The actual combat was still ongoing, from morning until afternoon.
Over a hundred students each showcased their progress from the past several months. Some were excited, others were disappointed. The results of each actual combat ranking are recorded as each student's scores. Although it doesn't account for a significant portion, it does provide an opportunity to demonstrate self-improvement, validate the effectiveness of training, and boost confidence.
This time, Casio found the actual combat ranking even easier than the last and sailed to victory, landing in the twenty-fifth place.
Of course, he held back intentionally, perfectly adhering to Lixia's instruction of aiming for between twentieth and thirtieth place. He achieved the perfect median.
The students who fought against him were somewhat dumbfounded after their victories.
Admittedly, no one wouldn't want to achieve better scores, especially when they had the ability. The Youth Training Camp will eventually tally the final scores, accepting only the top fifty to become official disciples of the Wind Elephant Gate. Anyone who fails to meet the standard will be eliminated.
The top ten get to be the first ones taken in as disciples by official martial artists of the Wind Elephant Gate, a significant lead ahead of the remaining forty students.
However, Casio doesn't need to worry about this. Half a month ago, Instructor Lixia assured him that she would take him on as her disciple.
The moment the Youth Training Camp ends, Casio will directly become Lixia's disciple.
Compared to an unknown master, Lixia, a mentor whose traits were familiar, was more suitable.
And besides, Lixia, as a long-time instructor, has always been nurturing and had high hopes for Casio. She was already like a master figure to him.
What to do? Casio was naturally clear about it in his heart.
For him, the most important thing was to solve real-world crises. During this period, the person most capable of helping Casio was indeed Lixia. There were no other options.
Like always, the actual combat ranking announcement ended around 2 p.m. The Youth Training Camp gave the students a rare several hours off.
In no time at all, the sports field was deserted.
In the corner, Li Chu was excitedly sharing her joy with Casio. She ranked forty-eight in this actual combat session.
Compared to the last time, she had improved by twenty places.
Naturally, Casio encouraged her not to slack off because of this and to continue working hard. She ought to try her best to stabilize her ranking within the top forty, as being between forty and fifty was still too risky.
After a while, Li Chu left.
Casio, on the other hand, began diligently training in a corner of the sports field.
This is the main reason for him being among the top ten in the Youth Training Camp; every day was double the training volume, and he had an excellent core bone.
Sweat combined with talent, such results were expected.
After a while, Casio stopped his hands. He glanced at the Golden Pendant Sign in the upper right corner; the scale bar beside it representing time did not increase. Casio roughly understood the implications.
Fulfilling Li Wei's obsession has a limit. In these three months, Casio extended the time by a total of sixty days.
This means that the total time he could stay was six months. Now that three months had passed, only the last three months remained.
In the original outcome, Li Chu committed suicide out of humiliation, while the murderer roamed free. The coward Li Wei was constantly pointed at and bullied in the following days. Casio handled it differently; if Li Chu was going to commit suicide, he would save her. Not only would he be kind to Li Chu, but he would also train her to join the Wind Elephant Gate.
The murderer, Finn is getting away scot-free? Well, he would beat him up a couple of times, until he is scared and runs away at the sight of him!
Coward? Fearful? Seen as a coward by everyone else? Then he would take the initiative to shake off that label. Be bold and decisive in his actions, and make everyone respect him. Be seen as a martial arts fanatic, instead of a pushover!
All these fulfilled the obsession of the previous host, providing Casio with an additional sixty days. Of course, sixty days would be the limit.
Getting this far, even with Casio being a mature soul, wasn't easy. At first, he was pretending, but it gradually turned into a habit. That atmosphere he portrayed and the ferocity with which he buried his head and fought against five people seemed to be subtly changing Casio.
"Maybe the crazy one isn't Li Wei, but me?"
Fragments of thought flashed through his mind.
As his thoughts lingered, he opened his eyes again. The moment he exhaled a mouthful of turbid air, his mind inexplicably cleared.
"Combat Movements (advanced): 42.1%"
"Training Frame (second stage): 41.3%"
"Explosive Techniques (speed): 50.5%"
"Explosive Techniques (strength): 43.7%"
He still had a long way to go to completely master Basic Fighting Technique!
*****************
From September to November, the students in the Youth Training Camp could clearly feel the changing seasons. Although it was not snowing, the weather was getting colder and the leaves gradually turned yellow and fell. Without them realizing it, they had started wearing more clothes.
Nothing major happened during this period. All students were following the routine of training. Under Casio's supervision, Li Chu made considerable progress; every actual combat ranking had her around the fortieth place.
Aside from Li Chu, Casio was also continuously assisting Jojo, who he had a good relationship with. Every afternoon when it was time for practical combat practice, he would choose to fight a few rounds with Jojo.
After each fight, Casio would explain some combat essentials.
Unfortunately, things like core bone were real. Some people could learn combat movements right away, while others couldn't grasp them even after three to five days. It wasn't that Jojo wasn't diligent or willing to learn, but the progress he was making couldn't keep pace with his efforts.
He was always around the eightieth or ninetieth place in each practical combat ranking. Before, he was in the bottom, in the nineties. After Casio's guidance and help, he managed to rise to the eighties, lingering in the median.
However, his diligence in the past two months only got him this far.
"Creak."
Casio pushed open the dormitory door, and before him was a world blanketed in silver. The ground, the roofs, the branches, all had a thin layer of light snow, and the flowers in the distance were even more vibrant. He stretched out his hand, and a translucent snowflake landed on his palm. In a moment, it melted into a droplet from the warmth of his hand.
"Phew..." Casio let out a long breath.
"November, half a year has passed without me realizing it... There are only twenty-something days left." He took a few steps forward, and soon the sound of his footsteps crackled in the snow. The road was a bit slippery, but Casio's steps remained steady.
"Whoosh!"
There was a sound from behind him. Casio, with his heightened senses, instinctively turned around and caught a snowball the size of a fist. Loose ice particles fell off, and a cold sensation spread through his palm.
Looking up, Li Chu was smiling and waving her hand. "Don't be so serious like an instructor all the time, come, let's have a snowball fight," she said.
"Am I usually very serious?" Casio unconsciously touched his own chin, there was no stubble there yet.
"The direct training is about to start, let's play next time." As he said this, he took a few steps forward, then suddenly threw the snowball in his hand.
"Ouch!" Li Chu was hit straight-on by the loose snowball.
She shook the snow out of her hair and chased after him.
"Very well, Li Wei, you dare to sneak attack your elder sister! Stop right there!"
"This isn't sneak attacking, it's called tactics."
"Still trying to make excuses!"
In the snow, two thin rows of footsteps stretched into the distance.