Start With Contracting Sprites

On the running track, Su Hao and Silkworm Baby gradually squeezed their way out of the chaotic area where the starting line was. Suddenly, it was as if even the air had become much fresher.

Su Hao looked back and noticed that the running track was still in a state of chaos.

Several playful and mischievous sprites had scampered off the running track and were dashing about joyfully. Newbie Sprite Trainers chased after them with looks of anxiety while shouting constantly. The sprites ran about even more happily.

Thanks to this, the running track, which was originally rather packed, had become a lot more spacious.

As for the few classmates whom Su Hao was familiar with, Chen Qi and his Little Stone Elephant were running in front of him to the side, while Zhou Yuze was in a panic because his Bubbling Squid was nowhere in sight.

Ma Something-mei was running ahead with her Green Bamboo Leaf, but it was drifting about in an S-shape.

As for Liu Ren…

His Little Charcoal Tortoise didn't run about, nor did it move in an S-shaped or Z-shaped path. It was just that… It was a little slow.

Just like elderly men strolling in the park, it was walking at a very leisurely pace.

Big Fatty Liu paced up and down next to it, calling out "Master Tortoise, Master Tortoise" over and over to it, and trying to convince it to speed up. However, the great Master Tortoise simply wouldn't spare him even a glance. It continued to walk forward, step by step, at its own pace.

In the blink of an eye, Big Face Liu had already fallen behind to the third tier.

Su Hao gave him a helpless look. Then, he began to adjust the rhythm of his breathing and increased his speed with Silkworm Baby.

Before long, he had already overtaken the big and tall Chen Qi.

Oh, don't be mistaken. It wasn't because Su Hao's athletic abilities were more outstanding than Chen Qi's. It was purely because Chen Qi's Little Stone Elephant ran a little slower.

…No, it really was rather slow.

It ran at about the same speed as a human jogger. However, Su Hao could tell that Little Stone Elephant was already trying its best.

He looked at the other classmates, or rather, their sprites.

The sprites in the first tier were very obedient in following their Sprite Trainers' commands. They didn't create any trouble. However, their tiny bodies and clumsy running stances continuously made the corner of Su Hao's mouth twitch uncontrollably.

There were even sprites which tripped once every three steps and had to flip back upright before continuing to run.

Doubts filled Su Hao's mind. During these recent few days after the other students had contracted their sprites, were they only feeding the sprites and nothing more? Did they not bring them out for a walk even once?

"Gurgle, gur… gle…!"

Silkworm Baby stood upright proudly and called out at him.

Su Hao wanted to dampen its enthusiasm, but unfortunately, he couldn't think of anything.

It was just a weak little Silkworm Baby. Yet why was it that next to the budding new sprites of the new batch of Sprite Trainers, it seemed just that tad bit more outstanding?

There must be something wrong somewhere.

Su Hao lowered his head and continued to run. He had already overtaken quite a few students. In the blink of an eye, there were only five students in the first tier that he was in, including himself.

What a surprise, he was actually this powerful now!

Silkworm Baby was unimpressed.

There was someone whom he knew in the first tier—Gu Lingyao.

Her ponytail swung left and right as she ran. Little Spring Sprite moved forward while pushing its long dress hem. Even the color of its water flow had darkened. This was an indication that sprites such as the Little Spring Sprite were performing at full capacity.

"Gurgle~"

Silkworm Baby, which was overtaking it at the side, used Mock.

Little Spring Sprite paused momentarily, but didn't pay it any heed. It continued to move forward.

"Gurgle~"

Silkworm Baby continued mocking it.

Little Spring Sprite ignored it again, just that its tiny little face had already turned a deep blue from keeping its temper in check.

"Gurgle, gurgle~"

Silkworm Baby used Mock thrice in succession.

Little Spring Sprite couldn't keep it in anymore.

"Hum… Hum!!!"

Splat!

Little Spring Sprite lost its balance and fell flat on its face, just like a pool of liquid that got flattened, before it slowly pulled back up.

"Silk! Worm! Baby! You'd better behave yourself!"

