"Did I hear that wrong? Why would Henry be here?" Darren was bewildered upon hearing the name.
Hadn't he already left the dungeon?
Could it be that he was still there, and all this was just a dream?
"Henry's back? I thought he would apply to skip the high school exams and graduate directly," one student speculated.
"Last time he returned to school, he was only wearing silver-tier equipment. Could he have gold-tier equipment now?" another mused.
"What are you thinking? Gold-tier equipment isn't that easy to come by," someone countered.
The students, who had been discussing Darren, quickly shifted their attention to Henry.
The level of engagement in this new topic was evidently much higher than when they were talking about Darren.
Principal Louis, who had planned to give a speech at Darren's lecture, was also thrilled upon hearing the news.
His school had produced the city's only two hidden class players this year, a feat that had even earned him a congratulatory call from the mayor.
Moreover, his niece had joined Henry's team, which was a relief for Louis.
Suddenly, the scheduled speech of an outstanding graduate seemed less important.
"Let's go and welcome our school's exceptional student!" Louis announced, leading the school officials away.
The students also grouped together and left, eager to see Henry, who had made a significant impact in the school this year.
The auditorium was left almost empty, save for two or three of Darren's loyal fans waiting for his lecture.
Darren took a deep breath and stepped down from the stage to speak with the few students who remained.
"Does this Henry have any connection with our school?" Darren asked, perplexed.
A plump, adolescent girl, her body round with excess weight, responded with visible excitement.
"Senior Darren, don't you know? This Henry is the new hidden class player from our school. He's now the hot favorite, the darling of Bolt Academy!"
"He got a full set of silver-tier gear on his first dungeon run."
"His unique skills even impressed the city's mayor."
"His girlfriend is also one of the top contenders for the school's 'beauty queen' title."
"He sounds almost like a legend," Darren murmured.
The plump girl coughed shyly and said, "But don't worry, Senior. My heart belongs only to you. Henry can't take that away from me."
Darren stood there in silence for a long moment, feeling as if his heart had been stabbed twice, then the knives were pulled out and plunged in again.
Compared to him, what am I?
A sense of despair washed over Darren.
The plump girl grew more agitated, "Senior Darren, you look pale. Are you not feeling well?"
"I can give you mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, you know. Although it's not really encouraged these days, I'd do anything for you!"
Even the quality of my admirers is so inferior?
A tear trickled down Darren's cheek.
He turned and ran out of the auditorium, vowing never to return.
At the entrance of Bolt Academy, a large crowd had gathered, buzzing with excitement.
The school's security guards were struggling to hold back the throngs of frenzied fans.
Louis looked at Henry and Anna with satisfaction: "Excellent, you are the pride of our school. You've brought glory to us."
"Should you have any requests, feel free to approach the school. We'll fulfill them to the best of our abilities."
"Don't waste your talents. Whether our school can make it into the top ten schools in the kingdom this year depends largely on you two."
Louis was generous with his praise, some of which even made Henry feel a bit embarrassed.
"Principal, something's wrong, Senior Darren has run off!" A plump girl ran towards Louis, her face etched with panic.
"Is that so?" Hearing that the day's scheduled speaker had left, Louis showed no signs of regret.
A thoughtful expression crossed his face. "Well, his timing couldn't have been better."
"My dear student Henry, as the principal of Bolt Academy, I formally invite you to the auditorium to give a speech."
"Share the story of our school's most talented genius!"
Henry had never imagined his status in school would undergo such a drastic change.
He was so busy that it left him dizzy - giving speeches, attending meetings, and the school even planned to spend money on a statue in his honor.
As for the issue of his graduation thesis, Louis assured him with a pat on his chest that he would take care of everything.
"Henry, our city's mayor called me earlier, insisting on ensuring your safety in all the dungeons," Louis began amiably.
"Therefore, we've decided to add a few members to your team. They are carefully selected and match the excellence of your group of awakeners."
Henry took the documents from Louis and began reviewing them. Louis, confidently thumping his chest, promised, "I swear to God, you'll be satisfied..."
"I'm sorry, Principal Louis, but none of these candidates meet the criteria," Henry said, shaking his head and putting down the papers.
Louis was taken aback by Henry's response.
"How can there be none? Henry, please take another look... These candidates are among the best of their age in the kingdom."
"I have a very specific prerequisite for recruiting team members, which I believe you've heard of. Besides myself, all members of my team must be female and must be players of hidden classes."
"Principal, none of the individuals in these documents are female, let alone hidden class players."
Louis coughed and said, "I thought that was just a rumor, but it's actually true. However, Henry, I must say, the awakeners we've chosen are definitely the best fit for your team."
"Think about it, you're only interacting with these people in dungeons. You can choose what your private life is like outside of that. It's not necessary to have female companions in your team."
Why does everyone think that my choosing female hidden class players for my team is to satisfy my own sexual desires?
Henry couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and frustration.
He realized his stance made sense, considering he had never shared his second skill - the one that increased the benefits he gained from female hidden class players - with anyone.
This secret, key to his exceptional standing among his peers, needed to be closely guarded.
"Principal, I appreciate the school's concern for my safety," Henry began.
"But I've already made my bottom line clear. If the team doesn't include female hidden class players, I'd rather maintain my current team composition."
"Is that so?" Louis responded with a wry smile, furrowing his brow. He hadn't expected Henry to be so firm.
"I'll go report this to the mayor then. Henry, feel free to walk around the school. After all, your visits back here will become less frequent. It's nice to reminisce about your youth."
Henry nodded, thinking the matter was settled.
As he stepped outside the principal's office, he found Anna already waiting for him.
Together, they left.
They strolled along the small paths in the school's woods, reminiscing about the spot where they first kissed, then headed to the playground, discussing some of the crazy things they had done in the rest area.
After touring the school, they left reluctantly.
"Henry, wait a moment!" A portly Principal Louis, panting from the effort, caught up to them.
"I've contacted the mayor. He's found a female hidden class player for you. He's asking if you can meet her right away?"