And just like that, Feini became Qingshamu’s little shadow.
As they always said, if a little beast wanted to survive, it needed to find a powerful ally to cling to.
Qingshamu, being a hidden figure who managed to live in Room 302, undoubtedly possessed extraordinary strength.
She called herself the [Headless Rider], always wrapping a black ribbon around her neck, and even brought her sword to school.
No one dared to provoke her, as she emitted an aura that warned: “Those who bring harm to demons, keep out.”
Qingshamu’s only friend was Feini, or rather, her dining companion.
They rarely interacted during class, but after school, they would eat together.
Meanwhile, Shijietang Simon had already become familiar with everyone in the class and formed her own elite group of beautiful girls at the top of the food chain, instantly becoming the leader of Class 2.
Thanks to her looks and presence, she was vaguely becoming a prominent figure among the first-year freshmen.
Now, no one didn’t know Shijietang Simon — the one with orange hair — she was like a spotlight, a blazing sun impossible to ignore.
Beside her was Xueyuedai Emma, a beauty who balanced intelligence and charm. Compared to Simon, Emma’s demeanor was gentler, and she was the second-ranking member of their beautiful girl group.
In stark contrast, Feini was like a damp maggot.
Her belly kept growing, while everyone else wore neat and tidy school uniforms. She alone wore a maternity coat that was just plain ugly.
Especially among the beautiful beast apprentices, many looked at Feini with disdain — like she was a thorn in their eyes, disgusting and repulsive.
But Qingshamu protected Feini, so no one dared bully her.
A week into school, the dreary academic classes had finally come to a pause.
The core courses of Demon God Academy were about to officially begin.
That was [Physical Education Class].
Though called physical education, it was actually an extreme fitness test.
All the beast apprentices awaited this day eagerly because no matter what they said, it always came down to who could perform in practice.
Inside the girls’ changing room, everyone changed into their sports uniforms.
Surrounded by soft, exquisite bodies, Feini didn’t dare look around and huddled alone in a corner to change.
“Show us your belly.”
Her timid posture immediately sparked laughter from the other female students.
“What are you laughing at?”
Qingshamu appeared behind them in an instant, glaring fiercely and questioning coldly.
The girls quickly dispersed, unwilling to meet the Headless Rider’s gaze.
“Feini, are you okay?” Qingshamu approached Feini with a noticeably softer tone.
“I’m fine, I’m used to it. Thank you. Without you, I really wouldn’t know what to do.” Feini had grown accustomed to the gossip and ridicule during this time.
Male students often hurled lewd words at her, while female students shamelessly slandered her daily, calling her a whore.
All malice, no kindness.
“You’re welcome. I’ll protect you. Let’s go.” Qingshamu escorted Feini out of the girls’ changing room.
“Mm.” Feini wanted to ask why Qingshamu was so kind to her, but in the end, she didn’t.
The two arrived at the training ground outside.
The boys had already started the extreme fitness test, and when they saw the girls emerge, they pushed themselves even harder.
The girls cheered everyone on, creating a lively atmosphere — the faintest hint of a normal school day.
But soon, the mood vanished. The boys were running dozens of laps on the track, their speed so fast they were mere blurs, pushing their endurance beyond limits — this was no ordinary human stamina.
Because they really weren’t human.
Feini sought out the Witch Class Teacher and asked, “Teacher, do I have to take the test too?”
“Why wouldn’t you?” the Witch Class Teacher replied loftily.
“I’m pregnant,” Feini said.
“I’ve seen a pregnant Ogre single-handedly break through an entire Adventurer Party,” the teacher refused her request flatly.
“…” Feini was speechless and could only clutch her belly and approach the track.
“What are you dawdling for? Wasting everyone’s time!” a nearby female student taunted.
A whistle blew, and the girls surged forward like drawn swords, sprinting with all their might, no slower than the boys.
Only Feini crawled like a turtle, gasping for breath every few steps, utterly unable to run.
Others had already dashed past her into their second lap.
Soon, the third and fourth laps flew by, while Feini was still jogging slowly on the first lap.
The fastest runner, of course, was the blazing orange shadow — a brilliant phantom whose divine footwork left everyone dumbfounded, impossible to match in speed.
She ran a full lap ahead of everyone else, though she maintained that gap for a long time.
It seemed Shijietang Simon could run even faster, but she kept a steady pace without trying to widen the distance.
Qingshamu came in second, appearing to control her speed as well, just a bit faster than third place, showing no intention to challenge Simon.
Before long, the endurance test ended.
Unlike the boys who ran until exhaustion, Simon and Qingshamu finished still full of energy, without even a drop of sweat, looking effortlessly fresh.
“Ugh~” Feini collapsed on the roadside after just a lap and a half, completely exhausted.
“You okay?” Qingshamu came over to support her and sat down beside her, handing over a bottle of water.
“Glug glug glug~” Feini drank it and realized it was Qingshamu’s own water bottle.
If it were normal girls sharing water, it wouldn’t matter, but their world was far from ordinary.
Still, Feini glanced secretly and saw that Qingshamu showed no strange intentions — clearly a straight girl through and through.
“Next is the [Ability Test],” Qingshamu said calmly. “You up for it?”
“I don’t have any special abilities, so no need to test,” Feini answered confidently.
“Hah.” Qingshamu smiled slightly at her humor.
“You should smile more. Your smile is pretty,” Feini said.
At that, Qingshamu immediately withdrew her smile and returned to her cold expression.
With the fitness test complete, the ability test was next.
It involved apprentices stepping forward one by one to demonstrate their unique skills.
The Witch Class Teacher summoned blocks of pitch-black rock, incredibly solid, for the apprentices to attack.
“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!”
Most apprentices used pure physical attacks against the rock, trying to leave the largest marks to prove their strength.
Then it was Qingshamu’s turn.
Immediately, the entire training ground’s attention was fixed on her, curious what this white-haired girl could do.
“Clang!”
In a flash, Qingshamu drew her sword and swung it before sheathing it back. Most saw only a blur cutting through the air.
“Rumble… rumble…”
After a few seconds, the black rock slowly cracked from the center, revealing a smooth, clean cut surface. The two halves toppled to either side.
At the sight, the whole field erupted in stunned silence, mouths agape.