The news of the formal complaint against Ethan spread through Westbrook High like wildfire. By the end of the afternoon, every student, teacher, and staff member knew that the school's star student was accused of cheating on his exams—and that the entire math team faced disqualification from the regional competition.
Most students were shocked and sympathetic. They had witnessed Ethan's perfect score and his dominance over Jake on the football field. To them, the accusation was nothing more than a cheap attack from someone who couldn't stand seeing a hardworking kid rise to the top. But a small group of Jake's loyal friends whispered loudly in the hallways, trying to plant doubt in everyone's minds.
Ethan stayed calm through it all. He didn't raise his voice, didn't lash out, and didn't let the pressure break his focus. If anything, the challenge only made him sharper. His upgraded mind processed every detail, analyzed every possible outcome, and prepared a response that would leave no room for argument.
After school, the math team stayed behind in their classroom. The mood was heavy. Even Lila, usually steady and confident, wore a worried expression as she flipped through her notes. Aaron sat quietly in the corner, his shoulders hunched, afraid that their shot at victory was already over.
Mr. Henderson tried to sound hopeful, but even he couldn't hide the tension in his voice. "The representatives from the competition board will be here first thing tomorrow morning," he said. "They'll administer a brand-new, never-before-seen exam. No advance warning, no answer keys, no chance for anyone to prepare ahead of time."
Jake had clearly planned every step. He'd used his father's influence to arrange a test so secure that even the most prepared students would struggle. To the outside world, it would look like a neutral investigation. In reality, it was a trap designed to make Ethan fail and destroy his reputation forever.
Lila slammed her notebook shut, her eyes flashing with anger. "This is so unfair! Jake is using his money and his family to ruin everything. He's scared Ethan will make our team beat North High, so he's trying to take us out before we even get there."
Ethan placed a hand on her arm, gentle but firm. "Don't worry. I'm not going to let him win. Tomorrow, I'll take their test, and I'll score perfect. They won't have any reason to accuse me of anything. The entire team will be cleared."
Aaron looked up, his voice small. "But what if the test is too hard? What if even you can't finish it perfectly?"
Ethan knelt beside his teammate, his tone steady and sincere. "I've faced harder things than a math test. I've faced being ignored, bullied, and told I'd never amount to anything. This is just another obstacle. And I don't run from obstacles—I break through them."
[Ding!][Host has boosted team morale during a crisis.][Passive skill Team Synergy strengthened.All members gain 15% increased mental resilience.][Reward: Advanced Logic Proficiency unlocked.]
A faint spark of hope returned to the team's eyes. For a moment, the weight in the room lifted.
That evening, Ethan returned to his penthouse and began his final preparation. He didn't need to cram information—his photographic memory already held every formula, theorem, and problem-solving technique he could ever need. Instead, he focused on calming his mind, maintaining his focus, and preparing to perform under maximum pressure.
Kane stood quietly in the background, allowing his employer space to concentrate. "If you require any additional resources before the test, sir," he said softly, "simply name them. The system can arrange for anything that might help."
Ethan shook his head. "I don't need anything extra. Just me and my mind. That's more than enough."
He spent the rest of the evening practicing speed and precision, working through complex problems at a blistering pace. By the time he went to sleep, his confidence was at its peak. He didn't just believe he could pass—he knew he would dominate.
The next morning, the atmosphere at Westbrook High was thick with tension. Two stern-looking representatives from the competition board arrived promptly at eight o'clock, carrying a locked metal briefcase that held the secret exam paper.
Reporters from local education blogs had also caught wind of the story, hovering near the classroom door, hoping to capture footage of either Ethan's triumph or his downfall.
Jake stood in the crowd, a smug, satisfied grin on his face. He was certain his trap had worked. He'd heard the test was designed for college-level students, far beyond anything a high schooler could solve perfectly. To him, Ethan's defeat was already guaranteed.
The representatives set up a desk in the front of the room, isolated from everyone else. They placed a single sheet of paper and a pencil on the table, then sealed the room to prevent any outside contact.
"Mr. Reed," one representative said, "you will have one hour to complete this exam. No calculator, no notes, no assistance. If you score below one hundred percent, the accusation will be upheld, and your team will be disqualified."
The entire room held its breath.
Ethan sat down calmly, picked up his pencil, and began.
The test was indeed brutal. It contained advanced calculus, complex algebra, geometric proofs, and logical reasoning puzzles that would have left even the brightest regular students stumped. To anyone else, it would have been overwhelming.
To Ethan, it was effortless.
His mind processed each question instantly. His hand moved across the paper smoothly, writing down perfect solutions without hesitation. He didn't pause, didn't second-guess, and didn't struggle.
Ten minutes in, he was already halfway done.Twenty minutes in, he finished the final page.
The representatives stared in disbelief. The onlookers gasped.
Ethan placed his pencil down and looked up. "I'm finished."
One of the representatives immediately took the paper and began grading it, his hands shaking slightly. He checked each answer twice, triple-checked the most difficult problems, and finally looked up, his face pale with shock.
"Perfect score," he announced. "One hundred percent. Unbelievable."
The room erupted.
Cheers exploded from the math team. Reporters scrambled to take photos. Jake's smug grin vanished, replaced by pure, unfiltered rage. He'd lost.
[Ding!][Quest: Clear Your Name completed!][Rewards awarded:][Permanent Luck Boost activated!][$50,000 cash deposited!][Public apology from the competition board unlocked!][Math team is officially cleared for competition!]
Ethan stood tall, his expression calm and unyielding.
Jake had tried to destroy him.Instead, he'd just made Ethan's victory even sweeter.
The road ahead was still long, and the regional competition loomed.But Ethan Reed had passed his greatest test yet.
And he was only getting stronger.