Sss level Talent :The Infinite Hivecurse

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The moment Old Charles finished speaking, the room shifted instantly.

The principal of No. 1 Middle School jumped up first, eyes wide. "Charles, what do you mean by changing the rules all of a sudden?"

For over a decade, No. 1 Middle School had always received the lion's share of the city's educational resources—weapons, potions, rare beast materials, and more. This meant their students were consistently at the top of the rankings, both locally and nationally.

With that kind of history and momentum, it became a self-feeding cycle. Every year, ambitious parents did everything they could to get their children into No. 1, hoping the school's resources would guarantee their success.

It was a compounding advantage—like interest on talent.

Of course, it helped that the principal of No. 1 Middle School had always made sure to "take care" of Charles, slipping him favors and connections every year to keep their place secure.

So, even though No. 1 still had confidence in their SS-level and S-level talents, the sudden change of rules—without prior notice—felt like a betrayal.

Charles, unfazed, gave the principal a subtle look: Relax. Just trust me.

Then, turning back to the room, he said coolly, "This isn't my idea. The new strategy came from above. I'm just following orders."

But the truth?

There was no "new strategy" from above. This entire rule change was something Charles had cooked up himself.

Why?

Because he had been trying for weeks to find a way to get close to Lily Winters, one of the few SS-ranked students this year—and the pride of No. 3 Middle School.

Despite his position and reputation, Charles hadn't figured out a legitimate way to approach her. So, he engineered a system that would reward her naturally, with him looking like the generous benefactor.

"I'll submit a report later," he thought. But the main goal is to leave an impression on Lily—and the powerful Winters family behind her.

Clearing his throat, Charles continued, "To avoid favoritism, we'll use an individual merit system for this year's quota distribution."

> "Talent rank, level, and total combat power will each be rated. Combined, those will create a ranking of all rookie students this year. The higher the score, the higher the resource priority."

The room fell into a stunned silence.

This approach neatly bypassed the usual complaints about unequal school sizes—each school enrolled roughly the same number of students. So the system would now reward individual excellence, not institutional legacy.

The principal of No. 1 Middle School tapped his fingers anxiously. For a moment, he thought Charles was turning against him. But then he realized:

> Wait. We have three SS-rank students, and six S-ranks. That's far better than any other school.

He smirked. This system still favored him.

No. 2 Middle School? Only two S-rank students.

No. 3? One SS and a dark horse or two.

The rest? Basically background noise.

Confident again, he smiled and said, "All right, I have no objections."

But then he paused.

Wait a minute.

If everything was done by individual ranking, how would he pocket any of the "extra fees" he usually skimmed from allocated resources?

He panicked internally. "No, wait. This is unfair to students who don't have high talent. Sure, it's fair to the schools—but what about the kids?"

Charles saw right through the protest.

Of course, he knew what the principal really meant—less funneling, less bribes, less control.

But compared to cozying up to Lily Winters and her influential family, this petty corruption wasn't even worth his time.

So Charles scowled.

He grabbed his water glass, took a dramatic sip, then slammed it on the table with a loud thunk.

> "This is the directive from above," he snapped. "Do you really think I'm here to negotiate with you?"

> "Resources should be concentrated on those who show the most promise. Giving them to weaker students is just a waste."

The room froze.

No one dared respond.

Even the defiant principal of No. 1 Middle School lowered his head. The message was clear:

> "Shut up and fall in line."

But that silence gave him time to think.

Was Charles warning him? Had the higher-ups started investigating? Maybe the quiet message was: Stop skimming before you get caught.

His heart pounded, but he masked it with a nod and a forced smile.

"Understood. We have no objections."

Once No. 1 Middle School backed down, the other principals followed suit like dominoes.

> "It's fair."

"Let the students prove themselves."

"Agreed!"

Charles nodded in satisfaction.

He'd reviewed all this year's rookie data. Among those who awakened advanced talents, Lily Winters stood above the rest.

With her rare profession and exceptional potential, she would almost certainly take first place in this new ranking.

Which meant...

> Charles could openly reward her and say, "See? It was all thanks to me."

But he wasn't done.

He stood again and made another declaration:

> "Since this is our first time using this system, I'll personally sponsor the top-ranked student."

> "The reward will be a rare Dark Gold-tier material: Shadow Sparrow's Beak."

The room gasped.

This was a premium-grade enhancement item, incredibly difficult to find—even for professionals.

But Charles had done his research.

He knew that Lily's main weapon—her long black sword—was a growth weapon, designed to evolve when infused with compatible materials.

And what fit better than a shadow-based material, especially for her profession—Shadow Swordsman?

The Shadow Sparrow was rare and elusive, its essence deeply embedded in the shadows of the world. Even among Dark Gold-tier materials, it was known for being exceptionally hard to obtain.

Charles had burned through a large chunk of his fortune just to acquire it.

But he didn't care.

> Everything he was doing… was for Lily Winters.

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But when Charles looked around the room after announcing the prize...

The other principals just stared at him, suspicious.

They were all thinking the same thing:

> "Since when does Charles give things away for free?"

After all, most students would leave Ravenshade City after their entrance exams. The odds of the top student returning were slim.

So why was Charles being so generous now?

He coughed awkwardly, realizing their doubts.

He glanced at the principal of No. 1 Middle School, silently asking him to back him up like old times.

Still a little stunned, the principal snapped out of it and quickly said:

> "Yes, yes! I'll also add a prize! In my name, of course. A lottery draw for the top student!"

Charles smiled.

Mission accomplished.

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