CHAPTER 3

"screeeechh…"

With a piercing screech of brakes, four dark gray tire marks appeared on the ground, and the air carried an unpleasant mixture of carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide. The man in the red sports car was drenched in cold sweat, closing the car door and rushing over. He wore a well-fitted suit, his hairstyle a bit rebellious, and the most eye-catching feature was the delicate little mustache on his face, carefully groomed with a touch of middle-aged manliness.

"Thank goodness, are you okay, kid?" the middle-aged man spoke up.

At this moment, the pedestrians on the side of the road finally recovered from the dangerous scene that had just unfolded. They glanced at the face of the owner of the red sports car and exclaimed:

"Isn't that Tony Stark?"

"Tony Stark? The playboy?"

"Yeah, heard he's been with every girl in Playboy Magazine."

"Oh my God, he must be really good in bed."

The people here were surprised but they didn't linger much and gradually dispersed. A paparazzi snapped a photo and posted it online, accompanied by a few sarcastic remarks and quoted-

"Playboy Stark almost accidentally killed a high school boy"... for the bored citizens of New York, this was a sensation. Mr. Stark is also recognized as a genius businessman who has always be seen on the billboards. This man was well-known; he was in the headlines six days a week.

"Uh... I'm fine, Mr. Stark," Ethan Elric said hesitantly, then paused and cursed himself silently. He was too foolish to say he was fine at this moment; he should have immediately laid down. That was billionaire Tony Stark!! He wouldn't be able to get up without at least a million!

"Sorry, my traffic simulation system seems to have had a glitch. The signal light shouldn't have changed so early. Thankfully, you reacted quickly. You're really quick, I thought for sure I'd hit you just now. Didn't expect you to come out of it without a scratch," Tony Stark patted his chest, his heart still racing.

"Well, not exactly without a scratch, to be honest, my spirit…"

"I've got something to attend to, so I'll be off, young man. Here's my business card, call me if you need anything.", Rolling his eyes, Ethan Elric watched the red sports car drive away and safely stuffed the business card into his bag. Darn it... I didn't make any profit on this encounter. But Tony Stark's business card must be worth something, right? Seems like that kid Peter is a big fan of his.

"Ha! The exam is looking good this time!"

With a close call but no harm done, his new ability 'Beast Instinct' saved his life. Although Ethan Elric wasn't sure how this ability was triggered, judging by its pattern, it seemed like a passive skill that allowed him to sense danger ahead of time and react reflexively. As for how it felt to activate it, it was like someone grabbing a few strands of hair at the back of his head.

Skating along, he hurriedly but belatedly arrived. Gazing at the classroom's back door, which was so close, Ethan Elric took a deep breath and sneaked in stealthily, just like an assassin.

"Bang, bang, bang!" the blackboard was struck forcefully. Ethan Elric instantly halted his steps, his gaze fixed on the podium where Will…