After parting ways with Mike and the others, the morning classes were over for now. Since it was still early, Eric didn't plan to go back to school. Instead, he wandered leisurely in the direction of his home.
As he walked, Eric replayed William King's words in his mind. Although he had listened attentively to the "little tricks" William mentioned, he wasn't too concerned about them. What he was more focused on was the other information William had shared.
William was just a freshman, but he clearly seemed much more mature than the high school students. From some of his offhand remarks, Eric got the feeling that becoming a knight might not be as glamorous as it appeared on the surface.
In modern society, knights seemed no different from ordinary people on the surface. But in reality, they had their own world—one filled with secrets and knowledge that most people would never have access to. Even with the vast flow of information online, certain things were deliberately blocked by the government, ensuring that they never reached the general public.
"Knights…" Eric muttered softly. "What's the real difference between knights and ordinary people? Is it just a matter of strength?"
Over the past few days, Eric hadn't had time to really sit down and think about these questions. But after meeting William, a real knight, he began to reflect more deeply.
"My status is still too low…" Eric chuckled bitterly. The differences in social standing meant he couldn't access higher-level knowledge or information. Some things, as William had said, might actually be better left unknown.
"I'll figure it out once I become a knight," Eric thought to himself. There was no need to rush to solve these mysteries now.
After walking for a bit, Eric decided to use the remaining wealth points to increase his blood energy. The upcoming knight exams were clearly going to be more competitive than in previous years. Mike's blood energy had already reached 115 units, and with a Blood Energy Pill in hand and the emotional regulation techniques he'd learned, even he wasn't fully confident.
This meant that the competition would be fierce. With his current blood energy level at just 110 units, Eric knew that if he didn't boost it soon and something went wrong with the system, he could be in serious trouble.
Having made up his mind, Eric focused his thoughts, silently willing his blood energy to increase. Soon, the data in front of him shifted:
**Wealth: 0
Blood Energy: 1.2
Spirit: 1.1**
...
Just as Eric was preparing to feel the pleasant sensation that came with his first blood energy boost, he was suddenly hit with excruciating pain. He couldn't help but let out a low groan.
The veins on his exposed arms, neck, and hands bulged as if they were about to burst, giving him a terrifying appearance. Eric clenched his fists tightly, leaning against a nearby wall, struggling to suppress the urge to scream.
He had no idea how much time had passed, but by the time the pain subsided, his face was drenched in sweat.
"Hoo…"
Letting out a deep breath, Eric gritted his teeth and muttered, "Damn it, this is a rip-off!"
The pleasant sensation he had experienced during his first blood energy increase was gone, replaced by unbearable pain. He felt as if his veins were about to explode.
Fortunately, the pain came and went quickly. If it had lasted any longer, Eric feared he might have ended up writhing in agony on the street.
Breathing heavily, Eric felt a sense of relief as he rubbed his arm and frowned. "Is my physical condition not keeping up?"
He hadn't paid attention to this issue during his first blood energy boost. But this time, he could clearly feel that his veins were too fragile, making it difficult for his body to handle the surge in blood energy.
"It seems I'll need to start working on my physical training as well," Eric thought.
Although his current tasks were already demanding, improving his physical fitness was clearly essential. Even aside from the blood energy boosts, the practical evaluation in the knight exam required a strong body. As it stood, he was no different from the "spoiled weaklings" William had mentioned earlier.
With a wry smile, Eric couldn't help but think that while others worried about not being able to boost their blood energy, his concern was that his body might not be able to handle it.
Glancing again at the data in front of him, Eric guessed that his blood energy had now reached around 120 units. However, he had no intention of going back to Mike's house for another test. After all, it had only been a day, and if he showed up today and somehow tested at 125 units, Mike might just jump off a building.
Or, more likely, he'd drag Eric along with him.
...
At 2 p.m., the group gathered again at the school gate, preparing to pick up William and take him to the school.
William's residential complex was fairly average, only slightly better than the one where Eric lived. When they arrived, William was already waiting at the gate with a packed backpack, presumably bringing some things with him. No one asked about it, since bringing some items from home wasn't unusual.
As William slung his backpack over his shoulder and was about to get in the car, he suddenly turned to Eric, his brow furrowing slightly, a hint of suspicion in his eyes. "Eric, what did you do during lunch?"
