Fon was mildly impressed with Shrek Academy. He could get behind a school that had actual standards and didn't compromise just to earn money. That being said, he was still rather bored with the whole thing.

"Tang Fon, level twenty-nine beast spirit master," said Fon.

"Age acceptable, power level, acceptable. Head right in with the others."

Fon followed his twin and Xiao Wu, though his nose perked up at the smell of fresh cooked sausages.

While the wording the other teen used was mildly disturbing, it wasn't an indication of the quality produced.

"Fon, you're really going to eat that?" asked Tang San with open dismay.

Fon made sure the older teen was watching as he bit into it.

"Just because the production method is mildly disturbing doesn't mean the quality will be poor. And really Xiao San, is it any different from watching what a butcher puts into normal sausages?" said Fon with polite exasperation at the look on his brother's face.

Oscar however beamed at him. No one ever ordered his sausages without being forced into it on a dare. It was rather disheartening.

"That being said I'll have five more," said Fon with a grin.

"You got it!" said Oscar with open enthusiasm, and he happily accepted the coins Fon gave him. Finally, someone who appreciated his hard work!

"You got the spices just right and the texture was perfect. Not to mention the balance of the meat and the vegetables," said Fon, eating another. "All in all it's not half bad."

"Please don't encourage him, he's annoying enough as it is," said Mubai.

"Is it his fault that his spirit chant turned out like that?" countered Fon evenly. "It's not like we have control over how the chant comes out... just look at what the Grandmaster has to put up with whenever he uses his."

Tang San wanted to counter, but instead he looked thoughtful.

"You're not trying to boost his pride are you?" asked Tang San.

"Do I look like the sort of person who would bother with that, brother?" said Fon.

Tang San went up to Oscar, who blinked in surprise.

"I'll try one," he said, handing over a copper. Much to disbelief of Mubai.

Tang San was mildly surprised that the flavor and quality was just as good as his brother said. Then again Fon wasn't one to praise idly.

Xiao Wu had an odd look on her face, though Oscar was rather pleased when Tang San ordered more.

"It's not as bad as Mubai made it out to be, and it's pretty easy to ignore the chant he uses," admitted Tang San. After all, he had learned very quickly to tune out the somewhat embarassing chant his master used when San Pao attacked.

If he could get used to that, there was no reason to ignore the wording Oscar used to make his sausages.

Oscar sent a look of gratitude towards Fon, because after seeing a few people actually eat his sausages he got a few more orders. Once the applicants got over the chant, they quickly found out that he actually knew what he was doing. This was the most luck he had selling his food.

Mubai still gave Fon an odd look for being the one to try it out in the first place.

"I'm still not eating his creations."

"That is your decision," said Fon.

Thanks to the fact their power was so high, they were allowed to skip straight to the fourth test. Fon was rather looking forward to it, as it was a live combat scenario.

"Fresh meat, Mubai?" asked a voice.

Mubai scowled.

"You know I hate it when you do that," he said flatly.

"Mu. Then pay me to stop," said a voice.

Fon perked up when he heard that tone. It had been so long since he heard it, but he recognized it anywhere. Next to him Tang San took note of his brother's reaction.

A cloaked figure appeared with a black frog on their head. There were odd tattoos under the area where their eyes would be, and most of their figure was hidden by their outfit.

"This is Viper, and they're a level thirty-four support master," said Mubai with obvious annoyance. "As you can see, they like to hide in the shadows a lot."

"Are you a boy or a girl?" asked Xiao Wu rudely.

"Pay me enough and I'll tell you," said Viper.

Fon was openly trying not to grin now. There was only one person he knew who acted like that.

Tang San hid a grin of his own, noticing his twin's interest.

"I still say martial arts are superior to illusions," said Fon clearly in Italian. Everyone looked confused by the fact he spoke another language, save for one person.

Viper went stiff, before they looked at him hard.

"That's because you're an idiot," said Viper with a huff in the same language, and they disappeared as if they hadn't been there in the first place.

