Chapter 166: The First Robbery
The moment Mark Smith stepped forward, countless eyes landed on him. As one of the recognized prodigies participating in the examination, his actions naturally attracted attention. Without hesitation, he walked to the mountain and firmly planted his flag into the rocky surface.
A faint golden light erupted from the flag before quickly fading away. A small mark appeared above it, confirming that the placement had been accepted.
Mark Smith revealed a confident smile before continuing upward without looking back.
His success immediately broke the hesitation among the crowd.
Soon, more participants surged forward. One flag after another was planted across the mountain, creating a colorful sea of banners stretching from the base toward the clouds. Emma Rock, Lily Frost, Kevin Ten, Hank Cooper, Jean White, Leo Clark, Don Frost, and numerous other well-known geniuses advanced steadily, each claiming their own territory on the mountain.
The atmosphere grew increasingly lively as the number of flags continued rising.
One hundred.
Two hundred.
Three hundred.
Families watching from the viewing platforms could no longer remain calm. Every time they spotted their descendants successfully advancing, cheers erupted from different corners.
"Haha! That’s my grandson!"
"As expected of the White Family!"
"Our heir has already reached the upper regions!"
The proud laughter of elders echoed throughout the area. For many families, this examination was more than a simple test. It was an opportunity to display the strength of the next-generation before the entire academy.
As time passed, the number of planted flags quickly exceeded five hundred.
Excitement filled the crowd.
Yet amid all the commotion, one person seemed completely detached from the event.
Tony Smith remained seated beneath a tree near the entrance, resting lazily against the trunk with a blade of grass hanging from his mouth. While others desperately fought to advance, he looked as though he were watching a boring street performance.
Many participants secretly glanced at him from time to time.
After all, ever since the Herb Garden incident, Tony had become one of the most talked-about individuals in the academy.
Nobody could understand what he was thinking.
Was he waiting?
Did he give up?
Or was he planning something else entirely?
Considering his personality, most people believed the last possibility.
Then, just as the number of flags continued climbing, Tony finally stood up.
The simple action immediately attracted attention.
Many students turned toward him.
Even some elders observing the examination raised their eyebrows.
"Finally decided to move?"
"Let’s see what he’s planning."
"I doubt anything good will come of it."
However, what happened next completely exceeded everyone’s expectations.
Instead of heading toward the mountain, Tony walked directly into the crowd.
His pace was unhurried, almost casual, as though he were taking a stroll through a marketplace. Then he suddenly stopped in front of a young man preparing to advance.
The young man frowned.
It was Elvin Clay.
The younger brother of Elsa Clay.
Several people instantly recognized him.
Elvin looked at Tony with vigilance. "Why are you blocking my way?"
Tony studied him for a moment before revealing a friendly smile. "Nothing serious. I just remembered that I know your family quite well."
The moment those words were spoken, many nearby spectators immediately recalled the incident involving Elsa Clay at the Herb Garden. Some even began suppressing laughter.
Elvin’s expression darkened.
"What does that have to do with me?"
Tony extended his hand calmly.
"Simple. Give me your flag and go get another one."
For a brief moment, the entire area fell silent.
The surrounding participants stared blankly at Tony, wondering if they had misheard him.
Even several elders nearly choked.
He wasn’t trying to hide it.
He wasn’t making excuses.
He wasn’t setting a trap.
He was openly asking someone to hand over their flag in front of thousands of spectators.
Elvin’s face instantly turned red with anger.
"You think I’m going to give you my flag?"
Tony shrugged casually. "You can refuse if you want. I’m simply making a suggestion. Still, since your sister and I are already acquainted, I figured helping me out shouldn’t be a problem."
The surrounding crowd almost burst into laughter.
Helping?
This was outright robbery.
Elvin’s fists clenched tightly.
His entire body trembled with rage.
Every instinct urged him to attack Tony immediately, but he knew very well that doing so would only create trouble for himself. The academy rules were strict, and causing a disturbance during the examination would bring severe consequences.
Most importantly, he wasn’t confident he could actually do anything to Tony.
After a long struggle, Elvin finally gritted his teeth and pulled out his flag.
With a furious glare, he threw it toward Tony’s feet.
The flag landed on the ground with a dull thud.
Many people secretly nodded.
Although humiliating, at least Elvin had preserved a bit of his dignity.
Unfortunately, Tony clearly disagreed.
He glanced at the flag before looking back at Elvin.
"No."
Elvin frowned.
"What do you mean no?"
Tony pointed toward the flag lying in the dirt. "Pick it up, clean it, and place it in my hand properly. If you’re giving someone a gift, at least show basic respect."
The crowd was completely stunned.
Several participants even rubbed their ears, wondering whether they had heard correctly.
Not only was he stealing the flag, he was demanding proper etiquette while being robbed.
Elvin’s face twisted with disbelief.
For a moment, everyone thought he would explode.
Yet after staring at Tony’s calm expression, he ultimately lowered his head.
The humiliation almost made him cough blood.
Slowly, he bent down and picked up the flag. After brushing away the dust, he stepped forward and placed it directly into Tony’s waiting hand.
The entire process was performed exactly as instructed.
Respectfully.
The surrounding spectators stood frozen.
Even many elders watching from above wore strange expressions.
They had witnessed countless arrogant geniuses throughout their lives.
But someone who could rob another participant in broad daylight while forcing the victim to maintain proper manners was something entirely new.
Tony accepted the flag with satisfaction before patting Elvin’s shoulder.
"See? That wasn’t difficult at all. Good cooperation."
Elvin nearly spat blood on the spot.
Meanwhile, laughter and disbelief spread through the crowd.
High above, one academy elder stared at the scene for several seconds before turning toward his companions.
"Should we stop him?"
Another elder looked at Tony twirling the stolen flag as though it rightfully belonged to him.
After a long silence, he sighed.
"The problem is... I’m not entirely sure which rule he’s actually breaking."
All eyes were focused on Tony Smith. And everyone had a feeling this was only the beginning.