"Huh?" Eric was taken aback, and a wave of nervousness swept over him. Could knights really sense an increase in blood energy?
Sure enough, William continued frowning and said, "I understand your determination to pass the knight exam, but your body is the foundation. You can't just take any kind of medicine! The wrong drug could have serious consequences. I don't know what you took, but your blood energy has increased too much—it could be dangerous."
Eric let out a sigh of relief and quickly replied, "Thanks for the warning, William. I didn't have much experience before. This was my first time taking something, and I did feel my veins swelling a bit after I took it."
"Your first time, huh? That explains it…" William muttered. As a knight, his senses were incredibly sharp. In the morning, Eric's blood energy was clearly below Mike's, but now it had surpassed Mike's, radiating with an unusual vigor.
William had no idea what kind of drug Eric had taken, but it was clearly potent—likely one with side effects. Still, since it was Eric's first time using such a drug, and given his financial situation, William didn't press further. He simply offered another warning, "Next time, make sure to buy from a legitimate pharmacy, especially if you're not familiar with the effects. There are a lot of people out there selling dangerous mixtures. You were lucky this time—don't make the mistake of thinking luck will always be on your side."
"I understand. Thanks again, William," Eric said, nodding earnestly.
William's expression softened a bit, and he smiled. "Well, it wasn't a total loss for you. Once your blood energy stabilizes and you work on strengthening your body, you should have a decent shot at passing the knight exam this year."
Their conversation caught the attention of the others. At first, they had assumed that Eric had taken some kind of blood energy supplement at lunch, which might have caused some issues with his body. But to their surprise, William had said Eric had a good chance of passing the knight exam!
Even in the morning, Mike hadn't received such high praise from William. Shocked, Mike couldn't help but ask, "William, has Eric's blood energy really increased that much?"
William chuckled. "I'm not a blood energy meter, so I can't give an exact reading. But based on what I can sense, this kid's blood energy has definitely surged quite a bit."
Eric quickly forced a sheepish smile. "It's really not that much—it feels about the same as before."
"Hahaha…" William let out a hearty laugh, not bothering to call him out. He turned to the others and said, "But don't follow his example. What he did was reckless. Taking unregulated drugs can cause serious problems, especially if they're the wrong kind. He got lucky this time, but in other cases, it could lead to something as severe as a blood vessel rupture."
At the mention of "blood vessel rupture," the others visibly recoiled, their faces showing fear. Mike couldn't help but ask quietly, "Eric, what exactly did you take?"
Eric scratched his head and replied with a nervous laugh, "After yesterday's test at your place, my dad gave me some money to buy supplements, hoping I could get into knight academy. This morning, on my way home, I bumped into someone selling pills on the street. It was cheap, so I bought one…"
"You're insane!" Mike was dumbfounded. "You trusted some street vendor?"
"It was cheap! He said it was a Blood Energy Pill, but it only cost a few thousand bucks. You said yesterday that one normally costs thirty thousand."
"Are you an idiot? A pill that costs thirty thousand, and you think he'd sell it to you for a few thousand?" Mike was in utter disbelief, while Jack scratched his head, equally baffled. "I wouldn't dare try that. Eric, you're crazy."
They had originally planned to ask Eric what kind of pill he had taken, but after hearing his explanation, they lost interest. Who in their right mind would trust some random street vendor and take a pill like that? It was basically gambling with his life in hopes of boosting his blood energy!
"Ignorance is truly terrifying!" That was the collective thought running through their minds.
None of them would ever be reckless enough to buy and consume a random pill off the street like Eric had.
Seeing their reactions, Eric let out a quiet sigh of relief, grateful he had managed to dodge their suspicions. He hadn't realized that knights could be so perceptive. However, being discovered by William wasn't entirely a bad thing. At least when his blood energy test results came out during the exam, Mike and the others wouldn't be too surprised.
More importantly, it seemed that William believed Eric had a decent shot at passing the knight exam. During the ride to school, William even gave Eric some additional tips on physical training. Finally, he smiled and said, "I think First High might be in for a surprise this year. Don't mess up the other parts of the exam, and maybe we'll be schoolmates in a few months."
Hearing this, Mike and the others were filled with both envy and admiration. But none of them had the guts to take a random pill off the street like Eric had.