This is an era that belongs to battle pet masters. At Hilltop Base, Hilltop High School.
Three days remain until the college entrance exams.
"I hereby announce that Ethen Cole is expelled from our school effective immediately."
In the classroom of Class Five, Grade Three, the homeroom teacher, Nasrul Stell, announced in a low voice.
Nasrul Stell's words were like a deep water bomb, creating a huge uproar in the classroom.
Could it be true that the most diligent student, Ethen Cole, was expelled?
The classroom immediately erupted into chaos.
The reason for Ethen Cole's expulsion was that he had beaten Aniqi Lex, a student from Class Four, Grade Three, outside of school, causing an injury to Aniqi Lex's brow bone.
In this era of thriving martial arts, fights among young people are not uncommon.
As long as the fights aren't too lethal, schools even encourage sparring and testing among students.
After all, one can only improve combat skills through actual battle experiences!
However, this time, Ethen Cole was expelled from school just for getting into a fight.
This left the students in Class Five, Grade Three, utterly shocked.
In truth, the homeroom teacher, Nasrul Stell, was also puzzled.
He couldn't understand why the school would impose such a harsh punishment on a student like Ethen Cole, who was so diligent and motivated.
But this was a decision made by the school board, and he had no choice.
After hesitating repeatedly, Nasrul Stell could only publicly announce this punishment.
At this moment, gazes filled with surprise and regret fell upon Ethen Cole, who was seated in the last row.
Due to poor nutrition, Ethen Cole appeared somewhat frail.
Upon hearing the news, the sparkle in his eyes suddenly dimmed.
He had anticipated this outcome.
Three days ago, on his way to school, Ethen Cole witnessed Aniqi Lex bullying a younger female student.
Unable to tolerate injustice, Ethen Cole immediately stepped in to protect the girl, leading to a confrontation with Aniqi Lex.
Aniqi Lex started the fight by attacking Ethen Cole.
However, with his agile skills, Ethen Cole turned the tables and beat Aniqi Lex, resulting in a cracked brow bone and relentless bleeding.
Harboring a grudge, Aniqi Lex sought revenge.
Aniqi Lex's uncle, Ahmad Lex, was a member of the school's board of directors.
Under Director Ahmad Lex's maneuvering, the school board passed a resolution to expel Ethen Cole.
Ethen Cole was an orphan, having lost his parents at a very young age.
With resilient tenacity, he struggled to survive, not only supporting himself through odd jobs but also excelling academically, reaching Grade Three.
Now, with the college entrance exams just around the corner, he faced expulsion.
If he could get into the Battle Pet Academy, his life would undergo a monumental transformation.
Yet, just three days before the exams, he was expelled.
And the reason stemmed from an act of righteousness.
According to the regulations of the Hilltop Base government, once a student is expelled, they lose the qualification to take the college entrance exams.
"Am I really going to be deprived of my dream of attending the Battle Pet Academy like this..."
Ethen Cole felt a mix of regret and pain, filled with helplessness.
Today happened to be his 18th birthday.
Once again, he experienced the harsh malice of life.
Nonetheless, Ethen Cole's character was strong.
The more he faced setbacks, the calmer and more resilient he became.
At this moment, he showed no significant emotional turmoil, merely sitting quietly in the classroom.
"Ethen Cole, are you aware of the school's decision regarding you?"
The homeroom teacher asked with a hint of reluctance.
"I'm aware, Mr. Nasrul."
Ethen Cole maintained his politeness toward Mr. Nasrul.
Mr. Nasrul felt quite regretful about Ethen Cole's predicament.
"Ethen Cole, come to my office after school today. I have some books on cultivating battle pets that you can take home to study. No matter what, I hope you don't give up on your dream of becoming an outstanding battle pet master."
Mr. Nasrul decided to do what he could to help this unfortunate child.
"Thank you, teacher."
"Alright, class. Back to the main topic. Your college entrance exam registration materials have all been approved by the examination center. Except for Ethen Cole, the remaining 49 students will be heading to the battlefield of the college entrance exams in three days."
"For this day, you have all worked hard for three years. I hope each of you performs well and gets into your ideal Battle Pet Academy, embarking on a brilliant career as a battle pet master!"
Nasrul Stell's words invigorated the students of Class Five, Grade Three.
With only three days left until the college entrance exams, every student was determined to give it their all.
"Class Five, Grade Three, we will triumph!"
Class leader Saloma Lili led the enthusiastic cheer.
"Class Five, Grade Three, we will triumph!"
The rest of the students happily pounded their desks, joining in the loud chant.
Only Ethen Cole, sitting in the corner of the classroom, appeared isolated, out of place amidst the excitement.
The world of battle pets is a fantastical realm where spiritual energy has been revived.
In this world, the most prestigious profession is that of a battle pet master.
Battle pet masters can form contracts with battle pets, commanding them in combat, making it an exceptionally powerful profession.
Under the leadership of battle pet masters, humanity has established numerous bases in this tumultuous world.
Humans and battle pets coexist and thrive in these bases, creating a magnificent battle pet civilization.
The base where Ethen Cole lives is called Hilltop Base.
At Hilltop Base, every young person receives a randomly distributed monster egg from the government for free when they turn 16.
Two years ago, Ethen Cole received his monster egg and hatched a [Blue Riolux].
This blue Riolux is at a very low level, only reaching the Iron Tier Level 1.
The known levels of battle pets can be roughly divided into four main tiers: Iron, Bronze, Silver, and Gold.