Chapter 123: Hand Grip

"Good day for all of us. Oh, aren't you Mr. Ashton Spencer?" Brian came over with a smile that looked fake and fraudulent, but it was all aimed at Ashton.

"Ho? Well, you're Mr. Brian Chapman, correct? Nice to meet you." Ashton smiled amiably and offered his hands to shake hands.

Brian didn't expect anything else. He just accepted the handshake with confidence. However, the unexpected met with the unprepared. The handshake was held tightly by Ashton as if he intended to crush his opponent's hand, but it wasn't genuine.

The sudden pain from his hand made Brian curl his lips and frown, but he immediately put on a relaxed expression as if nothing had happened. He didn't yell or complain. Brian immediately returned the firm grip of their handshake that had turned into a power struggle.

Although his body was not as athletic and muscular as Ashton's, Brian was still a year older with magic experience. The pure strength of muscle was aided by magic. Brian grinned as if they were old comrades.

This time it was Ashton's turn to feel the pain in his hand. He furrowed his brows in surprise. Ashton did not expect Brian to have the strength to withstand the power of his hand grip.

The two girls and David only watched Brian and Ashton shake hands for a long time with smiles that looked a little forced. They didn't know what to say. However, the hand muscles they saw couldn't lie. The two of them were in a gripping battle?

Elysia shook her head slightly. The strange trend that had existed on Earth was also applied in this world. She just thought Brian and Ashton were two people who knew each other. Since nobody said anything, maybe it was true.

"Nee, Ely. Why are the two of them shaking hands for a long time? Look at those veins, they're fighting strength in the grip?" Evelyn asked in a whisper to the girl next to her.

"Yes, that's what they are doing right now. Maybe Mr. Brian and Mr. Ashton are old friends? They bonded with each other after a long absence through strong handshakes. En, boys and men often do that." Elysia shrugged her shoulders as if it was none of her business. But at the end of the sentence, she nodded and stroked her chin as if she was an all-knowing sage.

"What? Where does that tradition come from? For me, I really don't want my hand to be grabbed painfully like that." Evelyn took her hand and rubbed it as if her hand had been squeezed painfully during a handshake with someone.

If that was true, perhaps from now on, Evelyn would be discouraged from shaking hands with any man. She didn't want to be in pain and suffer just because of something like that.

When Brian and Ashton heard it, they immediately released their handshakes. Their hands turned white and then quickly turned red with a tingling feeling just because of their silliness.

"Strong grip, Mr. Brian. I never thought that behind your thin body, you also have great strength."

"You too, Mr. Ashton. Unlike me, who has been helped by magic, you only rely on muscle strength."

Brian and Ashton exchanged words with smiles as if Elysia was right, and Evelyn had already believed it. The boys weren't trying to correct Elysia's words either, so it only strengthened that conclusion alone.

Evelyn wouldn't want to shake hands with boys or men, whether she knew them or not, just because she didn't want to be grabbed painfully.

The incomplete knowledge that Elysia knew from Earth already affected an innocent girl. Still, there was no one to blame, as she also had no friends at the time.

Simultaneously, all students who had tried their luck at the challenge could only return with disappointment. Neither of them succeeded. The magic class was over, and the teachers returned to the center of the field.

"Hmm... All right, students. You tried, and all of you failed the challenge. Some of you already had enough strength to destroy three wooden targets. It was still not executed fast enough for the target to move in a sudden and unexpected patterned motion." Teacher Ruth observed the students with a stern expression.

No wonder they failed. Even Brian failed in the previous and the current magic class challenges. It was natural for them to be defeated by the challenge, but where was Elysia. Did she manage to complete the challenge so efficiently in the previous class? She just deliberately skipped it and didn't try this time?

Teacher Ruth immediately glanced at Elysia. However, the latter tried to hide behind Evelyn's body to block the teacher's sight, who seemed to be after her.

"What? Ely, what are you doing behind my back?" Evelyn found it funny when Elysia was hiding behind her.

"I'm fine, but it looks like Teacher Ruth isn't satisfied because of me." Elysia took a little peek, and Teacher Ruth was still staring at her.

