CHAPTER 203: ENDLESS HORIZON’S PRESTIGE [PART 3]

"Have you heard the news?"

"Do you mean Endless Horizon Club members breaking records consecutively? Of course. I’m not that outdated."

"I’ve read their club’s goals and mission. It’s similar to what the Obsidian Fang Club does, don’t you think?"

"Man, just getting in one of the Crest Clubs is already difficult. Did you know? Obsidian Fang only accepts one student from each grade every school year, totaling 4 this year. How strict are their requirements?"

"I have insider news. The president of the Endless Horizon Club tried to apply to the Obsidian Fang recruitment event but decided to back out when he realized that he could not enter with his friends."

"I see! So that’s why he made a similar club."

"What an upstart. He really thinks his club can become a Crest Club as well? Hahaha! Good luck with that!"

Since the members of Endless Horizon had managed to secure first and second places in the different training rooms, the name of their club was slowly but surely spreading to more students in the academy.

Their public information was also registered in the school’s magical database, allowing everyone to check their members.

Each of them was now a Record Breaker, except for one person.

That person was none other than their Club President, Alex Stratos.

Yes.

Alex still hadn’t beaten any of the records in the academy, making the students think that he was just leeching off his members.

The magical database of the academy also showed the achievements of its students, including the records they had broken in the academy.

After checking each of the members of the Endless Horizon and their achievements, everyone was starting to think that the new club was trying to break the balance of the Crest Clubs.

"Their Club President is a lucky person," a chubby boy said while glancing at Alex in the cafeteria. "He doesn’t need to do anything, and his club becomes popular because of its members."

In history class, Alex and Dim Dim exchanged glances before looking at the chubby boy seated nearby, one of Alex’s classmates.

His name was Bertram Humphrey.

He was only a minor character in the story, which the nobles used as a lackey to harass the scholarship students in the academy.

Bertram was broad-shouldered with a round face, soft cheeks, and a frame that made him seem larger than most students his age.

His dark brown hair was always a little disheveled, hanging just above his thick brows.

Though he carried himself with the bulk and presence of someone confident, Bertram was not a predator but a pawn.

’Oh, I guess some nobles didn’t like a bunch of commoners breaking the records in the rankings,’ Alex mused. ’But that’s fine. They will all shut up after class ends.’

The majority of the nobles looked down on commoners, and some would often go out of their way to prevent them from gaining recognition and achievements in the academy.

Their most common tactic was to turn these talented commoners into their subordinates, so they could gain credit from their hard work.

Of course, since the commoners usually felt like they had no choice but to obey the nobles, the majority of them agreed to become pawns, including Bertram, who was able to shove his weight among the First Years using the influence of the nobles backing his cause.

Alex’s classmates heard the chubby boy’s words, and some of them looked at Alex in disdain.

Of course, there were others who cast him worried looks—like Fran, who had gained a lot of academy points thanks to the young man’s advice.

Alex waved at Fran, reassuring her that she didn’t need to worry about him.

After seeing that his target didn’t seem troubled by his taunts, Bertram decided to continue with his snide remarks, which prompted Chuck to light a spark on his bum, making the former cry out in pain.

Chuck didn’t have many friends at the academy, and the first one he made was Alex. So, no matter how much Alex insisted otherwise, he had long decided that the silver-haired young man was his best friend.

As far as Chuck was concerned, it didn’t matter what Alex thought. He was his best friend. Period!

"Alex, just say the word, and I’ll roast that pig," Chuck said in a serious tone.

"And be punished for it?" Alex shook his head. "Don’t you see? That is what he wants to happen. Just let him be."

"But if he keeps on talking down on you like this, won’t your reputation take a nosedive?" Chuck asked. "If that happens, the reputation of our club will also go down. After all, you are the president."

"Don’t worry. I already have a plan," Alex replied.

Yesterday, he didn’t do any challenges because he wanted Dim Dim to play and enjoy the challenges.

But this time, he planned to break some records, and he would do it right after class.

A few hours later...

Alex and Dim Dim ate together with their club members in the cafeteria during lunch.

There, more people like Bertram started to talk smack about the handsome young man, making his club members, with the exception of Renard, look at Bertram and his friends with disdain.

"You know, they are right," commented Renard, as if wishing to fan the flames more. "If our leader can’t break any records, wouldn’t that make people look down on us?"

"Alex doesn’t need to break any records," Lavinia replied. "He just needs to direct us as the president of our club."

Renard shrugged, no longer adding more fuel to the flames.

He was still holding a grudge against Alex for what happened during the second trial and hadn’t been able to let it go.

"Don’t be impatient, Renard," Alex stated. "Don’t you know how secret weapons work? For the best results, you only use it when your enemy least expects it. And the better you time it, the more your enemy will regret their decisions."

The young man then pointed at himself. "I’m the secret weapon of our club. The more people think I’m ordinary, the more they will lower their guard around me. But since you are itching to see me beat some records, how about we make a bet? If I break a record, how about you call me Master Alex from now on?"

"Dream on." Renard scoffed.

As much as he looked down on Alex, Renard would not dare to make a bet with him. For some reason, he believed Alex always had a way out of anything. That said, he had no plans to fall for his bet.

After eating lunch, Alex bid everyone goodbye and headed to one of the training rooms of the academy.

"Dim Dim?"

"You’re asking what challenge I will do today?"

"Dim!"

"Of course, I will take the challenge that will showcase my strength. We are going to the seventh training room. That’s the place where musicians and other performers train. I will go and challenge their singing rankings!"

When Dim Dim heard that young man’s declaration, it flinched so hard that it almost fell off from the young man’s head.

Knowing that things would definitely go out of hand, the Dim Sum God decided to preserve its sanity.

Dim Dim jumped off Alex’s head and landed a few meters away from him.

"Um, what’s wrong, Dim Dim?" Alex asked.

"Dim Dim!"

"Oh, you plan to play with Daisy and the other farm beasts?"

"Dim!"

"Okay. Have fun."

After making an excuse, the Dim Sum God escaped so fast that Alex could’ve sworn he saw trails of dust in its wake.

The young man was genuinely happy because Dim Dim and Fran’s farm monsters were getting along.

It also gave him an excuse to visit the farm, and if he timed it right, he might get invited to eat some snacks or an early dinner later on.

"Okay, let’s do this," Alex muttered as he entered the seventh training room, which would soon make the judges of the singing challenge wish that they could murder a student legally in broad daylight.