Asher and Felter weren't that familiar yet, so he couldn't read Felter's gaze. But Old Hank, who understood, had a strong urge to beat his son.
'Big one, small one, beat them together!'
'Talking like I had a choice, like I wanted two sons like this.'
He should go find a mirror and see what he looks like.
Felter had no idea at all that his dad wanted to hit him.
He lightly fantasized in his head about having a biological brother like Asher, then very practically brought his attention back to what Asher had just asked.
"Ah, I know, my brother wants to find Mr. Clyde together… wait a minute?", While speaking, Felter paused.
He looked at Asher with a surprised, disbelieving expression.
"Could it be…"
Asher nodded in response to Felter's guess, "Probably just like you're thinking, Mr. Clyde happened to be at my lab at the time."
"Miss Freya was there too," As he spoke, Asher recalled Freya, who had come with them, and added.
Freya, whose face was still somewhat pale, heard her name and looked in Asher's direction. She forced a difficult smile.
"Thank you for still remembering me, Professor Asher," Freya said weakly.
Felter: "..."
Old Hank raised an eyebrow.
'Professor Asher?'
Old Hank finally connected Asher with that once-famous online rising star pet research genius in his mind.
"Can't judge a person by appearance," Old Hank muttered a couple of sentences softly.
Old Hank didn't join the young people's conversation.
At a time like this, a senior with a relatively special identity like him wasn't exactly a welcomed presence.
Old Hank wasn't about to go over and seek attention.
Better to think about how to explain to his wife after going back about the strange behavior of their son today, if it made her happy, it counted as the son's contribution.
Felter felt a bit of a chill on his back.
Felter didn't think too much about it.
After all, he had long been used to this kind of chill.
'Hmm, maybe brother or dad are thinking about me?'
'Not a big deal.'
"Ugh…", Listening to Asher, Felter suddenly turned his head and looked at Prince.
When no one was paying attention, Prince's position had somehow changed, he was now lying on the head of the Lightyear Dragon Rider.
"BROTHER!", Felter gathered energy into his belly and let out a massive shout.
Prince: "!"
Prince was so startled he almost jumped straight off the Lightyear Dragon Rider's head.
He turned his head and saw it was Felter calling him. Prince then waved his fists in Felter's direction.
Just that the distance was a bit far.
Asher and the others saw Felter waving his fists and thought he looked like a stick figure trying to act cute.
Asher: "..."
Mixed feelings.
"Brother!", Felter was completely unfazed by Prince's threatening gesture.
Care? Absolutely impossible to care.
Felter continued shouting loudly, "If Asher can go, I want to go with you too!"
"What's the big deal with taking me along?"
"If you don't take me, I'll really lose to that guy Dexter this time when we go back!"
"Brother, you definitely don't want to see me lose, right?"
Listening to Felter, Asher could totally imagine how intense the competition for top student between these two must be at Jade Dragon University.
"Do you know which of them is the top freshman in the battle department?", Asher turned to look at Freya beside him.
Freya was silent.
Freya glanced at Asher, "Professor Asher, why would you think I'd know about this elementary school-level rivalry?"
Asher said nothing.
Asher quietly looked at Freya.
Having recovered, and with her cheeks once again turning rosy, Freya saw this and rubbed her cheeks twice on the ground.
"Fine, fine," Freya muttered, "Although, I do actually know."
As she spoke, Freya quickly glanced at Asher, "I'm just curious, that's all!"
"Curious!"
"Definitely not because I graduated from Flood Dragon and check every year if Jade Dragon made any jokes!"
Asher chose silence.
Unblinking.
Expression calm.
As if he didn't hear the subtext in Freya's words at all.
Freya hummed twice, feeling better, and then continued: "It's like this, Felter and Dexter are evenly matched in strength."
"They fought many battles for the freshman battle department's top spot but couldn't settle it."
"That's actually pretty rare."
Freya made a point of explaining.
From the visible records, Felter had lost more times to Dexter.
But to become the top of the battle department, it's not just about fight records. It also depends on pet training, rapport with the pet, battle experience, and other comprehensive factors.
In these aspects, Felter performed slightly better.
"But," Hearing this, Asher nodded. He already had a rough idea about the competition between Felter and Dexter.
Freya looked at Asher, like she wanted to hear what he had to say.
Could he really guess who was the real top student?
"Dexter," Asher said very confidently.
Freya: "Professor Asher, you really don't want to think again? What if there's a surprise?"
"And from an overall strength standpoint, Felter isn't without advantages. One shouldn't be too decisive."
Hearing this, Asher smiled.
He turned and met Freya's gaze, his eyes unwavering, "You said a lot, but the most important evaluation criterion—"
"Speak with strength."
No matter how much explanation.
No matter how many advantages are listed.
No matter the comparisons.
In the end, it's always said to be close, not completely lacking an advantage.
But the real advantage is still battle record.
To satisfy all the battle students in the freshman class, the top student must have strength overwhelming enough to crush the crowd.
Otherwise, it's not a rightful match.
They would be repeatedly doubted and questioned.
So between Dexter and Felter, the one who becomes top student must be Dexter.
Listening to Asher's analysis, Freya gave him a big thumbs-up.
"In these areas, Professor Asher, you see very clearly."
Asher curled the corners of his mouth.
