"It seems like you all have just finished your training," Flander said as he gently took Xue from Tony’s hands. The little girl giggled happily, sitting in his arms as she asked something quietly.
Flander smiled, brushing her hair softly and then looked up.
"Tomorrow will be another yearly recruitment event."
He turned to Steve, who stood silently at the side.
"Steve, once again, you’ll oversee it with Zhao Wuji," Flander said, and Steve gave a calm nod.
Steve now resembled Alhaitham from Genshin Impact, his demeanor just as composed and intellectual. In fact, many of the group had grown to resemble their bound characters, which often made strangers turn their heads whenever they passed by.
Flander nodded back and turned toward the rest.
"Alright then. Just give me a summary about the Monster Division’s current status and any new talents we’ve recruited."
He said and then left.
The original Shrek Academy had now shifted its main base to Tian Dou City, while the current facility here served as the Outer Sect grounds. They had left this place in charge of managing general recruits while they focused the Inner Sect and Monster Division in the capital for elite cultivation.
The recruitment structure was now well-established:
Outer Sect: Accepts students with innate spirit power of 3 or below.
Inner Sect: Accepts those with innate spirit power of 4 to 8.
Monster Division: Reserved exclusively for those with innate spirit power of 9 or 10.
And it wasn’t just the divisions that had improved—there were now new tests and evaluations assigned to each one. Just like the current Outer Court, which now had four new instructors overseeing its students. These instructors were retired spirit masters from minor noble families, old men who had once walked the battlefield and were now invited to teach these outer court students the fundamentals of the cultivation path.
The following morning dawned bright and early, with a festive buzz running through the academy grounds.
Colorful banners fluttered from the walls of the Outer Sect’s grand plaza as hundreds of hopeful youths lined up with their families, forming a long procession at the gates. Some came barefoot from remote villages, their clothes patched but their eyes burning with hope. Others came dressed in fine robes, their backgrounds evident from the guards escorting them.
It was the Shrek Academy’s Annual Recruitment Day—the one event that gathered talent from across the surrounding kingdoms.
On a raised platform stood Steve, dressed in his crisp training robes, arms crossed calmly as he observed the swelling crowd. Beside him stood Zhao Wuji, towering like a bear, his thick arms folded and eyes stern.
A few feet behind them, Dave, Bucky, Shuri, Bruce, and the others watched casually. They weren’t required to assist unless the candidate had exceptional potential—but Dave had insisted on being present to scan for hidden gems, especially for the Monster Division, though in reality he knew that Tang San is coming and he himself want to fight him.
"Looks like more came this year than last," Bruce noted, narrowing his eyes at the number of families waiting in line.
"Probably because of the restructuring," Bucky replied, arms folded.
Dave smiled faintly, but his eyes were already scanning the crowd. His spiritual sense probed subtly as he looked for those rare sparks—the unpolished diamonds hiding beneath normal appearances.
"Most of these kids will go to the Outer and Inner Sect," Dave murmured quietly.
Then a small smile tugged at his lips as he thought to himself, Except those four...
His gaze drifted through the crowd, stopping on Tang San, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing, all scattered among the incoming applicants, yet standing out like stars in a cloudy sky.
Just like in the original story, there was an old man stationed near the academy gates. He sat cross-legged on a wooden stool, lazily sipping from a gourd of wine as he sized up the incoming participants. Based on his judgment, each applicant was directed toward one of three gates—Outer, Inner, and Monster.
Up to now, almost all had been directed to the Outer and Inner Gates for further testing. Not a single person had been sent toward the Monster Gate.
"Let’s go and wait at the Monster Gate test site," Dave said casually, standing up from his seat. He knew exactly what was coming.
The others nodded and followed at first, but halfway through the day, Bruce and Natasha quietly slipped away, bored from the inactivity.
Bucky and Shuri followed not long after—after all, not a single candidate had shown up for the Monster division, and they had training to attend.
Now, only Dave and Meilin remained at the Monster Gate testing site.
"Do you think anyone will actually be sent here?" Meilin asked softly, glancing around. Her tone was gentle, her gaze curious.
She had grown to become the academy’s top beauty, her appearance now matured and shaped by the effects of spirit master cultivation. Her long, snowy white hair shimmered faintly with moonlight hues, and her sapphire-blue eyes held both warmth and clarity. Her figure had developed into soft curves and firm tone—a perfect balance of elegance and strength.
Dave sat calmly, looking relaxed as he watched the testing gate. His eyes held a spark of amusement as he replied, "Maybe. I saw some interesting guys in the crowd."
Meilin just leaned gently on his shoulder without hesitation. She was used to being near him now, no longer blushing or shy. They were close—closer than most—and the academy knew it. She had stopped caring what anyone else thought long ago.
Dave glanced at her briefly, a soft look passing through his eyes before returning to the gates.
The sun had begun to lean westward, casting long shadows across the stone courtyard. Dave sat unmoved, his arms lazily draped over his knees while Meilin leaned comfortably on his shoulder.
It was quiet near the Monster Gate—almost too quiet.
Until a sharp ripple of energy rolled across the training field.
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