"Brother, what was that?" asked Xiao Wu.

"It's nothing, little sister. It seems an old friend I haven't seen in a very long time is being as difficult as always," said Fon cheerfully.

Tang San shared a look with his brother. Fon nodded slightly at the unspoken question in his eyes. He relaxed...clearly this Viper was someone who was from Fon's previous life, and through some miracle of fate ended up in the same place as him.

"There you two go again, having secret conversations!" pouted Xiao Wu.

Fon chuckled.

"We're twins, what did you expect?"

"How are you two twins? You look almost nothing alike!" said Rong Rong.

"That's only because our personal preferences run differently," said Tang San. "Before you ask, I'm the oldest and Fon is the youngest. People always get that mixed up for some reason."

Mubai had a headache. Fortunately there was a cure for that, and that was a good fight.

Sadly it was not to be as one of the teachers was apparently bored enough to stand in as the one performing the fourth test.

Some time later...

Fon wasn't smiling. At first the test had seemed in 'good fun' to him, though he knew Viper was watching. It was a good way for the others to test out their compatibility as a team, and his brother seemed to be enjoying himself.

And then he saw Xiao Wu get hurt enough that she coughed up blood from her ability backlashing on her. What had seemed like a fun test of his skills swiftly turned into a reason to take the man seriously.

Fon shared a look with his brother, who was absolutely furious Xiao Wu was hurt so badly.

"Lichi, stay with Xiao Wu," he said calmly, but there was the clear undercurrent of a storm about to be unleashed.

"I think he's definitely earned a full demonstration of our capabilities, don't you brother?" said Tang San angrily.

"Indeed," said Fon, eyes already glowing red.

For the first time since they met him, Fon activated his spirit ability. Mubai wasn't the only one to sputter in absolute shock.

"What the actual fuck?! I thought your spirit beast was the monkey!"

"Actually Lichi is more of a 'friend' than his spirit beast," corrected Tang San. "Fon just hates having to deal with idiots who think sucking up to him will miraculously make them stronger."

As if the red dragon scales on Fon's skin weren't enough, his hands were glowing an ominous red that matched the color of his eyes. Beside him, Tang San's eyes were glowing a violet-indigo that was almost identical to when he used his mystic eyes technique.

Fon could sense Viper sit up and take notices as Tang San used Mist flames to create weapons he had become familiar with in his previous life, only for his Cloud flames to replicate them into a hail of deadly rain.

Zhao Wu knew instinctively he was screwed if either of the twins came within range of him.

And then Fon did something that really made him panic. He sent out a dragon made of red fire, likely some form of spirit ability. Whatever the dragon touched disintergrated into nothing, to the shock of those watching. The thing that struck Mubai most was the fact Fon wasn't smiling. There was a hard, serious line on his face and there was no serene expression in his eyes.

If the older man didn't pull a miracle out of his ass he was almost certainly screwed.

So it was with great relief when Zhao Wu declared a forfeit. He would never underestimate the twin monsters ever again... especially the long haired dragon who hadn't taken the test seriously until he made the mistake of pissing him off.

He had no doubts in his mind that Fon wouldn't hesitate to murder him in cold blood.

"How is Xiao Wu?" asked Fon seriously.

"She's fine, just exhausted and needs some rest," said Rong Rong quickly. She hadn't thought much of the smiling teen, who thought of the entire test where they had tried their hardest as a game.

After seeing what he could do when he was motivated however, she made a note to never get on his bad side. He was absolutely terrifying unenhanced by her powers.

Tang San looked exhausted, but relieved.

"Now you see why Fon uses Lichi to hide what his actual beast spirit is," said Tang San.

Seeing the multiple nods around him Tang San chuckled.

Fon was generally rather easy going and took things in stride, but once he was angered...well, not even Tang San wanted to get on the wrong side of him.

"Mu. You're still a pain in the ass as always," said Viper.

