Chapter 43: The Ramen Vendor Must Be a Master, Right?

"Generally speaking, hybrids have much stronger physical qualities than ordinary people, but without using Words of Power, they often still fall within the human category. Someone who can explosively exert thousands of kilograms of force purely through physical strength clearly doesn't fall into this category... but there are always exceptions," Angé said, shifting the topic slightly as he refilled Lu Chen's tea.

"Isn't the headmaster afraid that I might be some kind of little monster masquerading as a Dragon King infiltrating the academy?" Lu Chen joked, relieved to find no reprimand from the headmaster.

"A Dragon King? You're reminding me of something," Angé responded with a playful tone, seeming like a somewhat humorous elder. However, when he mentioned the words 'Dragon King', there was a fleeting sharpness in his eyes that Lu Chen caught.

"What? You think I might be one?" Lu Chen asked, intrigued by what experiences the old man might have had. Had he ever faced a Dragon King?

"Of course not. I know my life story very well. I admit I can be a bit combative, and I can eat a lot, but I can't imagine myself being some lizard-like creature," Lu Chen replied, shrugging.

"A lizard?" Angé's expression seemed surprised, then he laughed heartily, as if he'd heard the joke of the year. "Now that you mention it, that's quite fitting. Sometimes even the experts at the academy are puzzled. But I've always been skeptical of the connection between lizards and dragons in genetics."

After the laughter subsided, Angé straightened up in his seat. "You don't need to worry. The academy hasn't suspected you of being a Dragon King. Although you're an orphan, Norma has gathered all the relevant information about you. You've clearly grown up from a human baby to what you are now, ruling out the possibility of a Dragon King walking among society in human form."

"Well, what about..." Lu Chen glanced at the photo on the Pad.

"Today is the twenty-first century, with rapid technological advancements. People think they've grasped the power of the new era, advancing towards omniscience and omnipotence. But they still only know half the story about many things, including dragons and hybrids. At least I know that there are hybrids like you with extraordinary physical abilities," Angé said, sparking interest in Lu Chen.

"Where is he then? Is he in the academy, or in the Operations Department?" Lu Chen was eager to meet this hybrid, hoping they might spar together.

"He's not in the academy, and he doesn't belong to the Secret Society. He's probably still in Japan," Angé shook his head.

"Japan? He must be a well-known strongman there, right?" Lu Chen wondered.

At this mention, Angé's expression turned somewhat strange. "As far as I know, he might still be selling ramen on the streets."

"Selling ramen!?" Lu Chen's eyes widened in surprise. Could this be the ascetic practice of a master?

He imagined a man with hidden power standing on the streets of Tokyo, a white cloth tied around his head, hands confidently kneading the dough. To outsiders, he appeared to be an ordinary ramen chef, but in reality, he was contemplating the mysteries of martial arts during the noodle-making process.

It sounded... quite like a master indeed!

"Although I'm not quite sure how martial artists like you think, but the expression on your face tells me you've got it wrong. He really is just simply selling ramen, living a relaxed life," Angé said, observing the jubilant expression on his S-rank student's face, knowing that he might have misunderstood his meaning.

"Huh?" Lu Chen's face was filled with confusion and doubt.

"That's his chosen way of life, and it's not for us to judge," Angé said, taking a sip of his tea. "But you clearly don't seem like someone who's meant to sell ramen. So, Cassell Academy is a good place for you."

As he spoke, Angé snapped his fingers, and elegant piano music filled the office.

"You have outstanding strength, which means that the burden of using 'Moment' will be lighter for you. The physical laws limiting Words of Power will be weakened in your case. You'll become the strongest 'Moment' user, and with each level you ascend, you'll outdistance other users of the same level even more. Your immense power also means that your swords can cut through anything, so I say cold weapons are the most suitable for you," Angé continued, returning to the main topic. He then waved his hand over the Pad, opening another interface displaying the number 230, with the unit being pounds.

"Headmaster... is this considered a violation of student privacy?" Lu Chen asked, rubbing his forehead. Luckily, he wasn't a girl, or he might have been enraged by seeing that number.

Angé, however, shrugged nonchalantly. "Actually, the initial physical tests were more comprehensive. Measurements of height and weight were detailed, and even blood tests were conducted. However, the blood draw went against the taboos of certain hybrid families, leading several members of the board to resist it collectively. Eventually, it was scrapped, and measurements of height and weight were deemed unimportant and removed."

Lu Chen felt somewhat embarrassed. "I'm just a bit on the sturdy side."

230 pounds, approximately 104 kilograms, was his weight.

"That's normal. If you were only 150 pounds, I'd have to study you closely. Your bone and muscle density are obviously higher than average, which is one of the reasons for your super strength," Angé said, jokingly adding, "Future ladies who roll around with you might suffer a bit."

Lu Chen was taken aback. He hadn't expected such words to come from someone who looked like a gentlemanly elder, let alone a university principal, an educator vanguard.

But the words sounded like something an old rogue might say.

"Don't look at me like that. Even now, I'm still quite popular with the ladies, young or old," Angé chuckled.

"I can see that," Lu Chen nodded. The headmaster did have charm. Despite claiming to be a hundred and thirty years old, he looked no more than fifty. Coupled with his refined aura and witty conversational skills, it wasn't impossible for him to attract women who were into older men.

Angé snapped his fingers again, and the music stopped. "I was hesitating whether to let you have early exposure to that technique, but now it seems there's no need to hesitate. You and my old friend might even have some blood ties."

Lu Chen felt puzzled by the headmaster's words.

Pointing to the distant speaker, Angé said, "Words of Power. Emperor. But it seems you have no reaction at all. Don't panic; in a sense, it's a good thing, because your lineage has a talent that all hybrids envy. Even if you cross the critical blood limit, you can still retain your human rationality."

Lu Chen was still puzzled, but he seemed to understand a bit. The headmaster seemed to believe that he belonged to a special lineage of hybrids, and that these hybrids had special advantages. Although he was fake, this was also a good thing, as the academy wouldn't apprehend him, and everything about him now had an explanation of "legitimate origin."