“Vertical jump of 4.2 meters on the spot? What is he, a human spring?”

“One hand lifting a 690 kg barbell—one punch from him could kill a bull... no, two bulls.”

“100 meters in 5.86 seconds—Xing-ge, you’re insane!”

Inside the Third-Year Class 1 classroom, students surrounded a well-built boy, showering him with praise.

His name was Chen Wuxing, the king of the third-year elite class. He had just received his Kyoto University special admissions results, shocking his classmates.

As he enjoyed the attention, a nearby boy leaned over and said, “Xing-ge, I heard that Yan Shaoxuan went to the gym to ‘educate’ that arrogant freshman—looks like he’s trying to copy what you did last year.”

“He’s not as handsome or as charismatic as me. He can’t pull it off.”

Chen Wuxing replied coolly.

Then he got up and walked out of the classroom.

The class’s discipline committee member—a girl with shoulder-length hair—noticed he wasn’t heading to the restroom but downstairs, so she chased after him.

“Chen Wuxing, class is about to start! Where are you going?”

“To the gym, to teach the second-years how to teach the first-years.”

“There are less than ten minutes before class! Are you planning to skip?”

“I am. So what?” Chen Wuxing stopped, turned to the meddling girl at the door and said calmly, “I’ve already passed Kyoto University’s special admissions exam. Even if I dropped out right now, I’d still be a Kyoto student next September. Don’t use rules that bind you to try to bind me. Got it?”

Leaving those words behind, he turned and strode down the stairs, leaving only a cool silhouette.

* * *

At the gym, two people stood on the ring.

One defending the title: Lin Zichen.

The challenger: Yan Shaoxuan.

The first-year overlord versus the second-year overlord.

The generational showdown drew a huge crowd.

Many teachers who were free between classes even came to witness it.

“Who do you think will win?”

“Yan Shaoxuan.”

“Same. That first-year, Lin Zichen, may have been impressive recently, taking down almost all of Second-Year Class 3—but that’s just an honors class, nowhere near elite level.”

“Yan Shaoxuan did the same last year and when he fought Chen Wuxing, a grade higher, he got destroyed.”

“Exactly, at the elite level, the talent gap isn’t huge. One extra year of training still makes a big difference.”

The teachers analyzed the match’s likely outcome.

All favored Yan Shaoxuan.

Not everyone could be another Wu Tiancheng, dominating the whole school as a first-year.

Back then, the upper grades were weaker—perfect timing and luck.

* * *

On the ring, Yan Shaoxuan kept one hand in his pocket, brushing aside the bangs over his eyes with practiced swagger.

“Junior, I was arrogant like you last year. But when I got crushed, I learned what ‘there’s always someone stronger’ means. Today, I’ll teach you your first lesson in humility.”

Last year, he too had charged through entire classes—second-years, then third-years—until Chen Wuxing flattened him.

Now, as a senior, he wanted revenge by crushing a prodigy from a lower grade.

Couldn’t beat older students? Fine, he’d bully the younger ones.

He would make someone else suffer the humiliation he once felt.

Lin Zichen had no patience for his lecture.

He turned to the referee, “We’re both in position. Let’s begin.”

The referee nodded, then looked at Yan Shaoxuan, “Ready?”

“Ready.”

“Match, start!”

“Junior, I advi—BANG!”

Before he could finish, Lin Zichen kicked him clean off the ring.

‘Too talkative. Next.’

Ignoring the stunned silence, Lin Zichen called out, “Lunch break’s almost over—anyone else?”

No answer.

Everyone was frozen.

‘What just happened?’

Yan Shaoxuan was one of the top five students in the school—and a freshman just one-shotted him?

‘Impossible!’

As the crowd erupted into disbelief, Yan Shaoxuan sat dazed on the floor, his soul seemingly gone.

Last year, he was beaten by an upperclassman. Now, as an upperclassman, he was beaten by a freshman.

‘So it’s my destiny to lose both ways?’

Lin Zichen didn’t even glance at him.

Instead, he scanned the crowd and shouted, “Anyone else? Join and you can win prizes—free milk tea for a month, the newest Fruit Phone!”

Still, no one came up.

He looked at a bespectacled girl by the ring and grinned, “Hey, want to try a few moves?”

“Uh, I’m just a humanities student... I came to watch.”

“No problem. Come experience it.”

He lifted her onto the ring, handed her a raffle ticket—and immediately defeated her with one strike.

Natural Selection progress +1!

The principal blinked, dumbfounded.

‘Didn’t he want strong opponents? Why was he beating up random spectators? Battle maniac? Addicted? Desperate for progress?’

She couldn’t figure it out—but it didn’t matter.

She understood one thing: keep Lin Zichen happy.

So she ordered the teachers to send up any remaining students who hadn’t fought yet.

Soon, one after another was pushed onto the ring—and all were instantly defeated.

Watching his achievement bar skyrocket, Lin Zichen couldn’t help but smile.

A principal who can read the room is a good principal.

Soon, the class bell rang. Students said they needed to return.

The principal waved it off, “If your teachers ask, tell them the principal said you could stay.”

“Look! Chen Wuxing’s here!”

“He’s joining the challenge?”

“Even the number one in the whole school came—this’ll be good!”

As murmurs rippled through the crowd, Lin Zichen turned toward the approaching boy.

‘Chen Wuxing? The school’s number one? So, I beat the junior, now comes the boss?’

The boy met his gaze, then dashed forward—kicking off the floor and landing on the ring with a heavy thud.

Same flashy entrance as Yan Shaoxuan, only higher and stronger.

“Didn’t think Yan Shaoxuan would lose to you,” Chen Wuxing said, expression calm, “Your strength’s impressive, but—”

“Referee, we’re ready. Start the match.”

Lin Zichen cut him off, uninterested in speeches.

Another talker.

“Impatient, aren’t you?” Chen Wuxing smirked, “Don’t worry, I’ll calm you down soon enough.”

Ten seconds later—

BANG!

The school’s strongest was kicked off the ring.

Lin Zichen ignored the gasps and turned to the next in line, “Don’t just stand there—your turn.”

“Oh—uh, right!”

The boy climbed up, only to be knocked out in ten seconds.

“Next! Another! Keep them coming!”

One after another, he cut through opponents until late afternoon.

Finally—

[In formal competition, eliminate 1,000 unique opponents using the most primal means of survival. Completed.]

[You have obtained the Biological Attribute: Natural Selection]

[Natural Selection: Increases damage dealt to other living beings.]

Lin Zichen read the message, satisfied.

Simple and brutal.

Highly practical.

The only downside: it didn’t specify by how much.