Chapter 268
Flander Wants to Establish His Authority!
Flander's voice carried an unquestionable sense of authority, a common tactic used with new trainees—first establishing absolute theoretical authority.
After listening, Ning Rongrong's beautiful eyes flashed with a barely perceptible hint of disapproval.
These words were nothing new to her.
As the pride of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, she was taught the ironclad rules of support-type Soul Masters from a young age by Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, and even her father.
Basic concepts?
She could recite it backwards by heart when she was three years old.
She pursed her lips slightly, not refuting, but the understanding and a hint of something unmistakable in her eyes were still revealed.
Flanders, with his keen senses, naturally caught the fleeting look in Ning Rongrong's eyes.
He was slightly annoyed. This little girl was indeed as spoiled and arrogant as the rumors suggested. It seemed he had to put more pressure on her!
His tone suddenly became more serious, carrying a heavy sense of reality.
“Support-type Soul Masters, especially geniuses like you with top-tier support martial souls, are the enemy’s primary targets on the battlefield!”
"Tell me, what do Soul Masters like you need most, whether on large-scale battlefields or in small-scale conflicts?"
"Protect!"
Oscar immediately answered loudly, a conditioned reflex he had developed after being "educated" by Flanders countless times.
He glanced at Ning Rongrong furtively and added:
"We need strong partners to protect us!"
"Not bad!"
Flander suddenly raised his voice, his gaze shooting towards Oscar like lightning.
"Oscar, you tell us! As a support-type Soul Master, how can you better protect yourself on the brutal battlefield? Is relying solely on your partners for protection enough?"
Oscar answered almost without hesitation, as fluently as if reciting a memorized script:
"Reporting to the Dean! First, stay behind your comrades as much as possible and never be reckless! Second, make full use of all available terrain, buildings, and obstacles to avoid risks! Third, always be vigilant and stay as far away from the core combat area as possible, and stay away from enemies that emit powerful soul energy fluctuations! Fourth, never expose yourself to open areas!"
His answer was clear and logical, showing that this theory was already ingrained in his bones.
Dai Mubai nodded to himself.
Flander's face showed a hint of satisfaction, as if he thought the boy was teachable, and he nodded.
"Well said, very comprehensive! These are the foundations for survival. But—"
His tone suddenly shifted, his eyes sharpening like a hawk eyeing its prey, focusing on Ning Rongrong.
"There's one point Oscar didn't explicitly say, but it's a core quality that support-type Soul Masters, especially you, Ning Rongrong, a support-type Soul Master of noble birth who may never have truly faced a desperate situation, most need to understand—"
He paused deliberately to create a sense of pressure.
"That means—running away!"
Flander's voice was resolute, with a cruel bluntness.
"A support-type Soul Master who can't run away is never a truly qualified support-type Soul Master! Survival! Staying alive! That's your highest priority on the battlefield! Only by living can you fulfill your support role!"
Ning Rongrong's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
run away?
This word carried an indescribable sense of shame for her. The core spirit of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was to provide stable and powerful support in the core position of the team. Uncle Sword and Uncle Bone taught her how to maximize the output and support effects under protection. Even when transferring, it was a tactical retreat, not the almost instinctive, even somewhat disheveled "escape" that Flander described.
She felt that Flander was misrepresenting the concept, conflating tactical maneuvering with mere escape.
Her pride made her instinctively resist this idea.
Flander took in every subtle change in Ning Rongrong's expression and sneered inwardly, "As expected, the young lady of the sect carries too much of a burden!"
He continued to press on, his voice carrying the coldness of reality.
"And what does it take to escape? It takes superb physical strength! Plenty of physical strength to sustain you for a long run!"
Flander strode forward, his gaze fixed aggressively on Ning Rongrong and Oscar.
"That's right! As Soul Masters, your physical attributes are stronger than those of ordinary people, and your Soul Power can also assist you."
"But! Who are you facing as enemies? They are their battle spirit masters! The speed of agility-type spirit masters and the explosive power of strength-type spirit masters! Once your protectors are restrained or defeated, or if the enemy launches a surprise attack, how will you escape?"
"You think your meager speed boost from those support soul skills is enough? It's far from sufficient!"
"A critical moment."
Flander's voice suddenly rose, carrying an almost inflammatory emphasis.
"Perhaps it's because you took an extra step or persevered for an extra minute that you accumulated that extra bit of stamina, allowing you to narrowly escape the enemy's soul skills! Allowing you to last a little longer than the enemy until you receive help! Allowing you to—survive!"
Oscar listened to this familiar long-winded speech, inwardly groaning.
Oh no, the dean is going to push things to a whole new level!
He knew Flander too well; all that buildup had only one core purpose… He secretly glanced at Ning Rongrong beside him and sighed inwardly.
We've really messed up today!
He resignedly lowered his head, preparing to face the storm.
Sure enough, after successfully creating an atmosphere of battlefield brutality and physical strength as the key to victory, Flander revealed his true intentions.
"Therefore! In order for you to survive on the battlefield in the future, and in order for you to truly become qualified support-type Soul Masters, your lesson today is the most basic one—physical training!"
Flanders raised his hand and pointed to the dusty dirt road on the outskirts of the village.
"From now on, run twenty laps around the entire village—and I mean the entire village, including the surrounding farmland! If you haven't run back by the lunch bell..."
Flander pushed up his glasses, the lenses reflecting a cold light, his tone utterly ruthless.
"Then you don't need to eat lunch!"
Twenty laps?!
The village where Shrek Academy is located is not large, but the entire village that Flander was referring to clearly included a large area of surrounding farmland!
Ning Rongrong estimated that the lap was at least three or four kilometers!
Twenty laps?
That's sixty or seventy kilometers!
This pace is absolutely exhausting!
Flander seemed pleased to see Ning Rongrong's shocked expression, but he immediately added a comment that, while seemingly accommodating, was actually more demanding.
"Of course, I allow you to use your own martial souls for support. Oscar, your sausages can restore stamina, right? Ning Rongrong, your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda also has agility and strength attribute boosts, right? Making good use of your support abilities is also part of survival wisdom!"
Finally, Flanders waved his hand and pointed to the village entrance.
"Oscar, you know the route well, you lead the way. Now, immediately, let's go!"
"Yes, Dean!" (End of Chapter)