Su Hao's large hand came descending from above, but Silkworm Baby dodged it nimbly.

Su Hao blushed in embarrassment.

He could only let out a dry cough and use his skill—the imposing might of a Sprite Trainer.

Stare!

Silkworm Baby turned away.

Hur, Sprite Trainers!

…

Su Hao gradually got into things. After he had adjusted his breathing, he didn't feel anything out of the ordinary with his body after running one round.

The first tier had already taken form. There were only six students there.

The sixth student was someone he knew—Chen Qi.

In fifth place was Gu Lingyao, the only girl in the first tier. It was just that Little Spring Sprite was slower than Little Stone Elephant. Thus, it looked like it was going to be overtaken.

Su Hao was in third place.

He didn't expect that he—someone whose athletic abilities had always been mediocre—would actually rank in the top few positions in this level-wide evaluation test.

This wasn't even a quick sprint that depleted all his stamina. It was as if there was a continuous stream of energy being produced in his body. He felt like he could run another 100 rounds…

…Yeah, right, of course not.

However, he did have an entirely possible chance at fighting for the rewards of the top three positions.

As expected, I've already become powerful before I knew it!

Silkworm Baby cast a glance at its Sprite Trainer. It grunted and continued to slack discreetly.

Slacking discreetly was the only thing it could do now!

The starting point of the running track was no longer packed by this point.

Through the use of various methods, the newbie Sprite Trainers had finally managed to regain control over their sprites and bring them over to the running track. However, there were also a few who couldn't.

Salted Fish King flipped over and continued to sleep.

Grass Sheep had already chewed a patch of grass bald… It was unknown whether the trainer would need to provide compensation for it.

Although Su Hao's imagination was running wild, his speed wasn't slow at all. Instead, it was even gradually increasing slightly.

When his graceful form ran past Liu Ren, he waved at him, completing yet another round.

Liu Ren, "???"

He looked at Silkworm Baby, which could keep up with Su Hao's running speed with no problem whatsoever.

Silkworm Baby, "???"

Then, he looked at his Little Charcoal Tortoise, which was so slow that it was no different from an old man strolling in the park. He couldn't help but get mad.

"If you don't speed up, I'm going to…"

…Cut off its food supply?

If Little Charcoal Tortoise didn't grow, the one who would lose out in the end seemed to be himself.

As for other things? Master Tortoise was not interested at all.

Big Face Liu raised his head to the sky. Looking up at the blue skies and white clouds, he contemplated whether it was time for him to spend some money and buy some treasures that could increase a sprite's speed.

…

In the twinkling of an eye, Su Hao had already completed three rounds. By steadily increasing his speed, he had already successfully risen to second place and pulled ahead of the student in third place by dozens of meters.

He took a look at the student in first place, who was less than 20 meters away from him. It was a boy with a crew cut.

His rhythm was as steady as Su Hao's. His sprite was a Kungfu Pup, an Earth-Element Sprite which looked like a little puppy standing upright. However, from what Su Hao recalled, this was a relatively uncommon species.

Kungfu Pup's pace was also very rhythmic.

Su Hao adjusted his condition and gave Silkworm Baby a discreet look. It was time to speed up.

The distance between the two of them closed up swiftly.

At this point, the boy with the crew cut looked behind him. When he realized that someone was catching up to him, excitement seemed to flash across his eyes. He gave Su Hao a thumbs up.

And then… Whoosh!

He raced off into the distance.

Su Hao chased after him for ten seconds. The distance between them continued to pull apart.

After chasing after him for 20 seconds at an increased pace, Su Hao was breathing rather hard. He felt rather beaten.

Let's just stay in second place. The reward for the top three is the same anyway. What's the point in putting in so much effort to fight for an empty title?

All of these are just empty titles!

Silkworm Baby gurgled and lowered its head as it sped up further. A competitive spirit known as mutual appreciation for its rival started burning in its large eyes. But all of a sudden, it felt like something seemed to be missing next to it…

"???"

Where was the Sprite Trainer?

Where did that big of a person go?