"…Are you two pretending I don't exist?", Felter's forehead veins were popping. He angrily stared at the two standing beside him, discussing all the reasons why the top student wasn't him, and felt his fists hardening again. Rock hard.
Like he could rush out and start a fight right now.
At some point, Prince had put away the Lightyear Dragon Rider. With a special spiky mohawk and wearing colorful clothes like a big red flower, he walked over flamboyantly and put an arm around his younger brother's neck.
Felter: "..."
'Can't breathe!'
Prince laughed loudly while saying sarcastic words, "Professor Asher's analysis makes perfect sense! This is your own issue. You need to reflect properly on why you're not the top student."
"Clearly you haven't worked hard enough."
"Want me to tutor you? Well, maybe, but tell me, why should I give you a special lesson?"
Prince looked ridiculously flashy on the outside, but when facing his real brother, his attitude was firm and unshakable, "I'm your brother, not your babysitter."
"There's no such thing as things being naturally rightful in this world."
Felter wasn't intimidated by this speech at all.
"First, you're my brother."
"Second, you're my brother."
"Lastly, you're my brother."
Felter counted three reasons on his fingers, then put his hand down, "And I've got one ultimate move."
Prince: "?"
Prince raised an eyebrow.
Being firmly considered a good brother by his younger sibling, Prince felt quite good.
If he brought him along… well, maybe not completely impossible.
But Prince was curious about this "ultimate move."
He was ready to listen.
"I can go tell Mom," Felter said.
Prince: "..."
Prince's eyes went lifeless.
Old Hank, who hadn't spoken all along, also cast a gloomy glance at his two sons.
Old Hank: 'Two debt collectors! Handle your own business! Don't even think about bothering my wife! Do you think I, Old Hank, am just for show?'
The father and sons formed a triangle, faintly at odds.
Asher and Freya, the two bystanders, stood to the side spectating and munching on melon seeds.
Very satisfied. Scenes like this weren't something you saw everywhere.
Interesting!
In the end… Prince still didn't agree immediately. He looked toward his two partners.
"Professor Asher, Little Freya, what do you think?"
Asher blinked, thought carefully, and actually understood why Prince would ask their opinion.
"Mainly, I can at most protect two people by myself. If Clyde also comes, adding this brat wouldn't be a problem. But now…", Prince was still mumbling.
His gaze fell on Asher and Freya.
Clearly, the two he was talking about protecting were Asher and Freya.
Asher didn't feel anything about it.
His strength was right there.
The reason he was brought along was due to his identity as a pet professor, maybe he could help.
But Freya…
"Who asked you to be self-absorbed and say you'd protect me?", Little Freya, tiny as she was, almost exploded hearing Prince.
"Tier 7!"
"I'm a dignified Tier 7 Beast Tamer!"
"I can protect myself just fine, thank you very much!"
Prince blinked. Clearly dressed like a flashy punk, but somehow the look in his eyes showed a bit of innocent stupidity, "But protecting the one you like is my—"
"Shut up," Freya reached out, making a silencing gesture.
Exhausted. Didn't want to argue with someone with such obvious emotional intelligence issues.
Whether she won or lost the argument, it would feel terrible.
"I have no opinion. I don't need your protection, but I also can't help protect others," Freya quickly said, expressing her stance.
She came to help, not to freeload, nor to be protected by Prince.
Asher nodded.
Old Hank also nodded.
'Hmm, not surprising at all.'
They could all hear Freya's favorability toward Prince dropping.
-1-1-1-1-1… It was painfully obvious.
"Alright then," Though Prince had some weird understandings, after hearing that Freya could take care of herself, he didn't push it. He nodded, "Then let Little Felter come with us."
Having been accepted, Felter didn't feel all that thrilled.
"Call me properly by name!"
"Okay, Little Felter, got it, Little Felter."
After all the commotion, Old Hank finally stepped forward.
"Alright, you young folks have decided. Then come with me to get the supplies," As soon as Old Hank spoke, he took control.
Old Hank looked at Asher and Freya with a few hints of sincerity, "Also, Professor Asher, Miss May, sorry to trouble you."
"When interacting with my two sons next, please bear with their stupidity a little. Sometimes they're just like that."
Old Hank said sincerely.
Asher: "..."
He could feel Old Hank's disdain for his two sons… and a small trace of fatherly love.
"Alright," Both nodded in agreement.
No matter what, this folded space was discovered by Old Hank.
And Prince was the strongest combat power among them next.
That bit of stupidity, if it could be tolerated, its alright.
Next, Old Hank showed just how reliable he was to Asher and Freya.
Whether it was the supplies Prince had previously asked him to prepare, or additional things, including what others might not have thought of, Old Hank had thought of it all.
"The situation inside the folded space is quite special. Although I haven't been in, I've heard some things."
"Once you go in, if you get separated, phones might not work. Communicators are a must."
"Then there are emergency supplies, not too heavy, with some general-use items, so even if separated, you can manage on your own for a while."
Old Hank prepared a full six sets.
Though there were only four people now.
Split among them, six wasn't too much, and everyone could carry a full set.
Which meant each person had to carry a big, bulging pack.
"Don't worry, old man," Prince lifted a backpack with some distaste, full of confidence, "I've got great luck!"
"I'll definitely be able to bring everyone out smoothly!"
Hearing Prince's words, Old Hank's expression became strange, "Ah…"
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