"Student Elysia, why did you purposely miss the challenge?" Teacher Ruth seemed to want to laugh at this one student's behavior.

"I'm fine, ma'am. Students are free to choose whether to participate or not." Elysia immediately returned to stand beside Evelyn. She was already being targeted.

"What? Hee~ However, this is strange. At this challenge, no one asked what reward I would give to the winner." Teacher Ruth grinned as she put one hand on her cheek.

"Then, what reward will you give to the winner, ma'am?" Ashton immediately asked. He was also a little curious.

"Hum, hum... Finally, someone asked. Is no one curious? Since no one can complete the challenge, and no one else wants to try the challenge, I will be generous to tell you. The reward this time is this! Ta da!"

Teacher Ruth smiled as if trying to offend a capable student who had purposely missed a golden opportunity. She showed off an elegant, silvery-white magic wand with a green tapered gem on the wand's tip.

Elysia saw the level of the magic wand, then gave a soft snort and looked away. Level 30 magic wand, very stingy, and definitely used goods. She was not interested because she already had a level 65 Celestia.

Teacher Ruth was already at level 116. She couldn't keep using the same magic wand, right? Because of that, she made it a reward for the challenge, and it was something pretty hard for students to win.

Wasn't that too, stingy? Used goods as a reward for a difficult challenge for students in the new school year? Even Instructor Dillon got much better and sincere about the prize for his challenge.

Teacher Ruth got a little awkward when the girl she was trying to tempt turned away as if the girl wasn't interested. Even so, there were still many other students who looked at the magic wand that she used up to two years ago with admiration.

"Too bad, there are no students who succeed in the challenge and deserve to accept this magic wand. If no one wants to try the challenge, I'll save it back to my [Space Bag], I'll put it now, you hear?" Teacher Ruth was a little annoyed when Elysia still looked away. Her magic wand wasn't attractive?

"Teacher Ruth, the magic class was over. When can we leave?" A student who seemed to be in a hurry immediately asked, he had an urgent and vital nature call.

'Used goods for other rewards, cheapskate. Not sincere either.' Elysia muttered in her mind.

'Hehe... Why assume that? I'm sure you would take that magic wand if you didn't have Celestia as your comparison.' Elena intervened for the sake of peace.

'Ah... It's possible. However, it was clearly used goods. I don't see sincerity there. See how she tried to encourage me to take the challenge and win the magic wand. Pretty suspicious.'

'Well, it does look a little weird if we look at Teacher Ruth's actions.' Elena nodded in understanding.

"Hum, class is over. Those of you who don't want to attend the magic class's extra hours can leave and get back to your business." Teacher Ruth announced as she put the magic wand back in her Space Bag.

Students who didn't want to take the extra class immediately left the training ground to fill their day with more useful things.

"Ely, are we going to Starlight Apparel right now?" Evelyn took her best friend's hand as they left the training ground.

"Yes, I have to go right now. I have some business with Senior Rosa. Do you want to come with me now?" Elysia nodded slowly.

"Hum, yes, let's go there together~" Evelyn smiled so happily. She also had another show-off topic to tell Ella later.

"Oh. What a coincidence! I also want to go there to have a look. Can we go together?" Brian and David approached deftly.

"Eh? To Starlight Apparel? It's a boutique for women's clothing and dresses, you know?" Evelyn stopped her steps and looked back. Elysia also stopped.

"Yeah, I know. However, I did want to come because of that." Brian awkwardly smiled as he scratched the back of his head.

"Well, why not? Hmm? Would you like to come with us too, Mr. Ashton? You look confused?" Evelyn just nodded, but she raised her eyebrows slightly at the boy, who looked confused and wanted to say something.

"Oh, yeah, I'm also planning to visit Starlight Apparel. We can go together." Ashton composed his words briefly and spoke fluently.

"Then let's go." Elysia didn't mind that.

She didn't really understand their primary purpose by coming to a women's clothing and dress shop. Still, she couldn't accuse them either, could she? They could go wherever they wanted, to a place that wouldn't forbid them.

After that, the five of them headed to the training ground exit. But, that small group would increase again and again as soon as they passed the doorway.