Seeing the boy charge straight at her, Tang Coco drifted back a few steps, like a leaf before a gust, and set the black Mech between them like a shadowed wall.
“Where do you think you’re going!”
The youth barked, slipped sideways like a hunting cat, and kept after her. The black Mech surged too, a silent hound on his heels, and tangled him in close quarters.
Tang Coco stood off to the side, arms folded, cool as a winter moon, watching the clash.
“Damn it! Get out of my way!”
Snared by the Mech, the youth couldn’t close on Tang Coco. Frustration flared in him like dry tinder catching. He compressed high‑density flame in his palm, then slapped for the Mech’s chest.
Bang!!
Szz—
Smoke curled from the chest Armor; hairline cracks veined the surface like frost. It was a small patch. To onlookers, it read as a weak hit. Tang Coco’s brow still tightened, a shadow crossing still water.
System, what’s going on?
…
The System didn’t answer at once, a held breath in the dark.
Scan complete. No anomaly detected in Anomalous Energy. However, Armor was breached by an A‑grade flame. No fault found. Flagged as Special Incident. Host, be advised.
…
Her frown drew tighter, like clouds knitting before rain.
“Huff… huff…”
A few minutes later, the youth was winded, chest heaving like a bellows. A robot doesn’t tire; he did. His body‑technique style burned stamina more than Anomalous Energy.
“All right! Stop. You’ve lost.”
The homeroom teacher cut the demo, voice like a gavel.
“Okay, you all saw it. Fire‑type Abnormals, whether brawlers or bombardiers, carry big weaknesses. And you learned something new: against summoner‑types, solo play is useless. You need a team, like a net in deep water.”
“That’s it for today. No more demos. Train by dorm units and practice coordination. Don’t forget tomorrow’s Power Assessment.”
“Ahhh…”
At the word “exam,” the students wailed like a flock startled by thunder.
“Teacher Xue Jing, thanks for today.”
The homeroom teacher smiled at the woman.
“It’s fine. No injuries is best. By the way, that one… is she your exchange student?”
Xue Jing glanced toward Tang Coco, hemmed in by curious classmates, eyes bright with interest.
“Yes. This exchange student’s got some skill…”
“Mhm. And she didn’t go all out.”
Xue Jing let her gaze linger on Tang Coco like a cat considering cream.
“All right, I’ll head back to the infirmary.”
“Take care.”
——————————
That evening, Tang Coco finally made it back to the dorm to rest. All afternoon, classmates had come like sparrows on a branch to ask her questions; she couldn’t bring herself to refuse.
“Sigh…”
She sat on the bed and pulled out her phone. Missed calls stacked like fallen leaves: a few from Ye Yiyi, some from her mom, one from Gu Xin, but most from Meng Xiaoxiao—over a dozen. She called Meng back first.
“Hello? Why’d you call so many times?”
“Wow!!! You remember how to call back?! Were you—”
Meng Xiaoxiao’s roar cracked like a firecracker in her ear. Tang Coco had to hold the phone away, riding out the blast, and only brought it back when the storm eased.
“…”
“Done?”
“Huff—huff—”
Meng panted on the other end.
“What kind of campus are you in? I went today and they wouldn’t let me in!”
“Uh… strict management, probably.”
Tang Coco thought, like hell they’d let you in.
“Whatever. I’m going home to see my parents tomorrow. Wanna come?”
“I’ve got an exam here tomorrow. I probably can’t.”
“Oh, I see… Fine, I’ll go alone.”
“Sorry. I’ll come find you another day. We’ll grab a meal.”
“Deal. Pinky swear.”
“Mhm. Deal.”
After soothing Meng Xiaoxiao, Tang Coco returned the other calls. Everyone was just checking on her, concern like warm tea on a chilly night.
“Coco, dinner’s here~”
Chen Ying and Yuan Yuan came back carrying food, steam drifting like morning mist.
“Thanks~ really.”
After a simple meal, Bei Bei and Yuan Yuan sprawled on their beds, hashing over tomorrow’s exam like generals over a map. Tang Coco and Chen Ying stepped out to the balcony.
“Coco, could you… teach me something?”
Nervousness fluttered in Chen Ying’s voice like a caged bird.
“Mhm. Today I noticed something special about your Anomaly.”
“Something special?”
“Yeah. Cast a fireball.”
“Like this?”
Chen Ying raised her hand. A fireball bloomed above her palm, a small sun cupped in night.
“Don’t you feel it? Your flame is… a little unnatural.”
“Unnatural…”
She studied the fireball, uncomprehending, eyes reflecting ember glow.
“Feel the heat. A normal flame’s hottest up top. Yours isn’t that hot.”
“How could that be?”
“You can’t feel it. Fire‑types have strong resistance to their own power. But someone who’s fought you can tell.”
“Then… what do I do?”
“Low‑temperature flame loses some bite, but its biggest strength is stability. So try changing how your Anomalous Energy manifests.”
“Change how it manifests…”
“No one wrote a rule that fire‑types must be long‑range boom‑boom mages. Like that boy today—melee suits him. You can find your own way.”
“…”
“It’s not easy. Think on it, slowly. Let it settle.”
