Leon waited patiently as the teacher collected the papers. When the teacher reached him, he gave Leon a meaningful smile but said nothing. However, when he stopped at the golden-haired tomboy, his tone shifted.
"You cheated, didn't you?"
"Umm… no… yes… no…" she stammered, avoiding his gaze and nervously twisting her fingers.
The teacher shook his head, collected the remaining papers, and announced, "You can leave now. I'll give you the results tomorrow."
"Thank you, teacher," the students chorused before rushing out.
"Children these days, back in our day we could study for ten hours straight at their age; their attention is getting lower."
Leon left the classroom, silently slipping away into the crowd.
"Wait for me, Leon."
Suddenly, a loud shout from a girl rang in his ears, causing his brows to twitch in response. He looked back to find the golden-haired tomboy running toward him with a smile on her face, revealing her yellow teeth.
Fatty was also running alongside her, his chubby body heaving as he took ragged breaths.
"Wait for us."
Leon glanced at them fleetingly before turning around and slowly walking past the crowd.
Some of the girls surrounding him gave him a smile, and Leon nodded back slightly. Although he wasn't likely to make friends, he wouldn't be a jerk to them either.
"Sigh, I am not worthy of making friends with them," Leon thought to himself, lowering his head as he finally exited the school.
At that moment, two hands—one big and another small—simultaneously patted his shoulder.
"Hey, why don't you wait for us, Leon?"
"Thanks for helping me, Leon."
Leon scowled, crouched slightly, and turned away, swiftly slipping past them. The two lost their balance and immediately fell to the ground.
"Ouch!"
They both grunted in unison.
"Why don't you wait for me?" Marcus barely managed to stand up as he asked.
Leon looked at him, then at the girl still lying on the ground. He walked up to her and slowly extended his hand.
"Need help?"
"Yeah, hehe." The girl smiled in glee, but her expression immediately twisted in pain as she stood up.
Her ankle was badly hurt, with a layer of skin almost peeled away in the process. Although it didn't hurt at first, the burning pain now made her eyes watery.
"It's fine." Leon patted her shoulder softly, then looked around. Slowly, he began to search the area. The place they were in was filled with muddy ground and bordered by grass, practically a small forest.
"What are you looking for, Leon?" Marcus couldn't help but ask curiously.
"Help me find a grass with a sharp edge and a tip that's slightly tinted blue," Leon softly muttered, his focus unwavering as he continued the task at hand.
"Alright, if you say so."
Marcus joined the search. Meanwhile, the tomboy-haired girl just stood there, her hand covering her eyes as subtle sobbing escaped her. Leon could distinctly hear it.
Closing his eyes, Leon relaxed his senses. The smells of nature—the dirt, the cow dung nearby, and every other scent—assailed his nose. At that moment, the red energy hidden at the base of his spine began to circulate slowly.
Time itself seemed to halt in Leon's perception. In the next moment, he could sense everything in nature from every direction—their positions, forms, and even the faint vibrations they left in the ground.
[You have gained a fraction of proficiency in: [Earth (locked)] Rune]
Leon's intense focus caused him to miss the faint black flicker of light entirely.
Whether it was the heat radiating from a sunlit stone, the subtle shift of a leaf trembling in the breeze, or the hidden roots threading beneath his feet, everything was laid bare before him.
He could pinpoint the exact location of each blade of grass, feel the cool dampness lingering in the soil, and detect the faint scent of wild herbs.
A soft glow danced at the edge of his mind, revealing a certain grass that stood out from the rest—sharp-edged and faintly tinted blue at its tips.
In the next moment, Leon snapped his eyes open. He lunged forward ten meters, flicked away a bug, and plucked the grass without even looking.
Returning to the girl's side, he crouched down. Slowly, he squeezed the grass, releasing a thick, green nectar that dropped steadily onto her wounded skin. The moment the liquid touched her injury, a sizzling pain shot through her. She sucked in a sharp breath, her face scrunching from the sting.
Hiss!
Her expression twisted further in pain as she closed her eyes tightly.
Leon stood up and, in a cold tone, said, "Endure."
Then, without another word, he walked away. Slowly, the burned layer of skin began to heal, replaced by fresh, new skin.
"It doesn't hurt anymore," she said, looking at Leon's back with a smile tugging at her lips. "My name is Trina, Trina Marshman. Call me Tina for short."
Tina turned around, still smiling, and walked away.
Leon didn't pause as he headed home.
"Hey, you guys forgot about me!" A chunk of fat wobbled out from the bushes, revealing Marcus's round face.
"You two left me alone."
Marcus followed Leon, calling out, "Hey, you forgot about me, Leon!"
…
Leon returned home and slowly opened the door while removing his muddy sandals. He raised his toes and carefully tiptoed, trying to move as silently as possible.
He was just about to reach his room when the door suddenly flung open, and his mother appeared, arms crossed.
"How did you end up like this, Leon?" she asked, staring at his almost unrecognizable figure. His entire body was soaked in mud, so filthy that even his face was barely distinguishable.
Leon turned to her and simply said, "I slipped, Mother."