Ren straightened in his seat. This was his opportunity.
His classmate’s beetle was perfect, a beast common enough that everyone knew its supposed limit, but with hidden potential that could manifest quickly with the correct method. If he could demonstrate visible results in a few months…
He would have more than enough time to achieve it within the semester.
“Of course,” he murmured to himself, “first I’d have to convince the owner to try it.”
And that was the real challenge. Who would trust the boy with the useless spore? Who would risk their beast’s cultivation following the “Rotting Boy’s” advice?
Still… Did he have another choice?
“That’s not true,” Ren stood up. “The digger beetle can reach Silver rank 3 like any other beast.”
Laughter erupted.
Wei looked at him as if he were a particularly annoying fly.
“First he questions established methods, and now he contradicts historical records. Another five points less, Mr. Patinder.”
“The records you mention about beetle cultivation,” Ren continued, ignoring the laughter, “only have one error: the timing of processing. If we process the crystals following the correct specific method…”
“More theories about strange specific timings? The exceptions to such ridiculous theories have never been successfully replicated,” Wei smiled disdainfully. “According to your… expert opinion, what would happen if we follow the documented method but change only that detail?”
“The beetle won’t evolve into a Greater Excavator at Bronze as your texts say. It will become a Living Tunnel instead.”
Silence fell in the classroom. Taro looked at Ren with hope and confusion.
“A very specific prediction,” Wei leaned forward. “What if we put it to the test? If you’re so sure, let’s make a real bet: if you’re right, I’ll give you one Bronze-rank material, whatever you want regardless of cost, and 100 points from my teaching unit in my 2 classes. To give you even more time for your ‘wonderful’ demonstration, don’t even bother coming anymore…”
“…Since you’re sooo knowledgeable, you won’t need my advice in class. You’ll thus be able to pass the other classes more ‘easily’ and obtain Bronze 1 support instead of Iron, assuming you pass the exams of all 5 units of course, BUT. If you’re wrong…” he smiled maliciously, “if you don’t demonstrate the exact beetle species you predicted, I get your full tuition and you lose all school support.”
“Professor,” Taro intervened, “my beetle…”
“It’s your decision, of course,” Wei continued. “But I warn you: following Mr. Patinder’s theories, if they stray too far from the common method, only guarantees your beast will end up at mature Iron rank. Are you willing to risk your progress for the fantasies of someone who can’t even evolve his own spore?”
Ren looked at Taro, seeing the conflict in his eyes.
It was a lot to ask, risking his beast’s future on the word of a roommate he barely knew.
“Don’t worry Taro, we’ll follow exactly the documented method, changing only one specific moment of processing, it will be at night as the professor’s literature says.”
Taro thought for a moment and then nodded…
There was no turning back now.
“I accept the bet,” Ren said firmly. “If the beetle evolves into anything other than a Living Tunnel, you win.”
Wei studied Ren for a moment, as if evaluating whether the boy was really as foolish as he seemed.
“Deal.”
♢♢♢♢
As they left the classroom, the tiger boy’s group’s laughter echoed through the hallway.
“Hey, Rotting Boy!” one of them shouted. “Are you practicing begging already? You’ll need it when you lose your tuition!”
Taro waited until they were gone before turning to Ren.
“Hey,” he said quietly, “I know you were trying to help, but… I think this joke went too far. You should talk to Professor Wei and apologize. Maybe if you explain you were just…”
“It wasn’t a joke,” Ren interrupted, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing softly. “I can help you have a better life, Taro. Your beetle has real potential.”
“Look, I appreciate you trying to cheer me up, but my mother got me the books as soon as I invoked this thing…” Taro shook his head. “The records are clear. In 500 years, no digger beetle has surpassed Bronze rank. And now, because of me, you could lose everything…”
“We’re only going to change one thing,” Ren insisted. “The rest will be exactly like the documented method. There’s not as much risk for me as you think. I have an ace up my sleeve. There’s no risk for you. Just play along, okay?”
Taro hesitated.
He had already bought 100 crystals and hadn’t yet mixed them with the night essence, waiting to gather the 150 he would need for the complete method.
“Though I’m lucky it’s not a full 180-day method, it’s still expensive,” he muttered, more to himself than to Ren. “And getting 150 crystals is already quite expensive… those extra 50 crystals will be hard to get within the school.”
“The 100 you have will be more than enough,” Ren smiled. “We just need to wait for a specific night that’s coming in a few days.”
Taro looked at Ren for a long moment. The mushrooms in his hair glowed with a steady light, as if reflecting the certainty in his words.
“You know what?” Taro finally smiled. “I hadn’t started the mixture with the night essence anyway. I was waiting to have all the crystals to do it at once.”
He shrugged.
“I guess I won’t lose anything by trying. If you’re wrong, I’ll still have time to get the other 50 crystals. After using 100 for 100 days, I’m sure I’ll have the rest ready just in case.”
“You won’t need them,” Ren smiled. “I promise.”
As they walked to their next class, Ren couldn’t help but notice how the mushrooms in his hair pulsed more strongly near certain walls. The ruins beneath the Academy were calling, but that would have to wait.
First, he had to prove that the “Rotting Boy” knew exactly what he was talking about.