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墨書 Inktalez
As soon as the girl finished speaking, she turned around with a mysterious smile, revealing an expression that seemed to say, "You should follow me." However, her goddess-like charm appeared to have met its match, as the man in front of her clearly did not fall for feminine allure.
"My name is Freyr. And you?"
Freyr steadied his mind and calmly greeted the girl with wavy hair who had turned her back to him.
The girl slowly inhaled, then turned around with a captivating smile and said, "My name is Freya. You probably don’t know my identity, dear newcomer. I am the team manager of Crazy Basketball's Ice Dust Team. I believe the qualities you exude are perfectly suited for the atmosphere of the Ice Dust Team. Moreover, if you heed our team's advice, your abilities can reach new heights. Training in such an inhuman manner takes too much time; the Ice Dust Team's training can enhance your genetic strength. The stronger your genetic makeup, the more powerful your body as a Gene-Enhanced Human will become. No matter how hard an ant trains, it cannot escape its fate as an ant. We are a noble evolved species and certainly shouldn’t rely on outdated training methods."
Upon hearing this, Freyr felt a pang of embarrassment. He had always pushed himself to reach his ultimate potential through rigorous training over the years, developing a resilient character in the process. He had never heard of any other training methods that could surpass this scientific approach. However, Freya's words stirred something within him; he was now even more eager to witness what the Ice Dust Team had to offer.
This girl loved to smile, and her charm was undeniable. Yet her physique was also extraordinary; it was evident that after physical contact, he could keenly sense that her body’s flexibility approached perfection. In his worldview, once all impurities were eliminated from the body, muscle strength would surpass that of rubber-like properties—making it nearly impossible for ordinary blades to penetrate.
At this moment, Freyr's physique was not yet at that terrifying level, but Freya held her own against him without losing ground.
The moment their skin touched, Freyr seemed to grasp the disparity between them. This enchanting girl was clearly not one of the main players on the team; she was merely a team manager. If even the manager had reached such a level, he could only imagine how high those sitting on the bench or actually playing must be. Just thinking about it made his head ache and cold sweat began to bead on his back.
He stood still for a while, contemplating.
"Freya, take me to see it."
Freya nodded slightly and flashed another charming smile. She always wore a smile on her face—especially with that delightful visage and alluring grin that could make many handsome men fall for her.
"I knew you would say that. However, although I am the manager of the Ice Dust Team, whether we need someone like you is still uncertain. Our captain will personally assess new recruits' abilities."
Freyr felt dazed by this revelation; he was still immersed in her earlier words when he realized he might not even be needed after all. The thought made his heart race.
If his future continued down the same path as in his previous life, there was no doubt he would remain the last survivor fighting until the end. When faced with Heart of Zerg again, would he even have a chance to escape its clutches? Clearly, the opportunity for a second chance was slim to none. Thus, he yearned for change; if it meant improving his physique further, he would pay any price.
Exclusion, indifference, mockery, and intrigue—all these were mere child’s play in his eyes; immature adults were not worth his concern. He had always quietly worked hard and fought until the end.
The path confronting him ahead could be taken without complaint.
Freya glanced into his eyes and then revealed an expression of understanding.
"Understood, you're serious. Even if it means taking on menial tasks, that's fine, right? But even so, the chances of being retained are not very high. If you're aware of that, then follow me."
The chances may be slim, but he was best at creating opportunities. If he wasn't kept on, he could always switch to another team.
"I understand the chances are slim. I will work hard to show my worth."
Freyr didn't know where this courage came from to say such words, but he possessed a calm confidence. After all, his physical age and mental age combined were enough to make him their grandfather.
Of course, after he said this, the girl once again wore a smile that was difficult to read, making it impossible to tell whether she was mocking him for being overly ambitious.
The girl bounced along as she took on the role of a tour guide, leading the way. They left the playground and soon arrived at a somewhat grand building.
This school building had a resounding nickname: Cambrian Hall, symbolizing the eternal ice age that would never melt. Only those who excelled in the academy were qualified to use this hall.
Many aspired to enter Cambrian Hall, leaving behind a prestigious name in the campus.
Cambrian Hall served as the home for the Ice Dust Team. Last year, they received the reward for placing third in the Season Cup Tournament. Meanwhile, the champions and runners-up had access to the Grand Heat Pavilion and Thunder Hall.
Every year, the winning team received a one-year usage right for the hall. As upperclassmen graduated and freshmen joined the team, newcomers could also enjoy this top-tier honor.
Freya pushed open the heavy stone door and entered Cambrian Hall, with Freyr following closely behind.
Inside Cambrian Hall, several individual rooms were lined up. Despite this, it did not resemble a place where boys had stayed; everything was clean and tidy. It was evident that staff frequently cleaned here—perhaps some boys simply had a particular fondness for cleanliness.
Suddenly—
"Freya, recruiting new members for the team again~"
As they stepped into the storage room, a voice echoed from a corner at the back of a row of lockers. It sounded like someone had bumped into one of the locker doors.
At that moment, a figure emerged from the corner. The person had their head buried in an overly dramatic novel and peered through squinted eyes with a dazed expression. They looked like a lost dog, bobbing their head as they sat in boredom inside the storage room, gazing at the two newcomers with an amused smile before jumping up excitedly from a lounge chair.
