"You don't need to explain." Yvonne Dalton seemed to see through everything already, waved her hand and smiled, "My enhancement talent can only boost an ordinary person's potential by up to fifty percent, but just now I enhanced you by at least five times. That means you still have a lot of untapped potential. You're a strange one. No need to thank me. By the way, I'm Anna Sutton's friend. She said she won't bother you anymore. Goodbye!"

Watching her beautiful figure walk away, I fell into thought.

The girls of Wanling Academy are truly something else.

And then there's Logan Sullivan—hmph, that guy seems to have gotten hurt a bit, so he should be quiet for a few days.

Push the cart, back to the Sword-Grinding Office!

……

In the blink of an eye, night fell again. After eating in the cafeteria, I kept myself just half full. Although Ryan Scott promised to bring me a rabbit to roast, who knows when he'll actually bring it.

By the time I finished sharpening swords, it was already past nine. I grabbed a training sword and practiced in the courtyard.

I don't know how long had passed when I suddenly felt someone watching me from behind.

"Hmm?!"

I turned around quickly, and sure enough, a graceful figure stood there in the wind. Her beautiful eyes seemed to have been watching me practice for a long time. She wore the lovely uniform of a Wanling Academy girl, with a delicate little bag slung over her shoulder.

"Anna Sutton?"

I was surprised. "Yvonne Dalton said you wouldn't bother me anymore, didn't she?"

Anna Sutton pressed her red lips together, looking like she wanted to say something but hesitated. After a while, she finally said, "I'm not here to bother you. I'm here to see you..."

"Huh?"

My heart was suddenly all over the place. Why did Anna Sutton come to see me? She even brought a bag, looking like she was about to run away from home. What is she up to?

Chapter 9: Dragon Breath Technique

The little courtyard of the Sword-Grinding Office was in ruins. With the early autumn wind blowing, fallen leaves spun and rolled everywhere.

Anna Sutton walked in step by step, pushed open the mottled iron gate of the Sword-Grinding Office—almost yanking it off its hinges with too much force. Only when she stood before me, looking delicate and lovely, did she give me a graceful little bow as a greeting. Her bright, watery eyes seemed to speak. She paused, then said, "I want to ask you for a favor."

"Oh? Go ahead..." I put down the training sword in my hand.

Anna Sutton pressed her red lips together, her skirt swaying gently in the autumn breeze. The pair of snowy legs beneath her skirt were definitely the most beautiful sight in the whole Sword-Grinding Office. She blinked and said, "When you defeated me the other day, it seemed like you saw through the flaws of Feiyan, right?"

"Feiyan's flaws?"

I thought for a moment, then nodded. "Sort of. The hilt of your Feiyan sword is very large and heavy, but the Su family sword style you use is all about agility and speed. So, Feiyan actually doesn't match the Su family sword style very well. You should be able to feel that too."

"Yes." Anna Sutton looked a bit excited, her starry eyes shining enchantingly in the moonlight. "You found my weakness with just a casual strike. That's why I came here today. I want to eliminate my own weaknesses. Otherwise, if you can defeat me, others can too. I don't want... I don't want to be defeated by anyone."

There was pride and determination in her gaze. That was probably why she became the top freshman at Wanling Academy at such a young age.

I thought for a long time.

"What, do you have doubts, Ethan Baker?" She tilted her head and looked at me.

I took a deep breath and said, "I'm not qualified to teach you anything."

"Why not?"

"Because you're the top freshman, and I'm just an alternate. Besides..." I paused, looking into her bright eyes. "The Su family sword style is already one of the most outstanding sword arts in the world. Your family has deep roots and a rich heritage. You really don't need guidance from an alternate like me, do you?"

"Are you still mad at me?" She bit her red lip and said softly, "That day, I'm really sorry."

I couldn't help but laugh. "I think you misunderstood. I'm not mad at you. I just don't think I'm qualified."

"No, you are qualified."

Anna Sutton's expression was very serious. "I... Anna Sutton of the Hundred Saints Alliance family sincerely ask you... to help me correct the flaws in my swordsmanship. Will you? I won't let you teach me for free..."

As she spoke, she pulled a silver card from the left pocket of her uniform and said, "There are two hundred thousand Dragon Spirit Coins in here. Consider it your tuition for teaching me."

Damn, two hundred thousand!?

I was stunned for a few seconds. My entire net worth was only 2,000 Dragon Spirit Coins, and she just offered two hundred thousand. No wonder she's the daughter of the Federation Chief—her allowance must be generous. But taking the money didn't feel right, since it was just a small favor and I might not even be able to teach her well. So I said, "Forget the money. I might not be able to help you improve, and I might not even be able to correct your swordsmanship. The Su family sword style has such deep roots—who am I to give pointers..."

"So, you're agreeing to help me?" She didn't hide her joy at all.

"Sort of, but I might not be able to teach you well, and the tuition is waived. Every day you come..." I thought for a moment and said, "Just bring me a meal each time you come. Bring more food..."