?" At this, Fly's eyes lit up, and he even paused his eating. He had been wanting to ask someone about the Student Council.

  Seeing Fly's interest, Leo's spirits instantly lifted. "Have you heard?" he said excitedly. "The Student Council invited the top thirty freshmen from the test for private talks one by one. I heard they're promising all sorts of benefits!"

  "And you? Did you go?" Fly asked calmly.

  If the Student Council invited the top thirty, and Leo was ranked twenty-seventh, he should have received an invitation as well.

  "I got the invitation, but I haven't gone yet," Leo replied. "They're meeting with the top-ranked students first. Our turn comes later."

  A thought suddenly occurred to Fly. That's right. Genevieve left in such a hurry this morning. She must have been on her way to that meeting. I wonder how she's doing now...

  As he was lost in thought, a resonant voice suddenly boomed from the cafeteria entrance.

  "Which one of you is Fly?"

  The voice was not only loud, but it also carried an undeniable air of authority.

  The noisy cafeteria fell silent. All the students turned in unison to look at the entrance.

  Standing there was a tall, powerfully built man with dark skin and a resolute expression. He looked like an NBA star from Fly's past life.

  His commanding presence was so intense that not a single student in the cafeteria dared to respond. They all just looked at each other, a silent consensus to stay quiet passing between them.

  But Fly stood up. With an aura that was in no way inferior to the newcomer's, he stared back and said coldly, "I am. What can I do for you?"

  Just as everyone braced for a fight, the man broke into a broad, hearty laugh. He strode over to Fly in a few long steps, grabbed both of his hands, and said with great excitement, "Mr. Fly, it's a pleasure! I'm Vincent, an officer of the Student Council."

  Hmm? Another one who doesn't play by the script, Fly thought to himself. I thought the Student Council was supposed to be full of scowling thugs. This guy seems pretty friendly.

  But having lived two lives, Fly was well-acquainted with the concept of a velvet glove over an iron fist.

  He remained outwardly impassive.

  Vincent warmly held Fly's hands and continued with a smile, "Ah, Mr. Fly, you truly are a man in high demand! This morning, the Student Council sent out emails to all the outstanding students from the test. Everyone else showed up, but you didn't. We had to come and invite you personally."

  "But, of course, an exceptional freshman like you is well worth the personal trip," Vincent added.

  This guy is no simpleton, Fly thought. The hidden meaning in his words was clear: 'You've got some nerve, Fly. Everyone else came when they were told, but you're the only one who thinks he's special.' And he delivered the jab with a smile and a compliment, making it difficult for me to get angry. After all, you don't slap a smiling face.

  This Student Council officer is a real smooth operator.

  Fly smiled back. "You're too kind, senior. I wouldn't dare be so arrogant. It's just that I receive so much junk mail that I turned off my email notifications long ago. Perhaps the Student Council's invitation got sorted into the 'spam' folder. My apologies for any offense."

  The subtext was clear: Your Student Council's email belongs in the trash, and I couldn't be bothered to look at it.

  But there was nothing wrong with his words on the surface; he was, after all, telling the truth.

  Vincent didn't seem to take offense. He simply held Fly's hand and said with the same warm enthusiasm, "If that's the case, then please come with me now. Everyone at the Student Council is eagerly awaiting your arrival."

  Fly glanced at his nearly finished meal, then smiled. "Of course. Please, lead the way, senior."

  With that, he walked to the cafeteria entrance and stood there, waiting for Vincent to lead him away.