Chapter 46 – Explaining Armor

The buzz of the classroom had settled into a calm silence after Chen Yi's no-nonsense explanation of the Academy's rules. But it didn't last long.

Chen Yi stood again, now without the scroll. She looked over the room with a stare sharp enough to cut steel.

"Now then," she said, stepping back onto the raised platform, "let's begin your first proper class at Shrek Academy."

There was no grand introduction. No dramatic pause. Just the cold, clinical efficiency that seemed to define the woman.

"Today's topic: Armor Mastery."

Some students straightened in their seats. Others looked confused. Qiang Ming merely leaned back, his arms crossed, one brow slightly raised.

"Why start with this?" she asked aloud, answering herself a second later. "Because this is what separates Shrek from the other so-called elite schools of the Federation. And this will determine whether you graduate—or not."

There was a beat of silence.

"Let me make this very clear. In order to graduate from the outer court, you must become a 1-word Armor Master before the age of thirty-five. If you don't, you fail. Period. Shrek does not lower its standards."

The declaration hit the room like a hammer. Even among students who considered themselves geniuses, that requirement sent murmurs rippling through the class.

Chen Yi let the silence fester before continuing.

"Do you know what the average graduation rate is?" She swept her gaze across the classroom. "Thirty-three percent. One out of three. That's how many of you will walk out of here as graduates."

Qiang Ming tapped his fingers on his desk. It wasn't nerves—it was disinterest. The conversation already felt too far removed from what he considered real battle. Still, he kept listening. He always did.

"But if," Chen Yi added, "you manage to complete your power armor and reach One-Word Armor Master status before the age of twenty-five, you will become eligible to take the Inner Court examination."

That perked a few ears. The Inner Court was a place only the Federation's absolute cream of the crop could reach.

"Let's get into what that means," she continued. "There are two paths to follow—Machine Master and Armor Master. Machine Masters rely on external power armor built through mechanical means, usable by most people with enough resources and skill. It is armor for the body."

She paused, letting her next words ring.

"But Power Armor is something else entirely. It is not an accessory. It is not a tool. It is an extension of your own strength—armor for the spirit. Power Armor is as much a part of you as your Martial Soul."

That did catch Qiang Ming's attention, though only slightly. His eyes narrowed, but his expression remained flat.

"Power Armor is divided into four ranks: One-Word, Two-Word, Three-Word, and Four-Word. Each level represents an enormous leap in power and integration with the user. A full Four-Word Power Armor set can grant near-godlike strength"

There was a reverent silence in the room now. Even Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan looked properly serious.

"But power like that doesn't come cheap. To even make your first word, you will need:"

She turned to the side and tapped the projection screen with a flick of her Soul Power. A glowing list appeared.

Level 50 Spirit Power – Spirit King

Level 3 in one of three Auxiliary Occupations (Machine Designer, Machine Manufacturer, or Blacksmith)

Thousand-forged Rare Metal Components

Design Grandmaster

Manufacturing Grandmaster

Minimum Armor Compatibility of 60%

"If any of you thought this was going to be easy, leave now."

Chen Yi paused to let the message settle, her eyes scanning for hesitation. She seemed slightly disappointed to find none.

"This brings us to your Auxiliary Professions. Most of you won't be able to handle this alone. Shrek encourages cooperation. Blacksmithing, Designing, and Manufacturing—pick one. Master it. Trust others to cover the rest. No one has ever succeeded trying to do all three."

Qiang Ming exhaled through his nose and leaned to the side slightly, his chin resting in his palm. His mind drifted. Words like "design," "compatibility," and "modules" grated against him like rusted gears.

He hated all of it.

The whole idea of battle armor rubbed him wrong. Not because it wasn't strong—it obviously was. But because it felt… synthetic. A crutch.

All his strength came from training his body, refining his spirit, and smashing forward with raw, uncompromising force. Putting his trust in a series of plates and servos felt like betrayal.

Xie Xie nudged him. "What's with the face? You look like someone spat in your breakfast."

Qiang Ming shrugged. "I don't like the idea."

"Huh?"

"Of armor," he clarified, voice flat. "Feels dishonest. Like putting distance between me and the fight."

Tang Wulin overheard and leaned in slightly. "You do realize everyone who gets strong in this world uses armor eventually, right?"

"I know," Qiang Ming said. "Doesn't mean I have to like it."

Gu Yue, ever silent but observant, eyed him from the corner of her vision. She said nothing—but the flicker of curiosity in her black-violet eyes was unmistakable.

Chen Yi was wrapping up now.

"Before you leave, take one of these." She gestured, and lists were passed out row by row. "These are the current blacksmiths, designers, and manufacturers within the first-grade class. If you don't have a secondary occupation, start considering who you can team up with."

She stepped down from the podium.

"This school gives you everything you need to succeed. But it won't carry you. No one will."

With that, the class was over.

As the students began to rise and disperse, Qiang Ming rolled the parchment into a tight scroll and slipped it into his ring, sighing.

"Ten-ish years to get 1 word Battle Armor," he muttered. "I'd rather fight a Dire Beast barehanded."

"You probably will," Wulin said as he passed, smirking. "And you'll still need that armor."

Qiang Ming shook his head. "We'll see."

The future was coming. And it was plated in metal.