Upon closer inspection, they had particularly thick hair and were an exceptionally cheerful blue-eyed handsome guy.
Freya's lips curled into a charming smile as she playfully said, "Xiu, why are you napping in the changing room? Slacking off like that could get you punished by the captain. Aren't you afraid he’ll come to deal with you?"
The man named Xiu chuckled nonchalantly, "Hey, I'm known as the Phoenix! I've long since gotten used to whatever the captain throws at me. Let him come punish me; I'm so scared!"
"You really shouldn't let the captain hear you say that, or you'll end up getting beaten again," Freya said, exasperated as she rubbed her forehead. To preserve some of Xiu's dignity in front of the newcomers, she decided to hold back some of her more blunt remarks.
Freya understood that with Xiu's reckless and somewhat delusional personality, his brain was completely numb to criticism. Even if she scolded him, he wouldn’t react at all. He had been a permanent benchwarmer in the Ice Dust Team, an unchanging presence. Yet, he had a way with words that could relieve people from stress, perhaps because his eloquence kept him from being pushed out of the team.
"Well, it doesn't matter; I’m not afraid of being overheard. Brother Xiu is tough-skinned and thick-fleshed—gold doesn’t fear fire."
Hearing this from Xiu, Freya felt it was best not to continue mocking him and shook her head helplessly.
"Come on, let me introduce you. This is a newcomer I brought in named Freyr. He’s quite similar to us—a rare Gene-Enhanced Human." Freya stepped closer and patted Freyr on the shoulder.
After hearing Freya's introduction, Xiu turned his head and glanced at the boy standing beside them with an indifferent expression. He immediately said, "We've brought in quite a few newcomers lately. I wonder if he can handle the captain's temper. By the way, newcomer, do you have any special skills? Any unique abilities?"
Freyr thought carefully for a moment before responding earnestly, "Running faster than an average person—does that count as a special skill?"
"Fast? How fast are we talking? What’s your time for a hundred meters?"
When Xiu heard about Freyr's running speed as a special skill, his lips twitched slightly but quickly shook his head, clearly dissatisfied with such an answer. It was akin to asking about exam results and receiving a response that barely passed the 70-point mark.
Running is a fundamental human ability that nearly everyone can achieve. However, putting effort into improving running speed varies greatly among individuals; some have excellent genes and can achieve remarkable results effortlessly, while others might break world records without even trying.
"Uh, seven point five seconds."
At some point, Xiu’s indifferent demeanor shifted as he adopted a more familiar tone and began lecturing like an old pro. "Is that your normal speed or close to your ultimate maximum? I need to clarify this. Among Gene-Enhanced Humans, there are different developmental directions. Just being fast isn’t nearly enough; this ability will be trampled upon in front of other Gene-Enhanced Humans. To outsiders, you might seem superhuman, but to us, you might just be no different from dead weight."
Freya seemed unable to tolerate Xiu's harsh attitude any longer and suddenly raised her voice, "Xiu! Have you no shame? He probably just became a Gene-Enhanced Human not long ago and hasn’t adapted yet. With special training and exposure to team dynamics, he could very well become a new asset—whether on the battlefield or on the field right now."
"That's right! If we want to win championships, we can't afford to have dead weight on the team. And once you're on the battlefield, even if you're unprepared, you still have to step up; otherwise, weaklings will only drag their teammates down." After hearing Xiu's tone, Freyr felt a fire ignite within him—a surge of fighting spirit rising up.
"As a newcomer, you need to follow the rules. Since you're new here, you must obediently accept the tests. The team is fair; let me train you this time based on your strength—speed." Xiu said calmly and confidently.
"Alright, let's have a match. If I win, I want to join the team." Freyr's expression was indifferent as he fixed his gaze on Xiu.
"Once you win, anything goes. I'll be with the captain," Xiu replied with a smile.
"That's enough, Xiu. You're part of the Ice Dust Team, and private duels are not allowed. And you, newcomer, don't stir up trouble. I'll inform the captain that you initiated this," Freya said, frowning slightly as she suddenly intervened, placing her hand between the two.
"This is a duel between men; it's a challenge directed at me. Since it's not a trick, I want to see what makes him special," Freyr pushed Freya aside.
Freya, clearly angered by being pushed away, retorted, "You're going to lose. You absolutely will lose. You still don't realize that even though both of you are Gene-Enhanced Humans, there's a significant gap in your fundamental abilities. Perhaps only time can bridge that gap."
Freyr glanced at Freya before turning back to Xiu. "Losing isn't a big deal; I'm not afraid of it. It's just about maintaining my spirit. I can choose to be humiliated, but I refuse to bow down or compromise. This is what being a man is about..."
"Fine, you two can compete. I'll be the referee."
Freya was serious by nature, but seeing that she couldn't dissuade them, she had no choice but to relent. If trust within the team were to fracture over personal matters, it would reflect poorly on her as the manager.
She was a competent team manager who didn't want to see the hard-earned success of her team jeopardized by internal conflicts.
Of course, team rules came first; since they were aware of the consequences of breaking those rules, they should also understand that being a man means taking responsibility for their actions.
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