Tang Coco patted her shoulder, a steadying hand on a windy bridge.
“Okay. I got it.”
“Come on, let’s find Bei Bei and the others. I’ve got something to say.”
“Hm? What?”
“You’ll know in a minute~”
They stepped back into the room and caught Bei Bei’s helpless groan:
“Ugh… why’d we get matched with them…”
“What’s wrong?”
Chen Ying went over.
“Sis Ying, tomorrow’s match list is out. We’re facing Li Xuan’s dorm.”
“How? That’s too coincidental!”
“Li Xuan?”
Tang Coco didn’t know the name.
“Oh, the curly‑haired girl downstairs today.”
“Oh…”
“Ugh… just our luck. And Xiao Ai’s on their team…”
Yuan Yuan’s shoulders slumped like wilting grass.
“Hey, have a little faith. I happen to have something to discuss.”
Tang Coco stepped in, voice a calm anchor.
“Discuss what?”
“Tomorrow’s battle plan.”
“Tomorrow? Battle plan?”
Bei Bei blinked, then a thought hit her like a spark in dry straw.
“Ah!! Coco‑jie, are you—”
“Hehe. I’m joining tomorrow. I’ve never played this format. Got a chance, so I’ll try it~”
“Really, Coco‑jie?! Wow! That’s awesome! With you, we’ll totally win!”
“Easy. Don’t get cocky. Let’s talk tactics.”
————————————
The next morning, every teacher and student of their year gathered at Training Grounds Three and Four. Each held many small arenas, like ponds set side by side, so matches could run in parallel.
Field Six at Ground Three would host Tang Coco’s dorm’s first match.
Matches were by dorm unit. Five dorms from the same class could end up as enemies. So no homeroom teacher came to coach; the supervising teachers sat in the stands, watching on screens, while some stood at the sidelines to observe up close.
“Field Six: Night Rose dorm and… is this right…?”
The announcer faltered, turning to the staffer beside him. Every dorm had to pick a name. Xiao Ai’s dorm was Night Rose. As for Tang Coco’s…
“No mistake. Read it…”
The nearby girl whispered.
“Oh… Night Rose dorm and Big Sis Coco Is the Cutest dorm, report to Field Six for your assessment.”
Pffft!!!!
Down in the rest area, mid‑sip, Tang Coco sprayed water in a silver arc. On Field One, where Mo Zitong was on standby, she also burst out laughing, a twin spray under the same sun.
“Who picked that name!!”
Tang Coco rounded on the three beside her. Chen Ying and Yuan Yuan quietly edged away from Bei Bei like crabs from a wave.
“Um…”
Bei Bei ducked her head, cheeks pink as peach blossoms.
“…”
Tang Coco stared at her like she’d grown two heads. The announcer’s voice rolled again…
“Big Sis Coco Is the Cutest dorm, please take the stage at once.”
“…”
“On stage! I’ll settle with you later!”
She marched out, puffed up like a little storm cloud.
“Wow, that’s Tang Coco? She really is cute…”
“Yeah, yeah. Prettier than our campus queen…”
As they climbed the platform, some students below spotted Tang Coco’s white hair and gasped, awe rising like a tide.
“Get ready! One minute!”
The head referee’s voice cracked like a whip.
“Hmph. Think an exchange student tips the scale? Naive.”
Li Jing crossed her arms, words sharp as ice.
“Tch. Don’t get cocky.”
Bei Bei shot back, a quick spark.
“Don’t listen to their bait. Stick to the plan.”
Tang Coco’s reminder cut clean, a bell in fog.
“Okay.”
“Countdown… ten… nine…”
The referee’s count fell like a drumbeat.
“Three… two… one… Begin!”
“Blood Moon Array!”
A tall girl on the other side shouted. A vast array flowered over the arena like frost on glass, a red crescent glowing at its heart.
“Move!”
Li Jing called, and with Xiao Ai she lunged for Tang Coco, fast as arrows loosed.
“A buff, huh… Chen Ying!”
Tang Coco glanced at the glowing pattern underfoot, then called out.
“Got it!”
Chen Ying lifted both hands. Fire element gathered before her in a rush, like birds to seed.
“Flaming Maze!”
Walls of fire sprang up across the field, a sudden city of flame, and stalled Li Jing’s charge.
“Yuan Yuan, take Bei Bei and set traps.”
Tang Coco’s command was quick, a stone skipping water.
“On it.”
Speed‑type Yuan Yuan grabbed Bei Bei and vanished into the maze like swallows into reeds.
“Why are these firewalls so hot?”
Beside Li Jing, Xiao Ai frowned, heat pricking her skin. When they’d shared a dorm, she’d never realized.
“Hmph! Just jump over it. What’s a maze then!”
Li Jing bent, then launched, springing skyward like a spear. She didn’t even finish sizing the maze when a blue light lanced for her.
Boom!!!
The Mech’s energy cannon hit square. Her defense bracelet flared like a shield of rain, and she was out—eliminated before she could strike.
“Feels good to slack off for once~”
Tang Coco glanced at the unmanned Mech at her side, light as a breeze. Usually she fought in person.
Whoosh—whoosh—
Suddenly, wind curled across the arena, the air stirring like a storm about to turn.