"What do you want?" asked Mubai.

"I can share a room with Fon if you want to put Tang San with Oscar. That should create minimal conflict," said Viper simply.

Mubai stared at Viper, before nodding. They had tried to put Viper in with one of the others, but there was always a conflict over their miserly attitude. That they would willingly offer to room with one of the twins, and the most terrifying one at that, was a relief.

Though after seeing the instinctive way Tang San and Fon fought together, Mubai had an easier time believing they were twins in the first place. You don't become that aware of another person in you attack radius without a lot of time together. Or a natural bond that gave you a sixth sense where the other was.

Fon woke up in an unfamiliar room...with Viper next to them.

"Mu. I thought I was alone in this world. Everything is rather confusing here," said Viper.

Fon smiled, and without a second thought pulled Viper down to kiss them. The Mist let out a squawk of surprise, before calming down and kissing him back.

"I think you're going to love training with my brother. He's got a good knack for illusions though it took him forever to combine it with his Cloud flames. That being said he could use a little help in the creativity department when it comes to using his Mist."

"Mu... at least I have someone tolerable to watch my back again," said Viper with relief.

Fon could only smile in agreement. His brother had Xiao Wu, and now he had his favorite Mist with him again. He had missed the comradeship and light bickering he had with Viper, so this was a pleasant surprise to say the least.

"That being said, how the hell did you end up as a dragon when you have the surname Tang?!" demanded Viper baffled.

"What's so important about that?" asked Fon curious.

Grandmaster had admitted their father was a Titled Doulou, but wouldn't clarify beyond that for certain reasons. Fon hadn't bothered to press since he didn't think it was important.

Viper gave him a scathing look.

"The last time someone with the surname of 'Tang' was active, they were a direct descendant of the least known clan known as the 'Clear Sky Hammer' sect. It made up the majority of the strongest 'tool' spirits and the direct descendants almost always had a hammer as their Martial Spirit. Just like the Blue Lightning Tyrant clan throws out dragons and Rong Rong's throws out support specialists. For you to have a dragon and your brother Blue Silver grass as your spirits, it makes it really suspicious."

"...And if we happened to have twin spirits?" asked Fon. This was more information than he could have gotten from the Grandmaster.

"...Extremely rare, but not impossible," conceded Viper. "That being said I only had limited information on the clan since they went into hiding after an argument with Spirit Hall over a decade ago. No one is sure what sparked it, but a Titled Doulou went missing after."

Fon closed his eyes.

Suddenly a lot of facts made started to make sense.

The fact their father was in hiding in such a rural village, despite his strength. The fact both he and the Grandmaster insisted they keep their secondary spirits hidden. The seclusion of an entire clan after an unknown dispute almost wiped them out, and the fact that Tang Hao refused to speak on why their mother was killed in the first place.

Fon could only come to the conclusion that there was something unique about their mother that caused Spirit Hall to go after her. Naturally their father would do everything in his power to protect her, only to fail either because of injury or the effects of giving birth to twins. As a result, their father decided to go into hiding with his sons, and the clan disappeared because he couldn't see them at least trying to assist one of their most powerful and noteworthy members. Odds were that when he failed, Spirit Hall decided to strike back, forcing them to hide for the most part.

Fon could think of several things that would cause Spirit Hall to go after a Titled Doulou so brazenly. But only one thing came to mind that made any sense as to why they would risk such a heavy loss of resources... at least with the information he had available.

"Can you get me a better idea what happened between the incident regarding the disappearance of a Titled Doulou and Spirit Hall?"

"I can try, my informants aren't likely to get much considering how much time has passed. Odds are that Spirit Hall has managed to silence them by this point."

"Fair enough. Worst case scenario I confront Tang Hao myself and get answers. But could you not tell Tang San anything about this? He has no idea who our father is, much less why he was told to keep the hammer hidden."

Viper nodded in agreement. If Fon wanted to keep his twin in the dark, then obviously he had a good reason to do so.